Interview by Jason Schreurs
Recently, I went on a bit of a tangent about Waxwing, a melodic hardcore band who I thought was criminally underrated during their run in the late ’90s to early ’00s. I am very fortunate to have been at the last two shows that the band played before they disbanded in 2005. And the Seattle quartet’s second album, One for the Ride, is without a doubt one of my favourite albums of all time; a true Classic Platter if there ever was one.
When the opportunity presented itself to speak to vocalist/guitarist Rocky Votolato about that very album, of course I was thrilled! Votolato, who has released eight wonderful solo albums since the breakup of Waxwing, still holds the band, and One for the Ride in particular, in high regard, even reforming the group in 2013 for two shows in their hometown and playing a large portion of the album.
The sting of not attending those shows is relieved by having the chance to chat with Votolato about this truly timeless album, as well as the hope that Waxwing might one day return again.
So I’m not sure if you remember this, but I came down to Seattle with the guys from Wonka Vision Magazine in 2003 for the last two shows that Waxwing played before you broke up, to do a big story on the band.
Rocky Votolato: Ah, no way! I do remember. Were you there in my mom’s kitchen after the show?
Yeah, exactly. That was me.
So you were there! Holy shit, man. We’re old friends. [Laughs] Dude, that’s incredible. Thanks for telling me that. I would have never known that connection. Awesome.
So when I came down to those shows I was a huge fan of the third Waxwing album [2002’s Nobody Can Take What Everybody Owns], but I hadn’t really listened a lot to the first two albums [1999’s For Madmen Only and 2000’s One for the Ride]. And after I saw you play I really got turned on to the older stuff, and started listening to those two albums, which I had previously only heard in passing, and I just fell in love with them. And One for the Ride, I think, is the best Waxwing album. How do you feel about it?
Well, thanks man. You know, it’s so crazy because I haven’t talked about this in a long time, but I agree with you. I think One for the Ride is the best album that we made. We put the most into that one and we worked really hard on that album with Matt Bayles, the producer. And there were a lot of really, really long, hard days getting that record done, and I think that’s the one that got the most attention, and I think the songs are the best. There’s a certain urgency to the last album we did [Nobody Can Take What Everybody Owns] that I like; it’s a little more punk rock and we did the whole album in three days. Most of the takes were all live, which is fun and a cool way to make a record, but for One for the Ride it was much more of a serious thing. It was my first really serious artistic endeavour and I was really proud of it. I’m still proud of that record. Even though it was always really underground, it definitely affected people’s lives and I still meet people who have gotten tattoos from the lyrics off that record. Even in Germany and other countries in Europe. I’m really happy with that record. I think it’s a cool legacy, so I’m glad to hear that you like it, too.
How did you go from For Madmen Only, where you could tell that Waxwing was a new band with a lot more of your influences on your sleeves, and then a year later One for the Ride came out and it was just so much more… you guys. It just felt like it had way more of your own identity. The difference between those two albums is quite obvious, in originality, and sound and confidence. How did that switch happen in such a short time?
Yeah, yeah totally. I think that came from us just hitting our stride. We were working really hard at that point and we were playing a lot of shows. I think that’s what did it. We were playing every weekend, or every other weekend, in Seattle and we were really crushing it at that point and started selling out shows. And that’s what made the difference in our confidence. I was pushing really hard on it; I wanted that to be my life at that point. I was in college and getting my degree in English Literature, but was pretty much planning on hitting the road with Waxwing as soon as I got my degree. We were definitely in our prime at that point, and I think that’s what’s what did it.
Do you remember feeling like you were in your prime at the time? It’s a bit weird to say that, considering that you were a pretty young band at the time.
