Christofer Drew--aka the one-man band behind Never Shout Never--represents the next generation of rock stars. A self-made sensation, Drew got his start by posting his songs online via Myspace from his bedroom in small town Missouri. After self-releasing an EP and suddenly finding himself showcased in Hot Topic and guesting on Mtv's TRL, Drew was signed by a major label and thrown into the studio with super pop producer Butch Walker. His first full-length album--What is Love?-- was just released to glorious praise. Oh, and he just turned 19. Also, you are in love with him.
Christofer, where are you?
Me and the band are somewhere near….Minneapolis? We're driving right now.
So I'm assuming you're gonna be on the road for the rest of the year?
Pretty much. We have a few days off, then the Alternative Press tour, then the Warp tour, then a fall tour of our own.
Do you like being on the road?
I do, but honestly I'd much rather just be in the studio. I'd rather live in the studio, actually, and just record music all the time. But I like to play shows too and I know that you've got to pay your dues by touring as much as possible, so I'm making the best of it.
How have the shows been so far on this tour?
So far it's been really good. The kids seem to know all the words to the songs already, so it's cool to hear your lyrics being sung back at you from the audience.
Your record just came out two weeks ago. Did it feel like a long time coming getting the album out into the world?
Yeah, it's been nice. I definitely don't feel like it's my best work, but I always feel that way. I'm a perfectionist, so I'm always looking ahead to the next thing. I've never put out a record with a record label before, so it was nice to break the ice and see what that experience was like. I'm definitely happy with the record, but not quite satisfied.
That's a healthy artistic temperament. When you start feeling too satisfied is when you start getting complacent about things.
Definitely.
After so many years of doing everything yourself, how was it to work with a big name producer and record in a fancy studio?
It was definitely scary. Before I was free to take as long as I wanted to record songs, but this time there was definitely a time frame. It was also nerve-wracking because this was the first music that I was turning in to the label and I felt like everyone had very high expectations. I tried my best though. It was fun.
You are part of a generation of musicians who came of age--and started your career--using the internet. Can you imagine what things would have been like for you without having the internet as a way of getting your music out into the world?
I don't know what I would have done. I'd probably just be playing in coffee shops back home.
Did you always have a sense that you'd be a musician?
Kind of. I always wanted to be a musician. Music was always my escape. I grew up in a small town and I was super awkward and kind of a weird dude and didn't have a lot of friends. I always had my guitar though, and there was a coffee shop down the street that held open mic nights. It just felt right for me. I grew up playing tennis and I was actually playing on a national level at one point. My dad teaches tennis, so it was just something that I always did. It never felt right to me though, I was never comfortable as an athlete, but when I learned how to play guitar suddenly it felt like the thing I should be doing.
Were your parents supportive of you becoming a musician?
Oh no. Whenever I stopped playing tennis I remember my mom saying to me--You have no future in anything besides playing tennis. That kinda hurt. I always bring that up to her now. I'm like, See? It's all good. What do you have to say to me now? (laughs) You know, at the time it was rough. I dropped out of high school when I was 16, I got kicked out of my house. It was all super lame. It was scary. I basically just jumped in a car with my friend and started touring. After I'd done a couple of tours, my family eventually came around. I think they just thought I was going to drop out of school, get a crappy job, and do nothing. Once they saw that I was actually doing something--that I was really working as a musician--they totally supported me.
Unless you've ever been in a band and actually done it, most people don't realize how un-glamorous touring can be--especially when no one knows who you are and you don't make any money.
Oh yeah. We toured in a car, crammed in with a bunch of trash bags full of our merch. I'd play anywhere people would let me--coffee shops, churches, whatever. If twenty kids showed up it seemed like a big deal.
Coming from that kind of background, does it feel crazy to now be playing these huge shows on big festival stages? Does it change the way you think about performing?
It's weird. I just try to come at it with the same sort of mindset that I always did. I just try to be really humble and appreciative of the whole thing. It can be really scary having that many eyes on you. I get really paranoid sometimes. You just learn to go into some kind of auto pilot performing mode and not psych yourself out too much. It's all about being humble, I think. You have to remember where you came from in the beginning.
Have you been writing lots of new songs?
Always. I've been writing a lot of songs that are about peace and love and harmony. I know how that sounds, but I've really wanted to get more of a message into my music. I don't want to just write corny little love songs all the time.
I heard that yesterday was your birthday. How old are you now?
Nineteen.
You're in a pretty good place for only being 19 years old. You're touring with your band and you just put out a great record on a major label. It could be worse.
No complaints. This was the best birthday I've ever had.
It was just valentines day. Did you do anything special?
