{"id":26659,"date":"2015-05-05T21:14:19","date_gmt":"2015-05-05T11:14:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/?p=26659"},"modified":"2015-05-05T21:18:09","modified_gmt":"2015-05-05T11:18:09","slug":"art-alexakis-of-everclear-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/2015\/05\/art-alexakis-of-everclear-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Art Alexakis of Everclear"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n<\/a>\u201cA lot of people who had success and are not as successful look at it as some sort of commentary on themselves and to me it\u2019s cyclical man, you do what you do and put your best in to it, sometimes it connects with people, sometimes it doesn\u2019t, doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not as good, just means it\u2019s different. You just accept it.\u201d<\/p>\n

From release: Lead by founder and main songwriter Art Alexakis, Everclear blazed a trail through the 90\u2019s with their infectious hooks and articulate lyrical content, scoring multiple smash hits and galvanising a generation of long-time fans. To celebrate the 20th<\/sup>\u00a0Anniversary of\u00a0Sparkle and Fade,\u00a0<\/em>Everclear are back to treat Australian fans to a live incarnation of this game-changing album in full, songs from the brand new album Black Is The New Black, plus all your favourite Everclear singles!<\/p>\n

Just after finishing a rehearsal of playing through the \u2018Sparkle and Fade\u2019 album a few times in preparation of the Australian tour, we caught up once again with Art of Everclear about the upcoming shows, the band\u2019s new album \u2018Black Is The New Black\u2019 and much more\u2026<\/p>\n

So of course we\u2019re here because you\u2019re heading to Australia to celebrate the 20th<\/sup> anniversary of \u2018Sparkle and you\u2019ll be playing it in its entirety, what was it like going back and essentially relearning songs you may not have played for years?<\/strong>
\nYou know, it feels a little stupid sometimes, like wow, I forgot that whole part and my guitar player is like \u2018no it goes here and here and here\u2019 and I\u2019m like \u2018ok\u2019 but it comes back right away, I think there\u2019s some sort of cognitive memory and body memory that remembers it, but it takes a minute if you try too hard you know?<\/p>\n

Set wise, what else can we expect on the night, have you figured out how these shows will be structured?<\/strong>
\nWe\u2019re gonna play some more hits, we\u2019re gonna play some songs off our new record \u2018Black Is The New Black\u2019 which came out today, so we\u2019ll be playing some songs off that and some other songs that are hits down there, fan favourites, it\u2019s going to be a long set.<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s jump back to when you released \u2018Sparkle and Fade\u2019, what do you remember about releasing it?<\/strong>
\nI remember finishing that record and mastering it, and just freaking out in my hotel room because all these songs finally sounded like an album, like a real big label album that just excited me. I remember calling the guys in the band and my wife at the time and just freaking out. Then I remember two months later about a few weeks before the album came out, getting on the phone with the president of Capitol and it was like he didn\u2019t even know who I was and I was just like \u2018oh this is gonna be bad\u2019. Then we put the record out, the first single was a little too hard for The States, \u2018Heroin Girl\u2019 and then \u2018Santa Monica\u2019 took a while but it connected really well, then it just kinda took off from there, but I think \u2018Heroin Girl\u2019 was a pretty big hit down there. I know there are songs that were big down there off the album that weren\u2019t huge here on the radio, but were big down there. We sold about a million and a half over here, we sold platinum and a half and we sold over three times platinum there, so it was one of those weird record that really connected outside of The States in a big way, it was kinda cool.<\/p>\n

What do you think it is about that album that people attached to?<\/strong>
\nI think when it came out it wasn\u2019t very produced, it was very raw, I think the songs and some people just really liked the aspect of the intimacy and the combination between the singer songwriter type lyrics and songs with the hard rock \/ punk rock for the music you know, I think it\u2019s a dichotomy that really connected with people.<\/p>\n

On top of this \u2018Black Is The New Black\u2019 has just been released and what an album! In the three years since \u2018Invisible Stars\u2019, what inspired what became the album?<\/strong>
\nYou know, man, just touring and seeing rock bands every night and getting back into writing rock songs\u2026 I don\u2019t know, I got a fire in my belly again, it\u2019s weird, I went between our albums \u2018Welcome to the Drama Club\u2019 and \u2018Invisible Stars\u2019 I went six years without really wanting to make an album and then I started writing songs and wanted to make a record, but I\u2019ve been writing songs since \u2018Invisible Stars\u2019 I\u2019m ready to make another record\u2026<\/p>\n

Well I have to say from the first second I put the album on, I was into it from the start, it\u2019s a big rocker man, I dig it\u2026<\/strong>
\nThanks brother, I really love it too, we all do, we\u2019re really proud if it, I mean I just listened to it, I got my wife a new car and it\u2019s got a really good sound system in it and I hadn\u2019t listened to the record for a couple of weeks, I put it in there and cranked it up and I thought \u2018Man, if this wasn\u2019t my album I\u2019d think this was a pretty badass album\u2019 *laughs*<\/p>\n

Can you tell us about the title, it\u2019s a pretty cool statement but why was it the choice for the album?<\/strong>
\nSee, it just seemed like it kind of epitomised the way I feel about the way everybody loves to talk about how everything is new and this is different, it really isn\u2019t\u2026 it\u2019s just like you\u2019ve gotta work in things that are unique, you\u2019ve gotta have a unique voice and I\u2019m not just talking about your singing voice, you either have a unique vision on things or you don\u2019t, and just painting it one way doesn\u2019t make it so and it\u2019s kind of tongue in cheek too. We\u2019re all just a bunch of old rocker dudes that dress in black look in my closet it\u2019s all black *laughs* so we\u2019re kind of poking fun at ourselves too. If you can\u2019t take the piss out of yourself then what can you do? People just take themselves too seriously.<\/p>\n

