Paper Tongues Open Up About Tour Challenges, Musical Influences

The first time we saw North Carolina-based Paper Tongues was back in July, when the Randy Jackson-managed seven piece was opening for Jet.

It’s been almost three months, and the Tongues have come a long way!

The boys have now toured with everyone from Flyleaf to Our Lady Peace, and are now serving as the opening act for Warped Tour veterans Everclear, which is where we caught up with them again at Highline Ballroom Monday night.

“I almost gave a shoutout to Our Lady Peace [tonight],” frontman Aswan North admitted on-stage. “We’re just a bunch of nervous Southern boys. I’ll clean your toilets for that [mistake].”

Poison Ivy had a chance to chat with North post-concert, where he confirmed his nerves were no joke.

“I have about three bowel movements before each show,” he said.

Nerves aside, North says that one of Paper Tongues biggest challenges is working a stage (often small) with seven band members.

“We study [how] The Roots and Wilco and Linkin Park [perform],” North says. “It helps.”

North also cites Journey and Led Zeppelin as musical influences – which is totally audible in their music.

Check out a snippet of our favorite Paper Tongues song, “For The People,” above.

Let us know what you think of these guys in the comments!

Everclear Storm New York, Talk 17-Year Career

It’s been over 17 years, but Oregon natives Everclear are still packing venues and taking names.

“Goddamn it it’s good to be back, New York,” announced frontman Art Alexakis during the band’s show at New York’s Highline Ballroom Monday night.

The concert was one of Everclear’s 18 U.S. tour dates, which kicked off last week in Alabama and serves to support the band’s latest record, In A Different Light – a stripped-down, greatest hits affair that comes out today.

The band rocked an energetic, hit-fueled set, playing songs like “Father of Mine,” “Strawberry,” “Wonderful,” “I Will Buy You a New Life,” and a rare cover of “Brown Eyed Girl,” which Alexakis dedicated to daughter Anna.

“She’s taller than me now when she wears her fucking high heels,” he admitted.

Poison Ivy got to chat with Alexakis post-show, to watch him greet fans (an everynight occurence), and find out how he keeps things interesting after so many years.

“I reach down deep and get in touch with what made me excited about that song in the first place,” Alexakis told us.

“And, it sounds cliche but, every night I meet the fans and that makes it real.”

Check out a snippet of Alexakis rocking “Brown Eyed Girl,” above.

And click here to visit the AOL Listening Party for In A Different Light!

[Photo by Erica Gerard]