Photo by: Ian Bisio
Billy Talent performed at the Fillmore Auditorium last week and did not disappoint fans. Together for more than a decade, the Canadian four-member band has developed into a melodic punk rock force. Billy Talent is known for its ability to command the stage and maintain a humble attitude as well. After the release of two international multi-platinum selling records and touring nonstop for more than a year, Billy Talent finally had a chance to come back to North America to work on a new album. That is, until called with a special request. Currently touring across the country with My Chemical Romance, Billy Talent was in town and lead singer Ben Kowalewicz sat down to discuss the tour and the upcoming album.
Q. How have you been? How is the tour going so far?
BK: I’ve been great. We’ve been great. It’s been weird because we were home for about six months, writing the next record and everything was going good, then we got the call. “My Chem want you to open for them!” and we can’t say no ’cause they are such great guys and that’s lots of humans that we’d be playing in front of every night. We’re halfway through the tour now and it’s been amazing, amazing, amazing. Shows have been great, people have been great.
Q. Did you know My Chemical Romance before this tour?
BK: We met them in the summer. We were doing festivals in Europe and they were there and we bumped paths. They were in Finland when we were there and they called us up that morning and asked us if we wanted to play with them. So we went and played and forged this relationship with them. They are really sweet and very nice to us, so, yeah, it’s a good mix.
Q. Can you tell us more about the new record you have been working on?
BK: We have about seven songs written now, music wise, and I’m still working on lyrics. It’s really good, I’m really, really happy with it. Ian the main songwriter sits back here [on the tour bus] and records stuff all day. We were a little reluctant to go back on tour because things were going so well at home with the writing. Plus, we had been on tour for 17 months straight and we were about ready to kill ourselves so to have those six months at home was really nice. So, yeah, I think the record will impress a lot of people, I hope, who don’t know us. For the people who do like us, there are no banjos or anything. It’s still the four of us.
Q. Does being on the road affect your writing style?
BK: It changes my perspective a lot because I like to write and when I’m home I fall into these grooves. I still write lyrically on the road but stuff approaches you differently because everyday you wake up in a new city, new town, new place. You’re surrounded by the same kind of people and the same kind of conversations [that] manipulate or perpetuate themselves. It doesn’t necessarily change it for the better; it just kind of makes it whatever it’ll be. It will have some input and some effect on [writing].
Q. So what do you do on the road for fun?
BK: Well My Chem has a road case with a plasma TV, guitar hero and Xbox. They have remote control cars. They have lots of fun stuff. We’re the losers. We read books, watch DVDs and play poker. We’re not the hippest cats.
Q. Do you ever sneak over to their bus and try to play?
BK: I haven’t actually yet. I’m not a big fan of Guitar Hero.
Q. Before you were Billy Talent you had to go through some name changes for legal reasons. Did you ever seriously consider other names for your band?
BK: We were actually called The Other One which is the worst band name ever. We were 17 at the time and thought it was so funny. Then we were Pezz and had to change it and played a show under a different name. Shortly thereafter we became Billy Talent.
Q. What music are you listening to lately?
BK: The Cancer Bats, the new Anti-Flag CD, Feist and Hayden. All Canadian bands expect for Anti-Flag. There is a lot of good Canadian music out right now. I am happy to listen to it and support it.
Q. Finally, what would your dream tour look like?
BK: Well, we’re doing three shows with Foo Fighters this summer, which should be rad. I think I’d like to play with Rage Against the Machine or The Police.
