We The Living

The House of We The Living

2010-12-31T09:51:00.001-06:00

In 2007 I set out to build a house. I knew it was going to take a lot of hard work, and I thought there would be nothing better than to undertake a hard project with a few of my best friends. We talked about how the house would look, how it would feel, smell, sound. We could suddenly all see the same house in our minds. From then on we were building the house together, three inseparable partners, for the idea of the house no longer belonged to me. It belonged to all of us.

So much focus was placed on the construction that we left every essential one by one until our lives were stripped down to the minimum. We were pulling ourselves along without comfort or rest until we found ourselves to be shells of our former selves. We had given up so much to build this building, that we forgot about what lived on the inside. We wanted to make a place for our friendship and music to live, but it seemed the harder we strove, the firelight inside grew colder, and the laughter inside became more distant.

When the inside of the house finally grew cold, none of us wanted to accept that fact. We just threw ourselves into the construction even harder, until one day I stepped back to realize that to continue work was to strive to make a beautiful mausoleum, because the home that was inside had gone away.

Instead of mourning the loss, we decided that it was time to call the house finished. It was time to start living our lives anew and looking for more homes to build on our own paths. In the completion of the house lies an unseen blessing, because all of the warmth, love and music that we made together can now live inside the house that Matthew, Benjamin and I built together. In my heart, the beauty of our love for one another burns brighter than it ever has. In my memory, our laughter is more robust than it has ever been, because it is joined by the laughter of all those who supported us and joined us along our journey. Best of all, the house we built is full of music. That music will live on forever.

We love you all very much, and thank you for the beautiful memories.

John Paul, Matthew, and Benjamin

Sound of Drums

2010-03-09T12:20:00.001-06:00

Sound of Drums ("Sound of Love" Live - We The Living) from We The Living on Vimeo.

Bombs Away!

2010-02-25T18:16:00.001-06:00

Here, at the corner of two streets in Nashville, our house rests atop a hill. Down one street, a long and graceful, but somewhat dangerous plunge (it meets other streets, thus the potential lurks for "meeting" cars). Choose the other and you've taken a short, but satisfying, in regards to pure velocity, tour of the neighborhood.

On a bike? No. In a car? Not in a million years. On a Sector Nine Skateboard straight from the perils of Los Angeles? Thanks Adam.

There are many joys to partaking in "bombing" a hill (the art of triumphantly cruising down a hill on nothing more than a board with a number of wheels, all the while putting oneself at odds with gravity and the immeasurable pain one might feel when skin meets pavement): complete freedom, utter ecstasy, and the laughable sight of your companion coming close to the aforementioned "skin meeting pavement" scenario.

Matt and I have had the absolute privilege of establishing a near daily "bomb this hill" event. If there are fellow bombers out there, do your duty - film it and reply back to us with the link.

(By the way, I've said "bomb" four times in this blog post. If you are the Fed...instead of wasting your time coming to find me, do the community a service by grabbing a board and showing 'em how it's done.)

Magic Matthew IV

2010-02-20T19:17:00.002-06:00

This video is dedicated to anyone who ever thought I was a liar.

So You're Sitting In The Woods...

2010-02-15T10:05:00.001-06:00

With the release of the iPad, it's becoming quite clear of the rationale behind technologically-focused companies. The iPad does not make life easier. It does, rather, make life and Apple a cohesive stew for you and I to consume. Take an iPhone away from an avid user, and you've created a problem. Without the iPhone, there's no problem to be had. I'm not denouncing Apple (frankly, I love my MacBook and the simplicity it offers in browsing the web, recording music and other features), or any other company focused on providing consumers with something they may want. I think innovation is the core of our world, and the wheel of progress. But what happens when we start to choose technological will over human will? Is it a reversal in the relation we currently have between humans and gadgets?

There's a deeper story here that I'm not consistently trying to figure, yet I do know that we're not meant to be gadgets in the end. Just watch Wall-E.

Confessions of a Tour Manager

2010-02-09T18:32:00.002-06:00

Hello, I’m Adam and I am the tour manager for We The Living. You might have met me at the merch booth, or caught a glimpse of me sleeping at a table in your school’s cafeteria. Yes, I was that homeless-looking (and -smelling) guy that you avoided.

As you know, the guys and I spend a lot of time in the van, our mobile-mansion. It’s great! We discuss difficult topics, such as life, love and Lost. We debate politics, philosophy, and our opinions of Kate Austin. And after the conversations end and the iPods come out, I have a lot of time to think. I like driving at night when everyone is asleep, because this is the best time to think. The world is covered in a veil of darkness, the scenery is gone; I feel like I could be anywhere. Driving through the dark night down Interstate-whatever, my face ominously lit by the soft glow of the instrument panel, I feel like an evil mastermind. Just me and my thoughts; plotting ways to take over the world.

I rant a lot…a lot. But today, I’m going to spare you. The purpose of this blog entry is only to introduce myself and then, periodically, when the guys will allow, I will enthrall you with my words of wisdom and whine. Wait, what am I thinking? I can’t leave you empty-handed on my first blog entry! I need to take advantage the precious few opportunities I have on here…

A quote. “The thing to learn is to know what people are thinking about, not what they say.”

Try flipping this around on yourself. Learn to say what you mean, so you don’t become a grotesque. Read Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson.

