Interview with The Maine
Formed in 2007, The Maine is an alternative/pop/rock group from Tempe Arizona. Members include John O’Callaghan (vocals), Garrett Nickelsen (bass), Pat Kirch (drums), Kennedy Brock (guitar, vocals), and Jared Monaco (guitar). They recently finished up their longest tour to date – the Pioneer North American Tour – and are preparing to head out on the Pioneer World Tour. Check out our interview with Jared below, and be sure to like The Maine on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @themaine for exclusive updates!
You just finished the Pioneer North American tour. What was that like?
“It was one of my favorite tours we’ve done so far. I’ve been a fan of Lydia and Arkells for a while now, so I had a great time watching their sets every night. It was also great to see new and old fans coming out to the shows and showing their support for the entire lineup, not just us.”
Was it hard being on the road so long, being that this was your longest tour?
“We’ve never been gone for that long, and it definitely felt like forever. We started the tour with an international run, so that made it feel even longer. It definitely wasn’t harder than other tours, just a different feeling. We were able to play shows all over the US, and we tried not to skip over anybody. When the tour finished, I felt accomplished.”
You have changed your sound so much over the years, ‘The Way We Talk’ and ‘Pioneer’ sound like they are in two completely different genres. Why the change?
“We never really set out to record something that’s different. That has never been our goal. At the same time, we never try to repeat ourselves. I think that’s what brings about a change like that. Also, our influences have changed quite a bit since we started this thing. My musical tastes have slowly changed, and we’ve all been introduced to new styles of music. That has a lot to do with how you write songs, whether you notice it or not. It becomes a part of who you are.”
We haven’t seen you on Warped Tour in a while. Do you miss it? Any plans of playing it again?
“Seeing so many friends on the Warped Tour lineup this year definitely made me miss that atmosphere. At the same time, there are a ton of elements that make Warped one of the hardest tours to endure. I know we would be open to be a part of it again in the future though.”
You leave for the Pioneer World Tour at the end of the month, what are you most looking forward to about that?
“I’m just excited to be back in South America. Some of our most unforgettable moments have happened there, and I think everyone is itching to get back to playing shows again. We’ve been working on stuff at home, but it’s just not the same as playing shows, especially for our crazy fans in South America. I’m looking forward to seeing our fans down there. They have such intense passion for what we do.”
What have you been doing during your break from touring?
“We took some time to be with friends and family for a couple weeks. Now, we’re hanging out, rehearsing and making music. We filmed a music video, we’ll have more info on that soon. We’re always trying to write, so nothing’s really changed there. We’re just getting anxious to hit the road again.”
What made you decide to release an EP of the North American tour?
“There were a lot of great shows on that tour, and since we were able to record most of them, Pat decided to mix some of our favorite live songs so we could share them with our fans for free. It’s also for all the fans that weren’t able to make it out to a show. They get a couple songs from each band on the bill.”
If you could be in any video game, what would it be?
“That’s a tough questions. Probably HALO. That’s the only game I’ve ever really poured hours of my life into.”
What is the weirdest fan encounter you’ve ever had, and what is the best fan encounter you’ve had?
“We’ve had fans try to climb through our bus window. In Brazil they rushed our van pretty hard. None of it seems weird anymore. I guess we’re just lucky to have those things happen. I really like when fans say that we’ve affected their lives somehow. That’s the ultimate goal, to make something based on how we feel, and for someone else to share those emotions”
Is there anything else you would like to add, or say to your fans?
“We just celebrated CSWS’s 4 year anniversary. I’m just amazed that we’re still doing this. I feel very lucky to have such incredible fans. Thank you to anyone who has given us a chance. We’re glad we’re still going at it.”