FUN AND CRAZY AS YOU CAN IMAGINE (inerview: Anthony Wille of FOLLY)

What can I say about FOLLY that I haven't already said.  You know them. If you don't, get on that!  In short, they are a big part of what got me playing music in the first place.  Multi-instrumentalist, and avid lover of punk rock and all types of music, Anthony Wille plays drums in FOLLY.  His mark on the band hit hard with the 3-song demo that came out just before Insanity Later.  Anthony took the band to another level and he was nice enough to answer some questions.

Photo: Kelsey Ayres.

First of all, thanks for taking the time to do this.  Speaking of that demo, what version of "Broken" do you like best?  The demo version, or the one on Resist Convenience?

Of course, thanks for taking the time to ask! That’s a fun question.  I like both versions for their own reasons, but if I had to pick one I’d go with the demo. It’s a little more raw and energetic, I think.  We didn’t use a click track.  Some parts are way slower & some parts are way faster, which I like.  We played that song live for a long time before recording it for Resist, so using one BPM took some getting used to the second time around.  But, that also allowed us to work in some ideas that evolved from playing it out. So there are aspects of both that I like, but overall, I’d go demo. 

Can you explain your transition from YALE HOCKEY to FOLLY?  Was there anything in between?

I was basically stolen. You know, Agim actually played guitar for a Yale Hockey show! Maybe at the Sussex Elks Lodge?

The transition happened pretty fast, and there wasn’t anything in between. 2001, Folly had just recorded For My Friends with Kurt Rohl on drums and were looking to start touring and do more generally, but Kurt was getting into some pretty high-level skeet shooting (or golf, or possibly both) and wanted to focus on that instead. I’m not sure who was first, but I remember both Agim and Arben independently asking me if I’d want to play drums.  Agim brought it up in our gym class, my junior / his senior year, in our gym clothes, by the soda machine. Arben asked at a Sussex Elks Lodge show. Maybe the one where Folly/Yale Hockey/One Man Short (Geoff’s other awesome punk band) went song for song for a set. 

We jammed for the first time at Geoff’s house in Branchville. I remember playing everything way too fast, which is something I still do a lot.  My first show was the For My Friends release with The Pietasters, either Krome or Birch Hill.  Then a show in Brick, then maybe one or two more before the band went on its first tour down to Florida with Face First. I was 16. Yale Hockey pretty much ended after that. I do remember a sweet send off, all the Yale Hockey guys throwing rocks at my bedroom window to wish me luck before I left for tour.  And Dom, good friend and Yale Hockey guitarist, was a staple in the van for many years after.    

I didn't know that about Agim, but I really loved that YALE HOCKEY demo.  What was it like being on tour at 16?

Fun and crazy, as you can imagine.  On that tour I bought a fake ID from an IHOP waiter in Orlando, so I wasn’t 16 for long.  I think I paid $10, which was honestly most of my budget.  The picture looked nothing like me, but it never failed.  $$ well spent.  

What do you know about "Blue Tape?"

Painting essentials.  Great for trim work.  Also the name of my first band with Mike (control, earth stood still, longlife, slayter)! I think. It may have been Kerplunk first. But it was one of the early band names. 5th grade roughly. We had a lot of album art sketched in our notebooks where school notes should have been.  I think the name holds up, actually.   

Besides drums, what is your favorite instrument to play?

I don’t know if I can pick one, so I’ll pick two, neither of which I can play all that well. But I like to dabble in the variety. 

Trumpet is one. I was 32 or 33 when I first started playing. Jon, Agim, and I would go on what we called "jazz odysseys" with drums, bass, and some horns that Agim rented.  Usually noisy and chaotic, always so fun.  Over time I wanted to challenge myself to get better, and really had to practice at it.  It’s a very demanding instrument. Your air flow and lips and fingers and brain all have to be in sync.  I also had to learn how to read music to play it.  So it’s very satisfying that now I can pick one up and play a tune, or learn something new.  

Piano is also up there, but more so because of the process than actually having the ability to play it well.  It's meditative for me. It focuses me in and quiets a lot of noise in my head.  I’ll usually pick a classical piece that is approachable, and then repeatedly practice measure by measure, after dinner or whenever.  It’s never great at first, but after a few days of playing a part over and over it starts coming together.  The muscle memory kicks in and my fingers just go. I love that feeling and find that process to be so rewarding.

Based on conversations in the past, I know you aren't too fond of writing lyrics, though songs I've heard with you on vocals are great (HOOVER FLAGS).  What is it about lyric writing that you don't like?  Does expressing yourself through the music do it for you?  

Ha thanks!  Agim and I both wrote lyrics for Hoover Flags.  The songs were often a mish-mash lyrically.  We were more concerned with the actual sound of the words and how they fit with the music and melody than the substance.  But to your question, I’m not exactly sure what it is that I don’t like about writing lyrics.  I always had fun writing essays or thesis papers, but lyrics are different and I just don’t like what I write.  Feels uncomfortable and forced to me.  I hope I’d be better at it now, but I’d much rather get it out through drums or whatever else.  Jon actually wrote my favorite Hoover Flags lyrics. “You bite your tongue, your tongue bites you too. Just say it already, dude!” Apt!

