> Press > Interviews | Jesse Hasek (10 Years) Interview

**GlockMeAmadeus** · 09:24 PM

10 Years is a conundrum. They are undeniably one of the most talented bands in modern rock but aren't clamoring for celebrity. They are known for their lyrical mastery but have never been fond of talking to press. They gladly take opening slots on tours but always outshine their headliners. 10 Years is a band that has been as much a victim to underestimation as they are perpetrators of it.

However, something has changed. In the years since releasing their profoundly epic debut The Autumn Effect, the band appears to have come to accept that people listen to their music. Simple as it may seem to the casual critic, the transition from starving artist to superstar is a complicated and potentially deadly undertaking. Kurt Cobain, anyone? Stories of fallen stars have made for compelling headlines in mainstream media and tabloids, but one such fallen star hit extremely close to home with the passing of Jesse Hasek's cousin, Brad Renfro early this year.

A front row seat for the dehumanizing spectacle of celebrity and its inevitable tragic ending has lent 10 Years a new level of perspective. The 'terrifying' prospect of entering the belly of the beast described in 'Prey' and the urgent warnings of 'Wasteland' have made it clear that this is a band that knows what they're getting into. Where it was feared on The Autumn Effect, their new album Division notes an acceptance of the realities of success through a lense of cautious optimism. They have established an assertive grip on their own destiny and they aren't going down like that.

I caught up with Jesse on the phone as the band was in San Antonio, preparing to open for Seether and Chevelle. Our conversation tackles many subjects, and has been split into 6 easily digestible parts. (2-6 after the jump)

Part 1: Great Songs Stripped

'Beautiful' is all over the radio. It was very sneaky of you to release that song first, by the way, since it would fit easily on The Autumn Effect...but the new album sounds nothing like that! How do you go about picking singles?

It's a collective effort with the band and the business side of it. The single isn't necessarily my favorite song on the record, but it's like you're trying to make the trailer for the movie, you know? You want something that will grab people's attention and make them want to hear more. It seems to be working, so I guess it was the right choice.

I keep hearing that this song is even bigger than 'Wasteland' which was a huge hit for you guys. I'm not really sure if that's true since the moment you released the new single, 'Wasteland' went back into heavy rotation. You hear both songs all the time. Do you think it will be 'bigger'?

I can't really say. I don't know. I don't pretend to know what the world likes. 'Wasteland' just happened. We weren't trying to write a single, we were trying to write a song. That was actually one of the easiest songs for us to write...it just came out.

I heard the acoustic version of 'Beautiful' and it took on an entirely new voice. Like a different context almost. Do you write songs acoustically?

Usually, yeah. Brian and I have a tendency to sit around and spend a lot of time writing acoustically. It's the most stripped down version of songwriting and the best way to get ideas down quickly. But you know if you really have something good if it sounds good acoustic. We get the ideas together and bring it to the rest of the band, and they put their own flavor on it.

And then it goes back to being acoustic?

Well after we have the full band on it, it changes the song. It makes it something new. When we take it back to acoustic, it doesn't sound like the original acoustic version or the studio version. It sounds, yet again, like something new. I don't really see the point in having an acoustic version of a song sound essentially the same as the studio version.

SEE BELOW FOR PARTS 2-6

altsounds · #2

Part 2: Profound Lyrics and Making The Album

You have an amazing talent for wordsmithery. It puts other bands to shame. You can take something simple like 'you're a bitch' and turn it into something really profound. I'll hear a 10 Years song on the radio followed by something like...I don't know... 'Crazy Bitch.' It's like night and day...

[laughs] That is definitely a balance we face every day in this industry. With the music industry being the way it is right now, it's really tricky. You don't want to be so artsy that you alienate yourself, but you don't want to be so mainstream that you get watered down. I definitely wanted to be more straightforward on this album with my lyrics. On the last record when I was writing lyrics, everything was internal. It all made sense in my head, only to find out later that even some of the other band members had no idea what I am talking about.

How do you approach writing lyrics?

I take it seriously. I treat it like poetry. You can say "I hate you and I want you to die" and that's about as simple as it gets. Or you can be clever about it and the person you wrote the song about becomes a fan of it before they even realize it's about them and it's about how you want them to die. We want songs that will stand the test of time, and songs like 'Crazy Bitch' just won't. We want commercial success, but we aren't willing to sacrifice our integrity to get there. And then, of course, I also like talking over people's heads sometimes.

[laughs] Hey, who doesn't? Do you ever start a song with a particular turn of phrase that you find interesting or a line you find particularly pleasing and build from there? Or does it start with a concept that then gets more specific?

I write one liners all the time and maybe it will go from there. Like in 'Actions & Motives' I used a line that everyone is familiar with. 'Oh what tangled webs we weave when we practice to deceive.' Everyone knows what it means. It's almost like a nursery rhyme. The song is built around something very familiar. The other lyrics fill it out, but that's something people will hear and recognize.

I know what I think the biggest differences are, but what do you think the biggest differences are between this album and the last one?

I think it's apparent. You hear the difference. We didn't want to make the same record twice. We're always moving. If you get stuck in a rut and do the same thing over and over, you make yourself irrelevant. So we wanted to move in a different direction. We wanted something open to the public instead of leaving them on their own to just figure it out. It's been a grueling process making this album and at some point it took on a life of it's own.

Boy, no kidding. I know there was a lot of drama surrounding finding the right people to make this album and getting it done. What happened?

