Anberlin boys are in the studio working on their new effort for their major
label debut. Hurley caught up with Stephen and the boys to see what is good.

Hurley: How was the recent tour with Motion City?

THE TOUR WITH MOTION CITY WAS INCREDIBLE! THEIR FANS ARE LOYAL AND RABID AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HANGING OUT WITH THOSE BOYS ON THE WARPED TOUR THIS SUMMER. IT WAS A LONG TOUR, ALMOST 2 1/2 MONTHS AND EVERY SHOW WAS EITHER SOLD OUT OR CLOSE TO IT. WE MET A NEW AND UPCOMING BAND CALLED METRO STATION WHO ARE DESTINED FOR GOOD THINGS IN THE NEAR FUTURE! MY FAVORITE SHOWS WERE THE TEXAS SHOWS & CALIFORNIA! MY LEAST WAS CHICAGO, THAT CROWD WAS DEAD!!!

Hurley: Stephen, How excited are you guys for the new record and
working with Neal Avron?

I DONT KNOW IF THERE ARE ENOUGH WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW EXCITED WE ARE... ANXIOUS, EAGER, ENTHUSIASTIC, EXCITED, EXPECTANT, IMPATIENT, IN SUSPENSE FOR STARTERS! NEAL IS A METICULOUS PRODUCER, AVID TO FIND HOW HE CAN MAKE EACH AND EVERY SECTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL SONGS BETTER. HE HAS WORKED WITH SOME OUTSTANDING BANDS IN THE PAST, AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO BE ADDED TO HIS LIST OF BANDS WHO HAVE GONE ON TO HAVE GREAT CAREERS!

Hurley: How is the jump from indie to major treating you guys?

THE BEST WAY I HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT IS LIKE GOING FROM HIGH SCHOOL STRAIGHT TO GETTING YOUR PHD. ITS INTENSE, CHALLENGING, EXCITING, BUT ALL TOGETHER MORE ADVANCED AND PROVIDE BIGGER OPPORTUNITIES. I HAVE YET TO SEE THE NEGATIVES OF A MAJOR LABEL AS OF YET. WORKING WITH AVRON IS ONE OPPORTUNITY WE WOULD HAVE NEVER HAD ON AN INDIE. AT THIS POINT WE HAVE NO REGRETS WITH SIGNING WITH UNIVERSAL.

Hurley: What were your top 5 major influences writing this record?

LYRICALLY I THINK THE TOP 5 INFLUENCES HAVE BEEN
1. THE WAR
2. REVELATIONS/CONSPIRACY THEORIES
3. RECENT NEWS THAT ONE OF OUR CLOSE FRIENDS HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH WHAT COULD BE A TERMINAL DISEASE
4. MY TIME SPENT IN NEW ORLEANS
5. MY CURRENT RELATIONSHIP

Hurley: How will this record be different from the last?

LEAPS AND BOUNDS... BETTER. CITIES FEELS INCOMPLETE TO ME. I THINK AT THE TIME IT CAME OUT I WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT A NEW CD COMING OUT I FORGOT TO REALLY LISTEN TO THE RECORD AS A WHOLE. I AM NOT SAYING IT IS OUR WORST RECORD WE HAVE EVER CREATED BUT I DO FEEL IT COULD HAVE BEEN SO SO MUCH BETTER. FROM THE LAYOUT TO THE LYRICS AND SONG ORDER CITIES FEELS INCOMPLETE...ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU PUT IT NEXT TO THE ALBUM WE ARE CREATING AT THIS CURRENT TIME. I AM SO PROUD OF THE SONGS CITIES HAS, SOME OF OUR BEST EVER; BUT I SHOULD HAVE HAD MORE OF HANDS ON APPROACH TO THE RECORD INSTEAD OF A LAID BACK MACRO-MANAGING "ARTISTE' " APPROACH. ANOTHER WAY THAT THIS RECORD IS GOING TO BE OUR MASTERPIECE IS THAT WE HAVE ADDED A NEW MEMBER IN FORMER ACCEPTANCE GUITARIST CHRISTIAN. HE IS AN INCREDIBLE COUNTERPOINT TO JOSEPH MILLIGAN AND HAS WRITTEN SEVERAL SONGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ON THIS RECORD! ANBERLIN IV IS GOING TO BE A MILESTONE IN MY CAREER AND TAKE ANBERLIN TO THE NEXT STEP IN OUR CAREER. I FEEL IT. I CAN PROMISE IT.

-STEPHEN CHRSITIAN