sandiegopunk.com
The Life
The Life was formed by Joel Hosler,
Jon Jameson, Brandon Young, and (newcomer) Evan White following the break-up
of Noise Ratchet in December 2004. We recently had a chance to talk about the
break-up of Noise Ratchet, their impression of the San Diego scene, being a
"Christian band," and more. Read on for a fresh look into the new
and upcoming band.
Jon: We needed a breath of fresh rock air.
Joel: A what Jon?
Jon (mouth full): Rock air!
V (to Jon): What are you eating? What is that?
Jon: Some sort of Arby's roast beef sandwich.
Joel: Do you want one?
V: No thanks, I'm vegetarian, kind of.
Joel: Ooooh ok, well there you go!
Jon: (laughs) You want some meat??
V (laughs): Pass…. So besides the name, what else changed?
Jon: I think an awful lot has changed honestly.
Joel: Yeah. Danny is no longer with us. He's going to school.
Jon: The obvious things…we're now a four-piece, we have a different name, we don't play any of the old songs. It's a completely new band. But I think the way we look at the band has changed. I can only answer as far as myself, but I think I was more focused on just hoping that the band was successful. I didn't really care what kind of music we were playing. Eventually you lose heart; you can only go so far when you don't really care about what you're playing. That was really the whole premise: we have to really love what we're doing because to start over again is like a big step back. If we love what we're doing then it will show and people will eventually get into it even more, hopefully.
Joel: We also wanted to start having a purpose again because I think with Noise Ratchet, over time, we lost what our drive was: of making a difference in people's lives and being encouraging and hopeful and making changes. Like with tonight's Invisible Children benefit concert. We want to make a difference, not just with us or with the fans, but in the world in general.
Brandon: Not just our bank accounts.
Jon: The Lord knows that!
V: So how has the response been to the new band?
Joel: Pretty good I think. Obviously we're going to lose fans and probably gain a lot of new fans because the style of music is a bit different now. Overall, a lot of people that have been with us since the beginning have really been encouraging us with the new stuff. They seem to like it a lot.
Jon: One girl that's a friend of the band said, "Well, you probably are going to lose some fans with the new stuff, but people who appreciate good music will learn to love it." That's all we're asking for. We feel that this is music we really care about so hopefully people that appreciate good stuff will dig it.
stuff. And everyone has their bad days when they're
not feeling like doing it, or they're bummed out and everyone else has to get
behind him and remind him of the big picture. And our families have been really
supportive. They keep encouraging us to go forward.
V: What has it been like to re-establish yourselves as a new band after being a successful national act?
Joel: Like Brandon said, it's actually been pretty rough because you emotionally, physically, spiritually put everything into…I mean we put a lot into Noise Ratchet. I think over time we lost a lot of that, so now we're trying to learn how to write music together again, learn how to just be home and be friends.
Brandon: It's completely starting over again. The first show we ever played was at the Troubadour and I threw up 'cause I was so nervous. And I've been playing for six years of my life at hundreds and hundreds of shows!
Joel: Same here! But I didn't throw up.
Brandon: I threw up!
Jon: Three weeks ago we did a string of dates of our first shows and it showed us that we really were starting over. There were definitely people there that were checking us out because of Noise Ratchet. It was learning how to win fans over again and it's scary, but it's exciting too, and it went really well! It seemed like those people liked us and I'm not sure they would've like the old stuff so I'm happy with that.
V: What are your plans for this summer?
Joel: Try to get a cd out (laughs).
Jon: Mmhmm.
V: You guys aren't signed yet, right?
Joel: No. That's another thing. We're starting from scratch. We don't have a manager, we don't have a label, we don't have a booking agent. We're starting over. I mean, if a tour comes up or something, obviously we'd jump on it.
Brandon: Our focus is the tour, that's what we want. We want to get back on the road again.
Jon: A few things have to happen to get to that point: get a manager, get a label, get a CD and then we'll be visiting your town.
Brandon: We're just a bunch of little kids trying to start a band again.
V: Are you guys all from San Diego?
Jon: Yeah.
Brandon: We all pretty much live in North County now. We all live in Carlsbad, Encinitas.
