Anberlin at Welcome to Rockville 2026 - PipemanRadio Interview

0:04 Hi, you live, done to censure? Wow for you young? Where run. Night? And it feels so good. This is the pipe Man here on the Adventures pipe MANW four c Y Radio. And this is my last interview before I get on the road. And I have to drive three hours over to the west coast of Florida for an Alice Cooper show, and then drive three hours back and then tomorrow morning three and a half hours up to Daytona four one of my favorite festivals of the whole year. Welcome to Rockville, and I have with us our guest who it's close. My real name is Dean, and he's Dion. Sometimes people call me that too, because I don't know. It's an a. It shouldn't be Deon.

1:09 Yeah, you and me both I you know, at Starbucks or whatever all the time. You know, it's I get, I get, I get. I go from Dion to Dean for a whole lot of times, so I must. And I'm glad to hear it's a two way street. And it doesn't just happen to me. Yeah, see, like maybe we're doppel Gigger's or something. Yeah, there go look alike. But yeah, your band's bad ass. Amberlin and you're gonna be Welcome to Rockville, which is even more badass. Have you played Welcome to Rockville before? I know you've played the other Danny Wimmer festivals, but have you played this one. We have not, which is funny just because you know, we are a Florida band. We're just directly west across the coast, you know, on the Gulf and in the Tampa Bay area, so it's it's funny that we have not played Rockville yet. So we're pretty excited to, you know, make our debut this year.

2:02 I think the most exciting thing is is I don't even know if you notice yet, but you're gonna be able to drive on the speedway to get to uh wherever you got to go. Well, that'll be fun. I've actually done that before. I grew up, going to Turkey Rod run over in daytime. Next. My family was big into the hot rods, so I was I've been able to get out there on the speedway and they because they do this photo op at the speedway where you can take your picture on like not on one of the banks obviously because like a forty five degree angle, but you know, like one of going into one of the turns. It says Daytona, USA on the on the wall, so they let you park your car in front of that and take a picture and everything. So it's pretty fun experience. I mean, it's a it's an impressive, uh track. I mean, and the history behind it and everything. You know, obviously it is really cool. So you know, growing up, growing up, just you know, with all this stuff car related and watching NASCAR and things like that, it's it's always cool to make the trip over there.

2:59 So it's even double cool that we get to play there this year. Well, you know, it's funny too because I do all the Danny Wimmer festivals. I do festivals all over the US, UK and Europe, and I got excited this year because I'm actually going to be interviewing the NASCAR driver, Like so that's new. That's different. You know. It's like it's like my youngest story. She'll ask me a lot before festivals, like are you excited, And I'm like, well, I don't know if excited it's the word. I love doing it, but when you do it every weekend, I don't know if exciting is the appropriate word. But then there's moments like that that yeah. I mean that'll be different, you know for sure if you're used to I'm sure you know, if you're used to interviewing musicians and then going from that to uh, you know, the world of racing, which we we got it.

3:49 We got to uh hang out with a few guys that were affiliated with NASCAR last year on tour when we were up and Charlotte, since right down the road is like the home of NASCAR, you know, and so one of our crew guys has a he's got a friend that he's the guy that basically he paints all the driver's helmets. So he took us out to this like competitive go kart track and we were racing with a few of the uh next tail or not next tell what is it? Next tells they've been the funk for years. Anyways, we're you know, we were racing with a few of the uh you know, kind of like drivers from like the couple of steps you. Know below uh you know, uh the main drivers but next uh stuffing like that.

4:35 There was there's a couple of I don't know, I don't know the. I can't remember. Yeah, I'm not I obviously don't keep up with it anymore. But yeah, uh, we uh, you know, we got to drive with a few of the drivers, which was really fun with this go kart track, and then and then Dale Junior came out to say hi, which was crazy. I mean, you know, I grew up watching Dale Earnhardt senior race and was watching the race win he you know, had his unfortunate accident, and of course you know watching Dale Junior drive as well was you know, a part of growing up. So it was really cool to meet him and you know, got to take a picture with him and stuff.

