Album by Album: Nonpoint discuss their discography

Posted by on June 8, 2016

recoilRecoil (2004)

Lava had been in the first label war scenario, so they were excited to jump into the second. We were trying to pull the arms back in and not write another Development. And decided to go heavier, get back to our roots, and get back to that direction.

Were you happy with how that went?

It was great until they folded again after a year later, I mean, that was the time that it went from 12 to six to three major labels. From Statement to Development it went to six, and from Development to Recoil it went to three, where it was WEA, Sony, and Universal, and that was pretty much it at the time…

tothepainTo the Pain (2005) and Vengeance (2007)

So when Lava folded, you went to Bieler Bros., which I’m assuming was a natural fit because not only had you known Jason Bieler, but he’d produced the first three albums.

They also pretty much ran the marketing and the touring and everything for us through all the other label situations too. So we knew our plan and had proven over and over again that we could do it ourselves. So Sony/RED signed a distribution deal with Bieler Bros.

 

Going from major labels to an independent one, did you have to kind of downsize your lifestyle a little bit?

Not at all, it was actually the same. We were pretty much just rolling on the popularity of the band and the momentum of the releases so you know, we were still doing great.

 

So you’re working with your former producer and onetime manager, who’s also your label that you’ve known forever. Were there any down sides to it?

They were brand new, and everyone knows the industry is connections-based, favor for favor, so it’s hard when you’re a new label to get things accomplished when there are other labels that are already highly connected with each other that are all fighting for the same spot. It was a little bit difficult working with an indie when indies weren’t indies, you know?

 

How was your relationship with radio?

It’s always been great. We’ve always been that band where they wanted us to succeed on a really high level on radio, but we’re a heavier band. So we have some champions at radio but sometimes it’s harder for some fans to digest this when they’re more leaning towards the more medium paced rock , you know because that’s who we’re being presented with when it comes to the charts.

 

Do you consider yourself a metal band or a rock band?

Both, I think. A heavy rock band. Yeah, we’re definitely both. We don’t try to pigeonhole ourselves.

 

Does anything in particular come to mind when you think about the Bieler Bros. records?

It was a tough time for our band because we were about to go through a serious lineup change. Tensions were high and personalities were conflicting. At the end of Vengeance is when Andy bowed out. He just didn’t want to do music anymore. It’s hard being away from family. It’s hard for your family being away from you and without the support, you’re detached. It’s hard to play five man basketball when you’re down one man. That was our first lineup change. And then we had a fill-in for a little while, Zach, he was really just a fill-in because we were trying to transition over to something else, and that’s when we did Miracle.

 

nonpointmiracleMiracle (2010)

Miracle was on a different label as well, right?

Yeah, Miracle is when we decided to go with Rocket Science and that was through old MCA staff that were trying to start a new label in California, distributed through Sony. The old head called us said told us they’d love to have us do a distro deal. Also, the Bielers saw that we were outgrowing what they were being able to accomplish for us so we decided to go even more our own route with that.

 

And that was only a one-record deal as well?

Man, it’s hard. It’s hard to do it when it’s all on you. The success of radio was great, but we had no promotion staff. We didn’t have the radio staff, because we were boutiquing it from the Sony/RED team, who are good, but they’re spread thin, so we weren’t exactly high on their totem pole. We did the best that we could with it. We got Chad Gray and Greg Tribbett to produce it. We’d been touring with the boys in Mudvayne on and off, so we became good friends and dug their opinions in the direction we were going, so we sat them down and wrote some stuff.It was a cool experience. It was writing a record with your bros.

 

Meanwhile, the new Hellyeah record has a Phil Collins cover, of “I Don’t Care Anymore,” and on that album, you guys did “In The Air Tonight”

And Chad looks like me these days, doesn’t he? (laughs)

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