I’ve always liked Rise Against. The Chicago melodic punks have a new record out on June 9th called Wolves.
Tier 8th album took the band to Nashville to record. “Living in Nashville drove home that we can’t just focus on our differences,” Tim McIlrath says. “If we can stop and talk to each other, face to face, we might realize our common ground. We are all wolves in the same pack, circling at the gates.”
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I went out with my boss from Match last night. Jason took me to some weird subterranean suburban bar. Possibly one of the finest dives in the Lower Mainland.
Lots of new radio singles at the Factory today. New Spoon song called “Rent I Pay,” The New Pornographers are back with “Brill Bruisers” and Rise Against gives us the first taste of their upcoming album The Black Market.
Lead singer Tim McIlrath says in a press release about the new record, “Rise Against has always been a political band, but also a personal band, We’ve always had songs that have a foot in both worlds. This album is a lot more introspective to me.”
New Rise Against record The Black Market comes out on July 15th.
Rise Against‘s 6th studio record, Endgame, debuted at #2 on the Billboard Chart. Guitarist Zach Blair also tried to tell me that it was number 1 in Canada and Germany! That’s something right. I like Canada, and Germany, you’re alright.
Zach and I had a little chit-chat over the phone as the band is currently in Berlin.
We talked about all sort of stuff. The record Endgame is kinda of a dark, concept record that is a bit heavier and faster then the previous couple records. There is a savage Grapes of Wrath quote when you open up the compact disc (do people still buy those?). Zach talks about the significance of that then delves into the some communist utopia mumbo-jumbo.
That leads the conversation toward “Help is on the Way” and he talk’s about making small changes in the world and taking care of yourself. because if you wait for someone else or the government you’ll be disappointed.
I gushed a bit about how the video is AWESOME so he explained that a bit.
Then… I dunno, we talk about some other things like Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio being on the record and Bill Stevenson of Black Flag and the Decendents producing it in Colorado and we end by reflecting on the time Rise Against came to Victoria and the guys hung out with the Darth Fiddler on Government Street. Oh the times we shared. Please find our conversation below in its unedited entirety. If that’s of interest to you or you work at another radio station you can download it and use a clip it if you want.
The Zone @ 91-3 signed on the radio June of 2001. And since that time, The Zone has sponsored a large number of Zone Shows. I didn’t come to the Zone till the spring of 2003, but I have done my best to reflect on some of the best concerts I can reckon from our extensive list of Zone Shows.
Were there better shows? maybe… in fact I can think of a bunch of great shows that aren’t on this list. I didn’t include anything that wasn’t a numbered Zone Show or anything that wasn’t in Victoria.
I wanted to include Rifflandia, it was Zone sponsored, but not a Zone Show… but it deserves a mention because it was so darn fun and the few shows I caught this year completely ripped! About half these shows I was at,m the other half I am relying on eye witness reports of their greatness and my jealousy of not being there. Here we go.
10) Sum 41 #1 Legends August 15th, 2001
The first Zone Show. I was not there but after talking with Sara, she felt that it would be important to mark the historic first in the franchise of “Zone Show” that featured a band that would continue to grow. When Sum 41 returns to Victoria now, they take up residence at the Arena, so if you were there back in the summer of ’01, you saw something special.
I originally wanted to include Sloan #60 Legends October 19th 2003. Sara asked, “what makes that show so special?”
I remember it as being one of the first big rock shows I got to MC as a young buck rocking the evening show on the Zone, but more importantly, there is this Zoner that phones my show from time-to-time that told me the story of his life and that show.
He brought a girl out on a first date to that rock show and they would end up getting married and are still married to this day. He always tells me how special Sloan and the Zone are to them because of that first date. awww, cute.
Our first big arena show was aptly, Zone Show #91, Our Lady Peace Save On Food Memorial Center, April 26 2006.
09) Sam Roberts w/ The Killers #74 Centennial Square September 4th 2004
One of my great modern rock shames. Being the junior announcer on the Zone still, I had to work while everyone else went down to Centennial Square to see this hot new band with a hit single called “Somebody Told Me” open up for Sam Roberts!
