Post by Heather on Jul 10, 2010 19:23:43 GMT -5
IndyConcerts.com
On paper, it looks like the marketing committee for the Vans Warped Tour decided to aim for younger audiences and book newer bands.
Search a little deeper, and you’ll see that haven’t forgot about the veterans bands. The ones who have graced the stages several times before and probably went to just was many when they were the same age as most of this year’s attendees.
Which now brings us to today’s guest: frontman/guitarist for Sum 41, Deryck Whibley.
It’s been nearly two years since we last saw our favorite Canadian punk band. With a new album due out later this year, Sum 41 will be appearing on the Glamour Kills Stage all summer long. Before they took the stage, Whibley sat down with IndyConcerts.com to discuss being on Warped, writing songs, near-death experiences and more.
How do you feel today?
Pretty good. Just kind, sort of waking up a little bit. (laughs)
Enjoying Indianapolis?
This is the most I’ve seen of it today. Just been in the bus all day, until I woke up. I’m sure it’s great though.
And you perform last today?
Yeah, yeah I guess we are. I don’t know, I didn’t see who else was on after us. We’re on at 7:45 I think?
How has the tour been so far?
Been great. It’s been really fun. All the shows have been awesome. Crowds have been amazing. It’s good.
How many times on Warped will this be for you?
I have no idea. I’ve been going to it and playing it since ‘96. So I’ve probably been to probably five before we even played it and I’ve probably played about five.
How does this one compare to ones in the past?
This one it actually, it feels a little bit different. Just ’cause I don’t really know anybody. I don’t know any bands and not only do I not know them, I’ve never even heard of them. Normally every time I’ve ever been part of it, I usually know a lot of people on it, a lot of bands, but I just don’t know anybody.
Any theories behind that?
No not really. I don’t know.
They’re just booking a bunch of new bands?
Who knows? I don’t know…it’s not my job to really think about that. I show up and play for 30 minutes.
How’s catering?
It’s always the same, you know. We’re used to Warped Tour catering. It’s good sometimes. Sometimes it’s not as good. Sometimes (we) try to go out for food and go to a restaurant just to get a different scenery.
Met anyone cool yet?
No, not yet. No I have not really met anybody yet. I’m interested in meeting some people.
Anything new you’ve been working on?
Yeah we just finished our record. It’s done. It’s being mixed and nit’s sort of out of our hands at that point. It’s up to the record company to figure out how they can put it out, in their schedule…all that s–t. I don’t know anything about that. So it’s done. We’ve done our part. Waiting for everybody else to put the plan together and release it. It should be this year though, I think. In the next few months.
Anyone coming on tour you’re excited about?
Pennywise is coming on pretty soon, so we’re pretty excited about that. We’ve been good friends with them for a long time. It would’ve been cool to have NOFX out here, but that’s just for our own, sort of selfish reasons I guess (laughs).
Any bands out there you just want to tour with in general?
Not really, it’s ’cause it’s not, it has nothing to do with any other bands, or anything against other bands or for any other bands. It’s…touring for me and for us, like our band, is just, it’s just so focused on our own set, you know? What we’re doing and what we’re there to do, but I don’t care really who plays with us or who we play with. It’s kind of irrelevant to me. It’s cool if you get along with everybody, but I don’t ever like really think ‘okay I would like to tour with this band ’cause I like this band.’ That doesn’t mean anything to me. If I like a band, I’d rather just go watch them play. So yeah, I honestly don’t care who we play with or where we play. Throw a stage up, we’ll play on it.
As long as you can play?
It’s more about like the amount of audience that’s gonna be there. It’s not who as (much) who as is on the bill.
Any crazy stuff happen on the bus yet?
