Brian Fallon on Honesty, 'Handwritten' and Not Wanting to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Hero

from http://www.spinner.com/2012/08/02/gaslight-anthem-in-house/

Brian Fallon is exhausted. The Gaslight Anthem singer is running on two hours of sleep when he shows up at Spinner's New York office on the release day of his band's fourth album, Handwritten. Later that night, the group will play a sold-out show at Webster Hall -- but Brian's plans to celebrate their major-label debut don't involve parties and champagne. The New Jersey native is going home to get some sleep before heading back out on the road in two days.

In the meantime, Fallon isn't letting the fatigue get the better of him. Turning on the charisma that's made him such a beloved frontman, he perks up when talking about Handwritten, which was inspired by a poem a friend wrote for him in ink.

I respect that he doesn't want to be a "hero", but I wish he'd let people look up to/appreciate him. There IS a difference. He/They may not be curing cancer but there is value to what they do. Well at least if anyone says he's not humble we can point them to this article, haha.

I'd really love to know where and how much the other guys contributed to the lyric writing. I heard them talk about this before and I'm really curious if we're talking lines here or there or full verses.

He has to understand that he speaks how some feel so they are gonna feel a sort of bond with him, the lyrics and music. Im always gonna look up to him as a musician, person and lyricist. Good read thanx

StitchesOnTheRadio wrote:

I respect that he doesn't want to be a "hero", but I wish he'd let people look up to/appreciate him. There IS a difference. He/They may not be curing cancer but there is value to what they do.

Agreed. He cures the blues, and that ain't easy!

look at my avi, theres me and my bro on stage playing music he has helped influence. Always gonna be a hero to me for giving me a fresh perspective and ideas for my music and something to do in this town

A few years back, Brian Fallon was talking about his relationship with fans, not quite verbatim but akin to "That's my responsibility. I'm the one who decided to strap on a guitar and get on stage."

He's always done the whole "I'm just a normal guy" shtick, but it's gone from "I'm just a normal guy," to "No, seriously, I'm just a normal guy. Agree with me." He talks about it so much I"m wondering if he's trying to convince himself just as much as his fans.

I'm not saying he has a responsibility to be whatever people make him--that would be awful. But there is a consistent theme for him lately in interviews. It's like he wants the music to be personal, but also wants to make sure the relationship between him and his fans is professional, which is fine. I imagine most musicians are like that, but they go about expressing that sentiment way better than he does. I've never seen a band thank and take care of their fans so much, while the frontman goes so far out of his way to make it perfectly clear that he doesn't actually want to know any of them. It's gotten to the point of condescension. It's like, "Dude, you're not that famous yet, it's a little early to start the resenting the fanbase."

And when it comes to a personal relationship with admired musicians, he should also remember he wrote a song called I'da Called You Woody, Joe. If somebody wrote a song with a title that implied that level of personal closeness, I bet he'd be freaked.

He does seem to be trying to detach himself from the fans. He hasn't thought that keep repeating this same spiel is actually upsetting some of their loyal and biggest fans. Im getting a bit disenchanted with him. Should I bother waiting around after shows anymore??? Who knows, he'll probably just walk straight past

these interviews are getting old real fast. he should stop trying to convince people what they should think of him. enough with all the drama. and i agree with everything 'jzancan' has said, well put.

it's like the success they've had has gone into his head a little, and he doesn't even realize it. dude, you're not Springsteen we get it, now let's move on to something else -.-.

"Like Rick Ross?" I ask, referring to the rapper and former prison guard's kingpin persona. "I don't even know who that is, but sure," Fallon honestly replies.

I agree completely with jzancan.

I don't know if it's that he's trying to convince himself he's not like "famous and awesome" but actually thinks he is, or if he's worried he'll start thinking that way. I don't agree with the views on here that he's doing it because he's arrogant, I think it's more that he's freakin' out a bit and trying to fight off "fame" before he gets in over his head. Not saying he's about to shoot to mega-stardom but with the new album and increased attention (remember, the other guys don't get the amount of attention or exposure that he does) I gotta imagine that that's a bit overwhelming if you think about it too much.

Basically, he IS pushing away too much and it bothers me too, but I don't think it's arrogance so much as fear that's doing it. He's protecting himself. But I don't know, I'm just giving him the benefit of the doubt.

