MANSFIELD — It almost seems like they came out of nowhere, but The Maine have been developing a cult following for a couple years now before exploding with catchy singles like “Everything I ask for” and a Def Leopard cover of “Pour Some Sugar On Me”. They co-headlined the AP Tour this past spring with 3OH!3 and are playing all of the Vans Warped Tour on the Hurley stage before heading back out on the road supporting Boys Like Girls and Cobra Starship this fall.

Despite near exhaustion, bassist Garret Nickelsen hung out with Blast for a few minutes to talk about what the band has been up to, the importance of good catering and the band’s driving force: the fans.

BLAST: You guys have been on Warped Tour the entire time so far, how is it?

Garrett Nickelsen: It’s great, we are all pretty tired because we get up pretty early to walk the line and stuff. We went to go see Green Day yesterday. But it’s been awesome the crowd has been crazy. It drains you fast.

BLAST: What is the best part of being on a tour like this?

GN: I’d have to say catering. Today it kind of sucked. My bread was wet so i didn’t eat it. I haven’t eaten for like three days.

BLAST: What are your plans once the tour ends?

GN: We’re touring in the fall with Boys Like Girls, Cobra Starship and A Rocket To The Moon and another band we can’t mention yet.

BLAST: What have you had to learn the hard way about being on Warped?

GN: We were on the tour last year for about ten days. I feel like we learned everything possible in that ten days and I never want to be in a van again. It’s still hard and it still drains you but it’s easier [being in a bus].

BLAST: A deluxe version of your album “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” just came out. What do kids get by purchasing the new edition?

GN: A cover of Pour Some Sugar on Me, acoustic “I must be dreaming” and a 30 minute documentary from the beginning of our band until now.

BLAST: You also just launched a new, more interactive website for your fans. What else do you guys do to stay close to your fans?

GN: We wanted to make [the website] like an online summer camp There’s going to be a lot of cool new stuff going with it within the next year. I feel like from the beginning Myspace has been a pretty big thing for us. All the content on there is us. Most of the video stuff I do myself, the blogs are Pat. I feel staying connected that way and then for the kids that don’t go to the website or that stuff, coming to shows [is the best way]. John was just at our tent signing stuff for an hour and our tour manager, Max, had to come pull him away. I definitely feel like we’re that band that will go meet fans and show them what we’d want to see when we go see a band.

BLAST: I saw all of you have been using Twitter. Do you like it?

GN: I do it. It’s growing on me. I know John hates it. Maybe let’s people in a little too much on what we’re doing, but you know – that makes it a little more fun.

BLAST: Any last words?

GN: Thank you for anyone that’s listened to us, hated us or anything. Thank you guys and love our fans.

The Maine will be announcing fall tour dates with Boys Like Girls and Cobra Starship soon and don’t forget to check out their album “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” which is out right now!

About The Author

Megan Vick is a Blast editor-at-large

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