Yeah actually. Second show I think it was. Third show. Our bus driver was completely f—ing hammered and I didn’t realize this at first. Like we were all on the bus just having drinks and playing dice and s–t. Things are flying, like he’s just all over the road. The whole bus just keeps swaying, we’re all like ‘what the f–k is going on?,’ and then things are flying out of cupboards and s–t like that. Like what the hell is going on with this guy? Anyway, this goes on for hours. I don’t really sleep that much, so everyone else had gone to bed. It’s about 6 in the morning. I’m the last one up just watching a movie and he’s so out of control. I’m like ‘okay, I gotta see what’s going on.’ So I start looking at the front, I’m watching the road from behind him. He doesn’t even know I’m there and he’s just all over the f—ing place. I’m starting to think ‘I think this guy is drunk,’ and so anyway we see a stop sign about 40 feed ahead and it’s a dead end, we’re on a straight road, it’s like a dead end, you have to go right or left…and then it’s just a big field and all these signs and s–t. We’re doing like 60 coming at this stop sign. I’m like ‘wow, this is gonna be a hard stop,’ like I’m starting to brace myself ’cause we’re coming to a stop sign and then we get closer and closer and I realize, he’s not stopping at that stop sign (laughs). He blows right through it into the field and then he slams on the brakes and we kind of skid a bit and that’s when I freaked out and ripped him out of the seat and sort him out a bit. Got the tour manager and fired him on the spot and…then some other bus driver showed up for the rescue. Good thing it was 6 in the morning and there wasn’t, like anybody else on that intersection, or it wasn’t a f—ing wall we were hitting.
Anything else like that happen since then?
No that’s about it so far.
What’s been playing on your iPod lately?
It’s always been the same for the past, I don’t know how many years. It’s Stones, The Faces, Beatles, Elvis Costello, Dylan, Top Petty. That’s about it really.
Any concerts you’re hoping to catch this summer?
I was gonna say Petty. I wanna see Petty, but we’re gonna be on tour.
A lot of work for you ahead.
We’re just starting up, so. We’ve been off the road almost three years. Two years.
Does it feel good to be back?
Yeah totally.
Did you miss it a little bit?
Yeah you always miss it. Once you’ve been away form it for a while. Then you start to miss home. Back and forth.
Anything you’re looking forward to for future shows?
Honestly just the performance really. I mean, that’s the whole reason we’re here. Every show has been great so far, so I imagine it will continue that way.
Braving the heat?
We hang out in the bus the majority of the time. The shows can be a little hot, but we’re used to it.
What do you like to do on the bus?
I think we just kind of sit around, drink and play dice.
What influences you the most when you’re writing songs?
You know what? I think that when you’re writing, at least for me. There’s two ways I’ve noticed that you can write and I’ve done both ways. Where you can sit and think about something and stick with that thing. I’m gonna write a song about this and I want it to be like that and it’s gonna be like this and structure it. Or there’s the you kind of sit around and you play and the first thing that kind of comes in your head, you know, the first line that comes to your head. You kind of run with that. It makes you think of something. Sort of like, almost like word association. Like the first thing that just comes to you when you think of something and you kind of go with that and that’s more of just sort of feeling it instead of thinking about it and both ways are fine but I go with the more feeling it so I don’t really know where it comes from. It’s like that moment of something makes me think of something and that line just made me think of the next line. I don’t know what it means yet. You know what I mean?
Drink of choice?
Well there’s not really one. It’s more about what time of day it is. It usually starts with white wine. Dinner time, if there’s food there, it could be red wine. Vodka, Jack. I usually drink vodka but do shots of Jack in between. That’s my kind of thing. Anything else? I don’t drink at all. Those are the four things.
You get one last show. Who do you play with and where?
Like what other bands? Hmm, I don’t know. I think it’s a tough question ’cause you can’t really answer it. there’s so many different places. There’s so many different artists.
Favorite venue?
I’ve had that question before, like ‘favorite city’ or something like that. It’s pretty much impossible to answer because there’s no favorite. There’s some that are equally as good. You know there’s like the five that are amazing. I love going to Japan, but I love going to the UK just as much. Never played South America so I don;t’ know what that would be like. Then touring North America, the convenience is the best…anywhere. You can get whatever you want, anytime you want. Everyone speaks the language. Every place is good. I think my favorite place to play is the world.
