Interview with Rock Band We Are the Fury

With the release of Venus, We are the Fury successfully reclaimed the swaggering rock, and roll, of a time gone by. The Toledo, OH, band constructed a smart, catchy, furiously infectious record with swanky rockers and sweet ballads.

Frontman, in the truest sense of the word, Jeremy took a few minutes to answer some questions while the band is on a tour that can see no end in sight for 2007.

When did the band get started?

"Stephan and I have played together as far back as I can remember. As for everyone else, we started playing together as far back as '99 when we were all in high school. We did not officially start playing as We Are The Fury until 2004.

There was an issue with the band's name, what was the deal?

We had to change our name from The Fury to We Are The Fury due to legal issues. When we first picked the name The Fury we were surprised we could not find any bands online or elsewhere that had it. About 2 years later, a band out of Detroit that had not played a show in about 25 years came at us saying it was their name. We changed it to avoid lawsuits and such.

What would you say is the band's "mission statement"?

To murder the current state of rock 'n roll.

Who are some of your influences? What do you think is the most obvious? Most important? Completely unnecessary?

Bowie, T-Rex and the Rolling Stones. Those are obvious. I do not know who is more important. Sometimes people think that we sound like bands that have no influence on us such as My Chemical Romance, Hot Hot Heat or IMA Robot. It is bizarre for us because those individuals think that they have us pinpointed. We really do not listen to a lot of new music.

What is the music scene like in Toledo?

It is getting there. It was good when we were teenagers, then it kind of fell off. There is not really a Toledo sound or anything. There are many good musicians though.

What songs from Venus get the best crowd reaction?

We have been in the opening slot so we only get to play seven or eight songs a night. So far, the best reactions are to "So Physical" and "Camera Tricks". I think maybe because they are so in your face and involve the crowd quite a bit.

What is the songwriting process like for your band?

Usually I will come up with an idea for a melody, a guitar line and most of the song structure. Once I get that solid, I will show the rest of the band and we will build it from there. Everyone puts there thing on it. That is what makes our sound our own.

What do the other band members bring to the table. Song wise? Performance wise?

Everyone is an amazing musician. I do not want to take all the credit. They write their own parts. I just write the changes, basic riffs, and melodies. It would not sound like us if anyone else played it. In addition, as far as performance goes, we all rip it live.

Are there any songs you wish you could take back?

No. We are our own biggest critics. If it makes it past the five of us, then we are confident in it.

What is the most important part of a song?

I have been writing songs for a while now and I have no idea what the most important part of a song is. If it sounds good and keeps me interested, that is the most important thing.

What was the first album or song that was important to you?

There were a few. When I was young, like six or seven years old, I was all about The Beatles and The Beach Boys. The first two albums in modern rock that really shook me up were hearing Green Day's Dookie when I was in 5th grade, and then in 6th grade hearing Marilyn Manson's Portrait of an American Family. Those two albums were the first albums that made me want to start a band.

Would you consider your band stylish? Is image important?

Of course we are. We are the most stylish band in the world, ha-ha. As far as image goes, even the bands who say it is not important must realize that it really actually is important. It does not mean you have to dress up, but I think it is important to look like a band. Definitely, sound is most important, but personally, I want bands that look like bands.

What is more enjoyable? Playing by yourself for 2 hours or part of a package show where you get 30 minutes?

They both are. We just like to play in front of people. At a hometown show we like playing longer because there are more people there. Out of town, we are still building so we enjoy opening for bands and finding out who loves us and who hates us.

What is the most common misconception about your band?

The most common misconception about us is that we are pretentious jerks who hate all new bands. Ok, there is a bit of truth to that, but we really are not jerks, we are just bored with the state of music right now. I wish rock bands would challenge the norm. Rock music has become stale because bands are not pushing themselves. They want to be part of the crowd, following trends. There are no leaders.

Do you think being a little more Middle American contributes to your detachment with current music?

No. I think being so into music is what made me become unattached. The thing about us is that for the past four years we have been on the road. In that time, we have probably spent about six to eight months in Los Angeles. We have also been on the road a lot. I think when you are out you get a chance to see what is going on in the world. I just became bored with everything. That is what made me want to do something different.

Has your enjoyment of music changed, now that you do it for a living?

You definitely have to understand the business aspect of it, which really sucks. It would be nice to just play music and not worry about all that. Unfortunately, that is not how this whole industry is set up. Still, I love music in just the same way everyone else should. It is always fun to listen to good music and see good bands, and we still love to play shows.

Who will be the first band member to do an indulgent solo album? Who will be the first member to do a solo album that sounds exactly like your band?

Chris will be the first to do an artsy-indie album. I'll probably be the one to make an album that sounds a lot like WATF just because I am the most heavily involved in our song writing right now.

Marc Bolan or David Bowie?

Well, if I could have both of those from 1972-75 then that would be the best. They are my two biggest personal influences so it is a bit of a difficult question.

Where can we find more info about the band or any other projects?

For now, go to our MySpace page at www.myspace.com/wearethefury. Our new site wearethefury.net will be launching soon as well. Also, if you want to find random positive and negative articles on us, search us on Google.

What does the future look like for WATF?

We will see. We just plan to continue to put out records and tour. See you then!

Anything you would like to add?

Yes. Buy us sushi.

You can catch We are the Fury on tour through the rest of the year. Check www.myspace.com/wearethefury for dates.