Saves The Day - 03.24.06

[Brandon Herbel]

First, introduce yourselves and your roles in the band.



I'm Chris. I sing and play guitar.



As most kids know by now, your new record, "Sound The Alarm", hits shelves on April 11th through Vagrant Records. Do you mind giving the public some information on it? (Ex: How many tracks are on it? Where was it recorded? Is there a theme? Etc.)



There are 13 songs on the album. We recorded it in our home studio, which we call the Electric Lady Bug.


Why did you guys decided to titled the record "Sound The Alarm"? What significance does it have?



It's the name of a song on the album which sums up the mood of the record.



You guys were recently labeless; what options did you weigh when choosing to re-sign to Vagrant Records? Was it a tough decision?



We wanted a label that was safe, where our phone calls would still be returned even if we have a shitty first week of sales. We wanted a label with backbone, brave enough to work with a band that doesn't give a fuck about radio our video airplay. Vagrant feels like home.



The band has experienced both worlds: the major and independent label. What are the major differences between the two? Are major labels really as horrible as most artists claim they are?



The difference is that major labels have stock holders who expect decent earnings each quarter, and if the label doesn't produce, bands get dropped, albums get shelved, and musician's lives get dragged through the dirt. Indies are more likely to give you a shot based on how good your music is, not how good your sales are.



With all due respect, your last album, "In Reverie", wasn't as critically acclaimed as the albums prior to it. As a result of that backlash, did the band make a conscious effort to escape that sound?



No. We never change deliberately. Our evolution reflects our growth as individuals.



What is the band's writing process? I've heard rumors that Chris writes almost everything on every album, is this true? If this is not an accurate claim, how much does each band member contribute to the material?



I come up with little skeletons of songs on my own and then we flesh them out and bring them to life together as a band.



Is there any chance that the band will be playing this year's Warped Tour?



We're doing the whole thing.



This one is for Chris: Myself, and many others, miss your dance moves on stage. Is there any chance of you dropping the guitar and taking a frontman approach again?



No.



This is kind of a tired subject, but what was the situation with long-time band member Eben and why did the split occur? How did you guys get ahold of Manny and lock him into the vacant bass position?




We'd known of Manny for a long time through playing shows with Glassjaw back in the day. When it came time to write for Sound The Alarm, Eben wasn't on the same page creatively as me, David and Pete. I kicked him out of the band and we called Manny, who fit in perfectly and brought a new dimension to our sound.


The band has gone through it's ups and downs (no song title-pun intended), has there ever been a time where you guys collectively considered throwing in the towel? Realistically speaking, how much longer do you guys imagine yourselves making music under the name "Saves The Day".



There have been times when it felt like we'd never step foot on another stage. In terms of how long Saves will be around, of course, only time will tell.



Most bands "find their sound" one or two years into their careers and Generally stick to it. With that said, why has their been such a drastic change in sound with every album you guys release? Is it safe to say that you guys are constantly maturing?



Our sound evolves as we grow as human beings. The change is a reflection of inner growth. Not to mention some bands are too afraid to change for fear of alienating fans.



How do you guys feel about the success of bands like My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy? Do you guys strive for that same kind of success?



I love the guys in My Chem! They are our Homeboys from the Homeland and we are so proud of them and excited about their continued success. In terms of our own career, we just want to keep making records and playing shows.



In one word (and only one) what can we expect out of your new album when it hits shelves on April 11th?



Hell.



Thank you, for contributing as much as you have to the independent rock scene and influencing kids, like me, since the High School years. You deserve all of the success and respect in the world.



Thanks man!

[fromwithin]

"I kicked him out of the band and we called Manny, who fit in perfectly and brought a new dimension to our sound."

damnnnnnn.


ok interview though he didnt seem too happy at the time.

[chokeychicken]

shitty interview. what a dissapointment.

[Tony]

yeah, that interview sucked. it read like a bunch of questions e-mailed to him and he e-mailed back with his responses. also, you need to fucking proofread that shit and put it in a format that's easier to read.

[born to expire]

I agree... that interview sucked.

[FreddyKrueger]

yeah this seems very thrown together and half assed i mean even the basics of writing down who is speaking isn't even there

[Tim McCall]

Is any staff member on this site a journalism major?

[transitrock]

When it came time to write for Sound The Alarm, Eben wasn't on the same page creatively as me, David and Pete. I kicked him out of the band and we called Manny, who fit in perfectly and brought a new dimension to our sound.


swell guy.:(
my respect for him has fallen.