Want more Sum 41? Check out their brand new album “Screaming Bloody Murder,” in stores August 31.
On paper, it looks like the marketing committee for the Vans Warped Tour decided to aim for younger audiences and book newer bands.
Search a little deeper, and you’ll see that haven’t forgot about the veterans bands. The ones who have graced the stages several times before and probably went to just was many when they were the same age as most of this year’s attendees.
Which now brings us to today’s guest: frontman/guitarist for Sum 41, Deryck Whibley.
It’s been nearly two years since we last saw our favorite Canadian punk band. With a new album due out later this year, Sum 41 will be appearing on the Glamour Kills Stage all summer long. Before they took the stage, Whibley sat down with IndyConcerts.com to discuss being on Warped, writing songs, near-death experiences and more.
How do you feel today?
Pretty good. Just kind, sort of waking up a little bit. (laughs)
Enjoying Indianapolis?
This is the most I’ve seen of it today. Just been in the bus all day, until I woke up. I’m sure it’s great though.
And you perform last today?
Yeah, yeah I guess we are. I don’t know, I didn’t see who else was on after us. We’re on at 7:45 I think?
How has the tour been so far?
Been great. It’s been really fun. All the shows have been awesome. Crowds have been amazing. It’s good.
How many times on Warped will this be for you?
I have no idea. I’ve been going to it and playing it since ‘96. So I’ve probably been to probably five before we even played it and I’ve probably played about five.
How does this one compare to ones in the past?
This one it actually, it feels a little bit different. Just ’cause I don’t really know anybody. I don’t know any bands and not only do I not know them, I’ve never even heard of them. Normally every time I’ve ever been part of it, I usually know a lot of people on it, a lot of bands, but I just don’t know anybody.
Any theories behind that?
No not really. I don’t know.
They’re just booking a bunch of new bands?
Who knows? I don’t know…it’s not my job to really think about that. I show up and play for 30 minutes.
How’s catering?
It’s always the same, you know. We’re used to Warped Tour catering. It’s good sometimes. Sometimes it’s not as good. Sometimes (we) try to go out for food and go to a restaurant just to get a different scenery.
Met anyone cool yet?
No, not yet. No I have not really met anybody yet. I’m interested in meeting some people.
Anything new you’ve been working on?
Yeah we just finished our record. It’s done. It’s being mixed and nit’s sort of out of our hands at that point. It’s up to the record company to figure out how they can put it out, in their schedule…all that s–t. I don’t know anything about that. So it’s done. We’ve done our part. Waiting for everybody else to put the plan together and release it. It should be this year though, I think. In the next few months.
Anyone coming on tour you’re excited about?
Pennywise is coming on pretty soon, so we’re pretty excited about that. We’ve been good friends with them for a long time. It would’ve been cool to have NOFX out here, but that’s just for our own, sort of selfish reasons I guess (laughs).
Any bands out there you just want to tour with in general?
Not really, it’s ’cause it’s not, it has nothing to do with any other bands, or anything against other bands or for any other bands. It’s…touring for me and for us, like our band, is just, it’s just so focused on our own set, you know? What we’re doing and what we’re there to do, but I don’t care really who plays with us or who we play with. It’s kind of irrelevant to me. It’s cool if you get along with everybody, but I don’t ever like really think ‘okay I would like to tour with this band ’cause I like this band.’ That doesn’t mean anything to me. If I like a band, I’d rather just go watch them play. So yeah, I honestly don’t care who we play with or where we play. Throw a stage up, we’ll play on it.
As long as you can play?
It’s more about like the amount of audience that’s gonna be there. It’s not who as (much) who as is on the bill.
Any crazy stuff happen on the bus yet?
