Anberlin

Vanessa interviews lead singer Stephen Christian and drummer Nathan Young.

On January 13th 2009, I left my house during a snowstorm, heading downtown Montreal to the Studio Juste Pour Rire on St-Laurent street where I met up with 2 members from Anberlin: lead singer Stephen Christian and drummer Nathan Young. I fell in love with Anberlin back in 2006 when I saw them as an opening act for Yellowcard in the United States because of their unique and catchy energy. I’ve been following their career ever since and so it was an honour for me to interview them.

While waiting backstage to get a room in which to do the interview, Stephen walked up to me and introduce himself, which was kind of unusual. He immediately started to joke around and apologized for the fact that they couldn’t do the interview on their smelly tourbus, because no one hangs on the bus since their toilet is broken.

When Nathan joined us, we walked backstage to a room with a few couches where they both nicely offered me a seat. It took me about a minute to feel comfortable talking with both Stephen and Nathan, which brought some really funny conversation to the table…

CONFRONT: How is it to tour during winter?

Nathan: Great!

Stephen: Cold for sure. We’re from Florida so… it’s pretty warm there. I kinda wish this was the weather we have around my Christmas.

CONFRONT: And I wish my Christmas could be like yours!

Nathan & Stephen: Yeah!

Nathan: It would be totally different! So hot!

CONFRONT: How is the tour going so far? How does the crowd react? Any snow issue yet?

Stephen: It’s been good far! I mean this is our 6th? 7th show?

Nathan: 5th!

Stephen: I’m not sure!

Nathan: Who knows! 5th or 6th… It’s been good so far! It’s been amazing!

Stephen: Oh yeah! Every night, so surprising! We’re just like… REALLY? You guys are here in January? To fight the cold just to watch the show is great!

CONFRONT: I saw online that most of the show were sold out already…

Stephen: Yeah!

Nathan: That’s awesome!

CONFRONT: How did moving from Tooth and Nails to Universal Republic helped Anberlin to evolve
in the music industry?

Stephen: Right. I think to sign with a major label presents a whole new set of challenges, but also a whole new set of advantages. Like, you know, I feel like that one advantages Tooth and Nails had is how very close we got over the years. That was such a great, just to be working with your friends and not just people who are business partners. But some advantages that Universal brought to the table, we got to work with an awesome producer called Neil Avron and we wrote incredible music working with him. After we got to do Vans Warped Tour and be on main stage was a lot of fun. It’s just little things like that, in the fact that radio is picking us up now. Because back with Tooth and Nails, we had to fight very hard. But who knows, Universal is treating us so good, we’re in a good position.

CONFRONT: All the vocals on the album were recorded without studio tricks. How did that change Anberlin’s recording process?

Stephen: It expended it, it was so long! Usually, being in the studio 3 ½ weeks was our shortest and 4 ½ weeks was our longest time and this one we were in for 3 months, cause you just have to do it over and over and over and you have to get it just right. It turned out great, but it’s a LOT of hard work.

CONFRONT: Was it a “one take” process?

Stephen: Ummm, vocally I don’t know how they went. (looking at Nathan) Well you did pretty much all the drums on one take.

Nathan: Even if we do different takes we’d make sure we get a full one. You know what I mean, were it’s not copy and pasting all the time, so it feels more natural.

CONFRONT: You say that your lyrics is now on a new level. Any specific event in your life and/or career made you move forward lyrically?

Stephen: I think that getting to a major label allowed me to be a lot more free. It’s funny but I felt almost like if with Tooth and Nails I was expected to write this or I couldn’t say that or I couldn’t do this. I felt like moving to Universal was like, resolving a lot of problem that were not normally recordable like homelessness, to stand up for what you believe, to child abuse, to drug abuse. It was just things that felt like issues I want to tackle. Umm, it’s funny that I moved to a major label and felt more free to lyrically challenge the audience.

CONFRONT: The first single of New Surrender, “Feel Good Drag”, is a song that can be heard on 2005′s “Never Take Friendship Personal”. Where did that decision came from?
Stephen: We approach the label and said that maybe we would love to re-record it. We never thought that it could be a single, but I didn’t even think it would make the record, but that it would make a really great b-side. Actually spend some quality time with that song and make it the best it possibly could. So after re-recording it were all like “Wow, this turned out so much better” and we didn’t want it to get lost in the catalogue and shelves. Just felt like it was a good time. Not a lot of people bought “Never Take Friendship Personal” it wasn’t a big record.

CONFRONT: It’s personally the album I listened to the most!

Nathan: That’s awesome!

