The All-American Rejects at 'Almost Acoustic Christmas'

KROQ-FM / KROQ

The All-American Rejects join Megan Holiday backstage at KROQ's 'Almost Acoustic Christmas' 2025.

Transcript

00:00106.7 KROQ. It is KROQ and Megan Holliday backstage at Acoustic Christmas with All American Rejects.

00:10Give it up!

00:12Hello, boys.

00:13What's up?

00:13Hello.

00:14Holiday.

00:15Hello.

00:16Isn't it amazing that tonight your name is the best it's ever going to be all year long?

00:20It truly is. It's my time to shine.

00:23That's right.

00:23You know what I mean?

00:23It's not even about us. It's like we're here and it's holiday time.

00:26You're just a band that's here, you know?

00:29Oh, yeah. But this is my favorite night of the year. It really is.

00:32Really? Where you get to just interview bands?

00:35Yes.

00:35Because they are the best to interview.

00:37They are the best to interview.

00:38Nothing better than interviewing four people that are like watching paint drive.

00:41It's so good. It's so good. But we're going to make it spicy, you guys. Okay? So here's the thing.

00:47Mold wine?

00:47You guys have played a lot of our Acoustic Christmases. I feel like it may have been maybe five.

00:52This is the first one.

00:53No, it's not.

00:54Dude, we never got the invitation.

00:55Are you serious? I googled this and it lied.

00:59I wasn't there. Did you guys play this?

01:01This is where you don't believe that AI bit. It's always not.

01:04Yeah, I know. Dude, what the hell? This is your first Acoustic Christmas.

01:07Yeah, this is our first not-so-acoustic Christmas.

01:10Okay.

01:11We were expecting to get the invitation when it was still an Acoustic Christmas.

01:14Right.

01:15That was a long time ago. That was like 1990, dude.

01:19Okay, never mind.

01:20Yeah. When did you guys start the band?

01:22I'm 70 years old.

01:2370, yeah.

01:24Yeah, 1990 is when we started.

01:26No, I mean, the real version of the band was 2002.

01:31Okay.

01:31I think it's safe to say.

01:32Yeah, yeah.

01:33But you're here now and that's all that matters.

01:36And we have to talk about the fact that you guys really blew up this year.

01:40I mean, doing all of these DIY pop-up parties and stuff.

01:44I mean, can you just talk a little bit about why you decided to do it

01:47and how it's been, like how fun it's been for you?

01:50Well, we decided to do it because we were,

01:53we'd spent 10 years sort of like finally getting an identity in our 30s.

01:58We gave up, I personally gave up 17 to 28 to this band on a road.

02:04We all kind of gave up our 20s to this, which was a beautiful crusade.

02:09But shit was intense.

02:11And so we decided to take a hiatus.

02:14That, you know, sitting on your ass and we spent enough time away.

02:19And I think there was this one show we played in Vegas

02:22where we were just kind of taking a piss about it.

02:24Played a festival dressed up as Elvis's.

02:28Yeah.

02:29Oh, I love that.

02:30And the crowd that was there was insane, electric.

02:33They knew songs that, I mean, I barely knew the lyrics to.

02:37And it was just sort of a veil lift moment where it's like,

02:41okay, we should still do this.

02:42Or we should try this again and see if there's any more music.

02:45Yeah.

02:46And just being able to connect more closely with your fans,

02:50I think, is really the key.

02:52I really do.

02:53I think in just...

02:54Oh, the house party thing.

02:55Yeah.

02:55It's massive.

02:56I love...

02:57It's funny, man.

02:58We went from the house parties to tour with a very popular band, group.

03:03Yes.

03:04Yeah.

03:05Yeah.

03:06And that was a really hard tour to change to.

03:10Yeah.

03:11It's very grueling.

03:12The connection was not the same.

03:13Right.

03:14Okay.

03:15Yes, yes, yes.

03:16I'm hoping tonight feels good.

03:17It's gonna feel great.

03:18Come on.

03:19It's LA.

03:20They're out there for wet leg.

03:21They're just like this.

03:22Eh.

03:23Yeah, but here's the thing.