A lot of interviewers ask the same kind of questions, so he may not intentionally be discussing the matter repeatedly.

I think you guys are just overanalyzing the whole thing, interviews are interviews, a journalist has got to ask some "standard" questions so it's not really worrying/weird that he is insisting on this whole being famous thing.
They are a band who has just signed a contract with a major label, of course fame it's their main issue.

plugga wrote:

I think you guys are just overanalyzing the whole thing, interviews are interviews, a journalist has got to ask some "standard" questions so it's not really worrying/weird that he is insisting on this whole being famous thing.
They are a band who has just signed a contract with a major label, of course fame it's their main issue.

You're right I just think some of us are a little...offended because it feels like this...

US: Brian, dude you're awesome, I really connect with you're songs so much, thank you.
Brian: Thanks BUT you shouldn't, I don't wanna connect with you.

I know he probably doesn't mean that (or at least not the way it sounds) but that's what it feels like to those of us who really feel like we connect with him.

But yeah, having just signed to a major, I imagine making the "we're not rockstars" argument is high on the priority list.

StitchesOnTheRadio wrote:

plugga wrote:

I think you guys are just overanalyzing the whole thing, interviews are interviews, a journalist has got to ask some "standard" questions so it's not really worrying/weird that he is insisting on this whole being famous thing.
They are a band who has just signed a contract with a major label, of course fame it's their main issue.

You're right I just think some of us are a little...offended because it feels like this...

US: Brian, dude you're awesome, I really connect with you're songs so much, thank you.
Brian: Thanks BUT you shouldn't, I don't wanna connect with you.

I know he probably doesn't mean that (or at least not the way it sounds) but that's what it feels like to those of us who really feel like we connect with him.

But yeah, having just signed to a major, I imagine making the "we're not rockstars" argument is high on the priority list.

I think it's more about being humble, I've had this feeling when I met him and I still have it when I read his interviews, he is very dedicated and loves his fanbase, he just doesn't know yet how to deal with the masses!

plugga wrote:

I think it's more about being humble

I think so too. It seems like he thinks the fans are doing a disservice to themselves if they put him on a pedestal, because he's just like anyone else and we're all just doing our thing, trying to get by. I get the feeling he just means we should think better of ourselves and not idolize famous (or somewhat famous) people in general. To me it comes across as him trying to boost people up.

subconscious ritual wrote:

plugga wrote:

I think it's more about being humble

I think so too. It seems like he thinks the fans are doing a disservice to themselves if they put him on a pedestal, because he's just like anyone else and we're all just doing our thing, trying to get by. I get the feeling he just means we should think better of ourselves and not idolize famous (or somewhat famous) people in general. To me it comes across as him trying to boost people up.

Agreed.

Nah, I totally agree with both of the above^^ I just think it comes off the wrong way to some of us. At least personally for me I've always connected with Brian because he's a regular guy and when he makes mistakes I like that because it reminds me that I don't have to be perfect either. I'm aware of all that and I'm not putting him on a pedestal but I do think highly of him, the way I think highly of a lot of my friends or family, so it's annoying when he doesn't want that.

It's one of those scenarios though where he may not be talking about people like some of us, he's addressing the people who might see him as a rock hero, or super-human. It's easy to forget that sometimes.

Its certainly a tough road to balance and I don't think any of us can really fairly comment as we don't know what its like to be in those shoes.

Frank said it best. There's no such thing as rockstars, there's just people who play music. And some of them are just like us and some of them are dicks.

Brian isn't trying not to be a rockstar, and I respect him for that. I think eventually he'll be able to figure out the balance between not going "I WANT TO BE YOUR HERO" yet at the same time realizing he is a hero for a lot of us, and that is okay. He gets half of it right, (and the good half too) -- its not like they require or "command any respect". But a true sign of humility is letting other people be grateful for what you've done.

StitchesOnTheRadio wrote:

I just think it comes off the wrong way to some of us. At least personally for me I've always connected with Brian because he's a regular guy and when he makes mistakes I like that because it reminds me that I don't have to be perfect either. I'm aware of all that and I'm not putting him on a pedestal but I do think highly of him, the way I think highly of a lot of my friends or family, so it's annoying when he doesn't want that.

