Interviews

Descendents

Interview with Bill on Mar 30, 2004 by Archive Bot

Nina:  So it seems you guys have been pretty busy the past couple of years, being involved with putting out your own full length, an EP, and being a part of a Rock against Bush compilation. First off, what should your fans expect from your new album, and are there any other previous Descendents albums that you could use to compare the sound of what’s on Cool to be you?
 
Bill: I could write a whole book on this one, but let’s see. If I had to pick two records…I would say that the new record is a cross between Milo goes to College and Everything Sucks. There are a ton of prominent rhythm sections and classic bass drums like there were on Milo goes to College. The guitars sound a lot like they did on Everything Sucks. That’s more like…That’s how it would come off. If I was a fan and hearing it for the first time I would be like “Dude this sounds like Everything Sucks!” But I think it resembles a couple of ALL albums too, like Revenge for instance. This album has a lot of different stuff harmonically though, and it’s definitely the broadest album that we’ve put out to date. I’m stoked to release it just because there’s a lot of different stuff musically that we threw in there that I think people will be surprised to hear.
 
Nina: What was the purpose of choosing the title “Cool to be you” and are you happy with the final outcome of the CD?
 
Bill:  Well I’m definitely stoked about the album. Like I said earlier, it has that pounding guitar sound and rhythms that are in Milo goes to College but this album is definitely the ultimate record for us. So much went into it that we’re just excited to get it out there and see what people think. I mean every time we put out an album we get excited, but since this one combines a lot of our older sounds as well as new stuff that we’ve experimented with I can’t help but be stoked. As far as the title goes, I always though “Cool to be You” was such an awesome song, and I thought it would be a great title for a CD. I pretty much forced everyone to use it. I mean so many kids would think that it’s cool to be where we are right now, and we just continue making music because it’s fun. But yeah…that’s mainly why we chose it.
 
Nina: On April 20th, the Rock against Bush compilation is being released. If a tour were to follow the release, would you guys be willing to take part in it, or would you prefer to tour for your own album? Actually, better yet, would you guys consider going back on the road in the near future?
 
Bill: Uhmm..In idea, we would support the tour if they were to do one, but I’m not sure if it’s physically possible. I mean someone has to do something about it so I definitely hope they do create a tour. Yeah…something needs to be done before that guy gets us all killed. He’s nuts with his actions…Bush that is…With Milo just having another kid though and Stefan’s wife is due to have one soon, we aren’t sure if we can. I mean we have families now. It would even be hard to tour for our own album. So I think we need to wait it out and see what happens. It’s not that we wouldn’t want to go on tour. We would love to, it would just be difficult with everyone having families now. I mean we’re older, we love making music, but touring gets harder as you go.
 
Nina: On the topic of the complication, this one is in regards to your own political stance. What do you think of Kerry running for president, and the whole “war” each individual Democrat went through in trying to get the nomination?
 
Bill: Boy…I didn’t follow the nominations close enough as I would have liked to, so I’m not sure if I can make any educated comments on this one. About the election as a whole, I’m stoked. Bush has fucked up so badly that he won’t get re-elected. I mean I really want to see this guy ejected. And he’s not going to get ejected because of Kerry, he’s going to get ejected because he’s fucked up so bad over the years and I think everyone is tired of seeing his shit. Or at least I am.
 
Nina: Okay, I don’t want to carry on about the President…Is it hard to dedicate time to The Descendents with everyone being involved in other bands and projects?
 
Bill: Hah. Did you say enough about the President? I could go on with that one…but in regards to spending time with the Descendents…It’s always been easy for us to get together and work. I mean we’ve been together since we were kids and it’s always been a fun thing. It’s one of those things where whenever we feel like it we get together and play. It’s been more of a hobby than a career. Here we are 26 years later, and I really think that since the band started out mainly for fun, that’s what has kept it cool. We didn’t start the band with the intention of putting out a record every 12 months like most of the bands these days do. We would put out a record when we wanted to put out a record. We would tour when we wanted to tour. We would play when we wanted to play. It’s always been about having fun and I think that’s what has stuck us together.
 
Nina: You’re also a part of Only Crime now with Russ from Good Riddance, Zach from Hagfish and Aaron of Bane. Could you explain what your fans should expect from this band, and what is it like working with each member?
 
Bill: Working with Only Crime is really exciting. I mean it’s way out of my comfort zone though. I started The Descendents when I was 15 years old so I was still a kid in high school. Greg from Black Flag was my neighbor. I could throw a rock through his window and not get in trouble that’s how we were. Black Flag was the brother band of The Descendents. ¾ of us were in Black Flag anyways, so we were all in the same family. Working with Only Crime though is really cool. Instead of feeling like a medium sized fish in a medium sized pond I feel like a little fish in a big pond…I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about, I’m just blabbing now trying to explain how cool it is. But the majority of the material is like My War from Black Flag but with Damaged-era level of intensity. Occasionally there are some poppy riffs and stuff, but we felt that it would be dishonest to omit them because we don’t want to try to sound hardcore. It’s what we wrote, so we didn’t want to get rid of it. I mean this band is definitely harder than The Descendents or Black Flag, but there’s also little melodies thrown in there too that makes it not so hard I guess you would say. No wait, I would say the band is like Black Flag at police chase speed. Yeah, that’s what I would explain it as.
 
