Jason Tate
08/14/03, 08:26 PM
The interview was WAY to big to go into our interview database, for some reason the file size was causing problems so it has to go here.
If you didn't come here from AbsolutePunk.net; make sure you check out our site for all the latest info on this band, TBS, and all of your other favorites.
This interview is with John Nolan and Shaun Cooper of Straylight Run (both members are former members of Taking Back Sunday) on August 6th, 2003. I want to take a quick moment to thank both of them again for agreeing to answer a few questions for me, two truly amazing people:
Jason: So I guess we can just start out and talk about the new band, Straylight Run; where did the band name originate?
John: Our drummer, Will, got it from some science fiction novel he had laying around his house that he had to read when he was in elementary school.
Shaun: Yah, and that book, supposedly, the movie the Matrix was based on, somehow ..
John: Supposedly .. it doesn’t really have any particular meaning, but it has a mysterious ring to it, which is nice ..
Shaun: We like to be as mysterious as possible.
Jason: Of course, that is good I guess. So can you confirm all of the band members for me, and how that all came together?
John: Well there is Shaun and Will (formerly of Breaking Pangaea) and then my sister Michelle. Well, what happened is that it started out, obviously, as Shaun and me. And then Fred (formerly of Breaking Pangaea) was asked to play guitar with Taking Back Sunday, so then that left Will without a band because Breaking Pangaea was pretty much the two of them – then one night we were at a Brand New show in Manhattan and since he was without a band, and a very good drummer, I asked him if he would like to play with us and he started playing with me and Shaun and it was working out great and my sister has been playing guitar and piano for a while now, and was just getting started, and getting more and more interested in playing music and then we decided that she could come in and play piano on songs I wasn’t going to play piano on and play guitar I was going to play piano on. And .. hmm, do her back up singing that is …
Jason: Amazing ..
John: Very, very nice ..
Shaun: Yah, and it also pretties up the band a little bit.
Jason: So what kind of sound should people expect from this band? I mean I don’t want to label it or anything like that, but if you had to put some sort of name with it what comes to mind?
Shaun: I would just like to say that it’s the perfect blend between Thursday, Saves The Day, Dashboard Confessional, and Jimmy Eat World.
[All Laughs]
Shaun: No, no .. it’s a lot different then our old band. I don’t know, it’s piano rock orientated – but at the same time it’s not wussy music either.
John: I guess it’s kinda more like a mix between The Beatles, Radiohead, Led Zeppelin, and U2.
Jason: Wow, so have you guys recorded anything yet .. or what is the plan with that?
Shaun: Uhmm, we have been demoing some stuff – just recording some things ourselves, and we’re hoping to at least have some internet access to the demos we recorded at least in the next week or two. We currently don’t have any plans to release anything officially though.
Jason: So do you think that Taking Back Sunday fans are going to enjoy the ‘new sound’ or what would be your opinion on that?
John: Well, I would think so - I mean, you can’t really predict what people are going to enjoy and not enjoy; but, it is not like our sound is so totally far fetched that no fans of Taking Back Sunday would not enjoy it. I mean, it’s different – and I think a little more interesting; but it’s not by any means hard to relate to or anything like that.
Jason: So, you knew I’d be asking this, but do you guys want to talk at all about what happened with Taking Back Sunday?
Shaun: Well John has personal problems, and lots of personal, personal issues.
John: Well, yah – I mean there were personal problems between me and Adam, and there’s no reason to go into detail about it because we don’t have any intention of badmouthing anybody or trying to ruin anybody’s name or anything like that…
Shaun: And all of the rumors are incredibly entertaining, whether true or otherwise ..
John: And a lot of things that people have heard, some of them are true – and a lot of things are completely ridiculous. I think that anybody who knows us, or the way things work can piece together what some of the problems between me and Adam may have been; but again, there is no reason to go into detail about that. Besides that, there were a lot of things that Shaun and I both were not so happy with about the band. Creatively speaking, and also professionally – like the way the band was being run.
Shaun: The business that had become the band ..
