Nach der letztjährigen Split mit Anti-Flag im Rahmen der BYO-Split-Serie legen The Bouncing Souls nun auf Epitaph mit "Anchors Aweigh" einen weiteren Longplayer vor. Der ganze Package von Musik, Texten und Artwork ist wieder richtig rund und überzeugend ausgefallen und die Jungs sind heute besser denn je. Inzwischen deutlich härter geworden, spielt die Band ihre eigene Mischung zwischen wildem Punk-Rock, Hardcore und ein wenig Pop-Appeal. Kurz: The Bouncing Souls rocken!

Musicscan: give our readers a short briefing about the bouncing souls, please. what are you guys doing right at the moment besides promting your new record?

Bouncing Souls: I have been filling in on bass with my wife's band Shanti and having a lot fun. She has a new record that just came out and the band sounds great. Her website is www.shantimusic.com Enjoying my time at home.

Musicscan: there was this split with anti-flag on byo last year. why have you been chosen to be on this split with anti-flag?

Bouncing Souls: Byo has wanted us to do a split for a long time. Us and Anti-flag seemed like a great combo. the timing was perfect too.

Musicscan: i can imagine that your band profited a lot from this release. i mean anti-flag always gets huge attention...

Bouncing Souls: Yea Its great for us because their fans will hear us and our fans will hear them

Musicscan: did you like anti-flags version of "the freaks, nerds & romantics"?

Bouncing Souls: I thought it was great!

Musicscan: why did you chose to do especially their "that's youth"? just because it's anti-flags smash hit?

Bouncing Souls: It seemed to fit for us out of all of their songs. After we recorded it Justin told me the song was originally inspired by the Bouncing Souls.

Musicscan: you also did tracks from cocksparrer and sticks&stones. what's your personal coonection to those bands?

Bouncing Souls: That cocksparrer song is so inspring to me. It was weasy to put a lot of feeling behind it. Sticks and Stones were a band from Nj that we like from our home state Nj,. We always thought it would be fun to try one of their songs...our style

Musicscan: do you agree to describe your sound as a mixture of classic DC-sound and hardcore? can it be so simple? i mean you play some kind of melodic but still aggressive hardcore-punk. or is it just your own understanding of punk-rock?

Bouncing Souls: Our own punk rock sounds good to me...Thats what I'll say when someone asks me what kind of music do you play.".Our own punk rock" Because thats what it is..We are inspired by so many things we put it in the pot and out comes bs music.

Musicscan: you have become harder (musically) through your releases i think. some years ago you have been some kind of pop-punk, but today it's different. what happened? is it some natural development when a band gets older?

Bouncing Souls: Hard rocking music seems to have come exploding out of us...the drive to rock harder seems to have been building in us.

Musicscan: hearing "anchors aweigh" - it's some kind of emotional journey between all those extremes life and emotions have to offer. what makes you write such wide music?

Bouncing Souls: The music comes from the lives all of us lead. A lot of the lyrics on Anchors aweigh came from Bryan. He was going through a break up with his long time girlfriend and he wrote all about it. He was really writing from his guts just to get through how he was feeling. I think it shows in the feeling of the record.

Musicscan: is it an intentionell drive to make the songs as varied musically as possible?

Bouncing Souls: I think that comes from appreciating the dynamics of music and wanting get that across. I love feeling hard music and quiet music all in the right way. Dynamics, speed and rythym. I love it when its all mixed up just right.

Musicscan: what are you guys doing when you enter your rehearsal room? what's your main focus creating new songs onto?

Bouncing Souls: Usually i have a couple of lyrical ideas and I'm excited to hear what the other guys have to put in the pot. The lyrics are usually the jumping point. A song starts to take shape as everyone plays together.

Musicscan: what is the thing you guys feel especially proud of (whether compositionally, lyrically,...) concerning the new record?

Bouncing Souls: For me its the feeling behind my voice. When i hear music I want it to break down my walls and hit me emotionally. Lift me up with real feeling and hit me in the heart. I hear that when i listen to the record. I really feel it. I know its good if it brings a little tear to my eye,..and it does. I also want to add that it took a lot of pushing and encouragement from everyone in the band and John Seymore. they were all amazing at helpiing me go there.

Musicscan: if you would summarise the message and atmosphere of the music in one sentence. what would it be?

Bouncing Souls: Real music from the heart.

Musicscan: i like this whole package of this dark illustrated digipak. what was your intention by using this artwork? in what way does the artwork relate to the music? explain it to me, please. it can be very interesting i think.

Bouncing Souls: The artwork is all done by Bryan the bass player. i think its incredible and amazing. I love it because it an oil painting. Its not done from a computer. You will have to ask him exactly where the inspiration came from.

Musicscan: there are lots of hardcore-influenced punk-bands around these days. what sets the bouncing souls apart from the rest? what is different about your band?

Bouncing Souls: We do our own thing our own way and i think that makes us original. We do what we do with real feeling behind it. Our hearts go into all of it and it shows. Anything from the heart can't be denied. We are trying to top ourselves from the inside out . Really better ourselves. I don't see that in alot of bands.

Musicscan: do you feel sucessfull as a band? i only read very good reviews for your last records and i think a lot of people are into the bouncing souls...

Bouncing Souls: The success of our band has gone way past my expectations. Its the ultimate dream job. A dream come true.

Musicscan: where do you see your fanbase? what are the people that are interested in your band?

Bouncing Souls: I think Our fan base is kids and people who are looking for something in life to believe in. Something to grab on to and really love. Maybe thay are looking for what i have always been looking for... Something you feel in music that is real and forever.

Musicscan: how much attention you put on europe in general? is there a chance to see you guys playing live here in europe supporting the new record soon? you have been here some months ago, but...

Bouncing Souls: We have toured as much as we possibly could there. I like touring europe and discovering new places and people. We will be there in Nov.- Dec,

Musicscan: your biggest wish to happen for the band?

Bouncing Souls: To Rock the world.