Matt & Jared's attitude towards their music...

[fromhelltomaine]

Hey guys,

I realise that what Im about to write will probably only get responses telling me I am completely wrong...but does it bother anyone else how Matt, and to a lesser extent Jared, dont seem as heart and soul into the music as Nathan and Caleb (especially Caleb). I know that you could say he writes the lyrics, and therefore he's telling his stories so it might be more personal, but I've always considered them to be a good band because the music was so indiviual and unique. I'll admit, this is all stemming from what I read in the recent Mojo interview which could jsut be reporters twisting their words, but when Matt and Jared talk about YAYM it seems like they are truly embarassed about it, and when Matt talks about how sometimes he's not even sure he likes their music...I don't know, I guess I'm just one of those people who really wants the people in the bands I like to have the music mean as much to them as it does to me, and with Matt it seems like he's just trundling along with the whole KOL experience without really giving his everything. When Caleb talks about everything he talks with such passion, about how this was his dream and he's so grateful to Nathan for helping him, and when he talks about every song its with a pride, but Matt's just like, "I hate how that album sounds", "I didnt want to sound like this", "it's embarassing to play those songs" etc. and with Jared, for one for some reason now he turns his back on the 10,000 fans screaming for his songs in concert, he doesnt seem as into it as he did in 2007, and so many times he says he would never do this kind of music if he were solo. It's like he's adopted this "too cool" attitude, and that's like what Caleb was saying at the end of the RS cover story, where Jared was making fun of the country song by playing a generic bassline, and Caleb was saying they need to let go of all the paranoia about being "cool".
I dont know where the thread with the scans has gone, so I can't quote directly, its just from memory, therefore I realise some of the stuff I've said may be off, but it just got me thinking alot, if you don't feel the music with your heart and your soul, and if you dont have a passion for it, you're just going along with all the sold out tours and money and cars for the sake of it, you shouldnt be entitled to so many fans adoration, if you dont even care yourself.


Sorry for the long rant, just thoughts that had been bugging me for a while!

Any thoughts/responses are welcome...

[schnucams]

I do wonder why Jared turns his back to the crowd and doesnt really connect with the crowd for sure!! Though if he "loathes touring" then that would explain that. It makes me sad to think he hates being on stage and would prefer to be somewhere else, especially when I spend so much time and money trying to support them. That is my choice however and I am aware Jared bares no responsibility for that. I honestly hope he doesnt let it get to a stage where he throws the towel in on the touring altogether!! That said, Jared always plays well live and Ruth and I even spotted the odd bass face in San Fran and a few big smiles in Arizona. Also, he was the first one out to take pics and meet fans in san Fran. He did seem quiet, maybe its more of a personal thing for him at the moment as opposed to not liking the music!! I dunno. Also, Jared said he'd love KOL to be a band that change up the setlist and play whatever they want so maybe he's stifiled a little bit


As for Matt...yes Matt doesnt like playing some songs and I think that they should try and spice up the setlists and play what the fans want a bit more i.e. wicker chair, true love way, arizona, rml, happy alone etc. However, when Matt is on stage he always gives it socks, even when he was in Paris and clearly not well. He naturally likes to play tunes where he has a rockin solo (ie Crawl & Black Thumbnail), that seems pretty normal to me. But even when he is playing songs live that he does not like (eg Trani) he always seems to give 100% and always interacts with the crowd somewhat and always spends time waving at the end etc.

And seriously, as much as I love YAYM it really does sound all over the shop compared to some tunes on later albums. As musicians it must seem really immature and thrown together and Im not surprised they dont like to play it. That said, the fans, as far as I can tell, love that shit

Hopefully some of that makes sense, Ive been thinking about this too for a while!!

[ticboo]

Helltomaine, I've got no crtiticism with what you've said, it's all got a basis in what as fan's we see and read. We all make our minds up individually based on that and who knows really 'cept the band. Claire's(Schnucam's) post covers what I would say though. I agree with her.

[NikLovesLeb]

Fromhelltomaine,
I do agree with you, but it just always seemed to me that Jared and Matt come from very different preferences musically than Nathan, and especially Caleb. Jared always mentions the same bands--lots of 80's stuff like The Cure and Pixies, and some current stuff, like Glasvegas and Arctic Monkeys--and that is radically different from what Caleb mentions as his musical influences (old country, gospel, folk, oldies, etc.) So esthetically, it's possible that Jared and Matt just do not enjoy the sound or the vein in which the band has adopted.
In addition, because they are still very young, they are probably still evolving in many ways, including musically and emotionally.
We dont know, but there might be some egos involved in the relationships between them as band members and as brothers. Particularly in the earlier albums, it seems that Jared's and Matt's input was somewhat minimal, and consequently they dont feel as attached to YAYM, and maybe even AHA, since so much of it was Caleb's "confessionals".