Yeah actually. Second show I think it was. Third show. Our bus driver was completely f—ing hammered and I didn’t realize this at first. Like we were all on the bus just having drinks and playing dice and s–t. Things are flying, like he’s just all over the road. The whole bus just keeps swaying, we’re all like ‘what the f–k is going on?,’ and then things are flying out of cupboards and s–t like that. Like what the hell is going on with this guy? Anyway, this goes on for hours. I don’t really sleep that much, so everyone else had gone to bed. It’s about 6 in the morning. I’m the last one up just watching a movie and he’s so out of control. I’m like ‘okay, I gotta see what’s going on.’ So I start looking at the front, I’m watching the road from behind him. He doesn’t even know I’m there and he’s just all over the f—ing place. I’m starting to think ‘I think this guy is drunk,’ and so anyway we see a stop sign about 40 feed ahead and it’s a dead end, we’re on a straight road, it’s like a dead end, you have to go right or left…and then it’s just a big field and all these signs and s–t. We’re doing like 60 coming at this stop sign. I’m like ‘wow, this is gonna be a hard stop,’ like I’m starting to brace myself ’cause we’re coming to a stop sign and then we get closer and closer and I realize, he’s not stopping at that stop sign (laughs). He blows right through it into the field and then he slams on the brakes and we kind of skid a bit and that’s when I freaked out and ripped him out of the seat and sort him out a bit. Got the tour manager and fired him on the spot and…then some other bus driver showed up for the rescue. Good thing it was 6 in the morning and there wasn’t, like anybody else on that intersection, or it wasn’t a f—ing wall we were hitting.
Anything else like that happen since then?
No that’s about it so far.
What’s been playing on your iPod lately?
It’s always been the same for the past, I don’t know how many years. It’s Stones, The Faces, Beatles, Elvis Costello, Dylan, Top Petty. That’s about it really.
Any concerts you’re hoping to catch this summer?
I was gonna say Petty. I wanna see Petty, but we’re gonna be on tour.
A lot of work for you ahead.
We’re just starting up, so. We’ve been off the road almost three years. Two years.
Does it feel good to be back?
Yeah totally.
Did you miss it a little bit?
Yeah you always miss it. Once you’ve been away form it for a while. Then you start to miss home. Back and forth.
Anything you’re looking forward to for future shows?
Honestly just the performance really. I mean, that’s the whole reason we’re here. Every show has been great so far, so I imagine it will continue that way.
Braving the heat?
We hang out in the bus the majority of the time. The shows can be a little hot, but we’re used to it.
What do you like to do on the bus?
I think we just kind of sit around, drink and play dice.
What influences you the most when you’re writing songs?
You know what? I think that when you’re writing, at least for me. There’s two ways I’ve noticed that you can write and I’ve done both ways. Where you can sit and think about something and stick with that thing. I’m gonna write a song about this and I want it to be like that and it’s gonna be like this and structure it. Or there’s the you kind of sit around and you play and the first thing that kind of comes in your head, you know, the first line that comes to your head. You kind of run with that. It makes you think of something. Sort of like, almost like word association. Like the first thing that just comes to you when you think of something and you kind of go with that and that’s more of just sort of feeling it instead of thinking about it and both ways are fine but I go with the more feeling it so I don’t really know where it comes from. It’s like that moment of something makes me think of something and that line just made me think of the next line. I don’t know what it means yet. You know what I mean?
Drink of choice?
Well there’s not really one. It’s more about what time of day it is. It usually starts with white wine. Dinner time, if there’s food there, it could be red wine. Vodka, Jack. I usually drink vodka but do shots of Jack in between. That’s my kind of thing. Anything else? I don’t drink at all. Those are the four things.
You get one last show. Who do you play with and where?
Like what other bands? Hmm, I don’t know. I think it’s a tough question ’cause you can’t really answer it. there’s so many different places. There’s so many different artists.
Favorite venue?
I’ve had that question before, like ‘favorite city’ or something like that. It’s pretty much impossible to answer because there’s no favorite. There’s some that are equally as good. You know there’s like the five that are amazing. I love going to Japan, but I love going to the UK just as much. Never played South America so I don;t’ know what that would be like. Then touring North America, the convenience is the best…anywhere. You can get whatever you want, anytime you want. Everyone speaks the language. Every place is good. I think my favorite place to play is the world.
Want more Sum 41? Check out their brand new album “Screaming Bloody Murder,” in stores August 31.