Nina: There seems to be a good distinction between the songs that are set aside for ALL and those set aside for The Descendents. Is it difficult to separate writing styles for each band, or have you grown accustomed to the constant switch?
 
Bill: Uhm…it’s never really hard for us as most people would think. When we started ALL we knew that we would be writing different material. We knew that we would have to write different material, so we didn’t really have a choice. All of the bands that I’ve been involved with though, they’ve all had the same influences, but we just create different sounds. And then in later albums we wind up combining sounds. Now that I think about it, I’m not sure how we’ve managed to do it all these years. It’s like we use the other bands as influences when we write new material. Each band has its own distinct sound so we know in what direction we should go in, but we always change the sound around each time…That sounds confusing as hell, but we manage to make it through.
 
Nina: A lot of people look up to you as a drummer. Is there any way you would describe your technique or style that sets you apart from every other drummer in the music world, and what advice would you give to young and inspiring musicians who do look towards you for influence?
 
Bill: This is easy. I’m the coolest drummer in the whole entire world…No…That’s definitely not me. I drink a lot of coffee. I drink too much coffee and then I just play so that’s where I get all of my energy from. When I was younger I used to just sit on the beach and listen to pop radio so a lot of my influences actually came from there. I was a little stink. I probably wanted to sound like Brian Wilson or the Beach Boys or something so that’s where my sound comes from. Aside from being a drummer for the Descendents and everything, I’m also one of the main songwriters so I need to have the extra creativity. I just drink too much coffee though. I’m not really sure how I would describe my style though. Oh wait! I got it. Quote me on this. I sound like: Black Sabbath meets the Beatles at Black Flag speed.
 
Nina: Do you ever find it funny that you guys have been around for as long as you have? I can imagine that no one ever originally expected the band to still be strong so many years down the line.
 
Bill: You know this is funny because no matter how old you are you keep pushing things back. For instance, however old you are, you’re probably going to go “Oh man when I’m 20…I’m going to be so old! That’s so far away!” And that’s pretty much how it has always worked with us. When I was 15 and I started the band, I was like “There’s no way this band will last when we’re out of high school.” And then we all got into college and the band was still going, so we were like “There’s no way the band will last after college.” And then we turned 30 and we said “No way…” and now we’re sitting here, in our forties, going “There’s no way this band is still together.” So like I said, you always just keep pushing it…Kids these days are trained to not accept older people playing in bands though. If you don’t look like Britney Spears or that other guy. What’s his name…What’s his name?! That New Kid Back Street or something…OH! Justin Timberlake…The media tells you that if you don’t look like them, it’s not Okay. So I think that’s what’s cool about The Descendents. We’re forty and we’re still playing. If kids that are just getting into us saw us, I think they would wonder what’s going on. That’s what’s cool though about us not having a video. It keeps us cool and if someone were to sit and listen to our album they would be like “These guys kick ass!” but then if they saw our video on TV, kids would be like “Those guys are older than my parents!” So I mean it’s weird that we’ve been around for so long but we’re just going to keep pushing it as far as we can.
 
Nina: How do you guys manage to get back together each time? Does one member call everyone up and suggest going back into the studio to record, or does everyone manage to keep in touch over the band’s “off periods”?
 
Bill: We’re always together. Always. ¾ of The Descendents are in ALL so we’re always together when we’re spending time on that band. And then I have my own studio called the Blasting Room and a couple of the guys work there with me or just come in and help sometimes. We’ve worked with bands like Lagwagon, MXPX, The Atari’s, bands like that. We’re always here together so it’s never a problem getting back together. Milo is the one we always have to reinsert into the band. He just comes and goes as he pleases. But for the most part it’s an easy transition. Milo is my best friend so it’s never hard getting him to come and join us. I just have to call him up and let him know what we’re up to and he’s there. We’re so close that it’s like we’re family and it would be too weird if we didn’t spend as much time together as we do.
 
Nina: In comparison to what the music scene was like in 1980, how would you describe the punk world now? It seems to have become more of a trend than anything else…but what changes, if any, have you noticed throughout the years?
 