Stephen: There you go! So, you’re one of the very few. Especially here is Canada. Like no one [bought the album]! We weren’t actually really pushed by Tooth and Nails at all in Canada. It’s not until like right now with Universal, that we’re actually getting out.

CONFRONT: When I was listening to your albums on iTunes I noticed that all of them are listed in different categories as Rock, Gospel & religious, Alternative & Punk … how do you explain that?

Stephen: That’s not really our decision, that’s kind of like what Tooth and Nails or whoever decides. We don’t sit down and write up the genre for each song. That was kind of the label’s choice.

CONFRONT: But, Gospel & Religious is really extreme!

Nathan & Stephen: Yeah! (laughing)

Stephen: Even when our first record came out “Blueprint for the Black Market” would still be in the Gospel section and we’re like “WHAT???”

CONFRONT: Last time I tried to find your albums at HMW music store, I had to look in the Punk section.
Nathan: So, we’re punk now? Alright! Wasn’t it like the Pop/Rock section?

CONFRONT: I wasn’t looking for it in the Pop/Rock section and couldn’t find it. I had to ask the guy and he brought me to the punk section.

Nathan: Waaaaa! Like only our new record was in there?

CONFRONT: No, all of them!

Nathan: Oh my god!

Stephen: That’s so random!

Nathan: Yeaaaaah!

CONFRONT: Since no one seems to describe your music the same way, how would you describe Anberlin’s music?

Stephen: Wow…

Nathan: Modern rock… or alternative? I feel like alternative is a 90s term. But (thinking) I don’t know.

Stephen: It’s so hard to choose by yourself, so I guess just, energetic.

(Everybody is laughing)

Nathan: Energetic?

Stephen: We’re NEHD. We’re gonna start that trend.

(Nathan still laughing)

Stephen: Punk/Rock, Rock N Roll, NEHD…

(Nathan laughs even more)

Stephen: I don’t know!

CONFRONT: Well, I guess that’s a good thing because a lot of people can relate to your music in that case.

Nathan: Yeah!

Stephen: That true too!

CONFRONT: For the next question, I took all the songs from “New Surrender” and did questions either with the title itself, or the message of the song.

Stephen: Ahhh! Right, sure!

CONFRONT: The Resistance – One thing that you find irresistible?

Stephen: Irresistible… Chocolate Almond Ice Cream

Nathan: Whaaaaat? That’s so girlie!

Stephen: Have you ever had it?

Nathan: No!

Stephen: You put bananas in there…

Nathan: What? Chocolate Almond?

Stephen: Chocolate Almond.

Nathan: Coffee!

Stephen: Coffee! Ok!

CONFRONT: Let’s say ice cream for Stephen and coffee for Nate.

Stephen: Yep! I’ll take ice cream!

CONFRONT: Breaking – One thing that would upset you if it broke?

Nathan: … my heart!

(They both start laughing!)

Stephen: and you said ice cream was girlie?

Nathan: No, I thought that after saying “ice cream”, you would now respond “my heart”…

Stephen: “ice cream”… “my heart”…

Nathan: I’ll say my computer because when you’re on the road…

Stephen: My phone!

Nathan: …it’s my only contact…

Stephen: (finishing Nate’s sentence) …with the outside of the world.

CONFRONT: Blame me! Blame me! – One thing that you never admitted to but was your fault?

Stephen: Oh… never blamed for… that was my fault…

CONFRONT: Or something that you’ve been falsely blamed for?

Stephen: Wow! That’s really hard!

Nathan: Something when I was little maybe. I used to get blamed for punching my little sister when it was always my older brother.

Stephen: Oh really?

Nathan Yeah…

CONFRONT: Retrace – Is there someone or something that you’ve lost over the years that you would like to retrace?

Stephen: Yeah, oh yeah!

Nathan: Yeah, like old friends… well a friend I use to grow up with.

Stephen: Who’s that?

Nathan: I can’t tell you!

Stephen: WHY?

Nathan: Because!

Stephen: Why are you so…

Nathan: … OK… Jack…

Stephen: Ohhh… yeah, right…

Nathan: When I was younger I thought we would be best friend until I frickin’ die. I mean, we’re still friends, but we’re not close or anything anymore. And I always think about it, that it would be cool.

CONFRONT: Feel Good Drag – What is your guilty pleasure? Something that you know is wrong but feels right while you are doing it?

Stephen: Chocolate almond…

(Everybody starts laughing!)

Stephen: Oh man!

Nathan: Donuts.

Stephen: He does eat donuts!

Nathan: I don’t know…

Stephen: Coffee if we think about it! It’s probably really bad for some reason.

