The return of live music this summer has already produced some incredible tours and the latest installment of Art Alexakis' Summerland is no exception. Created in 2012, the outing which has consistently been an Alternative rock mainstay is pulling no punches this year with Hoobastank, Wheatus, and Living Colour joining Alexakis' Everclear on a 14-date road trip.
Audacy host Kevan Kenney sat down with the frontmen from both headliners, Art Alexakis of Everclear, and Doug Robb of Hoobastank for a wide-ranging conversation about the upcoming tour, meeting their idols, and much, much more.
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Things began with a little Everclear history lesson. When he started the band, Alexakis made a vow that he would get into the business side of music if this band didn’t work out. “When I moved to Portland, I was going to do one more band,” Art said. “I was going to do one more band and if that band didn’t work, I would probably end up moving to LA and working for a label or a management company, or something like that. Be in the business, but not be the guy. But I wanted one more shot at it. It was either going to be [named] Sparkle or Everclear.” Turns out, Alexakis' bet paid off.
There was another hurdle Everclear had to navigate as they began their ascent. Getting clearance from the company that makes the 190-proof alcohol of the same name. “About two years in before we signed, I got a call from the brewery, I forget the name of it it’s outside of St. Louis. Or distillery rather, that makes Everclear the alcohol,” Alexakis recalls. “This guy’s talking to me. I later checked him out and he was seriously a senior VP there and he’s like ‘do you boys worship Satan?’ I’m like, ‘no sir, not at all. I’m a Christian.’”
Alexakis then got the good news. “He’s like, ‘OK, well then you guys can use the name.’ We got it signed off by them that we could use the name.”
Further on in their conversation, Alexakis and Robb swap stories about meeting some of their idols. Alexakis recalled the time he met Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, but remarkably forgot that they had met several times beforehand. “We got asked to play a show with The Rolling Stones and Metallica. It didn’t pay much, but who cares.”
Everclear played two shows at Oracle Park in San Francisco, which Alexakis estimates had about 32,000 people in attendance. Backstage, he had the opportunity to meet one of his rock heroes. “I met Mick and I’m like, ‘dude I’m a huge fan,’” Art recalles. “He goes, ‘what are you talking about man we’ve met like three times before? Don’t you remember?’”
“I didn’t remember meeting Mick Jagger!” Art exclaimed.
As the conversation came to a close, both Art and Doug dug in on what fans can expect on the upcoming Summerland Tour. For one, all the bands on the bill will be playing the hits. Robb offered up a pretty sound reason for why he’s excited to do so and why it just doesn’t work when a band avoids playing their singles.
“I don’t know why I’d be like ‘I’m going to play a bunch of deep cuts that nobody knows!’” He said.
“I understand the urge because there was a time that we as a band were sick of playing the singles," he added. "There’s a bunch of songs we f*****g love that we enjoy playing even if it’s just in a room together, we want to play those."
“We’d do that and then after a few times go ‘you know what? It feels good but it’s not making a good show.’”
Tickets for the 2021 Summerland Tour are on sale now, with VIP packages and more including a chance to win an ultimate VIP meet & greet experience. Visit summerlandtour.net for full details.
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