5:16 So it was really cool. But it's really just interesting getting a little insight into that world there because I mean it's all it's not like you know, the NFL or whatever where you know, all the teams are spread across the US, you know, right NASCAR, you you basically are in that area. So it's like when they say it's the home of NASCAR, that's because that's where like every team is just you know, most of the drivers live there. So just a weird world to get some insight into. So that was really fun. I'm always interested because you know, having dialogue with people that you know, they asked a lot of questions about you know, what it's like being in a touring band and things like that, and then I get I get just as excited, like ask him about like, well, what's it. What's it like with like, you know, working on the you know, the NASCAR circuit. You know, it's you know, because you got you got all these different levels. You know, people start on like competitive go carts and they'll go to like the sprint cars and like you know, then they're driving the trucks and then it's just it's just such an interesting world to me. So it's it's cool to Yeah, it's cool to meet people in different fields like that that are doing really you know, interesting things.

6:19 You know. What I think is really cool too, is okay. So hearing you say all those things, what came to mind immediately is. Like, wow, that's pretty cool. A musician fanboying out on NASCAR driver like it. It just makes you like a normal person. Like people look at musicians like like they're not normal people sometimes like. We're only going to be into music, right, you know, and like. You don't get like oh my god to somebody or whatever, you know, and it just shows you're just like they are. Yeah, I mean I think you know, it's uh everybody's got their interest and you know, I and like I said, even if I wasn't to.

7:00 Nascar, I would still be enamored by the whole thing, right. Just I you know, I always like hearing like what it's like in different industries or whatever, you know, like talk, you know, talking, you know, when we've had shot music videos in the past and we've had to hire actors, you know what, one of our music videos years ago, we had a couple of people that, you know, they were younger actors that were trying to break in, you know, so they were affordable for us. They you know, they weren't celebrities yet. But it was just really interesting talking to them about, you know, the world of acting as they're they're you know, filming a music video for us. So it's yeah, like I said, it's just cool meeting people in other fields and like hearing what it takes to you know, be competitive and make it in those in those other fields, you know, because I mean I've been playing in bands since I was fourteen years old, and you know, it's just that's like just what I know, and so it's it's super normal to me, but it may not seem normal to somebody else and vice versa. But what's the normal to them is like really intriguing to me, you know. Yeah, So it's you know, and I'm just I'm a talker.

8:04 I like just talking to people and getting to know them and everything. So it's it's always fun when it's something you're actually interested in, you know, and you get to hear some like you know, inside scoop on things and whatever. Yeah, and it's like at that daytime speedway, it is a trip because first year we were over there from Jacksonville, I was looking at the wall and I'm like, it does not look like that on TV. That wall looked scary, okay in a person. In person, it's like, holy shit, I couldn't even stand on that wall much. Let's drive it. And then I joked around with Christine, who runs media at Rockville, and I, you know, because I live in South Florida and West bum Beach area. So I drove my jeep up and I had my skateboard in the jeep and I'm like hey, and I was just kidding, but I was like, hey, do you think I'd lose my media credential if I took my skateboard on the wall, and it's like I was saying something my son like, yeah, I wouldn't have done it till after the festival's over because I can't break all my bones before doing interviews.

9:10 Yeah. We actually instituted a no skateboarding rule on one tour because you know, if you the guys brought their skateboards and like one of our crew guys almost dislocated his elbow, you know, our guitarist Christian almost like twisted an ankle, and I, your tour manager, was like, that's it. No more skateboards the rest of the tour. That's great. See I love stories like that. And speaking of stories, okay, so let's go back to when you were fourteen, because it's also interesting to me because my grandson who's going to becoming a Rockville he just turned fifteen. He is a musician and he's following my footsteps. Like it's so funny. One day was a kid, next day it's like, what do you want for your birthday? Oh, I want a guitar. Okay, let's go and I want the guitar. And then next time I see him, he's got a battle vest on. I'm like, holy crap, he's not my kid's kid.

10:06 He's my kid, you know. And but I asked him recently, I'm like, because he was trying to start a band and I'm like, so, how's it going with that? And he's like, I've been really found to write people, like he's struggling to find the people to have a band with. So tell us about your story going way back when how that happened. It's I was fortunate my brother, my older brother, he when we were young, we started my dad had a drum set. My dad was a drummer. And for an end of year minor league baseball party one year, a couple of the dads got together and there's one that played guitar and sang one that played bass, and they knew my dad played drums. And my dad was like, oh, I'll just go pick up a secondhand drum kit, you know, and for the party, you know, like at a pawnshop or something.

10:58 He actually he ended up which I don't know, I don't know what he paid for it. You know, it was only like twelve but uh, he he ended up getting this gold Slingerland jazz kit that was, you know, just beautiful. It was. It's like it wasn't he didn't just buy some cheap drum set. He founded, you know, a drum set for like a decent price. I'm you know, I'm sure my mom wasn't happy about it, but uh but you know he so we from that point on after he after they did the end of the year party, we had a drum set in the house. So my brother and I would fight over who could play it. And and eventually I got sick of him and pushing me off because I was the young I was the little brother.