When we first set out to make the record, we were using a producer from our hometown. Someone we knew and had worked with before. We wanted to use him as well as the engineer from The Autumn Effect. It felt like we were treading the same territory again. I mean, we wanted to be comfortable with people we trusted, but the result was the same. We could have cranked this album out in about a month and been back on the road if we didn't care about moving forward musically. So, we stopped for a minute...well, more like a year. We kept writing and looking for something new. We had people suggesting Rick Parasher from Seattle. He's done some great work, but he was something we had never experienced before. He had strong opinions about pretty much everything and made it known. Usually the people we work with are more reserved and trust us as much as we trust them. We hadn't worked with someone like him before and it created some problems within the group. There was a lot of division in the band. Some of us liked him...I thought he was a drunken asshole. The band does best when we are together, so we had to reassemble and get back to what WE want. The band really saved the day.

Let's talk about the song 'Picture Perfect (In Your Eyes)'. The new album is produced and polished, but that song really stood out (in the 5 songs being previewed) as being much more organic...

That's exactly it...that's what we were trying to capture. Not over-produce and get that more vintage feel to it. That came from Rick. You look at what he's done in the past with Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains and these other bands. They always had this vintage sound to it that ends up being timeless. We didn't want our record to sound fake. We didn't want it to sound totally different live. The content of 'Picture Perfect' is pretty much about this whole ridiculous world we've been thrown into. Everyone thinks you have it made. That phrase 'the grass is always greener on the other side.' It was such a hard process to make this record and that's one of the things that was on my mind. I didn't want people thinking everything was handed to us when we have been working our asses off to make this album. That's what the media wants you to believe. That it's black and white. You're either picture perfect, or you're a total train wreck.

The lyric that jumps out in that song is 'This isn't how I thought I'd turn out.'

Yeah, when we were a little independent band, teenagers basically, we made music for the love of making music. We wrote songs to write songs. There was no one pulling us or stretching us. Things change as you become successful. When you take a passion and turn it into a profession, everything changes. Like, I don't think porn stars want to go home and fuck after working all day. You can do anything too much to the point where it wears on you. We were overworked and everything we heard out of the business side about singles and chart positions and this and that...it's like 'how did we end up here?'

altsounds · #3

Part 3: Truth

Let's talk about 'All Your Lies' which was released somewhat randomly through your MySpace profile. Is it on the new record?

Yes.

YAY! I fucking love that song.

Me too, it's one of my favorites. It's like this weird, dark circus ride. That one was written about...well no one in mind specifically, but someone who has no remorse and doesn't care about anything but themselves.

You know, I find myself quoting it a lot in this political season. Your lyrics have been very good for characterizing certain aspects of this election. 'Insects" for example...I know you didn't write it about Hillary Clinton, but you easily could have.

[laughs] It's about a deceitful bitch...it could absolutely be about her!

Are you political at all?

I follow it loosely. I mean it's all over the news right now, so you can't escape it. I wouldn't consider myself political, really. I mean there is no one left that actually likes what Bush has put us through. The war, the economy. You can ask any kid on the street and they'll say 'fuck Bush.' We all watched that movie Zeitgeist. Man, that will change your fucking life.

Hey, be careful with that. I saw that movie too. Some of the 'facts' are backed up by very little, but overall it's good for kind of rocking that foundation of what you perceive as truth. Like with anything, take it with a grain of salt.

Yeah, the religious part of that movie is a tough pill to swallow. I was raised in a really religious family. I really want to believe that there is more to this world...but who and what, I have no idea. There is so much shit in this world you can't help but ask 'is this really it?'

You've toured the world with 10 Years and met people from all walks of life. Are you proud to be an American, or just glad you live in America?

That's a really tough question. After going to countries like Japan and all of these other places, the respect level is much greater... I am proud to be in this country because of the freedom we have, but I don't agree with so much of what we do. The big bully mentality of the US. I am not one of those 'patriotic' people who say we should kill all of the Islamic people in the world. That's ignorant. They don't know anything about the Islamic people and their culture. When you travel, you learn so much about the world. I am glad to be an American because you don't have to deal with that third world stuff. The poverty here is like upper class to some countries. We live comfortably by comparison, but only by comparison. I am not proud of what we stand for. When you travel, you can't help but think 'stupid American.' You know other people are thinking it. I could easily live in Japan, though. I love it there.

Expensive though, right?

Very. But they pay people more, so it evens out.

With this new record, I think you have made it abundantly clear that you don't sound like A Perfect Circle...

Thank you!

[laughs] Are you looking forward to that comparison finally being silenced?

I don't think it will ever be silenced. When you're describing something new to someone, you have to give them points of reference. I have a tonal quality in my voice that is similar, but we aren't trying to copy anyone. We aren't trying to sound like anyone. Of course you're going to pull influences from all over the place, but with my voice sounding the way it does...I mean, what can you do?

altsounds · #4

Part 4: Live and In Person

One of the most obvious differences to me on this new album is the abundance of harmonies. I'm a harmony junkie, so I am loving it, but how much of that translates into the live performance?

A lot of it. Brian sings harmonies. Lewis and Tater are attempting to sing harmonies. It may be imperfect here and there, but we're really working on it. The harmonies are like that because of me and Brian. When we were recording, the producer was being an asshole and I threatened to get a plane ticket home, so Brian and I ended up working more on our own. Brian is so great at that stuff. He loves harmonies and he really ran with it. It came out so well.