Bill: Hah…wow. Well, to give you a concrete example. Punk bands that are famous now…like The Ramones…I remember those guys would always be considered lame at shows and would get beat up. Those shows were real violent. And it didn’t just happen with them, but with a lot of punk bands that would play shows. So there’s been a big change just in the shows. Punk has become cool now, and not something to fight out against. Kids get the influence of punk from the Internet and from TV, so they’re more aware of punk music now. It’s not something foreign or strange anymore. It’s funny watching these shows, but it also makes me really happy that these bands are finally being recognized. The Ramones were one of the greatest rock bands of all time and they’re finally getting the credit they deserve. Punk bands…and not just the bands but even the kids that liked the bands used to be worth as much as gum on the bottom of someone’s shoe. But The Clash, The Ramones…they were all great bands, and then there’s The Descendents who just pretend to be great. But kids are more aware of punk now and instead of getting swiped under the rug like shit, these bands are getting recognized. I don’t know what you think of Hot Topic, but even though punk has become more of a trend these days it’s sort of good for us because we offer the legit deal. We offer the real stuff so kids pick up our album and can tell the honest difference between us and those other punk bands. We were then when it all started and now we’re here and it’s happening again. I don’t think these new bands are bad, but they’re definitely different than the original style of punk, so it’s good but at the same time funny to see the older bands becoming so popular…again.
 
Nina: The lyrics from the new album clearly reflect that you guys have entered a new phase of your lives. Is it ever hard to write songs and stick to your original influences after so many years? What inspires everyone to keep the band going?
 
Bill: Our motto has always been that we write about what we want to write about. When I was 15, I was writing about farting and eating. When I turned 20, I was writing about chicks. It always works that way. So I think we’ve stayed true to ourselves in always writing what we want to write about. We enjoy music. I think Milo said it best when he described the elation of a musical instrument. The feeling you get when you play…You know when you plunk out those first few notes and form a chord and just keep playing…That feeling never goes away. Ever. You could be 20, 30, 40, and that feeling stays there. It never changes and that’s the great thing about it. We never said “Oh let’s start a band so we can become rich and famous.” We started the band because we wanted to have fun and because we like music. That’s what has kept us together.
 
Nina: Earlier said you were still working in your own studio…What bands have you recently produced albums for?
 
Bill:  Let’s see…recent bands…The latest batch have been the new Casualties album, the new Good Riddance…I mixed the new Anti-Flag CD which is fucking incredible. The song “Criminal Class”….Justin’s voice is just perfect for that song. It’s so killer. It really is an awesome song, you should check it out. Uhm…we’ve also worked with Silent Drive on Equal Visions, and Useless ID...Bill the Welder. They’re awesome too. They’re what would happen if the Beach Boys and Slayer got into a fight…I’ve mentioned The Beach Boys a couple of times now. I better watch what I say…
 
Nina: Is there anyone you would like to work with?
 
Bill: Well, If I was going with what my pocketbook says…It would be telling me to work with the bands that are out there making money and are considered “punk” now just because my band was like a co-inventor of that style. Artistically, I’m really happy with the groups I work with right now. They’re all creative. I learn more by working with other bands than studying music by myself. I get like a double awareness working with them. I learn things you could never discover just by studying a topic yourself. Bands usually come to me and ask to be recorded though. They just seek me out and ask if I’m willing to work with them. I don’t know what bands are hip these days, but I’m willing to work with anyone. I don’t go to clubs or anything though and hand out flyers supporting the studio. I figure if people really want to work with me they’ll take the extra step and research it for themselves.
 
 
Nina: On 40 oz. to Freedom Sublime covers your song “Hope”, they also seem to thank The Descendents on every one of their albums. Could you explain what it was like being close to the band, and was there ever a time when you guys considered working together?
 
Bill: First, they’re all really great guys…great guys. Maybe now we’ll work with them. Not both bands working together of course, but apparently there’s a Sublime tribute album in the works and if that ever got underway we would definitely do a song on there. Without a doubt. We were always friends with them and it’s the least we could do after seeing what they’ve done for us over the years. So, if anything, we would take part in that tribute album. I have no idea what song we would do, but I think it would be a lot of fun.
 
Nina: Looking back at the long history of The Descendents is there anything you’re extremely proud of and most importantly, is there anything you’re still looking forward to?
 
Bill: I think I’m most proud of my friendship with Milo. He’s like my brother and my soul mate combined. I’ve always been a schmuck, and Milo has stuck with me through everything. He’s been there during and after the most fucked up shit. Our friendship is definitely something I value more than anything else. I want to do more music too. I still have a lot of ideas! I’ve been listening to and studying African and Latin music and I think it would be interesting to throw in some of those rhythmic ideas eventually. I’m also obsessed with atonal stuff. I’ve created some atonal bridges. Not Sonic Youth type of bridges…more like Arnold Schoenberg. We can do a lot more with music. I know we can. I want to create the ultimate album that just makes everyone’s jaws drop before I turn…50 hah. But there’s so much more that can be done. It’s just a matter of getting there.
 
Nina: Okay, well it was great talking to you. If you’re interested, the interview will be posted on punkbands.com under the featured artist site.
 
Bill: Awesome! That’s great. Thank you so much for doing the interview. This is the first one I’ve done today, but 11 am is late for me. If my son doesn’t have me up by 6 I know something is seriously wrong. Oh, and remember…There’s no such thing as typical questions, just typical answers…So I hope I didn’t give you any of those. Thanks again!