In-depth Interview: Brian Fallon talks Tours, Music, DeLuna Fest

The Gaslight Anthem just keeps getting bigger. The New Jersey band got a lot of attention a few years ago with their second album, “The ’59 Sound.” With “Handwritten,” the band signed to a major label, Mercury, and worked with producer Brendan O’Brien. It’s the sound of a band continuing to grow, yet not forgetting the music and influences to get them where they are now.

The band plays at 5:30 p.m. Friday on the DeLuna Stage. Lead singer Brian Fallon, who is in the midst of yet another tour, took some time to talk before DeLuna Fest.

Q: How long have you been doing music now? When did you start?

A: I started when I was maybe about 11. I started playing guitar and took some lessons. So basically since I was 11, so, I don’t know, 21 years? Crazy.

Q: What was your first guitar?

A: It was a little Charvel Stratocaster (laughs).

Q: How long are you going to be touring this record?

A: We’ll probably keep going until sometime at the end of next year. And then start to maybe think about doing a new record.

Q: Are you doing anything different live this time around?

More: http://www.gopensacola.com/article/20120913/GOPENSACOLA04/309130002/Gaslight-Anthem-lead-singer-talks-tours-music-DeLuna-Fest

Thanks for sharing, but man, Brian is a dull interview subject nowadays. Four pages and not a single interesting answer.

I didn't think the questions were very interesting either.

JackStreetcar wrote:

Thanks for sharing, but man, Brian is a dull interview subject nowadays. Four pages and not a single interesting answer.

Ha--perhaps the reactions to his interviews a month or so ago in which he talked about fans affected the way he handled these

Thanks for sharing but Wow that was bland. I think the questions were alright and could of been fun to answer but it seemed quite awkward and dull. Maybe it was an early morning interview lol

bringiton_ty wrote:

Thanks for sharing but Wow that was bland. I think the questions were alright and could of been fun to answer but it seemed quite awkward and dull. Maybe it was an early morning interview lol

Meh--at least is was long.

lol yeah that was nice at least

bringiton_ty wrote:

lol yeah that was nice at least

And we did get this info

A: We’ll probably keep going until sometime at the end of next year. And then start to maybe think about doing a new record.

true. Good to know that plan! wonder how long they will take to release it. Remembering the agony waiting for rancid that was like 6 years haha though im sure it wouldnt be that sort of time.Just dont feel handwritten will suffice while i wait. Its made its way lower in collection already only saved by a few songs

I wish Brian would do another interview like he did with Alan Cross in Toronto during American Slang.
That one was amazing

DeathoftheCool wrote:

I wish Brian would do another interview like he did with Alan Cross in Toronto during American Slang.
That one was amazing

Amen brothaman

I don't know it Fallon was not very interesting, or it was just the questions weren't good. A lot of these questions didn't really give him room to talk or express himself. They were simple questions that could be answered in a line or so.

Meh. The questions were alright, he could've easily elaborated on his answers.

Yeah the questions weren't too insightlful, neither were the answers. I disaggree with Brian saying his songwriting isnt nostalgic. Lots of his lyrics are nostalgic so not sure what he means there. I like this about his songwriting though. Maybe Im nostalgic myself so I guess thats where it comes from. I hope he doesn't get too annoyed with people keep calling him nostalgic. I wouldn't want him to feel he can't write about those things anymore...

Jerseyrain wrote:

Yeah the questions weren't too insightlful, neither were the answers. I disaggree with Brian saying his songwriting isnt nostalgic. Lots of his lyrics are nostalgic so not sure what he means there. I like this about his songwriting though. Maybe Im nostalgic myself so I guess thats where it comes from. I hope he doesn't get too annoyed with people keep calling him nostalgic. I wouldn't want him to feel he can't write about those things anymore...

Almost all of The '59 Sound is nostalgic. He is and he has written about nostalgia, but it seems he has a problem with anyone pegging him as anything these days. He wants to be Eddie Vedder so badly and it's really starting to show.

"The big number two." tee hee

Jerseyrain wrote:

Yeah the questions weren't too insightlful, neither were the answers. I disaggree with Brian saying his songwriting isnt nostalgic. Lots of his lyrics are nostalgic so not sure what he means there. I like this about his songwriting though. Maybe Im nostalgic myself so I guess thats where it comes from. I hope he doesn't get too annoyed with people keep calling him nostalgic. I wouldn't want him to feel he can't write about those things anymore...

At least they didn't ask him about Springsteen. On another note, I found this answer odd:

Q: What would you be doing if you didn’t do music? Did you ever have a plan of what you wanted to do after high school?

A: Not really. I kind of always wanted to be a musician. I just worked jobs to get by while I was working my way up here. I’m not really sure what I’d be doing. I don’t really think about that too much. You just kind of see where life takes you.

I've actually heard Brian speak several times about how he would be a carpenter if he didn't make it as a musician (and even how much money he'd be making by this point). So obviously he does think about this.

You can imagine him doing a dozen calls with different reporters between shows. He's bored, he's tired. The interviewer asks not-very-interesting questions, so he gives not-very-interesting responses. By the 15th time you're asked that week about your influences, what are you supposed to say?

This cracked me up, though:

Quote :

I drive a normal car, and I have a coffee maker. I don’t have a horse and carriage. Nostalgia’s not really a big part of my life.

Obviously not entirely accurate, but the image of Brian driving a horse and carriage is a winner.

The horse and carriage line is funny, but I'm sure I've heard him talking about wanting to fix up old vintage cars and things of that nature.