You went from playing the little bars and clubs and pretty quickly jumped to these huge tours with these huge bands and huge crowds. The big shows certainly suit you. Older people remember a time of big arena shows with pyrotechnics and all this crazy shit, but younger people have never really experienced that before. Do you have any desire to give people the most out of control, over the top show they have ever seen?

I think most bands desire that. We certainly do. A lot of it comes down to what kind of production you bring and what you can afford, otherwise your performance has to be more grassroots. It's like comparing playing during the day and playing at night. At night, you may have this big explosive show, but when you play during the day and all the smoke and mirrors are gone, it all comes down to your natural physical energy. We really focus on having a great show on stage, with or without the extras. The extras are great, but you have to be able to pull it off in the daylight. When people compare us to Tool...first of all, we don't sound anything like them. They have a prog thing going on and we don't. But they're like the modern day Pink Floyd. That over the top show with the music you get lost in. That's definitely not us...it's them. And they do it very well. I would love to design a big, elaborate show someday, though.

I wrote an article recently about the perceived injustice of Projekt Revolution (Projekt Revolution Injustice). Why the hell are you guys on the side stage when a shit hole band like The Bravery is on the main stage?

[laughs] Yeah, that's a really weird lineup. We're just glad to be on such a big show, and with all the bands on the bill, we will be playing for people who have never heard us before, and never would if it weren't for the tour. But I know what you're saying. We play right before Atreyu on the side stage. Our music is nothing alike. I am curious as to how that's gonna work.

Talk to Billy Howerdel while you're there. I just did an interview with that guy a couple weeks ago and he struck me as someone you guys would really get along with. A real artist in its truest sense.

You know, I have never met him before, but I really love that Ashes Divide stuff. I never try to seek out celebrities. I mean, people probably bug them all the time, and if I have an idea of what they're like built up in my head, I don't want that perception to be shattered.

I can absolutely relate to that. Every time I land an interview with a great artist, I have to keep my fingers crossed that they aren't epic-level douche bags.

[laughs]

You guys used to have up on your MySpace a section for fan art. I don't know if it's still there. Anyway, your music seems to be inspiring to those who draw or paint. Any time I go to one of your shows, there's a line of people holding various art projects they hope to give the band...

I collect fan art.

Do you really?

Yeah, I keep it all. If people have gone out of their way and put the effort into something, it deserves to be kept. The irony is, I was the shy art kid in school. I was them. I graduated high school with 7 art credits. I mean, I passed the other classes, but all I cared about was art. I could escape in it and I didn't need other people to make it happen. Art is something you can do as an individual. Music helped influence the art I would create. I didn't even know I could sing until I was 20 years old. I remember when I was a teenager, Nirvana's In Utero just came out, and I sang 'Rape Me' into a tape recorder, just to hear what I sound like when I sing.

Were you surprised that you are a good singer?

I didn't know, honestly. I thought everyone could do it. It wasn't anything special. I got into music because I used to skateboard with these kids. They had a band and said they needed a singer. I joined. We were all huge fans of 10 Years and we kept bugging the hell out of them to come see us play. I was the singer and this other guy was a screamer. One night, the guys came out to see us. They pulled me aside and were like "what the hell are you doing? You need a real band."

How does your art relate to your music? Does it?

Sometimes they are completely different, but other times something can inspire a few different things. 'The Autumn Effect' for example was a dream I had. I woke up and I wrote it down and then turned it into a piece of artwork. Later, it became a song. Sometimes it turns into that, but not always.

Do you believe in fate?

Sort of, yeah. I do in a sense. I don't know how strongly. You take steps in your life that are going to lead you in a certain direction... If you asked me what I wanted to be when I was in school, I never would have said 'a singer in a rock band.' Never in a million years. So... I guess, yeah. I believe in it.

altsounds · #5

Part 5: The Dark Side

Do you feel more comfortable being the 'frontman for the band', or the 'singer in the band'?

I definitely say that I'm the singer. Every member is equally important. That's one of my main frustrations with the entertainment industry, they want the singer to be the face of the whole band. I am not the band. We all have our own opinions, and they're very strong opinions. A frontman seems like they're more the barker at a circus and an entertainer...they take on a role.

Like you said before, you're something of an introvert. The lyrics on The Autumn Effect imply an aversion to celebrity, and your new video for 'Beautiful' includes the theme of gossip tabloids. Are you afraid of becoming famous?

I think it is very sad what the entertainment industry can do to a person. It can distort their reality until they don't know who they are anymore. I lost a family member recently who had been an actor since he was 9. The industry destroyed him and I believe that caused his death. Sort of like how Dave Chappelle just ran away...I get that. I understand it. I'm just a human being and I feel fortunate to be doing what I'm doing, but it's a shame what fame and Hollywood or whatever you want to call it can do to the people. The video for 'Beautiful' was very elaborate and I love the treatment...but I had a different ending for it. She jumps off a cliff and then ends up in another country, free from it all. Britney, or any of them, they have to take control of their own lives. If it gets that bad, they have to walk away to save themselves.

Where are your boundaries?

When it comes time for me to be on tour and meet people, I know what I'm doing. This is my job. I try to be as nice as I can to everyone I meet. But when I am home with my girl or with my new child, that's different. When it comes to your personal life, there has to be a boundary there.

So, I take it you won't be doing any reality shows any time soon?

Oh hell no! I would do a spoof of a reality show, but never a real one. There's nothing real about it.

Would you do a documentary?

Yes.

What's the difference?

