The Fox Theatre in Atlanta is another example of that. The first time we played there‚ I felt like we had to be really on the ball. And when you start thinking like that‚ everything starts to suffer because you're not doing what you usually do. You can't adapt your personality to things like that. You just have to be yourself.
I had a moment during the show--and I've been seeing this develop for a long time--where it felt like a story. There was a really nice ebb and flow between songs and improvisation. Over the years‚ the songs add up and you definitely have your own language. In between songs there'd be weaving improvisations and intense moments that would take you to the edge‚ and then you come back and drop into one of these ballad type of songs that would ignite different feelings.
Is it the diversity?
Yeah‚ I think it's the diversity.
Or is it the fact that you have a personal connection with some of these songs? Or you see that other people have a personal connection to the different songs?

Well‚ I think it's a combination of all of that‚ and that becomes the story. That makes it mysterious and interesting. And there's more depth than just going to see moe. rip it up and play face-melting rock 'n' roll for three hours. [laughter] You know? There's a little bit more to the story.
Yeah. There are a lot of stories. Our catalogue continues to expand‚ and luckily‚ I think our songwriting reflects all of that. The many moods of moe. [laughter] There is good storytelling or good songwriting‚ and people identify with that in a lot of different ways--it's not all rock 'n' roll. That it's not all trippy-dippy all the time. We're not that much of a one-trick pony. I know that we're not‚ because that bores us to just do one thing all the time. I get bored. Especially if you write a set where there's too much‚ like‚ agro-rock 'n' roll. It wears a little thin after a while‚ because you want some diversity.
We've been doing this for long enough where we know that what keeps us interested is also part of what keeps the audience interested. Everybody goes away happy when you get more for your investment of time and money--and your emotional investment. And really‚ we're very emotionally invested in everything we do. And the audience is‚ too. Especially on New Year's Eve. That's a big night to be out‚ and if you're going to Times Square in New York City on New Year's Eve‚ you're pretty damn invested‚ I guess. [laughter] You're in for the long haul.
Yeah. Well‚ with the songwriting‚ I think those are the stories that people connect with. I talked to Rob [Derhak‚ bassist] about a year ago and he said how one of the lines in "Brent Black" came from something your grandmother used to say all the time. I thought that was such a great story. It really reflects where you all come from‚ your history and your lives. And I think that's something else that people identify with strongly.
I think if you're an actor or a musician or anybody creative like that‚ if everything you do is a front‚ if everything is a false front‚ it kind of shows. There's no depth to it. We've always shown our sense of humor. We've always shown the unique things that we're interested in. They come out in how we act and how we play‚ and also in the subject matter of the songs. But at the same time I think‚ even though we're trying to be authentic and unique‚ there are definitely some things where people can say‚ "I've seen that before‚" and they find there's an analogy to their life. People can see their lives in what we do. And if there's that kind of connection‚ I think that it's a lot more real and lasting than if you go out and you say‚ OK‚ I'm going to write a concept album about hobbits. [laughter] And‚ you know‚ unicorns.
And robots. Sure. [laughter]
Yeah‚ you can spin a tale‚ and if you're really good‚ people will say‚ "Wow‚ you know‚ that's pretty impressive." I think there's a very personal connection from us to our music‚ and also with the audience and us‚ and that's pretty lasting.
One thing I've always associated with you guys‚ and it has proven true‚ is longevity. And I guess that goes into the next thing I want to ask about: your albums. You've got a new one out‚ Sticks and Stones.
We took a chance with this by having everything be completely brand new. We're springing things on our audience and testing their patience. Hopefully‚ the material will also be lasting and we can add to the moe. canon with these songs. Obviously‚ not every song is going be something that we keep for infinity‚ but we definitely took a chance in putting things out there and hoping that they'll be accepted‚ whereas we usually do it a couple of songs at a time live and test the waters. That's exciting. There's a whole 45--minutes of concise music that we're springing on everybody‚ and hopefully they accept it as they've accepted other things in the past.
I know the goal was to get an album out of this‚ but this was also really a test for you guys to see if you can go in and make it happen as well.
I never doubted that. Just knowing the way we've operated in the past‚ where we've been able to come into a rehearsal situation and just get together for three days‚ make it really short and intense‚ and walk away with three or four songs. Fully--formed and complex songs‚ too. Almost completely arranged. And with this‚ doing it completely from the ground up‚ we said‚ "Let's not come in with any kind of preconceived notions." We've been playing "Conviction Song" for years‚ and "All Roads Lead to Home" has been played live probably like five times in front of an audience‚ but we changed it quite a bit. The rest of it was invented from the ground up in the studio. That was a new approach for us‚ and it made it exciting. I think also‚ the immediacy of that shows in the songs. Hopefully people like that just as much as they like our older songs.
There's something really exciting about getting an album and not knowing any of the material.
Like‚ "What the hell is that?"