The Used: An Anniversary To Remember
American group The Used, whose sound is heavily embedded in the DNA of 2000s alternative rock, has been revisiting their first three records – in full – in a venture that has redefined the band’s vision for creating music, all the while giving fans the opportunity to immerse themselves in a catalogue that has maintained its quality substance, this far in.
Words Sosefina Fuamoli // Image supplied
This August and September, it will be Australia’s turn to experience The Used’s 25th anniversary tour: a month long run that sees The Used (2002), In Love And Death (2004) and Lies For The Liars (2007) performed across multiple nights in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle.
Ahead of their Australian return, The Used’s bassist, Jeph, offers some insights into how a massive tour such as this has come together, and what it means for the band as they move into a new phase together.
While cuts from the first two albums maintain a faithful presence in The Used’s current setlists, an album like Lies For The Liars is one that is rarely visited. Being able to explore this material and spend time deconstructing, relearning, and expressing the material in a refreshed way, has been half the fun of the overall experience.
“We’re jumping headfirst into it. If we had more time, we’d play more songs; but we’re keeping to the records,” he explains. “On the third night (Lies For Liars), hopefully we’re still doing it… we’re adding a B-side that a lot of people haven’t heard. If you’re that much of a diehard fan and you’re coming along, we’re throwing something extra special in there for you.”
“Most of these songs, we don’t play live very often,” Jeph adds. “We have so many records now, we try to play a little of what everyone wants. Sometimes that cuts stuff out. Lies For Liars, we’ve only ever played a third of that album live before this tour. Most of that record has never been played. To be able to relearn it and reimagine it for a live setting has been really fun and exciting.”
25 years will see many changes in any relationship. For The Used, this has meant navigating lineup changes, evolution in sound and the growth of a now ten album-strong catalogue; their latest album, Medz, dropping in 2024.
Dipping back into the formative chapters of their career has reinforced Jeph’s own love for The Used and where things stand to head next for the band.
He and vocalist Bert McCracken are the only original members of The Used’s lineup, though drummer Dan Whitesides has been part of the family since 2006 – just prior to the release of Lies For The Liars. Guitarist Joey Bradford is the “newest” member of The Used, joining in 2018.
The chance to share in these experiences isn’t one Jeph and his bandmates take for granted – an anniversary as significant as this one has just served as a reminder for them of how blessed they remain.
“We talk about it every time we go out on tour, how happy and lucky we are,” Jeph grins. “We’re actually friends, we hang out when we’re not on tour together. My off days are usually spent with Dan, going to find food; we’re both vegans, so we always try to find restaurants together. Rhythm sections usually hang out together, but it just works!”
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“We laugh everything off. When we’re playing live, if a mistake happens, you’ll notice because we make fun of each other. Not in a mean way, but in a funny way. We don’t hold grudges on any of that stuff, because we know that we’ll all probably make a mistake at some point. To me, that’s the beauty of playing live, real music. The mistakes show that it’s real. The professional part for me, is how you come out of those mistakes.”
The Used’s affinity with Australian audiences has always been a strong one; particularly for McCracken, who has called Australia home for years. For Jeph too, the prospect of spending an extended amount of time back in this area of the world is one he is excited to get into.
Whatever comes out of this period of time, whether it be a new song, a new album; even just a new sonic idea for what is next, is something Jeph can’t wait to explore.
“I’m excited to write more. I want to write more, I want to jam more. Art needs to evolve, no matter what,” he enthuses. “Good or bad, it needs to change. You’re lying to people if you’re trying to recreate your first record.”
“Fans might say they only like your first two records, your first three records…whatever it is, that’s cool. But we can’t go back and try to recreate a record, because then it’s fake and it’s not going to sound how people want it to. We need to evolve and we need to come into whatever is happening now.”
Looking ahead to what The Used has in the pipeline once this anniversary tour winds down, Jeph is excited to pour this hungry creative energy back into new music and ventures.
For right now, the focus is on savouring each moment the band is able to step onto stages and be reminded why they keep coming back to their instruments and material.
“Art, itself, is fifty per cent the artist and the other fifty per cent is the viewer,” Jeph adds. “You’re going to take what you want from whatever we put out, and I mean that in the most positive way. ‘The Taste Of Ink’ could be about a brother of yours, or ‘A Box Full Of Sharp Objects’ could be about one of your first pets or whatever. Because it means so much to you though, when we play it live, that meaning is going to come together to make the whole. Our live shows are so important and so good, because we put our meaning into it and fans who really care, put their meaning into it. It makes this huge whole experience…there’s no way to fake that.”
The Used play Hindley Street Music Hall on August 26–29. Tickets on sale now via moshtix.com.au.