11:38 So I decided I wanted to try and play guitar or something. Well, a kid down the street already played guitar, so we decided we were going to start a band. I needed to play bass, so I, uh, you know, I had some money saved up from mowing lawns and stuff around the neighborhood. And I went and bought for like one hundred and twenty bucks, bought out this cheap cruise bass and create one ten little practice lamp, and you know, started taking lessons and things like that, and and then you know, the kid turned out, the kid down the street that was a guitarist, he lost interest in music really quick. He wanted to play at golf and baseball. You know. So around that time, we're you know, we're in high school and uh, you know, about about fourteen years old, and my brother meets this guy, uh named DJ at a summer school, you know, and they start, you know, they find out that they have the same interest in music and they like a lot of the same bands. So, uh, you know, turns it turns out DJ's guitarists and sing a little bit. So we just got together, my and and my in one of our bedrooms one day and you know, started trying to write some songs and that became my first band. Played my first show when I was like fourteen or fifteen, shortly after that, and it seemed like a massive show to me at the time. It we I mean we I think we advertised for like months for it, you know, around around our schools and.

13:05 Everything, and but there was maybe fifty people there, I'm sure, but you know, it's for kids. First show. It just seemed it seemed that like the place was slammed, you know, and it was really cool, and I was just hooked after that. I just wanted to keep these shows, That's all I wanted, you know, So uh, you know, fast forward a few years later, you kind of cycle went out with different musicians, you know that you find here and there, and you know, some guys can stick with it, some guys can't, you know. And I. Finally ended up playing with Joey, who's our guitarist Sambrew Wind. He and I met at a comic shop one day one of our art We had a mutual friend that ended up ditching us to go do drugs. So Joey j always like, hey, man, I went nearby. You want to run to my house real quick?

13:53 I'm like sure. We walk into his uh. We walk into his bedroom and he's not only got you know, he's got like all was punk rock and metal vinyl, you know, by sitting by his record player and he's got an epiphone West Paul sitting by his band. I'm like, you played guitar. He's like yeah. He was like, do you know when you know effect songs, you know, like the first band of the Product of Mind. He like, he immediately started playing. I think it was like sticking in my eye or something like that, you know, and just just crazy, you know, well, not a lot of kids when you know, at fifteen sixteen years old. Not a lot of kids could you know, pull off no effects songs are let alone play the lead, you know, playing lf Haf's leads. So so it was really cool. We bonded really quickly.

14:34 And at that time, I was already kind of I was playing in a couple of bands, just with different people, and I was just starting to play in a band with a friend of mine named Stephen, who later on became the singer of Amberwin. You know. So it's just kind of a it took years, I think, you know, a couple of years to find the right people, and you know, I was just fortunate that in my small town and Winter him and there were like minded musicians who were into the same type of music, and you know, and we were able to start a band in high school. And then you know, through playing over the years and like Lake Wind and Tampa and Saint Pete, we met who are now drummer Nate, you know, by playing with his band that he was in at the time with his brother. So yeah, it's just a weird journey, I would I was talking to some good friends of mine that live in Kansas City and they had they have they have a fifteen year old son named River who he's been playing drums for a few years now, and he's at the point where he really wants to start a band. You know, he wants to be the next Taylor Hawkins. He's he idolizes Taylor Hawkins and the food Fighters, you know, and he uh, he's he's having the same issue.

15:44 You know, he's just not finding those that the right group of kids that share his you know, his interest in the same type of music, or they even want to you know that play instruments or want to be in a band. So, you know, I was just trying to I was just trying to encourage you, my stun to talk to him about it. You know. It's like you say, just give a time, keep practicing. You're gonna find the right guys. You know. It's my viewpoint is is like I'm gonna have my grandson listen to this, because all of that led to us having this talk about Welcome to Rockville. Yeah, so, you know, you are Every band goes through it. You go through people you want to play with, you don't want to play with, people, leave people do things, you. Know, but I do have a based on what happened with you.

16:27 I have a trivia question for you, all right, who is one of the greatest bassist ever that never wanted to be a bassist, was a guitar player and basically drew the short straw and had to play bass. Uh me, I'm just kidding. That's funny because that is how I started playing bass. But I wouln't consider myself the best bass player. That's why I asked the question. Because of that. Ah geez, I don't think I know that one. I mean, I can think I could think of a lot of people I would consider to be, you know, great bass players, like you know, obviously Geddy Wee from Rush is one of the greatest of all time. But I think he was always a bass player. Yeah, uh, I don't know. You got me, stump.

