In a dialog with Atwood Journal, The Fray open up about their journey as a band, brotherhood, and twenty years of their groundbreaking album, ‘Tips on how to Save a Life.’
“My Coronary heart’s a Crowded Room” – The Fray
One of the best elements of music is that, if particular sufficient, it grows with you and shapes you.
A tune or album can sit with you for years or your complete life. The way it affected you as an adolescent might have an effect on you in the identical manner a decade later. Typically, it could hit you in a very completely different manner and the message and the way you understand it adjustments. However that’s what is so lovely about it, it stays with you. It touches your soul and calls for for it to be understood.
In 2005, The Fray launched their debut album, Tips on how to Save a Life. The 45-minute report featured 12 tracks equivalent to “Over My Head (Cable Automotive),” “Look After You” and the 5X Platinum title monitor. It paved the way in which for his or her profession and shortly grew to become the soundtrack to many beloved reveals, films and rainy-day automotive rides. With transferring lyrics, a singular alt-rock sound and an general feeling of heat, The Fray related with a whole era in a manner that felt intimate and completely different than every other musician. They knew easy methods to seize the human expertise and its feelings in a manner that was comforting and made individuals really feel seen and lots much less alone. At present, the album is licensed 4X Platinum by the RIAA and as they arrive up on the album’s 20-year anniversary, the band displays on what these early days meant to them and the place they’re now.
“If it wasn’t for what this band meant to different individuals, there can be no soul to this complete factor,” Ben Wysocki, drummer of The Fray, says. “It could simply be us serving our personal ambitions, which might dry up fairly fast.”
To honor the long-lasting report, The Fray – as we speak comprised of Wysocki, Joe King, and Dave Welsh – are hitting the highway for the “Tips on how to Save a Life: The twentieth Anniversary Tour.” Beginning on July 25 in Dallas, TX the worldwide tour will give followers an opportunity to relive the music that they got here to like within the early 2000s. However the tour may even function new music the band is releasing. “It was vital to us, this yr particularly, to be releasing new music alongside retrospective look again to the previous, and for these two sides of the coin to be the total image, and the way we symbolize ourselves now,” Wysocki says.
On July 18, the band launched their newest single, “My Coronary heart’s a Crowded Room.” Following 2024’s The Fray Is Again EP – which marked their first launch in practically a decade – the monitor marks a brand new period for the band, however The Fray stay true to their roots. Following a love story, the tune has a hopeful upbeat and lyrics that spotlight the emotional aspect the world has come to know the band for. Though new and completely different, it really works in tandem with their older sound and gorgeously collides generations of music collectively.
“These previous songs we haven’t performed in 15 years symbolize us simply as equally as this model new one which we wrote 15 days in the past,” Wysocki says.
However what has at all times remained vital to The Fray is their followers. They proceed to place them on the forefront of every part they do. Their mission began and has remained round making music for individuals to connect with. Wysocki defined how theirs particularly tends to tackle a lifetime of its personal. As a band, they prefer to let the music do its factor. They view themselves extra because the messengers.
“The intense instance being the tune, ‘Tips on how to Save a Life,’” he mentioned. “After some time, that’s not about us. That grew to become not about us, very fast. We had been simply those that had been speculated to deliver that to different individuals. It’s extra about them, their story and their connection to that tune and its story. We attempt to keep out of the way in which and ship it the most effective we will and let it do the remainder.”
The Fray has grown with and caught by their followers. As they proceed to drag on the heartstrings of many, they embody nostalgia and are a chief instance of what music can imply to a person. Under, they focus on the affect of their first album, the place they’re at now and the very important position their followers have performed all through the previous 20 years.
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:: stream/buy My Coronary heart’s a Crowded Room right here ::
:: join with The Fray right here ::
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“Tips on how to Save a Life” (Reside From Summerfest) – The Fray
A CONVERSATION WITH THE FRAY
Atwood Journal: You are hitting the highway very shortly right here for the 20th anniversary of Tips on how to Save a Life. What does this milestone and tour imply to you?
Ben Wysocki: It’s superb. It means the world. It’s actually sort of surreal. Celebrating any sort of milestone that includes the passing of time, it’s loopy. All of us really feel like we’ve gotten a lot older, however on the similar time, it feels prefer it’s been no time in any respect. On the 20-year mark, we’re all trying again, reminiscing and sharing some reminiscences of the place we had been 20 years in the past because it pertains to our first album. It’s so cliche, nevertheless it actually does really feel prefer it’s been no time in any respect. So, it’s surreal. We really feel tremendous honored. The largest feeling inside the band proper now could be simply gratitude for the truth that 20 years later we will nonetheless present up into city, get onstage and persons are wanting to listen to these songs and eager to have a good time that nostalgia and what that represents of their lives. So, we’re honored.
For followers which have been with you from the start, what are you most excited for them to see or expertise on tour? What can they anticipate when coming to one of many reveals?