On the topic of lyrics, Jon's lyrics are always super sharp, clever and anthemic.  What line do you connect with the most in a FOLLY song?

Nice segue.  I really love Jon’s lyrics — his concepts, wordplay, style, always super sharp and clever as you mention. I feel very fortunate and appreciative to have such a talented writer front our band.  One of my favorite parts about the writing process has always been (and continues to be) reading and thinking about what he comes up with.  In terms of lines I really connect with, there’s one line from piano player that’s been kind of a maxim — “confidence in my actions with a positive regard for others.”  Simple and powerful sentiment, and generally a great way to go about living.  I also love the line “brevity is the brother of brilliance” from Bonfire. I’ll say no more. 

HAHA, Well done.  A+.  FOLLY is on its second life and bigger and stronger than ever.  How did it feel to hold "Insanity Later" in your hands for the first time and then listen to it?  Was it just as magical when you got the "Resist Convenience" pressings?

Putting out a vinyl was always a bucket list thing for us, so it was pretty surreal to actually make it happen. We thought Insanity Later might be the first and last chance to get something pressed and wanted to do it up — reimagined artwork, collage insert, all that.  It was a lot of work, a lot of back and forth, so to see it come to life and physically hold it 15 years after it was first released was incredibly special.  So was listening to it (although I have a shitty record player that plays too fast and high pitched. Magical nonetheless).  We really didn’t think that we’d ever get to press Resist Convenience as well, and are collectively so grateful to Bad Time Records for giving us that chance.  It was re-mastered for vinyl by Alan Douches at West West Side, with new artwork by Justin Gray.  I actually held it for the first time just a few weeks ago, and yes, just as magical! 

You guys traveled down the play FEST this year.  I went to fest twice and feel like I actually got the full experience this time.  Can you make a list of the top 3 sets you saw this year at fest and why?  I'd say mine were FOLLY, TSUNAMI BOMB, & GEL from above, where it was safe. 

Awesome three.  I have video evidence of you in the pit for our set. Slow motion too, it looks really cool.  Sorry if this is just a love fest, but Hundreds of AU was definitely in my top.  You were a must see, and the set was so good.  So many good bands, this is hard…Vantana Row was wild, even though I only saw a few minutes of them.  They weren’t a listed band or anything, some of us were just walking to a different venue, through a sea of half-naked college party kids and I looked over and was like holy shit. I know them and love some songs.  Singer was going off on top of the van, screaming about big pussies or something, and the drummer was smashing away inside the van to a strobe light.  Some people looked scared, it was fucking great. An experience for sure. And for the third, this is a total copout, but I just parked myself at the High Dive stage all day on Sunday and had the best time.  I loved watching Flying Raccoon Suit, and Hans Gruber and the Diehards were so fucking good. Thirsty Guys, Best of the Worst, Against All Authority Devo set.  I can probably just name everyone. That day was so fun. 

Did your day jobs dictate what you did/do with FOLLY or did folly dictate your day jobs?

I can’t speak for everyone, but surely there are influences both ways. Jon and Geoff seem the most direct.  Geoff went to school for sound engineering and works in the biz, and Jon is an English teacher!  My job doesn’t totally relate, but I can largely attribute how I do my job and whatever success I’ve had to being in a band and touring with my friends.  I’ve mostly worked in tech startups. Change is the only constant. People, processes, companies getting bought, sold, folding — all that.  I think having the experiences we did/do really shapes how I approach things at work. The values I take with me, being supportive and collaborative, being able to roll with it, figuring it out as you go, connecting with people from all walks, building relationships, having fun.  The technical skills are important, but I feel like it’s all of those “softer” things cultivated through Folly that have helped me the most in my career. 

I know you also like to do art besides music.  LESSER MINDS made one of your drawings into a shirt. Can you take a minute to draw us a picture or share one you've drawn?

Very flattered and honored that Lesser Minds used that drawing! It was just a little Sunday sketch.  (Do you still have any of those shirts, actually?) I like to doodle and dabble. Art is maybe a strong word.  Here is a quick drawing of Pepper for you. I love Pepper.

I love that so much. I'll check with Brian on the shirts, I think they sold out.  FOLLY got busy again in the last few years.  What's next for FOLLY?  Can we expect new music?  

Slowly but surely writing and practicing new songs — some written in the last month, some written over 10 years ago.  It might take a little while, but definitely be on the lookout for new music.

FOLLY BANDCAMP (non spotify tracks)

Thank you so much! Really excited for everything you have coming up.  We were toying with the idea of calling on you (pun intended) to produce some new music with us.  I won't say which band. No obligations.  

If you can score tickets, check FOLLY out at one of their two shows coming up with the mighty, PAULSON.