A documentary is real, a reality show is not. Reality shows are scripted and set up and just not real. I would do a documentary though if I felt it was something that would be important to the rest of the world. Like if I could do one about addictions or a day in the life kind of thing..like that show Intervention. It's hard for me to see stuff like that because I was so closely involved in that world because of my cousin who recently passed away. If I could help people through it, that would be great. Art or addiction. Those are the two things I would be involved in. But, I don't think my life is exciting enough to warrant people following me around with cameras.

You're a difficult man to lock down an interview with, and I feel incredibly honored that I am getting so much time with you right now. Why don't you like doing interviews?

The questions are so generic. Almost like a radio person would give you. They ask you questions you have answered over and over again. When it's like they're doing their own little show and they obviously don't care and don't bother to learn anything about you ahead of time. This has been a great one, and that's rare. They usually expect you to put on this persona like it's one big party...it's not. That's not real. We let Lewis do those...he loves that stuff.

I think the late, great Frank Zappa put it best, and this is something I think about before talking to people like you: "Music journalism is people who can't write, interviewing people that can't talk, in order to provide articles for people who can't read."

That's perfect! I may have to borrow that.

So, tell me about your stint as a ghost hunter.

[laughs] Honestly, I did that because I was raised religious my whole life. I'm not gonna lie, I think full on faith in religion requires a certain level of ignorance. I don't really mean that in a bad way. I think you should be open to asking questions and learning new things and there isn't always a place for that in religion. I don't know if you saw the video, but I am a horrible actor...you would know if I was acting. I was definitely a skeptic going into it. I mean, you put someone in the dark long enough, they're going to hear something or see something. But there were things going on that I just couldn't explain. A door wedge flew past my face. No one was there. No one saw it but me. We looked back at the footage later and saw that it was sitting on a piano. Then it was gone.

Do you believe?

Spirits? Ghosts? Yeah. I've never seen one, but one threw something at me. I think I pissed it off because I said I didn't believe. [laughs]

altsounds · #6

Part 6: Brace Yourselves

As we talked about earlier, this new album is different, and I would say 'more accessible.' This will appeal to people who maybe didn't 'get you' before. But there are also those fans who have been following you for years and feel deeply connected to your music. What do you want to say to them to prepare them for what they are going to hear?

I hope they realize we are still the same people. In this profession, you have to grow and progress. I hope they know that it's still us trying to put a message out there. We appreciate their loyal fanship and love them all, but this is going to be different. We aren't dumbing it down. We're not selling out, we're reaching out. I hope they love it.
I wrote more directly this time so I don't have to keep explaining to people what the songs mean. So much was up for interpretation because I was living in my own head. I realized that if I write for the people, then we can cut out that whole middle part where I break it down for every person I meet. They'll get it.

As a fan, I really love the new material and I am very glad you didn't try to rewrite The Autumn Effect. Lightning doesn't strike the same place twice, feel me? What do you think the next single will be?

That's a tough one. This record feels like there is a lot more to choose from when it comes to single material. We have the slow songs and the heavy songs and the songs in between. 'Beautiful' is kind of mid-tempo, so I think we will go with something more aggressive. 'Actions & Motives,' 'Drug of Choice' or 'Russian Roulette' would be good. We want something heavy out there...make it a roller coaster ride.

10 Years- Division in stores May 13, 2008
http://www.10yearsmusic.com

Wed Jul 16
Boston, MA
Tweeter Center

Fri Jul 18
Pittsburgh, PA
Post Gazette Pavilion

Sat Jul 19
Philadelphia, PA
Susquehana Bank Center

Sun Jul 20
Hartford, CT
New England Dodge Music Center

Tue Jul 22
New York, NY
Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre

Wed Jul 23
Holmdel, NJ
PNC Bank Arts Center

Fri Jul 25
Raleigh, NC
Time Warner Cable Amphitheatre

Sat Jul 26
Virginia Beach, VA
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Sun Jul 27
Washington DC
Nissan Pavilion

Wed Jul 30
Charlotte, NC
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Fri Aug 01
West Palm Beach, FL
Cruzan Amphitheatre

Sat Aug 02
Tampa, FL
Ford Amphitheatre

Sun Aug 03
Atlanta, GA
Lakewood Amphitheatre

Thu Aug 07
Phoenix, AZ
Cricket Wireless Pavilion

Sat Aug 09
San Francisco, CA
Shoreline Amphitheatre

Sun Aug 10
Irvine, CA
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Tue Aug 12
Denver, CO
Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre

Fri Aug 15
Cincinnati, OH
Riverbend Music Center

Sat Aug 16
Milwaukee, WI
Alpine Valley Music Theatre

Sun Aug 17
Indianapolis, IN
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Tue Aug 19
Cleveland, OH
Blossom Music Center

Thu Aug 21
St Louis, MO
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Sat Aug 23
Dallas, TX
Superpages.com Center

Sun Aug 24
Houston, TX
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

altsounds · #7

I should have said this a long time ago. This is an awesome interview AJ. Your best yet by far. It's about time we got talk with Jesse Hasek seeing as we have been 10 years fans for ages and have always supported the 10 years career from the beginning. Awesome job girl!

GlockMeAmadeus · #8

Thanks man! Yeah, I was actually kind of nervous about doing it...came out well though. Now that I have reviewed the record, I want to do another one. I have way more questions now!

