With 15 years in the game since the release of their groundbreaking debut Self Tilted album The Used, self made anti-gods of the early 2000’s emo scene, are taking time to reflect on the albums that pushed them ahead of the pack and made every eyeliner’ed teen feel ok about not feeling ok. AMY BRADBURY had a chat with adored vocalist Bert McCracken, ahead of the Australian leg of The Used’s 15th Year Anniversary tour.
You have just finished your northern hemisphere leg of the 15th YearAnniversary tour earlier this year, how did those shows go?
It has been an incredible year, we feel so grateful to be on tour doing what we do. We can’t wait to do it in Australia.
Your Australian leg of the tour starts in Melbourne on the November 21, are you excited and ready?
We cannot wait! Some of our most hardcore fans on the planet are in Australia so I am sure we are in for a real treat.
So the tour consists of two back to back nights playing your first album The Used Self-Titled on night one and then In Love And Death on night two. Have you found there to be a different energy or overall vibe on the seperate nights?
Yeah for sure. The two records are very different in their overall feel. The first album is more aggressive, a little more awkward while the second one has a heavier emotional tinge to it. It makes for a great dichotomy.
It has been 15 years since you released your self-titled album and 13 since In Love and Death, how do you feel about playing those songs today, are they still relevant to you and relevant in today’s culture?
It’s very cool how songs and their initial meaning take a new shape after so many years. I think a lot of the struggles we had growing up, especially the people who have stood by the band all these years, these are the struggles we have overcome in the last ten to fifteen years, so in that way it is about really celebrating who we have become. The song A Taste of Ink though really maintains its message of freedom and integrity, about who we want to be as people. In that way song meanings can transcend the moment.
You are living in Australia, how are you finding it here? Do you think it is much different than living in the states?
I have been living in Sydney now for about four years. It is very different, a lot of good changes. A lot of things Australians find completely normal, Americans would be like “but why?” But I have a different idea of the world in general. I think we are all humans in this big boat, wherever you go, whoever you are. So yeah, I do find it different but overall it’s mainly just driving on the other side of the road.
How are you going with that?
Um…well I try my best! I have little songs I sing to myself like ‘making a right, stay to the left’, (laughs).
Balancing family life with touring, how are you finding that? Does your family come on tour with you or get to come to your home shows?
Yeah, they come to the shows in Sydney. It is quite a tricky balance my daughter is only two now, so I think when she gets a bit older she will understand more. I think she will be proud of the things we do with our time.
Two is such a fun age. How are you finding being a dad?
Dad life is the best! I am absolutely loving it. I am so glad I had a girl too.
It is well known that you grew up in a Mormon family in Utah, how did you find your way to rock/alternative music?
Growing up my journey really started with pop music, like Michael Jackson, it was the most important thing in my life, so that’s my beginnings. It wasn’t until I was a bit older that I started listening to Nirvana and some other early 90’s stuff. My parents really didn’t like rock music, it was a fight the whole time. Utah is a strangely conservative place. Everything changes, it is a different place now than it was back then. Back then it was pretty crazy.
What bands have you been listening to lately?
A lot of the time I turn back to the classics. I listen to a lot of John Lennon’s solo stuff, I find a lot of peace and comfort in that. I really appreciate an album that can take me on a journey the whole way through. Also I liked that 21 Pilots record last year Blurryface, that was a pretty cool record.
Have you discovered any new bands we need to know about?
There is this Australian band Corpus that we played with on our tour last year, they will be joining us on this tour as well. If you haven’t heard them yet check them out, you would love them. They are very honest, they are everything I think music should be about. They just love making music and that is why they do it. Look out for Corpus.
So Donald Trump is the president elect of the United States. Should we all be panicking, stocking up on bottled water, building bunkers? Or do you think it is going to be business as usual?
I think the real worry should be this horrible, poisonous epidemic of the white nationalist movement spreading across the world preaching a hatred of anyone who has a different coloured skin or a different idea of who to love. I think the vast bigotry, homophobia and racism are a huge problem everywhere. The fact that there were enough people to vote in a person like that shows we are all in a serious bit of trouble.
I also think it shows a lot of hope because this is the point of reaction. The point where people have to become educated about how the world works and start questioning things like democracy and what they want the future to look like. I know this is a deep conversation but I think we are seeing the end of the American empire and it would be better if we rip the bandaid off quickly.
Do you have any opinions on the election?
I think that everyone should make informed, rational opinions on how the world should work, but personally and I am talking about my personal beliefs here and I don’t know if they help or hinder the process but I have seen examples of where people didn’t vote and it made all the difference in the world, like in Cuba. I have seen it in lots of different states of where people’s participation in the elimination of systems, the end of systems was the only way out. Personally I believe democracy was another plan to make people feel like they were involved when they really aren’t. Obviously we are not involved in the process, so it is time to to start thinking of different ways for the world to work.
Do you think we may have to watch it burn before we can rise out the ashes?
I don’t know if it is necessarily that kind of world anymore because of the huge armaments and military presences, but I think it will be a watch it burn as far a conscienceless is concerned. The revolution that The Used has always talked about is the revolution of human consciousness away from these types of separations away from bigotry and racism. Even countries, nationalities and flags, they are just like jerseys for sports designed to seperate people.
One last quick question, your song Maybe Memories, how did that happen? I have heard stories over the years of you writing the lyrics for it to audition for the band?
Oh yeah, they were looking for a singer and we met and hung out one day and they had a song almost written. We all got along really well and had already known each other for a bit, so I took that song home and wrote the lyrics and we recorded it the next day. So yeah, technically that was my try out.
I just have to say that is still one of my favourite songs, that is very cool.
Oh, thank you.
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to me today, I can’t wait to check out the Anniversary tour.
Right on, I’ll see you there! Have a great day.
The Used bring their 15th Year Anniversary Tour to Perth playing the album In Love And Death on Friday, November 25 and the Self Titled album the following night, Saturday, November 26 at Metropolis Fremantle (In Love And Death show has moved from Sunday 27, all tickets remain valid) with support from Storm The Sky and Corpus. Tickets available here.
