Songs for the Restless |
With the launch of their debut album, Evolve, back in 2001, the Miami-based band Endo served notice they were to be taken seriously, offering up a potent cocktail of distortion-laden bone-crunching guitars, rap-rock beats, and screaming nu-metal vocals. But just as the record hit retail, the band jettisoned two of its members -- the guitarist and drummer -- leaving many to wonder about what would become of the band.
Now, two years later, the answer is obvious in the group's latest release, Songs for the Restless , which trades the rage and fury of the band's earlier rock-rap iteration for an equally powerful but more mature, textured mélange of hard rock, hard core, nu-metal, and even Morrisey-influenced goth. Recorded in L.A. with producer David Schiffman (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Petty), the new DV8/Columbia album offers stronger songwriting, deeper levels of emotional depth and a new melodic bent that pushes the band light-years beyond its debut release. The result has been heightened visibility and increased commercial success for the band, earning their first single, "Simple Lies," a place on the Daredevil movie soundtrack, and the group -- comprised of singer Gil Bitton, bassist Zelick, guitarist Eli Parker and drummer Joe Eshkenazi -- a slot on the Ozzfest tour.
Just prior to heading out on their first headlining tour -- a warm-up for Ozzfest -- Endo lead vocalist Gil Bitton spoke to StarPolish's editorial director Jim Willcox about the band's new album, the influences that have helped shaped the band's new songwriting, and preparing for Ozzfest.
Album Art
STARPOLISH: Apparently, the release of your recent album, Songs for the Restless, was delayed. Based on the information at your website, it seems like you were really focused on getting the artwork right, and I think in such a digital world people tend to not pay as much attention to that anymore.
BITTON: It's weird, because [Columbia] first pushed it back and then they wanted to release it sooner. It was just chaotic.
STARPOLISH: Was that a result of Endo getting the Ozzfest tour, and the momentum that goes along with that?
BITTON: I think [wanting to release it sooner] was a result of [the label] listening to the music and getting really excited about the record. The artwork was thought of way before... it was thought of as the record was being made. We weren't even using Columbia Records' art department; we were using an independent kid and he did a great, great job. We were totally psyched because the artwork looks amazing. We did a photo shoot with our photographer, John Halpern, who did other things for us in the past. It was such a creative shoot and we ended up with such a great photograph for the album's cover. It was actually a conceptual shot, because the album is called Songs for the Restless and we had this cot, this little bed, in the middle of this room that was really eerie and I was sitting on the bed and the other guys were standing around -- it was a very eerie shot. We decided to grain it up a little bit and put it on the cover because it was such an amazing shot. I don't think the artwork being completed was a factor for the release date. It was just up to [the label] whether they wanted to release it sooner or later --it was really all up to them.
STARPOLISH: Whether or not the artwork delayed the album's release, it still seems to me that you guys really cared a lot about it being representative of something. The reason I'm bringing that up is that a lot of people talk about downloads versus CDs, and I'm actually old enough that I grew up with records, and the record art was awesome. And part of the album-buying experience was getting the posters -- they were value-adds. So I was wondering if there should be some value-add to a CD that makes people go out and want to have the CD versus an mp3 they ripped off the web somewhere. How do you feel about that?
BITTON: Well, who wants to pay $13.00 for a CD that doesn't give you something that really means something to the band and really goes along with the theme of the music? We tried to make a CD where fans can put it in their computer, and the artwork is amazing, you get the lyrics... you get an amazing package for under $10.00. I understand it's expensive for these kids to buy records.
STARPOLISH: But they're the same people who think nothing about spending $35 or $45 on a DVD or a video game. So my thought has always been that there's a perceived value in a game or DVD that delivers hours of entertainment. With CDs, I'm glad to see people spending the time and effort to add multimedia content and do other things that make the CD a more compelling purchase..
BITTON: Absolutely. It's like getting a tattoo on your body that doesn't mean anything -- it's gotta mean something to you. Don't just get any tattoo that looks good on your arm but doesn't mean anything. It's like the album artwork; it goes with the theme of the music, it's Songs for the Restless, it's about life experiences -- on the low side, on the high side, on the intense side -- all the emotions kind of blend together. That's definitely important to us. It's got to be visually stimulating.
Signing with Management
STARPOLISH: Did you have management prior to getting signed?
BITTON: Yeah.