Jon: Where the weather's nice.
V: Close to the beach. Did you guys grow up here? Go to high school here?
Jon: I did, Joel didn't!
Joel: I grew up in South Carolina.
V: What high school did you go to? (To Brandon)
Brandon: Grossmont High School.
Jon: I went to Santa Fe Christian for part, and then I graduated from an independent study thing because we started touring. I had to take my work on the road!
V: Yeah 'cause you're the youngest one in the band, right?
Jon: Yeah, I just turned 21. I'm old.
V: I'm 21, that means I'm old!
Joel: You guys are not old, I'm 27.
V: What are your opinions on the San Diego scene?
Jon: It kind of comes in waves, doesn't it? Sometimes it's really sweet and sometimes…
Brandon: It's weird 'cause some of our friends' bands that are from other states will come to San Diego and be like, "Man, San Diego sucks so bad, I just don't get the crowd there" and other people are like "It's the greatest thing ever." I think the kids here have been around music so much and around such good bands, 'cause great bands come out of San Diego, that they get spoiled if a mediocre band comes here. They're always used to something really great.
Jon: Kids have always been super cool to us though.
Joel: As Noise Ratchet we always had a really good fan base. Hopefully we'll build it back up again.
Arsenal. They're up and coming, they're both great
bands.
V: Do you consider yourselves a Christian band?
Jon: I don't think we really care to tell people either way. If they want to call us that that's fine 'cause we're definitely Christians and that's definitely part of who we are. But people have different definitions of what "Christian band" means.
Joel: To me, a Christian band is a band that plays in the Christian market, signs to a Christian label and every single song is a worship song.
Jon: Right (laughs). If Christian band means you're in a band and you're Christians, then sure, we're a Christian band.
Brandon: It's kind of like a guy that owns a construction company; if he's a Christian it doesn't mean it's a Christian construction company.
Jon: I was talking to some of the Switchfoot fellows about this because they deal with that issue as well, and the way they said they wanted to answer that question was, "You tell me. If we're representing God well, then sweet, and if we're not then that sucks." It's not really about what we have to say about it, it's about what other people view us as.
V: Do you think being a Christian band affects your success and your fans?
Jon: Not really.
Brandon: I don't think for us. I don't think we've ever had help from Christian marketing. We've always been in a secular market and I think that's all we've always wanted to do.
Jon: It might be weird if we released a bunch of CD's on a Christian label. We've never done that and we don't really intend to. We're pretty much the same as any other band as far as trying to make it, you know? (laughs) Every band has a purpose, that's kind of what we realized. Even the bands that try to pretend like they don't care about anything, their purpose is probably to try to not care about anything! (laughs) Try to hook up with chicks and stuff. We just happened to decide ahead of time what our purpose is.
Joel: There's also been many bands that people say are Christian bands that have been successful. U2 is a perfect instance of a band who has Christian guys in it who've been successful. Switchfoot has done amazing. P.O.D. did amazing back in their days and they were definitely a lot more evangelistic than we are.
V: It's crazy, about Switchfoot. I remember watching them play at a local church when I was 15, and then recently I was in Aguascalientes, Mexico and heard them playing on the radio stations there all the time!
Jon: Dude, yeah that's so cool.
Brandon: I guess we'll have to learn Spanish.
(Everyone laughs)
V: Definitely. So Joel, you're wedding was aired on the TLC program, "For Better or For Worse"…
(Everyone Groans)
Brandon: Oh God, let's just say 'Thank you' and next question…
Joel: Yes, it was.
V: I watched it! I wanted to know how you met your wife.
Joel: How I met my wife, I met her at a wedding in 2001. And it was just…one of those things. We met at the, what do you call that, the reception? Two friends made us dance together and then from then on we just…fell in love and got married I guess. Simple as that.
V: What is your definition of true Love?
Joel (pauses): That's a good question. True love… Obviously there's 1 Corinthians that I think holds true. But love is a patient person, love is kind to a person, it doesn't envy, it doesn't boast, it's not proud, it's not rude, it's not self-seeking. I fail in that daily. But I think true love is loving someone….
Brandon: And not expecting anything back.
