The Starting Line Band • Page 67

BOATS has always felt like a fall album to me and Direction has always felt like a spring album. Even though they were released in different seasons haha

 

Same here. Part of this is because the fall before BOATS was released, I listened to "Surprise, Surprise" and "Classic Jazz" from that little acoustic EP's bonus content and was gearing up for this record. Then a lot of Direction was either released or leaked in the springtime beforehand so that's when I did a lot of my early listening.

Also, this discussion gives me flashbacks to getting home from school and browsing PureVolume looking for new TSL.

 

I’m sure I heard the demos at some point, but the first time I really heard some of the new stuff was when I saw them live on 4/2/05 and 5/1/05 before the album came out. It may had leaked before the May show,, I don’t recall. But hearing Surprise Surprise, Bedroom Talk, Photography, Inspired by the $, and Ready that first show was incredible. I was right up front, first time seeing them, and the new songs hit so fucking hard. My Buddy and I freaked over Ready, we loved it immediately. It always makes me think of spring, late spring getting ready for summer.

it was my senior year of high school. We were getting ready for prom, I actually asked my date out after the show on 4/2. That preparing for the next stage of life… Kenny and these songs kind of embodied that for us.

 

All I had were throwaway cameras in those days. But here is a cool photo of the April show. The film got out of place or whatever and it combined two photos into one. You can see Matt on the left when in reality he was on the other side of Kenny. Little weird things like that can’t happen by accident with digital. I’m glad I took photos even if some didn’t come out that great.

 

Man I miss going to a show with a fresh disposable camera in hand, just hoping for the best. Walking to CVS the next day and impatiently waiting around just to see what I got. They’d mostly be trash but there were always like 5 gems in there

 

It’s just not the same when I can zoom and it has like really good low light shooting settings haha like automatically slower shutter speed to get more light? The best upgrade I ever saw for the disposables was a little baby zoom haha

 

It’s just not the same, especially because those cameras ensured you didn’t really take any selfies. Haha.

Compare that to the Vacationer show I went to a few years ago where some people were taking selfies with Kenny in the background while he was hooking up his pedals. They leaned back and spilled one of the drinks on the stage. I literally had to grab his cables and pick them up before the liquid got to them. Haha.

 

It's so cool to have such vivid memories like this, wow. Extremely embarrassing to admit this but one of my first BOATS memories was being sad about Kenny's hair not being short & bleach blonde when the promos for this album started rolling out hahahaha.

Also to everyone discussing the disposable cameras, I'm seeing everyone from young kids to people also in their 30s with Papershoot cameras at shows now. It's hard to justify paying $130 for ANOTHER camera, but it kind of replicates the spontaneity of disposable cameras

 

2005 Kenny probably hated you for that haha but I’m sure today Kenny wouldn’t care and laugh about it with you.

 

Kenny is such a cool dude to meet in person. At that Vacationer show I mentioned, they were playing at a venue that had to be like 300 capacity, tops. I walked in to scan my ticket and Kenny was basically waiting and greeting people at the entrance (though not too many people really acknowledged him). I basically said "what's up" to him and he immediately had a big smile and came in for a hug.

I saw him shortly after that kinda back by the bar while the opener was playing and I just stood there talking music with him for probably 10 minutes or so. Then I made the decision to not overstay my welcome and left him alone, but he probably would have kept talking to me as long as I hung around there lol.

 

Yeah he seems like a really good human. Out of all the times I’ve seen Vacationer and TSL though I have to make it a point to not approach him because he’s probably the only artist I’d be nervous and say some dumb weird fanboy shit to

 

Yea I’ve had some incredible moments meeting Kenny. He’s always been a very warm and welcoming presence every time I’ve met him

 

I know someone in the band and when I asked him the inevitable, "ya but what's kenny like", he pretty much said he's the best, most amazing guy and friend. So that was cool to hear.

 

It's been impossible at TSL shows, but every time I've seen Vacationer or Person L I've chatted with him as well, and he has been so kind & genuine every time. Whether it be intense music nerd questions or "so when's the next TSL release", he's always happy to chat. Kenny fucking rules

 

Wow. Just now seeing this. 1.6 million views too. Hell yeah.

 

There are a lot of reasons I love The Starting Line, but one huge reason is the way I feel Kenny’s good nature comes through in the lyrics.

I can’t pretend to know the guy, but at a time when his peers were writing vitriolic, misogynistic tunes, Kenny was writing empathetic stuff like Saddest Girl Story, Hello Houston, Given the Chance, Playing Favorites, Stay Where I Can See You…

Even songs like Surprise, Surprise or Cut! Print It, have aged well as expressions of anger without being immaturely nasty, in my opinion.

It’s cool to hear testimonies that he’s a nice guy!

 

I'm sure I posted it in here when it happened but back when I saw them in Boston just before Covid hit he was walking on the floor in the crowd when the doors opened and I was able to talk to him for a bit and he was kind enough to take a photo with me. A dream come true, really, as TSL is one of my all-time favorite bands.

 

Jesus, this was great. Anyone know what other songs about his dogs he's written?

 

Definitely remember the BOATS demo leak. Also remember alternate mixes of "The B-List" and "The World" that I fear have been lost to the internet ether.

 

adding to the list of good Kenny encounters. He was hanging out in the lobby of some tour Person L was playing (maybe Say Anything?) so I got to chat with him and take a picture, just a great guy from what I can remember.

Never really got into Person L but I love TSL and BOATS is my favorite

 

I MIGHT have a ton of demos & alt versions somewhere

 

Only lyric off the top of my head that makes me a little uneasy, but it always has is: “I’m going to tear your ass up like we just got married”.

 

kenny had the dog in him