Saves the Day Frontman Blames Touring and Communication Issues for Constant Lineup Changes
"One day I realized that I was the only original member left in Saves the Day since 2001. But that didn't even occur to me till 2006," laughs Chris Conley. The Saves the Day singer-songwriter is on the phone from his home in California promoting his band's upcoming album, 'Daybreak.' The seventh studio record in their discography, it features Conley along with a trio of new musicians including Arun Bali [guitars], Rodrigo Palma [bass], and Spencer Peterson [drums]. Anyone familiar with Saves the Day already knows about their constant lineup shifts, so Noisecreep asked Conley if he's used to it by now.
"I've been really fortunate to have been able to play with one incredible musician after the other. But what happens is that I'll be playing with someone that I really love and respect, but they'll leave the band to take another gig that is more lucrative or they didn't want to tour anymore. Pick a reason out of a hat, and it's probably happened. When we first starting touring and didn't know any better, we thought it would always be a fun thing. As you get older you realize that it's not that easy being away from your loved ones all of the time. We've had people in this band that couldn't take touring anymore and I understand that. So in a way I'm used to it, but it's not something I've ever wanted to happen," says Conley.
What about the glory of touring? Conley thinks some of that is a romanticized, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love going out and performing his music for people. "When I was younger I fell in love with writing songs and to be able to play to Saves the Day fans is something that is really important to me. Being in the middle of some town in Omaha and waking up on a concrete floor isn't an easy thing, but I'd be lying if I told you that I didn't love it on some level. The guys that were in Saves the Day during the years when we started getting more popular didn't share the enthusiasm for touring that I had.
"Another reason why that lineup of the band didn't last was our youth. We just didn't know how to communicate with each other. So there was a lot of tension under the surface of everything. It would boil up and then blow up in our faces. I remember being backstage and wanting to strangle each other [laughs]. But everyone that's ever been in the band has known that (Saves the Day) is sort of like my operation. It's not like they could have said, "Let's just carry on without Chris." So if someone wasn't getting along, it was their time to go. I have always understood that because being in a band isn't always the easiest thing."
Watch 'Daybreak' album trailer part 1 from Saves the Day
Saves the Day's 'Daybreak' will hit stores on September 13th via Razor & Tie. Stay tuned to Noisecreep for an in-depth interview with Conley about the album.
Catch Saves the Day on tour with Bayside:
OCTOBER CITY VENUE
Thu 6 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Fri 7 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Sat 8 Boston, MA Royale
Sun 9 Boston, MA Royale
Tue 11 Cleveland, OH House Of Blues
Wed 12 Detroit, MI Majestic
Thu 13 Chicago, IL House Of Blues
Fri 14 Milwaukee, WI Rave
Sat 15 Sauget IL Pop's
Sun 16 Lincoln NE Bourbon Theatre
Tue 18 Denver, CO Summit Music Hall
Wed 19 Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue
Fri 21 Seattle, WA El Corazon
Sat 22 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theater
Sun 23 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Tue 25 Pomona,CA Glass House
Wed 26 W Hollywood, CA House Of Blues
Thu 27 San Diego, CA House Of Blues
Fri 28 Las Vegas, NV House Of Blues
Sat 29 Tucson, AZ The Rock
Sun 30 Albuquerque NM Sunshine Theater
NOVEMBER
Tue 1 Dallas, TX Trees
Wed 2 Austin, TX Emo's
Thu 3 Houston, TX Warehouse Studio
Fri 4 Pensacola FL Vinyl Music Hall
Sat 5 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
Sun 6 Orlando, FL House Of Blues
Tue 8 Ft Lauderdale, FL Revolution
Wed 9 St Petersburg, FL State Theatre
Thu 10 Charleston,SC Music Farm
Fri 11 Carrboro NC Cat's Cradle
Sat 12 Norfolk VA Norva
Sun 13 Towson, MD Recher