Ben Wysocki: For this tour particularly, in an effort to have a good time that first album, we’re digging out numerous the album tracks that we haven’t performed in a very long time. That album, being as fashionable as it’s, there’s perhaps 5 songs that we now have performed lots during the last 20 years, however the remainder of it has been placed on a shelf. Over the past couple months, we’ve been refamiliarizing ourselves with the remainder of the songs and we’re actually excited to play these older songs that haven’t seen the sunshine of day for some time. The first focus of the present is to have a good time and provides a while to these songs after which distinction that with some brand-new songs which are only some months previous. These previous songs we haven’t performed in 15 years symbolize us simply as equally as this model new one which we wrote 15 days in the past, so it’ll be a reasonably excessive distinction present.
Is there a tune specifically you might be excited to play that you have not performed in a very long time? Or are you excited to dive into all of them?
Ben Wysocki: There’s one tune specifically that I believe in rehearsals this final week we had been all just a little shocked by, and that’s the tune referred to as “Useless Improper.” It’s positively an album monitor. It was by no means a single and sort of a tune that some individuals forgot about. However as we had been listening to the primary album and speaking about what songs to play from it, as we had been rehearsing that one, it shocked us all. We really feel like now, as musicians who’ve matured and improved during the last 20 years, we’re taking part in that tune higher than we ever have. It’s taking over a brand new life within the context of this yr and the place the band is now. In order that was a nice shock.
Whereas speaking in regards to the 20th anniversary, the place have you ever seen the band develop essentially the most inside its time and the way have you ever stayed true to yourselves all through these years?
Ben Wysocki: It’s fascinating. Our perspective on the band, it’s simpler to view it as one thing that’s outdoors of us. Though we make it up, it’s just like the band is a special, complete different factor that we expertise, work together with and are accountable for. There’s been numerous particular person development for positive as band members. A whole lot of life that has handed. Even relationally, the brotherhood between the members, numerous that has grown and altered. However I believe the largest factor is simply seeing how The Fray with a capital “F,” this factor, this different entity that we work together with, has advanced and stayed true and vital for the followers. By all of it, that’s what’s grounded us. Modifications in profession highs and lows, adjustments in inventive endeavors, adjustments even in personnel and lineup within the band, the one factor that’s stayed true, that’s grounded us to this complete factor, is the followers and the fan interplay. It sounds so cliche, nevertheless it actually is true, if it wasn’t for what this band meant to different individuals, there can be no soul to this complete factor. It could simply be us serving our personal ambitions, which might dry up fairly fast.
All through the years, are there any enjoyable reminiscences with the band that stick out to you?
Ben Wysocki: There’s so many. We’ve had so many highs and lows. I’ve recognized Dave since we had been within the fourth grade, and Joe since junior excessive. We’ve a lot private historical past, even earlier than the band began. We’ve lived our complete lives collectively. For the final 20 years, that’s revolved round this band that’s morphed from being a dream. Our targets had been initially to promote a certain quantity of information or get on TV, and now it extra so feels prefer it’s taken on a lifetime of its personal and we’re simply attempting to catch as much as it. However so many reminiscences, too many to depend. That is tremendous random, however I’m going to throw him below the bus and share this one story. One time, we had been flying internationally. Joe had some medicine for, I don’t know what, and a few sleep assist medicine as nicely as a result of we had been on some tremendous lengthy flight. I believe we had been in Spain. He acquired them combined up. He meant to take his medicine within the morning and took his sleeping capsule. So, we had been attempting to stroll by way of the airport in Madrid and Joe was actually falling asleep. We had him on a baggage cart with all of our guitars and cymbals, attempting to wheel him by way of the Madrid airport, which regarded extra rock and roll than it truly was. It was fairly hilarious, however we acquired a great giggle out of that. There’s been an entire lifetime of reminiscences. It’s sort of laborious to sum it up. We’re so grateful to be nonetheless in it.
What’s it prefer to launch new music equivalent to “My Coronary heart’s a Crowded Room” whereas nonetheless reflecting and reminiscing on the previous?
Ben Wysocki: It’s like I mentioned earlier within the context of the present, that seems like the entire image for us proper now. Once we had been speaking about this anniversary yr, what felt vital to us was not solely trying again and reminiscing on the previous, however to try this within the context of the place we’re as we speak, that felt extra fascinating to us. Given the those who we’re as we speak, the band that we are actually, what does the previous appear like by way of that lens? It was vital to us, this yr particularly, to be releasing new music alongside retrospective look again to the previous, and for these two sides of the coin to be the total image, and the way we symbolize ourselves now. It’s so thrilling. “My Coronary heart’s a Crowded Room” is the primary tune we’re releasing from this new undertaking we’re engaged on. However it additionally feels prefer it represents an entire new period for us. Final yr, we launched an EP of some songs that had been the primary little bit of music that we had launched in a very long time, after some important adjustments for the band, after important day off. So, that felt like a warmup, like a preview. And as soon as we did that, then we actually began digging into some extra new music and exploring other ways of collaborating.
