Houston rock band Blue October will bring its brand of angst-grunge to the Texas Club on Friday.
The band’s latest album, “Any Man in America,” is the group’s seventh since its inception in 1995. Known for singles like “Hate Me” and “Into The Ocean,” Blue October takes rock deeper with messages of depression, heartache and forgiveness.
The Daily Reveille spoke with Matt Noveskey, bassist and backing vocalist for Blue October, in advance of the show.
The Daily Reveille: What is the meaning of “Any Man in America?”
Noveskey: My take on it, the actual title itself means what Justin [Furstenfeld, the band’s singer] experienced and what he’s gone through [with his divorce and ensuing custody battle] can happen to anybody in this country. Because based off the laws of the lack of shared parenting and just the issues we have with the laws when it comes to custody, it can happen to anybody.
We’ve been doing this for so long. We’re not just a band; we’re way more than that. We’re a family. We’ve been through so much together with many ups and downs. … The album definitely reflects life. It’s what we like to call “reality music.” None of it is fictional and none of it is in third person. It’s all very much from [Justin’s] perspective. It’s all relative. When you’re going out touring in support of something that is a snap shot of your life, you live it every day.
TDR: This album has a hip-hop flair to it. What separates it from your past releases?
Noveskey: Besides the actual content, which is vastly different from the other albums, style-wise there is a lot of exploration going on in this record. We just wanted to try some different things and try going in different directions. Hip-hop is actually something that Justin has really been into his whole life. He really wanted to bring that into the band for this record. … To go a new direction is one thing, and he said he wanted to keep it fresh and not just regurgitate the same style over and over again.
TDR: What are some of your favorite songs from the album?
Noveskey: “The Worry List” and “The Getting Over It Part” are my two favorites. I really like the way they both turned out production wise and sound wise. I love playing “The Getting Over It Part” live. It has a lot of energy to it.
TDR: Are you excited about coming to Baton Rouge?
Noveskey: Yeah, we have been to Baton Rouge before. I’ve got a lot of friends in the area from Baton Rouge. I don’t know what it is about Louisiana in general, but it just seems like people there, when they come to the shows, they are loud and they’re having a great time. There is a ton of energy at the shows. Whether it’s New Orleans, Baton Rouge or Shreveport, the people there are just awesome. The crowds are always a lot of fun.
TDR: What can fans expect from your performance at the Texas Club?
Noveskey: They can expect a good blend of the new material along with a lot of older stuff. We’ve put a lot of older songs into this tour, and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s been a bit more of a rock show, since we have brought out a lot of our heavier stuff. I think that if fans want to hear a good blend of all the stuff and not just the new record, I think they will be pleased.
TDR: Just so readers could know more about you as an artist, could you tell me what it was like auditioning to be in Blue October?
Noveskey: For me it was a long time ago … in 1998, I guess. I lived in Michigan. I found out about the band through a friend of mine, who was at the time their booking agent. Before I even saw the band, I heard the very first CD when they just put it out. I thought it was really good and mature. I had never been to Texas in my life, so when I came down that weekend to see the band I thought, why not? I was blown away by the show. When we all met and started talking, it was just instant chemistry. One of those intangible things when your gut tells you it’s the right thing to do. When we all played together, there was just no question that it felt right. Two weeks later, I moved down and joined the band. It was an easy decision to make.
TDR: What do you enjoy most about music and performing?
Noveskey: I enjoy performing, but my favorite thing about music is actually the creation process. The actual writing and constructing the song and then being in the studio is my passion. Justin is the one that writes the lyrics.
TDR: Has rock always been your preferred genre of music?
Noveskey: No. I grew up with a lot of older siblings. My sisters would listen to Prince, the Commodores, and my brother would listen to Metallica. I grew up with a hodgepodge of influences. I really grew up being a big Motown fan. It was later when I became interested in rock, and I think I tried to bring a rhythmic feeling to it. I like to look at it as though I am more of a bass player that is a drummer/bass player than more of a guitarist/bass player.
 
—-
Contact Raylea Barrow at [email protected]