John: So really, there were just a lot of things that we had become unhappy with and, in my opinion, the place that Taking Back Sunday was at – it should have been the greatest experience our lives every night, and we should have been ecstatic. It should have been a great time, and it was becoming progressively unexciting and unpleasant experience. It finally got to the point where I just felt like I was going to be faking it at a certain point.
Shaun: .. that was also one of my main reasons for leaving. Once I knew that John was without a doubt leaving that it wouldn’t be what it once was, and that I would be faking it and doing something that I didn’t feel was 100% real, and I couldn’t go on doing that.
Jason: Which makes sense of course; now what do you guys want to do differently with this band? I mean was Taking Back Sunday a learning experience .. or what?
John: Well, yah … Taking Back Sunday was an incredible learning experience and hopefully we will be able to apply the things that we learned business wise to this new band and I think that we will be a lot more, “in control,” of every decision that is made in this band, and also make sure that we are a lot more, “in control” of the way that we are presented. Whether it be a record label advertisement, or a sponsor or something like that – being in control of our own public image I guess. And musically, I guess we just want to be in a band that isn’t pigeon-holed into one particular genre, and we can try new things, and do different things. That is what we have been trying to do, and I think that when everyone finally hears the music it is going to be very clear – every song has something different going on, and we try new things in every song. So I think that is going to be something we focus on being as diverse, unique and original as possible but of course without being obscure, you know?
Jason: So a lot of fans are confused with all of the ‘secrecy’ surrounding the two of you leaving the band?
Shaun: Yah, I know – and the truth is we don’t really know why there was all this secrecy, from the Taking Back Sunday camp. We just knew that we could not really release what we were doing quite yet because of all sorts of legalities and things like that. I don’t even know why they haven’t made an announcement even now, I mean it’s just beyond us. And we are just happy that now we can finally speak, and get out information about this new band and move on. I just hope things are the same with them, you know?
John: When we left the band, we didn’t have a forum to make any sort of public announcement. At first, it was sort of up in the air – I mean, I didn’t just make the decision and Shaun didn’t just make the decision to up and leave at the drop of a hat. So there was a time where it was unsure, but after that time was up – I mean, that was so long ago, and after that for some reason they decided that they didn’t really want to make any sort of a public announcement saying that we left, or even anything saying why … even just a little bit. It’s very strange, and I don’t really understand ..
Shaun: And it really is sort of a shame because there really are two very talented individuals now in our places, and they deserve all the credit in the world for doing what they are doing.
Jason: Well, that sort of ties into my next question. How do you feel about Taking Back Sunday playing songs that you, John, helped write – and Shaun helped create?
John: Well, I definitely have no problem with it; but to be honest there is something strange to me about it. It really just, doesn’t seem .. real. Something is not right or natural about it because I feel that those songs were very much a product of the five of us that were in the band. And obviously you can get other people to come in and do what Shaun and me did on those songs, but the writing of those songs was something that was extremely collaborative and extremely ..
Shaun: … and was extremely heartfelt, from the bottom of our hearts, something that we were trying to express.
John: Yah, everything – even the music, not just the lyrics. And there’s something to me that’s just strange about it, and I really hope that they start working, and try to move on and start working on new music as soon as they can, and not just playing those songs that we wrote over and over and over again. Of course though, whatever they do is up to them, and is totally in their hands. I would never try and stop them, or complain about it – it’s just a strange situation.
Jason: Yah, so wasn’t it Jesse (from Brand New) who said that it was complete bullshit if anyone besides him or John played “There’s No I in Team”?
[All Laugh]
John: Hmm.. yah it was something along those lines. Hah, Jesse is just a little bit more outspoken then I am .. God bless him. I try to avoid controversy wherever I can ..
Jason: Everyone is going to kill me if I don’t ask, but is there any truth to the rumor of a Jesse/John collaboration in the future?
John: Well, it’s always a possibility, but obviously Brand New is very, very …
Shaun: Yah, I don’t know if anyone has noticed – but Brand New is blowing the f’ up.
John: Exactly, and what we are doing right now is very time consuming and is taking a lot of work because we are starting a band from the ground up again. So if anything was to happen it would be in the distant future. But I would say it is a very good possibility in the future, but right now the time is just not right.
