Say Anything or say everything? The bands lyrics flow through your ears, sometimes making you wonder what in the world are they talking about or did they really write a song about that. Front man Max Bemis has an unusual but catchy form of lyricism and sound. The band sings many times of subjects that are dark but throw their own quick, cheerful, and upbeat tempo on each track that makes you feel happy even if the song is about trying to kill yourself. Bemis often writes of his challenges of living with bipolar disorder as a young man and as an adult. The lyrics are deep and complex, filled with words you may only see or hear if reading a dictionary. Many of which, if listened to carefully can really make you think.
I recently had a chance to speak with Max and here is what he had to say.
Q: “Where does the name Say Anything come from?”
A: “When I was around 16 one of my favorite movies was “Say Anything,” and the main character was such a weirdo and I was a weirdo. I’m still pretty much a weirdo. It’s just about how a really quirky guy can get through life, and through the world, and succeed. I think that to some degree still speaks for what our music is about.”
Q: “How long were you a band before you came out with your first record?”
A: “Well we put out a record called “Baseball” when we were about 17, and then when we were 19 or 20 we put out our first official record called “Is A Real Boy.”
Q: “Who are some of your biggest musical influences?”
A: “Our biggest influences were The Beatles, Queen, Pavement, At The Drive-in, Saves The Day who I grew up listening to who is still really important to me and the band.
Q: “Some say your sound has changed since “Is A Real Boy”, to what do you attribute the change in Say Anything's overall sound?”
A: “It was literally almost 8 years ago that we wrote the music for that record. So if anything it would be about maturing, getting older, my taste in music changing, my voice changing, and what I wanted the band to sound like kind of changing over time. You can’t make the same music over and over again”
Q: “Obviously Say Anything has gone through several line-up changes. What prompted the band to expand to include more guitars, a keyboardist, etc?”
A: “Well there’s usually a lot of guitar and keyboard parts on our records and we wanted to recreate as much as we could live which is why we added another member.”
Q: “What is your most meaningful or favorite song to play on tour?”
A: “I like playing “amen” from our new record, I wrote it to be like a hymn or a prayer so when I play it it’s like I’m praying.”
Q: “Are there any songs you will never play on tour?”
A: “I’d say anything before our record “Baseball” there’s a slim chance I’ll play anything older than “Baseball.”
Q: “Who are some of your favorite bands to tour with?”
A: “Eisley, Saves The Day, Manchester Orchestra, Biffy Clyro, Me Without You. Those were all great tours.”
Q: “What are your favorite things to do with your down time on tour?”
A: “I put a lot of myself into the performance. When I’m done I’m usually a broken sweaty mess so I like to go to the back of the bus and read. I read graphic novels more than books. My favorite one is called “The Invisibles.”
