You As The Driver Zine's Interview with Ted Alexander

Who is all in the band, age, and position?

My name is Ted, I'm 19 and I play guitar, Dave is our other guitar player and he is the old man of the band at 21, Bryan is our drummer and he is 20, Chris vocalizes and Eben slaps the bass and they're both 19 as well.

Whats the history behind the band, and how long have you guys been together or known each other?

The current Saves The Day line up came into existence pretty recently. Chris and Bryan have been playing music for years, and when I met them they were in a band called Sefler playing pop-punk type stuff. We met at camp when we were all 15 (wierd, huh?) and I managed to keep in contact with them through the years. Eventually the sound Sefler was playing changed and with the addition of bass player Sean McGrath they changed the name to Saves The Day. The two other guitar players who played on Can't Slow Down, Justin and Anthony, both quit... it was on amiable terms and was basically because neither of them were that into the music, or doing the band full time. After they quit Dave (who had been friends with Chris and Bryan since high school) joined the band, and shortly after I joined as well. After last years winter tour it became apparent that things weren't really working out with Sean, so we had to part ways. We then asked Eben (who at the time was playing for a long island band Yearly) to join the band,and he instantly clicked. We're at the point now where we compliment each other perfectly both musically and as individuals. They're some of the best friends I've ever made in my life.

"Cant slow down" showed a lot of LIFETIME influence, the new album "Through being cool" almost seems like your maturing to a more original sound. Who are your influences? For the band and personal.

It's different for all of us. I'm very influenced by Jawbreaker, they were a big band for me growing up and they're just one of those bands that will always have a big place in my heart, I can never get sick of them. I'm really influenced by Elvis Costello as well. Chris is also influenced by these people, but he's really into Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits. Then there's the classics like Dag Nasty, Gorrilla Biscuits, Verbal Assault, Embrace, Descendents, The Clash, The Jam, Husker Du, The Replacements just to name a few. Anything with melody, energy, and heart. We're all also consistently impressed by and influenced by the bands we get to play with... bands like the Get Up Kids, Snapcase, Six Going On Seven, Kind Of Like Spitting, The Stryder and others.

You guys have any tours planned for the near future?

Yes, lots... starting in January we're going out with Piebald and New Found Glory. Then we have a bunch of shows with Snapcase, then Hot Water Music... and then after that a 2 month tour with H20. I'm psyched to hit the road.

Any good tour stories?

Here's a pretty funny one... This was on the first tour... We split up one night because our old bass player wanted to go surfing early the next morning... so we agreed to meet him on Huntington Beach at a certain time. The next day we arrived and he didn't show up for a couple hours. So Chris, Bryan and I fell asleep in the sun waiting for him and got sunburned to hell. Bryan got sunburned the worst... he had sun poisoning and got really really sick. So the next day we were all driving and Bryan was asleep in the back and our old guitar player Anthony flipped out all of a sudden and tried to hit Bryan (who was sick, and trying to sleep in the back). Bryan was like "what the fuck?" and Anthony said "Dude, I can see your balls...YOU'RE MAKING ME FEEL GAY!!!!". That ended up being the most famous line of tour.

How about favorite place to play?

hmmm... Anywhere in Mass, especially Worcester. Florida's fun. New Jersey rules. San Francisco was awesome. There's a ton of good places.

Eminem vs. Vanilla Ice. who'd win? (NOTE: Not Vanilla ice NOW, but Vanilla Ice back in the day)

Even though I don't particularly like him... I'd say mine is more of a legitimate artist... but then what the hell do I know? Anyway, he's way funnier than vanilla ice. Some of the shit his says on his record is pretty rough.

What do you guys do when you are not touring? any jobs?

I am the only member of saves the day who held a job. I farmed El paca's, which are Peruvian mountain goats. It was fun, but now I just rock for a living.

Whats up with the title of the new album (Through being cool), and the little "story" in the cd insert? any story behind this?

We just wanted to do something a little different. We wanted it to be campy and tongue-in- cheek... some people liked it and some people hated it, but people were definitely effected in one way or another which is what we wanted.

I've noticed a hint of bitterness in the lyrics, a lot of breaking hearts..... you guys pretty bitter?

I've had my heart broken a few times, but I try not to be bitter... a little jaded perhaps, but not bitter. I'd say that life's goal is to make you bitter and you win by not letting it. Chris talks a good game about heartbreak... but he's got nothing to be bitter about, he's a little heartbreaker himself. watch out, ladies (just kidding).

Whats your view on the Y2K phenomenon?

I think that regardless of what happens with the computers, some crazy stuff's gonna go down. I gotta figure that with terrorist groups and religious cults... something nuts is gonna happen. I've heard news announcements that people are advised to stay out of crowds for new years because authorities have reason to believe that there will be a string of terrorist attacks. It's scary, but exciting. I'm definitely looking forward to watching the 6 o'clock news on january 1st.

Holly Hox, make believe or real?

Holly Hox is fake. It's a kind of flower, not a girl. As are Forget Me Nots, which makes for a clever title.

How did you guys get hooked up with Equal Vision (a hardcore label)? And I've heard rumors that you guys signed to a bigger label, any word on this?

That had a lot to do with Sean, our old bassist. He was in Hands Tied, who were on EVR, and he knew Steve so he sent him a demo and the rest is history. As for other labels... we have nothing to speak of quite yet, but anything can happen.

Depending on what you watch...... a)Do you think Dawson should get back together with Joey?

Dawson's Creek thrives on the sexual tension between Dawson and Joey... and I definitely identify more with unrequited love than a picture perfect happy ending... so I don't think they should get back together.

b) Do you think Felicity should get back with Noel?

Felicity never held my interest... so I can't answer that.

You guys are pretty young, where do you see yourselves in the next 5 years? any goals?

To be honest I can't see my self doing this band for more than a few years. I want to go to school. I write and read a lot and I'd like to do more of it. Being in a band is amazing, but it also sucks a lot. I have no friends outside of my band... it's ruined some of my relationships... it's draining being on the road all the time, it definitely has it's down sides. But at the same time I've made some great friends, and seen places I'd never thought I'd see. For now I'm content to rock.

Is there any last words? Anything you want 1.5 million (give or take 1.4 million) people to read?

Don't worry about other people... don't criticize, or rely on other people to tell you how to live your life. Kids come up to me and ask me for my autograph sometimes and that's just so fucking ridiculous. I'm just this goofy guy who plays in a band that some people like. Kids also criticize us for what we do... and the way I see it is if you're spending that much time worrying about what someone else is doing you must have some serious void in your life or insecurities or something. Just live your life as best you can, do what makes you happy, and don't tell other people or let them tell you what to do. It's cliche, but it's true.