UN: Did you guys see your debut album as almost a way to reinvent the band and bring the band to the level that you wanted? I'm not saying that the sound has changed all that much, but the band is tighter now and seems much more focused on what you want to accomplish musically. Could you almost consider the ep to be a demo looking back?

Jeff: Yeah, the EP was definately more of a demo for us. It was our first real studio experience, and we hadn't been together as a band all that long. We were sloppy. I wouldn't say the full length was intended to reinvent the band, it was more of a natural progression. We'd just been playing together longer, and alot more often, and we spent more time writing the songs.

UN: Were you surprised by how many people seemed to bitch about the new melodic approach at first? I mean, with hardcore, people are especially fickle. If a band changes at all the scene police are out within minutes clogging message boards with pointless criticism. It all seems like a moot point, especially when you consider that Make Yourself Sick is going to be the first time a lot of people hear Boys Night Out.

Jeff: I couldn't agree more. We've always been a melodic band, with lots of poppy elements in our songs. We have definately never been a hardcore band, nor have we ever tried to parade as a hardcore band in any way. If anything it was the heavier stuff was kind of sticking out like a sore thumb in our earlier songs. and still, it wasnt even that heavy, maybe just more screaming. But hey, people are free to their opinions, if old fans don't like the progression of the band, and the songs that we write, then thats totally cool with us.

UN: How long was the writing process for the new album? It seems like Broken Bones & Bloody Kisses has been out for quite some time. Did you guys take more time with each individual song? As a whole the album is extremely well written and flows well from beginning to end. It's damn infectious as well!

Jeff: Yeah, I spent alot more time writing all the riffs, and we spent tons of time putting the songs together. We holed up in a basement of an antique store and smoked opium every day for a year. chasin' the dragon, baby.

UN: Do you guys have an almost everything goes type of attitude towards songwriting? I know the newer songs are more concise but there still is a lot of variety. After all you don't hear many pop punk rooted bands with insane screaming and breakdown riffs. Plus the more ambient acoustic song is something new for the band as well.

Jeff: Yeah, it's pretty much when we're practising, and someone comes out with something that sounds good, and is fun to play, we'll work with it. As long as it has a groove to it, it's all good.

UN: I was wondering if you could go into detail about the album name. I think I read somewhere that it has to do with a party you guys were at. I'm sure over time that album name has come to mean more to you guys though.

Jeff: Yeah, it has something to do with a party, about someone partying too hard, but also it fits into the theme of the songs on the record. Just about different kinds of abuse, mainly self abuse, with drugs and relationships. The title just kind of seemed right to all of us.

UN: Does the album art have anything to do with the name of the album? To me, it either looks like people committing suicide by drowning themselves, or possibly people recovering from a bad hangover. Surprisingly enough, both seem to fit in with the bands subject matter.

Jeff: That's exactly what we were shooting for. Both of those things.

UN: While the band is excellent musically, I'd say it's the lyrical approach that really helps you guys stand out. Hell, some of these lyrics would make even a diehard Cannibal Corpse fan shiver. Obviously you guys aren't out to kill anyone, what would you say influenced the bands lyrical approach? Do you just consider it an outlet for aggression?

Jeff: Possibly yeah. It's alot of things. Maybe a small unhealthy obsession with death, it's good catharsis, and it's so much easier to write about tragedy then to write about smiles and puppy dogs and rainbows. Although we're doing a song about each those things on the next record. We're exploring new ideas. moving on.

UN: One thing I found interesting about the lyrics were that a lot of them were criticizing from the first person. Meaning you basically are judging yourself. This is almost unheard of in hardcore music. In a genre that is so quick to point fingers and judge others lyrically, it's nice to see a band able to break down that wall and tell people that they aren't perfect. It's a much more human approach to songwriting.

Jeff: Hey, human beings are disasters. We just figured we should let everyone know.

UN: How did Ferret come into the picture? At first I was a bit surprised because you guys definitely stand out among the Ferret roster because of them mainly having heavier bands. But when I thought about it more, every band is unique and has something different to offer. Considering that you fit in perfectly I think. How have things been working out with Ferret?

Jeff: They contacted us after onedaysavior found us on the internet, and they really wanted to put out some records with us. We were into it right away. Ferret's a great label, amazing bands, amazing dudes. We're very happy there.

UN: If I'm not mistaken you guys are getting the chance to tour the states much more then you had the chance to in the past. Do you find it exciting that you guys are bringing your music out to new faces and cities you probably haven't had the chance to play before?

Jeff: Yeah, I love it. Touring can be hard, especialy with the amount that we're on the road, but it's what i've wanted to do since i was like, 10 years old.

UN: I'm assuming that you guys are planning on touring as much as humanly possible. Considering it said on tour forever on your website. Is this what it's always been about? Just getting out there and touring? Does being on Ferret make it much easier to be on tour?

Jeff: Well, yeah, that's what being in a band is. We're not going to be able to get our music out to anyone sitting on our asses, hoping that people will check us out on their own somehow, we have to be out there playing constantly. We will take time off to record a new record and for some other stuff, but we'll be touring indefinately.

UN: Do you guys set up your own tours or do you guys use a booking agents? I'm always curious to find out how tour packages come together. Do a lot of tours come together with bands just being friends with other bands? I'm sure that might have been the case with your current tour with Alexisonfire, another Canadian band who are doing very well right now.

Jeff: We have an awesome booking agent who's been an incredible help for us. Being friends with the bands, and calling each other up and talking about touring is a big factor in tour packages coming together, but there's always a lot more going on with management, and labels, and bookng agents to put packages together. And yeah, us and the alexisonfire dudes have wanted to tour together since we did a short canadian run about a year ago with FATA and a static lullaby.

UN: Do you think that being from Canada is a help or a hindrance? The scene here really doesn't get much credit, but bands like Grade did well, and Alexisonfire are doing well. There have always been metal bands making it pretty good, but Canadian hardcore bands never seem to make themselves very well known outside of Canada. Do you find a lot of people saying "eh" to you guys as a joke? For example, you guys are from Canada eh?

Jeff: Yeah, lately canada, our area of ontario especialy, has been exploding in the punk rock scene. Pretty much any band that really goes for it, and wants to do more than just play local shows every now and again, is getting well known. which is an awesome thing, There's so much talent around here, it's good to see. and yeah, the eh thing sucks. We all get it like, 15 times a day. not funny anymore

UN: Are you hitting areas of Canada you've never hit before on this Alexisonfire tour? It seems funny to me that a lot of bands from Canada tour across the US before they even do a cross Canada tour.

Jeff: Canada is very hard to tour across if you're not with an extablished band, or with a solid booking agency. Cities are few and far between and sketchy shows are in abundance. We're hitting everything west of ontario, which we've never done before, save for one show in winnipeg once, a long time ago before our E.P. was out.

UN: What's next for you guys? Just keep touring and working on getting the name out there? I'm assuming it's way too early to talk about the bands next album.

Jeff: Yeah, we'll be touring till some time in the fall when we'll take some time off to really work our asses off on the record. Lots of stuff has been written, and we've got some really good concept ideas in the works. we really want to try to do something interesting for the next album. It's not gonna be some wacky, different concept album, it's stil going to be boys night out, but probably quite a bit creepier.