Vans Exclusive: Bayside

I caught up over the weekend with Bayside drummer (little) Chris to get the latest on their newest album. Oh, you didn't know they were writing one? Well...now you do! Chris also has a very, very specific Bayside Vans collab in mind. I'm taking notes on this one. Maybe as thanks for the interview, I'll send you a custom pair, Chris. Durn...I may have ruined your Christmas present....

On with the interview!

So word on the street, or around the Vans office, is there's a new album in the works. Spill it! Where are you guys in the process?

Yes!! It is true!! We are pretty much right in the middle of writing our new record. At this point it's us in a room with no windows writing songs. The coffee drinking is at its max! We've got a pretty good amount of songs and we're all definitely psyched on how they're coming out.

What is writing like for Bayside? Any sort of crazy systematic formula you've developed, do you guys mostly work together, does everyone do their part, etc etc.

Our writing formula is pretty simple. Basically Anthony will come up with a verse and chorus idea and send it to all of us via "the world wide web." We shoot emails back and forth about developing the idea and than we get into our practice space. This is where we actually play out the idea, get a tempo and track the idea onto garage band. We record the songs using a condensor microphone straight into garage band and us just playing live. Believe it or not it sounds pretty decent for what we actually need it for. After we track the song we'll sit and listen back to it and figure out where to "cut out the fat" (aka fix what sucks) and then we retrack it till we think the idea is where it should be. After practice we go home, send each other the songs and work out our own parts. This is definitely a formula that works for us.

Anything people should (or shouldn't) be expecting for this release? New influences maybe? Different sound?

What NOT to expect from the new Bayside album:
An obnoxious amount of auto-tune, dance beats and the color neon green.

What TO expect from the new Bayside album:
If Walking Wounded and Shudder had a baby and he was really handsome. When we write we constantly think about what our fans like, what we like and what new listeners will like. We also write keeping our live show in mind. Its important for us to have fun on stage and for people watching to have fun. That is the whole point isnt it? Hope you all like it cause i know we will.

It's hard to say as far as any new influences for the record. I know that each one of us individually are being influenced by different things but not the band as a whole. We are all influenced by different genre's, musicians and bands. I would have to say the only band we all collectively listen to and grew up on is NOFX.

Have an idea when we can expect this anticipated album? And what's the game plan after the release- are you thinking that far ahead yet?

I'm not allowed to say, but the record will be coming out before November 6th of 2014. After the new record comes out we plan on touring and touring and touring and touring, other than that there are no specific plans as far as what we'll be doing after the new record comes out. We've been putting all of our focus into writing this upcoming album.

What's your most favoritist part about touring?

My favorite part about touring is getting to hangout with my friends, making new friends and playing music everyday. It's also really fun waking up in different places everyday. Touring makes being home feel like everything is moving in slow motion. On tour you're around hundreds of people and what feels like total chaos almost every day.

What have you been listening to lately?

Recently i've been listening to alot of Creedance Clear Water, Chuck Berry, the Suicide Machines, The Police, the new Propagandhi record, Piebald and I've been really stoked on a drummer named Steve Jordan. I know i'm behind, but my girl friend just showed me a band called The Swellers and im really into what they're doing.

Vans style you can't live without!?

My Vans gear I can't live without would be all of my Authentics and Skate Mids. I won't wear anything else, AND IF YOU STEEL MY KICKS I'LL STAB YOU!!

If you could collab on a Bayside Vans shoes, what would you have in mind? Take your time on this one if you have to....

If I could collab with Vans on a Bayside Vans sneaker not only would I be psyched, but I'd be psyched!!!! I would do black on black slip-ons with White Collar Lining, White Foxing stripes and White Elastic gore with half of the Bayside Bird in White on each sneaker so when you put your feet together TA-DA!! it makes the full bird!! AND!!! Written on the Exterior Soul (bottom of the sneaker) it would say "IS A" on the left and "CULT" on the right . I think this is something our fans would really be into. Not bad yea?