03:24I mean, wet leg is a different vibe than all of American Rejects.

03:27People are so excited to see you.

03:29I'm telling you.

03:30Yeah, but if I was out there in the pit with wet leg, I'd be like...

03:32I'd be doing the...

03:33I'd just be like leaning on people.

03:34Okay.

03:35All dopey and heroin.

03:36Like sort of...

03:37Yeah.

03:38Yeah.

03:39Like doing the fentanyl.

03:40They're not doing that.

03:41Yeah.

03:42Maybe they haven't had their mulled wine yet.

03:43Maybe not.

03:44Maybe.

03:45But I'm telling you, you guys are gonna bring the vibes.

03:46And I do wanna touch on the fact that you have a new album called Sandbox

03:49that is coming out in the spring.

03:51Put it up.

03:52Give it up for the new album.

03:53There it is.

03:54I got a signed one that I'm gonna raffle off later.

03:57And...

03:58Get your raffles off Miss Holiday.

03:59No, because my Narcan, my non-profit.

04:01Speaking of fentanyl.

04:02Yes.

04:03My non-profit.

04:04Yeah.

04:05So thank you guys for donating this to me.

04:06It really means a lot.

04:07Of course.

04:08You guys are the best.

04:09So tell us a little bit about this new album.

04:11How it's been feeling to be back into the studio and all that stuff.

04:15Well, part of the idea of doing this again after the show in Vegas that Ty talked about

04:21was kind of just dipping our toe in.

04:23We went to the studio, recorded a cover, and then we're like, that went really well.

04:27We had a blast.

04:28So I was like, let's start thinking about doing new music again.

04:30You know, it had been...

04:31It's been 13 years since we put out a full-length record.

04:34Yeah.

04:35And so we just started and then didn't stop.

04:38We're still working on it and hoping to get it out this spring.

04:41And we're stoked.

04:42Yeah.

04:43Well, we're all stoked too.

04:45And my final question for you guys, because I've actually had a lot of people tell me

04:48how much your band has meant to them.

04:51And literally one girl said that, you know, you saved her life just through your music.

04:56So what advice would you have for your fans who might be struggling with their mental health

05:02or maybe how you managed to keep it together in these times?

05:06Tell everyone you know how you feel.

05:10Yeah.

05:11Just as long as you do that, then it's their fucking fault.

05:14Oh, watch your cussing.

05:15Watch it.

05:16Yeah.

05:17Yeah.

05:18Five second delay.

05:19Yeah.

05:20It's their fault.

05:22But if you don't tell anybody, then you're suffering in silence.

05:25And I think that's really...

05:27That is terrible.

05:29At least start by putting to voice how you feel.

05:33And this road is...

05:36Being on the road is...

05:38Having a year like we've had has...

05:42It's been amazing.

05:43But it's also been awful.

05:45I'm exhausted.

05:46Yeah.

05:47And I'm not 22 anymore.

05:50So it takes a toll on your mental health.

05:54And when you live in proximity around each other, you learn not to talk to each other

05:58as much because you don't want to annoy the crap out of each other.

06:01But, you know, I had a moment of weakness on the last tour and I spoke to the guys and

06:08I told them, I was like, I gotta go, I gotta stop for a second.

06:13And they all gathered around me and supported me.

06:16Yeah.

06:17And I think you'd be surprised who would be there for you.

06:20Yeah.

06:21If you just tell them what's going on.

06:22I love it.

06:23Yeah.

06:24I think it's so important.

06:25Thank you so much for spending the time talking to us.

06:27I'm so excited to watch you tonight.

06:29I'm going to be bringing you on the stage.

06:30You can't get rid of me.

06:31Oh, my God.

06:32Do you have a sleigh?

06:33I know.

06:34I hope you have a sleigh.

06:35I hope we come out this way.

06:36I might.

06:37I might.

06:38I might.

06:39All right, everybody.

06:40All American Rejects backstage at Almost Acoustic Christmas.

06:41Hi.

06:42This is K-Rock.

06:43Chris.

06:44Hi, Mikey.

06:45Hi.

06:46Hi.

06:47Hi.

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