Really? Fazzi’s twitter general social media interactions when people bring up TBS seem pretty amicable. Like, he’s grateful for what people have to say about his contributions but he doesn’t discuss it beyond that. I haven’t heard him say anything bad in person or in interviews. Perhaps i missed something though.
Yeah I haven't seen or read anything about Fazzi shit-talking, but I could be out of the loop. I just think that incarnation of the band was never meant to work out. Egos got in the way and everything fell apart. It happens, at least we got a good album out of it. From the oral history in AP in 2010, it was very clear that Adam wanted nothing to do with Fazzi, i think the exact quote was "I don't care to ever speak to him again". Fazzi is definitely a nice dude, he's played in a bunch of bands that have long island roots so I've seen him a ton outside of TBS. Super talented guy. It just didn't work out. From what I remember, Rubano was the one who seemed to be running the mouth on a few podcasts about TBS, but I don't specifically remember what was said or which pods they were.
Mark was very vocal about how much he hated Fred, but was also very outspoken about how shitty he felt when Fazzi essentially went in and (supposedly) re-tracked a lot of the new again drum parts without his knowledge. I've never heard Fazzi or Rubano's side on any of that though.
I dunno about drum parts, but I think some of Eddie’s guitar parts were retracked without his knowledge.
I definitely remember reading that Fazzi had made it known that he didn't think Mark was a very good drummer (as well as Adam not being a good vocalist), and I am almost positive I read that they re-did some drum parts (Fazzi and Rubano) without telling Mark. I want to go home and find that AP issue I definitely still have a re-read that oral history. it was really interesting.
I think Adam’s biggest gripe with New Again was and still is the production quality of the record and he felt some of the songs could’ve been fleshed out better, plus overall reception of the record at the time was subpar compared to the previous 3 records so i think he and the band didn’t take that well. I remember Rubano being on some comedy podcast like 3 years ago going into detail what had happened when he was kicked out, and he made Adam, Eddie and Mark look really bad in that regard. And he talked a little bit about the in-fighting around Fred’s departure and in the latter half of 2009/early-2010 before he was let go. I’ve tried to find that podcast episode to revisit it, but can’t find it anywhere anymore.
"That's just not the record you release in follow up to (the success of) Louder Now" was something he said, and I think that sums it up pretty well.
Just finished listening to New Again in full for the first time in a while, and yeah, definitely doesn’t deserve the hate it initially got...except for Cut Me Up Jenny, of course. Dropping “Didn’t See That Coming” “Long Time Comin’” or “Winter Passing” in it’s place plus better vocal mixing would’ve been game-changers for that album.
Critically, New Again was probably the band’s best reviewed album. Imagine being Fazzi and joining an already successful band about to make their 4th album and complain about the vocalist and drummer. Like, don’t join if you’re not into it.
Revised New Again playlist: New Again Sink into Me Lonely, Lonely Summer, Man Swing Where My Mouth Is Didn’t See That Coming Long Time Comin’ Catholic Knees Winter Passing Carpathia Everything Must Go
Solid. Sink is my only drop and New Again stays just because it's so good musically (HATE the verse lyrics lol)
Ohhhh bottom 5 in no order Cut Me Up Jenny Nothing At All Money Head Club I Felt It Too That was harder than I expected.
Nothing At All is so good. It's a very unique song for them. Looking back at it Happiness Is might be the darkest the band has ever gone in terms of tone and subject matter. Nothing At All is a perfect closer to cap off that mood.