Jeph from The Used chats to Jen about their Australia Tour in November and how Music should be a religion.
In an era rife with downloads, fly by night one hit wonders and singles it’s the passionate fans that truly appreciate the album in its purest form. There is something cathartic about putting on an album from start to finish and being at one with the artist. There’s something innately satisfying about an album’s running order. The way the songs fit together and it characterises our relationship with them.
In that spirit for the first time ever in Australia THE USED will be performing their self-titled album ‘The Used’ in fill one night and then ‘In Love And Death’ in full the next night in every city the band play.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for fans of THE USED to revel in a night of nostalgia and remind themselves exactly why they fell in love with these iconic albums in the first place.
Tickets are on sale now. There will be limited discounted tickets available for both nights and also a strictly limited amount of VIP options. Head to http://tickets.destroyalllines.com/ for more information.
Hi, Jeph I love the concept of you doing the 2 shows playing 2 different albums, ‘The Used’ and ‘In Love And Death’ and clearly your Australian fans do as well! The way tickets are flying out the door.
You have done a few legs of this tour, Europe, The US, and now announced Australia and the second leg of the US. Clearly whoever thought of this is a genius! Who was that?
I would like to say me right now as you called them a genius! I think it was all of us.We talked about doing an anniversary tour for years but instead of doing an anniversary tour we want to do something more special so one is a delight to of what made The Used, The Used. I think these first two records are so influential and us and a lot of our fans that is why we combined it with a double tour over two nights.
Congrats on making the 15 year milestone, my first marriage did not do that, do you think that it is the fact that you are such good friends is the secret to you staying together?
Yes, it has to be, that and the fact that we just love playing, honestly we love writing together and recording together. We have been through a lot of ups and downs and as you said it is the same thing as a marriage, but it is a marriage with four different people. Well three people and me. (both laughing) it is kind of a very awkward marriage! It definitely has been tough, there has been downs and some so far down the you could not even seeing the light, we were so far down. At the same time, we just stuck together when we couldn’t see the light and we worked to change that. It was certainly a ride.
Playing an Album in his entirety and in order is a rare occurrence. I remember when
Green Day did it with Dookie at Soundwave a few years ago and it was a like a time machine taking us back on an emotional journey from when we were younger. The first night will be ‘The Used’.
Your press release says that these nights will be a night of nostalgia for fans but is it will be also for you. How do you feel when you play these songs?
Yes 100 percent! It is just as nostalgic for us as it is for our fans. We went through so much growing during those two records.
There are so many memories from back then and it didn’t really hit me until the first tour that we did, our first European leg, like when we played the full album. I saw kids at the show that knew every single world and know the words, and the reaction of the fans, that come and tell us what happened to them and what they went through during that period of time. It made us all reflect as a band thinking of our own times back then.
The Used self-titled album, I think I would be correct in saying saved many people’s lives when they were struggling with teenage or young adult issues, for example songs like ‘On my own’, That must be an amazing feeling, can you try and explain how it makes you feel?
Oh man there is so many, really tough question, a good question but really tough question! I feel like we should abolish all religions and bring more bands out. Bands are helping kids more then religion. Some people might get really pissed off about that but it is true.
You are correct. Religion does not help people as much as music does.
I mean why can’t music be a religion? Let’s abolish the rest of them.
There would be less wars.
That is so true! So lets make music a religion. Liking music? Loving music? That is a religion, that is it.
Although we might have wars between Country and Black Metal!
We would! I can imagine a stage and the two bands thrashing it out. (both laughing)
Who cares, music is good.
Yep, if I have had a stressful day, the first thing I do is put on some music and the pour a glass of wine. Music soothes me. Also playing music can as well. Being a Music Journalist I have so much music to choose from. I must admit, your music has made and impact on my life. ‘On my Own’ helped me after the breakdown of my marriage. Was it written about a relationship break up?
You know I can’t remember what that song was written about. Which is a good thing. What I can tell you is the best thing about music and what I have noticed over the years of touring, the best thing about the way Bert writes, you can make up your own meaning to the song. He is kind is vague on certain things. People don’t know exactly what he wrote the song about and you can interpret the song in your own way and make your own vibe out of it and a lot of fans come up and say things like “This is what I think the song is about.
Going back to the religion that we are starting, I guess people interpret the Bible and the Koran differently.
