#academy2

Sam Williamson has caught up with The Maine ahead of their Academy 2 date on 29th March.

He talked about the Irish crowd, his best tour memory and their new album "Forever Halloween"

Check it out! It's worth a read.

How are you today?

I'm doing well, thank you! How about you? Good? Good.

When the band was started, did you think you'd make it this far?

I don't think we thought much of it, other than that we loved making music and playing it live. Growing up, I had no idea that it was possible to tour outside of the USA. It's pretty awesome that we've been able to do it so many times now.

You had a busy 2013, releasing a full length album and an acoustic EP. Was that hard? 

Yes and no. The songwriting side of things never seems to put up a fight. We are pretty consistent in that regard. I think the hardest part was learning how to record together as a band, all at once. Forever Halloween was done that way, and it was completely new for us. Thankfully, we had Brendan Benson behind the boards to shed some light on that process.

  What parts worry you most about recording/releasing an album?

Well I think we're perfectionists to some extent. Sometimes an album isn't released immediately after you finish it. This gives you a lot of time to second guess yourself. Usually, the fan response is what makes everything feel alright in the end. Forever Halloween came out pretty quickly after we recorded it, so there wasn't too much time to wonder what we could have done different/better. I've started to embrace that. The album is an accurate representation of who we were at that given moment in time.

 Forever Halloween got pretty stunning reviews across the board. Were you relieved or confident that it would do well? 

Absolutely. I mean, I like the songs on the album and I feel that it's some of our best work to date. It's just nice to hear that from someone else. A second opinion other than my own (which is probably biased) is always a good thing.

Do you ever let reviews affect how you feel about your work?

No. If we were to let reviews dictate how we feel, then eventually it would change how we write. At that point, we would merely be a vessel that channels the opinions of others rather than an independent and free-thinking entity. Isn't that how art works? Individuality?

Any big plans for the year?

Lots of touring. 2014 is another road year for us. I'm sure we'll try to make some time at the end of the year to think about writing more material, but for the interim, we'll be focusing on crafting our set and performing. We're trying to play in as many places as we can at home and abroad.

You guys are back on Warped Tour this year, excited about that?

Yeah! It's gonna be a warm one.

Have you been a part of Warped Tour?

We did 2 weeks in 2008 and then the entire thing in 2009. Last year we were a part of the Warped Tour EU run. It's been half a decade now, so we can't wait to dig in and get down to business. It's always hot and dirty, but we look at it as a huge opportunity to reach out to new fans and play for some old fans who maybe haven't thought of us in some time.

 Best tour story?

Ah, so many. One that sticks out to me was our second headlining show in Sao Paulo. Brazil goes crazy. We love it. We filmed a DVD that night. It was one of my favorite shows we've done.

 What do you guys do to unwind after a tour?

I like to disappear for about a week. I spend time with my family and friends. Basically go off the grid. I only speak for myself, I know some of us can't sit still in the band so the other guys are constantly working on things. We just built a studio in downtown PHX so we've been spending a lot of time out there.

 You've come to Ireland a number of times now; what keeps you coming back?

We love it! I don't think we've had a bad show to date there. Honestly, I think it's a beautiful place. We're lucky to be back again. And beer.

Is there a big difference between crowds in different countries?

Not really! We've actually thought about this before and although certain places might be more excited because we don't visit as often, the general vibe seems to stay the same. I feel like our fans have created a community at this point. It feels very cohesive.

Best Album of 2013?

White Denim - Corsicana Lemonade

  Any favourite new bands at the minute?

Nothing super new. I just got really into a record by a band called The Sidekicks called Awkward Breeds. I think it came out in 2012. I don't stay as current as I'd like to on new stuff. There's just so much!

  You can catch The Maine when they land in Dublin's Academy 2 29th March - and 30th March at Oh Yeah Centre. Tickets available through Ticketmaster here: 

http://www.ticketmaster.ie/search?tm_link=tm_homeA_header_search&user_input=the+maine&q=the+maine&search.x=0&search.y=0

Forever Halloween is available now