In particular I wanted to ask about \u2018The Man Who Broke His Own Heart\u2019 it instantly had that Everclear feel to it, is there a story behind that song you can share with us?<\/strong>
\nYou know, there is\u2026 I wrote that song in 2004 for an album that was more of an acoustic type album and it didn\u2019t really seem to work with the guitars and stuff and it didn\u2019t really seem to fit, so I demoed it, we didn\u2019t like it, put it in the back pocket, but when we started this record I broke out that riff on the electric guitar and just played it really heavy and it worked you know. I rearranged a couple of things, wrote a couple of new breaks for it, a new bridge and it just came together like nothing, I kicked the boys out of the room for an hour, said go get a Starbucks, come back and by the time they came back I had a song, two hours later we were ready to record that song.<\/p>\n

When you released \u2018Invisible Stars\u2019 it felt like the passion was well and truly back and now with this album it continues, what is it about Everclear circa 2015 that drives that fire?<\/strong>
\nI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s just the band, but I love playing with this band, we\u2019re tight as hell, we all have a great time, everybody knows their place in the band, everyone contributes, it\u2019s pretty great, but I think more about it is just where I am in my life, I\u2019m very present, very grateful for what I have not for what I don\u2019t, not pissed about what I don\u2019t have. A lot of people who had success and are not as successful look at it as some sort of commentary on themselves and to me it\u2019s cyclical man, you do what you do and put your best in to it, sometimes it connects with people, sometimes it doesn\u2019t, doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not as good, just means it\u2019s different. You just accept it.<\/p>\n

To me it sounds like you truly do this for the love, not so much for the job\u2026<\/strong>
\nI do, I mean it pays my bills but at the same time I\u2019m totally blessed, I get to play rock and roll for a living *laughs* I get to play my music to people who want to hear my music, I mean that\u2019s just living the dream and I\u2019m present enough and aware enough to know that I\u2019m very grateful for that.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve been doing this for a long time now, so over this twenty plus years what\u2019s been the biggest thing you\u2019ve learned about the industry that you didn\u2019t think was a part of it all when you started the band?<\/strong>
\nNothing really, I was old enough when I got signed to know the industry was filled with a bunch of weasels and horrible people, I knew it then, so nothing\u2019s surprising. I didn\u2019t foresee sampling coming at the time, that kind of changed everything, but at the same time there\u2019s always something, you can\u2019t look at like thinking it\u2019s not going to change. It\u2019s like being in a relationship and someone thinks that it\u2019s not going to change, that\u2019s just immature and ludicrous you know? You\u2019ve gotta know that, things are gonna change and if you don\u2019t like it, do something else\u2026 there\u2019s no shame in that.<\/p>\n

Lastly, let\u2019s look ahead and predict the future, so finish this sentence for me, by the end of 2015, Everclear will\u2026<\/strong>
\nEverclear will\u2026 take a break *laughs* we will take a break by the end of the year, I guarantee it. Actually I don\u2019t know what we\u2019re going to do, I don\u2019t tell the future, I don\u2019t think anyone can tell the future, but I think we\u2019re gonna tour all year from tonight on, I get on a plane in a few hours and there\u2019s no looking back, we\u2019re just gonna put our whole selves into it and see where we\u2019re at at the end of the year, call me at the end of the year I\u2019ll tell you where I\u2019m at\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Catch Everclear on their \u2018Sparkle and Fade\u2019 Australian tour at the following dates:<\/strong><\/p>\n

*Tickets\u00a0Selling Fast!*<\/p>\n

Thursday 7th<\/sup><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>May, Fowlers, Adelaide<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>With Special Guests The Motive & Glass Skies
\nwww.moshtix.com.au<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0www.oztix.com.au<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Friday 8th<\/sup><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>May, Corner Hotel, Melbourne (SOLD OUT!)<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>With Special Guests Antiskeptic & Klinger
\nwww.cornerhotel.com<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Saturday 9th<\/sup><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>May, Eatons Hill FMX Festival, Brisbane<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>With Bodyjar,Art vs Science, The Strums & Antiheros
\nwww.oztix.com.au<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Sunday 10th<\/sup><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>May, The Metro, Sydney<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>With Special Guests Wasters & The Dead Love
\nwww.ticketek.com.au<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Tuesday 12th May, Small Ballroom, Newcastle<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>With Special Guests Yours Alone & Capeside
\nwww.oztix.com.au<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Wednesday 13th May, 170 Russell, Melbourne (NEW SHOW ADDED!)<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>With Special Guests Antiskeptic & The Drop Bears
\nhttps:\/\/170russell.ticketscout.com.au\/gigs\/3616<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Thursday 14th May, Rosemount, Perth<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>With Special Guests Tired Lion & Pat Chow
\nwww.oztix.com.au<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Presented by Killrockstar<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Essential Information<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n

From:<\/strong> Portland, OR, USA<\/p>\n

Band members: <\/strong>Art Alexakis – Lead Vocals, Guitar, Davey French – Guitar, Vox, Freddy Herrera – Bass, Vox, Josh Crawley – Keyboards, Vox, Sean Winchester – Drums, Percussion, Vox<\/p>\n

Website:<\/strong> www.everclearmusic.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Latest release:<\/strong> Black Is The New Black (out now)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n

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