Gaslight Anthem frontman Brian Fallon talks to the Scottish Sun

 BRIAN Fallon, once heralded at as the next Bruce Springsteen, is on hiatus from his band the Gaslight Anthem.

A difficult period which saw him battle through a messy divorce, the band’s last album Get Hurt being slammed by the critics and Fallon himself facing a crisis in confidence.

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After reinventing himself as a singer/songwriter, Fallon and his band the Crowes are touring his fantastic new solo album Painkillers and will be playing the O2 ABC Glasgow on Tuesday November 22.

And The Scottish Sun caught up with him to talk about his solo career, writing music, his new album and how a Glasgow crowd brought him to tears and gave him the confidence to keep on keeping on...

So where are you at the moment? Brighton?

Yeah, we are the Mods! Yeah, in Brighton, loving it. Visited Carnaby Street up in London, I always gotta hit up Pretty Green when I’m here. And now we’re in Brighton.

Brighton’s a pretty cool town, have you had a chance to wander around the lanes?

Yeah, we’re right down near the beach. It’s like being at home, where I come from. It’s the most like Asbury Park of any place I’ve ever been.

When you’re touring do you get the opportunity to do much else? See the different towns? Or is it in and out?

Depends on work commitments, if I’m writing, or how I’m feeling, you know, sometimes you just don’t feel like going out but other times, yeah we like to see a place.

I missed your Glasgow gig in April so I’m glad to see you back. Glasgow is renowned for being a great city to play. You’ve been here a few times now; what’s your take on it?

Yeah man, we love Glasgow. It’s a great place to play. The kids there go crazy for it.

I remember one time, I think it was at the Academy, just when Get Hurt was out and I had just read a review, and I never normally read that shit but I did and it got me really down and I started thinking, and I was going through a divorce and was in a bad place, and started to think what if this is really what people think, what if they do think we’re sh*t, and had a crisis of confidence and wondered if I could even walk out on that stage that night and then the most amazing thing happened, and it doesn’t happen to me cause I’m not an emotional guy, I don’t normally get emotional, I mean this is like my work, not in a bad way, but it’s my work and I’ve played with Springsteen, but I walked out and the place went crazy and the noise they made and the love they were showing, I actually had to fight back tears man, I had tears in my eyes and I thought, yeah, this means something to someone, it matters.

So you are connecting with people and that’s what it’s all about I guess. When you perform you can see that it matters to you. So do you notice a difference between touring Europe and touring the U.S.?

Yeah, definitely. The kids over here are way more excited! In the US, well maybe not Chicago or Boston or New York but in some other towns you have kids turning up with their arms folded, like, ‘entertain me’ and I’m like, ‘I’m not here to f**king impress you, I’m not here to entertain you, this ain’t a game man, we’re here together, we’re in this together’. That’s the way I look at it. A really good friend of mine Tim Barry once said to me, ‘You play for the lovers man, you play for the lovers’ and I feel that way.

So you have been touring Painkillers pretty extensively this year and were actually out on tour before the album was released. What was that like and now that the album is out, have you noticed a difference in the crowds?

Yeah, definitely. Those early shows people really listened. They were so gracious. And then now man, they are all into it, they’re singing along and that’s when you know you’ve really done it, when you have all those people singing back at you.

As a big Gaslight Anthem fan, it was amazing to see you as part of the Revival Tour back in 2011 and to hear the Horrible Crows material in particular. How did you end up on the Revival Tour and is there any urge to something like that again?

Yeah, well Chuck asked me. Chuck and I are really good friends and go way back but I was actually too busy. We were recording Handwritten and were like half way through it and I thought I just don’t have the time. But then I saw the tour, in Philly I think, and I thought yeah man, this looks like fun. I can’t sit still for long and need creative outlets and think you should try different things. I mean, if you’re a musician all of your life, you gotta try different things. I really believe you can have it all.

On the back of the revival tour, I am sure a lot of people got into some bands they didn’t know before. Chuck Ragan was a revelation for me. Do you think that this experience had an influence on your desire to do solo stuff or explore options outside Gaslight Anthem?

Yeah, it’s about having that creative outlet. I need that outlet.

So Molly and the Zombies is another outlet for you? Still no plan to record and release anything? Or is this just another avenue for your creativity?

That was really a precursor to this. I mean, at that point people came to the shows and didn’t know I was even in the band and were like, ‘who’s this guy?’. But yeah, with this I wanted to put it out under my name.

Your album Painkillers is a great collection of your songs. From the very first listen there’s no doubt its Brian Fallon; from the very first chords and first lines; but how would you say it differs from your Gaslight Anthem material?

