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![AoS: Your music is clearly political. What do you consider to be the great politically related problem facing our planet and what do you think we should do about it?
Andrew: Well, me, personally I have a problem with dynasties and it seems like there’s been a Bush dynasty, well Reagan and Bush, it keeps going on, it’s the same people the same family, the same clubs seem to be getting the presidential office. Hillary Clinton [is] the same thing. It’s not just the Republicans who are the problem. I’d say the biggest thing is the two-party system because there’s no choice; they’re both assholes. What should we do about it? That’s a good question. I want somebody else to answer that. (laughs)
AoS: You worked with the legendary Butch Vig. What did he add that the band was previously missing?
Andrew: Patience, I would say was the biggest thing; patience and confidence. He became our friend extremely quickly, and he’s just a really nice guy. He wouldn’t let us do anything half-assed.
AoS: What do you think of the Ben Lee covers of New Wave?
Andrew: Oh, totally flattering. We’re actually going to meet him in Cleveland; he’s going to interview us, which should be pretty funny. We found out when everyone else did. Someone just sent us an e-mail that said, “Ben Lee covered your entire record. Here’s his website, go download it.” It’s crazy; it’s always flattering and cool to hear other people’s takes on other styles of music.
AoS: Is the title of the new record supposed to be a symbol of a new Against Me!?
Andrew: It’s not like a new Against Me! because what a lot of people don’t get is the band is just, I don’t even like the word ‘evolved’, but we don’t ever make the same record over and over. You can look at it and we think it’s a step for the better because we feel like we’re better at our instruments and we can play better and the songs get better, and of course some people beg to differ but everyone’s entitled to their own opinion.
AoS: What are your thoughts on how a notable amount of your fanbase reacted to you signing with Sire?
Andrew: We try not to even answer the question because it almost validates the discussion. We seriously have gotten to the point where we just don’t care anymore. People who have such a big problem…I don’t know why they’re wasting their time on us. They could be doing productive things instead of complaining about a record or a record label. To tell you the truth we got the same amount of shit when we went to Fat Wreck Chords from No Idea so it’s not a new subject. It’s not a bad question, I mean I know people are interested in what we think about it but it’s just you can seriously only think about that so many times before you’re like, “Jesus Christ, I’m going to go fucking crazy if I think about this anymore.”](Andrew%20Seward%20Interview_files/shapeimage_3.jpg)
![AoS: What do you consider to be the best record of 2007?
Andrew: I would say, my opinion changes frequently, but right now probably the new Les Savy Fav, Let’s Stay Friends. It’s probably the best record I’ve heard all year. The new Tegan and Sara is really good, I’m not just saying that because we know Tegan and they’re on Sire but that “Back in Your Head” song is one of the catchiest songs I’ve heard.
AoS: You somewhat recently stopped playing the majority of your shows where you’re essentially submerged into the crowd in churches and community centers and are now up on stages in legitimate clubs. Do you prefer one to the other?
Andrew: I prefer variety. We always prefer to not have a barricade because we trust our audience to have a good time and not be a bunch of assholes beating the shit out of everyone. We don’t put up with that, that’s not how it’s supposed to be. Places like this [Lupo’s] that have barricades is not by our doing. You start playing bigger rooms and that’s just logistics where you have X amount of people that are going to come you can’t do it. It would be too many people. It’s a whole tangled web of insurance, it’s complete bullshit and it is so not rock and roll. I prefer variety but I always like to have the crowd right there. It makes it more interesting for us.
AoS: As of late you’ve shared your touring bill with an eclectic group of other acts. You toured with Mastodon and Cursive this past spring and you’ve got Sage Francis and World Inferno Friendship Society on this tour. Is this in hopes of broadening your listener’s ears?
Andrew: Hopefully, yes. That’s one point, but the other point is that we’re completely selfish and we love all of these bands. It would bore us to tears to just have punk rocks bands on the tour and we like to think more of the audience that would come to the shows that they would be bored to tears just listening to the same music over and over again. Music is a beautiful thing and it’s supposed to be mixed up and all varieties should be represented.
AoS: Besides Against Me!, of course, what’s the greatest thing to come out of Gainesville, Florida?
Andrew: I could be a romantic and say the sunset. I would just say that the thing is it’s really relaxed there. It’s one of the most relaxed places I know of, and some people in the band probably wouldn’t agree with me. I don’t know, it’s weird. Even though I’m never there it’s still home. I can go there and there are no egos, no one gives a shit, it’s just our friends, and that’s one of the best things ever. It’s a nice little community…with a bad drinking problem, which is actually not good.
AoS: What’s your favorite Against Me! song to play live?
Andrew: It’s funny, I always say “The Ocean” and I’m gonna stick by that. I like it at the end of the set, it’s just a real relaxed almost Calypso song, but it’s funny my mom forwarded me a Washington Post article that reviewed our show and they loved the whole show and then they’re like…except for the song “The Ocean”.](Andrew%20Seward%20Interview_files/shapeimage_4.jpg)
