Bands associated with the word “emo” get a lot of shit—so much shit that at times, I almost feel sorry for them. The word brings to mind the worst self-pitying, woe-is-me outlook on life, severely cloying in its narcissism—it really makes me want to cry sometimes. Taking Back Sunday might get some drubbing from their many detractors, but it certainly doesn’t faze them. They are at the forefront of the pop-punk movement, thanks largely to their incessant touring schedule and a dedicated fan base. The band is currently on tour in support of their newest release, the aptly-named Louder Now. From LA, I spoke with bassist Matt Rubano as he and the rest of the band made their way by bus to a gig in North Carolina. He was equally diplomatic and goodnatured about the questions I asked regarding recreational drug use, underage girls, and—of all people—Lauryn Hill. With a focused outlook and a more mature sound, the band seems to be going through their inevitable growing pains gracefully—there’s no whimpering here.

Happy 4/20. It’s like an unofficial holiday. How are you celebrating?
(Laughs) Thanks, you too. You know what, on this particular holiday, we will observe purely as observers. Everyone on our bus has been trying to stay healthy. While we condone celebrating, we will not be doing so ourselves.

But vicarious fun is only half the fun! (Silence) How’s the tour been so far?
It’s sold out, it’s great. We’re getting to play new music from Louder Now. We’re getting to know the songs better and better.

This whole “emo” thing—what do you make of it in 2006, especially since Taking Back Sunday is generally identified as being part of that particular scene.
Whatever “emo” actually means, there’s certainly a negative connotation associated with the word. Well yeah, I think we’re associated with a certain type of scene. The word “scene” itself is dangerous. With this record we wanted to make a rock album, something timeless, and not bound to a particular scene. The [emo] scene is not something we pay a whole lot of attention to.