INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT SCHWARTZMAN, LEAD SINGER OF ROONEY

1. What would you consider Rooney's biggest musical influences to be?

We're all influenced by different things, so it's hard to say what the overall main influences are for the band. I was attracted to song writing because it's way to create and communicate different emotions. I like songs that make me feel something, whether it's happy, sad, longing, excited, fun, etc. That's why my listening is diverse. I like visual music and movies with memorable musical cues. I don't listen to a lot of new artists cause I'm still learning about so many great artists and albums from years back. So much great music in the world, so little time. I just want to make music that satisfies me and excites the listener.

2. How is Eureka different from Rooney and Calling the World?

Eureka shows the many sides of the band and also is a more accurate representation of our musicality and maturity. We've grown up in the music business, signed right out of high school and hit the road at an early age. We dealt with unfair pressures and many obstacles that would've killed some artists. I like the pressure of having to deliver the goods, but I didn't feel appreciated by the company we were bonded to. Eureka is the beginning of a new phase in our career. Things are in our hands more than ever and I think it had a strong positive affect on the writing process of Eureka. It's hard to be in a band and have to appease your mates, but it's part of the journey. I feel the album is our best sounding album to date. We produced and engineered the album and were the only people in the studio. We had to be critical of our own ideas and edit ourselves, which is difficult, but I feel we make something unique and exciting. We've maintained the "Rooney" sound that our fans like and we've shown a fresh side to the music we create.

3. What is your favorite song from Eureka and why?

I really like Only Friend. I would sit at the piano every night and play the chords over and over, making up the melody as I went. I didn't have any words and didn't know what to say. Eventually, the words just came out...I like when that happens. I like that the words are less literal, but still tell a story. They compliment the music well. I really like show tunes and this one has some of that old show tune feel.

4. What is your favorite song out of all of the albums and why?

It's hard to pick one, they all have something I like. It's nice to have reached our third album. The live shows will be mixed with different material and will be fun to piece together. Playing I'm Shakin and When Did Your Heart Go Missing are always a good time on stage and make me proud of be the writer of those songs. They're crowd pleaser and I love crowd pleasers.

5. How do you choose which songs become singles from the albums? Why did you pick "I Can't Get Enough" to be the first single off of Eureka?

We've had success with more rhythmic songs, especially internationally. We're still in the music business, trying to sell albums and make new fans and grow our world. I Can't Get Enough is upbeat and fun and I hope it excited people.

6. What is your favorite Rooney video? Why?

Our new video for I Can't Get Enough is one of my favorites. We've always done straight performance videos or videos with performances built into the plot. The I Can't Get Enough video uses a lot of visual effects and animation, which is something I've always wanted in our videos, but never had a chance to use. I also like the video for Tell Me Soon, which was banned from TV. Apparently the girl was too young and I don't come off well in it. But, it's a really cool video and an original concept.

7. How did you decide on Eureka for an album title?

We sat around throwing names into the hat. Nothing stuck and no one was happy. The artist who did the album artwork found an image of the Great Seal of California and on it it said EUREKA. We loved the image cause it fit our California vibe and the name was already a part of the image.

8. I recently saw the behind the scenes footage of the "I Can't Get Enough" video. How difficult was it to work on roller skates? How did the band decide on a roller rink?

The idea of roller skating in the video came to me while listening to the song a thousand times in the studio. The verse has a smooth, sliding around rhythm and I thought it would be cool to sing while skating. I worked with the director, Marcus Herring, on a few SOLOBOB videos and I knew he would be able to make a lot happen on a small budget. He's great with post effects and has a dense knowledge of film and music, so his references we spot on. I used to rollerblade in elementary school and I'm pretty good on ice skates. Ned is also a good skater and Taylor and Louie picked it up fast. No one fell and everyone looks pretty comfortable on skates. It was amazing to watch the real skaters in the video, the professional. I also went to check out the roller rink the night before the shoot and was exposed to the fabulous world of roller skating. It's coming back, big time!

(and one last question unrelated the the album--what's your favorite book? I love reading and I'm always interested to hear what other people like.)

Check out:

This is Your Brain on Music

Henderson the rain king

Plays by Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams

Check out the writer Henning Mankell

Okay, Robert Schwartzman is beyond awesome for this. How many bands will encourage fans who write for blogs to conduct email interviews with them? Not too many. The fact that he goes through the emails and answers all of the questions BECAUSE HE WANTS TO makes him a fantastic human being. I'll stop freaking out now.

He also sent this

http://ilgrock.com/rooney/mp3-signup/

which you can get in several different places, but still cool that I have the direct link for this site now.

