Band Interview — Avett Brothers

By Shannon McGregor

North Carolina rockers Avett Brothers are almost as advertised – two parts Avett, one part not-Avett. And they are excited about their new album, I And Love And You, the band’s first on a major label, produced by bearded legend Rick Rubin. Well-known for their stirring live shows, Avett Brothers stop at St. Augustine’s Amphitheatre July 16. Drift chatted with younger brother Seth about being Southern, the Zen of Rick Rubin, and his total lack of sibling rivalry with older brother Scott – for real, they love each other.

D: You get tagged with the bluegrass label a lot. Is that something you’re comfortable with, or do you feel boxed in?
SA: We certainly don’t feel boxed in by it because it’s so wildly inaccurate. Someone might use the term bluegrass if they are relatively unfamiliar with the specifications of what bluegrass is. Someone who truly loves bluegrass would look at us and say, “Are you kidding? That’s not in any way bluegrass.” Technically speaking, we’re not on the same level as a lot of the really good bluegrass players. We’re nowhere near their level as far as playing our instruments, for one thing. Our heart is in our writing, and our writing does not mirror that genre. It comes closer to mirroring some form of rock n’ roll.

D: You’ve steadily progressed to bigger venues – this tour is mostly concert halls and amphitheatres. What’s touring been like for you guys over the years?
SA: It’s been a trip. Over the last eight years, we’ve been going constant – probably a couple thousand shows, just under maybe. We’ve played in banks, Mexican restaurants, coffee shops, birthday parties and weddings – every imaginable venue. On the very first tour, we went out having no clue what we were doing. Each tour since, we’ve seen what worked, what didn’t, how can we make the show and songs better. It’s a pleasure playing some bigger rooms and having the crowds and our fans come out in such abundance.

D: You’ve gained a reputation for raucous live shows. Do you feel those performances have helped you gain popularity?
SA: Certainly, that seems to be a consensus. It goes in both directions. Last night I met a guy that had been a fan for many years and had never seen us live. And sometimes I meet people that only come see us live. “The live show is so much better than the record,” they say. We never play the same set twice; never have played the same set twice. Up to this point, we’ve never written a set list, so it’d be pretty impossible to do the same set twice. In the beginning, there isn’t a chance to play on a national TV show to try and get to 100,000 people at one time. Your chance is tonight, at this coffee house, where there’s 15 people.

D: Your new album I And Love And You is your first major label release. You worked with uber-producer Rick Rubin. Tell us about that experience.
SA: It was needed because it gave us a good, healthy understanding of what we should expect of ourselves in order to take that next step as performers, musicians, writers and especially as a band in a studio – knowing more about what it might take to get the song the best it can be. Rick is big on letting things happen – he’s not somebody that comes in and pummels the project into shape. He’s more Zen-ed out – he’s listening, he’ll make suggestions. His main thing was to take the time to experiment and find out what’s best. Each record has really felt like a rung on a ladder, and we need that. Working with Rick and Columbia was a big part of taking that next step.

D: What’s it like playing with your brother? Any sibling rivalry?
SA: There is no rivalry whatsoever between Scott and I. It blows my mind. There are all legendary brother bands that are legendarily in conflict with each other. The way our parents taught us was when you’re with your family, they’re the ones that are going to back you up. It’s been exactly as it should be. We don’t fight, ever. Nothing like the Oasis guys or the Everly brothers where they don’t speak to each other for decades.

D: What’s the one new band or artist we should be listening to right now?
SA: I would have to say Matt Butcher. He’s a Florida boy, and he’s opened some shows for us in Florida. Matt Butcher and the Revolvers – their record came out in January. He’s a great songwriter who fits pretty squarely in the realm of Americana. If you’re in Florida and you don’t know about him yet, you need too – he is a true Florida boy.