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This is Tim from HM Magazine. I’m here with Jonathan from Waking Ashland. Just a few questions for you, Jonathan.
J: Sure.

T: What’s it like being on tour with Action Action and Spitalfield, and what kinda pranks have been pulled on the road, just the general atmosphere.
J: We’re actually on our way out to meet up with Action Action and Spitalfield so we haven’t played with those guys yet, we’ve played with Action Action a couple times. So we haven’t really gotten to know those guys yet, but as far as pranks on tour, we were just on tour with The Matches and the Plain White T’s, and a band called Roses Are Red. And Roses Are Red came up during our set one night during our song “Hands on Deck” and were slow dancing with members of the audience. It was pretty funny.

T: I read that your album set a first week sales record for a Tooth and Nail debut?
J:Yeah

T: Could you talk about your reaction to that knowing all the great bands that’ve been on T&N?
J: Yeah we were um, really surprised and just kinda flattered that kids would want to go out and support us. We didn’t really know what to expect since it was our first major label debut, but we’d been working really hard though this past year, constantly touring the country. So we were surprised, but at the same time it was gratifying to see our hard work pay off. And we’re extremely grateful for anyone who’s bought our record, or is thinking about buying it.

T: That’s awesome. Tell the story of how you ended up on T&N and what kind of factors went into that decision.
J: Well, we were close to signing with some other labels, it was pretty much 90% done. We didn’t think we were gunna be on T&N, they had offered us a deal, but it just didn’t seem to be what we were looking for. So then we played, around November we were on a tour with our friends in Sherwood and stopped by Seattle and Brandon, who’s the president of T&N happened to come out to the show, and he was, I guess he just really liked our band and he just approached us, and was like “I really want to put out your record”. So we got him on the phone with our lawyers and management. And they made us a deal we couldn’t refuse and we accepted.

T: Pretty neat.
J: Yeah!

T: Um, if you had the chance to tour with any band or artist, who would that be and why?
J: Um, man, there’re so many good ones out there, it’s hard to narrow it down…like, in reality, like anyone? Or like…just…

T: Yeah anyone, past or present.
J: OK. Well I guess uh, touring with Weezer would be pretty sweet

T: Yeah.
J: In fact I was listening to the new Weezer record and it’s pretty nice. A band like U2 would be awesome, I really like their music, uh, Coldplay would be amazing, and then like, for me, I grew up in the same town as the guys in Switchfoot, so a tour with Switchfoot wouldn’t be to shabby either.

T: Yeah, cool. Is there a process or an approach you take to writing songs, and just describe where you get your inspiration from.
J: Well, like I mean…like writing songs…I think for the most part, each song comes out differently. There is no set process, or way, in which to do it. I think if you try to actually come up with a process, I think that’s when you get in trouble and your songs come out, maybe your songs sound over-processed, or there’s no real character, or substance to your songs. So it’s kind of a mystery to me. I just sit down at the piano and the music comes just from playing and the melodies, you know, I think that it’s kind of an addiction. It’s what keeps me going, writing songs, is just not knowing what’s going to come out, it always a surprise…

T: Has to be a spur of the moment…
J: Yeah, spur of the moment, I definitely right on the climax of my emotions, like when my emotions are like, real high on a subject or I’m feeling just a certain way, I’ll write. I’ve learned to kind of go by, you learn that there’s certain times to write when you’ll get the best result. As far as my inspiration goes, um, I’m inspired just by everything, I mean I think there’s just so much this life has to offer. I’m inspired by a lot of…I’m inspired by true love, I’m inspired by not knowing, like I was saying about writing songs and you don’t know what’s going to come up. There are certain things that’re bigger than us that inspire me, to pick them out, and to write about them. And seeing…knowing that people are going to be hearing our songs, inspires me to want to write a song that’s going to be a positive influence on them or encourage someone to reflect on their lives or hopefully inspire, ya know?
(drummer practicing)
J: One second…I’m gunna get him to stop for a sec…
J: (returns) Ok…

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