Von Bondies Roar Back With 'Love, Hate'

The Von Bondies plan to return in early 2008 after a three-year break with the Detroit rock group's second major-label effort, "Love, Hate and Then There's You."

There have been quite a few changes in the intervening years. Longtime guitarist Marcie Bolen, bassist Carrie Smith and her replacement Yasmine Smith all left the band since the release of 2004's "Pawn Shoppe Heart." Frontman Jason Stollsteimer split with his wife during that time and also started another band, Hounds Below, which boasts a constantly shifting lineup of members but "doesn't mean there isn't still a Von Bodies."

Ultimately, Stollsteimer tells Billboard.com that the real reason for the delay has mostly been the struggle to put together an album that met his exacting standards.

"When we got off of touring 'Pawn Shoppe Heart,' we were so exhausted," Stollsteimer recalls. "In my own head, I was like, 'I don't want to ever do it again.' But these three years have revived my energy to do it again.

"I wanted to get out and keep the momentum going, of course, but the truth is the momentum wasn't, like, millions of records, although it was really good. Most people knew us as the band who sang this one song ('C'mon C'mon') and not really who the band was or anything like that. So in that regard it didn't make sense to put out records two years ago. It wouldn't have been as good as it is today."

The Von Bondies -- whose lineup now includes original drummer Don Blum and Detroit musicians Alicia Gbur, Leann Banks and Matt Lannoo -- worked with several producers on the new album, including Rick Parker (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club) and Peter Katis (Interpol).

Butch Walker helped Stollsteimer finish the album's last three songs, an experience he says "was amazing 'cause I've never worked with a producer that was the frontperson of their own band, too, and could totally remove themselves from what they like and do whatever you wanted. He definitely helped bring out the final songs on the record."

Stollsteimer plans to film a DVD and live album on Aug. 4 with Hounds Below, which he credits with "being a good outlet to help me write better lyrics and help me finish the Von Bondies record." Von Bondies will hit the road in October and plan to tour heavily into 2008 to support the new album.