A Second Chance For “The First Single”?

The Format Keep Promoting Interventions and Lullabies

By Will Harris  

 (originally appeared in NineVolt Magazine; photo courtesy of TheFormat.com)

Nate Ruess, lead singer of Phoenix-based band the Format, owes his entire career in music to his dad’s record collection.  Or, at least, that’s the way he paints the picture.

“He had...still has, actually...a massive record collection,” says Ruess.  “It made me want to be a musician.”  Among the formative artists to emerge from the stacks of vinyl were Cat Stevens, Van Morrison, Jackson Browne...even Mott the Hoople.

“I caught my dad jamming to Grand Funk Railroad the other day,” Ruess reveals.”The guy has everything!  Being surrounded by all that music at such a young age was a major influence.  I was raised on good, classic music.  My dad would make mix tapes for any long drive we’d have to endure.  And it’s funny, because I found out that Sam’s dad did the exact same thing.”

            Sam Means, Ruess’s co-conspirator in the Format, plays virtually every non-percussive instrument on the band’s Elektra debut, Interventions and Lullabies.

            “Sam and I have been in bands together since I was 16 years old,” explains Ruess.  “We met because Sam used to run a Weezer website, and we were in several bands together, but after the last one broke up, we realized that we’d never really wrote songs in those bands.  We didn’t want to be tied down by any one particular genre, so we started writing together on acoustic guitar, a method which allowed us to come up with ideas in the studio as well.” 

            Ruess and Means are, for all practical purposes, the Format, ”but we tour as a six piece.  I consider those guys as much in the band as we are in the live show,” notes Ruess.  “We don’t try to be the stars of the show in any ridiculous sort of way.  We just started the band as a way to write together, so, when it comes to the studio, it’s pretty much just us.”

Ruess pauses.  “And a drummer.”

After another moment’s hesitation, he admits, “Well, I do have an electronic drum machine...but I’m not very good at it.”

            Interventions and Lullabies is doing well, as far as Ruess knows.  “(Elektra is) doing their job.  At least, I guess they’re doing their job...although it seems like everyone from our label’s getting fired.”

The first single from the album is the appropriately-titled “The First Single,” but there seems to be some doubt about what the follow-up will be, if indeed there’ll even be one.  “I think they might try to give (‘The First Single’) another push instead of released a second single,” Ruess says.  “It’s already gotten some airplay, though.  I’ve had three people leave me message from three different cities, saying, ‘Hey, they’re playing your song on the radio right now!’”

Ruess remains optimistic.  “Hey, we’re touring and doing our job, which is awesome.  I love touring; I love it.  We’re only been home for a few weeks now, but I really am itching to go back out again.”

            In fact, for Ruess, the greatest thing the Format has accomplished thus far in their career is “the continuous build with the touring.  Like, we play for the first time in Michigan and there’s only five people...but the next time, there’s more than 200.  Seeing what your hard work does for you on the road...that’s what’s great.  And touring is hard.  Granted, it’s a fun job that can be extremely rewarding, but it’s still strenuous, having to play ‘til late, get up early, and drive to the next venue.

            “Making music, though...that shouldn’t be hard.  If you’re not having fun when you’re making music, you’re doing something wrong.”