Jason: So when were these new songs written?
John: A lot of these songs, actually, not a lot .. but a bunch were written when I was still in Taking Back Sunday; and that just added to the reason that I wanted to leave. I had a whole bunch of songs that I had completely written and I just knew that they were never going to be Taking Back Sunday songs because they just weren’t really right for the band, because they would be to big of a departure for the band. So that was a big factor in this as well. And one or two songs I actually wrote over a year ago – but also a bunch of them were written right after we left the band .. because that was a very ..
Shaun: .. very intense emotional time.
John: Yes, exactly. And it gave me a lot of things to write about, and so a bunch of the songs do deal with the Taking Back Sunday experience.
Jason: A lot of people have been tossing around the idea that Taking Back Sunday just got too big, too fast and I was wondering if you thought there was any truth to this statement.
Shaun: Well, I think there is something there with that. I mean I don’t agree with that 100% but it did have a lot to do with that I think. To be bombarded with everything so quickly, we just got hit with so much that we weren’t expecting and people react to it in very different ways. It’s all how you handle it – and I think that in a way Taking Back Sunday handled it in the absolute worst way.
John: Yah, well – Taking Back Sunday was extremely lucky to get as big as they did as quickly as they did; and all of us were very, very grateful for that; but, you also get thrown into a position where you don’t really know how to handle things and how to handle your own personal life, let alone the business aspect of things. So I think that that statement is actually fairly accurate.
Jason: So what goals do you have now, for your new band?
John: Well, I want to make music that I think good, and am very proud of. I want to make music that is interesting and thought provoking and enjoyable, and hopefully maintain control of our careers and the direction we go as we gain notoriety. And I hope that this band someday could be huge, gigantic – but that when that happens the people in the band are still in very much control. And as of right now, that’s really my main goal for the band.
Jason: Shaun, how do you feel about that ..
Shaun: I just want to be happy and do everything that we are doing, and make really good music and still maintain some sort of credibility and straight up be happy and never not want to do something. Not have a radio show to play in that you dread every single second of it – or have an upcoming tour with a band that we never, ever wanted to share a stage with. Just to keep it on a level where everyone in the band can interact and have fun with each other. And for it to be one big happy family .. I guess I’m pretty idealistic on this matter.
Jason: So how many songs have you guys demoed so far?
John: Well, we have 5 songs that we have demoed, well – we may have six by the time we are getting ready to play. We have 9 songs totally written and ready to perform.
Jason: And we’ll get to hear this soon?
John: Hopefully, there are still a few issues we need to work out first, but hopefully in a week or two (August 6th, 2003).
Shaun: And I just want everyone to know that we want to get that music out there probably more then people want to hear it, we are dying to share it with everyone.
Jason: So is there really anything else you guys want to say, or talk about, at all?
Shaun: Well, we miss all our fans and can’t wait to see some beautiful smiling faces again. I would like to say that I am very, very grateful for everyone that supported John and myself when we left the band. It was a very unpopular decision, and it’s something where people could be pissed we are doing it – and turn on us, but luckily we have had a lot of people who are very supportive and we are very grateful for that.
John: And besides that, I want it to be clear – in case it isn’t - that we never, and don’t, wish anything negative at all in the way of Taking Back Sunday or anything like that. And there really is no reason for anyone to ‘take sides’ in something like this, because we aren’t in any kind of competition, you know?
Jason: Awesome. So with the piano in the band, is that going to be coming out on tour with you guys?
John: Yes. With this band the piano is a crucial element, every song has piano in it. Some songs are more piano led, and in others it’s just there for …
Shaun: Ambiance.
John: Yah, ambiance .. and some day it would be really nice to have a nice grand piano out on the road, but I am setting my sights to high right now, I still need to get a case for the electric piano that we have right now.
Jason: Well, I just want to tell you thank you for doing this with me. It means a lot, and if you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to call or ask.
John: Well, no – thank you.
Shaun: Yes, thank you for helping get the word out about us.
John: We’ve been quite for way to long, so we are very excited to do interviews again.