I did feel that way. I really believed in that record, and I felt like I put everything into that record that I had. I think it still sounds great, and when I listen back to it now I’m really proud of it. I think Matt Bayles did a great job producing it and there were definitely a lot of tense moments; we were at each other’s throats a couple of times during the process of making that record. But that’s how he makes records, and he brought out the best in me. It was an intense collaboration; that’s how I would describe it. But I knew at the time that One for the Ride was an important project for me, artistically, and whatever it did commercial- or success-wise after that, I didn’t think much about it. It was an important part of my formative years growing as an artist and I’m just really happy that anybody still gives a shit, and that you were interested enough to ask about it. [Laughs]
Is it strange to listen back on it now? It’s a very intense record, musically and lyrically. Listening back to a song like “There Will Be Reckoning” must bring up some strong feelings?
Yeah, it shows me a snapshot of myself as a young man, really, and what I was struggling with; all of the things that were happening in my life at the time. I’m so different now, of course, and I’ve grown up a lot, so I don’t know if I would write some of those things the same way. I’m sure not how much some of that stuff resonates with me now, because I’m just such a different person. But a lot of the record, by and large, I still feel good about. We did a reunion a couple of years ago and we played most of that record at the two shows we did. One show was unannounced at The Black Lodge in Seattle, and the other one was a proper announced show at The Vera Project. We played a lot of that record and it still felt good. I didn’t play the songs that didn’t resonate with me as much, but that’s basically how I do everything now. I sit down before I make a setlist, because I’ve made so many albums and I’m on my eighth solo album now, so I have to pick through the songs and figure out what I can still play and what I can’t, and it just comes down to whether I still feel that song is relevant to my life. If I can sing it honestly and sincerely, then it goes on the setlist. And if not, then it’s a time that passed.
Waxwing performing in 2003 (photo: Jason Schreurs)
Do any of the songs from One for the Ride creep into your solo sets?
Um, [Rocky’s brother and Waxwing guitarist] Cody [Votolato] came to Europe with me a few years ago and we did “All of My Prophets” and “Where Did the Time Go” from that record because European fans were always wanting Waxwing to come over there, but it never became a reality, so we did stripped-down versions of those two songs. But mostly, no, because those songs don’t work with an acoustic guitar and they weren’t really written with that vibe. I tried translating a few of them, but it doesn’t work that well, so I think it was more meant to be a four-person project.
What’s your favourite song on the album?
Gosh man, I’d say it’s probably either “All of My Prophets” or… I like [piano instrumental] “Laboratory” quite a bit, too. I think those two and “Where Did the Time Go.” Those are the three that stood out the most.
Do you remember when you first came up with the lyrics to “All of My Prophets”?
That’s a good question. I’m not sure if anyone’s ever asked me that, at least not in a long time. But I think about that often, actually. That song was a strange, automatic writing experience. I had no idea what I was writing down and then I drove home from work that night, and I remember that day very specifically because I wrote all of those lyrics within a 10-minute period. The whole song got written out on a pay stub from my job at the time. I was working really hard at a factory and going to college and I had just met my wife, and I remember it just kind of pouring out, and I didn’t know what the song was about. I feel like later it started to show itself more, but it’s still a bit of a mystery to me, which is cool. Most of the songs I write aren’t like that.
Was it sort of like turning on a tap and letting it flow out?
Yeah, that was it. I didn’t really know what it was about and I didn’t ask questions. I just wrote it down and sang it. [Laughs] There are a couple of songs of mine like that, too. “Suicide Medicine” [from Rocky’s 2003 solo album of the same name] is like that, and I feel like some of the best songs I’ve ever written have come out that way. I wish that would happen more often.
How do you feel when you listen to One for the Ride now after all of these years? I believe it’s a timeless record. How do you feel about it?
Thanks, I’m glad you feel that way. I agree. I feel really good about it. And I think it captured a really sincere and honest place, and that’s my goal for my whole career. And that’s one of the albums that does that, so I feel really good about it.
I’ve been rallying pretty hard the past couple of years for Waxwing to play Fest in Gainesville, but I guess the stars haven’t aligned yet?
Yeah, Fest tried to get Waxwing the year we were reuniting and it didn’t work out, just for whatever reason, usually my brother’s schedule. But we’ll see, you know, maybe one day. I would love to do more Waxwing shows if it works out.
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