Joel: Yeah! And giving more, like even though they sock you in the face, you can still love that person or forgive them. Ultimate forgiveness.
Jon: "To lay down your life for a friend." That's what it says in there too.
V: What do you guys know about the Invisible Children documentary?
Joel: Nothing. No just kidding….
Jon: I just met the (Film makers) two minutes ago and they're really awesome. We got told by some friends about the documentary and I ordered it off the internet and watched it and was blown away and immediately e-mailed them (Film makers) and said, "Man, I don't know how we can help, but we want to be involved." We know that they're involved with this situation over in Uganda, where these children really need the world's attention and some serious help. Right now the western world is ignoring what's happening there (in Northern Uganda). It's a big situation. Should we explain what's happening there maybe?
V: Sure, if you want.
Jon: Basically, there's a rebel army in Northern Uganda called the LRA and they're going around these small towns….
Joel: Villages…
Jon: …abducting children in the middle of the night, usually young children between the ages of 7 and 10, and teaching them how to be murderers and turning them into child soldiers. So these children are scared to live in their homes and they end up going to the cities….
Joel: Bus stops…
Jon: Yeah, and living under verandas, hospital coverings, bus stops and any place that's safe from this rebel army.
Joel: Because in the bush they're just living in their little huts…
Jon: There's no protection from the government. All these young 7-year-old kids…
Joel: Thousands!
Jon: …are walking around the towns by themselves, no parents. So they're trying to build a community for the kids to be safe and to raise awareness so the world will get involved. It's been a 15 year war of this going on. It's pretty crazy, and no one knows about it. It shows you how you really can change the world. That's kind of what we've decided our goal is with this band (laughs). It's all or nothing, you know? You can try to just be some other band, or you can try to really change the world. That's what we want to do. And this is a great example of how these young kids didn't just sit around talking about it or say, "Oh we're just kids, we can't do anything." They went over there and discovered this and it's possible that Uganda's history will be changed because of these few kids from San Diego… That's a crazy thing, you know? So it's really exciting and that's the kind of thing we want to be a part of.
Joel: invisiblechildren.com, go check it out.
Jon: Good stuff!
V: And the last question…What is the first thing that comes to your mind when I say…Purple Cows…
Jon: (laughs)
Brandon: I've never even heard of it. I don't know what you're talking about.
(Everyone laughs)
Jon: For some reason Danny Castro, and I don't even know why, but uh…I just wanted to say Danny Castro's name…'Cause I think the last time we, I mean those guys, did a show was at…
Joel: His place, that's true. I thought about him right as you said that.
Brandon: But ok, to answer your question, the first thing I think when I hear Purple Cows is something obviously amazing. I don't know quite what, but I would definitely go see them.
Joel: (laughs) You know that local channel that shows little town hall meetings? I see the Purple Cows on there all the time.
Jon: The Purple Cows get around. They're doing lots of crazy stuff. I think they went on tour with U2.
Brandon: Yeah.
Joel: They did.
V: What about….Mandy Moore…
Jon: My long-lost lover that never was. I don't know any more. I'm over Mandy Moore.
Brandon: We covered her song.
Jon: I'm over her.
Brandon: I think dirt.
Jon (laughs): I'm sure she's nice.
V: Who is the pop star of the moment?
Brandon: Hmmm…
Joel: Shania Twain. She's my pop star.
Brandon: Dude, that's so typical.
(Jon laughs)
Joel: What?! She's not…freaking Jessica Simpson or like Ashlee Simpson.
Jon: Who do we like?? I mean, Kylie is the legendary. I have two Kylie dolls at my house.
Brandon: I'm going to go with Austin.
(Silence)
Jon: Uh…Powers?
Brandon: No. Austin. Designer. The guy looks like a pop star to me.
Jon: Ooohhh…
V: Who??
Jon: Austin, from Project Runway. Reality TV show on Bravo (laughs).
Brandon: He's a diva.
V: Well is there anything else you boys would like to add before we go?
Joel: Go check out: wearethelife.com; one.org; invisiblechildren.com
Just go change the world!
Jon: Yeah! We're gonna do it so you should too!
