Sharing
Interviews
The Maine
May 2, 2012 | Paige Farrow
In May 2012, AltRockLive had an opportunity to catch up with Kennedy Brock and Jared Monaco of The Maine on their Pioneer North American Tour. We had discussed new plans for B-Sides, plans for tour after the Pioneer tours were finished, how their first gigs were, how it was writing an album the way they wanted to and more.
AltRockLive: Where did you get the idea of the name and album artwork for Pioneer?
Jared: The name was something John had said, really early on before we had done any writing for the record. I remember we were in the van at some point and hearing him say Pioneer, and it kind of fit where we were at the time like we were about to branch out. I don't know, it was just a good representation of what we thought the album was going to be. It was a really early on idea, as we started working on the songs and recording the songs, and all this stuff started happening with our record label and we couldn't really see eye to eye on what songs should make the album. The name started to become more and more true to the project we were working on. So, pioneer ended up being the project we took in our own hands. The album artwork was also an idea that John had, he has a lot of ideas. That one, we all kind of were uh, I remember, we were least excited for initially I don't even know if we threw out any real ideas. We just had an image in our heads or a guy with lipstick on, kind of a bold statement. We kind of felt that the album was going to be a different element of our band, the album was just us being ourselves and we did the same with our cover.
AltRockLive: How do you guys feel about the sound change from your first album to now on Pioneer?
Kennedy: It was just a totally different approach for us, there's a lot of factors that went into it but for us it was totally different. We weren't working with a producer or being told by our label that we had to go do these co-writes, it was a totally different experience. Everything literally came straight from our brains to our album, for us I feel like that and as far as the three full lengths we have out, Pioneer is the one that kind of represents who we are as individual musicians and as a band and I guess totally untouched by any of those outside hands from the record label or producers. I think that is a large part or reason that it sounds the way it does. You know we basically did it all ourselves. It's a huge step, you know, doing all these things on your own. It took all the processes we went through previous records and recordings to get to that point to feel confident enough to want to do something like that.
AltRockLive: Is there any song you've written that you've grown to dislike?
Jared: It was just a totally different approach for us, there's a lot of factors that went into it but for us it was totally different. We weren't working with a producer or being told by our label that we had to go do these co-writes, it was a totally different experience. Everything literally came straight from our brains to our album, for us I feel like that and as far as the three full lengths we have out, Pioneer is the one that kind of represents who we are as individual musicians and as a band and I guess totally untouched by any of those outside hands from the record label or producers. I think that is a large part or reason that it sounds the way it does. You know we basically did it all ourselves. It's a huge step, you know, doing all these things on your own. It took all the processes we went through previous records and recordings to get to that point to feel confident enough to want to do something like that.
AltRockLive: Are there any songs you've written that have not made any of your albums? If so, what will you do with those songs?
Kennedy: There are a whole lot of songs that didn't make our records. There's always been kind of a graveyard from past albums. This album particularly, we have a lot. We've got a huge graveyard of songs, its just like when we did pioneer, we went into the studio with 45 demos or so then we fully record about 27 of them then narrowed that to 13, now we have about 10-12 songs that didn't make the album basically finished but later down the road they could become B-Sides. There's nothing specific we have to put out, we're getting to that point where we pull out those songs from the archives and deciding which ones are going to be keepers and which ones have parts we can kind of savage and go off of that. It's nice to step away from a song for a while and then come back to it. So, you kind of have some fresh ideas. Sometimes you think of a different direction to take.
AltRockLive: If you weren't a band, what would you be doing?
Jared: That's a scary question, we'd be kind of lost. We've been wanting to be in a band for a long time and happy to continue to do so. I don't really know, I'd probably be a zookeeper, I like animals. Could you see me doing that? Kennedy: Yeah, could I get a discount on the zoo? Jared: I'd like to be in charge of lions, giraffes, that or maybe just go back to working at Best Buy. I worked at Best Buy and Kennedy worked at a coffee shop. Kennedy: Yeah, I worked at a coffee and bagel place. Jared: Basically we hated our jobs before this, so now we're going to do anything we can to not go back and work real jobs.
AltRockLive: You've covered a couple songs, what is one you would love to cover that would have not?Kennedy: Oh man, that's a great question. We've done all the way from Akon to Neil Young, that's kind of a weird mixture of covers but I don't think anything's off the table. We like to take a song a try to make it out own and the cool thing about this tour is that we got to do The Beatles cover with Arkells and Lydia, it's a blast because we get to play it on stage and everyone comes out and it's a great way to end the set every night. This song just got released on Spotify yesterday. There are different reasons we do covers, sometimes it's just for the hell of it and sometimes it's because it might go with the tour or compilation that we might be on so you never know.
AltRockLive: Would you ever go on an acoustic tour?
