Brian Fallon on new music, Gaslight Anthem reunion

New Jersey's own Brian Fallon has quite the busy year ahead of him. Sleepwalkers, his second solo album is due out February 9th. Later this year his band The Gaslight Anthem is getting back together for a string of shows to commemorate the ten year anniversary of their breakthrough album The '59 Sound.

Along with talking about his jam packed 2018, other music-related topics we discussed include the factors that went into The Gaslight Anthem's hiatus, his songwriting and recording processes, and I finally got an answer to an extremely specific question I've had for about five years regarding a Gaslight Anthem song.

We also delved into some Jersey-centric topics. Brian talked about his favorite New Jersey pizzerias. Spoiler alert: He has great taste in pizza. He also chimed in with his feelings on whether or not Central Jersey exists, as well as the eternal Pork Roll vs. Taylor ham debate. There's also some Super Bowl talk mixed in, as well as a fun lightning round where I named five artists and had Brian pick his favorite song by each.

I've been a fan of Brian Fallon's music for a long time, so to be completely honest, this interview was a top-five career moment for me. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did. The interview is about a half hour long and you can hear it in the YouTube link above. Below is a complete list of topics we covered and what time they come up during the interview if you prefer to skip around.

1. Brian was born and raised in Red Bank, but had to transfer high schools when his family moved to Hackettstown. Brian talks about that transition, as well as his desire to remain in Jersey for the long haul. 1:39
2. Brian talks about what he’s doing now in preparation for the release of his second solo album and tour. 3:49
3. Brian discusses his busy 2018 schedule and realizing the importance of the 10 year anniversary of The '59 Sound. 5:01
4. Brian sheds some light on where his mind was when writing his new album, and how aging and parenting play a part in his songwriting process. 8:48
5. Brian talks about his preference when it comes to recording (solo or with a band or collaborator), and working with longtime friend and producer Ted Hutt. 12:10
6. Brian talks about why The Gaslight Anthem went on hiatus. 16:10
7. Joe V and Brian talk about a couple of Jersey centric topics. Hear Brian chime in on his favorite NJ pizza, the Taylor Ham vs. Pork Roll debate, and his thoughts on whether or not central Jersey exists. 18:51
8. Brian talks about who he’s rooting for in the Super Bowl and his thoughts on Justin Timberlake performing at halftime. 21:35
9. Joe V lists five artists and asks Brian to name his favorite song by each. 25:00
10. Brian Fallon talks about the meaning behind “Howl” by The Gaslight Anthem. 30:06

— Joe Votruba

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