Interviews: The Bouncing Souls

The Bouncing Souls are busier than ever. This year they're putting on special sets of shows, showcasing all 8 of their albums over 4 nights in various cities around the world. At the same time, they're writing for a new album. Punknews interviewer Jason Epstein caught up with Pete Steinkopf and Bryan Kienlen at their How I Spent My Summer Vacation/Anchors Aweigh show in NYC to chat about songs from the past and plans for the future.You can click Read More for the full interview.

Tell me what it was like relearning and practicing so many songs that you rarely, if ever play live.

Bryan: It’s been really fun doing it. We did it first for all our shows in New Jersey…it’s like, we had to learn I think about 30 songs that we’d never played. But then once we kind of learned them all…we know 'em now pretty good.

What cycle is this? Like, you’ve done this [set of 4 album-focused shows] how many times before tonight?

Bryan: We did Home For the Holidays, Chicago, Boston and this one.

And now you’re doing 4 more or so?

Bryan: Yeah, a total of 8 we’re doing.

Pete: At first we were having these long-ass sound checks, doing every song like 3 times but now we’re like we know everything now. Not everything but—

Bryan: And not necessarily well, but—[laughter]

Do you think you’ll be bringing any of these back more often to your regular sets?

Bryan: Yeah, that was another good thing that came out of this is that we sort of re-discovered a bunch of songs like, Hey man we should play this all the time, so in a way we’ve really broadened our standard headlining set for sure.

Has any music been written for a new record?

Bryan: Yeah, yeah. We’ve got, let’s say…10 songs maybe?

Pete: Yeah, we’ve got 10 and they’ll probably turn into 6 [full songs] and we’ll write about 10 more and hopefully like ready to record in the fall sometime.

Bryan: We’re roughly about halfway through writing for the new record.

Do you typically write way more songs than actually end up on the record?

Bryan: No, historically we would like, put everything on the record. Now, we’re figuring out that we don’t have to put 17 songs on the record. We can put like, 10 of the best ones on.

Is this going to be a regular release or are you going to do a song-by-song timetable like you did for Ghosts on the Boardwalk?

Pete: That was a one time thing.

Bryan: That was a one time thing, yeah. We’ll kind of figure out how we’re going to do it. It’ll probably be more like a full record.

Just regular? How boring. [Laughter] Better make sure the songs are good.

Pete: Well, this time it’s going to be like an album full of awesome songs with this idea…different ideas that all go together.

So give me an average day on tour…you wake up and what happens?

Bryan: Wake up, take a shower, head out to the truck.

Pete: Drive

Bryan: I know, it’s all very fun and glamorous.

Pete: It’s really glamorous.

Bryan: Depending on the city that we’re waking up in…there might be some level of hangover and [the need for] breakfast…

That depends on the city?

Pete: It depends on the city. Some cities are notorious for late nights.

Do you have a dream band to open up for?

Bryan: We’ve been lucky to play with a lot of our heroes you know? Over the years. I don’t know if I can think of another one. I don’t know if I want to start goin' down that road, you know what I mean? Thinking of every great punk band…that’s a long list.

What’s your most hated interview question?

Pete: What are your influences?

Bryan: What’s your favorite song?

Pete: What’s your favorite anything? For some reason it’s hard to answer what’s your favorite whatever CD, place you’ve played…

Bryan: The other hard one that we get is tell us an interesting tour story. You go blank.

See, here’s the opportunity where not only the interviewer brings notes to the interview, but you guys bring notes too and just rattle it off. [Laughter] I want to say is there anything else you want to say, but I’m sure that’s another one of those questions you hate to answer.

Bryan: Yep, that’s another one.

Pete: What do people say to that?

You’re asking me? I don’t know, I never asked it.