08) Beck w/ Band of Horses #159 Royal Theatre August 27th 2008
I included this show for a couple reasons. One: Coral and her friend Alix got to meet the lead singer of Band of Horses outside the Theatre. Two: Beck totally slays. Three, Band of Horses just keep getting better. To see them in the theatre is a treat.
07) Billy Talent w/ Rise Against, Moneen and Anti-Flag #115 Save On Foods Memorial Center January 18th 2007
Fuck it rained that day. I was outside huddled under a tent in the down pour for an epic live-to-air pre-show that included performances and interviews from all the bands involved. It was Rise Against’s first time in Vic and marked Billy Talent’s rise to the top of the Canadian Arena Rocking pyramid.
06) The Killers #169 Save On Foods Memorial Center April 23rd 2009
They came in ’04, they conquered in ’09. The Killers jammed out a bevvy of radio friendly hits, were gracious to allow an interview on the Zone, fired up an impressive stage show and just generally exceeded expectation.
05) Metric #101 Legends March 29th 2006
Metric’s first time in Victoria was a handful of years earlier opening for Hot Hot Heat at Sugar, then again headlining with Death From Above 1979. Those shows were good, but this show, headlining in the basement of the Strathcona Hotel was great! Metric was starting to firmly establish themselves and you knew then that these guys were gunna be huge! Just read the The Zone DJs top records of the year and almost everyone has Fantasies on their list.
04) Tragically Hip #174 Save On Food Memorial Center June 20th 2009
The Hip have had more than a few amazing shows in Victoria. I personally preferred their visit in January of 2007 for Zone Show #116. Then I saw them at the Commodore with my brother CJ. That show was spectacular. But talking with Dylan Willows, he said that #174 was the BEST Hip show he had ever seen. The special shout out that Gord had for the Times Colonist’s music writer Mike Devlin was go down in infamy ’round these parts.
03) Queens of the Stone Age #153 Save On Food Memorial Center May 1st 2008
There is a trend on this list for the best shows being later int he decade. I think that is happening for two reasons. The first being that I remember them better and second, the Zone is growing as a radio station and bigger rock acts are choosing our fair city. I’ll take it.
Queens is arguably the biggest band we play on the radio. Not only are these guy important to our playlist on the radio, Josh Homme delivers the goods on stage. Was a joyful man to interview and just generally owned the evening.
02) Tool #143 Save On Food Memorial Center December 1st 2007
It was my mother’s 50th birthday party on December 1st… and so I had a date in Coquitlam for the shin-dig. And I missed one my all-time fave bands. I am not too broke up about it however, I’ve seen Tool live more than once and every show they do is special. I can only imagine that a concert that sold out instantly was as insane as I imagine. this will be a show that Zoners will celebrate forever, along with,
01) Nine Inch Nails #161 Save On Food Memorial Center December 5th, 2008
Could there have been a more perfect live experience in Victoria of the arena variety?
The lights alone were worth the price of admission. Trent had an exceptional set list, great energy and excitement for the entire evening. I didn’t want it to end.
There were a lot of great shows in Victoria, a lot club gigs, little festivals, Meatloaf. I could write all day about some of the adventures I’ve had watching Bob make out with some random goer in the beer line of the Def Leppard concert, falling down a flight of stair and cutting my leg at Pirate Party (that was after puking and sharing the hot tub with the twins… male twins… awkward), Plants and Animals, Lucky Bar in general, open Air at Centennial Square (RIP) all those crazy SUB parties up at UVic, Band of the Month shows… oh the list.
Where is my red baseball cap? The playlist I am listening to right now makes me want to punch a clarinet player.
The Mega D-Bagger (some choice cuts)
Rise Against – “Savior”
Shinedown – “Devour”
Three Days Grace – “Time of Dying”
Hollywood Undead – “No. 5” (yeah that just happened, MySpace music circa 2005)
“Lets take some shawtz!” Rev Theory – “Hell Ya”
Hinder – “Get Stoned”
Hell Yeah – “Alcohaulin Ass”
Asher Roth – “I Love College”
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus – “Damn Regret”
Sum 41 – “Some Say”
Apocalyptica – “I’m Not Jesus”
Chevelle – “I Get It”
*special bonus D-Bagger tune: Hinder – “Lips of an Angel”
Damn, I hate myself after rocking this set out, but you know what? Even I break down and want to hear some base drinking tunes.
iTunes REALLY wanted me to download some Puddle of Mudd to you know, make it complete… but I gots none and I’m not sure if its worth the .99 cents.
