Punk Interview Resources interview with Bryan Newman

What is the current lineup of the band?

B: Right now its me Bryan , I play drums. Dave and Ted play guitars. Eben plays bass and Chris sings.

How did you guys form?

B: We started in the winter of 97. At that point it was just me and Chris. We are the only members who are still in the band right now. We were juniors in high school and we were a much different lineup when we started. Chris played guitar. In any case we put out a demo like a week after the band formed. The rest is history.

How would you describe the sound of Saves The Day?

B: At this point after the new record. I'd say it is like a rock-hardcore-punk-emo-hybrid kind of thing. When my parents asked me what kind of music I played I said rock. I think that best describes it because it sort of encompasses everything, but I have always been kind of weary of placing strict labels on music in general. One of the great things I like about being in this band is we get to play with so many different kinds of bands and so many different kinds of shows. (Ryan says some thing about crossing genres, I cant understand the tape)

Do you guys ever fight?

B: Yeah absolutely, we fight all the time. We pretty much spend 24 hours a day, seven days week together almost, when we are on tour. We fight on the van about what music we are going to listen to or who is going to sleep where. We fight about the most ridiculous shit. We fight about the kind of stuff you forget in five minutes. At the same time we are all pretty much best friends. So its great, touring is a lot of fun but anytime you are with the same five people for a long time it can get pretty stressful.

Can you describe a normal day on tour?

B: Well it depends. The night before you either stay at someone house or stay at a hotel. You wake up usually at 9 or 10. Usually you have a long day of driving, around 8 hours ahead of you. So you go and eat, usually a place really terrible because at least three of us are vegans, so there is usually not much to eat, so we eat hash browns at Denny's. Then drive 6 to 8 hours and the only thing you look forward to is stopping for gas to get a soda. In the van we read, and we have a T.V. in our van so we watch movies sometimes. Then you get to the show and if you are lucky you get to sound check, which is good because they are really helpful. Then you usually have like two hours before the show so you go find somewhere to eat or hang out. You get back to the show and it is usually two hours before you play. It is usually midnight before you get out of the show. So then you try to find a place to stay or drive and find a hotel that is cheap. Then you do the whole day all over again. It is great because you get to see the whole country and meet people from all over the world.

So how did you come to sign with Equal Vision Records? Did you get any offers from other labels?

B: When we started and were a brand new band we didn't know what we were doing so we got no offers at all. We just sent a couple of demos out and didn't really get anything. Our bass player at the time knew some people at Equal Vision so we were able to get them to come out and see them at a show and they liked it. We gave them a demo and a month later they signed us. We were really lucky. We are still with Equal Vision right now. I am looking at their mail and they get like 40 demos a day by bands, half of them they don't even get around to listening. There is only like six people that work here. No one has time to sit down and listen to demos. There is so much other stuff to do. It is a really hard thing. We were lucky.

How was the experience of recording the new album "Through Being Cool"?

B: We had a lot more time than the last one. We had like fourteen days in the studio and we worked with a producer by the name of Steve Evans, who is like a musical genius. He is actually doing records right now with Ross Robinson, who is guy who produced Korn. So he is a big name guy at this point. He is great and totally down to earth. He is like the sixth member of the band. He helps us on everything from song arrangements to guitar parts. We hang out with him and stuff. If we play in the area he will come out and we will hang. So its great. It was really fun. Making a record is really stressful, especially drums, it took me 3 and a half days. After that you just want to throw your instruments away. After you are done you have this incredible thing you have created and you don't know what to think about. It is really weird and pretty exciting.

I was talking the drummer of MxPx and he said his hands started bleeding and he had to start wearing gloves.

B: On tour my hands blister and after that they turn to callouses. I can definitely sympathize with him.

What was the inspiration behind the title of your new album "Through Being Cool"?

