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WHERE YOU WANT TO BE - Jenna chats with Taking Back Sunday's Eddie Reyes [photos: L. La Mer] The last time we bumped into each other at Warped you told me you were nervous as hell for the album's release. Since then, Where You Want To Be has reached number three on Billboard Top 200, you've moved over 400,000 units... That's awesome. Feeling any better? Yeah. Still nervous. But you're a veteran. Yeah but I still get nervous and I still have to go upchuck sometimes. Its happened. Well, I've been waiting a long time to say this. I told you so, nothing to worry about! Well, thank you. What's your secret, the magic formula? I don't know. Maybe because we're not perfectionists. Taking Back Sunday has always had the attitude of 'we're going to do what we want and if no one likes it, we're still going to be playing music.' So I guess the expectations and all that are kept to a minimum. We're not experts; we're not professionals you know. We just play music. Thanksgiving is coming up. Other than your blossoming career, give me three things that you're thankful for. My dog Murphy, my mother being alive after having throat surgery and my wife. And then my music comes after that. Oh you finalized it! Congratulations! Yeah. [Shows off his wedding band] I got married two weeks ago. No honeymoon though. We have to wait until after this tour. I'll take her somewhere special. Any trouble coming through the border this time? Yeah, I always get stopped! Did they think you were that criminal again? Yeah. They think I'm a murderer, rapist, coke dealer from Mexico. I looked at the lady this morning and was like, "Do I sound like a criminal from Mexico?" and she goes "no" and I go "can I go?" and she's like "yeah." Who's this little cutie on the cover? We don't know. The joke is that it's me. But I don't believe it. I don't know how they would get a hold of any of my baby pictures. It does look like me though and there's naked baby pictures of me that my mom always shows everyone so it could be me. But we like to be mean to each other in this band. It could be me but we don't know who it is though. Well if it is, first the underoos [click here to read previous interview] and now Eddie-bum. I mean, you're going to extremes... Yeah. I had a cute little ass if that's me. Where did the idea for the cover come from? It was a friend of ours who's an up-and-coming artist. I guess he got the whole idea of the band starting over again so it's based off of that. The next mile - 152 miles, we always have to throw that in because that's a whole private personal joke between friends. "I think it's an awesome cover though. I was really happy with it because it's not boring or plain, it just makes you think." You've managed to maintain the trademark TBS sound with this new CD but yet you've clearly not made the same record twice... You can't! Tell me about the progression between Tell All Your Friends and Where You Want To Be. Well, Tell All Your Friends was written five years ago. That's old! The band started six years ago, almost seven and Tell All Your Friends' songs were even played with the old singer and old band members. So those songs were written, let's just say they were written three years ago; finalized and worked out. So in three years, different tastes in music and different influences and...the two new guys just added so much new vibe to it. I guess it just naturally progressed but we're really all about trying new things. We're also very anal about staying true to the style of music that we tend to play. You chose 'Decade Under The Influence' almost immediately. What made it stand out as a lead-off track? I don't know. It was the second song we wrote together. It's an old riff that I had for years but I brought it to practice and I told everyone, "I've been writing this song and it's got a cool Smashing Pumpkins 1979 vibe to it", and then everyone was into it. Fred threw in his riffs and then everyone threw in theirs and it just came together perfectly. Then when we produced the records. Sometimes as a band you have to...Well, some producers like to tell you what to do but our producer was an awesome guy where he didn't want to tell us what to do, he just wanted to give us advice. So he was like, 'there's certain songs that you can do two more parts here or maybe do another part here,' but that was the only song that we didn't have to touch. He wrote a money sign on a piece of paper...He's like 'this is the first single' and we were like 'awesome!' Cool. It just felt right. Was it a good first single? Of course. I debated between two. Which ones? 'Decade' and 'Set Phasers to Stun.' Some people wanted Pictures. Yeah but that was Spiderman so its got its own little thing. It might still though. But I still love 'Set Phasers To Stun.' It's a very angry song too. It's a very personal "we hope a lot of people get it" song. Your music has that trademark two vocal challenge going on but I'm also hearing a guitar battle between you and Fred... [Laughs] Fred still plays circles around me! Is this dialogue something you enjoyed working on during the writing process? Yeah! Me and Fred have known each other for like eleven years and we've always been in bands that have been doing styles of music way before other bands were doing it. We just never had the chance to be in a band together and now we have the chance and it just clicked. I have a style of writing and he has a style of writing. He's a musical genius and I'm not. He's the brains and I'm the braun. I know how to pick up a guitar and play but I'm self-taught and he's school taught. He's a teacher too. Yeah but he's told me that there are a lot of