*From Brightest Young Things - November 21, 2007*

BYT Interview: Rooney

Rooney came to Ram’s Head Live this weekend for their first area show since the release of their album, Calling the World (they played 9:30 back in June). Don’t feel too left out if the band has slipped completely off your radar since 2003 – their latest record was finally released after four years and two noble attempts. I caught up with Ned, Louis, and Matt about the second (fourth) record’s process before their gig on Saturday with the Redwalls and the Polyphonic Spree.

Alyssa Lesser for BYT: So you have a new record, Calling the World.
Louis Stephens: Yes!
Matt Winter: No.
LS: Two-thirds say yeah, but let’s not forget the no.

BYT: Okay. It took four years to release the album, and I guess I’ve read around that you guys recorded multiple albums in between the making of that record. And that your label, Geffen, dismissed a bunch of material.
NB: Correct.
LS: All true.

BYT: So, did you find it kind of anal and degrading, having to answer to a higher authority during the music writing process?
NB: Well, not so much, ‘cause the first one was…just, the people close to us didn’t really react the right way either, not just the label, so we knew that one might not be the right move. And now we’re releasing it as B-sides, so people are going to hear tracks from that. The second version we went and did was sort of compromised a little bit in a different way, and it was just less fun and free to make. So by the time we made it the third time, we were really stoked on what we were doing, and everyone totally left us alone like the way it was on the first record. So, we feel like both of those efforts were very pure.
LS: I mean, it’s definitely frustrating when so much time passes between albums. We don’t want to do that for ourselves and for the fans. But ultimately, I think Calling the World is definitely the right album for us to make.

BYT: Awesome. So, I noticed on the album there’s a teeny bit of a different sound. It sounds a little bit more introspective than the first one. Did anything in particular contribute to that shift?
LS: I think there’s just a natural evolution that happens from one record to another that’s just…your tastes change, you experience new things, and it all sort of comes across – whatever that may be – on the record.
NB: Plus, since it was our fourth record, it was a big jump. Even though people think of it as our second, it was really our first to our fourth, so maybe if you heard the other two it might make more sense. Although, I think it would actually make less sense…

BYT: You still have a really great sound…whenever I’m listening to your stuff it kind of seems like you’ve taken the best elements of past successful rock n’ roll and combined them with new material in a way that sounds really fresh and interesting. So, what are your top five throwback bands? If you had to choose five.
LS: Choose five? That’s really hard…
NB: But the basic ones for us would probably be ELO, Beatles, Beach Boys...
MW: Queen.
NB: And, uh, Zombies? That’s one we always listen to a lot.

BYT: I kind of figured ELO, and I noticed that during the intro to “Calling the World,” I always think of the song “Telephone Line.” Was that deliberate?
NB: Uh, I don’t think so. I think it is just a song…that is about a stalker, actually.

BYT: A stalker?
NB: Yeah, that’s what “Calling the World” was about, according to Robert. That was stalking his brother [Jason Schwartzman]. And I don’t know this person, but if you look at the lyrics in that regard I think it’ll make sense.

BYT: [laughs] Interesting. So, while we’re on the topic of other artists…what have you guys been playing on the bus?
NB: We only have one CD, so everyone’s usually in their own iPod world most of the time. CD-wise, we’ve been listening to The Redwalls’ new record, who are on tour with us right now, which is very awesome.
LS: And the Polyphonic Spree.

BYT: So, perhaps on your own iPodular devices...
NB: [Laughs] Let’s see…we’ve been listening to a lot of Todd Rundgren and Utopia, which was a band that he was in. And Steely Dan has been a pretty heavy one for us lately.
LS: Steely Dan, Doobies...The Doobies...
NB: BeeGees. Matt just sent me a lot of BeeGees. There’s a band I just saw in Germany when we were there from Sweden called The Ark, that were awesome.

BYT: Cool. On that note, I guess I wanted to address some interesting touring choices that I have seen in the last couple of years. Mainly, Fergie and Kelly Clarkson. Were these tours…not necessarily forced upon, but maybe suggested by other people, or was it a conscious effort to spread the music to a larger audience? Or did you feel specific connections to the artists?
LS: I think the goal is to connect with a large audience. Each tour has its own purpose and its own sort of meaning, and on those I think the challenge was to tour with bands that aren’t necessarily like us, and then see if we can take that kind of fan and make them relate to Rooney. It’s a challenge, too, because a lot of their fans have never heard of us. Like, on the Kelly Clarkson tour, we’re basically going in and they’re not judging you on your press, or your image. They don’t know anything about you other than exactly what you’ve played for them at that moment. So, it’s kind of cool in that sense, ‘because her fans didn’t really know who we were. And then when they clap, you know they liked it, and when they don’t, you know they didn’t.
NB: And at the same time, it was a little bit like, well, you need to do this big tour to put the record out, because the label system is weird like that. But pretty much it was us trying to see how that would work, and if we’d like it or not. And I think we learned some things from those tours, and took what we wanted.
LS: The truth is, it’s also really hard today to have a home or a place to fit in, because people like to figure out which format they can put you into, as opposed to just being who you are. You kind of have to go both roads, and end up somewhere in the middle between pop and mainstream shit, and things with more artistic merit, or at least things you enjoy.