STARPOLISH: You signed with the Columbia imprint, DV8, right after a SXSW gig. Was that show integral to you getting signed? I mean, did playing there help you to get management? There's a lot of debate about what playing SXSW really means for an emerging band, so I was wondering if you had already formed a team and the SXSW gig was a culmination of your efforts, or did it help you get a team together?
BITTON: We definitely had management before SXSW. My advice to any bands out there would be to play and play as much as you can. [Endo] played this really goofy show and we were opening for the Goo Goo Dolls -- we went on 10 minutes before doors and there must have been about 11 people there -- and the one guy that saw us was a guy from Loud Records and he was very interested. That is how the momentum started.
STARPOLISH: So never underestimate your gigs and play every one like it's going to count?
BITTON: Absolutely. It's gotta be that way. Every gig we've ever played -- whether it was with an audience of five people, two people or thousands of people -- we gave it our all. The thing about being on stage is that you have to love being on stage and when you love doing something, it will show. And you never know who's watching you...
STARPOLISH: Originally you signed with Concrete Management?
BITTON: Yes, and now we're with Sanctuary Management.
STARPOLISH: What are the advantages to having management? What do they do better that you don't have to do so you can concentrate on other things?
BITTON: They take care of the things you don't want to take care of. They have the right connections, the right push... it's all about connections, it's all who you know. That's the truth of this business. Not only that, but you have to be somewhat good [at playing music] and somewhat professional. There has to be something about your band, or you personally, that has to stand out. With all of that together, I think it's important to have management.
STARPOLISH: There are such huge trust issues that come with signing on a manager. Was it a tough decision to move from one management company to another, and how was that decision made?
BITTON: It's business. Personally, we loved our manager, she was a great person... and we had a record that we thought was great and could really go far. With Andy Gould, the president of DV8, we decided to change managers and step up. We had stepped up on our record and knew we had to step up on every level -- management and everything else. Even with our live shows, it was an evolution. Whatever it takes and whatever sacrifices you have to make to make that happen for you, you have to do it. You have to make the move and be brave. You need that extra support from your band members and it's not always easy -- it's a marriage. It's tough to stick together with that group. This band's been through so many changes -- from alcoholic drummers to psychopathic drummers to dysfunctional attitudes... We finally got the chemistry that we all needed --gelling together and behaving on a professional level.
Band Dynamics
STARPOLISH: It's often the case with bands that some members leave and others join, and somehow that changes the whole band dynamic to the point where they just shoot up. An obvious example would be the Dixie Chicks -- a year after they got a new singer they were headlining tours. Your drummer, Joel Suarez, left Endo when it was on the climb -- right before your impending tour with Stereomud. How did you deal with the loss of a band member in that type of situation?
BITTON: It was tough, but also a relief because the guy had such a fucked-up attitude -- he thought he was God. He made everyone feel uncomfortable, and who wants to feel uncomfortable on stage? We decided while we were on the road to switch drummers -- he didn't give a shit about us, so why [should we keep him around]? I knew some other drummers so I called one up and we rehearsed with him for five days and we had a show in New York, we did amazing and everybody loved the guy. It was as simple as that -- one phone call. "You want to go on tour?" "Sure." It just worked out that way.
STARPOLISH: And Joe [Eshkenazi] was the guy that you knew?
BITTON: I've known Joe since Hebrew school.
STARPOLISH: When he came into the band, did you kind of smack yourself in the head and say, "Why didn't I think of this guy a couple of years ago?"
BITTON: Joe was in another band at the time. We liked the playing of our old drummer, but he was such a jerk. It all worked out.
STARPOLISH: You added Eli Parker, your guitarist, at some point. Were you handling the guitar chores before that?
BITTON: No, it was a Lou [Orenstein]. Lou actually had a problem with his hearing -- he had lost a whole ear and couldn't go on. Good guy, great guitar player...
STARPOLISH: So that was another situation of replacing a key element to the band, and I guess it still worked out.
BITTON: Yeah, it worked out. If you keep striving it will always work out. When you love something, you just have to keep going.
STARPOLISH: Not all bands do. I think that perseverance is another thing that comes out of a lot of StarPolish interviews. Just the fact that some bands decided to stick it all out put them in the position to be successful.
BITTON: There is definitely an order in all that chaos.
STARPOLISH: It's almost seems sometimes like a test -- where if you're not willing to do it, you don't deserve it.
BITTON: Right.
Readying for the Road
STARPOLISH: You're kicking your Tune-Up tour soon, your first as a headliner. Are there any special preparations the band is going through? It's kind of funny, in that you're preparing for something that's really just preparation for something bigger, meaning Ozzfest). Are you going to have an opening band playing for you?