things that he's learned from me and I've definitely learned a lot of things from him. So I guess that's why it just fits perfectly. You know, I don't even know what notes are.... I've been a self-taught musician since I was twelve years old. It sucks because I want to get better you know? I watch Fred and I'm like 'I wish I could do that!' In your wise and most professional opinion, where do you think sweet Fred pulls that angry voice from? Because he's not so sweet.... He's uh... A little Jekyll and Hyde? No, nah, nah. He's got two kids and a wife so maybe it's a lot of practice. No I don't know. It just comes out from him! He's got a lot of built up anger I guess. But he never shows it. He takes it out on stage. Yeah, he takes it out on stage. He never ever shows it in person. "He's too nice of a guy. He's the guy that goes in a closed room and smashes all the furniture, comes back out and goes, 'Hey guys what's up?' I'm the guy that will punch a hole in the wall in front of everybody." I get something different from this album every time I listen to it. What are you pulling from it now that you might not have realized when it was first completed? Mmmm. When we first wrote it we were really hard on ourselves and now that we can sit back and actually relax and pay attention to it, there's a lot of really cool melodies that I didn't pay attention to. I didn't even know that we were creating them and now it's like 'wow! that was good. Who did that? It wasn't me! It was Fred!' [laughs] Fred or maybe Matt. I don't know even the lyrics, there's a lot of catchiness to them. Even now I'm still only starting to understand lyrics from Tell All Your Friends. I don't really pay attention to the lyrics because I'm more of a music guy. If you take the time and really listen to Taking Back Sunday lyrics, they are incredibly intense. Yeah, my wife is really about Adam and Fred's writing. She always says that she'd wish they would write books. I'm not a big reader so I didn't get it but now I do. the older I am the more I pay attention to things and I can actually be like 'wow! I can't believe I'm in a band with guys that write powerful words!' And it's so sincere. Some singers go in the studio and just write lyrics but I see the both of them. I make fun of them too! I call them weirdos because they're always in their bunks [imitates Adam and Fred writing] . It's like, man you guys are losers! Nerds! But hey, now I know why. And now it's like 'it's okay, be a weirdo!' Exactly! Do whatever you want that's weird! Some people have commented that y'all are total fools for not going to the majors whilst others are in awe of the fact that you kept creative control with Victory. What's your take on all of this? I think we did pretty good independent-wise. I like having control and we have a lot of control. I mean, it's obvious that it's coming; we're going to have to go to a major but we're only going to do it when we have full creative control. If we can't have that, then we won't do it. Do it right. You have to. You have to. I mean, I think majors are great too. There are a lot of our friends on majors that are doing awesome and they have things that I don't have. You know, things that help them like...they can write a record on the back of the bus cuz their record label will set that up. Our label can't afford that right now so...things like that are awesome but I don't know, we'll see. On this album, from the musicianship to the lyrical content, it's all matured in leaps and bounds. Yeah. Do you think that people often forget that Adam is only twenty-three? Yeah. [Thinks for a moment] He joined the band when he was... Eighteen. Well, seventeen going on eighteen. It's weird. I'll be thirty-two in November... [Matt walks in and happily interjects] I love every thirty-two years of you! [Eddie points at Matt] He's thirty...twenty-seven. Rubano say hi! Matt: I'm twenty one! Eddie: Yeah twenty one. Oh! It's the facial hair! Matt: Yeah, I didn't shave today. If I did, I'd look twenty two. Eddie: It's cool because there's still a lot more years of creating. True that. So is he just mature or are you all immature? Umm. Dude, I'm really immature. "I never want to grow up! I pay my bills, but when it comes down to it, I like going to Toys "R" Us and watching cartoons. Adam is probably a little more mature than me. He's had to grow up really quickly. He had a rough childhood." Not to pry into his business but he's had a pretty shitty... [he stops himself] See I grew up in normal family surroundings and he grew up very hard and having to take care of himself since he was a little kid. So I guess I can understand. He's definitely more mature than most of us and Fred...I think Fred gets his from his kids. Yeah, Fred beams the daddy. Definitely. That's why we call him Papa Fred! What's the last funny thing that happened to made all of you break out in laughter? Other than Matt's jokes because they're not funny. No. Sarcastic, snotty, Williamsburg Brooklyn humor. Ah! we always pick on him. [Imitates Matt] "Hey man! What's up man?" Ummm....Funniest thing that's happened so far? Wow! Where you guys have literally doubled over. Like when you end up crying and can't catch your breath? It was Matt! Our tour manager was getting out of the van the other day and the door swung open and Matt was like "Look out! [Yells] Look Ouuuutt!" Everybody freaked out and ducked like something was going to happen and then realized it was just the door and then I stood up and said "You acted like it was a giant bear outside the door going RRRRRR!!" SO everyone started laughing! I mean, we all almost fell to the floor laughing because I guess it was just one of those 'you had to