the original URL of this interview was: http://www.absolutepunk.net/archive/index.php?t-77004.html

ABSOLUTE PUNK
by: Brandon Herbel
AbsolutePunk.net
June 28, 2005

First off, I just wanted to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to sit down and answer a few questions with us.

No way, thank YOU.

I am sure this is a question you get asked a lot, but what is the meaning behind the name "The Rocket Summer"?

There's really no meaning other than it sounds like the music to me. I was 16 and putting out my first cd (6 years ago) and my friend and I had this crazy idea to name a solo project! :) He was reading a book called the martian chronicles and "Rocket Summer" was a chapter in the book, i thought it just sounded really cool.

Your getting ready to release your new album "Hello, good friend" which by the way is phenomenal. But what can you expect out of this album?

Thank you! I honestly hope that many people hear it and join the trs family, I am going to tour as much as I can. I hope that people get something from it.

Do you feel that you were going with a different approach with this one?

Yeah, when I was in highschool I wrote Calendar Days. I wanted to make a happy record even if I wasnt at times. This is similar because for some reason these type of songs are what I write, but there's more reality in this one. I also just wanted to go all out and make a big album full of songs.

What is the significance behind the title of the album "hello, good friend"?

"Hello, good friend." Is a line in a song called "never knew" which I really love. There has been a lot of change in my life over the past couple of years and how I treat people and view things and thats what this song is about. The record is really honest and personal and I thought it was a good album title to connect with the person on the other side of the stereo.

Also, what is the significance behind the new album cover?

The record is very honest and personal, it is me, I wanted to connect with people and for people to know that what you see is what you get.

Your lyrics are very personal, are they all from personal experiences or do you sometimes write it off of just what your thinking at the time?

Pretty much every single song I've ever written is about personal things.

Do you have a specific process you go through when writing a new song?

Music comes first, melody etc, I can have an entire song before I know what I'm even going to sing about. They usually begin on a piano or a guitar or me singing a melody driving around in my van.

Did you still play every instrument on the new album like the previous one?

yeah, it was intense!

Is it true that you tour with your wife? What is that like?

It's amazingly sweet. It was either we never see eachother, or we're together at all times. I hope that one day this can get to a point where we can be in a bus so we dont have to live in a dirty van as newly weds, but we're having a good time. It's hard to relate to anyone, most people dont get married after never living together, jump in a van, and live in punk rock clubs. She is so amazing. There have been moments where I have been like "what kind of a husband am I to bring my wife into these shady clubs and be constantly touring in a van?", but she's amazing and loves it. She likes meeting fans and seeing that this is touching people which is really really cool. I just can't imagine how amazing it would be to be in a bus and staying in hotel rooms often, wow. We find ways to have time together alone though so its all good.

So, was there a lot of musical influences growing up or was it more of something you got into when you got a little older?

I was always obsessed with music, it didn't really completely consume me until I was 12 though.

You have been out for the last few months to support the new album. What has the crowd reaction to the new songs been?

It's been so awesome! I feel very blessed to get to do this, even when times get really rough.

Tired of being on the road yet?

Nope. I'm excited to hopefully support someone soon. We've never really got to do that, we've taken so many bands on tour and watched them get on more and more and more tours and get "big". After a couple of years of this, It would be very nice to finally get that oppurtunity, but if not, it's fun headlining because it's always your party and really easy to connect with people.

The new album is released on The Militia Group, How did you get signed to the label and how has it been the last few years?

I knew them before they were even a label so it was very natural. The past few years have been cool, theyre a great label, but they are an indie, so a very large part of how things happen depends completely on the artist and how hard you are willing to work and tour etc.

Is there any albums that you have been listening to lately? Any good new albums out?

I love listening to the new Gwen Stefani record ha. I also love Guster, I've been listening to a lot of that lately! I really enjoy the new relient k record, its really good.

That's about all the questions I have. Is there anything you would like to say to all the readers and fans out there in Absolutepunk.net land?

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I love you to death, you have no idea how much you mean to me! Thanks again and come out to a show so we can hang