Interviewed by: Jason Tate
Interviewed on 6 August 2003
[www.straylightrun.com (http://www.straylightrun.com)]
If you didn't come here from AbsolutePunk.net; make sure you check out our site for all the latest info on this band, TBS, and all of your other favorites.
This interview is with John Nolan and Shaun Cooper of Straylight Run (both members are former members of Taking Back Sunday) on August 6th, 2003. I want to take a quick moment to thank both of them again for agreeing to answer a few questions for me, two truly amazing people:
Jason: So I guess we can just start out and talk about the new band, Straylight Run; where did the band name originate?
John: Our drummer, Will, got it from some science fiction novel he had laying around his house that he had to read when he was in elementary school.
Shaun: Yah, and that book, supposedly, the movie the Matrix was based on, somehow ..
John: Supposedly .. it doesn’t really have any particular meaning, but it has a mysterious ring to it, which is nice ..
Shaun: We like to be as mysterious as possible.
Jason: Of course, that is good I guess. So can you confirm all of the band members for me, and how that all came together?
John: Well there is Shaun and Will (formerly of Breaking Pangaea) and then my sister Michelle. Well, what happened is that it started out, obviously, as Shaun and me. And then Fred (formerly of Breaking Pangaea) was asked to play guitar with Taking Back Sunday, so then that left Will without a band because Breaking Pangaea was pretty much the two of them – then one night we were at a Brand New show in Manhattan and since he was without a band, and a very good drummer, I asked him if he would like to play with us and he started playing with me and Shaun and it was working out great and my sister has been playing guitar and piano for a while now, and was just getting started, and getting more and more interested in playing music and then we decided that she could come in and play piano on songs I wasn’t going to play piano on and play guitar I was going to play piano on. And .. hmm, do her back up singing that is …
Jason: Amazing ..
John: Very, very nice ..
Shaun: Yah, and it also pretties up the band a little bit.
Jason: So what kind of sound should people expect from this band? I mean I don’t want to label it or anything like that, but if you had to put some sort of name with it what comes to mind?
Shaun: I would just like to say that it’s the perfect blend between Thursday, Saves The Day, Dashboard Confessional, and Jimmy Eat World.
[All Laughs]
Shaun: No, no .. it’s a lot different then our old band. I don’t know, it’s piano rock orientated – but at the same time it’s not wussy music either.
John: I guess it’s kinda more like a mix between The Beatles, Radiohead, Led Zeppelin, and U2.
Jason: Wow, so have you guys recorded anything yet .. or what is the plan with that?
Shaun: Uhmm, we have been demoing some stuff – just recording some things ourselves, and we’re hoping to at least have some internet access to the demos we recorded at least in the next week or two. We currently don’t have any plans to release anything officially though.
Jason: So do you think that Taking Back Sunday fans are going to enjoy the ‘new sound’ or what would be your opinion on that?
John: Well, I would think so - I mean, you can’t really predict what people are going to enjoy and not enjoy; but, it is not like our sound is so totally far fetched that no fans of Taking Back Sunday would not enjoy it. I mean, it’s different – and I think a little more interesting; but it’s not by any means hard to relate to or anything like that.
Jason: So, you knew I’d be asking this, but do you guys want to talk at all about what happened with Taking Back Sunday?
Shaun: Well John has personal problems, and lots of personal, personal issues.
John: Well, yah – I mean there were personal problems between me and Adam, and there’s no reason to go into detail about it because we don’t have any intention of badmouthing anybody or trying to ruin anybody’s name or anything like that…
Shaun: And all of the rumors are incredibly entertaining, whether true or otherwise ..
John: And a lot of things that people have heard, some of them are true – and a lot of things are completely ridiculous. I think that anybody who knows us, or the way things work can piece together what some of the problems between me and Adam may have been; but again, there is no reason to go into detail about that. Besides that, there were a lot of things that Shaun and I both were not so happy with about the band. Creatively speaking, and also professionally – like the way the band was being run.
Shaun: The business that had become the band ..
John: So really, there were just a lot of things that we had become unhappy with and, in my opinion, the place that Taking Back Sunday was at – it should have been the greatest experience our lives every night, and we should have been ecstatic. It should have been a great time, and it was becoming progressively unexciting and unpleasant experience. It finally got to the point where I just felt like I was going to be faking it at a certain point.
