When we started off it was all nervous energy and we probably played everything twice as fast as we do now.

My favorite is still the one that I started off with, which is a Les Paul Standard. I've played that at every gig I've ever had. And that's my starting point in the studio.

I think it's just more a nervous energy there that he's gonna regress and something's gonna flare up again. That's tough to play with knowing in the back of your mind, kinda thinking you're almost fragile compared to what you're usually able to play at.

Everything's so accelerated now.

We still haven't played Madison Square Garden. That's a benchmark. Something will have gone seriously wrong if we don't play Madison Square Garden for this album.

I can't wait to start something up myself that is actually about giving unsigned bands the exposure they deserve, especially when they travel so far to play the smallest gig they've ever played in their lives.