Jared: Absolutely. There hasn't been a need for it yet, but I definitely think that's something that could happen in the future. We've actually been talking about it, we want to get a hold of a lot of our songs and make them have that acoustic vibe. When we did the first Pioneer shows, we played the whole album from front to back then played a bunch of old songs acoustically so, we've done something similar to it. In the future, I think that would be a great thing, but nothing is planned now.
AltRockLive: What venue in the United States has the best bathrooms?
Jared: I like the norva a lot, that venue has the best everything. It's in norfal, Virginia., And they treat bands right there, it's really cool.
AltRockLive: What was your first gig like? And how is it different from the shows you perform now?
Jared: His story is different than mine. You can tell your story first.
Kennedy: My first show with this band was rather uncomfortable for me. We played a show with Paramore. I hadn't really played guitar for all that long, either. Overall, I was really nervous for the show. I said some dumb things I didn't really want to say, I did some dumb things I didn't want to do on stage. Basically, I felt really uncomfortable the whole time, and I was very happy when I was able to say I was finished with that show. Jared: My first show was right before kicking off the first tour this band ever did and Garrett wasn't even home so, we were going to go meet up with him on the east coast. We had our other friend Tanner playing bass for us and I had to borrow a guitar because I didn't really have a working guitar at that time. So, I borrowed Tanner's guitar and a piece fell off and I didn't really notice so the whole set, my strings were going out of tune like crazy and I'm freaking out and I don't know what's going on. It was a total mess, it made me want to stop right there but I kept doing it. I fixed the guitar and things got better along the way. I think everyone's first gig ever is a little bit shaky.
AltRockLive: Do you say potato or potato?
Kennedy: Po-tate-oh
AltRockLive: If you had the chance to challenge Takeru Kobayashi in a hot dog eating contest, would you?
Jared: No, he's a professional and I only eat hot dogs at baseball games. I mean, I could give it a shot, I'd probably vomit. I don't really like hot dogs, um, yeah so no. You know what, no, I'd take the challenge just to say that I did it. But I'd definitely lose.
AltRockLive: After tour, what is the first thing you guys are going to do?
Kennedy: Sleep. Hibernate when we get home, this is one of the longest runs we've ever done. It's about 47 shows or so. Definitely relax a little bit, take some time off. But we're going to be doing shows in South America after we get back, but we have a couple days when we get back to recuperate. Working on some plans for more tours and we'll be out on the road quickly, I'm sure.
In May 2012, AltRockLive had an opportunity to catch up with Kennedy Brock and Jared Monaco of The Maine on their Pioneer North American Tour. We had discussed new plans for B-Sides, plans for tour after the Pioneer tours were finished, how their first gigs were, how it was writing an album the way they wanted to and more.
AltRockLive: Where did you get the idea of the name and album artwork for Pioneer?
Jared: The name was something John had said, really early on before we had done any writing for the record. I remember we were in the van at some point and hearing him say Pioneer, and it kind of fit where we were at the time like we were about to branch out. I don't know, it was just a good representation of what we thought the album was going to be. It was a really early on idea, as we started working on the songs and recording the songs, and all this stuff started happening with our record label and we couldn't really see eye to eye on what songs should make the album. The name started to become more and more true to the project we were working on. So, pioneer ended up being the project we took in our own hands. The album artwork was also an idea that John had, he has a lot of ideas. That one, we all kind of were uh, I remember, we were least excited for initially I don't even know if we threw out any real ideas. We just had an image in our heads or a guy with lipstick on, kind of a bold statement. We kind of felt that the album was going to be a different element of our band, the album was just us being ourselves and we did the same with our cover.
AltRockLive: How do you guys feel about the sound change from your first album to now on Pioneer?
Kennedy: It was just a totally different approach for us, there's a lot of factors that went into it but for us it was totally different. We weren't working with a producer or being told by our label that we had to go do these co-writes, it was a totally different experience. Everything literally came straight from our brains to our album, for us I feel like that and as far as the three full lengths we have out, Pioneer is the one that kind of represents who we are as individual musicians and as a band and I guess totally untouched by any of those outside hands from the record label or producers. I think that is a large part or reason that it sounds the way it does. You know we basically did it all ourselves. It's a huge step, you know, doing all these things on your own. It took all the processes we went through previous records and recordings to get to that point to feel confident enough to want to do something like that.
AltRockLive: Is there any song you've written that you've grown to dislike?
Jared: It was just a totally different approach for us, there's a lot of factors that went into it but for us it was totally different. We weren't working with a producer or being told by our label that we had to go do these co-writes, it was a totally different experience. Everything literally came straight from our brains to our album, for us I feel like that and as far as the three full lengths we have out, Pioneer is the one that kind of represents who we are as individual musicians and as a band and I guess totally untouched by any of those outside hands from the record label or producers. I think that is a large part or reason that it sounds the way it does. You know we basically did it all ourselves. It's a huge step, you know, doing all these things on your own. It took all the processes we went through previous records and recordings to get to that point to feel confident enough to want to do something like that.
