The Used celebrate 25 years with a three night stand in Boston

Boston Globe

02-04-2025

'That was it for me. When I was really young, I saw Michael Jackson perform on MTV and I was convinced that was my job.' The Used's first few recorded demos of songs 'Maybe Memories,' 'Just A Little' and 'Zero Mechanism' caught the attention of producer and Goldfinger vocalist John Feldmann. Within days of hearing the songs, Feldmann procured offers from several major labels before The Used signed with Reprise Records in 2001.
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The group's debut came one year later, though McCracken reveals that stardom didn't happen overnight. The musicians' calamitous sound captivated Feldmann, but audiences took a little longer to warm up to it. 'It was weird at first, because there was really no place for The Used to fit in. We toured with all sorts of different bands just to try to find a space in the scene,' McCracken says. 'We were kind of the outlier, the homeless band, so to speak.'
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After playing pubs with Audiovent and Riddlin' Kids and performing at radio festivals alongside artists like Unwritten Law and Andrew W.K., The Used would soon find a home on the
'We played this Warped show and there was a point where all the equipment on the stage went out and the crowd just kept singing 'The Taste Of Ink.' It was amazing to see the self-titled [album] kind of pick up like that,' he recalls. 'We had this really cool feeling, like, 'Yeah, this is going somewhere.'' Their sophomore record, 'In Love and Death,' was released in 2004 and remains The Used's most commercially successful album to date. Despite McCracken processing the tragic loss of his pregnant ex-girlfriend at the time and the group dealing with their own internal conflict, 'In Love and Death' exemplified a palpable maturation that few artists can achieve.
The project's first single, 'Take It Away,' was a visceral shot of adrenaline punctuated by McCracken's frantic energy and harrowing vocals. Other singles, like 'All That I've Got' and 'I Caught Fire,' showed his aptitude for penning melodic anthems. McCracken says that the album's universality was a by-product of innate authenticity.
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'['In Love and Death'] kind of lends itself to a really listenable record. Everyone will or has experienced loss and heartache and sorrow and for me to be able to open up my heart like that…I think it's helpful for music fans. Especially this kind of catharsis that we get to experience when putting all of our emotions into a song,' he says. McCracken's resounding passion grew on subsequent Used records ('Lies For The Liars,' 'Artwork,' 'The Canyon').
He also channels his emotions into the group's live performances. McCracken has previously said that The Used has always been a live band first, and for 25 years, he's made good on that claim. Constantly touring is how they gained their unwavering fanbase, but the band's caliber of performance is why those fans have stayed loyal.
'We take performing really seriously nowadays and we do this big long warmup. We play the entire show before we actually go out and play the show…that really helps us to get in the head frame and get in the mind space to put on the best show we can,' he explains. He says that's only increased over time.
'We've never cared more about how the band sounds and how the band makes a statement. We've never practiced harder and we've never been more dedicated. When I'm on stage, I have no choice but to be in it and to be on fire. But I never felt a lot of pressure–it's always about the love for playing and love for singing.'
During their three-night stand in Boston, The Used will continue to use their sonic nonconformity to cultivate a space for audiences to freely express themselves. McCracken understands that self-expression is now more important than ever. 'I think people are lost as to where they should fit in or where they belong…so for younger generations growing up, this music has something incredible to offer,' he says. 'We encourage that kind of individuality at shows and the space to not be judged or not to judge other people.'
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After all of these years, fans of The Used remain devoted. As shows continue to sell out across the country, McCracken insists he does not take this support for granted. 'Looking back, we've been through a lot of ups and downs, but we're just so humbled and grateful to still be here after 25 years. I'm excited to make it 25 more.'
The Used
At House Of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St., Boston, April 9, 11, 12. 7 p.m., $63.00,