Magic Matthew II & III

2010-02-02T20:23:00.003-06:00

Okay, let me explain what this is all about. See, as a kid, my dad's expectations of me greatly surpassed my general comprehension.

In this double-feature episode, 3 year old me is trying to learn the old "bird in the balloon" trick. One of the only magic related things that my dad taught me which stuck was that if anyone ever asks, "How did you do that?!" Your answer must be nothing other than, "Very well." Clever, right?

Anyway, I'm going to break that rule now, but just for you. See here's how the trick works: there's a table with a secret compartment into which you cram a live dove. You tie a balloon to the top of the table. Then, if you're a 3 year old, you fumble around with trying to simultaneously pop the balloon with a fake knife, distract the audience with some kind of witty banter, and pull a hidden lever which releases the dove.

I can't even blow up a balloon.

So this episode illustrates that very disconnect between me and my dad which simultaneously caused every trick to flounder, and every video to take wings and fly away.

DOUBLE FEATURE!

And in this episode, I utter perhaps my greatest catchphrase: "Out With It!"

Treasure Excavation

2010-01-31T20:26:00.000-06:00

Electric Lights Everywhere is John Paul Roney's blog. This is a featured blog. You can read more of his writing at johnpaulroney.blogspot.com.

Since moving to Nashville, we've discovered the joys of antique shopping. We first found it because antique items are waaaay cheaper than their modern counterpart at Target. Once we started frequenting antique malls, we started to notice that you could just sense when an item was more loved than another. Maybe it was from its expert construction, or maybe it was seeing that it has been lovingly worn over someone's lifetime. Finding a cool piece of treasure is a gift, but finding a treasure with love in it is a revelation.

In some ways I don't think it's surprising that we were drawn to antiquing, it's exactly how we got into our endless hunt for vintage instruments and equipment. From every tom in Ben's vintage Ludwig Vistalight kit, to Matt's vintage Telecasters, amps, and effects pedals, to my 61 Fender Jazzmaster, inherited from its original owner Hank Anderson; we've already been looking for pieces that were full of love without even consciously knowing it.

Now that we're writing in the studio in the We The Living castle, part of the reason that this time together feels so magical is that we're conjuring our own love and depositing it into the instruments we're using to craft our new album. Even beyond the thought of our friends being able to hear the love we put into the album that will mark this chapter of our lives, it's great to think of future treasure hunters picking up my Jazzmaster and sensing just how important and how loved that piece of treasure was.

Welcome to the Future

2010-01-27T12:08:00.004-06:00

Light Through The Veins - Jon ...

Live from 12th and Porter: AVAILABLE SOON

2010-01-26T13:01:00.001-06:00

Dude Looks Like a Doggy

2010-01-24T11:22:00.003-06:00

Back in the day, people used dogs as much for their function as their companionship. Hunters needed dogs to point, flush, or retrieve game. Shepherds needed dogs to protect and lead the flock. Store owners and shipyards needed dogs to warn of intruders. Aristocrats needed to keep their laps warm.

Companionship between dog and man explains itself. Man sees himself in his dog. The hunter sees the hunter in his dog. The shepherd sees the shepherd in his dog. The aristocrat sees the aristocrat in his dog.

From left to right: Charlie, Benjamin. Bowsers at their finest.

Now, few people use their dogs for their breed (some still do!), but the tradition lingers on. Now, rather than a store owner using a dog to fend off and warn intruders, he finds a dog that looks like him . . . physically. Man still seeks something of himself in his dog, whether it be temperament, personality, origin, or looks.

Magic Matthew I

2010-01-19T23:59:00.003-06:00

When I was three years old, my father began filming me attempting magic tricks. I found the tape a few weeks ago and have started to put together a series entitled: Magic Matthew.

Enjoy.

"Parachutes, Music, and Monet"

2010-01-17T13:58:00.005-06:00

Electric Lights Everywhere is John Paul Roney's blog. This is a featured blog. You can read more of his writing at johnpaulroney.blogspot.com.

I had heard Coldplay's Yellow, thought it was a decent pop song, put it on a mix tape for my high school girlfriend, slow danced to it in my living room on our three month anniversary (or some other trivial high school relationship anniversary) and had moved on. It was when I was walking in Baraboo's Farm and Fleet (not Fleet Farm, posers) when Trouble came on the Muzak that was playing in the background. I knew right there by the tire department, next to a massive duct tape display that my life was never going to be the same. That second will be burned into my head forever, because it was when I realized that there was a band making music that had never been made before and suddenly it was mine. I bought Parachutes a few days later and listened to it ad nauseum in my black Toyota Tacoma through the tape adapter.

Today the girlfriend is gone, the Tacoma is gone, and the duct tape is no longer on sale, but Parachutes makes me feel the same way every time I listen to it.

On top of being fearlessly dedicated to the groove and dangerously patient, the album's empty spaces were equally as important as the spaces in which instruments were being played. It reminded me of some of Monet's most masterful paintings that had almost twice the amount of blank canvas as painted area, yet still seemed to be brimming with life.

From beginning to end Parachutes escorts you through a fictitious world from imaginary coast to imaginary coast. It made me realize that if your art isn't bringing people to a world they have never experienced before you are treading in a world of imitation, and you are bound to be forgotten.