Having said that, I wouldnt necessarily put too much stock in what is being written and how it's being quoted in magazines. A simple statement by a band member could be twisted whichever way the journalist wants.

Forgive the long and winding thought process.

[rockchick26]

I was a little shocked too when he said he doesnt like YAYM except for 3 songs. And in a recent interview he said Trani was a "sucky" song. So i get what youre saying there. BUT...I swear I have never seen any musician smile as much as Matt does when he's onstage! He has to love what he's doing. He's always the only one smiling, well 99% of the time anyway, i occasionally see Caleb smile a little. But Matt has a full-on shit eating grin on his face A LOT. And now that he's writing more bluesy stuff and getting the rest of the band into that sound, I think the problem was either that he wasn't given enough creative input on the first record, or the fact that most bands don't like their first albums anymore anyway.

So i'm not holding it against him. My heart and soul is in my poems i've written and yet I cant stand reading my first ones cuz they suck LOL I'm sure Matt loves their stuff NOW though.

[jeffica]

I would like to add my 2 cents and say that, while those comments from Matt did initially scare the bujeesus out of me, I think (and here I'm just trying desperately to rationalise) that it may just be because they are so sick of them, and like someone said above they are not the most complex songs musically. They're all sick of Molly's, and nobody has complained about that, why can't Matt be sick of Trani (I must confess, I don't think its fantastic. Merely extremely good...) Its also no secret that Matt is their main advocate of all the technological aspects of their music, love it or hate it, there's no doubt that this has had a major impact on them. The only bit that I am concerned about is (in the MOJO article) when he said he's not sure he likes their stuff now... Thats odd!
Although I do remember reading an AMAZING interview a while back (most people probably know it) where Caleb and Nathan were asked about each other and Matt and Jared, and Caleb said something about Matt having all these good ideas and then doubting them and taking them back. Maybe he's just one of those people who is unsure about putting their work up for critique, a fear of building it up and fully endorsing it, because creating music is (I imagine, I'm hardly an artiste myself...) quite a personal thing that requires a great deal of commitment...

[sarah///]

I think Matt enjoys being stage, I know he does from how he is when he's up there! He always makes me happy. I just think he wants more solos to rock out on, we know he loves the rockier songs he can really go for it on. I wish they'd play McFearless a bit more cos he really shines on that!

As for Jared, I've never seen the "old" Jared properly cos I think his main period for that was 07ish and I didn't see them til last summer. I'd love for him to ham it up a bit more but I remember reading he finds it wierd all those people and there's a select few in the front row he keeps eye contact with so he doesn't have to look at everyone, maybe that is something to do with it? Like when they weren't so big he came across as being cool calm collected but now they're bigger it's the opposite?
I have no idea how he feels I'm just putting two and two together. I hope he's okay though

[drippingbeards]

I only have one thought on Jared: Arrogant wanker who doesn't know the real meaning of the word cool! (at times)

[eyelashes]

To be honest, I've always thought that Jared seems to really get into it when they're playing live, thats just the way it came across to me.
Also, from what I can gather, he was dragged into the band with no musical experience (correct me if I'm wrong), so maybe this isn't his dream. But if he really hates it that much, it would surprise me as he could've left the band a long time ago.

That's just my opinion anyway

[Savanna]

^ I think he was anything but dragged into the band...he's said himself that he was bored as a normal 15-year-old and wanted to be in the band and travel, etc.


But fromhelltomaine, I totally see what you're saying and agree with a lot of it. Caleb puts everything he has into the music, and that's enough for me I think. Maybe the other guys feel it too, they just don't show it as often as Caleb does. And I think Matthew is a lot more into it than Jared...I think Jared, being the youngest and most restless, is already tiring of all this. Maybe it'll change and he matures, but who knows what he's really thinking.

[sarah///]

May 31, 2009 20:19:37 GMT @drippingbeards said:

I only have one thought on Jared: Arrogant wanker who doesn't know the real meaning of the word cool! (at times)

Jared's an absolute sweetheart in real life

[Savanna]

May 31, 2009 21:33:04 GMT sarah/// said:

May 31, 2009 20:19:37 GMT @drippingbeards said:

I only have one thought on Jared: Arrogant wanker who doesn't know the real meaning of the word cool! (at times)

Jared's an absolute sweetheart in real life

I have yet to see that side...

