Walk the line and pay the price...
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
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