Classified

2010-01-13T22:41:00.003-06:00

Found this little bitty in the paper the other day: our new man, Brian Holl talking about himself. I tore out this page and saved it with my notes.

Benjamin Speaks: Inertia of the Drum Key

2010-01-12T01:17:00.002-06:00

Let me tell you a little something about a tool that all drummers use: a drum key. This T-shaped gadget is a staple on all drummers' key chains, scene clips, or body piercings. They are found in the the jeans you haven't worn in a month, on the coffee tables of friends' apartments, in old cases, near bathroom sinks, or in the pockets of the greedy drummer you last lent it to. I cherish drum keys, for my moments with any one in particular are fleeting.

When I retire for the evening, I like to empty out all my pockets and create a tidy bed for my coins, my phone, my keys, my wallet, my sunglasses, and of course, my drum key. After tucking each in, I, myself, slip into my neatly made bed.

When I wake, I find my drum key halfway across the room, in the cup holder in the van, and sometimes I find 3 drum keys where I had place only 1.

--

Moral of my story comes from the book Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins:

"The inertia of objects is deceptive . . . (so) how can we be so sure that we know what things are doing when we aren't looking at them."

Let that stew around.

WE Cast - Winter Update

2010-01-10T18:54:00.001-06:00

Streaming Video by Ustream.TV

WE CAST! News + Schedule + MUSIC! (1/1/10 - 7PM CST)

2010-01-08T10:56:00.005-06:00

We bought one of those big office calendars last night, and tacked it up on the wall in the kitchen so we could all start working off the same schedule (literally). And one of the first things that has benefited from this new practice is , dun dun dun!, the WE Cast! Hooray!

We're bringing it back, this Sunday, 1/10 at 7PM CST (that's 8PM for you folks in Sandwich).

As always, it will be viewable here, at wetheliving.com/blog.

See ya there, suckas!

<#

(We'll also be taking live callers on our SayNow phone number 1 (615) 696-7509 during the show. So make sure to call in and keep us company!)

hark dun dun dun!

2009-12-22T01:19:00.002-06:00

check it out!

I know what you're thinking... and you're right, it has been a while since we blogged last. But, check this, yo: we've been spending the last 2 months teaching Ben how to play acoustic guitar, so we could make you this really kitschy Christmas video. Actually, it's not all that kitschy, although while we were filming it, I said, "wait! should we do something kitschy?" and received two simultaneous response (I forgot who said what):

Response #1: "We're recording a 4-part harmony Christmas carol on 4 acoustic guitars! What more could we do??"

Response #2: "What's 'kitschy' mean?"

In any case, you're right. It has been too long, and I intend to keep you guys posted on what we're doing over the next couple of months. We're going to be holing up in our cave in Gnashville and writing, recording, and dancing/prancing around in the kitchen to Good Old War.

Oh and, it didn't really take 2 months to teach Ben his guitar part. He's actually pretty good at guitar.

Enjoy spending the holidays with people you love. And hopefully you'll listen to us around them. Bam!

We The Living + Gardening Not Architecture

2009-09-24T12:21:00.004-05:00

I've got a pretty sweet announcement and guess what? You're gonna like it.

My sister, Sarah Saturday runs a little project she created with programming genius Beau Sorenson (whose work on the albums of such epic rock bands as Death Cab for Cutie and We The Living is well known) called Gardening Not Architecture. She is currently on a national tour, and I'm really happy to announce that she will be meeting up with us in October for several shows. Exact dates will follow on the myspace soon, but in the meantime, familiarize yourself with her music.

What it's like to know Matthew Holmen

2009-09-23T12:16:00.004-05:00

When you live with Matthew Holmen, you start to notice that all of your belongings are covered in paint splatters from his famed custom tee shirt painting. At first you're angry, then you start to like the splatters, then you can't imagine life without the splatters.

Thanks for the splatters.

Boom Forest - Volume I

2009-09-08T23:08:00.004-05:00

We spent the summer thinking of you. We were missing you, missing our jokes together, and counting down the days till we would see you again... that and making you a new record:

Boom Forest - Volume I

It's five songs we wanted to play for you, because we like you. Come listen.

<# wtl

"The We The Living Special"

2009-08-17T18:19:00.000-05:00

Streaming Video by Ustream.TV

Welcome to Nashville!

2009-08-07T11:04:00.002-05:00

If you haven't picked up on it yet, We The Living has officially moved to Nashville, Tennessee (because you're the only ten I see! lollll get it?).

Now I know you might be saying to yourself, "But Nashville is the country music capital of the world! Is We The Living going honky tonk?!" I'm not going to entirely rule it out (especially if we ever plan on going on tour with Taylor Swift), but no, We The Living is not going honky.

Since Nashville is the beating heart of our touring route, we figured it'd be nice to have a hub to do laundry every once in a while (instead of making the two day trek across the country just to wash our boxer-briefs... yeah, we wear boxer briefs. Cat's outta the bag. I just seriously typed "outta." I need a nap. Or maybe some coffee. I'm going with the latter. Anyway, back to the narrative.). Uh... oh right, laundry...

So, anyway, Nashville is now our new home. And we love it. I think that since moving here, we've stolen Nashville's heart. And in return, they stole something of ours...

