Every Time I Die: Hating MySpace And Hawthorne Heights

Tuesday March 28, 2006 @ 04:00 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff
by Shehzaad Jiwani



Every Time I Die have a reputation for being the fun-loving party animal's metal band. But after flipping their van, they can't be blamed for being a bit bitter. ChartAttack recently spoke with the band's outspoken vocalist Keith Buckley about their explosive new album, Gutter Phenomenon, touring, and a number of things the singer is sick of, including the heavy music scene and Myspace.


Every Time I Die

ChartAttack: The last time you came to Toronto, you played mostly old stuff. Has the new album grown on your fans in that time?
Keith Buckley: I think Toronto is one of the places we're most comfortable, aside from Buffalo. I think we changed the set list that morning so that we could play more old stuff, but this tour's been mostly new album. It seems to be going over really well. I figured it would. That's how everything with us is. It doesn't get immediate approval, but it eventually comes around and we're exactly the opposite of a flash in the pan. We don't come out of the gates too strong because people are always doubting us, but we have a lot more stamina and a lot more longevity than people expect us to.

The songs are always so chaotic, and on this album it's as if you wrote the hooks grudgingly. Do you have something against choruses?
That's more ADD, really. It's just a personal problem where we can't be getting bored. I just always feel like playing a song is supposed to be entertaining, but I feel more like I'm entertaining guests at my house. If we're going to just keep doing the same thing, I'm wondering if everyone's comfortable and how long I can go around for, so then we just get panicky and change it up.
I don't have anything against choruses if they're catchy enough. I just don't like people sort of resting on their laurels, like, "Oh, this part's coming up again so I don't have to write anything different or think of anything different."

The lyrics seem aimed at the current musical landscape, as if you're trying to distance yourselves from it.
I can't even take listening to music anymore. You know, pop music I can understand because it's a fluke and it's supposed to be a fluke. There's a song written by six Jewish guys and then it's given to Britney Spears, and that's understandable and there's no qualms about that. Nobody pretends that they don't know that. But heavy stuff, it used to be passionate but now it's a burden to try to follow it and listen to it and understand it, you know. I really think it's all just gimmicky right now.

You appeal to fans of metal, hardcore, punk and rock alike. Do you think you could cross over and write three minute pop songs?
I think so! With the right help, with the right mindset. I think if we were doing it knowing that the lyrics would be tongue-in-cheek, taking the piss out of ourselves for doing it. But I wouldn't want to do it with lyrics like Hawthorne Heights. I can't believe that's real. I can't believe that a man writes those words. I'm just befuddled. So I would never, ever try to make something like that.

But they, like you, gained a lot of fans through Myspace. How do you feel about it as a medium?
Oh?fuck. Next question. [laughs] I think it's completely robbed people of the ability to admire anyone or anything about anybody. As a fan of music and as a fan of people, I want there to be a gap. I want to feel like they're unapproachable. That's why music is fun. When you go to see a band, I don't want the opportunity to talk to the band, or think I'm talking to them by leaving them a message. That's just fucked. People have this familiarity that's just disgusting. I don't like that I read our website and these people that I've never met before are like, "Hey, you fucking asshole motherfuckers, can't wait to fucking see you faggots!" Like, what the hell? Is that a good thing? Are we buddies now that we call each other names? I don't know you. I'm not a motherfucker faggot. I don't know what you're talking about. People think they're funny and cute and fuck, it makes me hate people so much.