Tomorrow, Dan Vapid and The Cheats are releasing their latest full-length, Three. We spoke with singer/guitarist Dan “Vapid” Schafer in detail about how the album came together. With the band’s last record coming out almost six years ago, Schafer explained how moving to downstate Illinois and the addition of a new bassist and drummer, amongst other factors, influenced the making of the Three. The outcome is an album that combines various genres into a cohesive work, and also contains some of the best songwriting of Schafer’s career. In addition, we discussed what recording was like, the inspiration for certain songs and what else the band has planned for this year. Be sure to listen to one of the record’s songs after the interview, called “The Sky Is Electric Blue.”
Bill – Since the release of your last album, you guys have acquired a new rhythm section. Tell me about how you found the new members and how their involvement impacted the creation of the record.
Dan – In the summer of 2014, my wife and I moved from Chicago to her hometown of Highland, Illinois, which is a 45-minute drive from St. Louis. My bandmates and I discussed the logistics of playing in a band together with this distance between us. At first, I entertained the idea of driving up to Chicago to visit and rehearse once a month. But my drummer, Mike Soucy, after playing together for 14 years, had doubts and was also interested in playing with new people. My bass player, Rick Uncapher, suggested trying to find people in the St. Louis area to replace them. My guitar player, Simon Lamb, said he wanted to try to make the distance work. The talk made sense and we proceeded to make our departure while remaining great friends on excellent terms.
I met some people at a punk show in St. Louis and they spoke highly of Gabe Usery and his studio. At the time, I had been invited to sing a guest vocal for the New Hampshire rock ‘n’ roll band The Connection. I booked the guest vocal session with Gabe and liked the vibe of the studio, and was able to witness his skills as an engineer. Consequently, I booked a session for a split EP with a St. Louis area band called Horror Section, in tribute to the old Twilight Zone TV series. It was during that session that I got to know Gabe, his familiarity with my prior bands and his skills as a drummer. When the topic of a local drummer came up, he offered his services and I happily accepted.
I didn’t know many musicians in the St. Louis area and began asking around for a bass player, but nothing seemed too promising. During this search, I met Dillon at a Swiss/German festival held every summer in Highland. I was pushing my daughter in a baby stroller and Dillon walked up to me and asked if I was Dan Vapid. I said “yes.” Dillon heard I lived in town and a conversation ensued. I found out we had a handful of mutual friends in the punk rock world. He was the first punk rock person I met in our small town, as people of this sort are few and far between down here. Dillon handed me a CD of his band, The Winks, and I soon realized that he could sing and play guitar well. Although I’m over twenty years older than him, our conversation ran rather smoothly and I found him very personable. I asked Dillon if he’d be interested in playing bass in the new lineup. Although he’s technically more of a guitarist, I believed he would do well and he accepted. It turned out my intuition was correct. I now had a bass player who could also serve as a backing vocalist. So, the lineup was set.
We started rehearsing once a week in St. Louis. It was a 45-minute drive each way, but the ride would pass quickly having Dillon there to chat with. I began showing songs to Dillon and Gabe that were sitting on the backburner since our last record in 2013. I had a hard time deciding what to present and what not to. I tried my best sifting through approximately 40 songs that were mostly finished. I had been writing songs consistently since 2013, but didn’t have time to record them. For this record we tracked 15 songs and I picked ten of them.
Bill – Thanks for sharing such a detailed backstory. That’s awesome. Did you end up recording Three with Gabe then?
Dan – Yeah, we recorded with our drummer Gabe at Encapsulated Studios in St. Louis. The vibe of the studio was great from the start. I felt comfortable in my surroundings with both the studio and the musicians. That being said, it was a fairly long process, as most of the sessions were done at night for a few hours after I put the kids to bed. It was tough with work the following morning, but we got through it.
Bill – What aspects do you like best about how the recording turned out?
Dan – Aside from liking the tones Gabe would get, he played some crazy drum fills which I thought lifted the songs. It was an element that I didn’t have to work with before. If I felt he went overboard he would usually agree. But more important than that, he would listen and take it in. Not all drummers do that. Some musicians don’t like taking suggestions from anyone based on their pride. This was not the case with Gabe. He was very easygoing and honestly wanted to serve the song the best way possible. I appreciated that.
Bill – That’s great. There’s a lot of variety with songwriting on this record. Was that something you intended to do from the beginning?
Dan – Like I said earlier, I was trying to see what songs could be used and what couldn’t based on what had accumulated. The accumulation of years and the range of feelings throughout is likely what is accountable for that diversity. But like any record I work on, I want it to be the best it can be.
Bill – That makes sense. The album’s first song, “Silver Lining,” talks about trying to look on the positive side of things. Was there anything in particular that inspired its lyrics?
Dan – Yes, the song is about Simon going through a tough period. Thankfully, his life is back on the right track and that chapter was ultimately short-lived. I tried to point out some positive aspects that our pain can teach us. But mostly I just listened. “Silver Lining” was the result of that short time.
Bill – Very cool. “The Sky Is Electric Blue” is one of my favorite songs on the album and is reminiscent of both Sludgeworth and The Methadones. How exactly did this song come together?
Dan – The song is based on a stressful period after moving to Highland. Alisha and I got ourselves into lots of big stressful life events one after another. Things like having children, buying a house, finding a new job, not having friends in town, so on and so forth. The result of this stress and lack of time in our lives sometimes leads to an exchange of frustration, bickering or tense silence. Sometimes I had to go for a long walk to cool off. The song is about that. I believe we have all been there before in one way or another.
Bill – For sure. “Bittersweet” is one of the most pop-influenced songs on the record, but it doesn’t follow the typical structure of a pop song. When you’re writing a song like this, how do you go about keeping it unpredictable?
Dan – It isn’t always easy to make that work. Josh Caterer of the Smoking Popes is a genius with this. He writes great pop hooks that are never predictable. Like a pitcher throwing a top-notch knuckleball or curve with effortless grace. My favorite songwriters usually possess this ability and it’s something to be cognizant about when writing. However, that being said, there are hundreds if not thousands of great songs with predictable structures. There are no concrete rules with songwriting. You use what works.
Bill – That’s great advice. With this being the band’s second release for Eccentric Pop Records, what do you like best about working with the label?
Dan – Travis, (label owner Travis Woods) has been fair, easygoing and professional. These are the type of people I want to put out my records and the kind of musicians I like to surround myself with.
Bill – What else does the band have planned for 2019?
Dan – I have been trying to release a series of 7-inch singles of outtakes and miscellaneous tracks with a friend from Italy. Hopefully we can put that project in motion soon. I will also be writing as usual, with hopes of returning to the studio this fall.
DAN VAPID AND THE CHEATS — UPCOMING SHOWS
March 30, Carbondale, IL – Hanger 9 w/ Bedspin and Sleeping Tapes — RSVP*
April 13, St Louis, MO – FuBar w/ the Cuban Missiles, the Haddonfields, the Winks — TIX
June 28, St Louis, MO – Blueberry Hill Duck Room – w/ The Kepi-rights, The Copyrights – TIX
June 29, Chicago, IL – Chop Shop w/ The Kepi-rights, The Copyrights — TIX
July 11-14, Italy – Punk Rock Raduno Festival — TIX
All tickets are on sale now
*Tickets sold at the door
