Strung Out – Jason Cruz
Posted on September 01, 2009 at 12:00 am by Luke
California’s long-running and influential punk outfit Strung Out came by London, Ontario’s Call The Office last spring on the Fat Tour. I was able to catch up with vocalist/songwriter Jason Cruz early in the day to talk about his own personal influences, life as an artist, the bands new rarities compilation and even their upcoming album, “Agents of the Underground”. Considering the amount of noise coming from inside the venue, we still managed to converse pretty well. So without further adieu, here’s my recent conversation with Jason. Hope you enjoy.
WayTooLoud!: What influenced you into playing music?
Jason Cruz: Man, I dunno… probably my mom ‘cuz she was really into music when I was younger and I guess I just picked it up. I never had a doubt about wanting to do anything else but play music, so I guess being raised on music at an early age.
WTL!: “Prototypes and Painkillers” just came out, why did you guys decide to release this rarities compilation?
Jason: We just had so much stuff that was unreleased and so much other random, rag-tag stuff that was on compilations. There was actually some cool songs that never made it onto any records; “Lost Hotel” was a great song that never made it onto a record, “Don’t Look Back”, there was some good shit so I’m glad this [material] is seeing the light of day! In a good size package!
WTL!: I was reading through all of the little notes inside for each song…
Jason: Oh, there’s so much more notes for each song! There’s a story behind everything!
WTL!: Yeah! I was reading on how a bunch of those songs were “crowd favorites”, and now the fans can actually hold those songs in their hands!
Jason: Yeah! There’s some crap on their too, honestly… (Laughs) but people like to hear that too! I don’t like looking back on things we’ve done, I like looking forward. Sometimes I have to be forced by the guys to look back and revisit some of that old stuff… it’s like hanging out with an ex-girlfriend, you’re already over it, passed it!
(Laughs)
WTL!: I know a rarities compilation is a little different than a full length, but did you still have any objectives while putting it all together?
Jason: It’s just something we’ve wanted to do for a long time and now we had the time. Every band does it, if you’re a band long enough you’re gonna have all that unreleased stuff and you gotta do something with it.
WTL!: Are there still any Strung Out songs left unheard?
Jason: I hope not! I think we got ‘em all! I really hope not!
(Laughs)
WTL!: How has the writing changed from Strung Out’s early days?
Jason: It hasn’t changed much, everyone writes. I think we’ve gotten into a certain momentum, like everyone knows what they’re good at and not good at, everyone does their thing, there’s no arguing, everyone knows their place. This new record is like the biggest team effort that we’ve [done so far], we just thought it up and did it, it’s nice! It’s becoming musical soul mates with your band members, you don’t have to explain too much, you just do it. That’s a nice thing about being in a band for eighteen, nineteen years.
WTL!: Where does the inspirations come from these days, what do you like to write about now?
Jason: Whatever’s going on. I don’t like to write about anything in particular, just whatever’s going on at the time, you have to be honest with yourself, make yourself vulnerable.
WTL!: I hear you guys were in the studio with new material for a new album?
Jason: Yeah, we just finished it right before we left on this tour! It’s getting mixed right now and hopefully it’ll be done by the time we get back, and out by September.
WTL!: Is it titled?
Jason: Yes, “Agents of the Underground”. We’ll do one song tonight. We just recorded it and went on tour, don’t even know half the shit that we did, I haven’t heard it yet!
(Laughs)
WTL!: You guys recorded with Matt Hyde for a couple albums, why the change to Cameron Webb, and how did you hook up with him?
Jason: I think after you do two records with the same person you owe it to yourself to try someone new. First record you learn about each other, second you know everything about each other, you hit your stride, a third record… I think you should definitely work with someone else. I love the Ignite record that Cameron did, I was in love with that record! I love the sounds that he got, so I just called him up… Brett from Ignite hooked us up.
WTL!: So, for Strung Out fans, be prepared for a new production sound?
Jason: Cameron was a fan of the band, and that’s actually the first time we’ve worked with a producer that was an actual fan of the band, so he knows what kids and what people like about our band, he knows what we’re capable of and he puts those two together, that’s what he’s good at.
WTL!: You guys are on tour as we speak, you just had a rarities comp come out and are looking at a new record by the end of the year, do you have any more goals for the future of Strung Out?
Jason: All my goals have been exceeded! I don’t have any expectations for the band anymore, I just take it day by day. I’m lucky to be here right now! Get better at singing, I guess, get better at doing what we do.
WTL!: Strung out has been on Fat Wreck Chords since almost the beginning, there must be a good relationship in place in order for this longevity?
Jason: Yeah, it’s like family! Not many bands can say that about their label.
WTL!: I’ve noticed a lot of Fat bands stay on Fat.
Jason: A lot of them leave and come back, a lot leave and complain, you wouldn’t be a musician if you didn’t complain about your label, but we’re fine. Mike takes care of us, he lets us do what we gotta do.
WTL!: Have you guys ever considered a live DVD or documentary?
Jason: We’re working on that right now, it’s been in the works for like three or four years now. There’s just so much damn footage! It’s a pain in the ass. So yeah, it’s in the works, should be out pretty soon. I’ve been saying that every fuckin’ year!