04-29-2008	#2
altsounds President Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cardiff, South Wales Age: 29 Posts: 6,000 Altsounds Dollars: 158,991.31 Rep Power: 10	Part 2: Profound Lyrics and Making The Album Part 2: Profound Lyrics and Making The Album You have an amazing talent for wordsmithery. It puts other bands to shame. You can take something simple like 'you're a bitch' and turn it into something really profound. I'll hear a 10 Years song on the radio followed by something like...I don't know... 'Crazy Bitch.' It's like night and day... [laughs] That is definitely a balance we face every day in this industry. With the music industry being the way it is right now, it's really tricky. You don't want to be so artsy that you alienate yourself, but you don't want to be so mainstream that you get watered down. I definitely wanted to be more straightforward on this album with my lyrics. On the last record when I was writing lyrics, everything was internal. It all made sense in my head, only to find out later that even some of the other band members had no idea what I am talking about. How do you approach writing lyrics? I take it seriously. I treat it like poetry. You can say "I hate you and I want you to die" and that's about as simple as it gets. Or you can be clever about it and the person you wrote the song about becomes a fan of it before they even realize it's about them and it's about how you want them to die. We want songs that will stand the test of time, and songs like 'Crazy Bitch' just won't. We want commercial success, but we aren't willing to sacrifice our integrity to get there. And then, of course, I also like talking over people's heads sometimes. [laughs] Hey, who doesn't? Do you ever start a song with a particular turn of phrase that you find interesting or a line you find particularly pleasing and build from there? Or does it start with a concept that then gets more specific? I write one liners all the time and maybe it will go from there. Like in 'Actions & Motives' I used a line that everyone is familiar with. 'Oh what tangled webs we weave when we practice to deceive.' Everyone knows what it means. It's almost like a nursery rhyme. The song is built around something very familiar. The other lyrics fill it out, but that's something people will hear and recognize. I know what I think the biggest differences are, but what do you think the biggest differences are between this album and the last one? I think it's apparent. You hear the difference. We didn't want to make the same record twice. We're always moving. If you get stuck in a rut and do the same thing over and over, you make yourself irrelevant. So we wanted to move in a different direction. We wanted something open to the public instead of leaving them on their own to just figure it out. It's been a grueling process making this album and at some point it took on a life of it's own. Boy, no kidding. I know there was a lot of drama surrounding finding the right people to make this album and getting it done. What happened? When we first set out to make the record, we were using a producer from our hometown. Someone we knew and had worked with before. We wanted to use him as well as the engineer from The Autumn Effect. It felt like we were treading the same territory again. I mean, we wanted to be comfortable with people we trusted, but the result was the same. We could have cranked this album out in about a month and been back on the road if we didn't care about moving forward musically. So, we stopped for a minute...well, more like a year. We kept writing and looking for something new. We had people suggesting Rick Parasher from Seattle. He's done some great work, but he was something we had never experienced before. He had strong opinions about pretty much everything and made it known. Usually the people we work with are more reserved and trust us as much as we trust them. We hadn't worked with someone like him before and it created some problems within the group. There was a lot of division in the band. Some of us liked him...I thought he was a drunken asshole. The band does best when we are together, so we had to reassemble and get back to what WE want. The band really saved the day. Let's talk about the song 'Picture Perfect (In Your Eyes)'. The new album is produced and polished, but that song really stood out (in the 5 songs being previewed) as being much more organic... That's exactly it...that's what we were trying to capture. Not over-produce and get that more vintage feel to it. That came from Rick. You look at what he's done in the past with Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains and these other bands. They always had this vintage sound to it that ends up being timeless. We didn't want our record to sound fake. We didn't want it to sound totally different live. The content of 'Picture Perfect' is pretty much about this whole ridiculous world we've been thrown into. Everyone thinks you have it made. That phrase 'the grass is always greener on the other side.' It was such a hard process to make this record and that's one of the things that was on my mind. I didn't want people thinking everything was handed to us when we have been working our asses off to make this album. That's what the media wants you to believe. That it's black and white. You're either picture perfect, or you're a total train wreck. The lyric that jumps out in that song is 'This isn't how I thought I'd turn out.' Yeah, when we were a little independent band, teenagers basically, we made music for the love of making music. We wrote songs to write songs. There was no one pulling us or stretching us. Things change as you become successful. When you take a passion and turn it into a profession, everything changes. Like, I don't think porn stars want to go home and fuck after working all day. You can do anything too much to the point where it wears on you. We were overworked and everything we heard out of the business side about singles and chart positions and this and that...it's like 'how did we end up here?' __________________ Check out the other Altsounds sites: http://www.screamadelica.co.uk - The Altsounds Recording Studio, Mastering House, Film and Photography Chroma Key Studio and CD Replication House in Cardiff, Wales, UK http://www.altsounds.com - Find bands and host your MP3s and Music Videos http://www.altpr.co.uk - Alternative PR for signed and unsigned bands Last edited by GlockMeAmadeus : 04-29-2008 at 09:58 PM.