After a a full day driving to and playing in Bloomington, IN (where we played for 7,000 Boy Scouts. Don't ask.), we returned to Nashville at 6:00AM to find that our house had been broken into. And we looked around for a few minutes without realizing anything was missing. My bed was upturned, my desk drawers opened and the contents strewn about the ground. Every box of everything in the house was opened, but still mostly full of their proper contents.

And then The Works goes, "Dudes... they got my f'ing guitar." The Works is a southpaw, and his was the only guitar in the house he could play. Tragic, really.

After that, we all started realizing what of ours was missing. Standard pawn-shop-hackable stuff. Guitars and cameras, mostly. But to top if off, they somehow broke our coffee-maker, and took a couple bottles of Johnnie Red (which, of course, we were saving for sparing celebratory sips). AND they took a bunch of my Magic cards, the hooligans! I bet they don't even play. It's a shame.

But our hearts still beat for Nashville. We're just going to have to encase then in iron, now. No problems. Just, if you ever decided to rob us, please don't break our coffee maker.

WE Cast - "Return of the JP" TONIGHT - AUGUST 4TH - 7PM CST/8PM EST

2009-08-04T09:37:00.000-05:00

Streaming Video by Ustream.TV

DJ D Behind the Scenes!

2009-07-27T14:27:00.004-05:00

Here's a little behind the scenes footage of the DJ De Facto interview.

Oh what's that? You haven't a clue who DJD is? Well then, my friend, you have a lot to learn. See DJ De Facto is the hottest modern DJ who remixed our song, Sound of Love. And guess what! We're giving it away for free to everyone who signs up for our mailing list (which can be found at wetheliving.com).

So if you haven't already, watch the original interview with DJD here, on our YouTube page, then watch the previously embedded video (at the top of this blog post).

Party on, Waynes.

<#djd

Slushes, Slushies, and Slurpees, Oh My!

2009-07-24T14:30:00.010-05:00

I seem to run into more and more people who say a certain phrase to me: "Stop and smell the roses."

Well, not only is that a lame cliche, but as a hyposmiac* (which means my nose is legally blind), I find it completely irrelevant, if not downright offensive. So I've come to the decision to change it.

Stop and sip the slurpee.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that's a bit 90's, maybe even 80's, but I'll roll with it, if only for my deep, undying love for 44oz. Sonic Real Fruit Slushes. Unfortunately (for you), unless you live in the part of the country that we play least (which, you, loyal reader, probably don't...), you've probably never seen a Sonic in your whole life (despite having seen a million and one commercials for it (even if you only turn on the TV to watch Lost and/or Grey's Anatomy)).

I've searched long and hard for a doctor that would insert an IV and administer a slurpee drip, but to no avail. Thus, my only solution was to (yet again) turn to The Works.

It's hard to get through the day without my fix, so I've put The Works on constant slush duty.

I wake up and hit the shower, with my favorite Herbal Essences: Scrub & Slurp. (Of course, I clean out the shower scum with my Scrubbin' Slurples)

I get ready for the day. I put on my Old Slush (with anti-anti-slurpspirant). You know I can't have slush-stains in my pits.

I sit out on the porch and throw back a slurpuccino and a quad-shot slurpresso, and I catch up with the hometown gossip with Mom.

I go for a ride on my bike, while The Works tries to keep up on his Razor scooter. We can go for about a quarter block now, before I have to walk my bike beside him.

Ahhhh... finally a chance to take a break from it all, and just enjoy a slush in the park.

I usually will just ditch my bike in the park and drive Van-Go back home.

I hit the hay pretty early, very tuckered out from my long day of slushie consumption, and have dreams of slurpee-plum faeries dancing in my head...

I don't recommend this method to anyone. Slurpee addiction is not pleasant, ladies and gentlemen. It is important to note that slushes are a lot like illegal drugs, for several reasons.

-No doctor is going to recommend them.
-Too much too fast, and you're likely to get a headache, if not something worse.
-If your friends have them and you don't, it's really annoying to listen to.
-And finally, it is uncommon, if extremely awkward, to see your parents with them, or even to hear stories about them.

I hope you found this informative, and I hope we can enjoy a slush together sometime.

<#matt

*one of my first memories of not being able to smell something was at the age of 4, having my dad clip a rose out of his garden, hold it up to my nose, and say, "See, Matthew? Doesn't that smell good?" I couldn't bring myself to break his heart, so I said, "Yes, Dada."

Better Than Bob Ross CONTEST WINNERS!

2009-07-20T21:02:00.002-05:00

Ladies and Gents,

I'm proud to announce the winners of the Better Than Bob Ross Contest!

Check out the winners' videos here:

Michelle Bridwell - 1st Place

Gudrun Haider - 2nd Place

Kat Skjoldager - 3rd Place

Thank you so much to everyone who entered. You were all truly amazing! I can't tell you how much I <# you.

Humbly Yours,
Bob Ross

WE Cast - "Bobbies" Edition TONIGHT! 7/20 - 8:00PM CST / 9:00PM EST

2009-07-20T13:35:00.004-05:00

It wouldn't be a bad idea to watch the following videos before watching this week's WE Cast. We make these blogs because we want you guys to be on the inside of all our stupid inside jokes, and it's inevitable that we'll drop one or two during this week's episode. Click the thumbnails to watch the blog. Enjoy!

