After finding success with hits like “Taste of Ink” and “Buried Myself Alive” (not that having your lead singer date a certain rock star’s daughter on their hit reality show hurt either), The Used are ready to topple the theory of the sophomore slump with their second album In Love and Death. After debuting in the top 10 on the album charts and receiving positive buzz by critics, bassist Jeph Howard feels they just may have gotten over the hunch and are ready to continue touring. The Used will also be the main act on the first ever “Taste Of Chaos” Tour, the winter version of Warped Tour, debuting late this year. Rockpulse recently talked to Jeph while the guys were on the road promoting their album.

RP: What was the studio process like for this new album?

Jeph: Really, we went into the studio with ideas and riffs and threw out the ideas. We were jamming and make comments and then jam it into Pro Tools. Then [lead singer] Bert [McCracken] would write the words and rerecord each part separately and he did the vocals.

RP: Why’d you want to work with [producer] John Feldmann again? Is he involved in the songwriting at all?

Jeph: We wanted to work with John again just because it worked the first time and he brought a pop element that we didn’t have. We know what he does and he knows what we do and came up with the best idea for the second time. He’s not involved in the songwriting sometimes he’ll have an idea, but he pretty much just produces.

RP: What’s your favorite song on the album?

Jeph: The third song, “Let It Bleed.” it’s just fun to play and the whole bass line for me is just fun to play. And it’s especially good because it’s just a different type of song for us.

RP: What was the inspiration behind the change in sound on this record compared to the debut album The Used?
Jeph: We really it was not really thought out. We just did the first album and so we did the same thing with the second album. We just do it and the way it’s coming out is the way it comes out. If it comes out with a totally different vibe or feel then so be it. In last few years we’ve really grown up.

RP: How would you compare the sounds on the two albums?

Jeph: it’s definitely different. It’s more heavy and more melodic at the same time. It seems like each song has more depth and each song just has more and more then the last ones.

RP: Do you feel you’ve overcome the “sophomore slump” theory?

Jeph: I think we have, but it’s hard to say. We try not to think about it. A lot of bands don’t make it and we got another chance to make another album we love and we accomplished that.

RP: Do you have any expectations?

Jeph: Who knows really? I think [the album] will do better. It has more full songs and they seem timeless. It seems like we tried to do better and not stay stuck in the same scene or sound. It’s more experimental. It’s already turned out to be more than what we expected and that’s amazing.

RP: How does it feel to be the headlining act on the new winter warped tour?

Jeph: It’s gonna be amazing. It’s gonna have everything [summer] Warped doesn’t have: it’s indoors and it’s at night. That means no more heat stroke and everything we hated about the [summer] Warped tour.