B: A lot of it had to do with a lot of backlash we got on the internet, whatever. There was just a lot of shit talking. We were like we are not going to fucking deal with this anymore, we are through. We are through being cool, you know. Also it is a part of a Jawbreaker lyric, it is like a band we love. The last song on their last record they did, there is a little snip it where they say, "Through Being Cool." That is where we got it, I guess. It also goes with the new layout of the record. The layout is supposed to be a little silly. Do you have the record yet? Daniel: No I don't have it yet. I will get it sometime.

B: Have you seen the layout? Daniel: I saw the cover on the Equal Vision sight.

B: If you look at whole layout, it is a story where we are at a party where we don't fit in. It is a silly light hearted thing.

Is there one really awesome show that Saves The Day has done that sticks out in your mind?

B: At this point it would probably be the record release show we just did in New Jersey. There was like 800 kids their and Get Up Kids played. Every time we play Jersey it is great. There is always a ton of people and my parents were there. It was a big moment in our bands history. That show stands out in my mind a lot.

Who are your favorite bands at the moment?

B: In terms of punk and hardcore, I am really into the Get Up Kids a lot. I think they are great. Me: They are that new band on Vagrant right? B: Yeah, they are great. I also like the Promise Ring. I am into Hot Water Music. Me: I saw them with Sick of It All. B: How did you like them? Me: They are pretty cool. I got one of their cds. B: Yeah they are great. I am into Farside from California. I am also into other kinds of stuff like Blur. I like a wide variety of stuff.

If you could tour with any two bands who would they be?

B: I would love the tour with the Get Up Kids. I would love to tour with Jawbreaker but they are not around anymore. We are actually going tour with Hot Water Music in February. In January we are going to tour with Snapcase. I am really excited about that. I don't know. We have gotten to play with a lot of bands I grew up listening to. We have gotten to play with like every band I like. It is really exciting. I would love tour with the Promise Ring but we have not gotten a chance to that yet, maybe some day.

How do you picture yourself ten years from now?

B: I am not sure. I hope I am a happy person. I hope this all pays off but even if doesn't. Even if we the band does not become incredibly successful. It still has all been worth while. I have gotten to do a million things I never thought I would get to do. At this point it is really hard to tell even a year from now.

What is your opinion of MTV?

B: First of all, it is really entertaining. I don't have an ethical problem with it. I like the show 120 minutes a lot. We are actually going to shoot a video in a couple of months, so we will be if that gets on. I like Tom Green. I was just in Europe and MTV Europe is a much different thing from MTV America. They play like a really wide variety of stuff, where as here they play like Backstreet Boys, Mariah Carey, and Blink 182 and they play those three over and over again. MTV is ok. There is a lot of shows on there I like. I wish they would play a wider variety of music, definitely.

What do your parents think of the band?

B: They are happy with it. They realize I am very busy with it and I am doing what I love. They are supportive. They want me at some point to go back to school and I do to. Me: Did you finish high school? B: I went to high school. We all did. Then I did my first year of college. I went to NYU for a year. My mom has all our records and sometime they will come out and see us play.

What have you learned from being in Saves the Day?

B: You are working with the same four people all the time and I learned trying to be tolerant of everyone, I guess. It is really hard a lot of times when you are with the same people, not to kill each other. That is definitely something I have learned. I think seeing as much of the country as I have with the band has made me a better person for sure.

What do you think of Britney Spears?

B: Yeah I like Britney Spears. She is totally hot but she is fucking, I don't know. She is an industry tool. My friend is a celebrity photographer in New York, so I went with him to a party for Britney Spears. It was her party and she got wisped around by her body guards. I never even saw her. She is alight. We used to have her record in the van and we would listen to it sometimes. Its funny there is Mandy Morris,or something and Christina Aguilera they are all like the same idea. At some point I hope there is a return of rock music in top 40, besides Foo Fighters. I hate Korn. Me: The Foo Fighters new record is cool. B: Yeah. I think they are a great band. They have been able to be real popular being a good rock band without any gimmicks, which not many rock bands have been able to do in the last five years. I would love to see another band like Nirvana. Me: I love Nirvana! B: Yeah me too. I do not know if the time is right for that yet.

Any final thoughts?

B: Anyone reading this to come check us out and the new record. If you feel like it you can write us.