Streaming Video by Ustream.TV

WE CAST - MONDAY - 7/20 - 8:00PM CST

2009-07-15T11:41:00.002-05:00

Look, I'm not going to jerk you guys around: we miss you. It's only been a week since our last WE Cast, but that's simply too long. So we're going to do another WE Cast next Monday (July 20th), here on the blog at 8:00PM CST (that's 9:00PM Eastern).

And this is another very special edition WE Cast, because I'll be announcing the winners of the Better Than Bob Ross Contest!

So be sure to tune in with all your friends and family so you can say, "See mom? I am better than Bob Ross!" And she'll say, "Who's Bob Ross, honey?" And then you'll go into a poor Bob Ross impression (akin to mine) and realize you're not entirely sure of what Bob Ross says, so you'll say something about a little tree, and halfway though your halfway impression, your mom will interrupt you and say "Ohh that's right. The bearded fellow who came on after my soap opera..."

Right. If you actually have that conversation, I will change your cat's litter for a year. And get you fruit snacks whenever you want. And rent Redbox movies and rub your feet for most of the first part of the opening credits once a week (let's be realistic, kids).

Anyway, as I said, I'll be handing out the prestigious Better Than Bob Ross trophies (also known as the Bobbies) so this is a We Cast you (and your soap-opera-watching mom) don't want to miss.

Win this trophy if your design makes Bob Ross' work look like a toddler's booger paintings.

Mark your calendars:

Monday, July 20th, 8:00PM CST (9:00PM EST)
Special Edition WE Cast - The Bobbies Edition

Better Than Bob Ross Contest (YOU CAN STILL ENTER!)

2009-07-13T11:19:00.010-05:00

When we're on tour, despite my best efforts, my hands seem to be perpetually stained (Jonas Brothers) blue. I do wash my hands, I promise, but it seems like after every show, I get messier and messier with my painting. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, I hand-paint custom WTL shirts after shows. Click to see my favorite fan pictures of this process.)

I think I solely finger-painted a shirt one time. That definitely didn't come out of my skin for 3 weeks. Don't finger-paint with acrylics at home, kids.

Anyway, we're getting pretty close to the end of the "Better than Bob Ross" Paint-Your-Own-Shirt contest, but there's still time for you to enter! And for those of you that are on the We Team, there's something you could do to help out a bit!

Post this cute little banner up on your myspace, blog, or whatever. Get one of your friends to enter the contest. Try to convince them they can beat you, or that they can't (depending on what kind of friend they are).

I also want everyone to be aware that I'm trying to get my mom to enter the contest. She can paint like a madwoman. She's basically a better looking, female version of Van Gogh (not to be confused, of course, with Van-Go.)

So here are some of my favorites that have already been posted. Watch these and get some inspiration, then go get painting!

Sound of Love DANCE REMIX!

2009-07-09T21:12:00.005-05:00

It has been a time honored tradition to throw some clubby dance beats under well-loved pop songs, toss in a couple samples of that Timberland fellow saying "yeh," and call it a remix. Pitiful, I know.

Well lucky for you we have none of the above. No Timbaland, no well-loved pop song... maybe a clubby dance beat, but you're going to like it. You're going to get your groove on to this song.

We've created a dance remix of "Sound of Love" and we're releasing it exclusively to our mailing list subscribers. So what are you waiting for? After you watch this behind the scenes video of how the remix came together, go to wetheliving.com and sign up! You'll love it. Tons of free stuff.

In the video, you'll be introduced to DJ De Facto, my superstar DJ alter-ego. He's fabu.

So go! Sign up! Dance the night away!

<#matt

The WE-Cast Stikes Back!

2009-07-03T21:11:00.006-05:00

That's right. We'll be hosting another WE Cast right here on the We The Living blog!

And lucky for you, since the band is spread out all across the country right now, this will be a special edition WE Cast, hosted by me and The Works. That's right! The WE Cast Strikes Back! You'll get to hear me fumble over my words for a full 60 minutes. We should be able to navigate any technical issues, and hopefully I won't cut my hand off. (OK, enough with the nerd references...)

This oughtta be a good'n, so tune in here, at wetheliving.com/blog on Monday, July 6 at 7:00 PM (Central). We'll be logged into the band aim (wethelivingaim) so add us and talk to me or just chat with us on the UStream chat. We could really use some good conversation. The Works and I just play Magic all day, and the conversation's gotten a little stale. :)

See you on Monday, when we may or may not be broadcasting out of my car in a Panera parking lot.

Streaming Video by Ustream.TV

What Do These Songs Have in Common?

2009-07-02T22:27:00.002-05:00

What do the following songs have in common?

Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead
Re: Stacks - Bon Iver
Left and Leaving - The Weakerthans
Machines - Biffy Clyro
Close Your Eyes - Jump Little Children

I'll reveal the answer tomorrow.

"Sure, I'll Help You Move"

2009-07-01T01:21:00.011-05:00

Here's a little bit of wisdom that was passed down to me from our forefathers:

"Never, under any circumstances say the following:"

Famous last words: "Sure, I'll help you move."

It's a lesson you'll likely have to learn yourself (just ask The Works), but don't say I didn't warn you when you pull your hamstring trying to move your uncle's life-size replica of the Statue of David.

