AARON LEWIS Explains 'The Key Difference' Between Touring With STAIND And Touring Solo

In a new interview with Rock Feed, STAIND frontman-turned-best-selling-country-artist Aaron Lewis was asked if he and his bandmates are planning to continue touring now that they are about to release their first studio album in 12 years, "Confessions Of The Fallen".

"Let's see how this tour goes," Aaron said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "The key difference between touring with STAIND and touring solo for me is the overhead. So, the overhead aspect doesn't really work very well with STAIND for all of that production to sit while we go home for three days, like the country schedule. Country schedule is weekend warriors. That's why Nashville is such a great spot, because it's a perfect hub for most of the country. You can drive out of Nashville the night before and arrive at your venue in the morning."

Lewis continued: "I haven't done this for a while, even though I work really hard. I haven't done the, the rock tour, which is... It doesn't matter what night it is. It's three [shows] in a row, a day off; two [shows] in a row, a day off; three [shows] in a row, et cetera, et cetera. It just perpetually keeps going. It doesn't matter whether it's a weekend night or a Monday night. It doesn't matter. That's a harder schedule to keep. Even if I'm playing five days a week [with my country thing], I still get to go home on Sunday and Monday and kind of ground myself for a second.

"Festivals are easy," Aaron added. "You're rarely playing a full headlining set. Festivals are easy. Festivals are fun. The thing with festivals is that they're driven by radio play, and we haven't been on the radio for — aside from our old stuff — for so long."

Lewis made headlines in the summer of 2021 when his solo single "Am I The Only One" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country chart. That feat, which had only been accomplished nine times since 1958, earned Lewis an RIAA-certified gold-selling single. Last month in Nashville, Lewis was presented with a plaque commemorating half a million in certified units.

"Am I The Only One" takes aim at liberals and touches on American flags burning and statues that have been removed in the country.

The track, which Lewis wrote with Ira Dean and Jeffrey Steele, was released in July 2021 and topped the Hot Country Songs chart on Billboard.

In January 2022, Lewis's solo album, "Frayed At Both Ends", debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes Country chart. Between physical sales and digital downloads, the LP was the top-selling album in America upon its release. Lewis is no stranger to chart-topping records. His "Town Line" and "Sinner" albums both debuted at No 1. on the Billboard Country Albums chart.

"Confessions Of The Fallen" will be released on September 22 via Alchemy Recordings/BMG. STAIND's first new LP album since 2011 was produced by Erik Ron (GODSMACK, PANIC! AT THE DISCO, BLACK VEIL BRIDES).

STAIND has released seven albums since 1995. The band has had a number of hit songs during its first two decades, including the Top 10 smash "It's Been Awhile" from the No. 1 album "Break The Cycle". Follow-up LPs "14 Shades Of Grey" and "Chapter V" also topped the Billboard chart.

STAIND released its first album in nine years, "Live: It's Been Awhile", in May 2021 via Yap'em/Alchemy Recordings. The "Live: It's Been Awhile" album was accompanied by "The Return Of Staind", a two-part global streaming series in partnership with Danny Wimmer Presents.

STAIND and GODSMACK recently completed a 25-city co-headlining 2023 tour, produced by Live Nation. The trek launched on July 18 at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in St. Louis, Missouri, with stops across the U.S. before wrapping up in Austin, Texas at Germania Insurance Amphitheatre on August 31.