Evan Taubenfeld, Avril Lavigne's former lead guitarist, stopped by the J-14 office to chat about his solo career, life with Avril, and his most embarrassing moment on tour!
J-14: Where do you come up with the ideas for your album?
Evan: I just sing melodies all the time, which makes it really annoying for the people around me! All my friends are used to it now! Like I'll just pick up my phone and be like, "Doo do do doo do do." They're like, "What are you doing?" Then I'll type a couple of lyrics in my phone and send them to myself, and that's it. And when I get home that night, there's a whole bunch of e-mails and stuff and I start going through them and writing it all together.
J-14: Since you were a singer originally, when you started off in Avril's band, was it hard for you to take a back seat?
Evan: It was actually pretty easy to take a back seat from Avril. I thought my ego was going to get in the way, but the truth was that she was such an incredible talent on such a different level then I had ever even seen, that it was almost like, "Ah I'm not worthy!" I was definitely like, "Yeah, you're in charge. I'm the number two around here. You can sing like no one I've ever heard in my life." And her personality was so cool so it was pretty easy. I was never jealous. I was never angry. I was actually really excited and supportive and really enjoyed being in the back seat 'cause it was really nerve-wrecking.
J-14: When you told Avril that you were going out on your own, how was that?
Evan: That was the hardest conversation I ever had with her because we were such good friends and she was incredibly supportive of me - but I didn't want her to feel like I was quitting on her. I remember we had this conversation and we both were pretty emotional about it. But at the end she was like, "Look, I want you to do this. You have my full support and you know what? If I were you, I would have done the same thing and it's time for you and whatever you need, I'm there for you." And that really took a lot of the weight off my shoulders.
J-14: So you opened for her after this conversation?
Evan: Yeah, I came back and I would still play some random shows with her, and help her out if she needed to do a quick tour. Then like a year ago, I came and opened up acoustic for her in Baltimore, which was unbelievable. She offered to have me open up for the entire tour, but I was still making my record and I had to say no. It was the worst thing ever. It was like someone offering you a private jet and you're like, "I don't have a license!" So I was like, "Yes! I really want to go, but I can't because I'm in the studio." She was like: "Yeah, that's fine. Just when you're done, let me know and come play one of the shows." When the album was done, she had a couple of shows left and I just flew out for one of them. I picked Baltimore 'cause that's where I'm from. My parents got to come see me play my own songs for once. Only a few years earlier in the same venue, the Patriot Center of Baltimore, I came with Avril and played for 15,000 people and everyone from my hometown. I had made it! And the first note of the first song I fell down the stairs on stage. Start of the concert, boom! Flat on my face! The concert started with us running up these stairs and I ate it.
J-14: What do you think of the whole pop scene now with Demi and the Jonas Brothers? It's kind of different than how it was when you guys were going through it.
Evan: Totally different. I have nothing but profound respect for the Jonas Brother, Demi, and Selena, and Miley, and all the other younger kids that are doing it right now. I think they're all incredibly talented entertainers and stuff but I'm excited to bring back some edge to it.