That tune, we had been in LA working with this buddy of ours, a producer named Jason Suwito, and it was one of many first occasions we had created one thing fully from scratch. Often once we’re writing and demoing songs, there’s at the least an concept that someone will deliver, or just a little snippet of one thing. Having been skilled musicians for therefore lengthy, you’d suppose that we’d understand how to try this, nevertheless it was such a humorous, awkward second. We’re all sitting at our devices like, “Okay, how will we begin from scratch?” And we simply began taking part in one thing and reacting to one another’s concepts. It was a really natural and fluid course of. That tune was birthed in a day and the subsequent day we form of completed it up. It felt vital to not overthink it and identical to, “Okay, that feels true for who we’re as we speak in spite of everything these years, what’s led us right here. That’s what’s popping out of us, and we now have to belief it.” So, we’re tremendous excited. It feels superior to play reside. It has a lot youthful vitality that’s vital to us proper now.
And that is gotta be so rewarding, too. To have a special inventive course of and see the way it all involves fruition.
Ben Wysocki: Yeah, even the hook lyric, the title lyric, “My Coronary heart’s A Crowded Room,” Joe, often with lyrics, there will probably be some mumbling and stuff that doesn’t make sense at first. Then, there’ll be a strategy of ending and filling within the blanks. However as we had been taking part in by way of and jamming these musical concepts, he simply form of mentioned these phrases and that line. So, then there was a strategy of attempting to judge what that meant. He mentioned it with out actually interested by it. Then it’s like, “Wait, what does it imply?” There’s numerous dialog round what that represents, what these phrases really feel like, what which means, what the visuals are. So, it was enjoyable to work backwards that manner.
That is music, proper? Attempting to determine the which means and the way it connects with everybody, too.
Ben Wysocki: Completely, yeah! It already existed. We simply found it and needed to decode it.
And one thing The Fray has at all times excelled at, in my private opinion, is the tales you inform inside your music and the way in which it connects with individuals. Is it laborious to be weak when creating music, realizing so many individuals take heed to it? Or does it gasoline the vitality of eager to get it out much more?
Ben Wysocki: I’d say each. Nobody ever needs to be weak. That’s not a snug factor for anyone. You don’t get up within the morning like, “Okay, I’m gonna bear my soul for everyone as we speak.” However it’s, such as you mentioned, the gasoline. It’s essential. The spirit of this band and the songs that we write, however extra in order that resonate with different individuals, are these songs which are nothing however true and sincere. And so yeah, it’s. It’s laborious. I’ve by no means been a major lyricist for the band, nevertheless it’s allowed me to have this outdoors perspective of that course of. After which for a sure whereas, I sort of referred to this earlier, however the songs tackle a lifetime of their very own which helps. And should you’re capable of keep out of the way in which, you then’ve birthed this factor and been the conduit for one thing to return into existence. After some time, you step again and let it do its factor and there’s a consolation in that. There’s a consolation in being separate from it. In any other case, should you’re all wrapped up in it on a regular basis, it may be fairly overwhelming. The intense instance being the tune, “Tips on how to Save a Life.” After some time, that’s not about us. That grew to become not about us, very fast. We had been simply those that had been speculated to deliver that to different individuals. It’s extra about them, their story and their connection to that tune and its story. We attempt to keep out of the way in which and ship it the most effective we will and let it do the remainder.
Whereas it is enjoyable to replicate on the previous and the current, what’s one thing you’re looking ahead to sooner or later with the band?
Ben Wysocki: I personally am actually excited to maintain discovering the brand new music and what The Fray appears like now. There’s been a lot life that’s occurred for us as people and for the band and so many adjustments. As we dig into making new music, I’m excited to listen to what the results of all that change and development in life is. We don’t actually know till we begin. The sound of “Crowded Room” wasn’t actually purposeful. It was simply what was popping out. So, I’m excited to maintain discovering what the band appears like now. We’ll hold engaged on this report this yr, between breaks on tour and such. We’ll be again within the studio within the fall. I’m excited to dig in, like being an archeologist, brush away some extra sand and see what’s below there.
So thrilling! Is there anything that you just would love to share about this tour or music smart that perhaps you have not been requested about?
Ben Wysocki: I believe the one factor is simply to reiterate that we really feel so grateful for the followers that also make this actually loopy and unimaginable job attainable for us. We might have all of the craziest plans and ambitions ourselves, nevertheless it takes individuals shopping for tickets and popping out and fascinating. We really feel so grateful. To whoever’s studying this, please know you’re appreciated, and we will’t wait to get on the market, see the followers once more and get on stage in entrance of all people. We’re grateful
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:: stream/buy My Coronary heart’s a Crowded Room right here ::
:: join with The Fray right here ::
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“My Coronary heart’s a Crowded Room” – The Fray
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