Nope. I was just chilling with my band. Writing poetry, hanging out on the beach. I recently broke up with my girlfriend, so it was kind of depressing. Whatever.
Well, maybe something good will come out of it. Write a song about it!
Yes! Exactly.
-T. Cole Rachel
Never Shout Never's website
Never Shout Never on Myspace
Christofer, where are you?
Me and the band are somewhere near….Minneapolis? We're driving right now.
So I'm assuming you're gonna be on the road for the rest of the year?
Pretty much. We have a few days off, then the Alternative Press tour, then the Warp tour, then a fall tour of our own.
Do you like being on the road?
I do, but honestly I'd much rather just be in the studio. I'd rather live in the studio, actually, and just record music all the time. But I like to play shows too and I know that you've got to pay your dues by touring as much as possible, so I'm making the best of it.
How have the shows been so far on this tour?
So far it's been really good. The kids seem to know all the words to the songs already, so it's cool to hear your lyrics being sung back at you from the audience.
Your record just came out two weeks ago. Did it feel like a long time coming getting the album out into the world?
Yeah, it's been nice. I definitely don't feel like it's my best work, but I always feel that way. I'm a perfectionist, so I'm always looking ahead to the next thing. I've never put out a record with a record label before, so it was nice to break the ice and see what that experience was like. I'm definitely happy with the record, but not quite satisfied.
That's a healthy artistic temperament. When you start feeling too satisfied is when you start getting complacent about things.
Definitely.
After so many years of doing everything yourself, how was it to work with a big name producer and record in a fancy studio?
It was definitely scary. Before I was free to take as long as I wanted to record songs, but this time there was definitely a time frame. It was also nerve-wracking because this was the first music that I was turning in to the label and I felt like everyone had very high expectations. I tried my best though. It was fun.
You are part of a generation of musicians who came of age--and started your career--using the internet. Can you imagine what things would have been like for you without having the internet as a way of getting your music out into the world?
I don't know what I would have done. I'd probably just be playing in coffee shops back home.
Did you always have a sense that you'd be a musician?
Kind of. I always wanted to be a musician. Music was always my escape. I grew up in a small town and I was super awkward and kind of a weird dude and didn't have a lot of friends. I always had my guitar though, and there was a coffee shop down the street that held open mic nights. It just felt right for me. I grew up playing tennis and I was actually playing on a national level at one point. My dad teaches tennis, so it was just something that I always did. It never felt right to me though, I was never comfortable as an athlete, but when I learned how to play guitar suddenly it felt like the thing I should be doing.
Were your parents supportive of you becoming a musician?
Oh no. Whenever I stopped playing tennis I remember my mom saying to me--You have no future in anything besides playing tennis. That kinda hurt. I always bring that up to her now. I'm like, See? It's all good. What do you have to say to me now? (laughs) You know, at the time it was rough. I dropped out of high school when I was 16, I got kicked out of my house. It was all super lame. It was scary. I basically just jumped in a car with my friend and started touring. After I'd done a couple of tours, my family eventually came around. I think they just thought I was going to drop out of school, get a crappy job, and do nothing. Once they saw that I was actually doing something--that I was really working as a musician--they totally supported me.
Unless you've ever been in a band and actually done it, most people don't realize how un-glamorous touring can be--especially when no one knows who you are and you don't make any money.
Oh yeah. We toured in a car, crammed in with a bunch of trash bags full of our merch. I'd play anywhere people would let me--coffee shops, churches, whatever. If twenty kids showed up it seemed like a big deal.
Coming from that kind of background, does it feel crazy to now be playing these huge shows on big festival stages? Does it change the way you think about performing?
It's weird. I just try to come at it with the same sort of mindset that I always did. I just try to be really humble and appreciative of the whole thing. It can be really scary having that many eyes on you. I get really paranoid sometimes. You just learn to go into some kind of auto pilot performing mode and not psych yourself out too much. It's all about being humble, I think. You have to remember where you came from in the beginning.
Have you been writing lots of new songs?
Always. I've been writing a lot of songs that are about peace and love and harmony. I know how that sounds, but I've really wanted to get more of a message into my music. I don't want to just write corny little love songs all the time.
I heard that yesterday was your birthday. How old are you now?
Nineteen.
You're in a pretty good place for only being 19 years old. You're touring with your band and you just put out a great record on a major label. It could be worse.
No complaints. This was the best birthday I've ever had.
It was just valentines day. Did you do anything special?
Nope. I was just chilling with my band. Writing poetry, hanging out on the beach. I recently broke up with my girlfriend, so it was kind of depressing. Whatever.
Well, maybe something good will come out of it. Write a song about it!
Yes! Exactly.
-T. Cole Rachel
Never Shout Never's website
Never Shout Never on Myspace