See, helping someone move entails lugging refrigerators, cleaning out old Taco Bell wrappers from Van-Go, and unearthing ancient dirty magazines, and at the end of the day the only thanks you get is a.... well, "thanks."

Lucky for The Works (don't drop the article), helping me move means getting to listen to me reminisce on ye goode olde days. This, of course, includes digging through my collection of all things pink. Yes, I, throughout middle school, had an obsession with the color pink because of the effect it had on all the rednecks at my school. (this same effect is what caused John Paul to become enamoured with The Wu Tang Clan (and other rap music with similarly obnoxious bass), and subsequently start his own car audio business: Smooth Sounds and Effects (which is still in business, though John Paul no longer operates it. They installed the cruise control on my father's Smart car last week).)

In any case, we dug up a particularly pink gem from my past:

That's right: Piglet ears. I wasn't entirely sure of what possessed me to purchase these, let alone keep them around for nearly a decade, but today I found out: forcibly placing them on the Works' head.

(actual facial expression... no photoshoppery)

... before dancing around with them on my own head.

Fierce, non?

Anyway once we finished sifting through my pink stuff, we came upon a stack of old We The Living designs. That's right. These are ancient, dating back to 2006, before we had even recorded Heights of the Heavens. We printed between 1 and about 20 of these shirts, so if you have one, wear it with great pride and distinction (despite the designs' obvious lack thereof).

Little known fact: the image on the pink ghost on the red shirt is a picture of me, age six. Truth.

Next I came upon a little test print out of a poster that never was:

And finally, I excavated this little doodle of... what's that... is that a... is that a....

BIG GHOST?!?!?

(the bottom of the images reads: "we the weebles")

And that concludes the WTL fossils uncovered today at Nashville. Join us next time when I look through The Works' toiletry bag when he's sleeping.

Origins: Big Ghost

2009-06-28T23:10:00.005-05:00

I’ve been told that spending time with us feels more alienating than wearing a Batman coustume to a Marvel convention.

It seems that we speak in a mostly-foreign language that is nearly untranslatable and totally uncomprehendable. The only proper excuse that we’ve found (thank you, Matt Woods) is the following sentence: “I live in a van.”

See, our live is sort of like a first grade field trip blown wayyyyy out of proportion. Just imagine being in the back of the bus for three years straight. It’s not bad back here. It’s roomy. We’re with our best friends (awwwww). We’re seeing cool stuff every day. It’s just not what most people are used to. It’s such a different lifestyle that in order to stay sane we had to, more or less, create our own culture.

I’m not sure if it’s our common obsession with Arrested Development or what, but we just can’t seem to get self-referential enough. Every joke we tell seems to be a triple-or quadruple-layer inside joke, each level of which is so convoluted that even if anyone could understand even one level of the joke they would have no idea how to dissect the next layer.

Not to say it’s impossible to decipher, or that our humor is intelligent in any way (it’s usually around the age-of-8 maturity level): it’s just that in order to stay entertained with ourselves, we have a sick need to string out our inside jokes for years and years.

And so I’ve made it my mission to dedicate this blog to helping you understand what in the name of Jodah we’re talking about (Jodah is one of the many names of my cat, by the way. Also, it is a reference to a Magic card. (Am I doing a good job of explaining, yet?)).

Today, in particular, I wanted to tackle the origin of Big Ghost (if you’re unfamiliar with Big Ghost, please familiarize yourself by clicking on any of these hyperlinked Big Ghosts).

Even after you’ve watched the video, the joke still probably doesn’t make sense. That’s probably bad story-telling on our part. We’re working on it. Until then, watch this next video (a part of a new series called “Origins,” where we sit down and explain to you where stuff came from). Hopefully, this will clear a few things up as to where Big Ghost originated.

<#matt

ps - what “origins” video would you like to see next? what do you want to know about us? want to see baby photos? wanna know where the scar on my right ring finger came from? go on. ask me anything.

The Perils of T9

2009-06-09T01:07:00.000-05:00

I once had a very old fashioned cell phone (sans QWERTY keyboard), so I relied rather heavily on my T9 dictionary to guide my text-based conversations. Unfortunately, as a former English major, I can’t for the life of me bring myself to use anything but 100% proper English, not unlike that which the rest of the (sane) population uses exclusively on essays (or maybe blogs, for English dorks). That means, of course, not only crossed T’s and dotted I’s, but also proper punctuation, capitalization, and so on and so forth. And for all the time T9 had saved me (if that is in fact the purpose it’s serving) I more than wasted it on proof-reading my texts to insure that I didn't say "home" when I meant "good" or "telecrtese" when I meant "Telecaster."

In a particularly perilous mistep, I once was texting a girl late at night, and just before we were both going to be she said, "see you tomorrow" to which I (thought I) replied "night." However, T9 prioritizes that five character combination quite interestingly. You see, I actually replied, "might," because, apparently T9 believes that people are unsure more often than 50%, or the amount of time that it is night time. An interesting character trait of T9, to be so unconfident, and yet so arrogant, to assume it always knows what you intend to say.

So consider this a warning. If you must utilize T9, do so with caution.

And if you care to blackberry chat, msg me plz. thx.

lulz.