Rise Against is an old favourite, that I got bored of once they started getting their due on the radio… but “Savior” is bringing me back into the fold. When that track pops up on the rotation on the Zone, I stop stalking you on Facebook and crank it in the studio. I thought RA would be a good jumping off point and low and behold, my listening took me into jock rock territory. I figure if I played lacrosse for the junior Shamrocks, this is the sorta music I’d be listening to before challenging the skinniest kid in the room to a fight… who’d normally be me! ah, but this time I got the letter jacket.
Shinedown’s “Devour” is a song that my man James Sutton turned me on to. I came into the Zone one day just before he took off to The Peak and he said, “don’t hate me, but I sorta like a Shinedown song.” I don’t hate you James, just disappointed. Fuck the song is catchy.
Three Days Grace… spooky, “I will not die! I’ll wait here for you…” hmmm, future cut showing up on Edward Cullen’s mixtape for Bella?
Hollywood Undead, um… I have no excuse. Kill me now. WTF is up with these guys, seriously? Its like the Mayfair Mall had too many ‘shawtz’ and puked out a band.
Rev Theory is the music I would fire up just before I broke into a drug dealers house to steal his stash. This might be what dude cheerleader music sounds like? “Give me a HELL! Give me a Yeaaaaaaaaah!” Oh boy, this will end poorly. “I am a junkie 4 lyfe!”
Rev Theory had some iTunes recommendations for Hinder, but not “Get Stoned.” You mean the band has any other song?
Oh right, “Lips of an Angel.” Holy shit, I remember when this song was changing lives and we never played it on the Zone. But oh man it was requested. all.the.time. The odd guy… sure I get it, its a fantasy song about being a rock star and having a couple girls on the go… but the ladies that request it…for shame, have some respect for yourselves. I asked Coral about it once, “Coral, what is up with girls requesting ‘Lips of an Angel?’ First off, ‘Get Stoned’ is the only song by Hinder anyone should care about ever, for the rest of time, on their tombstones, it should say… the guys that got stoned, lest we forget… and second, the song is about Johnny D-Bag lusting after some chick that has ‘lips of an angel’ while his boring ass girlfriend is sleeping in the other room?!?”
Coral said, “no girl is thinking they are the one sleeping in the other room.”
sure…
Hell Yeah… get it, “Alcohaulin Ass.” cute.
Asher Roth had a brief, very brief, time on the Zone… then banished. Too bad, hit my LastFM page and it is one of my most played songs! ha. I fucking loved college, I loved it so much, I did it twice and I’m trying to go back for a third round.
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is that type of “punk” band that ends up on Top 40 radio… so is that punk? Is Good Charlotte punk? Is anything really punk? I think the second your song goes something like… verse chorus verse and you have a branded band name, you left “punk” behind.
Sum 41, the band I love to hate. I first met these dudes when I did security for Blink 182. I was trolling around back stage at some huge “punk” concert at Thunderbird Stadium and I happened by the boys. I had noticed in one of their music videos a reference to the classic film Howard the Duck and thought I’d share it with Sum 41, finally finding my soul mate band that appreciates Lea Thompson and a puppet alien duck as much as I. They weren’t too impressed and ignored me. sadness. The search continues.
Years later I had the chance to interview them outside the arena here in Victoria. Still dinks. Well Stevo is and the spikey haired one, but Cone, Cone is cool.
Apacolyptica maybe shouldn’t be on my list. But I don’t have any Slipknot on my playlist. Do me a favour… never tell me you’re really into metal then tell me your favourite band is Slipknot… a little part of me dies when you do that.
Chevelle… a perennially guilty pleasure of mine. They can do no wrong by me… fire your own brother from the band? Hey as long as you keep making your super dreamy hard rock you can fire Obama!
At the end of my list, if you find yourself asking, “Where’s the Nickelback?” well friendo, you’re a bigger D-bag than me!
The Morning After 