Philadelphia natives The Starting Line released their third album, Direction, on July 31st, and the band has found its mainstream popularity growing thanks to the single "Island." Later this month, TSL will head out on a North American tour with Paramore and The Almost.
Guitarist Matt Watts talked with us last week (via email) about the album, the tour, his hometown and the time the band's sound guy threw up on a girl.
When you left Geffen, you went to Virgin. What influenced your decision to go with another major label when many bands are leaving majors and returning to smaller/indie labels?
We wanted to meet with everyone we possibly could and after meeting with Virgin, there was no question. We really just wanted to surround ourselves with people that cared about our band and respected our vision... it's been such a great experience thus far.
How is the current tour going? You did a show with Perez Hilton last week - what was that like?
The current tour is going great, we're doing a secondary market run of areas that we've never really been to before... we just played 3 shows in South Carolina, 1 of which was on the beach. That day ruled. Four Year Strong are out with us and those guys are the best.
The show with Perez was cool, we didn't know what to expect, but the show was packed and one of the most fun shows we played in a long time.
What are your expectations for the upcoming tour with Paramore and The Almost?
I'm expecting tons of rock. I'm fans of both bands and they're all great people. I think it's going to be a very fun and exciting couple of months.
How do you deal with so much touring? Do you ever reach a point where you're sick of being on the road and need a break?
By now it's just second nature... it's weird when I'm home for too long, I get a little stir crazy. 2 weeks at home at any given time is more than enough.
Of course we reach that point sometimes, but we all have each other to get us though it. Things go on in all of our personal lives that would be easier to deal with if we had breaks more often, but our friends and family are so used to it by this point that they deal with it.
How do you guys travel? Any crazy van or bus stories?
We've been travelling in a tour bus for the past few years...it has 2 lounges and 12 bunks and smells like sweaty man dude. But, it's home.
This one time, our sound guy was in his bunk with a lady-friend and we didn't know that he was claustrophobic, anyway, we ducktaped his bunk shut and he freaked out and threw up on the girl. Vomit leaked down to Kenny's bunk and it was a disaster. That's a pretty crazy story.
Reviews of Directions often refer to it as "grown up." What does this mean to you, and do you agree?
I feel like it means we've matured...we've always made it a point to "act our age" and not revert back to things that we did a few years ago, we really like to capture the moment... and Direction is who we are right now. It still had the same TSL hooks, but we've really grown up musically and as people and wanted to show that with this record.
How do you feel about the pop-punk label that is sometimes applied to the band? You've received airplay on mainstream rock stations, especially with the latest single, "Island." Have you noticed a new demographic of fans turning up at shows? What are your aspirations as far as popularity/success/fan base/etc?
I don't mind the Pop Punk label, we come from that background and it's fitting, I don't know if the new record is too pop punk, but the people have to call it something.
We're lucky, Island is doing well at radio, and it's the first time that we've had a real radio plan and have a single at radio...we've definitley noticed more radio kids coming out to the shows... it's sort of nice to have someone come out that doesn't just want us to play "Best of Me" haha.
We just want to keep this going for as long as possible and do things the right way. We've never tried to take any shortcuts... and i'm really proud of that. If things work at radio/tv, then great... and if not, we still have our fans and plan on doing this for as long as we can.
What bands have you been listening to lately?
Maroon 5 - I'm digging some jams on the new record
Justin Timberlake
Battles - holy shit, this band is insane!
Simcoe Street Mob - ridiculous hip hop from Canada
Four Year Strong - their CD is playing non stop on the bus
What's your favorite thing about Philly? Pat's or Geno's? Ever played a show at the Jersey Shore? When is the last time you did the "E-A-G-L-E-S" chant?
I love the history of Philadelphia, there's a cool area called Kelly Drive where I go running on the water and it goes to the Art Museum. I love Genos, especially at 2AM after a few beers. We've played in Asbury Park, NJ a few times, it's at the beach, but not really much of a shore town anymore. I love being down at the Jersey shore though... last time I was down there a girl tried to beat me up. We did the Eagles chant yesterday on the bus, they destroyed the Lions. McNabb is back, in a big way.
