E: So Jason, after quite a long time spent without a singer, the band Staring Back has chosen you to take on vocal abilities... What was your relationship with the band prior to landing this job?
Jason: Staring Back has been one of my favorite bands from the day I heard On. That album is just brilliant. When I heard they had a spot open for a vocalist, I got a hold of Gavin and hooked it up. It was actually dumb luck that I was going to see my mom in Long Beach (I'm from Indiana, near Chicago), so when I got to California, I took the train up to Santa Barbara and tried out. It seemed to go well... so we made it happen.
I mean really, I didn't have much contact with the dudes prior to my contacting them to try out.
E: Did you know what they would be looking for when you tried out?
Jason: A singer. *Laughs* Nah, I figured it would have to be someone with a decent range.... someone that could at least hit and sustain a high A.
After we all hung out, I realized that they were probably looking for someone with a decent personality too.
E: What'd they have you do as an audition?
Jason: I just picked out a few songs that I was comfortable with singing and that's what we did. Actually, it went so well that they asked me to come back up the following week, and we did a few more songs. We sat down at the practice spot for a minute and talked a bit. I'm sure they didn't want someone whose main influences were Blink-182 and Simple Plan. After that I stayed at Gavin's. We drank steel reserves and hung out all night.
E: What past musical experience did you have coming into this?
Jason: I've played a lot of music in the past. I was really involved with the drumline in high school. I actually teched it one year. I was really into drum corps and what not. Past that, I had been in some hardcore bands, playing guitar mostly. My main thing was a band called Sweetheart Revolution (no, we did not steal the name from Bryan Adams). I sang and played guitar in that band. It was just fun... pop music. I thought I had hit the big time when I started this band with a dude from Student Rick when they broke up, he promised me and my drummer all kinds of crap... things that were just ridiculous. We ended up quitting and carrying on with Sweetheart because the guy just turned out to be a huge egomaniac amongst other things. That was my first real taste of the music industry. I kind of wanted to call it quits because of that experience until Staring Back came along.
E: Are you frantically memorizing Staring Back songs to perform, or do you plan on writing your own stuff soon?
Jason: Nah, On is an unforgettable album. I picked up the lyrics pretty quickly.... I goof up once in a while, but I'm new, so I'm kind of allowed to do that. We are in the process of writing new stuff now, actually.
E: So you'll be moving to be in the band?
Jason: Eventually. Right now I'm going out to Santa Barbara once a month at least. It looks like I'll be flying out twice next month within two weeks.
E: So when will most fans be expecting to see you perform your new vocal duties full-time?
Jason: As of my joining the band, there isn't anyone else that will be singing from now on.
E: Will future songs stay true to the songs recorded with Matt?
In style?
Jason: It's hard to say. A lot of people have told me I sound a lot like Matt, and even Matt has given me props. As far as writing style... I'm not sure. I think we're taking the writing to a new level. Ryan is coming up with some melodies, and I know he had some influence on how some of the melodies went on On. So I think we'll kind of just have to see how it turns out. Fans will be pleased one way or another I'm sure; the new stuff is really rad.
E: Well thanks for doing the interview, man.
Jason: No problem.
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