10 Years' Jesse Hasek, seated center, says his band is putting a new spin on old songs.
10 Years
KNOXVILLE — Jesse Hasek says it's good to have 10 Years on the top of the bill again.
"That's when you get to see all the fruits of your labor," says Hasek, lead singer of 10 Years, in a call from Omaha, Neb.
In headlining shows, the group can see the new fans they've gained from the acts they've opened for, and longtime fans get twice as long a set from the group.
In Knoxville, the band has always been a headlining band.
The group formed in Knoxville in 1999 with guitarist Ryan "Tater" Johnson, bassist Lewis Cosby, drummer Brian Vodinh, guitarist Matt Wantland and vocalist Mike Underdown. In 2002, Underdown left the group and the members recruited Hasek from the band Deficit. In 2004, the group self-released the album "Killing All That Holds You," which became a local favorite and led to the band signing with Republic Records. 10 Years' major-label debut "The Autumn Effect," fueled by the single "Wasteland" (a No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart), won the group an international fan base. The band has since followed with the albums "Division" (2008) and "Feeding the Wolves" (2010).
Hasek says the group has changed some things on the current tour.
"We're playing some of the older songs differently. And we're even going back and playing stuff off the independent album. Things that people in Knoxville are probably familiar with, but no one else."
Hasek says the band has learned to tour more wisely. They don't stay on the road for more than a month or two, and they don't play the same cities so often that they get taken for granted. Hasek also tries to actually get out and experience the places the group visits.
"I've always tried to do that whenever something is within walking distance or there's public transit," says Hasek. "I want to see the cities and the sights ... I got to see Mt. Rushmore ... sometimes it feels like a school field trip!"
He says he particularly loves traveling to other countries and experiencing different cultures.
During the long stretches on the bus, Hasek creates artwork on drumheads, which the band sells each night. Often he recreates images found in newspapers and magazines.
"It's a completely different outlet," says Hasek.
While the band is still supporting "Feeding the Wolves," Hasek says the band has been working on demos for a new album and he and Vodinh have been writing together.
"Brian and I work on stuff like Lennon and McCartney," he says.
Vodinh gravitates to the more straightforward and Hasek more toward the abstract.
"I try to make some lyrics more straightforward, but our hardcore fans like the more ambiguous things I go to naturally.
Hasek says the group functions much like a family when it comes to creating music. Debates over songs crop up. Sometimes changes are made. Sometimes not.
"That's a pretty good way to live your life anyway — stand up for yourself when you need to but be able to compromise."
The one worry that Hasek does have over the group's music is that audiences will judge the group strictly by the singles.
"Singles are like the preview for a movie," he says. "People hear the single, but the rest of the album is definitely a lot deeper and more complicated."
Overall, Hasek says it just feels good to be playing a show at home.
"There's nothing like playing in your hometown. Knoxville is big enough to have a lot of cool stuff going on, but small enough that people still support you."
© 2011, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!
- |
Comments » 0
Be the first to post a comment!
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.