I really want their new album, Eureka, to come out. I've already preordered and will be waiting for it until June 8th when it comes out (and hopefully I get it on that day). And I'm waiting for them to post tour dates. And for their new video "I Can't Get Enough" to come out. Have I been obsessing over this band for weeks? You bet. Are they worth it? Hell fucking yeah.

Ooooh you're askin' for trouble, don't come around again

Hmm...having conversations with someone who doesn't really seem to care what you have to say about your own life easily contributes to a defeatist attitude in regards to them.

But here's a Rooney picture!

Here, they all have shades.

Booth: You know, you're a smart ass. You know that?

Brennan: Objectively, I'd say I'm very smart, although it has nothing to do with my ass.

"And in that moment, I swear we were infinite."

It's starting to seem like infinity's over

"Your resentment is delicious."

I feel restless.

Not only that, but I actually feel stressed because of how restless I feel. How about that one. I have a whole lot of work I have to do, but I feel like I don't just because I got past yesterday's hell. I have to study for history, being as I have work and I'm seeing K tomorrow. I can't ditch Children's Lit on Thursday, because we're visiting the children's room at the Mahwah Public Library (such an opportunity, I clearly haven't spoken to a children's librarian, oh since last week I'd say). That means I have tonight after the Irish poets coffee house business and tomorrow night after I get back from Fair Lawn, which, as all of you know, isn't exactly the most productive time in my week.

Ack.

I almost picked up the most recent Augusten Burroughs book today to read for fun, but luckily I stopped myself from breaking my fun reading fast. That has to hold strong at least until I'm done reading The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. So, never.

Ireland = bust. So, we're taking a road trip to somewhere in the northeast instead. Candidates right now include Salem, Boston, and Providence.

We are very committed to the cause of having a rocking good time, even though our other plans sucked out.




"Let me be the one to break the silence. That was the most offensive thing I've seen in twenty years of teaching. And that includes an elementary school production of Hair."

This boy will be famous. There won't be a child in our world that won't know his name. There will be books about him, he will be a legend.'

I want to read the Harry Potter books so badly right now.

I don't have the time to do such a thing.

That is all.




Harry: "And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"
Ron: "Throw it away and punch him on the nose."

"Nobody likes a blonde in a hamster ball."

I'm aware that this is the second title quote that has to do with blondes within the span of a couple of hours, but it was too good. No one can say they don't enjoy that quote if they know Veronica Mars at all.

Aw. I want to watch Veronica Mars. THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS.

From the sounds of my plans for the next couple of days, that's certainly not going to happen. Especially with my other TV plans (see previous post, in which I tvgeek out) that I am in the middle of.

Oh. Yes. And that whole homework deal. I'm totally not forgetting that at all.

And I didn't choose to watch an old episode of Gossip Girl on my lunch break instead of do any sort of necessary reading. That definitely wasn't me.

Anyway, the major goal of today: FIGURE OUT PLANS FOR IRELAND. IT WILL HAPPEN.

Please let it happen?

Also, note to self: you have a camera, use it every once in awhile. Especially because campus looks so pretty right now with all of the snow. I'd upload the really cool picture I have on my phone right now and post it, however I do not have my computer and therefore I lack the bluetooth capability to do so.

Damn.




Vanessa: "You're sick!"
Chuck: "You're welcome!"

"There's nothing I hate more then perky blondes who want to take over the world."

Time is moving by so slowly. It may be the whole exhaustion thing. Getting less than five hours of sleep and then going to work for eight is not ideal. I had planned on going to sleep earlier, but an intense game night broke out, and there was no way I could walk away from Catchphrase. My team needed me, especially because we made a three game comeback to tie it up with the other team, finally taking victory. There was no way I could justify walking away to shower and get to bed early.

Success.

I also thought that I could get some work done while I was at work. Clearly, I am mistaken. I've read one chapter of The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte and one page of the next Age of Napoleon reading. This does not bode well. Especially because I kind of really need to read all of Inferno, being as the midterm for my Dante class is in about a week and I cannot keep anything about The Divine Comedy in my brain. There's just not enough room.

Hello, viciously screwed.

I spent some of the time that I absolutely wasn't doing my homework reading TWoP's "Brilliant but Canceled" blog, which is at the same time the perfect and worst place for me. It made me even more ambitious in my TV want. At the present time, I want to finish the entire series of Dawson's Creek that I started last year, watch my first season of 21 Jump Street, finish watching Freaks and Geeks, and possibly watch selected episodes from My So-Called Life. All of this in addition to watching Friday Night Lights, Being Human, and The O.C. with Kt, of course. Accomplishing all of this in a timely fashion would require me to stop going to school, work and partaking in any of my responsibilities.

