Staind

Part 1

3:59See j iq this is the backstage pass. My name is matt shaker huge show tonight to ban stop my Band call the living things can be joining me in the studio about half an hour's time playing some stuff live acoustically and Talking with me, but right now We cut to an interview I did about the two weeks ago in Guelph with Aaron and Mike from stain one of the biggest hard rock bands The late 90s, you know wrap rock metal whole thing scene didn't really have the rock rock stuff But just huge it's stained right here on cjiq So you just played right here. I love the harmonics the beginning of song cool. I was watching the internet Who's idea was that? Was I ready? It's what the video no harmonics. Oh Yeah, it kind of just actually that was kind of like something that came after the song was kind of written We'd come down to that intro part to it. Yeah

4:46How does the song running across the work for you guys? I know most people they see the videos that see you sitting out with the acoustic guitar at least for the big It's been a while and stuff like that. How does the song right over? Do you come in with an acoustic song and the band comes in puts their parts to it? You come in with songs how does it work? Yes. Yes. All the all the evolve I mean, yes, you know either Aaron will come down with acoustic idea and we'll do that or I'll come down with some riffs and Have some kind of arrangement. We'll make it where everybody's happy with with it You know musically and kind of get the song arranged and then from there. I don't write the lyrics and melody Up till now, yeah Well, you know it could always change at any moment, you know one of these guys could come to eat You know you said write some lyrics. Yeah, right. Yeah Yeah, but you know You never know one of these guys could bring us on to the table that uh that just I feel that I have to sing it

5:38We never know so up to this point I've written all the lyrics You mentioned beatle juice hours doing you guys have a limited edition CD DVD think coming up for chapter V for chapter 5 Thank you for five there. You know, it's all good. We're trying to we're trying to get people educated on Roman numerals Yeah Yeah, the special edition what do we got? We got like five bonus tunes on there. Yeah, there's two unreleased there's It's been a while. I know it's an acoustic live version of it's been a while there's there is the original version of reply on There and then there's the beatle juice. Yeah, and then there's a DVD which is about a half hour 40 minutes It's pretty cool it function nonsense He kind of focuses around like when the record came out

6:25We had a guy out with us for a few weeks filming and he kind of put that together in a pretty cool pretty cool format, so there's that and Booklet with all the lyrics to all the songs that we've you know ever done and with it Like some pretty pretty cool pictures along the way of what we've done So just some kind of stuff that stands out so it came out. It came out pretty good Was that 90 of the band or was that the label thing? You know I Had the idea to to put out the limited edition in the in the package that it's in and whatnot and And you know everybody just kind of put something together We all compiled something and put it together, but I thought it would be cool to put something like some sort of different

7:13Take on it, you know, it has The booklet that's in it for the lyrics has all five albums worth of lyrics all in succession so you got to you get to kind of if you're interested in it read it from you know from record to record to Yeah, something different Late 90s heard or oxy and Linde Biscuit obviously Fred just a big influence for you guys a big help and everything sure It's really popular at least in the mainstream. I'm sure it's still big now But I know it's still big now obviously But in the mainstream of these things have died down Yeah, how do you guys think you've broken away from those bands and become you know still

7:59Right here is actually top 20 on hot AC. Yes, I know I do know I Don't know I mean all we do is try to write the best songs that we can and stuff that we enjoy So I think we're just fortunate that that translate into People still wanting to hear it. So I think that's what every band does and I mean, that's what you kind of have to do To stay happy in what you're doing to you know, so we just never wanted to be stuck playing one or the other Why can't we do both? Why can't we why can't we write a song and have a song on a record that that can be played on any format and Or write a song that you know if we're lucky it'll get played on a rock format because it's just too heavy

8:44You know we can we can cover the whole spectrum and there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to They all have their place absolutely it's all good and it's all fun to play. I mean, it's like I you know enjoy writing and playing both It's fun to music and weird stuff that we come up with so I mean, that's you know, it's an awesome thing I love the lyrics that song is thank you to the family. It's really cool. Did you come up with that? Yeah Because there's There's been a lot of letters that have been written to me that that you know I'd like to hope that through the song I've let them know that that I've gotten the letter and and this is the reply to the letter that they said

9:32No I'll tell you though. I've read some pretty insane letters It's not insane in like a crazy way just insane and like a man. It really makes me feel like I really didn't have it all that bad The 8.3 CJIQ kids you just joining us here on the show my name is Matt Schichter

