Interview: Kenny Vasoli (Person L/The Starting Line)

Kenny Vasoli of Person L and The Starting Line sat down with Alter The Press! for a brief interview before playing the famous El Rey Theater in Los Angeles.

ATP! spoke to Kenny about Person L supporting Copeland on their last ever tour, 'Human Interest', the future of The Starting Line and more.

Alter The Press: How has the Copeland tour been going?
Kenny Vasoli (vocals/guitar): Really well. I'm really grateful we got on it, it's been the most comfortable tour we've done since the tour with Anthony Green, in the sense that we have a place on this tour. People are digging the set, we are getting really good feedback every night; we are enjoying ourselves. It's ranking up there as one of the best tours, but it's hard to beat that Anthony Green tour because it was the first, and such a fun time with our friends.

ATP: You've released both Person L albums on your own label, Human Interest. What made you want to start your own label?
Kenny: I just wanted to do stuff myself, I didn't like dealing with the third party a lot. We did co-release with Academy Fight Song on this last one, and Scylla and Arctic Rodeo in the UK/Europe. We like having control of how our records come out, that's the biggest motivation for releasing it ourselves.

ATP: Do you plan on signing any other artists?
Kenny: I wouldn't call it ‘signing artists,’ but I would definitely like to release some records by some of my friends; but that would be something I'd like to do in the future, once I have the means to do it.

ATP: Now the album has been released in UK/Europe, do you have plans to bring Person L overseas?
Kenny: We don't have any solid plans, but it's talked about a lot, and we're going to make it happen as soon as we can.

ATP: You did The Starting Line reunion shows back in December, how was it being back together?
Kenny: Really good, a lot of fun. I think it's a good thing that we do stuff every now and then; it makes it a lot of fun for us. It was a great experience doing those two shows.

ATP: You released a live show/documentary CD/DVD the month prior, whose idea was this?
Kenny: Probably Matt Watts, (guitarist) or maybe our management, but I think it was Matt Watts to have the live show/documentary. I like the documentary especially, it's a fair portrayal of what was going on.

ATP: At the last show, you announced, on stage, the band is back together. Have you been working on any new material?
Kenny: We have an idea for a song, it's not really a new song, but it's an idea, if that's material?! We have a seed, we are working on this new song, but it's better then nothing.

ATP: When can we expect to see a new Starting Line album?
Kenny: I don't know, 2012-13, probably in that neighborhood.

ATP: Nothing anytime soon?
Kenny: No, because we have to write it and I want it to be good. I don't want to just throw something together.

ATP: Any plans to bring The Startling Line back overseas?
Kenny: It hasn't been talked about; I'd be lying if I said we had plans to do it.

ATP: Anything else you would like to add?
Kenny: Thanks to Alter The Press! and anyone who enjoys listening to our music.

'The Positives' is out now on Human Interest.

- Jon Ableson