Doug Robb of Hoobastank
Driving around in his car after getting a
haircut, Hoobastank frontman Doug Robb and I got to have ourselves a
little phone conversation. Explaining how the band was trying to take time
off, Doug told me that he, and the rest of the guys, just couldn't keep
away from the music and are writing new material. We also got to talk
about the non-competitive forum his high school had presented for bands,
drinking with kids now that he used to drive to Disneyland, and so much
more.
Asif: Hey man, how's it going?
Doug: Not much, how are you?
Asif: Good dude, thanks for asking! Let's start from the beginning. You had known [guitarist] Dan [Estrin] in high school before you competed against him in a Battle of the Bands at the school. What made you guys decide to go from competing against him to joining up with him? Was it a "If I can't beat him, might as well join him"…
Doug: It definitely wasn't that, because I did beat him! (laughs)
Asif: (laughs) Good to know!
Doug: (laughs) Cause my band won. So maybe you gotta ask him if he couldn't beat me, he wanted to join me! (laughs)
Asif: (laughs)
Doug: No, but honestly….this was back in 1992 or 1993. My high school had a Battle of the Bands. It was the first year they did it. It might have been the only year they did it because it was that successful for the champs or [for Dan] not that unsuccessful for the champs! (laughs)
Asif: (laughs)
Doug: I just
remember at that time, I could name all the bands in our relative area on
one hand, if that. It wasn't the most popular thing to be in a band. So,
when we had the opportunity to actually play loud and in front of our
friends, it was f*ckin' awesome! It definitely wasn't a competition. It
was labeled a "Battle of the Bands" and was technically a competition, but
nobody from the first band that played to the last band was mad-dogging a
band trying to beat them. Everybody was just so stoked they had a forum to
actually play. It definitely wasn't a case of "I can't beat him, I'm going
to join him" or "He can't beat me, he's going to join me." It was just a
place where we could meet up because the place where we grew up, where I
still live now, back 20 years ago, 10 years ago, wasn't bustling with
clubs to play at.
Asif: I know you guys went to the same high school as some of the guys from Linkin Park. Were any of those guys in the Battle of the Bands that same with you?
Doug: No, I don't think so. I'm pretty sure they weren't. This was before they became a band.
Asif: Gotcha.
Doug: I've got two years seniority on [Linkin Park guitarist] Brad [Delson] and [Linkin Park MC/rhythm guitarist] Mike Shinoda. Dan has one year seniority on them. That was my senior year, so they were sophomores.
Asif: Sophomores huh? You guys pick on them at all?
Doug: No. Dude, the competitive attitude was nowhere to be found. Everybody was just really stoked. It was like going to A.A.
Asif: (laughs)
Doug: (laughs) You realize you aren't the only oddball that likes music. You're like "Oh my God! There are other people like me!" So, everyone was really stoked.
Asif: On Every Man For Himself, you guys have a lot of different sounds. "Born to Lead" has the drill sergeant barking a cadence in it. "Look Where We Are" almost has a bluesy guitar feel to it. "More Than A Memory" is full of different instruments. I could go on and on, but was that diverse sound something you guys were going for when making the album?
Doug: Umm – I think so. Yeah! (laughs)
Asif: (laughs)
Doug: I don't think we were trying to mess with anybody's head or redefine who we are or what we do. But, you know, you want to do something different without alienating our fans. But we had a lot of fun with stuff. At some point, I was thinking back, maybe we checked ourselves a little bit because we would come up with ideas for weird sounds or songs or instruments and just go "Yeah, just try it!" and play it. And we were just so stoked that it was something that we hadn't done before and we'd keep it and looking back I go "Uh, maybe we should have just kinda kept it a little bit more simple." But, whatever!
Asif: Is that why for
a while you guys had an alternate version of "If Only" on MySpace,
compared to the version on the album?
Doug: You know, I don't know if a lot of people know, but when you record songs, many times there are alternate lyrics or alternate versions but people only hear the one that makes the record. So a lot of those songs on that record, and in the past, have gone through lyrical changes and melodic changes. We just decided to put that one on there. There's the one that made the record and here is another just to let people know there are other versions of it.
Asif: Cool dude. Now that you guys are off the road, what is going on with the band? Are you guys taking a break or did you guys start recording a new album?
Doug: We've been trying to take a break, but we end up trying to write stuff. So I think our break is over and we're kinda in full writing mode. I'm really anxious to get to this new record out as soon as possible.
Asif: What can fans expect from the new album? Is it gonna be a progression from where Every Man For Himself left off?