Archive: June 2009

2009-06-01T00:01:00.003-05:00

This is an archive of We The Living's June 2009 posts from the old blog (www.wetheliving.com/blog).

PAINT YOUR OWN SHIRT CONTEST!! by Matt

philmstrip: matt and ben by Matt

CONTEST: Paint-Your-Own-Shirt!

2009-05-24T18:32:00.019-05:00

Can you wield a paintbrush? Well neither can I, but I still hand-painted over 200 shirts this past tour. And this is your chance to put my art skills to shame, by creating your own hand-painted WTL shirt!

So here's the deal, my little home skillets:

1. Get a "Blank Canvas" shirt from our online store [THEY'RE 50% OFF! JUST FOR YOU! <#!] Click here to get your shirt: 2. Paint your shirt! Get as crazy as you want. Use brushes, or just finger-paint it. Jackson Pollock it (Lord knows I do). Smear it up with your severed ear! Do anything a great artist would do to her/his canvas.
3. Make a video about you and your shirt. Tell us who you are and why you should win.
4. Upload your awesome video to youtube as a video response to this one:

Tag your video with "wethelivingcontest."

The contest will run until July 1st, and I'll post my favorite three on the blog, and let you help vote on the winner (and yes, you can vote for yourself. hey, even Lincoln did!).

Oh and one more thing... the prizes!

First place will get:

-2 backstage passes to WTL Show in your area
-Signed/painted drumhead
-your video will be feature on wetheliving.com

Second place will get:

-the custom painted Bob Ross tee from the video
-a signed poster -featured on wetheliving.com

Third place will get:

-a signed poster
-featured on wetheliving.com

So what are you waiting for?! Go get out your paintbrushes! Start painting!

<# matt (if you need a place to start, click here to check out a gallery of fan-submitted pictures!)

Archive: May 2009

2009-05-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

This is an archive of We The Living's May 2009 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

WTL… shirts off. by Matt

How Cool is Tech-Decking? So cool. by Matt

I Think I Was a Better Artist When I Was Five by Matt

I’M ON PRICE IS RIGHT TOMORROW, MAY 5TH! by Matt

Archive: April 2008

2009-04-01T00:43:00.000-05:00

This is an archive of We The Living's April 2008 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

More Internet Radio, Yo! by John Paul

The Blair Beep Project by Keith

FEARLESS RADIO! by John Paul

Bunnies… Monthly. by Keith

What Did We Do To Deserve THIS? by John Paul

The Busiest Day of Our Lives… Potentially by John Paul

The MOA by John Paul

Ben Has No Control Over His Facial Muscles by John Paul

Save Your Eggs by John Paul

No Percussion In The Van by John Paul

Archive: April 2009

2009-04-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

This is an archive of We The Living's April 2009 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

i love my facebook friends by Matt

Snuggies! by Matt

May the Tweet Be With You by Matt

Bury This in Texas by Matt

April Fools Winners! by Matt

I DARE YOU TO GET A WE THE LIVING TATTOO by Matt

APRIL FOOLS (joke’s not on you…) by Matt

Archive: March 2009

2009-03-01T00:01:00.004-06:00

This is an archive of We The Living's March 2009 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

WE Cast V - Wednesday - MARCH 25 - 10:00PM ET/9:00PM CT by Matt

Day in the Life by Matt

WE Cast IV - Thursday - MARCH 19 - 11 ET/10 CT by Matt

This is War… wiki-war by Matt

Wikisassination! by Matt

WE Cast III - Wednesday - March 11 - [11PM - ET] by Matt

Distraction #74 by Matt

Archive: February 2009

2009-02-01T00:01:00.001-06:00

This is an archive of We The Living's February 2009 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

Photo Blog 1 - Pholog? Faux-Log? Fo-lauxg? by Matt

WTL Presents: History (Poorly, and only Semi-Accurately) — THOMAS “TJ” JEFFERSON by Matt

WE Cast II - Sunday - Feb. 22 [11PM ET] by Matt

smile. by Matt

Feedback: WeCast 1 by Matt

WE CAST! [Thurs - Feb 12 - 11PM EST] by Matt

<3 Dried Bananas by Matt

JP’s “Booty” by Matt

Archive: January 2009

2009-01-01T00:01:00.003-06:00

This is an archive of We The Living's January 2009 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

Garage Beats by Matt

John Paul… is there something you need to tell us? by Matt

Wax Simulacra by Matt

WTL ON REAL WORLD TONIGHT! 10 ET/PT by Matt

Indie music vs. iTunes by John Paul

The MTV Dollar and We The Living by John Paul

Archive: December 2008

2008-12-01T00:01:00.001-06:00

This is an archive of We The Living's October posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

We The Living’s wildest fantasy….. football league. by John Paul

We The Living is featured on Buzznet! by John Paul

Civilian - “White Christmas” Download by Matt

Electric Lights Everywhere by Matt

EIY Radio Tonight by John Paul

Making of “Sound of Love” by John Paul

“Sound of Love” Official Video by Matt

What’s to come? by John Paul

Depths of the Earth NOW AVAILABLE by Matt

Jasper No Longer with We The Living by Matt

Archive: November 2008

2008-11-01T00:16:00.002-05:00

This is an archive of We The Living's November 2008 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

