Has this freedom from Jive affected the energy of the album or the live show in any way?
Scott: I think it’s affected the energy of the album. We’ve always delivered high energy everything. That’s just the way we are. Whether there’s two people in the audience or 2,000 people, we are who we are. We do this for us, and for other people we try to deliver top quality music.
Aaron, on this album and Monkeys For Nothin’, Chimps For Free you are credited as the producer. What is it like producing the album in addition to being the songwriter and a band member in general?
Aaron: It’s not really any different. I’ve always been the guy in the band that was in the studio the whole time making sure they got their parts right. Even when we had other people producing us I was right there next to them going ‘No! Don’t do that!’ I’m getting credit now for what I’ve been doing all along.
So will any of the songs from Fortune, Fame, And Fornication be added to your live set?
Aaron: Yeah we already put in ‘Nothin’ But A Good Time.’ We haven’t played them for a while, since we recorded them a few months ago. We’re kind of rusty. We have to relearn them.
Scott: It’s been changing all the time. You never know which ones you’re gonna get. We’ve been doing ‘Nothin’ But A Good Time’ and we’ve done ‘Authority Song’ here and there, but we might include others. We’re always learning and changing.
Reel Big Fish have been together for over a decade, still releasing albums and touring even as interest in ska has waned. What do you think helps keep you together as a band?
Aaron: We didn’t jump on it like ‘Ska’s getting popular! Let’s get into that.’ We would have kept going whether it got famous or not. We like playing music together. We just love to do it.
Do you think that love of what you are doing helps you guys generate fresh ideas?
Aaron: Definitely. Playing so many shows and being on tour all the time just works as a band. We get better at what we do.
Scott: We’re in a really good place. We’re touring and making music. Kids are coming out and most of the shows we play are sold out shows, and that’s always nice, especially in this economy. Things are good. We’re happy.
Fame, Fortune And Fornication is set for release on Jan. 20. On that same day, Reel Big Fish will be appearing at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City, and on Jan. 21, they play the Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, NJ. For more information visit myspace.com/reelbigfish.