The Life interview pictures conducted June 2005 by Vanessa Chalmers .
http://www.wearethelife.com
http://www.myspace.com/thelife
|
Vanessa Chalmers: Ok so the first question
that you know I'm going to ask is… What happened to Noise Ratchet??
|
 |
Joel: A what Jon?
Jon (mouth full): Rock air!
V (to Jon): What are you eating? What is that?
Jon: Some sort of Arby's roast beef sandwich.
Joel: Do you want one?
V: No thanks, I'm vegetarian, kind of.
Joel: Ooooh ok, well there you go!
Jon: (laughs) You want some meat??
V (laughs): Pass…. So besides the name, what else changed?
Jon: I think an awful lot has changed honestly.
Joel: Yeah. Danny is no longer with us. He's going to school.
Jon: The obvious things…we're now a four-piece, we have a different name, we don't play any of the old songs. It's a completely new band. But I think the way we look at the band has changed. I can only answer as far as myself, but I think I was more focused on just hoping that the band was successful. I didn't really care what kind of music we were playing. Eventually you lose heart; you can only go so far when you don't really care about what you're playing. That was really the whole premise: we have to really love what we're doing because to start over again is like a big step back. If we love what we're doing then it will show and people will eventually get into it even more, hopefully.
Joel: We also wanted to start having a purpose again because I think with Noise Ratchet, over time, we lost what our drive was: of making a difference in people's lives and being encouraging and hopeful and making changes. Like with tonight's Invisible Children benefit concert. We want to make a difference, not just with us or with the fans, but in the world in general.
Brandon: Not just our bank accounts.
Jon: The Lord knows that!
V: So how has the response been to the new band?
Joel: Pretty good I think. Obviously we're going to lose fans and probably gain a lot of new fans because the style of music is a bit different now. Overall, a lot of people that have been with us since the beginning have really been encouraging us with the new stuff. They seem to like it a lot.
Jon: One girl that's a friend of the band said, "Well, you probably are going to lose some fans with the new stuff, but people who appreciate good music will learn to love it." That's all we're asking for. We feel that this is music we really care about so hopefully people that appreciate good stuff will dig it.
|
|
V: So who's been your
biggest support throughout this transition?
Joel: Each other (laughs). Jon: Yeah, each other is HUGE. Brandon: It was kind of hard for a while 'cause we were kind of down on ourselves. It was like building up a huge building and then tearing it down again. Jon: It's learning how to write songs all over again, learning how to be friends and be in a band and all that |
V: What has it been like to re-establish yourselves as a new band after being a successful national act?
Joel: Like Brandon said, it's actually been pretty rough because you emotionally, physically, spiritually put everything into…I mean we put a lot into Noise Ratchet. I think over time we lost a lot of that, so now we're trying to learn how to write music together again, learn how to just be home and be friends.
Brandon: It's completely starting over again. The first show we ever played was at the Troubadour and I threw up 'cause I was so nervous. And I've been playing for six years of my life at hundreds and hundreds of shows!
Joel: Same here! But I didn't throw up.
Brandon: I threw up!
Jon: Three weeks ago we did a string of dates of our first shows and it showed us that we really were starting over. There were definitely people there that were checking us out because of Noise Ratchet. It was learning how to win fans over again and it's scary, but it's exciting too, and it went really well! It seemed like those people liked us and I'm not sure they would've like the old stuff so I'm happy with that.
V: What are your plans for this summer?
Joel: Try to get a cd out (laughs).
Jon: Mmhmm.
V: You guys aren't signed yet, right?
Joel: No. That's another thing. We're starting from scratch. We don't have a manager, we don't have a label, we don't have a booking agent. We're starting over. I mean, if a tour comes up or something, obviously we'd jump on it.
Brandon: Our focus is the tour, that's what we want. We want to get back on the road again.
Jon: A few things have to happen to get to that point: get a manager, get a label, get a CD and then we'll be visiting your town.
Brandon: We're just a bunch of little kids trying to start a band again.
V: Are you guys all from San Diego?
Jon: Yeah.
Brandon: We all pretty much live in North County now. We all live in Carlsbad, Encinitas.
Jon: Where the weather's nice.
V: Close to the beach. Did you guys grow up here? Go to high school here?
