Over the last ten years, The Hold Steady have established themselves as one of America’s most joyous, intelligent, and overall best rock and roll bands. Between the combination of singer Craig Finn’s hyper-literate lyrical narratives and lead guitarist Tad Kubler’s old-school riffs, it’s no surprise that the band has served as a tremendous influence to a younger wave of traditionalist rock artists, such as Titus Andronicus, Japandroids, The Gaslight Anthem, and Frank Turner.

It’s been four years since the band’s last record, Heaven Is Whenever, but the band is finally back with their excellent sixth album, Teeth Dreams. I spoke with Kubler over the phone to discuss the band’s decision to add a second guitarist, their recent tour with Deer Tick, and what it’s like to be a guitar-based rock band at a time where that idea is becoming less and less prevalent.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

You kicked off the cycle for this new album with a couple of 10th anniversary shows in Brooklyn and Harrisburg, with the bizarre little detail that it had actually been 11 years since your first album was released. What was the reasoning behind that?

It was simply a matter of scheduling and work. It kind of crept up on us, and we were like, “Oh, right‰Û_shit!‰” We used some sort of tenth anniversary technicality that I really don‰’t remember, but it was something that we wanted to do to show gratitude. It was a good chance to do a show that was somewhat unique; I normally write the setlists, and for these shows, we dug a little bit deeper into the catalogue than we typically do. We got to work out songs we‰’ve never played with the new line-up, and it also seemed like a good excuse to throw a party, you know?

You‰’ve spoken about how in the past that you were riding a wave of creative momentum that allowed you to release five albums in six years. Now that you‰’ve returned after a four-year break with Teeth Dreams, do you feel as if you‰’ve regained that momentum and will return to that kind of arduous pace of releasing new music, or will you continue to take it more slowly?

Hmmm, that‰’s a really good question‰Û_ I‰’d say the momentum we built up as a band wasn‰’t so much creative momentum. We never really sit down to just write for an album; I‰’m kind of writing songs all the time. Within the last six years or so, I‰’ve gotten more comfortable in the studio, especially on the engineering side, and that‰’s allowed me to make my ideas more concise. But when we were releasing music, doing press, and touring – that‰’s how the machine really kicked into gear. It felt like we were constantly trying to keep up with what was happening and not making any decisions about we wanted to do. After a while, we got to the point where we said, “Hold on a second. We need to take a step back and figure out what we want out of this.‰” We‰’ve been fortunate enough to get to a level we never considered. We want to be able to appreciate it and be grateful, but we also want to be able to do what we want with it.

I also think a big part of the momentum we had was the idea that it could all end tomorrow. In this day and age especially, that‰’s part of the reality of being in a band. After ten years and six albums, however, that idea starts to go away a little bit. You never want it to go away completely, since that feeling allows you to be grateful for what you do, but you don‰’t want it to get in the way of your choices.

I don‰’t know if we‰’ll return to the pace of making music that we used to. We‰’re all a little bit older now, and the band has allowed us to have lives, whether that be families, relationships, or doing other things creatively, like Craig‰’s solo record, or me getting to do more film and TV work, or [drummer Bobby Drake] opening a bar.

In the interim since you released your last record, it seems like the number of pure guitar bands in the indie music world has shrunken even further. Do you see that as an advantage for you guys or more of a challenge?

It‰’s likely both. I don‰’t really know the answer, but when I think back to our first show and album, I thought we were doing something that was very traditional. It didn‰’t seem like it had anything to do with what was popular or trendy ‰ÛÒ I didn‰’t think there was anything unique about starting a rock band. But actually in doing that, especially when our first album [2003‰’s Almost Killed Me] came out in New York City, it set us apart from everything else that was happening musically, to a certain extent.

I remember that when we finished tracking for that record, I got back to the hotel, and the Video Music Awards were on. It was the same year as that whole Britney Spears/Madonna debacle, which I didn‰’t really care about. I was so proud of how everyone at our sessions had just killed it, but as I watched that show for fifteen minutes, I realized there wasn‰’t a fucking guitar in sight! So on one hand, I was like, “Fuck‰Û_.‰” But on the other hand, you kind of just have to shrug it off.

Speaking of guitars, this is the first record you recorded with second guitarist Steve Selvidge. Was there any trepidation about replacing the piano, which was a key component of the band, with more guitars? Did you worry about possibly alienating or disappointing fans?

No, not at all. We‰’ve always been a guitar-based rock band. That‰’s where the songs start, and it‰’s always been the focus of our sound, although not all of our albums are mixed in that way. In terms of disappointing fans, if you think about that, it‰’s a killer creatively. Expectations can be detrimental, too. Having said that, I was really reluctant to let go of the piano. I always want us to be more musical. But with Steve being the caliber musician that he is, I don‰’t think we lost any of the drama or dynamics that the piano had brought to the older songs. I know some people disagree with me, but they‰’re not in charge [laughs].

