Now, as The Used gear up for the release of their still-untitled third album (due in early 2007), they find themselves no longer at the forefront of the emo/Warped/MySpace/whatever punk revolution. Which is perfectly fine with them, notes MTV News.
"I don't really understand the scene today," bassist Jeph Howard laughed. "I mean, I love My Chem ? we used to tour with them all the time, so I'm stoked for them and I'm really excited to hear their new album. But I don't think any of us are really into a lot of those other bands. In all respect to them, I personally don't like their music.
"
I mean, we were doing pretty good for a while there," he continued, considering his band's impact on the scene. "
We were on the radio a lot more than our friends' bands, and that sucks that some of them didn't get as big as they should have. So you never can tell what's going to happen. And, really, I don't have any idea about how our new record will do. But if we don't sell as many copies, that's OK with me."
So when The Used reconvened in Los Angeles in June to begin work on the new album with producer John Feldmann, who helmed their last two discs, they did so as decided underdogs -- a position which, according to Howard, freed them up to make the album they've always wanted to make. And the results -- somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 songs, with names like "Earthquakes" and "Slit Your Own Throat" ? were certifiably "rocking."
"It's really difficult to describe the new songs, but they're really rocking, and we're so in love with them. You'll definitely know that it's a rock record," Howard said. "Quinn [Allman's] guitar licks are insane and so brilliant. And the vocals are the most incredible that Bert [McCracken] has ever done. It's like everything he's ever sung, except, like turned to 11. Everyone who loves his voice is going to love it even more, and, well, everyone who hates it is probably going to hate it even more."
Read more at MTV News.