get it' moments. Usually, a lot of our humor is us saying a lot of mean things to each other you know? Like Fred commenting on my hair loss. Just mean things. Ouch! We're a bunch of New Yorkers. We have mean humor! Hard humor. Yeah. So with all of the touring, the travelling and time away from home, do you feel like you're "taking crazy pills?" Where is your happy place? On the phone with my wife. Even when she's just nagging and bitching me out, that's okay. It's better than just...it sucks because I don't get to see her a lot so I guess that's the best time because I'm talking to her. Anyone who has followed Taking Back Sunday knows that the fight against cancer is a cause near to your hearts and Fred has also had some involvement with Peta. Why is it important for your band to be that voice of compassion? Because people who ignore those things are selfish. We've all been affected. My mom had throat cancer, Mark's mom had breast cancer. We always do what we can because we have very close friends that passed away from cancer. We're always about helping people. When our friends flipped their van and needed money, we threw a benefit show. Where we come from, the hardcore scene in New York, is very family oriented; truth, sincerity, that kind of thing. When someone is down, you help them. I also lost my niece to cancer so whatever we can do, even if it's just a little bit. Just raising some money is still enough to help. I hope one day when I'm sick, somebody helps me out. It's just good karma. If you're religious...I'm religious, so I believe in extending my hand to help people. It's going to come back to you. Yeah. It's just good karma. We're not perfect either. No one's perfect. People do shitty things too but we do what we can to be as honest and helpful as we can. When I was reading the liner notes, something really stood out in my mind. Landmarks seem to be a big part of TBS. There's the mention of the Williamsburg Bridge, the Holland tunnel and of course Exit 152. Why are they so worth mentioning? Because some of your best memories with your friends or leaving for tour always connects with the Williamsburg Bridge or the Lincoln Tunnel or when we knew we were getting close to Adam's father's house it was Exit 152. We'd always stop to get something to eat at this one gas station. It was just always, you know, we'd meet up with our friends there from North Carolina and I guess it's just the little things that remind you of home in my opinion. Adam's got his own opinion on things but that's the way I would take it and I'm sure that's how he's explaining it. What do you want to achieve before you are all "miserable and old?" I noticed you've been quoting things, very witty! What do I want to do before I'm done? I think this is it though. This is my last band. I've been in a million bands and I've done it for seventeen years so this will be my last band. I want to do maybe another two records, maybe retire and have kids and go to a culinary school like I've always wanted to and open up my own restaurant. Awesome. Stay as far away from music...I'd still be there and be a part of it and still go to shows. So more of a spectator than working behind the scenes? I used to book shows so maybe it would be fun to book a couple more shows again and like totally pushing everything I can onto my kid about playing music. Me and Nikki always fight about that..."you're not going to push him to play guitar!" Yeah but kids pick up and emulate. My dad was a musician and I think that's where I got it from. My dad played Flamenco guitar. He wasn't anyone famous but he played and my uncles played so I guess it just came from that. Alright you have two choices...You can take a couple random photos... I like your gifts but the one that I got out of the bag last time didn't work. What was it? Ummm...It was the booze thing? Yeah, yeah! Okay, take the photos or...will you take my dare? Random pictures...[thinks about it.] Yeah take random pictures and we'll attach them to the interview or you can take my dare. I'll take your dare. Okay. I dare you to kiss every one of your band members while you're on stage... OHHHH NOOOO!!! I can't do it! hahahahahaha I'll take the random photos! You don't understand, I don't want to go near half of them! Some of them don't shower for days! But that makes it all the more fear factor! Okay sheesh, we can bring it down to two. You can just run by. Ohhh. Okay! You are on! You are a touch New Yorker! I'll be in the audience watching. Alright, you are on! Your birthday is just around the corner so I've got a little joke for you. Okay. What does a clam do on his birthday? [thinks for a moment] I don't know. He shellabrates!! OH MY GOD! Hey, you guys have flooded me with bad humor! That is THE worst joke I've ever heard in my life! I have good jokes. I have really good jokes... Okay, tell me one. Why do cops always smell like doody? Why? Oh no! I said it wrong! [Eddie struggles to try and get the joke right as I laugh my ass off] Okay! Okay! Why do cops smell? Together: Because they are always on duty! What do you want people to take away from this album? When I really love a band, their music really makes me imagine things when I put the headphones on. I really hope people can do that with our record. It opens up your mind to be more creative... I could be the greatest video producer ever because my imagination goes wild when I listen to music. I know you like to have the last word in interviews so the mic is all yours. Stay true to music and to the lifestyle because it's not a trend. And don't ever let it die, keep it alive! *If you don't own this CD yet, [Buy it now!] *Got a comment about this interview? [let us know!]