[sarah///]

Really? He seems quite shy and stuff! I thought he'd be really chatty and stuff but he was really humble

[Savanna]

I could be mistaking stand-offish for shy. I'm basing this on the one time I've met him, BUT it was MY first impression of him, so it stuck. I guess I'll just haaaave to meet them again to be sure

[rainman]

In all honesty, and i have been a fan of kol since ash came out, i can understand them not being into the music theyre playing right now, over and over again. I think its great stuff, i really do, but they could be something entirerly different than their current encarnation, which is glossier, more country, not as raw and edgy. Perhaps Caleb is behind their current sound, i'm sure of it infact (not saying thats a bad thing, your a boss Caleb). Not being behind the reigns of a bands creative output would probably make me bored and restless, not to mention frustrated. I can only assume matt or jared are feeling trapped, in a creative sense, in the band. Maybe i'm wrong about that, i dont really know them, what can i say.

That being said, i think this new album that theyre working on is going to be pretty radical, or at least i hope it is for their sake. There is so much good music out there right now, more than there was 2 years ago, that, frankly, kicks their ass creatively and originality wise.

I think this latest album is class and has great musicianship/songwriting/singing, but it certainly isnt the triumph and feat that they have the potential to produce. Yes it won them a larger american audience, though i think alot of their new fan base isnt the kind of people they would have hoped to hook (bro's and stupid classless sex on fire lovers, not to say everyone who likes SOF is classless, but alot of them are). Something mindblowing and earth shattering is needed for them to truely be rock gods. They have to spend a good long while thinking and working up this new album, they have to reach deep and pull out their inards together for the world to see and not create things just because it sounds 'cool' or has a good hook/melody, but because it is truely great and awesome.

My 2 cents.

[Elly]

I remember reading similiar stories about other bands about being embarassed when first starting out!..

I still think they're trying ta find where they fit in!..cos ta me they seem all over tha place..or just worn out...

And being embarassed about YAYM? i think thats totally normal.. but i guess its like looking back at things ya loved doing then sayin to ya self "oh gawd thats absolute crap"... when ya look back on it.... we've all been there.. its just one of them things i guess u could say!..

As for jared.. i really have no idea what ta say..if any one asked for my honest opinion.. id say his getting bored with the whole thing.. he doesnt seem ta be into it anymore like he use ta be.. its kinda disappointing really...i havent had the privilege of seeing them Live yet.. but when i do really hope jared doesnt spend the whole time with his back turned..

either way or where ever they go! il be a true fan till the day i carck it backs turned and all!!

[chichi]

I mentioned this in another thread, but I think they should find someone else to replace Jared while touring. Turning your back on an audience for an entire show just because you hate touring is unbelievable to me. I can't believe the other guys in the band put up with that. It makes him look like a spoiled brat.

[whiskers]

I think there's a certain irony to the way they always joke they could never break-up cause they're family -could you imagine, they'd probably like never speak to each other again :/
So if Matt and Jared weren't that happy, well, what the fuck could they really do about it? I'm not saying they are, necessarily, just IF they were.

Jared isn't an arrogant wanker, i'm sure he can be but i always think that's a front more than anything and is actually quite lovely, as they all are. Put someone under that much pressure and you're not gonna find yourself loving everything they do, esp' when they've been in a band since their teenage years and there career hasn't gone anywhere but up.

[handsintheair]

May 30, 2009 19:55:43 GMT schnucams said:

And seriously, as much as I love YAYM it really does sound all over the shop compared to some tunes on later albums. As musicians it must seem really immature and thrown together and Im not surprised they dont like to play it.

Exactly. I'm not at all surprised they're embarrassed about YAYM. Musically, they've moved light years beyond that first record, both in terms of songwriting and muscianship. They openly admit they could barely play their instruments (other than Nathan) when YAYM was recorded, so it must be pretty painful for them to listen to it now. And musically, those songs are pretty simplistic, so I'm sure they're boring as hell to play live now, especially in contrast to songs from BOTT and OBTN.

As for Matt, i get the sense his interests are broader than just music, while Calebs lives for it. Which is fine and actually really healthy. Did anyone listen to that recent Canadian interview with Alan somebody (it's the one where Matt is playing with his phone the whole time)? Can't find the link right now, but in the extended podcast version the interviewer asked them a question about cars and Matt suddenly came to life! Started talking a blue streak about engines and tech stuff (reminded me soo much of my brother ). I swear, i've never heard him so animated before. After about 5 mins the interviewer apologised for taking them off topic and Matt said no problem, this was really fun. But that's not to say he doesn't enjoy playing guitar and creating music. Just listen to the interview he did wth Music Radar.

As for Jared, he's never struck me as arrogant. But i do think he's extremely bright and obviously extremely talented, which in combo can sometimes come across as arrogance. Like Caleb, i think he lives and breathes music, just not necessarily the kind KOL is known for. And i don't think he's given the credit he deserves as a bass player, which is bound to hurt. It'll be interesting to see what ends up on album five and how much Jared's taste influences the sound.

[antroolez]

YAYM was the shit!

x