Bassist Nick Ghanbarin
Bayside has had its shares of ups and downs over the course of their time as a band, and are still pulling strong. After 4 studio releases, countless tours, and even a horrific car accident leaving a beloved member dead, and others harmed. Knowing that it was more about the music and fans they have pressed on as a band and progressed with creating the same quality sound you expect out of Bayside. I had time to speak with Nick before their show.
NT: How is the tour going so far?
It’s been a lot of fun. We are finally playing a tour with The Starting Line which we've wanted to do for ever. It’s awesome.
NT: It that one of the bands you've always wanted to tour with?
Oh yeah! We met them a year and a half ago. We did Warped Tour with them a little bit and I think collectively they are one of the bands we like. [We like] their past couple albums, so it’s nice to get to finally play with them.
NT: Is this one of your better tours, as opposed to with The Smoking Popes, Fall Out Boy or some of the other big acts?
It’s just as fun as any other tour. It’s early on, so we'll see. If I had to pick one tour that I thought was our best tour, that wasn’t Warped Tour. I would say the Amberlin tour about a year ago was the most fun that we've had, and best for our band.
NT: How are the kids warming up to the new album in terms of live?
At this point, they know it it’s been out for over a year now, the songs we are playing have been on our MySpace, or we've had a video, so people know them. They seem to be reacting very well.
NT: How’s your relationship with Victory? Do you still enjoy being with them?
Oh yeah, we are doing our new album with them. They help us pay for the video and put our albums in stores, and that’s all you can really hope for in terms of being a band these days, is that your albums is in store and you do the rest of the work. We can’t complain.
NT: What’s it like being on tour with a newer band like Four Year Strong?
It’s awesome. There are so many bands and we never get to tour with, bands that are up and coming. We normally tour with bigger bands we like and have been around the country and that type of stuff. About a month ago, we headlined a whole tour and brought Four Year Strong, and now we are with them again. They are a breath of fresh air and as far as their songs go, they are full of energy so it’s great.
NT: I’ve heard the last album took more then a year to write. Was it more pain then pleasure for you?
It wasn’t really a year. I think it only took a summer, really. It was June, July and August before we were ready to hit the studio. It took longer because we were kicking around songs on tour and stuff. The actual sitting in the studio, sitting in the practice space and going over the songs were really only two and a half months. I, personally, am not one for the writing process. I prefer being on tour and playing and reaching out to people while we play. The whole studio-and-recording-thing is the most unpleasurable part for me. I just think I have A.D.D or something. For me it wasn’t pain, but wasn’t my most pleasurable experience.
NT: Was the acoustic album something the band has always wanted to do, or more of a right-time right-place kind of deal?
It was more along the lines of everything that has happened to us; to thank the fans and kind of show that we aren’t going anywhere, and this is what we can offer you until we are back as a full band.
NT: Are there any songs you prefer playing acoustic, as opposed to with the full band?
Jack and Anthony are the ones who play, but they switch it up a lot, so I think whatever works acoustic they will play.
NT: Any Chance of hearing anything from: “Long Stories Short" anytime soon?
[Laughs] I don’t know those songs, Chris doesn’t and I’m sure the rest don't remember them.