Pre-Depths Downloads: Joy by John Paul

Archive: October 2008

2008-10-01T00:23:00.000-05:00

This is an archive of We The Living's November 2008 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

Pre-Depths Downloads: District Sleeps Alone by John Paul

Photo of the Week 1 by John Paul

WTL-TV by John Paul

Low Key - “Barometers” Unplugged by John Paul

Photo of the Day XI by John Paul

Photo of the Day X by John Paul

Photo of the Day IX by John Paul

Pre_Depths Downloads: “Black Swan” by John Paul

Photo of the Day VIII by John Paul

Low Key - “Atlantic” Unplugged by John Paul

Archive: September 2008

2008-09-01T00:29:00.002-05:00

This is an archive of We The Living's September 2008 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

Jasper’s House! by John Paul

Adam Stidham, “The Purple Bandit” by John Paul

Trailer Trouble by John Paul

Perez Mix Tape by John Paul

Mosey Along Now… by John Paul

Kelp? by John Paul

Archive: August 2008

2008-08-01T00:32:00.000-05:00

This is an archive of We The Living's August 2008 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

Frolfing! by John Paul

Cabin Fever by John Paul

Like Brother; Like… Pup? by John Paul

Welcome to Appalachia! by John Paul

Warped! by John Paul

Archive: July 2008

2008-07-01T00:35:00.000-05:00

This is an archive of We The Living's July 2008 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

What is We The Living Doing Right Now…? by John Paul

Hand Drawn: Zach Johnston by John Paul

WTL Debuts NEW SONG on Fearless Radio by John Paul

What’s Your Favorite Blog? by John Paul

Coldplay Cover DOWNLOAD by John Paul

Chocolate Rain… Literally. by John Paul

Archive: June 2008

2008-06-01T00:36:00.000-05:00

This is an archive of We The Living's June 2008 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

Common Denominator? by John Paul

Another WTL/CIVALIAS Cover! by John Paul

See You-tah Later! by Keith

Why There’s No Slide Guitar on Depths of the Earth by John Paul

The Warped Tour by Keith

In the Studio with Granny Austin by John Paul

Scott Austin: The Scientist (please take me back to the start) by John Paul

Civalias? Mellotron? Civalotron? Mellovias?! by John Paul

Depths of the Earth by John Paul

Welcome to The Jungle by John Paul

Archive: May 2008

2008-05-01T00:40:00.000-05:00

This is an archive of We The Living's May 2008 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

Weezer RGB? CMYK?!? by John Paul

How (Not) To Pack a Suitcase by Keith

CALIFORNIA, HO! by John Paul

Band Van Update IV by Keith

John Paul Road Update IV by John Paul

Band Van Update III by John Paul

John Paul / Band Van Road Updates II by John Paul

Band Van Update by John Paul

John Paul Road Updates by John Paul

Summer Update by John Paul

Archive: March 2008

2008-03-01T00:47:00.000-06:00

This is an archive of We The Living's March 2008 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

An odd safety warning on Van-Go… by Keith

Perez & The National Requirer by Keith

WHO IS SCOTT AUSTIN? by John Paul

JASPER, FASHIONISTO by Keith

Benjamin Featured in MODERN DRUMMER! by John Paul

We The Living Presents (Semi-Accurately): The Boston Tea Party(ish) by John Paul

WTL on AIM! by John Paul

Share This Music: YouTube Version by John Paul

Share This Music by John Paul

Van-Go Turns 100,000 by John Paul

Something to Write Home About

2008-02-14T10:34:00.000-06:00

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

If you are reading this, it means that more likely than not, none of us are sitting beside you, sharing a cup of cocoa while watching the evening news and wriggling our little toes around in our Homer Simpson slippers. It probably means we're sailing from port to port, flying our flag, and meeting those brave souls who are bold enough to venture out of their homes to take a chance on new music (and we're especially grateful for you, by the way). And though it'd be nice to take all of you with us, and have you see for yourselves what an interesting world we live in, it's just a little cramped as is on the ship, just with the five of us and our couple of guitars.

So that's where this little blog comes in. We're going to do our best to show you our corner of the world, which happens to be in forty-eight different states, forty-seven of which I'm willing to bet you don’t live in.

So, for most of you, statistically speaking, the last state We The Living set foot in won’t be news to you. But for me, and many of our fellow Midwesterners, the Golden State is a vastly unexplored territory. We’re regular 18th century colonial Americans back home, stuck in our log cabins, buried under twenty-foot snow drifts, and the trek West seems to us somehow not worth it.

But it is. Believe me. Because instead of snow, there's sun, so your new parka, though adorable, is likely unnecessary. There's sand, and ocean, and mountain, and even though we didn't touch so much as a single granule, droplet, or boulder, their proximity is invigorating. Even in downtown Burbank, where one year ago we spent quite a while recording Heights of the Heavens, I can find majesty. Through my aperture. Watch! And we'll see you there soon.

Sincerely,

We The Living

Archive: February 2008

2008-02-01T00:51:00.000-06:00

This is an archive of We The Living's February 2008 posts from the old blog (wetheliving.com/blog).

Greetings From March 1st by Keith

Stefan and We The Living Part Ways by Keith

Gary… Gone. by John Paul

It’s a Long Way to the Top if You Want to Rock and/or Roll by Keith

Something to Write Home About by John Paul