From memes to deeper debates, generational differences are frequently discussed today. But rarely has the sense of belonging felt by young people been so embraced and explained as in the album Nowhere Generation , the ninth work by Rise Against .
On the road for over two decades, the punk rock and hardcore band, which has sold more than 10 million albums with questioning lyrics about what lies "beneath the surface" in society, shows a connection to the current dilemmas of young people, even when the members are at a different stage of life.
In an interview with Wikimetal , vocalist Tim McIlrath discussed the reception of the new project, mental health, and the band's stance, as they perform in Brazil this month almost six years after their appearance at the Maximus Festival in 2017. First, the band will play at Audio on March 22nd for a more intimate audience of fans, with tickets sold out, followed by Lollapalooza Brazil on Saturday the 24th as headliners on the Adidas Stage.
Read the full conversation below.
Wikimetal: You've been back on stage for a while now, how has the reception been for the new album?
Rise Against: It's been great. You know, Nowhere Generation was our ninth album, and we made it a little before the pandemic, so we had to wait a long time to release it. But I think our fans really liked it, and the album also introduced our music to new fans. They're fun songs, and the album resonated with this feeling of despair that many of our fans were feeling, I believe. This uncertainty about what the future will be like, these inherent fears and anxieties of being part of this generation from nowhere that is creating its own map, you know? Forging its own path, figuring out what to do with its own life and what tomorrow will be like.
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WM: Yes, I understand. And it can be a little difficult to be aware of what's happening in the world, so how do you maintain your mental health without losing hope?
RA: When it comes to mental health, I think artists and bands like Rise Against have always talked about what goes on beneath the surface. Those are our lyrics, and they've always been that way. And having that resource in music is a very important thing for me. You know, I've always had a kind of role, a way of deciphering my own thoughts, feelings, you know? And then I was lucky enough to be able to put that into the band and the songs we write. Without that, I don't know what you'd be doing, I'd be lost. If you can find a way to channel your feelings into something creative, you know, it helps with processing. And that's been our journey as a band: creating music that people can relate to and maybe feel less alone with.
WM: Being a politically engaged band, do you think it's more difficult to address these issues because of the polarization in society?
RA: I don't think I pay much attention to that, we'll continue making our music like this. I think we really live in a polarized world where, suddenly, people want to put you in boxes and say 'you believe this' or 'you believe that'. I believe music is one of those things that speaks for itself in a way that few others can. So we'll just keep doing it, I haven't noticed if it's gotten harder or not. I think there are more points of view as the world becomes more informed – or uninformed.
WM: I realize that musical genres like punk and rock are capable of advancing important conversations, do you agree?
RA: I believe the only thing capable of breaking through the bubble in a conversation is our stories. You can start sharing your experiences and people listen to that. People are what truly affect other people. What are songs if not stories? That's how I feel. And stories cut through the noise, and we've relied on that over the years: we tell our experiences without trying to convince or coerce anyone, without having confrontational debates about the subject. I'll just tell you my story, the reason I feel this way is because this happened… And a conversation starts like that.
WM: I agree. I've always had difficulty expressing my discontent and the feeling of having been betrayed by the system, but you talked about it in an interview and it was the first time I've seen someone summarize that feeling so accurately.
RA: This came from our fans, talking to them, people from various parts of the world. And they explained to me: “I’m working hard and not getting anywhere. I’m in this race, but my finish line just keeps getting further away. I do everything I should do and end up just owing money, I can’t buy a house, I can’t do the things my parents did.” I feel that this generation doesn’t receive help and understanding from the previous generation, they only hear that they need to work harder. So Nowhere Generation came from these conversations: something is happening here, let’s acknowledge it and talk about it. Let’s try to understand the reasons for this. Why is it so much harder to just find stability in life?
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WM: We'll be able to hear this album here in Brazil soon. Do you have any good memories of our country?
RA: We had incredible shows in Brazil, and we concluded that the fans are so cool, enthusiastic, and noisy—just fun, you know? We're always looking forward to visiting Brazil, and it's been a long time coming. It will be a very, very exciting reunion with our fans.
WM: You're going to do a solo show in São Paulo. Do you usually change the setlist for more intimate performances? I really like "Sudden Urge" from the new album, and you haven't played that one yet.
RA: Yes, we have more time [at these shows] and we know that our most loyal fans are there. We're going to get ready to play some songs soon, the guys will come here so we can decide. We have more flexibility at these performances, without a doubt.
WM: And you're going to perform at Lollapalooza Brazil , that's incredible! At these festivals, I get the feeling that heavy metal bands are more isolated. Do you think it's good to perform for a different audience or do you think it's a challenge to be "alone" there?
RA: We're definitely a tricky band to categorize in the lineup; we play rock, loud and aggressive music. So having a different sound can be intimidating. At a festival, it's almost always good because people are interested, and I always like the challenge.
It will be a really cool part of Lollapalooza and our fans will be there, some people who have never heard us will just take a look, looking for something different. And some people will cover their ears (laughs). But we've done this before and I think it will be great. I'm always excited to perform for different types of music fans, we've been on the road for 20 years. We always want to see new faces, whenever we can perform for a different audience, it's something we want to do.
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