Jon: I did, Joel didn't!
Joel: I grew up in South Carolina.
V: What high school did you go to? (To Brandon)
Brandon: Grossmont High School.
Jon: I went to Santa Fe Christian for part, and then I graduated from an independent study thing because we started touring. I had to take my work on the road!
V: Yeah 'cause you're the youngest one in the band, right?
Jon: Yeah, I just turned 21. I'm old.
V: I'm 21, that means I'm old!
Joel: You guys are not old, I'm 27.
V: What are your opinions on the San Diego scene?
Jon: It kind of comes in waves, doesn't it? Sometimes it's really sweet and sometimes…
Brandon: It's weird 'cause some of our friends' bands that are from other states will come to San Diego and be like, "Man, San Diego sucks so bad, I just don't get the crowd there" and other people are like "It's the greatest thing ever." I think the kids here have been around music so much and around such good bands, 'cause great bands come out of San Diego, that they get spoiled if a mediocre band comes here. They're always used to something really great.
Jon: Kids have always been super cool to us though.
Joel: As Noise Ratchet we always had a really good fan base. Hopefully we'll build it back up again.
|
V: What are some other San Diego bands
that you guys are into? |
 |
V: Do you consider yourselves a Christian band?
Jon: I don't think we really care to tell people either way. If they want to call us that that's fine 'cause we're definitely Christians and that's definitely part of who we are. But people have different definitions of what "Christian band" means.
Joel: To me, a Christian band is a band that plays in the Christian market, signs to a Christian label and every single song is a worship song.
Jon: Right (laughs). If Christian band means you're in a band and you're Christians, then sure, we're a Christian band.
Brandon: It's kind of like a guy that owns a construction company; if he's a Christian it doesn't mean it's a Christian construction company.
Jon: I was talking to some of the Switchfoot fellows about this because they deal with that issue as well, and the way they said they wanted to answer that question was, "You tell me. If we're representing God well, then sweet, and if we're not then that sucks." It's not really about what we have to say about it, it's about what other people view us as.
V: Do you think being a Christian band affects your success and your fans?
Jon: Not really.
Brandon: I don't think for us. I don't think we've ever had help from Christian marketing. We've always been in a secular market and I think that's all we've always wanted to do.
Jon: It might be weird if we released a bunch of CD's on a Christian label. We've never done that and we don't really intend to. We're pretty much the same as any other band as far as trying to make it, you know? (laughs) Every band has a purpose, that's kind of what we realized. Even the bands that try to pretend like they don't care about anything, their purpose is probably to try to not care about anything! (laughs) Try to hook up with chicks and stuff. We just happened to decide ahead of time what our purpose is.
Joel: There's also been many bands that people say are Christian bands that have been successful. U2 is a perfect instance of a band who has Christian guys in it who've been successful. Switchfoot has done amazing. P.O.D. did amazing back in their days and they were definitely a lot more evangelistic than we are.
V: It's crazy, about Switchfoot. I remember watching them play at a local church when I was 15, and then recently I was in Aguascalientes, Mexico and heard them playing on the radio stations there all the time!
Jon: Dude, yeah that's so cool.
Brandon: I guess we'll have to learn Spanish.
(Everyone laughs)
V: Definitely. So Joel, you're wedding was aired on the TLC program, "For Better or For Worse"…
(Everyone Groans)
Brandon: Oh God, let's just say 'Thank you' and next question…
Joel: Yes, it was.
V: I watched it! I wanted to know how you met your wife.
Joel: How I met my wife, I met her at a wedding in 2001. And it was just…one of those things. We met at the, what do you call that, the reception? Two friends made us dance together and then from then on we just…fell in love and got married I guess. Simple as that.
V: What is your definition of true Love?
Joel (pauses): That's a good question. True love… Obviously there's 1 Corinthians that I think holds true. But love is a patient person, love is kind to a person, it doesn't envy, it doesn't boast, it's not proud, it's not rude, it's not self-seeking. I fail in that daily. But I think true love is loving someone….
Brandon: And not expecting anything back.
Joel: Yeah! And giving more, like even though they sock you in the face, you can still love that person or forgive them. Ultimate forgiveness.