[Timberwolf]

swell guy.:(
my respect for him has fallen.
if anything mines grown, most people wouldnt openly admit to kicking someone out of a band, plus it seemed to be for a reasonable enough reason.

[Brandon Herbel]

Is any staff member on this site a journalism major?

Just to let you know, I didn't write the interview. I just had it sent to me to post.

[jusscali]

he sounded like a real prick.

and i love how he didnt say shit about fall out boy lol.
fuck u wentz

[GoWaitInTheCar]

"I kicked him out of the band and we called Manny, who fit in perfectly and brought a new dimension to our sound."

damnnnnnn.


ok interview though he didnt seem too happy at the time.

Hah, I was tthinking the same thing. Wow. Stuff happens just like that. I'm not sure of my opinion of Chris in this interview.

[uhh beer]

personally ive always loved how succint he is in interviews.
he never minces words or amkes himself or saves the day out to be anything, even though in my life and im sure thousands of others let alone tons of the bands i listen to, he's had this huge influence.

[Tony Pascarella]

personally ive always loved how succint he is in interviews.
he never minces words or amkes himself or saves the day out to be anything, even though in my life and im sure thousands of others let alone tons of the bands i listen to, he's had this huge influence.Except this does come off as a really poor interview, succinct or not.

I don't blame Brandon (just FYI). The only suggestion I have for him is to fix the extra spaces all over the interview and maybe the bolding thing..

[xllirikx]

cool

[shannomu]

Yeah that interview wasn't that great. I mostly knew the answers to all of them before and Chris is probably sick of answering them, hence him sounding pissed. haha. I mean c'mon, it's on Warped Tour's website already that they are playing (and mentioned on Vagrant's that they are playing the whole thing), why ask such a dumb question.

[Tony Pascarella]

Yeah that interview wasn't that great. I mostly knew the answers to all of them before and Chris is probably sick of answering them, hence him sounding pissed. haha. I mean c'mon, it's on Warped Tour's website already that they are playing (and mentioned on Vagrant's that they are playing the whole thing), why ask such a dumb question.That's not a bad question; I'd venture a guess that the interview was sent out long before that was officially confirmed last week.

[CrucifiedHeart]

none of my questions were used =(

that interview to me, sucked mostly cause its the same boring questions that i knew what chris was gona say to before he answered...

The highlight is hearing about Eben, man thats rough but I'm sure Chris is sick of that question now and is just being as bluntly honest as possible, ....understandable. Its just weird cause ebens been around for so long, they obviously musta had a pretty deep friendship to stay together for all those years touring and living with each other every day.

Still, I respect the decision, ....as an artist, the music comes first, no compromises.

[sartre]

dude. this interview sucked.

of course chris was acting like a dick, he was being asked stupid questions that he answers all of the time.

[Save my day]

I really wish they weren't doing warped =( oh well.

[screamoutmyname]

Haha I enjoyed this interview...

I think that it was kind of brief since Saves the Day is on a nationwide tour... Just my guess.

[Tim McCall]

Just to let you know, I didn't write the interview. I just had it sent to me to post.

Huh? You didn't actually interview him? May I work for this site and do real interviews? I promise they will be well thought out and maybe not even just in a transcript format.

[OveriseFan]

Terrible interview, though it's not completely your fault Brandon... Chris didn't seem very talkative, and you can tell this was an emailed thing.

[matt_rawlings]

That interview wasn't really informative or interesting.

But, I guess Chris just doesn't really get into that shit

[van_morrison]

this interview is as shitty as their new record.

[Ibanezgsr200]

this interview is as shitty
true
as their new record
false

[njkid54]

none of my questions were used =(

that interview to me, sucked mostly cause its the same boring questions that i knew what chris was gona say to before he answered...

The highlight is hearing about Eben, man thats rough but I'm sure Chris is sick of that question now and is just being as bluntly honest as possible, ....understandable. Its just weird cause ebens been around for so long, they obviously musta had a pretty deep friendship to stay together for all those years touring and living with each other every day.

Still, I respect the decision, ....as an artist, the music comes first, no compromises.
i still dont' believe that he was kicked out.

[shtjames]

and there is actually a song on this cd called 34. the chances?

[FASSWcore]

eh, i still want the album, i'll forget the interview

[3milesdown]

chris wasnt pissed, this is how interviews just go with saves the day. most interviews with chris are really just short; it's like yes. no. no. no. no. yes. yes. sometimes.
haha get my drift?

