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New ANTI artists The Promise Ring are interviewed for the first time since
the completion of their new record.
Since their inception in the spring of 1995, The Promise Ring has made a
constant, yet subtle ascension to the "upper echelon" of musical creativity
and personal expression. With a significant amount of releases to their
name, The Promise Ring has been making the ever-abstract realm of human
emotion and experiences a bit more tangible through their honest and
introspective style of music.
Following their singing to ANTI the band entered Jacobs Studio in Farnham,
England with producer Stephen Street (Blur, The Smiths, Morrissey, and The
Cranberries) and subsequently completed their inaugural ANTI release. The
album title and release date is yet to be determined, but the band has
expressed extreme satisfaction with what they have accomplished.
In order to brief people who may not know of this band, ANTI caught-up with
TPR and conducted an interview with them. Below is what the band had to say
about their style, influences and plans for the future:
ANTI: First off we want to introduce the group at present: Davey von Bohlen
(Vocals/Guitar), Jason Gnewikow (Guitar/Background Vocals), Dan Didier
(Drums)
ANTI: How and where did the Promise Ring first form?
DAVEY: The band's only real reason for inception was that we all lived in
close proximity and had just finished bands. The outlook was not to start a
real band, more we just wanted to do something for the summer, maybe make a
record. I think that explains the quality (or lack there of) in our first
record. We still didn't even know each other very well. We picked a prety
awful band name, and now were here, enjoying each others company... stuck
with it.
ANTI: At times people/publications have dubbed your music "emo" or "indie"
and you guys have been openly opposed those titles- "emo" in particular. How
would you, or do you designate your style?
DAVEY: It's not that we are in favor of some other class of music; itıs just
that we are not satisfied to be placed in a small genre and live out a
moderate existence playing only for the members of these specific tastes.
"emo" and "indie" have actually done more for us than we could possibly
realize. The people involved in making our band however successful it is are
really passionate, good people and I don't hope to alienate them; so itıs
important not to misrepresent our feelings on genres. More, its wrong to
think or hope that only one kind of person will enjoy your song. I
understand that words have to be added to the language to further describe
something, and I just don't have to like it.
ANTI: How does the band function during the creative process of writing
music? Is it one giant "brain storm" or does somebody come up with an idea
and the rest create around it?
DAVEY: With technology, we've been changing that a lot. It would be really
time consuming to only write music together at practice, so someone has to
have some beginning idea. Since we not only rely on organic, live writing
and arranging anymore theyıre a lot of options. With the computer, someone
can put down ideas and we can rearrange and change parts on the drive. Some
songs have been better served working on them on the computer and others
only seem to come alive by digging into them together with our instruments.
Were always getting better at realizing what belongs where.
ANTI: Davey, as the primary writer of lyrics for the band, what songwriters
have served as an influence on you and your style? Are there any songwriters
that just completely stagger you with their talent?
DAVEY: Sure. If I wasn't impressed by other people I would find it harder to
keep doing it. Originally Paul Simon and Leonard Cohen served as my basis of
great lyricists. I think Tim Kinsella (Capın Jazz, Owls) is fantastic, and
playing with him is a whole other world. Mike from Snailhouse blew my mind
on his first record. Even with the names above, there are things that I
wouldn't say or Iıd say differently. I really just trust myself and don't
think about if itıs right or wrong. Most of the lyrics I donıt know what
they're about. I spend so much time within them that I lose sight. There are
pieces of almost everything I hear that impresses me though. I especially
love stolen or borrowed lyrics. Using a popular statement is like its own
footnote, referencing you to a whole other piece without having to use all
of the words.
ANTI: In 2000 you opened for Bad Religion for a stint, how was that
experience? Were you well received by their fans?
DAN: It certainly was an "experience." In hindsight I wish we would of
passed on the offer, but at the time it sounded like a really good idea
because it was one of those "if we don't try then how will we know"
situations. Well, we know now that Bad Religion fans generally don't care
much for our music. It was just the typical "we hate your band so we will
throw whatever we can at you while you play." We did play at a bunch of
venues that we wouldn't have played by ourselves, so that was Positive. And
the guys in Bad Religion, who like our music, were really cool to us.
ANTI: What is the future of The Promise Ring musically? Would you like to
continue to expand and refine your already established style? Or is a
somewhat dramatic change in the future?
DAN: I think the dramatic change has already happened. This new record
separates from the idea that we had for 'Very Emergency,' which was putting
power to the pop. Now, we are putting less derivative drive and more
constructive layering of different sounds into the songs. (Does that make
any sense?) The idea is to try and not make the same record twice and to
change in some small way for the better.
ANTI: You've been quoted as saying, "...we're not afraid of selling a million
records, but that's because we're not afraid of selling zero records too.
Selling a million records would be a no-compromise thing. I'm not afraid of
failing. So succeeding would be just as fun." Now, Jimmy Eat World is
selling hundreds of thousands of records. Death Cab for Cutie is the #1
record on most college radio stations. Is the tide finally turning? Are kids
finally turning off Limp Bizkit and Creed for new good rock bands?
DAN: That's a good question. You never can really predict what becomes
popular when and for what reasons but, I will say that it's great to see
Jimmy Eat World and Death Cab having that kind of success. In general,
though, the tide seems to be ever turning.
ANTI: How did the ³change of scenery² (Farnham, England) affect the band on
this most recent project?
JASON: I think it had a really positive influence on the album. I think the
whole record is about being comfortable and natural. The area that we were
in was very lush and green and in some ways that's how I see the record,
sort of warm and comfortable, the kind of record you read the paper to on a
Sunday morning. And that's very indicative of the vibe at Jacob's. It had a
real "bed and breakfast" feel to it.
ANTI: Is the new record consistent with the ³traditional² Promise Ring style
and infused with fresh new ideas? Or is it a completely new direction for
you guys?
JASON: I suppose it would be the former. I think that the main idea is
consistent with what we've always felt we were. I guess we're a work in
progress so this record is just a natural extension to what we've done in
the past. The new record is sort of the older cousin to Nothing Feels Good.
He's a bit more mellow of a fella but he still likes to rock.
ANTI: Your tour history is extensive and consistent; how you view the
importance of touring and do you enjoy it as much now as you did back when
TPR formed?
JASON: I think it's the yin to recording's yang. It's still important to get
out and play the songs live. I think we may like it for different reasons
now but it's still a big part of what we do.
ANTI: Will you continue to tour as comprehensively as you have in the past?
JASON: I think the touring we do for this record will hopefully be a lot
more efficient than it has in the past. We'd like to go some places that
we've not been to yet. We've also talked about doing another record sooner
than later as well so that will be something to consider when tour plans are
being made.
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