This past month I was able to catch up with RobbieTheUsed to discuss everything that went into his upcoming solo album. I also asked him about The Used’s latest B-sides record called Medz, The Used’s plans for celebrating their 25th anniversary as a band next year, what led him to explore this solo project, and what he likes best about pop music. Tomorrow, RobbieTheUsed will be releasing his second single from his solo album, called “The Feels”, and you can pre-save the track here.
Thank you so much for your time today. You recently released your first solo single under RobbieTheUsed, called “Just a Little Bit”, along with a cool Claymation video. Can you walk me through the writing and recording process of this new track?
Yeah, we got with <John> Feldmann after each writing session, I would just say like a week, and we’d do like seven songs just for fun. This is all just kind of on the side, just for a fun type of thing. But a lot of people are involved with the decision making; a lot of people come up with ideas. My family especially helps me with certain ideas, like the Claymation video was my family’s Idea. So I got with Feldmann, recorded about 24 songs, and then kind of left it up to me and a really cool team of people to kind of help with the ideas for videos and singles and whatnot.
That’s awesome! What do you like best about pop music?
I have always loved pop music; I grew up on Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and that kind of thing. My favorite thing about pop is just a catchy melody that you can sing along to.
Why did you feel the time was right to venture into a solo project at this point?
It was a birthday present for myself, for my 40th birthday.
That’s awesome, and happy belated birthday! The Used recently released a B-sides album called Medz, and it turned out really well. The album features some really strong songs that I’m surprised many of them didn’t make the cut for your last album, Toxic Positivity. Can you explain the reasoning behind having so much creative material that blossomed during your band’s last studio sessions?
Yeah, we go in with Feldmann, and it’s a really cool process. We start in the morning, kind of get a vibe for how everyone’s feeling, have a little therapy session, and that kind of inspires the direction of the song. Get a basic outline of a song and then we get the vocal melody and we try to get the lyrics first and then we kind of build the song around that. So it’s about a song a day usually, and we put out the deluxe version, and it just seems like everyone now just listens to the 10 or 11 for the main record, and then 10 or 11 for the B-sides <album>.
That’s awesome and I think the fans are really appreciating the full picture of what went on through those studio sessions. The Used also collaborated with, like you mentioned, John Feldmann at several stages of your guys career. So what do you like best about working with John?
We’ve known him for 24 years now. He’s like a brother to us. He’s the hardest-working man in the music industry, which is just an inspiration that pushed me even harder. I feel like I gotta be firing on all cylinders and at the top of my game. Kind of a great push and pull between the two of us, and with the five of us.
Are there any core lessons that he’s taught you early on in your career, throughout your career, or even at this current stage of your career?
Yeah, I think he has taught us that working on a song should be simple and you shouldn’t think too hard, or you’re just going to get convoluted. Interpretations of what I initially wrote, so yeah, the lessons I’ve learned is to kind of run through, throw things at the wall, see what sticks and move on to make sense.
Yeah, that’s a good way of looking at it. So in 2003, The Used released another kind B-sides album called Maybe Memories that also features a piano-based song called ‘Sometimes I Just Go For It.’ Are there any plans to finish that song at any point with The Used or for the solo project?
There’s been thoughts of doing something with it. It’s just a little piece that I wrote when I was about 12, and so we thought it’d be cool to lay it down. It would be cool to do something with it. But there’s no plans now.
Okay, yeah, I was just curious because of the recent solo venture. The Used have been a band for nearly 25 years at this time next year, which is a remarkable achievement. Are there any plans to celebrate this landmark anniversary with vinyl reissues or anything else special?
We’ve got something very special for long-time fans coming up in the new year. I don’t know if I can reveal it yet…but there’s gonna be something very, very, very exciting to happen for the 25 year anniversary!
Alright, we’ll see what bubbles up to the surface! Your solo album will be released I believe later on this year, is that correct?
Yeah, I think the end of August, or early November. And then we’ll try to do maybe six shows and see how it goes.
Awesome! What songs from the new album were the most cathartic to create?
They’re all pretty cathartic. Like I said before, we go into the studio and we have a little quote-unquote therapy session about how we’re feeling. A lot of fans know that I struggled really intensely with depression and anxiety, and putting music out is really like my release, my catharsis. So every day is like a new venture into deep, dark feelings, and sometimes light, happy feelings, and hopeful feelings, and everything in between.
That’s really insightful. So the last question I have for you is what do you hope fans of the music will take away from listening to RobbieTheUsed when the album comes out?
I love a good pop song with a catchy melody. I love a song that speaks to the emotion of the world and to maybe thoughts and feelings that all of us have at some point or another. So, I hope the fans take away a little bit of warmth in their heart, a little bit of a tune stuck in their head, and maybe a happy dream about what they’re doing in their life. Hopefully, it’ll inspire them to continue chasing their dreams and their goals.
That’s great. It was great great connecting with you today, and I was wondering if there is anything else you’d like to share with your fans?
Yeah, we’re putting out another new single pretty soon. It’s called “The Feels”. I hope everyone loves it as much as I do. It’s a really catchy kind of bumpy fun summer jam, so you can expect that pretty soon and then maybe three more singles before the record drops. It’s gonna be a lot of fun, super fun year flying ahead.
Looking forward to it! And congrats on the 25th anniversary of The Used as well. Great seeing you too!
Nice talking to you, Adam!