Rolling Stone Q&A

IrishNameAndAnInjury wrote:

I really don't understand why people think Brian is coming off so badly.

I think I explained pretty clearly why I felt he came off badly. Anyone is free to disagree with my thinking but that's another matter.

IrishNameAndAnInjury wrote:

but we don't know Brian as a person, so maybe we shouldn't judge him either. Just my opinion.

I could not agree more

Shrewsbury_Stars wrote:

IrishNameAndAnInjury wrote:

I really don't understand why people think Brian is coming off so badly.

I think I explained pretty clearly why I felt he came off badly. Anyone is free to disagree with my thinking but that's another matter.

I saw your posts, but I don't think what you pointed out makes Brian look bad. Maybe we got different vibes from the interview, I don't know. I just don't see anything wrong with him saying he doesn't want to be friends with fans or go to dinner with them or whatever. I think the only reason we have seen him say this more than once is because we read all the articles and interviews, and the journalists keep asking him the same questions. If they'd be more creative, he wouldn't have to repeat himself so much.

We're all entitled to our own opinions, of course, but none of us know what's going on in Brian's head. We don't know what he's going through or how he's dealing with the pressure of the band getting bigger, the new record, the new label, etc. So to criticize him without knowing all the factors that went into those answers just seems unfair.

enola wrote:

IrishNameAndAnInjury wrote:

but we don't know Brian as a person, so maybe we shouldn't judge him either. Just my opinion.

I could not agree more

Wait, what questions do they keep asking that promt him to answer with his relationship to the fans? When I saw that Red Bull interview Brian appeared to just go off on a pissed off rant without really being pushed. Maybe I'm wrong and they edited the interview.

gtalbott wrote:

You opened with "May," one of the slower songs off Handwritten.
It's real slow. It's odd. People are like, 'Why are you doing that? Why are you starting with a slow song?' It's because that's what we do.

I'm confused. They didn't open with Mae. They didn't even play Mae. And yet... he doesn't correct the interviewer, and answers the question like they actually opened with it.

The question was in reference to their album release show, where they opened with Mae...

I don't understand why he's not the same happy go lucky man he used to be, who always loved meeting fans and talking with them.

The ten minutes he spent talking with me before the show at 9:30 Club in D.C. in 09 meant the world to me... I hope he realizes how much that time is appreciated by the fans and how much it also drives his success... I can't tell you how many people I've shared that story with and how amazed they were at how kind he was and how it's inspired them to check out the Gaslight Anthem....

I hope this is just a result of stress about the new record and not who he has become because it would really suck if he has lost the interpersonal connection with the fans that set him and the band apart from many other musicians.

I think he's trying to either work out for himself or establish to us where he stands with the fan relationship. It's a WEIRD relationship. Like I think it comes off wrong but I don't think he means "fuck off, I haven't got time for you" I think he's just making it clear that as much of a connection that we might feel, at the end of the day we have our lives and he has his. And we DON'T know him. He's not trying to expand his friend group or find drinking buddies. He wants to go home from work and hang with his family or friends at the end of the day. Just like anyone else. He NEEDS that separation for his own sanity. I think he mentions it so much because it's on his mind and he's going to repeat everything with this set of interviews. It's easier to do when you get the same questions over and over.

In regards to what someone said about Benny being cool at least. You gotta remember that Benny and Brian very clearly have different personalities. It doesn't make either one of them better or worse people. They just handle this kind of thing differently.

I'm not saying people shouldn't be upset, just saying I agree with Shannon, we don't know him, maybe we should hold off on the judging. Or at least, try to imagine, I mean really imagine how you'd be in that position. Maybe some of us would be like Benny, but I'd bet many of us would be handling it the same way as Brian if not worse.

rkirkpatrick25 wrote:

The question was in reference to their album release show, where they opened with Mae...

I realize that they opened with Mae at the record release show, but the rest of the interview they're talking about Lollapalooza, the interview took place at Lollapalooza, and there's no reference to the record release show in the interview.

ashleybb wrote:

rkirkpatrick25 wrote:

The question was in reference to their album release show, where they opened with Mae...