17:11 Who is it? Paul McCartney. Oh, that makes sense because all. Three of them played guitar. And now if you listen to the Beatles songs, you hear his bass because I always loved the Beatles, but I never really heard till I knew that the influence because he plays it like a guitar. Yeah he he you know, yeah, it's the way he structures his way, he structures his bass lines. Or yeah. I mean it makes sense really think about it. So that's that's interesting. I mean, I guess that should have been kind of obvious, you know, it's since he you know, obviously he's well versed in guitar, right, But yeah, that's cool to you know, it is funny, I think because I am a bit of a I feel like an anomaly in the sense that I literally only know how to play bass. I know a little bit of guitar I've picked up over the years, you know, playing like some mi bar chords and open chords and things like that, you know, but I started on the bass. I took lessons for the bass, I you know, because there's so many bands that the bass player is a guitarist. They just there's just nobody in town that played bass. So somebody went, Okay, I'll play.

18:21 Bass, you know, exactly exactly. So yeah, it's interesting. It's interesting. You know. I think a lot of times when I do meet people that are purely bass players and that's the instrument that they started. Like Nick from Bayside is a guy like that. He and I share a lot in common in that respect. We're both just bass players. That's what we are. It's what we do there it is and then you're needed. Well, people don't realize how much of a difference having bass in a song means, you know. Yeah, I mean I think I have a friend who's a ripping guitar player. He's a really good blues player named Chris Walker. And it's funny. He got asked to fill in on a bass for some band that was kind of doing like a little like there was like this blues band and they were doing like a reunion, but their bass player wasn't around anymore.

19:10 So they asked Chris if he could fill on bass, and he's like, I guess so, And he calls me up and ask if he could borrow a bass, and so I lent him. I lent him a Mustang bass to play, and after the gig he was like, man that He's like, I almost wanted to start playing bass from here on now. He's like that was so much fun. Wow, that's cool. Yeah. I was like, I was like, I know, I was like I. Enjoy it, you know, And that may not be the most glamorous of instruments, but uh, it's you know, it's it's like you said, it's very much needed. And you know, you can have a lot of fun playing bass. You really can't. And then and I have for many years. There you go, Now, what else do you guys got going on after Rockville that people need to look out for? Tell people I also connecting with you socials on the web and all that.

19:51 Oh man, we're about to get busy. We Uh so we played Rockville on the seventh, and then we come home for just a few days, and on the thirteenth we head out to start four and a half week headline tour. Where we are we're kind of doing a celebration tour of our second album, Never Take Friendship Personal. We did the first leg last year. We're doing a second leg this year of a lot of the cities, you know, the areas that we didn't get to hit last year. So yeah, we're gonna be We get a couple of days to rest between the two, you know, the two things. But we we hit the road literally on the thirteenth, drive up, starting the tour in Dustin, Florida, and then we just take it from there.

20:33 So we're really excited to get back out on tour and uh, you know, rock out some fans and hang out and say hi to everybody. Nice. Well, I'll have to tell my daughter, who's going to be at Rockville to go to your set because she lives near Dustin. Oh nice, and maybe she'll show up to your show because I don't even know if she she knows you your band yet. You know, I'm sure she probably does, but maybe who knows? Uh, So I'm gonna tell her. Yet, you gotta go to You gotta go to the set and check it out, so maybe you want to go near you. And you know, it's funny you mentioned about no effects because when I took my grandson to play and buy that guitar, I didn't know he knew how to play array and he wrote guitar senter and pulled the guitar down and started playing Green Day. I'm like, holy shit, how do you know how to do that? You know?

21:23 So there it is. You know, I love it, and I love that You're gonna be at Rockville. It's going to be badass. And thank you for being on the Adventures of Payment. Absolutely, thank you for having me, and maybe we'll run each other on run into each other on Thursday or something. There you go. Yeah, And if you're in the media, area. Just come say hi or you know, if I see you. We actually will be so try and keep an eye out for you. We do know we have a couple of on side interviews in the afternoon after we play, so yeah, maybe we maybe we'll run into each other. All right, sounds good. Let's make it a point and anything you need, all right, Thanks. For having me, man, you got it.

22:03 Thank you for listening to the Adventures of Platement on w fur c u I Radio