13:54You just heard stained the thank you to the fans that songs called reply sit near with Aaron Lewis and Mike from the band Stained why is joining me in school? Because he is if you spent five minutes with him, you know He's the he's the the eldest of the band in that came real early on I mean that was from like the like wait right when he first got in the bed We just gave him that nickname and he first came into the band He wore his he wore his bass way up in chin in a chin fiddle position and It was just old school. I mean he was he was old school You know what the thing about it is you couldn't look like more of a dork but it's super easy to play

14:44It's the problem. No, it's the proper position to play your instrument. Oh, but it's it's real. It's real. It's real easy No, it's not don't tell Jimmy Page that no Guitar way down low it actually really makes it much more difficult to play chords until like Put your fingers on the neck your wrist is really in a very odd position I don't know if Aidan's doing that Well, that's a sad story Yeah Now you know what I do want to talk about it because it's an issue that that seems to be very prevalent today in this business

15:30You know low pro was on their first single There they were number 17 on the charts at the at the time Their single was doing very well for For any standards forget about a first single for a band and they got dropped and The people that sat around the desk and decided that they should get dropped Never not one of them ever came out and saw the band play live and they were amazing They were amazing. They're they're still one of the best bands Out there that that there's nothing going on for in my mind for sure Yeah, they're No, I was gonna say Yeah, no, they did a bit of a bunch of tours of us and it was you know one of those things that I would definitely go try and catch

16:15To show every night because it's uh they're great to watch and they're a great band You think it's all gonna change it was downloading the way things are moving You don't just put the stuff on the website. It's hard You still need people to know about you still need a buzz about you I mean anybody can put anything up there But it doesn't mean that people are gonna download if they don't know what it is You know so I mean it's nice to think that but you still need to get the knowledge out there that something's good and and To reach a lot of people I just you know, I'm not sure how that really happens You know, you know when you still need to somehow create some kind of buzz about it Well, I'll tell you what I mean in today's day and age we wouldn't be here talking to you if we put our first record out Now, yeah, we probably would have the same fate that You don't know but I mean I think he's right our first single didn't do much better than their first single and they got dropped

17:10We wouldn't you know, we wouldn't have had a career you too wouldn't have had a career There's so many there's so many bands that that have whether the storm that if they were judged by their first song If they ever put out would have you know never made it I mean, it's just even difficult today being a rock band I mean I I've heard things that there's labels that won't sign rock bands anymore Because you know rock radio because it's such a limited it's not such a limited audience They look at their numbers and they go all rocks not selling as many as many records as other things So we're not gonna sign rock bands Oh no Sure no true and I hope that you know I mean that you know and things always change and things always come around but it just seems that right now It's a it's a real tough time to be a rock band. So we feel fortunate to be able to be doing what we're doing for sure

17:57Continuing and having having people out there still that that Care what we have to offer. Thank you Yeah, thanks a lot What do you think the future is? Once they get a handle on it, I think it could be a very viable way of You know getting music out there. It seems like things are different to them I mean it seems like it's really just a single driven, you know market It seems like you know people could have a single that's huge and it can be downloaded You know 800,000 times, but they won't sell any records And it's like people it seems want to be a fan of a song and not necessarily of a band and what they do and to me

18:43That's really difficult for a band because then you know all they have all these people that put out You know this one song that does ends up doing great but those aren't really fans or people that are a fan of a song and Not of what they're doing So I think that that makes those bands kind of disposal because somebody else is gonna come along and write a song that you know Is the hot song of today and it's it's just really Comes along and writes the hot song of that week Right and it just makes it difficult to be a band and to have a career and to have longevity and You know if you know people don't get records and want to become a part of what the band's doing and listen to the whole record And be a fan of the band That's just that's why bands come and go. That's why again I feel like we're fortunate to you know

19:29And I think a lot of that has to do with when we came out because I think it was even two years ago It was different. I think it's just you know evolving more towards people wanting to Be a fan of a song and not necessarily the band And That's part of their master plan is to just create this this This huge Misconception so they can continue making as much money as they make up And you know, yeah, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna complain about it We've done fine obviously and you know, we're not digging ditches

20:15So no, but I mean, you know the thing is is that but it's there's so many there's so many hands in our pocket You know, I mean if you took a dollar if you broke it down to you know How much at the end of the day that we get I mean the four of us individually are getting probably less than almost everybody else Is it here, but you know, I'm not gonna complain I mean we've done fine, but that's the reality of it and that's the reality of the music business and you know Hopefully with success you can change that so you know as an artist You can you know start to get some of that back But when you first sign a record deal everything stacked against you because nobody thinks you're gonna make it And everything went for all this money into you in fact actually does sell What you get back is not nearly what anybody probably thinks it is and it takes a long time to you know to get to that point where You're actually probably making what you deserve and is you know

