Discussing Every Time I Die's New Album Low Teens And Warped Tour With Andy Williams
7/9/16
Wantagh, NY Warped Tour
Michelle Turk
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Photo Credit: Holly Turner
Every Time I Die is a Buffalo-based band on Epitaph Records. They formed in 1998 with brothers Jordan and Keith Buckley and Andy Williams on guitar. Although they are one of the older bands playing at Warped Tour, they are among the most contemporary- by consistently creating new music that blends hardcore punk and rock while maintaining a signature sound unique to the band. At Warped Tour in Wantagh, New York, I sat down with Andy Williams in the Jones Beach Amphitheatre to discuss Warped Tour, Andy’s indie wrestling career, and their eighth studio album Low Teens, which will be released on September 23, 2016.
BtS Press: My first Warped Tour was the first time I’ve ever seen Every Time I Die and two years later I met ETID at a meet and greet. How many have you played over the years?
Andy Williams: It’s been 6 and ½. I said 7 but did 3 weeks of one in 2003, so then from 2003 we did 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016.
BtS Press: What do you find that is new and different for every show of Warped?
Williams: On Warped Tour, they keep it kind of fresh because basically they pick names out of a hat. Somedays you wake up and say life is going to be great. Other days you’re headlining at 7:30 pm. You’re up at 7:30 and think what am I going to do all day? So then you have to look at the list and think I’m going to watch these bands today and eat lunch at this time. You can plan your days. Other days, it’s like “you’re going on at 11:30” and you’re like “oh shit!” You just got to jump the gun and do whatever you want the rest of the day.
BtS Press: Have you been enjoying being here today at Jones Beach?
Williams: I’m enjoying the weather, big time. You never hear people say that until their on Warped Tour but it’s overcast and cold and I couldn’t be more happy about it.
BtS Press: What are some of your favorite songs to play on Warped in particular?
Williams: Anything that get’s the crowd moving is really good. “Bored Stiff” is really good because it’s a crowd pleaser. “No Son of Mine” and “We’rewolf” are also great.
We change new songs out everyday and they’re fun to play because it's not the same thing every day.
BtS Press: On your new record Low Teens there is a track featuring Brendon Urie from Panic! At the Disco. Could you say more about how that came about?
Williams: So to start off, Brendon has a Every Time I Die sleeve. He’s a big fan. Believe it or not, it first started with him hitting us up and saying, “I’m open, I have a studio, If you need anything, don’t hesitate to hit me up.” Keith had the idea of having this girl from this band he likes singing on one track. She just got flakey and flaked out. So he said okay, well we are going to hit Brendon up and see if he wants to do it. We sent him the track and in 45 minutes he had sent us 100 vocal ideas. He did so much and did everything from falsetto to lows. I didn’t know anything about Panic! At the Disco besides the songs on the radio but that right there. That dude is really talented. It’s insane.
BtS: I actually saw him last week on this stage! So many songs he was singing these high notes and I was like “How is he doing that?” It was insane!
Williams: His voice is insane. To just send him a track and within 45 minutes to have every idea you can think of, that’s insane.
BtS: What bands are some of your favorites playing Warped this summer? Any new bands you would like to recommend?
Williams: Old Wounds, Four Year Strong, State Champs, Whitechapel, Veil of Maya. Mother Feather is awesome. They are so different. It’s so refreshing to just not hear someone yelling. There’s a bunch of good bands. I think I put a lot of pressure on myself with my time. I like to schedule my time. It’s hard because I’ll be like Old Wounds goes on 45 minutes before we play, I can’t go see them today. And I’m old so I have to make sure I stretch or I’ll hurt myself. I’m at that point in time in my life.
BtS: What’s your routine like before you play?
Williams: I like to eat something- not something big, maybe just a protein bar. I run in place a lot. I stretch a bunch. I dress like a cowboy on this tour so that takes awhile. I just had knee surgery a month and half ago so I have this big bulky brace that takes awhile to get on.
Every Time I Die’s set was easily the most exciting and refreshing one on the Monster Energy Party Zone Stage of the day, closing out with “Moors” from From Parts Unknown. Every Time I Die will be continuing on Warped Tour through August. Their newest album Low Teens will be available on September 23 on Epitaph Records. You can catch the single “The Coin Has a Say” here.