By Blake Garris
You all know Adam Lazzara as the high-flying frontman for New York’s Taking Back Sunday. Well what you don’t know is that he got some of those moves from Peter Parker and TBS even has a song directly influenced by a Marvel story. He also loves
Daredevil—a lot. We recently talked with Adam about all these things, their latest record entitled "New Again" and how riled up he gets about Marvel movies.
Marvel.com: So first off, I hear that everyone in Taking Back Sunday is into comics. Is this true?Adam Lazzara: Well, it's 2/5ths true. Our bass player Matt and I have quite the collection. The other guys do enjoy looking at the pictures, though.
Marvel.com: Do the two of you have any funny comic-related stories you can tell us revolving around the band?Adam Lazzara: I don’t know how funny it is, but I am somewhat of a GPS system when it comes to locating comic shops on tour. I gravitate towards them.
Marvel.com: Is it hard keeping up with comics while out on the road?Adam Lazzara: Touring has made it so these days I have to practice extreme patience and purchase the complied graphic novels as they come out. Not an easy feat, mind you.
Marvel.com: Anywhere specific you go to buy comics when you’re home?
Adam Lazzara: Forbidden Planet, Union Square, [New York City].
Marvel.com: You mentioned that you loved Daredevil. Who else do you like and why?
Adam Lazzara: I love
Spider-Man and Daredevil. For some reason I have always related to Peter Parker, and with the ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN series, that relation has become even more tangible for me—however I know there are some purists that might turn their noses up at that notion, ha. And Daredevil just because, well, he's the best.
Marvel.com: Any particular Marvel-related writers or illustrators you like more than others?
Adam Lazzara: Joe Quesada, hands down.
Marvel.com: Any particular Marvel stories that you love more than others? Adam Lazzara: My all-time favorite is the Daredevil [run] written by Kevin Smith.
Marvel.com: What do you think got you started into comics?
Adam Lazzara: I got started into comics by a friend of mine named Richard Helle when I was in middle school. Anything
Punisher, he had it. As our friendship grew, so did my love for comic books.
Marvel.com: Do you think music and comics are related in any way?Adam Lazzara: I tend to draw a lot of influence from comics. For example the song “Error Operator” wouldn’t have come about if not for the ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR series remapping their origins. Then it just so happened that song was featured on [the "
Fantastic Four"] movie's soundtrack.
Marvel.com: Let’s talk about Marvel’s movie for a minute.
Adam Lazzara: I love Marvel's movies, however I have to say that...I didn’t even make it through [all of "Daredevil"] and that is my favorite comic. I just couldn’t, However, the X-Men movies were out of sight. Same with Spider-Man.
Marvel.com: Recently you released the album "New Again." Tell me about it.
Adam Lazzara: "New Again" came out on June 2 and I think one of the things that makes it so special is when we went in to write it, we all adapted this mantra of "there is nothing that we won’t try." And with that being our mindset, it broke down a lot of the boundaries that, in the past, we had been working within. It freed us up to keep changing and trying new things and moving forward. There is nothing worse I think for a band than to write the same record over and over again.
Marvel.com: I saw you guys play years ago. Are you still swinging off ceilings?
Adam Lazzara: Like I said, I love Spider-Man.
Marvel.com: Is there anything else we need to know about Taking Back Sunday and comics books?
Adam Lazzara: We need to know why we haven’t been featured in any. That's what I need to know. Ha.
Marvel.com: Do you have any parting words?
Adam Lazzara: Moses.
For more information on Taking Back Sunday, their latest album "New Again" and tour dates in your area—visit takingbacksunday.com. Follow both Adam Lazzara and Taking Back Sunday on Twitter.
To find a comic shop near you, call 1-888-comicbook or visit www.comicshoplocator.com.
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