AltRockLive: Are there any songs you've written that have not made any of your albums? If so, what will you do with those songs?
Kennedy: There are a whole lot of songs that didn't make our records. There's always been kind of a graveyard from past albums. This album particularly, we have a lot. We've got a huge graveyard of songs, its just like when we did pioneer, we went into the studio with 45 demos or so then we fully record about 27 of them then narrowed that to 13, now we have about 10-12 songs that didn't make the album basically finished but later down the road they could become B-Sides. There's nothing specific we have to put out, we're getting to that point where we pull out those songs from the archives and deciding which ones are going to be keepers and which ones have parts we can kind of savage and go off of that. It's nice to step away from a song for a while and then come back to it. So, you kind of have some fresh ideas. Sometimes you think of a different direction to take.
AltRockLive: If you weren't a band, what would you be doing?
Jared: That's a scary question, we'd be kind of lost. We've been wanting to be in a band for a long time and happy to continue to do so. I don't really know, I'd probably be a zookeeper, I like animals. Could you see me doing that? Kennedy: Yeah, could I get a discount on the zoo? Jared: I'd like to be in charge of lions, giraffes, that or maybe just go back to working at Best Buy. I worked at Best Buy and Kennedy worked at a coffee shop. Kennedy: Yeah, I worked at a coffee and bagel place. Jared: Basically we hated our jobs before this, so now we're going to do anything we can to not go back and work real jobs.
AltRockLive: You've covered a couple songs, what is one you would love to cover that would have not?Kennedy: Oh man, that's a great question. We've done all the way from Akon to Neil Young, that's kind of a weird mixture of covers but I don't think anything's off the table. We like to take a song a try to make it out own and the cool thing about this tour is that we got to do The Beatles cover with Arkells and Lydia, it's a blast because we get to play it on stage and everyone comes out and it's a great way to end the set every night. This song just got released on Spotify yesterday. There are different reasons we do covers, sometimes it's just for the hell of it and sometimes it's because it might go with the tour or compilation that we might be on so you never know.
AltRockLive: Would you ever go on an acoustic tour?
Jared: Absolutely. There hasn't been a need for it yet, but I definitely think that's something that could happen in the future. We've actually been talking about it, we want to get a hold of a lot of our songs and make them have that acoustic vibe. When we did the first Pioneer shows, we played the whole album from front to back then played a bunch of old songs acoustically so, we've done something similar to it. In the future, I think that would be a great thing, but nothing is planned now.
AltRockLive: What venue in the United States has the best bathrooms?
Jared: I like the norva a lot, that venue has the best everything. It's in norfal, Virginia., And they treat bands right there, it's really cool.
AltRockLive: What was your first gig like? And how is it different from the shows you perform now?
Jared: His story is different than mine. You can tell your story first.
Kennedy: My first show with this band was rather uncomfortable for me. We played a show with Paramore. I hadn't really played guitar for all that long, either. Overall, I was really nervous for the show. I said some dumb things I didn't really want to say, I did some dumb things I didn't want to do on stage. Basically, I felt really uncomfortable the whole time, and I was very happy when I was able to say I was finished with that show. Jared: My first show was right before kicking off the first tour this band ever did and Garrett wasn't even home so, we were going to go meet up with him on the east coast. We had our other friend Tanner playing bass for us and I had to borrow a guitar because I didn't really have a working guitar at that time. So, I borrowed Tanner's guitar and a piece fell off and I didn't really notice so the whole set, my strings were going out of tune like crazy and I'm freaking out and I don't know what's going on. It was a total mess, it made me want to stop right there but I kept doing it. I fixed the guitar and things got better along the way. I think everyone's first gig ever is a little bit shaky.
AltRockLive: Do you say potato or potato?
Kennedy: Po-tate-oh
AltRockLive: If you had the chance to challenge Takeru Kobayashi in a hot dog eating contest, would you?
Jared: No, he's a professional and I only eat hot dogs at baseball games. I mean, I could give it a shot, I'd probably vomit. I don't really like hot dogs, um, yeah so no. You know what, no, I'd take the challenge just to say that I did it. But I'd definitely lose.
AltRockLive: After tour, what is the first thing you guys are going to do?
Kennedy: Sleep. Hibernate when we get home, this is one of the longest runs we've ever done. It's about 47 shows or so. Definitely relax a little bit, take some time off. But we're going to be doing shows in South America after we get back, but we have a couple days when we get back to recuperate. Working on some plans for more tours and we'll be out on the road quickly, I'm sure.