[redxluckyxcharm]

depressing. That interview needs some valuum

[Co and Ca]

short and sweet. its a goodin

[STD Yay STD]

not such a great interview. didn't really tell us anything we didn't already know. oh, well.

[CaptainCardigan]

We'd known of Manny for a long time through playing shows with Glassjaw back in the day. When it came time to write for Sound The Alarm, Eben wasn't on the same page creatively as me, David and Pete. I kicked him out of the band and we called Manny, who fit in perfectly and brought a new dimension to our sound.

I think he was joking because I heard that he left under good terms. No one can just toss Eben aside like he is fucking David Lee Roth.

[Trainsaw]

it was a pretty good read, he's not really talkative tho

[mewithoutyou]

1. Granted the questions were painfully terrible, if I got an e-mail back with those responses I wouldn't even post it. I'd send it to the garbage bin and never request to do an interview with that band again.

2. Chris should just refuse to do interviews instead of half assing it. I know a ton of smaller bands who appreciate the support and put a lot of energy and thought into each answer.

[randall814]

1. Granted the questions were painfully terrible, if I got an e-mail back with those responses I wouldn't even post it. I'd send it to the garbage bin and never request to do an interview with that band again.

2. Chris should just refuse to do interviews instead of half assing it. I know a ton of smaller bands who appreciate the support and put a lot of energy and thought into each answer.

1. Agreed. When we saw them in November, we talked to Chris for about an hour and he had a huge appreciation for what we had to say. And he we sure as hell did not bore him with dumb shit that all kids say when they approach him.

2. Half assing is better than nothing at all in this business. Why? For this very reason: Opinions are formed either way, that is why people like us are here talking shit in the first place. Also, I remember when Saves the Day was smaller like 6 or more years ago, and they definitely reacted to interviews with tons of thought and energy. However, after 6 years of douche bags like us asking the same shit about the same subjects that everyone already knows, its probably very irritating.

Like is there any chance of Chris not playing guitar and being the frontman again? Answer: He already is the god damn frontman and he obviously doesn't plan on looking for another guitarist cause it would have happened already.

[1000shadesofred]

not a great interview... but lets notice that chris wasnt much help when it came to expanding on his answers

[punksteve82]

What a surprise ... Chris is his typical A-hole self. He releases a shitty album (In Reverie) and chastises the fans for not immediately appreciating it (a la Stay What You Are ... although it worked there). Next he tours with a shitty band (Grandaddy) and refuses to play one song off of Can't Slow Down, Through Being Cool, or the EP. He kicks out Eben. Once the major label boots him and the fans revolt, he goes back to what sells. Yet, he still claims that it wasn't a conscious decision to change the sound and that "our evolution reflects our growth as individuals". What a load of BS ...

[mewithoutyou]

What a surprise ... Chris is his typical A-hole self. He releases a shitty album (In Reverie) and chastises the fans for not immediately appreciating it (a la Stay What You Are ... although it worked there). Next he tours with a shitty band (Grandaddy) and refuses to play one song off of Can't Slow Down, Through Being Cool, or the EP. He kicks out Eben. Once the major label boots him and the fans revolt, he goes back to what sells. Yet, he still claims that it wasn't a conscious decision to change the sound and that "our evolution reflects our growth as individuals". What a load of BS ...

Grandaddy aren't a pop punk band and they have no place playing a show with Saves the Day, but that doesn't make them 'shitty'.

[Frank Giaramita]

Is any staff member on this site a journalism major?
I wrote the questions in this interview, and they were ALL submitted to me by YOU GUYS! The ignorance in this thread kills me. I posted a thing that said "If you'd like me to ask any question imaprticular, let me know", and what questions did you guys request?...exactly. The entire point of the interview was to hype up their new record and when this interview was submitted to Chris 2 months ago, nothing about the album was known, nothing about their Warped Tour dates was known, etc. Back then, these questions were VERY fresh and interesting... it just took him 2 montsh to get it back to me.

I've conducted over two dozen interviews through e-mail and it takes two to make it work well. Since neither one of us can respond back and forth like we're in-person or on the phone it's his job to make the thing flow. My job was to ask questions about their new record and get people excited for it, his job was to give as much information as possible (since little details were known about the record at this time) and make the interview flow from question to question... I did my part, he didn't do his. Also, the band is RELEASING AN ALBUM, conducting interviews and answering the same questions over and over again is PART OF THE PROCESS... that's no excuse for him half-assing this.