I realize that they opened with Mae at the record release show, but the rest of the interview they're talking about Lollapalooza, the interview took place at Lollapalooza, and there's no reference to the record release show in the interview.

Looks like you had the answer all along

I, like many others on this message board, have a tremendous respect and admiration for the guys in gaslight. Brian, in particular, is especially an inspiration to me since I find myself connecting so strongly with his lyrics. That being said, I don't expect the connection I feel with Brian's words to carry over into a personal friendship. Most fans realize this. It seems unnecessary and a bit abrasive to repeatedly tell fans that he doesn't want to be their friend. It is important for Brian to establish boundaries with the fans. But bands much bigger and more popular than gaslight have done this before without repeatedly coming off as frustrated with the fans. I don't know Brian. I don't purport to know him or understand him on a personal level. What I know is this: I've read a few of these recent interviews, and he sounds frustrated with the fans. It's not a good look.

fatbench wrote:

What I know is this: I've read a few of these recent interviews, and he sounds frustrated with the fans. It's not a good look.

I agree. It's not a good look. And the last thing he wants to do (whether he's aware of this or not) is alienate those of us who listen because we connect with him and aren't asking crazy things of him. Which is exactly what he's doing. And honestly I don't know all the messages, tweets, etc. that he gets but from what I've seen, even the weirdest of it is pretty harmless and typical of any fandom.

That said, I still stand by what I said and will give him the benefit of the doubt. And I'll wait patiently as he hopefully works out a better way of getting/wording what he's going for.

I think it's been pretty clear for a long time that Brian is a loner. The pressure of fans is getting to him. He always mentioned how American Slang was a little fizzled because people kept wanting to bother him while he was working, and I'm sure this is the same thing.

Matt L wrote:

I think it's been pretty clear for a long time that Brian is a loner. The pressure of fans is getting to him. He always mentioned how American Slang was a little fizzled because people kept wanting to bother him while he was working, and I'm sure this is the same thing.

Going off this. I remember reading an interview from back in the 59 sound days where he talked about how when people say they relate he like hears it and thinks it's cool but he can't really relate back. or something along those lines. He puts this stuff out there because he needs to say it and I'm sure he hopes there's others out there who get it, and maybe he can feel that connection when it's a large group of people shouting lyrics back at him but that doesn't mean he can feel that connection when essentially a stranger walks up to him and says "i totally get it" and that's the disconnect. That's where he pulls away.

God, why does he keep making these comments? There's a pretty accepted tacit agreement that we're not friends, lovers, or family, or any other relationship recognized on Sowing Season. Leave the dark, jaded loner schtick to Brand New and lighten up.

The whole, "we can never placate the audience" thing kind of irks me too. They have fans all over the world that support and love what they do. The whole idea of feeling pressured to "placate" us gives off this weird, us-against-them vibe. It's kind of lame to act like he's rebelling against the fans by doing his own thing, when in reality, that's all the vast majority of us really wanted anyway.

the man can feel how he feels, but it would really be cool if Brian had something new and interesting to say in these interviews.

His answers are only as new and interesting as the questions he's asked are.

NeverTrustAJunkie wrote:

His answers are only as new and interesting as the questions he's asked are.

Quote :

You opened with "May," one of the slower songs off Handwritten.

it would just be nice if he gave some insight into why he thinks Mae is a good opener instead of just relating it all back to his thing about how he doesn't care what people think and how the band will do what it feels like.

Yeah ok I have been known to wait around after shows and have asked him a couple of questions but its not been the obsessed fan kind of questions just general conversation. When I stick around like that all Im after is a shake of the hand perhaps an autograph or a photo. I think these days are gone now. Brian doesn't owe us anything. I think he realises that they have had a close connection with fans but now theyre getting bigger, there are more fans wanting to speak to them (Brian particularly) and they cant possibly satisfy them all so it seems like a conscious effort to discourage fans from making contact after shows etc... It could be something their management have asked them to change and Brian's just trying to let us know.