So, not going to happen, unfortunately.

On the bright side, curling tomorrow!! No, I'm not kidding.

"I will join the synchronized swim team, do rhythmic gymnastics, shot-put, collect stamps, march for women's rights, free animals from laboratories. You know, I will even read comic books with Cohen and his wack pack of social maladjusts. But, drama club: no."

"The big deal is, that it's part of my job to make sure that you don't grow up stupid...it's bad for the world."

Today sucked.

The weather outside is disgusting. Normally I'm cool with snow/sleet/hail/rain/combination of all of the above, however I had to drive today and almost died three different times. Speaking of, I'm over being self sufficient for the time being. I need to take a little while to act like I'm a small child, because today's experience has convinced me that doing things on my own only leads to danger and life crippling stress.

I may be a tad overdramatic, but DID I MENTION THAT I ALMOST DIED?

Complaints about today's trip to the doctor:

1. Their offices are not accessible via GPS. As in, my GPS brought me to the same wrong area. TWICE.

2. For this reason, I ended up standing out in the sleet/hail, trying to talk to my father who had to explain to me how to get there. Then I actually had to restart my trip there for the THIRD TIME.

3. I couldn't actually see out of my windows very well, due to them being fogged up and the constant battery of hail and snow being chucked at them. At some point I had to roll down my window so I could see to accelerate onto the highway without ending my life.

4. The people in my town drive like jackasses in the rain. So many people slowed to ten miles an hour in town for no reason.

5. My car, deciding that it had been traumatized enough for one day, started spinning out a bit, I'm sure in an attempt to stop me from traveling any more on that highway. I ignored it, and apologize to Judith for putting her through the hellish weather.

6. This entire thing ended up being a pretty big waste of time. The doctor had to be convinced that something was actually wrong, rather than the health center people at school who immediately could tell that there was something wrong. That's Ramapo: 1, Private Practice located in their ridiculous spot on 208 behind a fire station: 0. At least I got a prescription I suppose.

Boo today booooooooooooooo. After that I went back to my house where I drank coffee, ate some twizzlers, and watched Friday Night Lights until I had to go to work. I plan on repeating that exact plan, substituting the coffee and twizzlers for dinner. Oh hell, I'll take the twizzlers again.




Tami: It was medieval; you know it was like The Scarlet Letter or something watching that girl walk across the cafeteria and everybody just glared at her.
Coach Taylor: That’s high school; at least they didn’t burn her at the goal post.

(845): mondays should just be called 'national damage control day'

It's not Monday, but the tfln reminded me of the Monday after senior prom, which made me chuckle a bit.

I'm back in the tutor center at the moment. It finally got quiet, so now should be the time where I do my homework, but instead I'm typing away. It's just how I do. I spent the time in which people were having very loud conversations within the center stalking cafepress to figure out which bag to replace my Veronica Mars bag (and by replace, I just mean in the carrying sense, as the strap is starting to become unattached to the bag itself. I would never actually throw away that bag. I'd sooner die than give that up voluntarily). I'm really leaning towards the "University of Gallifrey" bag, greatly because not much looks good on the special brand of marigold yellow they use for the bags and in greater part because of how awesome it is.

I know I've said this before, and I'll say it again: it's fucking freezing in this place. I'm going to get frostbite here one day. I'm also very dramatic.

(407):

sober me hid the cigs from drunk me. sober me is a tricky bitch.

"I could've been swarmed in my underwear."

The title comes from Pushing Daisies. The word "swarm" simply speaks to me right now, as I feel that my brain is being swarmed by stressful occurrences and pressures that I need to take care of in the near future. Also, I wanted to use a Pushing Daisies quote as the title and this was one of the shorter ones that I pulled out.

If you're starting to think I'm losing my grip, no worries, you're not the only one.

It's the beginning of a new semester, this one being Spring 2010, so normally I would not be that stressed out. Usually that sort of thing waits until the work has piled up a bit and I'm swamped. However, I'm now in the spring semester of my junior year in college, which to me appears to correspond with the spring of my junior year in high school. I need to start planning for more than my next day or week. Shit's about to get real.

Before I panic, I think it's time to look at what is going on immediately.

I've now attended all of my classes at least once.