Yes. In my opinion I think it should be about that. However it could be how ever you want it to be. If you interpret the song that way then for you that is what the song means.
I kind of alternated with Bulimic and “On my Own” in my emotions during this breakup. I look back now and think, why the hell did I care so much.
That is how it is! Take 10 years and you wonder why it was so important. Bulimic is a great song to perform live and I have a lot of fun with that one.
I am really looking forward to seeing it live!
When you hear so many fans stories of how these timeless songs have saved their lives, do their stories help your mental health? For example when you feel crap do you remember how many times your band have helped others and how amazing that is?
I think it is a but of both. It is definitely intense to take on some of that, do you know what I am saying? Like hearing someone who had a suicide in their family, that is pretty intense to hear that.It is pretty intense to help someone through that. I guess I am sort of connected to them to help them. I could hear people’s stories all day but after a while it starts to weigh on you. I am okay with hearing it and I can handle it but it definitely weighs on the heart.
We then had a great chat about our dogs. More on religion as well. Then got back on track.
The best song off your self-titled album to me, to the one that I like the most is The Taste Of Ink, looking forward to seeing that live. Do you have a fav to play live off this album or is this like choosing which child you would like the best? You mentioned that Bulimic is a lot of fun.
It depends on the night. Bulimic is a lot of fun as it is very simple but it is very intricate in some of the little parts. It is a lot of fun bass wise because it is easy and fun. The same thing with ‘Say Days Ago’, I really like playing the verse, it is very simple but it stands out in a fun way.
Back when you wrote this album, life was so different. You actually got some money from a sale of an album then rather than now when someone listens to it on Spotify or even watch it on youtube. Do you think it was easier back then being in band?
You know I think that it is harder now. Although it is easier and harder. Now, it was easier for bands to be heard but it is also harder to be heard as everyone is out there. So there is a million bands on the internet, you look up and band name that you can think of and a band will come up and they will have all of their songs on all the social media’s. It is so much easier to find stuff but you have to sift through a billion things to find it so it make sit more complicated. Back then it was tougher, maybe there was still so many bands but no body knew about any of them or be able to find any of them so the hard part is finding the band. It got easier for a minute but now it is back to where it was, just a big mess! Complicated and too hard to search. There are bands that occasionally shine through and that is good while they shine through.
Do you run your own Social Media?
Right now we have someone else running it but we post stuff on there occasionally and can anytime we want to. There is something to be said about the mysterious, the mystery of a band. Not knowing what the band is up to. There is also something about posting pictures of too much of your life on the internet as it takes the fun out of it I think. Kids do like to know what the singer of this band had for breakfast or like what this guitar player looks like. (both laughing) I miss the mystery, of not knowing the person and when you go to a show it almost makes it supernatural.
So true, I can see what you mean.
Will you be bringing commentative merch for your fans to buy? Aussies love band merch! ( I am wearing on of your hoodies now…..
We definitely will bring some merch down there, I am not sure. I am the one that deals with the merch so I will come up with a lot of different designs and I will pick through the designs that we have had submitted but I’m not sure exactly what we will bring down to Australia right now. It will definitely be something good. I want something fun to bring down.
Awesome!
I better let you go now, I was really keen to have a chat seeing that your songs have helped me.
We then had a discussion about Melbourne AA gig issues and over 18 shows and how our laws here are crazy.
Thanks for your time Jeph, can’t wait to chat about your second album and see you down here.
That will be great Jen. Thanks so much.
The USED Australian Tour Dates
NIGHT 1: SELF-TITLED
Monday 21st November – 170 Russell MELBOURNE
Saturday 26th November – Metropolis FREMANTLE
Tuesday 29th November – HQ ADELAIDE
Friday 2nd December – Enmore Theatre SYDNEY – New Show Upgrade
Monday 5th December – 170 Russell MELBOURNE – SOLD OUT
Thursday 8th December – The Tivoli BRISBANE
NIGHT 2: IN LOVE AND DEATH
Tuesday 22nd November – 170 Russell MELBOURNE
Sunday 27th November – Metropolis FREMANTLE
Wednesday 30th November – HQ ADELAIDE
Saturday 3rd December – Enmore Theatre SYDNEY – New Show Upgrade
Tuesday 6th December – 170 Russell MELBOURNE – SOLD OUT
Friday 9th December – The Tivoli BRISBANE
Music Injection 
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