I was lucky enough to interview “Against Me!’s” Tom Gabel.
1. So, I had a chance to review the new album and it was pretty good, but different from anything you’ve ever done. Why did you change the sound of the band? Did you lose all of your folk roots?
I don’t even really know what a question like that means, “Did you lose all of your folk roots?” It reminds me of a quote by Louis Armstrong ““All music is folk music, I ain’t never heard no horse sing a song”.
Sonic changes in music from album to album often occur when different microphones and different recording equipment is used, different amps, different guitars and drum sets. Every combination will produce different sonic textures. That coupled with using different recording techniques will produce different sounding albums. Every full length album we’ve made was recorded in a different studio with almost always entirely different gear and with different approaches, so thus they all sound different.
2. During the recording of this album, whom were you most inspired by?
Probably my wife. She was pregnant while we were making the album, gave birth about a week after we finished tracking. I’ll never have to go through something quite as intense as that, carrying a child and then giving birth. It put everything into perspective for me.
3. You’ve mentioned in previous interviews that you had your heartbroken by your former drummer Kevin Mahon. Can you reveal to us what happened with Kevin?
I’ve never mentioned that in an interview before, I did however write about it on my blog though. What I have to say about it is there for anyone to read at www.ifeelsicktomystomach.blogspot.com I love Kevin Mahon, he’s one of my favorite people in the world, total character, 100% one of a kind. He’s playing in a band called The Forgetters now, they’re pretty fucking rad. Check them out.
4. Warren Oakes, another drummer Against Me! has left the band too. Was it as painful as loosing Kevin?
I don’t really believe in monogamous relationships when it comes to playing music. I think that if the stars align for a long enough period of time for a musical relationship to produce some kind of output that’s a pretty amazing thing in and of itself, some of those encounters last longer than others but I don’t think anyone should ever feel confined or trapped. I’m thankful for the time I had playing with Warren and I wish him well in life. No drama, no hard feelings.
5. Have you ever eaten at Warren’s Tex-Mexican restaurant?
No, I have not. I don’t live in Gainesville anymore and haven’t really been in Florida in general all that much lately either.
6. Will you ever make a solo LP?
I’d love for the chance. My main focus right now is this album, we’ll see what happens next.
7. What was your reasoning for making Heart Burns a solo release and not an Against Me release?
It just seemed like the right thing to do since I was the only one who really played on the album, other than Chuck Ragan playing Harmonica and some friends helping out with backing vocals.
8. What was the most personal song you have written and what was it about?
I’m not really sure I guess. Every song I’ve ever written means something to me personally.
9. You were arrested a few years ago in a café. Can you tell us what happened during the incident?
To be honest it was a case of mistaken identity. Everything was cleared up a couple months later though, all charges dropped. I’m not sure the exact details but I heard my malicious accuser was arrested on some B&E charges as well as a weapons charge not too long after the incident.
10. You’re currently touring in Europe and then going to America, what are your plans after the tour?
We’re playing a bunch of festivals in August then hopefully going to Canada in September. I’m sure we’ll keep going after that too, just nothing definite right now.
11. Why did you have to perform under a secret name at Bamboozle, yet you performed the night before at a local Long Island venue under the name “Against Me!”.
I guess because it was supposed to be a surprise that we were playing at Bamboozle and it wasn’t supposed to be a surprise when we played in Long Island.
12. What do you find different from headlining at a normal venue, rather than playing Warped Tour?
Well, playing at a festival show, like the warped tour, you’re playing outside, as opposed to when you play at a venue, which is inside. Warped tour and most other festivals, happen during the day, as opposed to most shows in venues, which happen at night. At festivals, like Warped Tour, you usually play shorter sets, then say the longer sets you’d play headlining at a venue. At a festival show, like Warped Tour, you end up playing to crowds not solely comprised of people who are already fans, as opposed to headlining at a normal venue, when you are usually playing to people who specifically came to see you.
13. Any last notes you want to say?
I encourage anyone out there who wants to start a riot to go ahead and do so, I won’t stop you.
Thank you for doing this interview with us.