Shaun: .. that was also one of my main reasons for leaving. Once I knew that John was without a doubt leaving that it wouldn’t be what it once was, and that I would be faking it and doing something that I didn’t feel was 100% real, and I couldn’t go on doing that.
Jason: Which makes sense of course; now what do you guys want to do differently with this band? I mean was Taking Back Sunday a learning experience .. or what?
John: Well, yah … Taking Back Sunday was an incredible learning experience and hopefully we will be able to apply the things that we learned business wise to this new band and I think that we will be a lot more, “in control,” of every decision that is made in this band, and also make sure that we are a lot more, “in control” of the way that we are presented. Whether it be a record label advertisement, or a sponsor or something like that – being in control of our own public image I guess. And musically, I guess we just want to be in a band that isn’t pigeon-holed into one particular genre, and we can try new things, and do different things. That is what we have been trying to do, and I think that when everyone finally hears the music it is going to be very clear – every song has something different going on, and we try new things in every song. So I think that is going to be something we focus on being as diverse, unique and original as possible but of course without being obscure, you know?
Jason: So a lot of fans are confused with all of the ‘secrecy’ surrounding the two of you leaving the band?
Shaun: Yah, I know – and the truth is we don’t really know why there was all this secrecy, from the Taking Back Sunday camp. We just knew that we could not really release what we were doing quite yet because of all sorts of legalities and things like that. I don’t even know why they haven’t made an announcement even now, I mean it’s just beyond us. And we are just happy that now we can finally speak, and get out information about this new band and move on. I just hope things are the same with them, you know?
John: When we left the band, we didn’t have a forum to make any sort of public announcement. At first, it was sort of up in the air – I mean, I didn’t just make the decision and Shaun didn’t just make the decision to up and leave at the drop of a hat. So there was a time where it was unsure, but after that time was up – I mean, that was so long ago, and after that for some reason they decided that they didn’t really want to make any sort of a public announcement saying that we left, or even anything saying why … even just a little bit. It’s very strange, and I don’t really understand ..
Shaun: And it really is sort of a shame because there really are two very talented individuals now in our places, and they deserve all the credit in the world for doing what they are doing.
Jason: Well, that sort of ties into my next question. How do you feel about Taking Back Sunday playing songs that you, John, helped write – and Shaun helped create?
John: Well, I definitely have no problem with it; but to be honest there is something strange to me about it. It really just, doesn’t seem .. real. Something is not right or natural about it because I feel that those songs were very much a product of the five of us that were in the band. And obviously you can get other people to come in and do what Shaun and me did on those songs, but the writing of those songs was something that was extremely collaborative and extremely ..
Shaun: … and was extremely heartfelt, from the bottom of our hearts, something that we were trying to express.
John: Yah, everything – even the music, not just the lyrics. And there’s something to me that’s just strange about it, and I really hope that they start working, and try to move on and start working on new music as soon as they can, and not just playing those songs that we wrote over and over and over again. Of course though, whatever they do is up to them, and is totally in their hands. I would never try and stop them, or complain about it – it’s just a strange situation.
Jason: Yah, so wasn’t it Jesse (from Brand New) who said that it was complete bullshit if anyone besides him or John played “There’s No I in Team”?
[All Laugh]
John: Hmm.. yah it was something along those lines. Hah, Jesse is just a little bit more outspoken then I am .. God bless him. I try to avoid controversy wherever I can ..
Jason: Everyone is going to kill me if I don’t ask, but is there any truth to the rumor of a Jesse/John collaboration in the future?
John: Well, it’s always a possibility, but obviously Brand New is very, very …
Shaun: Yah, I don’t know if anyone has noticed – but Brand New is blowing the f’ up.
John: Exactly, and what we are doing right now is very time consuming and is taking a lot of work because we are starting a band from the ground up again. So if anything was to happen it would be in the distant future. But I would say it is a very good possibility in the future, but right now the time is just not right.
Jason: So when were these new songs written?