Unfortunately the way he's getting the message across, (sometimes unprompted) its just like 'fans back off' and he is coming across as though he is frustrated or even pissed off with the fans. I think some of you may have taken the sit down to dinner comment a little too literally. As if any fan expects that, he's just using an exaggerated situation to make his point. I think we all know we're not going to make friends with the band but when you follow them all around the country, continent, world is it too much to ask that he shows a little respect to fans that pay a lot of money for merch, records, tickets etc.

Yeah, we don't know how BRIAN feels but I would have thought fan relations is a pretty major part of good band management and all Im seeing here and on other threads is people becoming more and more upset with his attitude. He's one of my heroes and what Ive seen of his personality has always been a part of that but for the past few months I find it difficult to like what I see of him. He doesn't need to make appearances and speak to fans after shows, he can stay in the venue or get on the bus thats fine but frequently telling the fans these kind of things in interviews is a pretty harsh way of getting the message across. It sounds like he isnt sleeping too much so he's probably just grumpy and irritable and maybe some of thats coming through

Theyve mentioned meet and greets in the fan club and if they intend to do this then they wont be meeting fans at shows anyway as it would take the shine off those that got a meet and greet.

As Shelby McShelbs and some others have pointed out, it's true that we can't really say we know the whole story. It's a transitional phase for the band where they're gradually getting bigger and bigger and obviously that's something Brian is having difficulties dealing with. Perhaps we just need to give him time to settle in and learn how to act around this new reality of his.

That being said, he is totally coming off as a douche and I wish he'll get his act together quickly.

IrishNameAndAnInjury wrote:

I really don't understand why people think Brian is coming off so badly. Just because he doesn't want to hang out with fans in his downtime and be everybody's best friend doesn't mean he's being a jerk

We don't perceive him as a jerk because he doesn't want to be everybody's friend, that's not the issue here, nobody expects him to be BFFs with all his fans, we (or at least I) perceive him as a jerk simply because he's acting like a jerk.

Harbortown wrote:

IrishNameAndAnInjury wrote:

I really don't understand why people think Brian is coming off so badly. Just because he doesn't want to hang out with fans in his downtime and be everybody's best friend doesn't mean he's being a jerk

We don't perceive him as a jerk because he doesn't want to be everybody's friend, that's not the issue here, nobody expects him to be BFFs with all his fans, we (or at least I) perceive him as a jerk simply because he's acting like a jerk.

I'd agree with this!

It's kind of confusing when he has stated recently that Handwritten is meant to be a DIRECT communication to the person listening, like a letter from him to you. And yet he is stating now after the records release that he and the fans have no personal connection and giving off the impression he would rather not be bothered at all.

He really is coming across badly.

So no more Twitter Q and As then?!

I agree with jerseyrain, im finding it hard to like what im seeing in Brian recently, a guy i looked up to and admire. As i stated earlier a good relationship with fans is how a good band thrives and survives. I REALLY dont take that comment of coming to dinner literally just a bit courtesy to fans who actually pay for the band to be where they are. Maybe a few INTENSE fans who actually want to sit doen for dinner with him have put him off meets but you encounter these people at shows and pubs but it doesnt stop me going back.

Not to sound like a dick but seriously Brian needs to lose this faux Bob Dylan act. Both him and his music are not nearly as interesting or complicated as Dylan is. I don't stick around after shows but I imagine a typical request from a fan goes along the lines of "hey Brian can i get a picture with you?" and not "Hey Brian come hang out with us." I'm sure he could walk the streets of NYC and probably go relatively unnoticed still. I just think it's a bit ironic how so much of his rock persona has been borrowed from idolizing Springsteen,Vedder, Strummer etc. and now he's drawing a line saying don't do this for me. To me it all seems a bit contrived on his part, i think TGA has had a pretty respectful cult following that has given the band space away from the stage so why he feels the need to lash out is a bit odd.