Splender

Recently, I was at the famed Fillmore West Theater in San Francisco to see Splender, Vertical Horizon, and Stroke 9. Before the show, and after some hassles by the especially nasty venue staff, I was escorted onto Splender’s tour bus. I moved past the “living room” area, past the sleeping berths with a still semi-comatose James obviously recovering from a late night, and into Waymon Boone’s sanctuary, a ten by ten or so room, complete with recording equipment, a couch, and a bed. Music was flowing out of the stereo, and it was a perfect starting point for our discussion:

Waymon: Have you heard this yet, the second Catherine Wheel disc? It’s great!

USMV: No, I haven’t, but speaking of new records... are you working on something?

Waymon: We’re always working on stuff, but the way things are going right now, it seems like we’re probably going to end up touring till the end of this year, and then, I’d say we’re probably going to end up going into the studio sometime the beginning of next year.

USMV: Have you been writing all along?

Waymon: Oh yeah... always writing.

USMV: Do you have tons of leftover stuff from the last CD that’ll end up as part of this one?

Waymon: Sure, sure, because there’s a huge catalog of material that’s stuff that Todd (Rundgren, the Producer) didn’t want on the record, not because they weren’t great songs, but because he didn’t feel like they’d fit the theme of what we we’re doing. And we just totally understand, especially with our first record... you know, making our first watermark.

USMV: And what a statement it made. Really, I mean, obviously it worked. So how does it feel?

Waymon: You know, it feels good. I can’t complain, it’s like... going on-stage and seeing even one person singing along is fucking mind-blowing.

USMV: So playing with Stroke 9 must be different than playing with Third Eye Blind, who headlined the previous tour.

Waymon: Yeah, it’s a whole different ball game, a whole different everything.

USMV: This is a little younger, a little punkier, and a little baggier...

Waymon: Younger, punkier, and a little more aggressive... but you know what, it’s all great. We’re the type of band that is lucky enough that under our fingernails and in our palette, we’re capable of playing dark dingy clubs that can’t hold more than fifty people as well as playing baseball stadiums! All in the last year and a half! And it’s so back and forth and back and forth. To be playing clubs now, with these guys, is just great. Nice sweaty clubs where people are too hot, and there’s not enough room, and not enough air... we love it!

USMV: Well, I’ll say this: your bus is damn hot!

Waymon: It’s usually not this bad, but we’ve been parked for a while.

USMV (Eyeing the recording equipment): So, do you actually do some mini-demo type stuff on the road?

Waymon: Yeah, but unfortunately for me, we just can’t seem to stop! As though we’re not doing enough music as it is, every free moment’s just working on more demos, more songs for the next record.

USMV: Are you going to delve into another project with Todd Rundgren? Or are you looking elsewhere?

Waymon: We’re looking elsewhere. Only because I think that for a second record I’d want someone else’s opinions, a new way of looking at things.

USMV: Any idea who will be next?

Waymon: As far as a couple of people, I’m a really huge fan of Eric Valentine, who’s from here, right?

USMV: I wouldn’t know... I’m from New York!

Waymon: I know that, at least from what Stephen tells me, he’s from around here. I don’t know if you’re familiar with him, but he did both Smash Mouth records, he did the first Third Eye record, and he did Citizen King. He’s great. I like Gil Norton, who did SR71’s record and the Foo Fighters record. But I think it’s way, way, way too early to tell exactly what our next record is going to be exactly. I do get the sense that because of this build that the band has just made that I think it’s definitely going to have more of a crunch to it. So I think we’re probably going to be looking for some guy who understands that we’ve changed in our musical aggressiveness and our attitude toward the music. So I think we’ll probably look for someone who can really hone in on the crunch.

USMV: What about videos. I know you did one for “I Think God Can Explain,” but are you planning any more?

Waymon: Well, it’s kind of interesting... There’s talk right now that Columbia wants to re-release “Yeah, Whatever” with a video.

USMV: I think that’s a brilliant idea. I couldn’t believe that song didn’t become a hit, but now that you already have a name, that is just so smart

Waymon: I’ve heard that over and over and over again...

USMV: Your stage show has improved tremendously. You’ve developed that whole arena thing, that concert persona.

Waymon: Our whole philosophy of doing a show is: I don't care if you loved us or you hated us, but you will not forget us! Cause if you don’t forget us, you will make an association with it... that you might eventually be able to get a good opinion on it. I don’t want to walk the streets after we’ve just played a show and have nobody know that we just played.

USMV: Are you recognized a lot? I mean, you do have a sort of easy to spot look.

Waymon: Oh yeah, I’d probably be noticed even if I wasn’t in a band. And actually it’s funny: the only place where I’m uncomfortable is New York, cause that’s where I live. It just kind of still freaks me out... it’s an amazing, amazing thing. But as you very well know, it’s been ongoing: a nice, slow, long build. Nothing for us came quickly: we’ve been working. We’ve been earning every fucking inch of it.