THE AMERICAN SCENE
Interview with Matt Vincent
By John Moore
THE AMERICAN SCENE may have turned in the best break up record of the year, even if the band doesn’t exactly see it as a break up record. The EP, By Way of Introduction, out on Pure Noise, was a perfect introduction for the California-based band. With a split seven inch up next, the band is also about to get to work on their next record. Oh, and they’ll be touring the U.S. when not clocking time in the studio.
Matthew Vincent took time recently to talk about the EP and why it may not exactly be a break up record.
So when and how did the band first get together?
The band was started in 2009 by Charles, Chris, Dave and myself.Mostly out of boredom and a desire to play shows for fun. I don’t think any of us expected it to become a full time thing, but the Bay Area has such a strong music scene right now that it was almost hard not to start taking the band seriously as time went by.
Is this the first band for all of you?
All of us had been in various other bands in the past, both touring and non. Dave, Charles, Zac and I had actually been in bands together going back to high school.
With the EP By Way of Introduction, did you set out to write a break up record or did it just evolve into one over time?
I wouldn’t say that I really set out to write any certain type of record lyrically. Actually I’m not sure I consider that EP a “break up record” at all, although I could see how an outsider might think that.There are definitely a few songs that deal with a relationship I had previously been in, but there are just as many if not more songs centering around other topics. More so I would say By Way Of Introduction is a record about entering adulthood and all of the let down and emotional struggle that process can involve.
Tell me a little bit about the inspirations behind the songs on the record.
I look at the songs on that record as almost journal entries to some extent. The album was written over the course of about a year and lyrically influenced and inspired by things that were happening to me and the people around me during that time period. There’s not a lot of retrospective material on the record, it’s very much ‘of the moment.’ Re-listening to those songs is almost like opening a time capsule with all of these emotions from a year of my life in there. I think that lyrical mode is a unique tradition in our genre, not many other styles of music pull it off the same way.
What was the recording experience like?
The recording experience for the EP was a very relaxed one. We self-produced the record, and it was engineered by our good friend Aaron Pauley, who sings for the band JAMIE’S ELSEWHERE. We recorded the nice tracks in just over a week at his home studio. He and I have been writing music together since we were 14 so we have a very natural relationship when it comes to music. I think he did a great job.
You have a new split coming out don’t you?
We do,it’s a split seven inch with our friends and label mates DAYBREAKER, a really awesome rock ’n’ roll band from Boston. Our side is two songs, one written and sung by myself, one written and sung by our now ex guitar player Dave. We recorded the tracks at The Panda Studio in Fremont, California with our good friend Sam Pura. It was probably the most successful recording session that I’ve been a part of and I’m really proud of how the songs turned out. I consider it our best material to date.
Do you all share similar musical influences?
For the most part yes but we all bring our individual tastes to thetable when writing. I listen to a lot of singer songwriter type stuffand post rock. My fall playlist is going to consist of a lot of OWEN, DAVID BAZAN, FEIST, THIS WILL DESTROY YOU, and THE APPLESEED CAST.
How do you handle song/music writing duties?
In the past it has been primarily me writing complete songs at home on the acoustic guitar and then bringing them to the band, but we’ve been talking about moving towards a more organic songwriting method where we’re all in the same room writing together. We are actually about to start writing material for a new record within the next month and I’m excited to see how things go.
Have you had a chance to tour much since the EP came out?
We’ve done several West Coast tours this year as well as one full US tour with bands like HANDGUNS, THE STORY SO FAR, TROUBLED COAST, and STICKUP KID. We’re preparing right now for a short West Coast tour in December with TROUBLED COAST in support of the new split.
What plans do you have for the rest of the year?
Right now we are all home working and preparing for this next short tour. We will begin the writing process for the full length soon and hopefully tour more in support of By Way Of Introduction and the DAYBREAKER split throughout the winter and spring.
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