21:01Related as to what you've actually sold One each I Don't know We're doing one now. That's a lot of fun off 14 shades of gray blow away. That's a cool one that never really I mean seem to I like that one. Yeah, that's cool All right King of all excuses is a good one to off the new off the new record. Yes ago Right on

31:168.3 CJIQ the backstage pass what you're listening to my name is Matt Schichter in case you're just joining us We're talking with Aaron and Mike from stained You just heard King of all excuses off the new record chapter five and blow away off their last record 14 shades of gray We're talking with them and a band called living things and we drop by the studio real soon to play live in the studio two of their tunes I owe and they're single bomb bomb. I'm gonna be talking with those guys in a little bit too, but still stick around because we're talking with Stained biggest difference you guys notice as a band I think we can actually write songs It's more musical You know focusing more on melody and in both the you know the the singing and in the music also And just you know kind of realizing how important that is to be musical

32:03Making all the things kind of work together We just think we're gonna show up on five questions five quick questions one more answers Okay, I find our CDs CD CD's yeah Both yeah Fun can't Jane my daughter My life three words double edged sword

32:59Thank you

Part 2

0:00Fuel, 90.3, Calgary's classic alternative. It's the grace of wrath and you may be right. I'm Matt and the phone's ringing and I bet this is Mike from Stained. Hello? Hello, Matt, please. That's me? Matt, Mike with Stained. How are you, man? I'm doing great yourself. I'm doing all right. It's been a while since we talked last, probably about three summers ago. On stage tonight at the dome with three doors down, Mike from Stained, what time are you on stage? Do you know? We're on like eight, eight, eight, fifteen or something. I don't know. Cool. You got to get there early though. It's good though. Kind of like, oh, here it is. We're on at eight, ten and then three doors down. Nice. How long is your set tonight? An hour. Nice. So it's kind of like a co-headlining show. You know, it's their show, but I mean, you know, we get to play an hour, which is nice. And they play a little bit longer than an hour. And it's just a good package.

0:46Mm-hmm. Now you got six albums out. The illusion of progress is the new one. How do you choose a setlist? Nick, how many new songs can you throw in? Do you want to play a lot of new ones? And maybe realize we can't really do that for the fans? Well, you know, I mean, obviously, as a band, you want to play new stuff. But when you realize they work, we're kind of fortunate having that many records and some songs that have done well. No. You know, especially like a three-doors-down show, where it's not necessarily not a B.R. fans. And we try to keep it pretty much stuff that people would probably know. Although we have been doing a couple of new songs. I mean, one of them is the single. And, you know, and then one other new song off the record also. That we just enjoy playing. So, you know, you try to balance that. I mean, we changed the set around two for that reason, just to see what works and just to try some different stuff, even for us, you know? Oh, of course. Can't get bored.

1:31Well, exactly. Well, it's hard to in that setting. And as long as the crowd's there and everybody's into it, you know what I mean? It's, yeah. Exactly. I want to play people a song called So Far Away, because the riff at the beginning is, I think, my favorite guitar work you've ever done. It's not even like that complicated, but it's just so beautiful. Oh, cool. Thank you. Tell me about coming up with that riff. Do you remember it? Is it yours or is it Aaron's? It's probably yours. So Aaron came up with the acoustic part. If you're talking about the single note part, that do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, I came up with that over here's the acoustic part. It's just, it's unreal, man. Because he, that is the song that he wrote, but like I said, I wrote, I wrote that part over what he wrote, just to, you know, to come up with something for me to play. Yeah. Exactly. So you have a part. Right. Exactly. So Far Away from Stains coming up next,

2:18you're listening to Fuel 90.3. This is my last feelings I've shared. These are my dreams. I've never lived before. Somebody shake me because I must be asleep. Fuel 90.3 Calgary's classic alternative.