These include:
Children's and Young Adult Literature
America Between the Wars
Age of Napoleon
Major Authors: Dante

They all seem to be pretty good. I can't tell what's going to happen with my Dante class though, it's way different than any other class I've ever had here. Which makes me a little uneasy when I see that it has found its way under the "Literature Electives" portion of my degree evaluation, rather than the "Major Authors" or "Pre-1800s Literature" like it was supposed to. Major Authors: Chaucer is still snugly in its spot, which is fine, but Dante is supposed to bump that one or shift into "Pre-1800s". I hope that this all will be fixed soon.

I looked at the history summer scholarship program. It's a lot of work. It's due in a little over a month.

I have to start looking into internships. I tried when I had a mild freak out over winter break, but I simply feel that the internet is too big of a place to start. Things did not go well and I ended up watching Hey Arnold and trying to recapture the essence of my childhood so I didn't think about my future.

I've at least put together a short(ish) list of questions that I can ask an advisor-type person about grad schools and internships. I've since given myself a right headache from stress (and probably slight dehydration) and I would now appreciate some tea to fix said headache.

The good thing about today is that eventually we're going to go out and get some McDonald's apple pies. Pushing Daisies has made me want pie, and McDonald's is the closest I'm going to get to warm apple pie. I'll take it. And this way, I can repay Kt one apple pie.

Winter break went well. We did not in fact go to Canada or upstate New York to gamble on New Year's Eve, instead choosing to have a low-key(ish) party at K's house. One of the best things to come out of that night was definitely "I suggest-NO I SUGGEST, that you collect yo' feathas." The next day we slept over my house with a lot of guitar hero/Beatles Rock Band-ing. Before the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame Annex in the Village closed, Kt, C, and I paid a visit. It was pretty awesome. I enjoyed the exhibits, including the room which played bits of songs and lit up people's autographs. I'm not going to lie, pretty colors can attract my attention quite well.

The week before K left for Ireland (which encompassed most of the above now that I think about it) continued to be good. Both the diner trip and trip to iHop on C's birthday were fun, in very different ways. One of my favorite parts of that was when the waitress at LSD was walking away and K just said, "You're the BEST." This made the waitress laugh all the way to the kitchen. I found it to be awesome.

It sucked to see K leave, especially because she isn't coming back for six months (I guess closer to five at this point). C and I were kind of useless right after she left, which prompted madre to offer to bring us somewhere for dinner. That would be how we ended up at Jose Tejas, which was always a source of fascination for me when I was younger. We proceeded to go to Kt's house after that, which was good because otherwise we probably would have continued to sit in my house uselessly.

I read and watched a lot of television a lot after that. I also saw A a bunch of times, which was nice. I hadn't seen her in a loooooong time before then. It's good to know that there are some people who are no longer a part of this "group" (that doesn't really exist to my knowledge) that are still speaking to me.

The weekend before I went back to school I spent at Kt's house. Well, Saturday into Sunday at least. On Saturday we started organizing her family's bookshelves and spent seven hours in a diner with H and S, which was pretty sweet. I love the specific brand of New Jersey Accomplishments that just happen. On Sunday, we went to go see In the Heights with her mom and sister. It was awesome. The only drawback to that day was the rain, which made walking around in the city kind of gross (and dangerous when you think about the amount of umbrellas that exist in that place on any given rainy day). We went to Ellen's Stardust Diner for lunch and Qdoba for dinner, then proceeded to finish organizing the bookshelves and eat some delicious dessert made by her mom. It was a good time, which made me not want to leave that night so I could go pack up and move back in at school.

I'm now all moved back in and in the midst of the semester already, as can be seen from the previous ramblings. I don't think I normally ramble on this much in this venue, but I'm stuck in the tutor center for another half hour and I'm becoming quite hungry. I would like to leave, eat dinner, and possibly just lay in my bed until Kt gets back from class and we resume bitching about the passive aggressive incident that just occurred.

Twenty-five minutes left. I'm hoping it goes fast.





Olive: Musing on the idea of setting someone on fire doesn't mean you really want to set them on fire, it's just the thought of it that makes you happy, but only for a second and then you feel bad, but that second can be a lot of fun!

"how long til next year?"

Well, now it's another 365 days. But if we're going along with the song, "3 1/2 minutes".

We went to K's for New Year's Eve this year (after a very long, drawn out situation that involved both Canada and a reservation casino). To sum it up:
-several different colors of jello
-sneakers being tied together (which ended in one of the tots screaming "SOMEONE TIED OUR FUCKING SHOES TOGETHER" and all of the people upstairs laughing hysterically)
-a pretzel shooting game in which J "assumed the position"
-arguments about Lady GaGa
-little bit of an A*Teens singalong
-slaps upside the head
-horn honking interruption.


Happy New Year!