Now that there are two guitars in play, was this the most fun album to compose, or was it more of a challenge? Some of the guitar arrangements on this record are really impressive, and I wasn‰’t sure if that was a matter of you writing them out like that yourself or if it was more of a collaborative effort between you and Steve.

No, that‰’s what Steve brought to this record. When we were recording Heaven Is Whenever, I really wanted to add a second guitar player. I wasn‰’t growing or progressing as a player, and I wanted another musician in the band to help me evolve. Steve was that person for me. We‰’re actually born on the same day, a few hours apart. Our relationship is one without any ego-type bullshit; although, I think if we had met when we were teenagers, he would have been my fuckin‰’ arch-nemesis. But he‰’s one of my closest friends, and hopefully you can hear that in the playing.

Yeah, you can definitely hear it! The guitar parts actually weave in and out of each other incredibly well ‰ÛÒ it‰’s not just you two guys swapping solos back and forth.

Well, thank you! To be honest, it‰’s not an easy thing to do. We never sat down and said, “I‰’m gonna play this, so you play that.‰” Our inspiration and influence kind of stems from the same place, but we‰’re still very different guitar players. At some points, the producer for this record, Nick Raskulinecz, would tell us, “You know, it‰’s okay if you two both play the same parts every once in a while.‰” But it just kind of worked that one way because of our relationship.

Recently, Steve had to miss a few shows due to the birth of his child. How was it playing some shows with the most stripped down line-up you‰’ve had in some time? Did you have to do some things differently, especially with the new songs?

We had to change some things. Steve plays a lot of melody, which allows me to focus on the songwriting and composition instead of actual guitar playing, if that makes sense. Let‰’s be honest: he‰’s a much better guitar player than me in a lot of ways, so it‰’s liberating to have him around. When he left for a few shows, it was tough. Trying to do the work of both he and I was stressful, so it‰’s good to have him back now. It was a little fun to do whatever I wanted on guitar for those nights, but I‰’d much rather have him on stage than not.

You‰’re currently winding down a tour with Deer Tick, in which you‰’ve been playing each other‰’s songs and collaborating on each other‰’s sets. How did you start up that relationship with those guys?

Well, Craig is friends with those guys a little bit. I was familiar with the band and had seen them a few times, and sort of knew them by association. They‰’re a phenomenal band, and just a great group of musicians. I wish we had done more collaborative stuff with them this tour, but it just kind of ended so quickly. It‰’s tough to work that stuff out, because our days are so busy doing promo and such – not that I‰’m complaining about doing it! I hear bands talk about how they hate doing interviews and press, and I just think, “Wow, your life must have been fucking brilliant before all this happened!‰” I mean, c‰’mon. But unfortunately, doing all of that didn‰’t allow for us to collaborate more with them, which is a shame since they‰’re all such brilliant players.

After these shows with Deer Tick, you guys head over to England and then turn right around for more shows in the US. You guys seem like such an intrinsically American band, so I‰’m interested in how do crowds across the pond differ from American crowds at your shows?

I would say that our shows in the UK are as big, if not bigger, than those in the US. Usually, it‰’s the English speaking countries that will respond well, since we‰’re such a lyrically dense band and the narratives are so important to what we do. But having said that, with this record, I already notice a difference in European crowds‰’ reactions, because I think this album is more musical.

I think part of the reason for that is because Craig came into this album without any material. Usually, I‰’ll bring in parts of a song, and he‰’ll go to the notebook and put together a story. With this one, he wanted the music to inform the lyrics and vocals. So, rather than the music serving as a backdrop for the story, I feel that they are more connected. I also know that Craig didn‰’t want to be so specific with the details and characters, because he thought it‰’d allow for people to place themselves in the song.

Do you consider the live show as the most important thing about your band?

I think the rock show is the best way to experience music in general. Putting everyone in a room together, playing music, and having that connection with the audience is a great thing. That said, I love making records. I know Craig has said, “I like making records, but I love playing live.‰” Craig is really a performer and a storyteller, and for that, you need a captive audience to narrate to. So for our band, that‰’s certainly a huge part of what we do. I wouldn‰’t say I like one more than the other, because they‰’re such totally different things for me.

Finally, what have you been listening to the most on this tour?

I love the last Bronx record. Those guys are incredible. Between the punk rock thing and the mariachi band‰Û_ The way those guys operate blows my mind. I‰’m always amazed that they‰’re not enormous. We took Cheap Girls on tour, and they‰’re fantastic. I also really like that new Temples album. They‰’ve got a T. Rex thing going on, and it‰’s really good. It‰’s interesting, though, because I feel that they‰’ve gotten the “psych-rock‰” label put on them too much and have kind of been pigeonholed – they‰’re a great rock band with great rock songs.

I can‰’t think of anything else‰Û_ this question always seems to blank me! But thanks again – we‰’ll be back soon!