At Full Throttle: The Gaslight Anthem

The Gaslight Anthem's second studio album 'The '59 Sound' made a big splash in 2008 – winning praise from critics and fans alike. In 2010 the New Jersey 4-piece release their third, 'American Slang'.

Gigwise talks to guitarist Alex Rosamilia in the last few days before the hectic tour schedule begins.

Gigwise: ‘American Slang’ has been described as your ‘London Calling’ - how do you feel about that?

Alex: “We're not trying to recreate ‘London Calling’! But that's when the Clash moved into other... not genres, but they tried other things that they hadn't on the records before. It's a pretty varied record, as far as what kind of songs are on it and I think that we did the same thing with ‘American Slang’. Musically, we've taken a lot of... not chances, but we decided to do a couple of slower songs, songs that aren't as quote-unquote ‘punk rock’ as the older songs – not as straightforward. We're trying to be a bit more artistic, without sounding too pretentious. “

Gigwise: So is that you're growing out of the punk thing?

Alex: “I don't think it's that we're growing out of the punk thing – it's just that we've found a lot of other stuff since, and other stuff came in from that, then more other stuff came in... The biggest influence for me guitar-wise is music I hadn't listened to since the 8th grade – things like Clapton, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. It's stuff that I listened to when I first started playing the guitar. Then punk rock came, and it was like ‘that's dad music, I can't listen to that anymore!’. Then I just realised that I could listen to it, because it's pretty friggin amazing.”

Gigwise: Is there a track on the album that you're really looking forward to playing live?

Alex: “‘Orphans’! That's my favourite. It's a driving song. I was listening to the final mixes, and I was in the car and just found myself going about 20 mph faster that I should have been whenever that song came on.”

Gigwise: With the ‘59 Sound’ doing so well, you must have been approached by the major labels this time round – what made you stick with Side One Dummy?

Alex: “We decided to stay with Side One, because it's an independent label, and we get more of a say. Being on a major, you wouldn't have as much pull. I don't think you really need it anymore. I don't think it's the necessity that it used to be. A lot of the bigger independent labels can back you, and give you just as good a shot as a major label will. Maybe you won't be on TV, but you're less likely to be a flash in the pan. You're not one of 100,000 bands that they're just trying to push through a factory cycle to get the hits out. You're one of a handful of bands.”

Gigwise: What other music are you enjoying at the moment?

Alex: “I'm not really listening to punk rock anymore... I really like Sleigh Bells – with the guy from Poison the Well. A lot of the things I like are a dude and a chick! Really good. It's really loud. I love Beach House... and the new Broken Social Scene album is ridiculous. In a very good way. That's the kind of stuff I listen to. It's a varied palette. When I'm writing it's probably not what I listen to though. I'd love to tour with any of those guys, but I don't think it'd work very well for the fans – that's why festivals are so good. Last summer we got to play with Flaming Lips, The Eagles of Death Metal, Nine Inch Nails, all who we'd never actually tour with. Faith No More, that other guy from Jersey... you know what I mean. I would love to tour with the Howling Bells, but there are some ulterior motives for that...”

Gigwise: Is there much pressure on you guys with the new album?

Alex: “There's no pressure. Pressure is brought on from other people, and how you accept that... But there was at first – when we realised this is the first time that we'll be making a record that people have been waiting for. Before this it was just “OK – we'll put out a record”. Now it's “OK – put out a record, no wait, they want to hear something specific”. How do you predict the future? So we decided we won't predict the future. We'll just write a record that we really like, and hope everyone comes on board. Otherwise – when you start introducing that kind of stuff, that's when you lose the energy in the songs. The songs become less honest. It's like “It'd be really cool if we had one of those poppy, hooky bits here...”. Even if it would make it a funkier song, it would lose some of that honesty, or integrity. You know – without trying to sound like an ass.”

Gigwise: Gaslight have been really successful in the UK – you seem to have broken out of the “genre” that you were originally in. Is that something that you guys set out to do?

Alex: “No! I didn't at all think we'd get to the level of people like Hot Water Music or The Loved Ones. I would be totally happy being below all that and just being ‘we get to do this whenever we get to do this’, and I'd go home, work at the mall, come back and go on tour again. It's still going on tour. But of course it's better this way – I don't have to work at the mall! We exceeded all my expectations even before the ‘59 Sound’ came out. I think we played Reading and Leeds the first week the ‘59 Sound’ came out – and that was just like ‘Reading and Leeds! ****ing done!’. And it's gone up since then – it's something I'll constantly be thankful for, and it'll never not be surreal.”

Gigwise: As the crowds get bigger, venues get bigger, have you noticed a change in the fan base?

Alex: “Oh yeah – it's gotten way more diverse. It used to be a bunch of people that looked exactly like us! That's what it was at first, a bunch of bearded, plaid shirted, jeans, bear-hug bros! Then they started bringing their girlfriends, and then the girlfriends would tell their friends about it and we'd start getting females at our shows. Still not that many though! And they tell their little brothers and sisters, then their parents, and their parents tell their friends and then there's a bunch of older people. I guess that's how it works! The venues have their pros and their cons, but we can't really play the smaller venues anymore. Since I've been home I have been playing with some friends though – I'd kind of forgotten what it's like to play on the same level as the crowd. It's fun, but as much fun as it is, playing in front of a thousand people is the coolest thing on the face of the earth. For lack of a better word than cool. It's awesome in the proper dictionary definition sense.”

Gigwise: What do you do to get ready for the tour?

Alex: “A few rehearsals, and I'm also filling in for a friend's band in New Brunswick – Let Me Run. But I can only retain so many songs! I'd be rehearsing with Gaslight, then playing with them – I'd be playing guitar for 12 hours straight. Not that that's a bad thing, but I can only store so many songs in my head and I haven't played the Gaslight Stuff since December! But it's coming out pretty good. I thought we'd be rustier. Gaslight don't see each other that much off tour – they're three of my best friends on the face of the earth, but when you spend so much time together, you really learn to take the time off. You get to see all the people you don't get to see. I'll see them way more than my family over the next few months. They've all got significant others as well. Not me though – I'm the lone wolf.”

Gigwise: Finally - do you get to have any more tour luxuries now?

Alex: “We've got a bus! That's a pretty big luxury. It makes for a much more regular day. Before you'd play a show, get in a van, drive for 2 hours, sleep for 3 hours, get up at 7am, drive for 6 hours, play a show... you suffer from sleep deprivation and go crazy. But now we have a driver and we can wake up at 9am and walk around. I can eat real food – I don't have to eat in McDonalds or Taco Bell. It's still an irregular lifestyle though, a big travelling circus. And I'm looking forward to coming back to the UK!”

'American Slang' is released via Side One Dummy on June the 14th.