Blue October Interview - 10.01.2004
| Interview with Justin Furstenfeld (vocals) Interview by Rob Todd | 10.01.2004 | Detroit, MI | The Shelter  Often, when talking about music, you include the words emotional, powerful, energetic, but how often is the band/artist in question truly inflicted by that of which he or she sings? Many times a band performs in a certain style or targets a particular genre in order to become more marketable; rarely emerges a group of talented people creating something entirely their own. A lot of people now start thinking of the indie musicians but indie has become a genre in its own regard. The word “indie” usually describes an actual style of music today. In that respect the band in question is neither indie nor mainstream—they are, in every sense of the word, creating their own style of music. Blue October is energetic, powerful, and so emotional it could possibly overcome you. Lead singer and guitarist, Justin Furstenfeld, and violinist, Ryan Delahoussaye, met during their high school years in Houston, Texas. Twelve years later the band is comprised of Justin and Ryan along with CB Hudson (guitar), Jeremy Furstenfeld (drums), and Piper (bass). The first recordings of Blue October were first contained to an early 90s indie release entitled The Answers. Years later, in 2001 they drew the attention of Universal Records after touring endlessly and gaining high rotation numbers on local Texas radio. Their major label debut, Consent to Treatment, sold far less than expected and Blue October was dropped from Universal. In previous interviews Justin contributes this fact to not blending in to any of the marketable genres. Justin, along with rest of the band became depressed and at the same time a four-year relationship ended between Justin and the girl he now calls his “soul mate.” Depression and addiction settled in but Justin never ceased writing and the band continued composing and two years later they had a new album, History for Sale. Again Universal showed interest and the band was ready to give their old label another run. After being dropped by Universal Records, recording History for Sale independently, then getting resigned to Universal did you feel like maybe getting dropped was a blessing in the way that you guys recorded the album you wanted to without outside pressure? When we first got dropped it was a lot of self-destruction because we were really in the dumps and through self-destruction, through drug addiction I just wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote the whole time. I wrote so much I lost my girlfriend in that time, my four-and-a-half-year girlfriend, just because I was so focused on my making a great album just to shove it up their ass, and we did. I don’t know if it’s a great album but we got resigned on it and that’s how it goes. I really don’t know how to explain that whole thing. We got dropped, I was pissed, we got signed, I was happy. I love the contrast of having a violin player and on the other hand a “weirdo” violin player, sometimes with horns— Yeah, he’s a fuckin’ weirdo. —I was shocked the first time I saw you guys play. What’s the strangest reaction you’ve gotten from someone because of him? ‘Go back home to Texas.’ So I gave him the finger and told him ‘fuck off.’ That’s the weirdest thing. Then the best thing is people going, ‘Wow! That guy’s really talented.’ <Have you ever felt animosity towards other bands with violinists like Yellowcard or Cursive that seem to be making it on the grounds of being different while you guys have been around for 12 years? Nah, it doesn’t matter. We’re just making a living off what we do and we can pay our rent and we can keep our supposed families happy then we’re straight. Fuck anybody else that doesn’t like it. You’ve also talked about dealing with depression through the use of drugs, alcohol, etc. How does your stage performance either help or hinder dealing with those things? Oh man, if I didn’t have this I don’t know where I’d be. I’d probably be dead if I didn’t have this. I hate life unless I’m on the road. I love the people I’m with and when I’m at home I’m a hermit, I can’t be around people. It’s funny how when I’m at home I can’t be around people but then when I’m out on the road I can be in front of thousands of people and then feel okay. It’s definitely something that saved my life over and over again and if anybody calls it overdramatic they can go fuck themselves, ‘cause it keeps me alive. You’ve also talked before about being careful not to lay too much emotion on your fans because many of them are already going nuts with what you give them. Do you ever think it would just be easier to dump it on them and collectively you come to some resolution together? I’ve done that for 14 years it doesn’t work. You dump it on people you don’t know you connect with people. I don’t even know how to explain that one. My family life’s not great right now because they think I’m a drug addict and I’m clean for seven months now but my Dad’s a DEA agent and it’s a lot easier just to connect with people who understand like you guys or someone else who’s had addiction problems or anything like that, then call my Mom and try to prove yourself as being clean when really they’re going, ‘Whatever.’ You can only fuck people over so many times when you’re fucked up before they lose trust in you. Ask any crack head. Most of the songs on History for Sale deal with some sort of frustration. Tell us why you think it’s okay to deal with your deepest emotions in front of all your fans but claim to be a soft-spoken person? Because I fucked over a girl named Mamee and that’s my reason for being out here right now, it’s to say I’m sorry. Even though she’s engaged to someone else I’m out here to try to make my apologies to myself to make myself feel better. So I take it she hasn’t accepted that apology? Nah, I haven’t talked to her in years. That’s what “Calling You” is written about, that’s what “Chameleon Boy” was written about, that’s what “Come In Closer” was written about, that’s what every song on History [for Sale] was written about. That whole album was for her and I did the typical rock thing and fucked her over. And I felt really bad for that. I come out because I lost my soul mate and it sucks, you can party as much as you want when you lose your soul mate. With the new album, Argue With a Tree, and after the next album is behind you will you be able to bring some closure to that past relationship? I’ll never come to a resolution. Closure? How can you put closure on the best thing that ever happened to you? You gotta keep it open somehow in case they come back. (Laughter) You ever seen Great Expectations the movie? Watch that movie. Because of its religious criticism the song “Razorblade” is shocking to say the least, what made you want to “go there” when most bands wouldn’t touch such a risqué topic? Accountability. Accountability. They interviewed the Pope and they asked him about sexually abusing children and he said, ‘No comment.’ What the fuck is that? A preacher put his dick inside a little boy. You were grown up to think that preachers and church is a place for sanctuary, man that’s fucked up. It’s happened to my family members, this sort of thing, it’s happened to a lot of people. It happened 10 miles outside of where I live now that’s fucked up. What do you believe? What else is left to believe in except drugs, except for family, but Christianity is supposed to be your sanctuary. You go pray to it when you fall apart right? The first lesson you’re taught about is accountability, in Sunday school: if you do wrong, say you’re sorry, you’ll be forgiven. No one’s ever said they’re sorry for stickin’ their dick inside a little boy, not even the Pope. I’m sorry I gotta be so straight up about it but that’s fucked up. That’s our higher power you know? In an interview back in May you mentioned “connecting” with the guys of Social Burn. Obviously you weren’t lying, you’re on tour with them again. How’s it been this time around? Beautiful, we love those guys. Our deal is: whoever blows up first we open for them or if we blow up first they open for us. It’s just…we love each other. How did you guys meet? We met on the Default tour. We connected more to them. We didn’t really connect with Default, we connected with them and they’re around the same age as us, goin’ through the same shit and decided to throw down together. I apologize for my ignorance about the new Argue With a Tree CD/DVD but why the live album after only three albums? We want to stop playing our old songs on our next time out so we can only play new songs but still give people a chance to connect with [the first albums]. There’s a lot more on the DVD than just a show too, it’s like a documentary, we have a lot of confessionals. It’s really fucked up you should watch it. Anything else you’d like to add? Thank you for caring enough to talk to me. Really, no, we never know who the fuck cares and you guys do this… we’ll be back in six/seven months. Blue October may never hit it big, they may never have the widespread fan base they rightly deserve, and their album sales combined will likely never reach platinum status but there’s likely nothing that will keep them from creating the only thing that keeps them sane—music. |
