Atreyu... “Call my name!”
Interview w/ Dan Jacobs of Atreyu
w/ Song River
Ten years brings together the heart of perseverance and a passion for making metal-core rage. As the band Atreyu now celebrates their 10 years as a band (with a four year hiatus so 14 on the technical side of things) their latest album, Long Live, shows their break was needed as it has brought forward their original drive into the space Atreyu deserves.
Currently out on tour here in the states, spinning through Vans Warped Tour, then a jet over the pond to the UK and Europe and eventually landing down under to tour with Bullet for My Valentine in October... This year is looking like that hiatus might have been the best thing to have ever happened to Atreyu.
Just prior to their stop in Phoenix, Arizona at Club Red lead guitarist of Atreyu Dan Jacobs took a few moments to talk with me. His energy and excitement for this year is quite evident and good to hear.
Song
River: Ten-year marks are something really special. Looking back
from where Atreyu began to today... what have you seen
as the overall gain made by the band?
Dan
Jacobs: We've been able to make a living traveling the world chasing
our dreams. We've been very fortunate and look forward to continuing
our quest to fulfill all our rock n roll dreams.
SR:
Apply that same thought to the development of your music. This can
encompass songwriting, melody, recording.
DJ:
We've released 6 full-length albums in 14 years working with a
different producer each time. The collective effort and experience
from all that has taught us a lot about songwriting and recording as
well as helped mold us into the band we are today.
SR:
How about performing live? What are some of the same things that hold
true to the band today as you tour?
DJ:
We have and always will bring a very big ,energetic, rock style show
to our audiences. We pride ourselves on our live show and has been
our biggest selling point since day one. Nobody leaves an Atreyu
show feeling disappointed. We won't allow
SR:
During your 'independent' years you went by the name Retribution,
but changed the band name to Atreyu.
Why the change and what was it in the book/movie The
Never Ending Story that
you identified with to make this the band's new name?
DJ:
We felt our sound was evolving in a new direction and wanted to start
fresh with a new name. Retribution was a punk band and Atreyu
was our heavier more metal outlet. At the time of this transition, a
lot of our favorite bands had names of characters from sci-fi,
fantasy, horror, type movies so we were intrigued by the name Atreyu
and went with it.
SR:
There was a four year period of time when you all were not playing
together. Were you as a band really ever on a 'hiatus' or was that
just a term the media tagged on?
DJ:
We definitely were on hiatus. We were all burnt out and needed a
break.
SR:
Bands have side projects, it is part of taking care of the creative
sides. What are some of the 'side' projects inside the music
and even outside music that the members take part in?
DJ:
Alex tattoos, Marc is photographer/artist, Travis and Brandon score
music for TV/film as well as Brandon singing for his other band Hell
or Highwater, and I own and operate a merchandise company called
Rock World Merch and a company called Pluginz that
makes "Jack Racks" which are wall mountable guitar amp
style key chain holders. They rule! www.TheJackRack.com
SR:
The album Death-Grip
On Yesterday
seems to carry some weight in its meaning. Describe this
album.
DJ:
It's our 3rd studio full-length and the first album to debut in the
Billboard Top 10 as well as a follow-up to our biggest album to date
so there was a lot of pressure to deliver. The name reflects that and
many other things in not being able to let go of the past. Every
album is a form of growth and a transition to a newer version of
ourselves so it's healthy to not hold onto the past so
tightly. It's about learning to let go of the past so you can allow
yourself to grow into the future.
SR:
From Death-Grip On
Yesterday
to your current album, Long
Live
you've had a few label changes, some life events occur within the
body of this current tour have you noticed anything about your fans?
DJ:
We've learned how truly passionate and dedicated our fans are. Even
after being a band for 17 years and taking almost 4 years off they
still come out and support us as if we never left. We're
nothing without that and it will fuel us to even greater success.
SR:
When the tour winds itself down in Vegas. New album on the horizon?
More touring? Talk about the rest of 2016-17.
DJ:
We're heading to Europe/UK to play some festivals as well as Warped
Tour in the summer and Australia with Bullet for My Valentine
in October. Busy year!
SR:
From the Jr. High years and the need to create music to today.
When you listen to other bands music or go see a concert do you still
find yourself gravitating towards the same musicians? If so, what is
it about those musicians you connect with?
DJ:
I've grown a lot in my taste for music. Mostly chasing that
feeling you get when you discover a new band that just hits you in
the right spot. I love that feeling so my journey has taken me across
genres and greatly influenced my writing and playing.
SR:
I understand Dan that you are a huge fan of 80's rock. Was it the
hair, the breakdowns, the riffs, the clothing, the persona... what
was it about the 80's that killed it wickedly for you?
DJ:
All of it! Everything about the 80's was turned up to 11. The
lifestyle, partying, the musicianship, songs, production, everything
was over the top huge and I love all of that. That's what I bring to
Atreyu.
SR:
What does the future of metal-core look like as metal in all its
sub-genres continues to evolve? Ruff!
DJ:
Unfortunately, it's getting pretty watered down. Too many unoriginal
bands sounding and dressing all the same. It's hard to tell most of
them apart. I try to stay out of it and not let it influence is in
any way. I like being original!
