Not many bands can claim that they’ve been together for 20 years and, in a day when most marriages don’t even last 10 years, hitting the two decade mark in any sort of a relationship is a feat. For Bouncing Souls, the last 20 years have been an adventure full of twists, turns and surprises. While the individual members of the band have gotten older, married, had children and such, one thing remains the same: their intense dedication to creating music. For Greg Attonito, the experience is one he’d never give up and the 20-year mark has offered the band a number of new and exciting opportunities. Rather than becoming bored and complacent, Bouncing Souls are thrilled to still be together and making music.
It isn’t difficult to see that Attonito’s enthusiasm for the band hasn’t lessened over the years. These four New Jersey natives have a close bond that has only intensified in the time they’ve known each other, something to which Attonito attributes the band’s longevity. “There are so many things that are great on so many levels now that we have been together for so long. We have grown musically and creatively as a band and individuals in so many ways. We are brothers forever, through thick and thin, and we really have proven that to ourselves. It’s not just talk,” Attonito says. However, the bond isn’t only within the bounds of Bouncing Souls themselves- over time it has extended to their fans. “There is a core creativity and brotherhood between us that has become an extended love affair with our audience. That love affair has carried us through the difficult moments. We have become a huge extended family to ourselves. That is probably the thing that has kept the ship floating,” Attonito says.
Any relationship that has lasted for as long as Bouncing Souls’ has is bound to have some ups and downs and one question that some listeners or critics might ask is whether, after 20 years, a band or musician can still be relevant. For all the bands that have been together a long time and continued to produce innovative and exciting music, there are just as many that should have packed it in a long time ago. Attonito does not see longevity as exclusive of innovation, “We don’t think in those terms. We are creators who create things that are real and matter to us. That has always been and always will be. The amount of people who are interested might change but we will keep creating either way. You always want people to like and love the things you create, but that is not the whole driving force of it. The creative experience itself is the best part, not the praise or money (or lack of money) that comes from it.”
While the creative experience is one of the best parts of being in the music business for many artists, some of the chaos that can come with that life has the potential for disrupting that creativity and balance. For some bands, this lack of balance can be the end of the group, but if a band can learn to make balance, the long-term chances are fairly good. Attonito explains, “The best part is being able to make music and have it be loved and appreciated around the world. The difficult parts have always been within myself: Having doubts in myself, being unhappy with myself, not having the perspective of who I really am. Through soul searching, meditation and love from so many friends, family and my wife, Shanti, I have found the beauty in the difficult things.”
It would be easy to think you’ve seen and done it all after 20 years in the music business, but Bouncing Souls see their time as a continuous learning process. Even though they’ve been in the studio for seven full-length albums, numerous singles and splits, Attonito feels that their process continues to change and grow. Attonito explains, “We are always evolving in our creative process as we go. Including Ted Hutt, the producer of Gold Record and our latest songs as a new part of the process, has brought a great twist to our songwriting and recordings. Musical and artistic creativity is always about finding what is already there within us waiting to be expressed. So each time we approach a new creative project we are learning more about ourselves by what is emerging. Trying too hard does not work. You have to learn when to put the guitar down and go live.”
The band came up with one idea that many fans will enjoy. For all of 2009, Bouncing Souls will be releasing one new, original song each month as a way to celebrate their anniversary. All songs will be available as digital downloads from the band’s website as well as seven-inch singles. “It was a collective decision that started from a few collective questions. What do we want to do next and why do we want to do it? Do we really want to do the same old thing? We thought about doing just digital downloads and thought it would be fun to release one song at a time like a TV series, one episode at a time. Then we decided to put all the songs out on seven inches too, and we are also discussing a 20-year box set which will hopefully be done by the end of the year. Everything is being released through our own label which was how we originally put out our music when we started,” Attonito explains.
As hard as it might be to believe, there are still some things that are new to Bouncing Souls. While they’ve done tours in the past, they’ve spent January and will spend much of February touring in South America, something the band has never done. “This will be our first tour in South America! We have wanted to go there for years and now it is finally happening! Hopefully we will have a great reception. We will see. I’m looking forward to the experience and making some new friends,” Attonito says.
For many bands, the difficult aspects of a musical career could be wearying and enough to force one to call it quits. While there were those occasional moments for Attonito and his bandmates, they’ve learned to carry on and keep doing what they love best, “We have had those moments over the years but they happen less and less now because we have been through so much. The spirit of music and all that goes with the life we have created overpowers the doubts pretty easily now. We choose adventure over financial security time and time again and it has always paid off. The amazing and fulfilling life experiences we have had on top of all of the lives we have touched is the driving force that keeps us coming back when times seem tough.” - EVELYN MISKA
Band’s Website | MySpace
Check out a Guest Editorial written by Bouncing Souls in April 2007 by clicking here.