Nathan: No it’s NOT! Let me tell you something!

Stephen: I told you I heard about this! There is a study…

Nathan: They say if you drink 4 or 5 cups of coffee a day you’re healthier, live longer and it’s really good for you.

CONFRONT: Disappear – If you could disappear for a whole year, where would you go?

Stephen: New Orleans!

Nathan: Seattle!

Stephen: New Orleans is unbelievable.

Nathan: I don’t know why you like it so much.

Stephen: I love it. I’m in love with that city. Seattle I feel like I know too many people, New Orleans I know no one! You disappear! We’re allowed to go international here! Let’s go to Antarctica!

CONFRONT: Breathe – When you need to take a time out what do you do?

Stephen: I just walk to a coffee shop so I can be just by myself.
Nathan: Talking to my family member. When I’m away, it’s means a lot to be able to talk to them

CONFRONT: Burn out Brighter – What would you as individuals want to be remembered for?

Stephen: Oh man… there is a lot! I hope someday I’m a good father, a good husband, a good friend, a good son, that I love others and put the other people before myself.
Nathan: Agreed! There is not much more to say.

CONFRONT: And as a band?

Nathan: To be a good dad… Haha! Just kidding! Maybe just that were just doing it for our own personal thing, not to make ourselves look cool. That when we’re gone that hopefully people will see us as a band that made a difference and not another band as the others. That we stand out, not just for our music, but for the way we live our life.

CONFRONT: Younglife – Favourite childhood memory?

Stephen: Ahhh! There is too many! But one memory in that song is about chasing through the woods with my brother, picking up sticks and pretend you’re battling dragons or whatever. We use to do that all the time with cardboards boxes making like race cars, airplane. Play with our G.I. Joes.

Nathan: We use to have these woods in our neighbourhood, it looked really big but it was tiny, but we still though it was huge. It was the “biggest place”; we could get lost, we camp there one day, it was huge! And just recently we were there and it’s maybe like an acre. That was one of my favourite childhood memory for sure..

CONFRONT: Haight Street – If you could change lives for a day what would you chose to do?

Nathan: Is it suppose to be exciting?

Stephen: Astronaut… Pharmacist… Math teacher!

Nathan: Ohhh!

(Everybody is laughing)

Stephen: I think for me I would like to work with the non-profit. Travel around the world, help people as far as business concepts, improving community life, fight AIDS or whatever I can do to help because that’s what I was going to do before Anberlin start.

Nathan: I would love to have an actual art studios. Having art shows and do that full time would be awesome!

CONFRONT: Soft Skeletons – What makes you stronger than you were before?

Stephen: Hardships! When things are negatives and go wrong, those are the time the true character comes out. Sometimes you don’t like what you see and you realize “Man, I got to change!”. The hardest time of your life makes you stronger.
Nathan: Just going through stuff, learning from mistakes and getting

CONFRONT: And now, the last one, which I have NO clue how to say it…

Stephen: We don’t know either!

CONFRONT: Miserabile Visu??? (pronouncing the title in a very ridiculous way, with my french accent of course)

Stephen: Yep! Absolutely! God bless you!

(Everybody is the room laughs)

CONFRONT: Have you ever witnessed any miracles in your lives and if so can you describe one to me?

Stephen: Umm, yeah! I mean, there is definitely a tons for me, but I think, it’s a miracle that now we are still a band, that we’re here today in another country. Bands come and go. We can’t tell you how many bands in 6 years of being together that we’ve outlived. All these bands breakup! We’re still here and we still have a career ahead of us, not all behind us. We’re not on our way out. Hopefully, the radio picks up and we keep travelling around the world. It’s a huge miracle to still be here!
Nathan: We all still love going on tour.

CONFRONT: What can we wish for Anberlin in the near future?

Stephen: Anberlin stays Anberlin. That we just keep working as hard as we can. We keep writing better song and hopefully the next record will be better than the one before. To be someone’s soundtrack, it’s like the ultimate goal. Every time our records comes out, it makes everybody smile. It just makes them remember a certain time in their lives or makes you feel a certain way. There are some record in my life, that every time I listen to it, I’m gonna feel that certain way, I’m gonna feel something. I just want Anberlin to be the same.

CONFRONT: Thank you so much to both of you for your precious time! Have fun tonight in Montreal!

Stephen & Nathan: Yeah! Thank you so much! See you soon!

I stayed for the show the same night. Stephen was right: Anberlin = Energetic! They are a must see live. The current tour is almost over and most of the shows are sold out, but if you have a chance, grab a ticket and go. You’ll fall in love.

http://www.anberlin.com