Doug: You know, I don't know. I really don't know. I wish I could say something original and witty. I can't control the sound of the band completely, but if this were the "Doug Robb Project", I'd say I'd like it to go backwards into the first record. It's very rock, it's kinda simple, there isn't a lot of instrumentation and stuff like that. As far as songwriting and lyrically, I'd like that all obviously to move forward.
Asif: Right on.
Doug: I think on this record all of us would like to capture something on the CD that I feel we haven't been able to capture, up to this point, and that is whatever comes across live. We've been told, since before we had a record deal, that we sound different live. Most of the time it's better…hopefully. (laughs)
Asif: (laughs)
Doug: So many people will say "We have the CD and then we saw you live, we were blown away." So, there is something we're not translating in the studio that we're going to try to capture.
Asif: I've seen you guys a few times live and I totally agree with that. I think it's just the overall experience of a Hoobastank show and everything that goes into it and that energy someone draws and gets from you guys being on stage.
Doug: It's impossible to completely capture that!
Asif: I know! I'm just saying I think that is part of it though…
Doug: So much
of it is, like you said, energy and also visual. But we're gonna try.
There has to be that happy medium there somewhere.
Asif: What do you like to do in your free time man? What are you doing right now?
Doug: I'm driving in my car, I just got my haircut. (laughs)
Asif: (laughs)
Doug: That's not what I like to do in all of my free time! (laughs) That's been a little bit of an issue with me lately. I usually like to do a lot. I'm kinda like an outdoors, sports, athletic guy. I like to do sh*t outside. Anything, you name it. I think this time around [in between albums], I haven't. I've been kinda just like a hermit and just trying to write music. Sometimes it's good and sometimes it sucks because you can't really force that creative process.
Asif: Right. I dunno man, maybe if you get out and about and be outdoors it'll un-tap into something and you'll be able to write better from doing that. That's just an idea…
Doug: Yeah, a lot of people have told me that because I've gone through a spell of pretty weird writer's block, or something like that, and everybody's like "Dude, you just need to get away! F*ckin' go somewhere!" and I always wonder "Is that the most obvious answer to give?" or is there actually something to it? But I have gone away a few times and I feel better from it.
Asif: Do you like the ocean?
Doug: Yeah!
Asif: That's what it is for me man. Whenever I'm trippin' out or just have too much in my head, I try to get by some water and that does the trick for me.
Doug: Well I live close enough! I live like 10 minutes from the beach. But the water is so f*ckin' cold!
Asif: That is true!
Doug: You know, I'd like to go to the beach more often, but the water is so cold. So, I kinda went to Hawaii for a little bit.
Asif: (laughs) Nice! Before music became your full-time job, I know you were a teen camp coordinator at the YMCA for six years. You were also a kindergarten teacher, right?
Doug: Yeah! It wasn't like a full-fledged sanctioned kindergarten, but during the school year, I was in charge of the kindergarten program. They called me a kindergarten teacher. I had kids Monday through Friday from 7 AM to noon. I had to schedule activities and the little lesson plans everyday, which is kinda weird when I think about it now. During the summer I was the Camp Director for the teen camp, which is a trip because I run into so many kids now, because I live in the same neighborhood, and these kids are 21 or 22 years old now! They are adults!
Asif: Weird dude!
Doug: I'm like "I took you to Disneyland, do you remember that? I drove you in a van with about 12 of your other friends and now you're at a bar!"
Asif: (laughs) Have you ever had a drink with any of the kids now?
Doug: Yeah! I've actually had some drinks with the kids I used to watch!
Asif: Man, that is trippy! After your days on stage are done, do you think you'll ever go back to teaching?
Doug: I dunno. I think it's kinda in my system. My Mom runs a pre-school for as long as I can remember. My Dad is a retired English teacher. So, there's something about being a know-it all that I like! (laughs)
Asif: (laughs) A know-it all?
Doug: Think about it! That's what teachers are! "I know more than you, so shut up and listen to what I have to say!" (laughs)
Asif: (laughs) True! Okay, so I'll shut up since you are the know-it all. You have any last words you want to say?
Doug: Umm….I dunno
man. Don't you think that's kinda a cop-out question?
Asif: I dunno, is it? Enlighten me Mr. Know-it All! (laughs)
Doug: (laughs hard) Musically, we're working on the new record, but we're taking our time with it. I'm really excited about it, you know!? There's an enthusiasm that's surrounding the band right now writing wise that I don't think we've felt in a long time.
Asif: Awesome man. Well, go enjoy the rest of your day and showoff your haircut!
Doug: (laughs) Yeah, I'm gonna try!
Asif: Alright man, take care of yourself!
Doug: Alright, later dude!