04-29-2008	#3
altsounds President Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cardiff, South Wales Age: 29 Posts: 6,000 Altsounds Dollars: 158,991.31 Rep Power: 10	Part 3: Truth Part 3: Truth Let's talk about 'All Your Lies' which was released somewhat randomly through your MySpace profile. Is it on the new record? Yes. YAY! I fucking love that song. Me too, it's one of my favorites. It's like this weird, dark circus ride. That one was written about...well no one in mind specifically, but someone who has no remorse and doesn't care about anything but themselves. You know, I find myself quoting it a lot in this political season. Your lyrics have been very good for characterizing certain aspects of this election. 'Insects" for example...I know you didn't write it about Hillary Clinton, but you easily could have. [laughs] It's about a deceitful bitch...it could absolutely be about her! Are you political at all? I follow it loosely. I mean it's all over the news right now, so you can't escape it. I wouldn't consider myself political, really. I mean there is no one left that actually likes what Bush has put us through. The war, the economy. You can ask any kid on the street and they'll say 'fuck Bush.' We all watched that movie Zeitgeist. Man, that will change your fucking life. Hey, be careful with that. I saw that movie too. Some of the 'facts' are backed up by very little, but overall it's good for kind of rocking that foundation of what you perceive as truth. Like with anything, take it with a grain of salt. Yeah, the religious part of that movie is a tough pill to swallow. I was raised in a really religious family. I really want to believe that there is more to this world...but who and what, I have no idea. There is so much shit in this world you can't help but ask 'is this really it?' You've toured the world with 10 Years and met people from all walks of life. Are you proud to be an American, or just glad you live in America? That's a really tough question. After going to countries like Japan and all of these other places, the respect level is much greater... I am proud to be in this country because of the freedom we have, but I don't agree with so much of what we do. The big bully mentality of the US. I am not one of those 'patriotic' people who say we should kill all of the Islamic people in the world. That's ignorant. They don't know anything about the Islamic people and their culture. When you travel, you learn so much about the world. I am glad to be an American because you don't have to deal with that third world stuff. The poverty here is like upper class to some countries. We live comfortably by comparison, but only by comparison. I am not proud of what we stand for. When you travel, you can't help but think 'stupid American.' You know other people are thinking it. I could easily live in Japan, though. I love it there. Expensive though, right? Very. But they pay people more, so it evens out. With this new record, I think you have made it abundantly clear that you don't sound like A Perfect Circle... Thank you! [laughs] Are you looking forward to that comparison finally being silenced? I don't think it will ever be silenced. When you're describing something new to someone, you have to give them points of reference. I have a tonal quality in my voice that is similar, but we aren't trying to copy anyone. We aren't trying to sound like anyone. Of course you're going to pull influences from all over the place, but with my voice sounding the way it does...I mean, what can you do? __________________ Check out the other Altsounds sites: http://www.screamadelica.co.uk - The Altsounds Recording Studio, Mastering House, Film and Photography Chroma Key Studio and CD Replication House in Cardiff, Wales, UK http://www.altsounds.com - Find bands and host your MP3s and Music Videos http://www.altpr.co.uk - Alternative PR for signed and unsigned bands Last edited by GlockMeAmadeus : 04-29-2008 at 09:30 PM.

04-29-2008	#4
altsounds President Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cardiff, South Wales Age: 29 Posts: 6,000 Altsounds Dollars: 158,991.31 Rep Power: 10	Part 4: Live and In Person Part 4: Live and In Person One of the most obvious differences to me on this new album is the abundance of harmonies. I'm a harmony junkie, so I am loving it, but how much of that translates into the live performance? A lot of it. Brian sings harmonies. Lewis and Tater are attempting to sing harmonies. It may be imperfect here and there, but we're really working on it. The harmonies are like that because of me and Brian. When we were recording, the producer was being an asshole and I threatened to get a plane ticket home, so Brian and I ended up working more on our own. Brian is so great at that stuff. He loves harmonies and he really ran with it. It came out so well. You went from playing the little bars and clubs and pretty quickly jumped to these huge tours with these huge bands and huge crowds. The big shows certainly suit you. Older people remember a time of big arena shows with pyrotechnics and all this crazy shit, but younger people have never really experienced that before. Do you have any desire to give people the most out of control, over the top show they have ever seen? I think most bands desire that. We certainly do. A lot of it comes down to what kind of production you bring and what you can afford, otherwise your performance has to be more grassroots. It's like comparing playing during the day and playing at night. At night, you may have this big explosive show, but when you play during the day and all the smoke and mirrors are gone, it all comes down to your natural physical energy. We really focus on having a great show on stage, with or without the extras. The extras are great, but you have to be able to pull it off in the daylight. When people compare us to Tool...first of all, we don't sound anything like them. They have a prog thing going on and we don't. But they're like the modern day Pink Floyd. That over the top show with the music you get lost in. That's definitely not us...it's them. And they do it very well. I would love to design a big, elaborate show someday, though. I wrote an article recently about the perceived injustice of Projekt Revolution (Projekt Revolution Injustice). Why the hell are you guys on the side stage when a shit hole band like The Bravery is on the main stage? [laughs] Yeah, that's a really weird lineup. We're just glad to be on such a big show, and with all the bands on the bill, we will be playing for people who have never heard us before, and never would if it weren't for the tour. But I know what you're saying. We play right before Atreyu on the side stage. Our music is nothing alike. I am curious as to how that's gonna work. Talk to Billy Howerdel while you're there. I just did an interview with that guy a couple weeks ago and he struck me as someone you guys would really get along with. A real artist in its truest sense. You know, I have never met him before, but I really love that Ashes Divide stuff. I never try to seek out celebrities. I mean, people probably bug them all the time, and if I have an idea of what they're like built up in my head, I don't want that perception to be shattered. I can absolutely relate to that. Every time I land an interview with a great artist, I have to keep my fingers crossed that they aren't epic-level douche bags. [laughs] You guys used to have up on your MySpace a section for fan art. I don't know if it's still there. Anyway, your music seems to be inspiring to those who draw or paint. Any time I go to one of your shows, there's a line of people holding various art projects they hope to give the band... I collect fan art. Do you really? Yeah, I keep it all. If people have gone out of their way and put the effort into something, it deserves to be kept. The irony is, I was the shy art kid in school. I was them. I graduated high school with 7 art credits. I mean, I passed the other classes, but all I cared about was art. I could escape in it and I didn't need other people to make it happen. Art is something you can do as an individual. Music helped influence the art I would create. I didn't even know I could sing until I was 20 years old. I remember when I was a teenager, Nirvana's In Utero just came out, and I sang 'Rape Me' into a tape recorder, just to hear what I sound like when I sing. Were you surprised that you are a good singer? I didn't know, honestly. I thought everyone could do it. It wasn't anything special. I got into music because I used to skateboard with these kids. They had a band and said they needed a singer. I joined. We were all huge fans of 10 Years and we kept bugging the hell out of them to come see us play. I was the singer and this other guy was a screamer. One night, the guys came out to see us. They pulled me aside and were like "what the hell are you doing? You need a real band." How does your art relate to your music? Does it? Sometimes they are completely different, but other times something can inspire a few different things. 'The Autumn Effect' for example was a dream I had. I woke up and I wrote it down and then turned it into a piece of artwork. Later, it became a song. Sometimes it turns into that, but not always. Do you believe in fate? Sort of, yeah. I do in a sense. I don't know how strongly. You take steps in your life that are going to lead you in a certain direction... If you asked me what I wanted to be when I was in school, I never would have said 'a singer in a rock band.' Never in a million years. So... I guess, yeah. I believe in it. __________________ Check out the other Altsounds sites: http://www.screamadelica.co.uk - The Altsounds Recording Studio, Mastering House, Film and Photography Chroma Key Studio and CD Replication House in Cardiff, Wales, UK http://www.altsounds.com - Find bands and host your MP3s and Music Videos http://www.altpr.co.uk - Alternative PR for signed and unsigned bands Last edited by GlockMeAmadeus : 04-29-2008 at 11:00 PM.