BITTON: We'll probably have a couple of opening bands. We're thinking right now that this is sort of like a paid rehearsal for being on stage. We're sort of doing this thing to warm up for Ozzfest. As far as preparations, there is a lot of rehearsing and trying to be kind to each other. We're making sure we're well-prepared in the songs, how we feel, and how in-shape we are since the performances are so energetic. I jog, I do some yoga, I don't smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol that much; I try to keep myself healthy. That's another big thing, and the rest of the band is doing the same. Some people can drink and do drugs and play, but that doesn't really work for us. We try to keep it at a professional level.
STARPOLISH: I always think it's interesting when a band coming up opens for headlining acts, then, in turn, has opening acts of their own. What did you learn from being an opening band that you're going to apply to having opening acts of your own?
BITTON: I grew up as a child listening to Megadeath -- and then we went on tour with them. Dave Mustaine... him just talking and giving me advice was like a dream come true. If a band comes in who looks up to us in anyway or not, naturally I'm just a kind person so I'm going to be kind to them. If they're going to be assholes and give me attitude for no apparent reason and they think they're rock stars before they are, then they're going to get a different attitude from me. It's all about just being a good person and being humble and loving what you do. If you do that, and if you're genuinely a good musician... good musicians tend to be really nice people because they're not insecure.
Endo |
STARPOLISH: How did your gig with Ozzfest come about, and how do you think it will differ from your usual gigs? Is there anything you feel you need to do as a band to play much larger crowds but still keep the vibe and connection with the audience?
BITTON: I'm not going to take it too seriously. I'm not going to say, "Fuck! I've got to do this and that and this and that..." I'm just going to go out there -- I'm ready, I'm a performer, I know I'm good at what I do and I'm confident, so that's the first thing. The second thing would be to just go out there and do my best and show that what I love to do on stage is what I was born to do and what I have always dreamed about doing. So, again, once you're on stage, if you fail to feel good, it's important to recognize that you come first as a feeling with the music. You need to feel it in order for someone else to feel it. You can't be up there contrived; you can't be up there saying something you're not feeling.
STARPOLISH: What about your set list -- do you try to pick out songs that are just going to slam people for the allotted time? Does the pacing change?
BITTON: It's Ozzfest; we're playing our heaviest sets and our one single that's going to be on the radio. We do have to adapt to this tour. We can adapt to any tour, really -- we're a very adaptable band -- but for this Ozzfest we need to go out there and show explosive energy. There are definitely those challenges that we need to face, but I think we're pretty confident. A lot of the bands on the second stage are screaming and are very heavy. I think the way [Endo] differs is that we're singing, but we're intense. We're a little more melodic and a little less violent. We tend to just have the medium and the balance of both worlds -- of the intensity and the melody, the seductiveness. I really enjoy watching a lot of bands and I know I'm going to enjoy watching a lot of bands at Ozzfest.
Sophomore Sessions
STARPOLISH: Songs for the Restless is your second major-label album. What have you learned from recording two albums now? Is there anything that changed in how you approached the recording?
BITTON: The first album was the first album, and you evolve to new things and I've kept my mind open to new styles of music. For the first album I was more into the screaming and intensity that lent itself to the music at that time. Now it's more that I've opened myself up to everything from Fugazi to Leonard Cohen, so it's a wide range of music. I'm singing a lot more now. I've always known I could sing and I wanted to project that. There was a lot more thought and growth as a person and as a musician. The second album is a huge growth and a huge reinvention.
STARPOLISH: From a technical recording standpoint, were there any major differences between the two albums? Did you use the same producer?
BITTON: There was a different producer for Songs for the Restless. I think that will always change because we want a different sound for each record. Actually, I'm not sure... maybe, and maybe not. We had a different engineer and a different producer this time around. Actually, the same guy both produced and mixed the record.
STARPOLISH: Did it take you more or less time to create the second album?
BITTON: The first record was more scattered, and this record was more everyday. It took us about two weeks to track the record and two weeks to do vocals, and then they mixed for another two weeks.
STARPOLISH: Is there anything I haven't asked you about that you think would be important to discuss in this interview?
BITTON: Don't sign anything without a good lawyer that you think you can trust well. Everybody just be careful. Don't be quick to sign anything -- be aware, be careful and just keep doing what you love. Follow your dreams.