It's one of those scenarios though where he may not be talking about people like some of us, he's addressing the people who might see him as a rock hero, or super-human. It's easy to forget that sometimes.

I agree, I think it's coming across somewhat harsh and alienating. Maybe because of how many times he's said it now??

CluckyB wrote:

Its certainly a tough road to balance and I don't think any of us can really fairly comment as we don't know what its like to be in those shoes.

Frank said it best. There's no such thing as rockstars, there's just people who play music. And some of them are just like us and some of them are dicks.

Brian isn't trying not to be a rockstar, and I respect him for that. I think eventually he'll be able to figure out the balance between not going "I WANT TO BE YOUR HERO" yet at the same time realizing he is a hero for a lot of us, and that is okay. He gets half of it right, (and the good half too) -- its not like they require or "command any respect". But a true sign of humility is letting other people be grateful for what you've done.

Totally, and not knowing what it's like, it's hard for us to know what his intentions or meaning is behind why he's saying this. And to be fair, the fact that he's saying it so much has a lot to do with there being so many interviews. That's bound to bring on repetition.

And he will find that balance. Heck, maybe he even has it more than we think and he's just bad at communicating it. But I do think it's fair that people (myself included) are having the negative reaction that we are. As long as we keep in mind that (I'd bet) he'd never intend for what he's saying to offend us.

Side Note: I really like that on this thread everyone has presented so many interesting perspectives on this and no one's attacking anyone else for overreacting, over analyzing, or anything else for once! It's a nice discussion.

It does seem that he is growing tired of the fan interaction aspect of being in a band. But on the other hand, he's stage diving and jumping off of balconies at gigs which to me could be taken in two ways - that he's proving the point he is just like us (and joining us in the crowd) or he is literally putting himself on a pedestal and jumping from it knowing his adoring fans will catch him haha

It's always been Brian's way though to contradict himself. It's what makes him human and relatable.

White Man In Hammersmith wrote:

It does seem that he is growing tired of the fan interaction aspect of being in a band. But on the other hand, he's stage diving and jumping off of balconies at gigs which to me could be taken in two ways - that he's proving the point he is just like us (and joining us in the crowd) or he is literally putting himself on a pedestal and jumping from it knowing his adoring fans will catch him haha

It's always been Brian's way though to contradict himself. It's what makes him human and relatable.

I think he just can't do it all the time. He has said that. Sometimes you just don't have it in you that day. He was pretty freakin' awesome to us in Cambridge. He stayed out there for like an hour and really seemed to be enjoying himself. He even had someone take a picture of himself with like 15 of us (all that were left at the time) on his phone. I thought that was a cool reverse of the norm.

Haha, "literally putting himself on a pedestal". he's freakin' nuts. Especially at Koko, people could have like cleared out due to fear of him landing on them. That would have been bad.

many people have said that gaslight is a band that is saving rocknroll and i totally agree. brian IS my musical hero and i've always wanted to tell him how much the band means to me because i've never been able to meet him or any of the other guys. i'm hoping i get to meet them this year (probably won't in a huge festival-sized venue) but i don't even know how i will express how i feel without him getting creeped out or something, haha. i hope they stay all stay humble and know how much we adore them.

I love this discussion. Brian is a complicated guy, who clearly has some issues with becoming a famous face. Perhaps it's partly because he gets most of the attention and the rest of the band isn't - and he has no one else to really share the burden with. (I know that sounds mean, and I know the other guys are getting their share of interviews, but Brian really is the face of the band - and that can be pretty darn tough unless you're mentally prepared for it...)

That said: I also point out this line:

Quote :

Brian Fallon is exhausted. The Gaslight Anthem singer is running on two hours of sleep when he shows up at Spinner's New York office on the release day of his band's fourth album, Handwritten.

When he's tired or ticked off, he sometimes says silly things. Remember the Red Bull Academy event? Maybe the real reason he said he didn't want to be a hero is he was so tired he wished he didn't have to do all those interviews that day and could just go home and sleep!

The Gaslight Anthem (TGA) gives the impression, whether on stage or in interviews, they think they are a less popular band than they really are. Which is not a bad thing. It is something that keeps them grounded and approachable to their ever-growing fan base.

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/riffs-music/2012/aug/4/gaslight-anthem-band-edge-greatness/