“This record will be different than the others as far as our usual pattern for the past few albums. It’s gonna be different this time,” relates Bouncing Souls bassist Bryan. Rounded out by singer Greg, guitarist The Pete and drummer Shal, the Bouncing Souls are on tour in support of their latest release, How I Spent My Summer Vacation (Epitaph), but Bryan is more interested in projecting than reflecting.
“When you record an album, you go out and tour it while you collect your thoughts for the next album. We’ve written those songs about missing home and our girlfriends…we don’t want to sound like a broken record. We’ve been touring straight for so long and after this time out, we get to stay home and collect our thoughts. That’s why it won’t be the same old thing again.”
Of course, this doesn’t mean that the band is sick of their latest release. In fact, as Bryan states, they are just beginning to feel like it’s coming together. “We haven’t even gotten half of these songs into the set yet, so we’re still excited to be playing them. But you’re always looking ahead at what’s coming around the bend, so the next album is on my mind.”
Even more so than one would imagine. Reaching the end of their contract with Epitaph, the success of How I Spent… could mean feast or famine for the band. Revealing little tension, Bryan expresses a feeling of security with the band’s future. “Thankfully our last album with this contract was a strong one, and I see more and more people showing up at our gigs, so we’ve got our fingers crossed.”
Off the future trip, Bryan worries more about the Bouncing Souls legacy than their future. After a few world tours, he has a better understanding of just how poignant the band has become to so many. Confronted with an average of two or three Bouncing Souls tattoos per show (over a six-month period, that’s, like, 600 kids), he wants to ensure that the name is never abused or misused.
“If any of us ever felt that we couldn’t put in 100%, we’d break up right then and there. It sounds harsh, but I would do it without a second thought. It means so much to me. After 14 years and all of the hard work we’ve put into this, it would be worse to try and milk it for a couple of extra bucks than to let it go out in its golden age. That’s the problem with most bands anyway. They don’t know when to call it a day.”
Given that each of the members are still living month-to-month and must spend half the year away from home in order to afford having one, that’s quite the statement. Beaming with sincerity, Bryan continues, revealing the true punk ethic. “I have no nest egg. There’s no retirement plan for punk rockers. I’ve lived most of my life just doing whatever I want, so that when I’m old I won’t have any ‘what ifs.’ While that’s been great for me now, it could be a lot of trouble in the future, but if I had to do it all over again, I’d do it in the exact same way. When you’re a teenager, you have to make a tough decision. Everyone else tells you to go corporate and sell out, while your heart tells you to stick with something. I can’t wear suits…”