BYT: No, I think it’s a really good approach, especially because your music is very solid pop, and I really hate when people try to label, you know, pop…rock…punk…whatever. I’ve found that with people I know that listen to your music, there’s a wide range, from the really hip indie kids, to the kids that listen to more rap and stuff. I feel like in previous decades, people didn’t always label music so specifically.
NB: Yeah, it’s definitely gotten out of control. And we don’t fit into any of those boxes, like emo, or all this stuff; we’re just a rock band trying to entertain people.
MW: I’m emo right now.
LS: Matt’s emo today.
NB: But yeah, that’s true, and we say that same thing a lot, so it’s cool that you pick up on that.

BYT: Aside from the fact that we’ve recognized that, I’ve heard other people say that they thought you sold out on these tours. Especially because of the song “Popstars,” which seemed to advocate against artists such as...
NB: Like, Britney Spears or something… That’s just an old song that we don’t even play…it wasn’t, like, a political statement for any of us I don’t think [Laughs].
LS: Yeah, I mean, we’re out here working our asses off every day on tour, so when someone says that, it’s like you can’t even fucking dignify it, you know?

BYT: I agree. So, what’s your favorite Fergie song?
[All laugh]
LS: Hmmm…
NB: Honestly, I don’t care for the music at all, so I don’t really have one.

BYT: Anyone else?
[Silence]
NB: “Hey Mama,” by the Black Eyed Peas is my favorite song she’s done, basically because that’s a reggae song, and I like reggae music.

BYT: The current tour, to me, makes more sense. The new Polyphonic Spree album is very Bowie, and the Redwalls have always had their whole Beatles-y thing going on. Was this another attempt to bring back a good, solid rock-n-roll lineup?
NB: Yeah, I think so. The Polyphonic Spree we met in Japan, and they’re really cool, so we thought that would be fun and another kind of interesting, new experience with that many people. And then we brought the Redwalls onto the bill, and they let us do that, which I think they’re happy with now because they really like ‘em, and everyone gets along good. It felt good for us to be back on a tour that was like the kind of tour we’d want to go see as a fan, when I probably wouldn’t have seen some of those other shows. And because now that the record’s out, and we’re actually promoting our band again, more than the last couple of years when we were just sort of aimlessly floating around. We want to be putting more consideration into who we want to tour with, and make sure the fans can have a good show and want to come back next time.

BYT: So, hypothetically, if all three were to compete in a fencing match, which wouldn’t really happen...
LS: We’re talking fencing? Like, professional sword fighting?

BYT: Three-way fencing.
NB: I think the Spree obviously have the most people...

BYT: Well, if you had to choose, like, one representative member from each band?
NB: I think Matt or I could pretty much take down...
MW: Everyone of everyone...but there’s a big horn player...
NB: I know the Redwalls have no chance.
BYT: Those guys are short.
MW: Are we talking about fighting here?

BYT: Fencing.
LS: Swordplay.
Guitar Tech: Well, Zach or Bryan have long limbs...Zach especially...
LS: Fitzy in the Spree, no joke, is actually a Ju-Jitsu fighter…he knows how to, like, seriously, make people go to sleep, and he would be a problem.
NB: But Matt and I are both pretty tough.
LS: I wouldn’t worry about the Redwalls too much.
MW: I actually took a cougar down once.
[All CRACKING UP]
MW: With a pair of brass knuckles.

BYT: I can’t tell if he’s lying, because of the sunglasses...
NB: He’s not. The man loves animals. And he loves to punish them.
MW: We have cougars where I live.

BYT: In LA?
MW: Outside LA.
LS: He lives in Agora Hills, which actually does have some kind of mountain cats.
NB: Yup.
MW: And then I slept with it.
NB: And he had a snuggle-fest? That’s terrific.
MW: It wasn’t quite dead yet...it was well on its way, though...
[Silence.]

NB: Well, that was awkward.
MW: This is all off the record, of course.

BYT: Well, I mean, just maybe on the record, that would probably make a lot of money as a porno movie.
NB: Yeah, that’s some weird shit. Matt’ll show you some stuff later on.

BYT: Like, I really think that would be a great marketing scheme.
MW: It’s probably illegal.
NB: Bestiality culture? Well, Matt can show you some things.
[...Laughs...]

BYT: Alright. So, otherwise, what’s next for the band?
NB: We are going to Europe tomorrow. We have our big hit over there, so that’s been very exciting… “When Did Your Heart Go Missing?” and “Are You Afraid?” and “I Should Have Been After You” and “Tell Me Soon” are all coming out as singles early next year. And those will all have B-sides on them from the Tony Hoffer record that we scrapped…half, or more, will be available to the public, so that’s exciting. And it’s just great for us over there; we’re having very successful shows, and the people there are really into it. It’s really cool.

BYT: Okay, so now I have a fun game to play...I’m going to say a word, and you just tell me the first thing that comes to mind. The first word is Ethiopia.
LS: Skinny.
NB: Black.

Lunge.
MW: Dingleberry.
NB: Lunge? Fencing.
LS: Are you a fencer, or something? [Laughs]

BYT:Saxophone.
NB: Brass.
LS: Solo.

Infertility.
LS: Ovaries.
NB: Barren.
MW: I can’t believe she’s done this to me!

Condoleezza Rice.
MW: Black.
LS: Wack.

Crayons.
NB: Colorful.
LS: Indian Red.
MW: Flesh.
Guitar Tech: The discontinued crayon.
NB: Bastard.

The next word is babies.
NB: Adorable.
MW: Black.

5th Grade.
NB: Horny. I think that’s when I first became horny.
LS: Most random...most randomness. Such randomness. How random. [Laughs] How random of you!

And that’s...about all.
NB: Thus concludes our interview. Thank you.
BYT: Thank you guys, so much! [Goodbyes, et al]

-Alyssa