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Download 2011: The Gaslight Anthem - ‘New Record Is Coming Quicker Than People Expect’

Brian Fallon tells us about new material, coming home and facing the Download 2011 crowd.

Rock Sound grabbed a few minutes with The Gaslight Anthem frontman Brian Fallon to talk about the band's preparations for Download 2011 this weekend. Pyrotechnics anyone?

How have the last few months been for you? Things have seemed quiet on The Gaslight Anthem front.
“Well, I took the big jaunt across the river and moved back to New Jersey, we went to Australia and Japan, other than that I’ve been laying low and making The Horrible Crowes' record.”

What is the relationship between your new project and Gaslight?
“With Gaslight I always want to figure out the best thing for it rather than go and mess around with the band, put out a weird record and make everybody nuts. The Horrible Crowes is an experiment and I don’t want to experiment with Gaslight, it has a preciousness that I don’t want to ruin, if want to try something weird that might get me to a new place I need to go do that on the side, and that's what I did. In fact, I’m getting ready to write the new Gaslight Anthem record now.”

When does writing start?
“It already has! This new record is coming quicker than people expect, I think we’ll have a new album out before Summer next year, we’re ready to go on it!”

What do you want to talk about on the new songs?
“I think the album is going to be a lot about coming home. I’m back on the shore and I moved six or seven blocks from where I grew up, that has plugged me back into all that stuff.”

What do you think you accomplished with ‘American Slang’, what about that record is moving forward with you?
“With that record we played very well, it sounds great as a record and it was the first time I let my vocal chords go. I still really love listening to ‘The Diamond Church Street Choir’, we got to lay back on the song but it still sounded like a celebration.”

Does the thought of playing Download Festival this weekend make you nervous?
“Absolutely, we’re not known for the metal and we’re playing a heavy festival. We could go out there and set off some flames, fireworks and bring a load of skulls with us, but somehow I don’t think that will go over too well. I think, in all honesty, our set at Download will be the fastest you’ve ever heard us play, we are going to pull out all the burners all in a row!”

Do you relish the challenge at the same time?
“You always want something to remind yourself of who you are, this sort of thing makes you take yourself less seriously. Are we this legendary rock and roll band? Absolutely not, I still think we have a ton to prove to people. We’ve got two records that people are aware of, we are definitely trying to earn it still.”

Going on before Disturbed is both an indictment and celebration of British music culture right?
“Why not, it’s cool. We’ve met David [Draiman] a few times and he’s been super cool.”

Will you be making an appearance during Frank Turner’s set when he closes the Pepsi Max Stage?
“Oh I don’t know, if Frank wants me to come sing with him I would do it for sure. But I won’t mess with his stage unless I’m invited!”

Andrew Kelham