P.S.- Brandon shouldn't have posted this, Chris' lack of enthusiasm is the reason why I didn't.

[ryheeles]

What a surprise ... Chris is his typical A-hole self. He releases a shitty album (In Reverie) and chastises the fans for not immediately appreciating it (a la Stay What You Are ... although it worked there). Next he tours with a shitty band (Grandaddy) and refuses to play one song off of Can't Slow Down, Through Being Cool, or the EP. He kicks out Eben. Once the major label boots him and the fans revolt, he goes back to what sells. Yet, he still claims that it wasn't a conscious decision to change the sound and that "our evolution reflects our growth as individuals". What a load of BS ...

does a label going bankrupt count as booting bands? don't think so

[mewithoutyou]

If I'm not mistaken DreamWorks folded into their parent label along with all their bands and Saves the Day were ignored/lost in the shuffle.

[mwhitt]

Just a couple of points of interest:

I've talked to Eben about it, and he was pretty much kicked out, but it's not like he wanted to stay. It's like quitting and the boss says "You can't quit, you're fired!" They did not end on good terms. Eben and Chris did not get along.

The tour with Grandaddy was .musically, a great choice and had STD going in a great direction. Two of the best spacey power-pop bands touring together? Of course they're going to play an In Reverie-centric set, it was the (one of the?) first tour(s) supporting the album and they were all incredibly proud of it. Hey Mercedes on some dates? The fucking Fire Theft opening?! How did that tour fail? Because stupid meatheads would rather mosh to At Your Funeral than space out to the great tunes of In Reverie and Sumday. Also, the fucking Fire Theft. Chris Conley and Jeremy Enigk on the same bill. Just let that settle in.

Oh well.

[CrucifiedHeart]

Just a couple of points of interest:

I've talked to Eben about it, and he was pretty much kicked out, but it's not like he wanted to stay. It's like quitting and the boss says "You can't quit, you're fired!" They did not end on good terms. Eben and Chris did not get along.

The tour with Grandaddy was .musically, a great choice and had STD going in a great direction. Two of the best spacey power-pop bands touring together? Of course they're going to play an In Reverie-centric set, it was the (one of the?) first tour(s) supporting the album and they were all incredibly proud of it. Hey Mercedes on some dates? The fucking Fire Theft opening?! How did that tour fail? Because stupid meatheads would rather mosh to At Your Funeral than space out to the great tunes of In Reverie and Sumday. Also, the fucking Fire Theft. Chris Conley and Jeremy Enigk on the same bill. Just let that settle in.

Oh well.

thats sad news. eben was with them for so long...
That tour was really good, I remember specifically for one, that She sounded amazing live
and the fire theft were fucking awesome!!! it was a bit weird, cause obviously its like seeing sunny day open up for saves in a sense....but it was very cool to see nonetheless
And grandaddy was cool, but they def fit in on that tour and totally complimented Saves at the time

regardless
I just saw my 14th saves show tonight, and I love them forever

[punksteve82]

Just to clarify, The Fire Theft was amazing on that tour and is amazing in general. Let's leave the falsetto to Jeremy though

[GRIFFARD]

bad interview great cd

[savewhatyouare]

for people who are bitching about eben, they should read the "oral history" of STD in the latest AP.

For saves the day being the only "pop punk/emo/whateveryouwanttocallit" band I have followed since grade school, it revealed A LOT that I didn't know.

Example: Bryan Newman left the band cause he never gelled well with Eben (the original claim was that he wanted to pursue photography). Ted Alexander felt that he couldn't find the difference between Chris Conley the friend and Chris Conley the lead singer of STD.

Everytime I met/talked to Eben at a show, he always seemed calm and reserved. Sure, this could just be in his nature, but I swear, a couple of times, I could see him rolling eyes and making VERY pretentious comments at some people. I always thought he was pompous enough to believe that he was in a band that was more important than it really was. The other guys, especially Chris and Dave, have always been loyal to the fans.

[sendouthesoscal]

what a dick.. and im not saying that because everyone else thinks so . i DO value his independancy , an attitude like "hey, this is who i am deal with it" . . i kinda like that BUT.. he basically has lost touch with reality and may god have mercy on his soul when he visits gods pearly gates.. oh and that comment about eben almsot made me puke.. than again jay is THE man .. meh