Interview With Josh James Of Evergreen Terrace

Josh: Guitar
Bands: Evergreen Terrace, Casey Jones
Label: Metal Blade Records
Interview Date: September 9, 2009
Interview Type: In Person

The Goat: How has the Hard Knock Life Tour been going and have you been playing tracks from the upcoming album, Almost Home?

Josh: We have been playing a couple of new songs and we have two up on Myspace right now. One is called "Enemy Sex" and the other is "Sending Signals." We have playing those two songs and the response has been great. This is the sixth or seventh show on the Hard Knock Life Tour and it feels like the 36th show. Crowds have been good. Its a really cool line up in the sense that every band gives each other a run for their money. You go on some tours and its easy to play after other bands or its easy for them to play after you because maybe your not as good. This tour every band is solid and the bands are really diverse. Its a great package.

The Goat: After listening to Almost Home it is obvious your band has really grown since releasing Wolfbiker. The songs have better structure and they really capture your eclectic sound with a nice mix of punk, hardcore, and metalcore. Was this a conscience effort or simply the result of maturity and experience?

Josh: I would say the latter. I think it is something that happened with the evolution of the band as musicians and song writers. When it comes to the punk element, myself, Craig, and Kyle are the three that wrote the album. Me and Kyle are really influenced by the punk stuff so we were able to incorporate more of that sound into our record. Craig is the quote unquote rock guy. He has a couple songs on the record that really stand out. We all got together and started blending everything I think that's what really made the difference where as on previous records it would just be like more or less someone would write a song and everyone would be like yea lets do it. When everyone wasn't totally stoked on the song in its entirety. On this record all 3 of us sat there for way to long until we wanted to kill each other. But we tweaked every thing until everybody was happy.

The Goat: As a guitar player, I don't know if you can speak on the lyrics, but what are some of the general themes on Almost Home?

Josh: We are not a band that has one set of moral standards or a way of living. There is no one religion or philosophy. The lyrics deal with ideas in oppression and religion to what its like being in a band in this day and age in the current music industry. And normal life struggles in growing up and finding where you fit in in the world. I think that, and hopefully when readers read the lyrics, they will be able to pull something out of them and be able to realize what we are saying. Its not like the lyrics say "the dying autumn of the winter maze and the fresh breathe of my red eyes."

The Goat: No Type O kind of lyrics?

Josh: No. No. Its a little more straight forward. And lyrically I think that a lot of bands sacrifice integrity and content just to have clever lines or just cool catchy things to say before a mosh part. We are the opposite, trying to have lyrics that mean something.

The Goat: I read where your discussing how the economy drastically changes being in a band. If you can, talk a little about how a band is effected by a struggling economy.

Josh: The economy has taken a huge hit on all bands, but especially on bands our size and smaller. The problem is we know we are a part of the entertainment business. So the first thing people cut out of their lives when the economy starts going down is entertainment. People wont come to a show, or buy a t-shirt, or pick up a CD and unfortunately, that's how we make our money. For instance on the Warped Tour last year we spent 25,000 just in gas. That's what some people make in a year. Its just one of those things that we have to tough out. There is nothing we can really do about it. Now we are finding ways of touring smarter. Hopefully, things will be on the up and up for everybody soon.

The Goat: When can fans expect to see the video for "Sending Signals?" Talk a little about making the video.

Josh: We are still waiting to see the video as well. We haven't even seen the first edit. I cant really tell you much about it. The only thing we were really involved in was the live performance part. We shot the video around the corner from my parents house. Scott Hansen, who has done work for Willie Nelson, shot the video. We know the story line is kind of a comical Karate Kid mockery type video. If it comes out funny that will be good and if not I am sure it will be like our other videos.

The Goat: Caleb, your brother and member of your other band Casey Jones, is filling in on drums while Kyle is going through Physical Therapy. How was his transition into the band?

Josh: It was a real shitty situation with Kyle getting hurt a few days right before we left to go on tour. Caleb usually sells merch for us. He is super familiar with all of our songs. We are use to touring with him. He knows how everybody's personalities are. We were like, "can you play these parts" and he was like, "I don't know, maybe." We had two practices, did The Acacia Strain tour, we went to Europe and now we are on this tour. So he has been holding it down. And has been saving our ass. He is stoked on it because he gets to be on the stage instead of sitting behind the merch booth. So now we have the bass player from Casey Jones selling merch instead.

The Goat: They (Casey Jones) are like your farm team. Just pull them as you need them. Say there is somebody who has never heard Evergreen Terrace, would you prefer them to see your band live or listen to your new CD as their first exposure to Evergreen Terrace?

Josh: Well...depending on the amount of alcohol the other guys have gotten a hold of, I would say check us out live first. I think that you cant misinterpret the energy we put into a live show whether its a good show or a bad show and whether some of the guys are so drunk they can barely stand up or whether they are sober enough to play their parts right. Its always a good time so see us live first then while you are their you can pick up a CD.

The Goat: Almost Home is your 5th studio album. If you could take a time machine back to 1999 when your band first came together what would be the one piece of advice you would give to your younger self when considering everything you know now about the business and/or your band?

Josh: Don't do it. Don't do it. Probably the thing I would tell my younger self is to watch out for people who want to take advantage of you. Whether that's your label or management. There are a lot of people over the last ten years who have made more money off of this then all of us put together have. And this band is in no way shape or form only here to generate money, but when ever you see someone walking off with so much money from something you did and made you cant help but feel ripped off. And we have been ripped off a lot by previous labels. I could go into major detail about this but I doubt you have the tape for it.

The Goat: This Sunday, Jacksonville, your home town, opens up the NFL season against Indianapolis. Do you give a fuck?

Josh: One of the other guys might, but I don't give a fuck. I am not into sports.

The Goat: What does the future hold for Evergreen Terrace? Also, give me your final words.

Josh: The new record is out on 9/29 on Metal Blade Records. And she is absolutely wasted (pointing to my girlfriend, Ashley, who has come out of the wood work with my main man DC).

Ashley: No I am not, I have only had one drink.

Josh: Then you are a light weight.

The Goat: Well, she has had other "things" that went down with that one drink.

DC: What am I?

Josh: Your just a cute boy.

DC: I'm a teddy bear.

Josh: And those are the final words.