Jon: "To lay down your life for a friend." That's what it says in there too.
V: What do you guys know about the Invisible Children documentary?
Joel: Nothing. No just kidding….
Jon: I just met the (Film makers) two minutes ago and they're really awesome. We got told by some friends about the documentary and I ordered it off the internet and watched it and was blown away and immediately e-mailed them (Film makers) and said, "Man, I don't know how we can help, but we want to be involved." We know that they're involved with this situation over in Uganda, where these children really need the world's attention and some serious help. Right now the western world is ignoring what's happening there (in Northern Uganda). It's a big situation. Should we explain what's happening there maybe?
V: Sure, if you want.
Jon: Basically, there's a rebel army in Northern Uganda called the LRA and they're going around these small towns….
Joel: Villages…
Jon: …abducting children in the middle of the night, usually young children between the ages of 7 and 10, and teaching them how to be murderers and turning them into child soldiers. So these children are scared to live in their homes and they end up going to the cities….
Joel: Bus stops…
Jon: Yeah, and living under verandas, hospital coverings, bus stops and any place that's safe from this rebel army.
Joel: Because in the bush they're just living in their little huts…
Jon: There's no protection from the government. All these young 7-year-old kids…
Joel: Thousands!
Jon: …are walking around the towns by themselves, no parents. So they're trying to build a community for the kids to be safe and to raise awareness so the world will get involved. It's been a 15 year war of this going on. It's pretty crazy, and no one knows about it. It shows you how you really can change the world. That's kind of what we've decided our goal is with this band (laughs). It's all or nothing, you know? You can try to just be some other band, or you can try to really change the world. That's what we want to do. And this is a great example of how these young kids didn't just sit around talking about it or say, "Oh we're just kids, we can't do anything." They went over there and discovered this and it's possible that Uganda's history will be changed because of these few kids from San Diego… That's a crazy thing, you know? So it's really exciting and that's the kind of thing we want to be a part of.
Joel: invisiblechildren.com, go check it out.
Jon: Good stuff!
V: And the last question…What is the first thing that comes to your mind when I say…Purple Cows…
Jon: (laughs)
Brandon: I've never even heard of it. I don't know what you're talking about.
(Everyone laughs)
Jon: For some reason Danny Castro, and I don't even know why, but uh…I just wanted to say Danny Castro's name…'Cause I think the last time we, I mean those guys, did a show was at…
Joel: His place, that's true. I thought about him right as you said that.
Brandon: But ok, to answer your question, the first thing I think when I hear Purple Cows is something obviously amazing. I don't know quite what, but I would definitely go see them.
Joel: (laughs) You know that local channel that shows little town hall meetings? I see the Purple Cows on there all the time.
Jon: The Purple Cows get around. They're doing lots of crazy stuff. I think they went on tour with U2.
Brandon: Yeah.
Joel: They did.
V: What about….Mandy Moore…
Jon: My long-lost lover that never was. I don't know any more. I'm over Mandy Moore.
Brandon: We covered her song.
Jon: I'm over her.
Brandon: I think dirt.
Jon (laughs): I'm sure she's nice.
V: Who is the pop star of the moment?
Brandon: Hmmm…
Joel: Shania Twain. She's my pop star.
Brandon: Dude, that's so typical.
(Jon laughs)
Joel: What?! She's not…freaking Jessica Simpson or like Ashlee Simpson.
Jon: Who do we like?? I mean, Kylie is the legendary. I have two Kylie dolls at my house.
Brandon: I'm going to go with Austin.
(Silence)
Jon: Uh…Powers?
Brandon: No. Austin. Designer. The guy looks like a pop star to me.
Jon: Ooohhh…
V: Who??
Jon: Austin, from Project Runway. Reality TV show on Bravo (laughs).
Brandon: He's a diva.
V: Well is there anything else you boys would like to add before we go?
Joel: Go check out: wearethelife.com; one.org; invisiblechildren.com
Just go change the world!
Jon: Yeah! We're gonna do it so you should too!
The Life interview pictures conducted June 2005 by Vanessa Chalmers .
http://www.wearethelife.com
http://www.myspace.com/thelife
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