6:20It's so far away from staying down. Matt, I got Mike from the band on the phone right now. Do something called Five Questions. One word answers. OK. Uh-oh. Very simple. OK. Road or studio? Road, I guess. I don't know. That's a tough one. I mean, you need both. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Road is a lot less stressful than the studio because the studio you got to create. But it's fun, though. You know what I mean? And it's a means to an end. So you can get back out on the road. You guys have your own studio now, though? Yeah. You know, basically, though, all the gear our producer brought. I mean, we had we did the last record up at Aaron's Place and, you know, we called the bar, which was basically one really big room that he used to live in while his house was being worked on. And our rehearsal space, Red Dead All My Guitar, it's just basically because it was a lot closer for me

7:05to go and work. And we did our last record there. So that's cool. Yeah, it makes it. I mean, you know, that's the other thing about the studio that's nice is that I actually am home more. I mean, I get to see the kids and do breakfast and home on weekends. So that might actually have changed my answer. I forgot about that aspect of being on the road. Away from how old are the kids? They'll be two years in November. Oh, the twins. Twins. Look at you, man. That's awesome. Congratulations. Thank you. Has it changed the way you feel about music now? It changed the way I feel about being on the road. Yeah. Other than that, that's really kind of about it. I mean, it's leaving. I mean, we've been gone for almost two months now. And leaving was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done. I can imagine. It's really tough. Well, let's get onto a happier note, maybe.

7:52Let's do it. We're still in the middle of five questions. Landon or McCartney? Hi, Landon. Alcohol or marijuana? Alcohol. Song you've written your most proud of? Part of me, I guess, up the new record, I'd say. I don't know. That's a tough one. And in one word, stained. Kind of my life, I guess. That's good. Yeah. I like that. The kids are mostly. But I mean, I got to say, it's been a career, which I feel fortunate for that. I can't remember back when I wasn't in the band, if we've been doing it for a long time. Well, talk about the formations of the band in a few seconds. I want to play people in another song. Let's do it. It's been a while. It's stained. Fuel, 90.3. I had a good new show here.

10:01I loved myself.

12:46Fuel, 90.3. The Calgary's classic alternative. It's stained. And it's been a while. I got Mike from the band on the phone. They'll be on stage at the dome tonight, well, in like an hour or so. We were talking about the formation of the band and just getting into it earlier. But we have to play a song. How long has it been? 13 years now? Longer now. Yeah, a little bit longer. We got together at the end of 94. So I mean, it's going 14 years. Wow. Yeah. How'd you meet up with it? How did that all start? I met Aaron at a Christmas party in 93 and at 93. And I was just finishing college. And he actually ended up disappearing. I hung out with him that night. And I didn't talk to him again until October of 94.

13:31I mean, he just kind of disappeared. He didn't have a phone at the time. And he just ran into a friend of a friend when he came back. And he got my number and called me. And he came over. And I didn't even hear him. I'd never even heard him sing. I mean, then I heard him sing when he came over. And I was like, holy smol. Just kidding. Thing. Where you been? And he knew a bass player. I knew John the drummer. And we just got together and started writing his own. And it's been the four of you ever since? Actually, you know what? We had a different bass player for about a year. That the kid that Aaron brought with he was a great musician. He just he liked a bottle of vodka better than being in the band. Fair enough. Can't have that. No, we tried talking to him. And it's funny because Johnny, who's been in the band ever since, was somebody that I had called early on. And he was like, eh, I don't know.

14:17He was in a band that was signed. And the record never came out. They got dropped. And he kind of was real sour on the music. And thank God he came back. And he's great. Talk about big news in your country today. What do you think about Joe Biden? I don't really have a thought, to be honest with you. No, fair enough. That it doesn't really matter. Tonight at the dome. I think you're talking about the Red Sox getting destroyed by the Blue Jays. Hey, the Jays are my team, though. I know. Well, what is it we've done this year? In the Red Sox, we can't win a game against you guys. Yeah, but it still keeps us 10 games back every time. It's Tampa. And Tampa sucks. It doesn't make sense. They don't talk this year. But it's the first time. It doesn't get it. Bunch of young kids. I mean, it's actually a great story if they weren't in the division of my team. We'd be really happy for them. Yeah, exactly. I know.

15:03Well, it's always the three. Well, it's you, the Yankees, and then kind of the Jays. And maybe Baltimore, now Tampa. It's just it's been very weird season. It's a tough walk division, for sure. Always has been. Tonight at the Dome, staying three doors down, hinder, Conline Crush. It's going to be a fantastic show. Mike, thank you so much. No problem. Thank you, man. All right, take it easy. OK, we'll see. Nice guys. Mike from staying. They'll be on stage tonight at the Dome. We get into over 40 minutes. Nonstop Durandaran is next. You're listening to Fuel, 90.3.