The Actual
Powerpop / Pop Punk / Emo
Los Angeles, CA
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About
"We never let starvation or icy roads get in our way", muses Max Bernstein, singer/guitarist of The Actual.
Indeed, the ultra-literate punk-pop combo, rounded out by guitarist + singer Ben Flanagan, Jeremy Bonsall on bass, and Rob Obee on drums have covered many a mile on little more than a healthy dose of we-think-we-can and an '82 Econoline that thankfully shares that sentiment. Shortly after their first show on Easter Sunday of 2001, The Actual have spent most of their time on tour playing pretty much to anyone who would listen at just about any place that would book them, sometimes with questionable results. "We played to a room full of angry bikers in Idaho once. That caused me to rethink my booking policy," says Max.
Thankfully, people DID start to listen, and one of those people was rock legend Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, who promptly signed the band to his new RED/New West/SonyBMG co-venture Softdrive Records. Scott took the band out of the bars and basements and onto a string of arena shows with Velvet Revolver, and co-produced the bands new album. "We played a hotel bar in Nevada to 12 people one night and the next night pulled our van up to the Aladdin in Las Vegas and played to 4,000 people. It was pretty ridiculous." adds Max.
The album, "In Stitches" is a fantastic 13-song juggernaut of smartypants punk-pop that while sung from the heart is obviously carefully filtered through a serious set of brains (Max is the son of writer Nora Ephron and Watergate journalist Carl Bernstein - the band's literary complexity is pretty unavoidable.)
The leadoff single "This Is The Worst Day of My Life (Do You Want To Come Over)" might be the catchiest song since "It's a Small World" until it morphs into a grandiose Queen-esque outro. "Dancing On The Perimeter" channels Placebo, The Go-Gos and Husker Du into a dance-punk anthem about being afraid of dancing. "Stay In My Rectangle" sounds like Alkaline Trio taking a shot at Dinosaur Jr.'s best work. Jeremy's stacatto lines weave around Max's raspy voice which is thankfully nothing like the typical over-earnest emo whine that has become inescapable.
Listen up for The Actual stopping in your town this Winter and bringing you "In Stitches" in May 2007.
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May 10, 2007
The Longest Drive of My Life...
This is the longest drive of my life, and more happenings from our tour with Velvet Revolver:
Greetings from Chicago, which is uncharacteristicallh sunny and warm. We just drove here from Seattle, a 2000 mile nonstop stretch that took us about 36 hours. Yesterday …
Apr 24, 2007
What's going on with The Actual- Edition 3
Hello!
It is 9 days until we start the Velvet Revolver tour! In the meantime there is plenty going on.
Ben and I will be hanging out with Brett Bolthouse and Danny Masterson on Feel My Heat on Indie 103.1 next Monday. We'll be playing a couple songs and talking …
Apr 16, 2007
Updates and Hijinks
Hello friends!
We just got back from our weekend up in San Francisco which had the following adventures:
Ben and I played at the studios of Live 105 for some winners of a contest sponsored by this company that basically makes meth in a can. I drink a lot of …
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Jaspreet, Jul 5, 2007:
thats a pretty good song sure i'll enter but it depends does it have to be a live action video cuz i kind of sold my camcorder can it be with animation hey your coming to la maybe i'll see you ^_^
Gagosian Liga, Jun 26, 2007:
"We all admire the spangled acrobat with classical grace meticulously walking his tight rope in the talcum light; but how much rarer art there is in the sagging rope expert wearing scarecrow clothes and impersonating a grotesque drunk! I should know."
Thank you for your friendship! Musical greetings from Munich/Germany!
tyler, May 18, 2007:
sorry dudes, missed ya in reno. thats unfortunate
PHANTOM, Apr 23, 2007:
ok unless you come to sac
PHANTOM, Apr 23, 2007:
hi you guys rock
Alex Reside Photography, Apr 17, 2007:
WHEN WILL YOU COME BACK TO SPRINGFIELD, IL?? Also, the old Springfield band J.A.C.K. turned into The Graduate, and they are blowing up right now!
CH-Ch-ch-check it out
vanessa rae, Apr 6, 2007:
I love you.
Katie Scarlett, Apr 3, 2007:
I missed your show at @ the underground in Roseville, but I think I will head to SF just to see you...... (this weekend right?)
elektr, Mar 26, 2007:
hey guys thanks for the invite to the show... i must say i like what im hearing
Joson, Mar 26, 2007:
Wish I could have been at the underground. I like your music.