04-29-2008	#5
altsounds President Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cardiff, South Wales Age: 29 Posts: 6,000 Altsounds Dollars: 158,991.31 Rep Power: 10	Part 5: The Dark Side Part 5: The Dark Side Do you feel more comfortable being the 'frontman for the band', or the 'singer in the band'? I definitely say that I'm the singer. Every member is equally important. That's one of my main frustrations with the entertainment industry, they want the singer to be the face of the whole band. I am not the band. We all have our own opinions, and they're very strong opinions. A frontman seems like they're more the barker at a circus and an entertainer...they take on a role. Like you said before, you're something of an introvert. The lyrics on The Autumn Effect imply an aversion to celebrity, and your new video for 'Beautiful' includes the theme of gossip tabloids. Are you afraid of becoming famous? I think it is very sad what the entertainment industry can do to a person. It can distort their reality until they don't know who they are anymore. I lost a family member recently who had been an actor since he was 9. The industry destroyed him and I believe that caused his death. Sort of like how Dave Chappelle just ran away...I get that. I understand it. I'm just a human being and I feel fortunate to be doing what I'm doing, but it's a shame what fame and Hollywood or whatever you want to call it can do to the people. The video for 'Beautiful' was very elaborate and I love the treatment...but I had a different ending for it. She jumps off a cliff and then ends up in another country, free from it all. Britney, or any of them, they have to take control of their own lives. If it gets that bad, they have to walk away to save themselves. Where are your boundaries? When it comes time for me to be on tour and meet people, I know what I'm doing. This is my job. I try to be as nice as I can to everyone I meet. But when I am home with my girl or with my new child, that's different. When it comes to your personal life, there has to be a boundary there. So, I take it you won't be doing any reality shows any time soon? Oh hell no! I would do a spoof of a reality show, but never a real one. There's nothing real about it. Would you do a documentary? Yes. What's the difference? A documentary is real, a reality show is not. Reality shows are scripted and set up and just not real. I would do a documentary though if I felt it was something that would be important to the rest of the world. Like if I could do one about addictions or a day in the life kind of thing..like that show Intervention. It's hard for me to see stuff like that because I was so closely involved in that world because of my cousin who recently passed away. If I could help people through it, that would be great. Art or addiction. Those are the two things I would be involved in. But, I don't think my life is exciting enough to warrant people following me around with cameras. You're a difficult man to lock down an interview with, and I feel incredibly honored that I am getting so much time with you right now. Why don't you like doing interviews? The questions are so generic. Almost like a radio person would give you. They ask you questions you have answered over and over again. When it's like they're doing their own little show and they obviously don't care and don't bother to learn anything about you ahead of time. This has been a great one, and that's rare. They usually expect you to put on this persona like it's one big party...it's not. That's not real. We let Lewis do those...he loves that stuff. I think the late, great Frank Zappa put it best, and this is something I think about before talking to people like you: "Music journalism is people who can't write, interviewing people that can't talk, in order to provide articles for people who can't read." That's perfect! I may have to borrow that. So, tell me about your stint as a ghost hunter. [laughs] Honestly, I did that because I was raised religious my whole life. I'm not gonna lie, I think full on faith in religion requires a certain level of ignorance. I don't really mean that in a bad way. I think you should be open to asking questions and learning new things and there isn't always a place for that in religion. I don't know if you saw the video, but I am a horrible actor...you would know if I was acting. I was definitely a skeptic going into it. I mean, you put someone in the dark long enough, they're going to hear something or see something. But there were things going on that I just couldn't explain. A door wedge flew past my face. No one was there. No one saw it but me. We looked back at the footage later and saw that it was sitting on a piano. Then it was gone. Do you believe? Spirits? Ghosts? Yeah. I've never seen one, but one threw something at me. I think I pissed it off because I said I didn't believe. [laughs] __________________ Check out the other Altsounds sites: http://www.screamadelica.co.uk - The Altsounds Recording Studio, Mastering House, Film and Photography Chroma Key Studio and CD Replication House in Cardiff, Wales, UK http://www.altsounds.com - Find bands and host your MP3s and Music Videos http://www.altpr.co.uk - Alternative PR for signed and unsigned bands Last edited by GlockMeAmadeus : 04-29-2008 at 10:06 PM.