The approach is different. That’s the main difference, the approach. And you know, this was the first time I had tried it and next time it might be even more different. I mean, this is me as more of a singer/songwriter, so yeah, it’s different.

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Did you ever wonder if you could do it? The whole solo thing? Or did you always have that confidence?

No, you are never sure.

Yeah you mentioned the story in Glasgow.

Yeah, I’ve never been one of these guys who knew he would succeed, I work hard. I am more persistent. That’s how I would describe myself, persistent.  I mean, even today, you know, there’s that uncertainty about tonight.

Do you take a different approach to writing solo stuff? Or do you write tunes and think, nah that’s more Gaslight Anthem or Horrible Crows?

No, I approach whatever project I’m working on by writing for that project. I don’t compartmentalise. Then you would end up with like 40 songs that would need to go into folders. That’s just not how I work.

My wife is a big fan too but especially loves your Horrible Crowes stuff. Elsie is her go-to album when we’re on long drives, although Painkillers will be creeping in too.  Do you feel there’s a crossover for all of your stuff or does it attract or appeal to different listeners?

(laughs) Yeah man, there’s definitely more girls with this! And I’m cool with that!

You previously sited Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen as your biggest influences but with a side of Tom Waits, Greg Dulli (Afghan Whigs) and the Ronettes. Most of those won’t be a surprise to fans but the Ronettes?  Obviously there’s the New York connection and they had some fantastic songs, but why the Ronettes?

Yeah, I mean, I just like a good song, it doesn’t matter. I mean, I am into girl groups and stuff like that. I listen to anything.

No, it’s just about writing a good song. It doesn’t matter. People always mention the same three influences but for me it’s more than that.

What are you listening to at the moment? Is there anyone out there and you think, yeah, they’re getting it?

Yeah, I listen to all sorts of music. That Hozier album, I mean, I don’t think that they are really getting that in the U.S. but what that guy is doing is like soul music, man. Yeah, I listen to lots of different music.

I saw one of your tweets raving about a Noel Gallagher gig you attended and also the clothes he was wearing. You also mentioned Liam's Pretty Green earlier. So is clothes something that you’re into?

Yeah, when I was younger I got into the punk rock thing but then I was more into the Jam, and they wrote songs about everything, soul music, and I just think that it’s a great look. And you can wear it as you get older too!

You’ve previously said that the Gaslight Anthem tunes are special between you and the band so understandably you like to keep it that way and don’t play those tunes without them. So what should we be expecting to hear in Glasgow next Tuesday night? Painkillers? Elsie? Maybe some cool covers?

Yeah, but there might be some Gaslight Anthem songs in there too. I sometimes do different versions of them. I mean I’m not running from it, you know. It’s who I am.  But yeah, I do them differently.

Yeah, that’s where you’ve been and who you are but doing like that keeps it separate.

Given recent events, I guess you can’t interview an American, never mind a singer/songwriter or artist, without asking about Trump. What’s your thoughts on the man, the way the election was conducted and where this leaves America?

Oh man, it’s shocking! To the everyman and everywoman on the street, it’s just like, how did this happen!?! In every election I’ve been alive for they always say, when it doesn’t go the way people wanted it to, that it’s because of the 870 million people who didn’t vote but I don’t get it. I mean, that must just be a statistic they bring out. I voted. Everyone I know voted and voted for Hillary! You just wonder what the reason for it is, I mean, what were you thinking!?! It’s not a time to be messing about with the world, you know.

You have spoken in the past about your admiration for artists like Joe Strummer and Conor Oberst and these guys that never had politics too far from their songs. And today you’ve mentioned about being more of a singer/songwriter, can you see yourself doing something like that? Something more political?

No, I don’t think so. It’s not for the feint hearted. You really gotta feel it if you are going to write something like that, something political. You just can’t force these things.

You’re understandably really proud of Painkillers, which is a great album and seems to have been really well received, which is great, particularly on the back on the mixed reviews for Get Hurt, which I think is a great Gaslight Anthem album.

Thanks man, yeah, I think it is a good album too. Yeah, in hindsight, I can see that.  A friend of mine said that if another band had released that as their first album, it would have been huge!

Yeah, I agree, maybe it’s more about people’s response to change and how they receive it. I know that this tour and these tunes are something you’ve wanted to do for a long time and it’s great to see it coming off so well.  So at the end of this European tour, after a well deserved rest, what can we expect next from Brian Fallon?

Yeah, I am writing songs. I am writing songs right now. It’s good.