(Laughs)
WTL!: Your drummer broke his thumb before recording I hear?
Jason: Jordan [Burns - drums] broke his thumb in the middle of tracking, so we ended up getting this guy Jerrod Alexander, who’s recording with Throwdown right now, and he laid down scratch track drums so everyone could play over it and I could sing over it. Then Jordan’s thumb healed up after we were all finished and he went in and tracked his drums last, which was the first time things took place in that order. Kinda strange, but he did a great job! I can’t wait to hear it, actually I haven’t heard it yet, I recorded my vocals, Jordan recorded his drums then we went on tour, so I haven’t heard any of it yet, I’m going crazy! You work so hard on it in such a short period of time… it’s like having a baby and not being able to see it! Like “what’s it look like!”. (Laughs)
WTL!: Here’s a picture!
(Laughs)
WTL!: I heard you had to get people to play drums for you while Jordan was healing?
Jason: We had a close friend of ours play some shows with us.
WTL!: I read something on your myspace about a drumming contest?
Jason: We had some kids come play at our shows back home, they won and came up and played a few songs, which was rad! Very different, something fun to do, get the kids involved.
WTL!: A lot of vocalists are heading out with solo projects, has the thought ever occurred to you?
Jason: Yeah, I think that you’re either a rock star or a songwriter, and I always wanted to be a songwriter. I think that it’s important that whatever you write can hold up acoustically, to be able to get in front of a room full of people and sing it. So, yeah, that’s the best way to brush up on your chops as a vocalist, get an acoustic guitar. I think about it all the time!
WTL!: Have you written anything that doesn’t fit Strung Out?
Jason: Yeah! I have another band with my brother and my friends that’s not punk rock in any way! It’s called Blackheart and the Pistoleros. Just me and my brother havin’ fun!
WTL!: That actually leads into my next question– does anyone in the band have any other projects currently on the go?
Jason: I think it’s important to have something else going on, I don’t know about the other guys, but if you just live the band you have nothing else to draw from… I think you have to have a relationship, a job, another band, something else to draw from and bring to the band. Things get stale if you just experience one thing all the time.
WTL!: I hear that you enjoy life as an artist?
Jason: Fuck yeah! I definitely enjoy life as an artist! I draw and I oil paint, so I’m always doing something creative, that’s just who I am, I have to create. The day isn’t a good day if you don’t create something!
WTL!: Have you always drawn?
Jason: I’ve always drawn, I tattooed for a little bit but wasn’t into it, I just paint when I get home, I do art shows.
WTL!: Anything big?
Jason: I try! It’s fun! It’s what I love to do man! Check it out, AmerikanBlackHeart.
“Calling” music video from 2007’s “Blackhawks Over Los Angeles”
WTL!: What have you been listening to lately?
Jason: Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Hank Williams, I always listen to a lot of Hank Williams. All kinds of shit, mostly a lot of roots music, like American roots music, old blues, nothing really specific. Nothing punk, I don’t really listen to punk too much, maybe older [punk].
WTL!: Actually, a lot of bands with this longevity say American roots music.
Jason: That’s what punk rock is, if you’re any sort of musician in any way, you’re gonna trace your roots back to where it came from!
WTL!: Who would you like to tour with who’s both feasible and not obvious?
Jason: Man… I don’t know, I don’t even know who’s in this scene anymore, I just stick to my friends, like the bands on this tour. I like the Arctic Monkeys a lot, I’d like to tour with more British bands, that’d be rad. I’d actually like to go out on my own and get more people who do acoustic stuff, get like an acoustic tour going or something like that. The message is still there, you know!
WTL!: Same question but minus the feasibility, so you can pick any band, any era!
Jason: Bad Brains!
WTL!: Bad Brains?
Jason: Fuck yeah! Bad Brains! I’d love to tour with those guys in 1984!
WTL!: They’ve come back!
Jason: Yeah, I’ve seen ‘em!
WTL!: I missed them when they came to Toronto a while back, I’m kicking myself.
Jason: They’re not what they used to be but they’re still…. I mean they’re the Bad Brains! What can you say? H.R. is like a prophet!
(Laughs)
WTL!: Is there anywhere in the world you’d like to tour?
Jason: Anywhere! I’d like to go to the middle east, or Palestine or something, to find out for myself what’s really going on over there, experience people and the kids. That’s the part of the world where people actually have something to fight for, and I’d love to go experience that, in some way!
WTL!: Bands get asked about their name all the time, so I wanna ask if you have any good lies you’ve told about the name and what it means?
Jason: That we all met in rehab and we started writing songs in rehab, and “Strung Out” was the name that the nurse, who was taking care of all of us, came up with. Fuckin’ strung out, stoner, motherfuckers!
(Laughs)
WTL!: Thanks so much for this talk!
Jason: Yeah, dude, thank you!
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September 2nd, 2009 at 11:12 pm
[...] More info…Californias long-running and influential punk outfit Strung Out came by London, Ontarios Call The Office last spring on the Fat Tour . I was able to catch up with vocalist/songwriter Jason Cruz early in the day to talk about his own personal influences, life as an artist, the bands new rarities compilation and even their upcoming album, Agents of the Underground . Considering the amount of noise coming from inside the venue, we still managed to converse pretty well. So without furthe [...]