Underoath's Busy Rebirth Won't Keep Them Outta The Surf In Aus

Most, if not all, artists say how much they are looking forward to touring a country before they come and heap praise upon that nation in a gushing fashion during interviews. The vast majority are actually sincere, but certain subjects seem to have just that little extra passion and this is definitely the case with Aaron Gillespie, drummer, vocalist and founding member of American metalcore act Underoath. The band are on the comeback trail, after having taken a break for a few years, and their Rebirth tour heads Down Under very shortly. Speaking from his home in Florida, it is clear that Gillespie's enthusiasm to return is very real, apart from one aspect.

"I grew up in Florida, surfing, and whenever I get to escape the winter and surf during my winter, it's a miracle!" he enthuses. "I always love leaving the ground on January 3rd, and landing in Australia and it's 40 degrees Celsius. I put just a pair of boardies on and get in the water and it's not cold. It's a miracle! Plus the fans down there are so gracious, the only thing that sucks about Australia is getting there — it's hell. Everything else is wonderful.

"I've been to Australia probably 15 times, I've tried everything you can do to pass the time. It just sucks, it sucks ass, and if you can just accept that fact, you're okay."

"It's kind of nice sometimes to get on a plane and you can't make a phone call, no one can call you, you can't get an email."

However, ultimately, as a very affable and positive fellow, he is able to put a much better spin on it. "We all lead very, very busy lives, so it's kind of nice sometimes to get on a plane and you can't make a phone call, no one can call you, you can't get an email; you get 15 hours to just watch movies and get drunk with your friends!" he laughs.

Aussie fans will be very pleased to know that, this being a comeback tour after a hiatus, the band have something very special lined up for them with regards to the composition of the setlist they are bringing to Australia. "This is the first leg of the international version of the Rebirth tour," he states. "We just got back together last year, we started with a series of shows and we were super-fortunate that they sold out seven months in advance, doing Define The Great Line and [They're Only] Chasing Safety in their entirety. We're doing both those records back to back and then we're taking it to Russia, Europe. It's a really cool night; I think people have a great time."

The fact that the band have taken a hiatus raises questions about their future. Are they back to stay? Again, fans can be very encouraged, as Gillespie feels that this 'rebirth' may be the start of a whole new chapter, although things may be slightly different this time around. "We're definitely here to stay for a while," he reveals, "I don't know what that means in terms of the traditional 'make a record, tour' cycle, I think we're just trying to see what shakes loose."