John: A lot of these songs, actually, not a lot .. but a bunch were written when I was still in Taking Back Sunday; and that just added to the reason that I wanted to leave. I had a whole bunch of songs that I had completely written and I just knew that they were never going to be Taking Back Sunday songs because they just weren’t really right for the band, because they would be to big of a departure for the band. So that was a big factor in this as well. And one or two songs I actually wrote over a year ago – but also a bunch of them were written right after we left the band .. because that was a very ..
Shaun: .. very intense emotional time.
John: Yes, exactly. And it gave me a lot of things to write about, and so a bunch of the songs do deal with the Taking Back Sunday experience.
Jason: A lot of people have been tossing around the idea that Taking Back Sunday just got too big, too fast and I was wondering if you thought there was any truth to this statement.
Shaun: Well, I think there is something there with that. I mean I don’t agree with that 100% but it did have a lot to do with that I think. To be bombarded with everything so quickly, we just got hit with so much that we weren’t expecting and people react to it in very different ways. It’s all how you handle it – and I think that in a way Taking Back Sunday handled it in the absolute worst way.
John: Yah, well – Taking Back Sunday was extremely lucky to get as big as they did as quickly as they did; and all of us were very, very grateful for that; but, you also get thrown into a position where you don’t really know how to handle things and how to handle your own personal life, let alone the business aspect of things. So I think that that statement is actually fairly accurate.
Jason: So what goals do you have now, for your new band?
John: Well, I want to make music that I think good, and am very proud of. I want to make music that is interesting and thought provoking and enjoyable, and hopefully maintain control of our careers and the direction we go as we gain notoriety. And I hope that this band someday could be huge, gigantic – but that when that happens the people in the band are still in very much control. And as of right now, that’s really my main goal for the band.
Jason: Shaun, how do you feel about that ..
Shaun: I just want to be happy and do everything that we are doing, and make really good music and still maintain some sort of credibility and straight up be happy and never not want to do something. Not have a radio show to play in that you dread every single second of it – or have an upcoming tour with a band that we never, ever wanted to share a stage with. Just to keep it on a level where everyone in the band can interact and have fun with each other. And for it to be one big happy family .. I guess I’m pretty idealistic on this matter.
Jason: So how many songs have you guys demoed so far?
John: Well, we have 5 songs that we have demoed, well – we may have six by the time we are getting ready to play. We have 9 songs totally written and ready to perform.
Jason: And we’ll get to hear this soon?
John: Hopefully, there are still a few issues we need to work out first, but hopefully in a week or two (August 6th, 2003).
Shaun: And I just want everyone to know that we want to get that music out there probably more then people want to hear it, we are dying to share it with everyone.
Jason: So is there really anything else you guys want to say, or talk about, at all?
Shaun: Well, we miss all our fans and can’t wait to see some beautiful smiling faces again. I would like to say that I am very, very grateful for everyone that supported John and myself when we left the band. It was a very unpopular decision, and it’s something where people could be pissed we are doing it – and turn on us, but luckily we have had a lot of people who are very supportive and we are very grateful for that.
John: And besides that, I want it to be clear – in case it isn’t - that we never, and don’t, wish anything negative at all in the way of Taking Back Sunday or anything like that. And there really is no reason for anyone to ‘take sides’ in something like this, because we aren’t in any kind of competition, you know?
Jason: Awesome. So with the piano in the band, is that going to be coming out on tour with you guys?
John: Yes. With this band the piano is a crucial element, every song has piano in it. Some songs are more piano led, and in others it’s just there for …
Shaun: Ambiance.
John: Yah, ambiance .. and some day it would be really nice to have a nice grand piano out on the road, but I am setting my sights to high right now, I still need to get a case for the electric piano that we have right now.
Jason: Well, I just want to tell you thank you for doing this with me. It means a lot, and if you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to call or ask.
John: Well, no – thank you.
Shaun: Yes, thank you for helping get the word out about us.
John: We’ve been quite for way to long, so we are very excited to do interviews again.
Interviewed by: Jason Tate
Interviewed on 6 August 2003
[www.straylightrun.com (http://www.straylightrun.com)]