Marvelous 3 makes stop in Big Apple

November 21, 2000
Nicole Giovia
Asbury Park Press

On Sept. 28, a great band from Atlanta took over the Bowery Ballroom in New York City.

Marvelous 3, whose hit single, "Freak of the Week," got major air play on modern rock stations, has come out with a new album. ReadySexGo came out on Sept. 12 and is already flying high on the success of its first single, "Sugarbuzz."

It has been more than a year since Marvelous 3 was in town, and Butch Walker (vocals and guitar), Jayce Fincher (bass) and Slug (drums) have kept themselves busy. While writing songs for a new album and getting ready to tour, they were recording, and Butch was helping SR-71 pen the words to their recent hit single "Right Now."

I had the chance to chat with Butch Walker, and discuss the new album and the new tour.

Nicole: Now that you have established yourselves with Hey! Album, did you feel you had a little more freedom with ReadySexGo?

Butch: Yes. Definitely. It gives you a little bit of leverage. But being on a major label and all, you kind of have to compromise everything you do. You have to please the people at the record company.

It's harder when you work for the man. You could do your own album and put them on your own label, and have your own freedom. And we've done that.

There are benefits to that too. But at the end of the day, it's also nicer to have a bigger machine pushing your music. I can do my job from there. I can maintain that audience. If you go out and play live for them, and they like it, they are gonna come out and see you. It doesn't even matter if you are on the radio or MTV.

You constantly are at battle with the creative sides with a large record company. They don't always understand the artist, and what they are saying. Sometimes you don't get respect. But it's worth it.

I mean, I went from pushing a three-wheeled station wagon to having a house and a studio and two cars. I can't complain about that. I don't have to worry about depending on anyone or anything again. It feels pretty good. And it was my song that did it! It's gratifying. I mean, we beat our heads up against the wall for 15 years, and we finally did it.

Nicole: How would you describe this album in comparison to Hey! Album?

Butch: There has obviously been a progression. I mean it didn't come out of left field. I didn't start singing like Papa Roach or Korn, or whatever else is trendy on the radio right now. I kept everything intact. I tried to sing with my flare and my voice and my attitude, regardless of things changing and the times changing.

We made it a little bit more of what we are like live. Our fans are always like, "Your albums are great, but you are amazing live." To hear that is great, so we decided to go in there and just make a bigger than life record.

It was great to pull back out the huge drum, and the huge guitars and the screaming vocals, just having fun. We sounded like a band that didn't belong, but it's a refreshing change. That's why we think people come back to see us, because they know they will see something different.

Nicole: Grant Park was a huge fan favorite when it was played live, and now it is on the record. Do you plan on releasing it as a single?

Butch: I wanted it to be the first single, but they wanted us to release "Sugarbuzz" and show our rock sides. Then we will come out next with our accessible material. That song has always kind of been a staple and a trademark for us in our live show, and it's a cult hit. I think putting it out would be a great step for a single. It kind of sums up what we are about.

Nicole: What is your favorite song on the album?Butch: Radio Tokyo! Unfortunately, the radio doesn't like five-minute songs. I already did one radio edit that cut it down to four minutes because Japan is playing it right now.

Nicole: What was your favorite song to make?

Butch: Probably "Sugarbuzz" and "Grant Park." We did things bands don't do anymore. We had foot stomps and hand claps and big background vocals. It was like a big party.

Their live show, like always, is promised to be "better than ever," which seems truly impossible. The raw energy these three musicians show on stage is worth so much more than the cost of a ticket.

I highly suggest you see this band. The show is well worth it.