Alexisonfire interview

Alexisonfire has a new album out called "Old Crows/Young Cardinals" (out now on Vagrant) and if you ask me, it's their best one so far. They sound more mature than ever and sound more rock 'n roll than ever! Didn't need more reasons to do a short email interview with guitarist Wade!

PRT: Have you ever been embarassed to tell someone that you named the band after the world's only lactating contortionist stripper? Like when one of your grandparents or the parents of a new girlfriend asked you about it?
Wade: Yes, it has made for some akward moments around christmastime. I usually just tap dance around the answer until the topic changes.

PRT: You're all involved in side-projects or other bands (City and Colour, The Black Lungs, Hunter, Bergenfield Four, Fucked Up). is that something you need to do to keep things running smoothly?
Wade: We are all music junkies. All the side bands you mentioned give us a chance to do something different.

PRT: Do you feel like any of those other projects have an impact on Alexisonfire's sound?
Wade: They definitely have an impact on the alexisonfire sound. First off, they alow us to get certain things out of our systems. So, this way we aren't trying to fit everything in our heads into an alexis song. Also, just playing more music has definitely helped our voices.

PRT: In the opening song of your new album there's the line 'We are not the kids we used to be'. Is that a statement about you guys as a band or something else entirely?
Wade: I think on every album we have a song that is a bit of a mission statement. Old Crows is where our heads are at these days.

PRT: The new album is called "Old Crows / Young Cardinals". probably your best and most diverse album so far and even further removed from your debut than "Crisis". Which made me wonder if you guys get that 'I liked their first album better' comment a lot?
Wade: Of course we do. You can't please everybody. At the end of the day you have to be writing music that you are passionate about and that moves you. You can't worry about anything else.

PRT: The new album sounds a lot more straight-forward than the last ones. do you agree? And if so, was that something you set out for or did it just turn out that way?
Wade: Yes we definitely tried to keep things more straight ahead. It was intentional. We have come to terms with repeating the parts we like.

PRT: What keeps you guys going album after album and tour after tour?
Wade: After all the touring we did on our last record there wasn't much keeping us going. We got home and stepped back from things. We had a chance to catch our breath and after a while we were just ready to go again. We have grown up together and we are like brothers.

PRT: The album is out on Vagrant in the States but Roadrunner for Europe. what made you decide to go with Roadrunner?
Wade: Just to get our records out to more people in Europe. We toured there a lot and people would always tell us they would have to order our records from the states.

PRT: You guys are on the Warped Tour this summer. is that something you simply can't go around if you want to tour the States in the summer or is it just too much of a great opportunity to pass up?
Wade: Timing wise it worked out. I went to Warped when I was 15, it's cool to be a part of it years later.

PRT: What is the one thing that has never happened at one of your shows before that you would love to see?
Wade: Someday I'd like to stagedive and be caught. I always fall and crack my head.

PRT: What's the dumbest hype you've ever participated in?
Wade: Twitter. We are still participating in it.

PRT: Are there still any things you'd like to achieve with Alexisonfire other than world domination?
Wade: I just want to keep taking our music to new places. On this record I think we are gonna be touring South Africa and China.

PRT: And if Alexisonfire should ever come to an end, what would you like to be remembered for?
Wade: I would hope we will write some songs can stand the test of time. A song that will still sound relevant 20 years from now.

PRT: Any last words for our readers?
Wade: Listen to Sam Cooke!