04-29-2008	#6
altsounds President Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cardiff, South Wales Age: 29 Posts: 6,000 Altsounds Dollars: 158,991.31 Rep Power: 10	Part 6: Brace Yourselves Part 6: Brace Yourselves As we talked about earlier, this new album is different, and I would say 'more accessible.' This will appeal to people who maybe didn't 'get you' before. But there are also those fans who have been following you for years and feel deeply connected to your music. What do you want to say to them to prepare them for what they are going to hear? I hope they realize we are still the same people. In this profession, you have to grow and progress. I hope they know that it's still us trying to put a message out there. We appreciate their loyal fanship and love them all, but this is going to be different. We aren't dumbing it down. We're not selling out, we're reaching out. I hope they love it. I wrote more directly this time so I don't have to keep explaining to people what the songs mean. So much was up for interpretation because I was living in my own head. I realized that if I write for the people, then we can cut out that whole middle part where I break it down for every person I meet. They'll get it. As a fan, I really love the new material and I am very glad you didn't try to rewrite The Autumn Effect. Lightning doesn't strike the same place twice, feel me? What do you think the next single will be? That's a tough one. This record feels like there is a lot more to choose from when it comes to single material. We have the slow songs and the heavy songs and the songs in between. 'Beautiful' is kind of mid-tempo, so I think we will go with something more aggressive. 'Actions & Motives,' 'Drug of Choice' or 'Russian Roulette' would be good. We want something heavy out there...make it a roller coaster ride. 10 Years- Division in stores May 13, 2008 http://www.10yearsmusic.com Wed Jul 16 Boston, MA Tweeter Center Fri Jul 18 Pittsburgh, PA Post Gazette Pavilion Sat Jul 19 Philadelphia, PA Susquehana Bank Center Sun Jul 20 Hartford, CT New England Dodge Music Center Tue Jul 22 New York, NY Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre Wed Jul 23 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center Fri Jul 25 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Cable Amphitheatre Sat Jul 26 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Sun Jul 27 Washington DC Nissan Pavilion Wed Jul 30 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Fri Aug 01 West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre Sat Aug 02 Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheatre Sun Aug 03 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheatre Thu Aug 07 Phoenix, AZ Cricket Wireless Pavilion Sat Aug 09 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre Sun Aug 10 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Tue Aug 12 Denver, CO Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre Fri Aug 15 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center Sat Aug 16 Milwaukee, WI Alpine Valley Music Theatre Sun Aug 17 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Tue Aug 19 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center Thu Aug 21 St Louis, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Sat Aug 23 Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center Sun Aug 24 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion __________________ Check out the other Altsounds sites: http://www.screamadelica.co.uk - The Altsounds Recording Studio, Mastering House, Film and Photography Chroma Key Studio and CD Replication House in Cardiff, Wales, UK http://www.altsounds.com - Find bands and host your MP3s and Music Videos http://www.altpr.co.uk - Alternative PR for signed and unsigned bands Last edited by GlockMeAmadeus : 04-29-2008 at 09:28 PM.

> Press > Interviews | Jesse Hasek (10 Years) Interview

Jesse Hasek (10 Years) Interview

Walk the line and pay the price...

Part 2: Profound Lyrics and Making The Album

Part 3: Truth

Part 4: Live and In Person

Part 5: The Dark Side

Part 6: Brace Yourselves

Re: Jesse Hasek (10 Years) Interview

Re: Jesse Hasek (10 Years) Interview

05-20-2008	#7
altsounds President Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cardiff, South Wales Age: 29 Posts: 6,000 Altsounds Dollars: 158,991.31 Rep Power: 10	Re: Jesse Hasek (10 Years) Interview I should have said this a long time ago. This is an awesome interview AJ. Your best yet by far. It's about time we got talk with Jesse Hasek seeing as we have been 10 years fans for ages and have always supported the 10 years career from the beginning. Awesome job girl! __________________ Check out the other Altsounds sites: http://www.screamadelica.co.uk - The Altsounds Recording Studio, Mastering House, Film and Photography Chroma Key Studio and CD Replication House in Cardiff, Wales, UK http://www.altsounds.com - Find bands and host your MP3s and Music Videos http://www.altpr.co.uk - Alternative PR for signed and unsigned bands

05-21-2008	#8
GlockMeAmadeus I'm not someone you ignore. Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: OKC Age: 27 Posts: 1,499 Altsounds Dollars: 35,886.07 Rep Power: 5	Re: Jesse Hasek (10 Years) Interview Thanks man! Yeah, I was actually kind of nervous about doing it...came out well though. Now that I have reviewed the record, I want to do another one. I have way more questions now!

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