By JACKIE MOE
Twenty-five years ago, a scrappy, emotionally raw band out of Utah lit a fire in the post-hardcore world—and it never went out. Now, The Used are celebrating their milestone 25th anniversary in a way that’s as loud, personal, and unapologetically creative as ever.
This week, the beloved four-piece returns to Los Angeles to play three nights at The Wiltern—May 8, 10, and 11—performing their first three albums in full: The Used (2002), In Love and Death (2004), and Lies for the Liars (2007).
These aren’t just concerts—they’re immersive fan experiences. Each night is a nostalgic, high-energy deep dive into the songs that defined a generation of emo and alternative rock fans, from the anthemic cries of “Taste of Ink” to the haunting melodies of “All That I’ve Got.”
To mark the occasion, the band has also released limited edition vinyls with reimagined cover art by renowned artists including Alex Pardee, Craola, and Cam Rackam—visual reinterpretations that breathe new life into three albums already etched into the hearts of so many fans. Explore the Reimagined Artwork →
But The Used aren’t stopping at the stage.
On May 9, between shows, the band is hosting a free one-day-only art show and pop-up experience at Secret Walls in LA (12pm–8pm). Open to all fans, the event will showcase the reimagined album artwork in gallery form, rare memorabilia from the band’s two-decade journey, exclusive merch, and a completely free signing and meet-and-greet.
As founder and bassist Jeph Howard reflects in our conversation, this 25-year legacy isn’t just about music—it’s about connection, evolution, and staying true to who you are. Read on for a candid look into the band’s past, present, and future.
Q: You’ve said this band has become something bigger than yourselves. What do you think The Used means to fans today versus circa 2002?
Jeph:
I feel like in the band, we’ve had ups and downs, and we’ve had member changes, but our core being has always done the same thing. We’re just a bunch of friends, you know? God, I’ve known Bert for 30 years, probably, you know what I mean?
And we have friends that come out to shows—like, we just played Salt Lake. I wasn’t born there, but technically that’s where the band started. That’s where everyone else was born. The band itself is from there. And so, going back and seeing all the people we grew up with—and they’re all doing awesome stuff too—but having them come out… we had old techs come out too that are lifelong friends, that live in Salt Lake, that got to just be part of our family again.
And that’s kind of what I’m getting at: when we tour, we tour as a family. So everybody in the crew, everybody in the band, everybody that’s out there with us is part of this family. Each person we rely on equally. Our merch guy is just as important as our lighting guy, who’s just as important as our sound guy or tour manager or stage manager—every single person is important and part of the family. They all do their job to make the show what it is.
We try to bring that vibe through with our fans too. The same kind of thing—like, we care. We’re not just playing these shows because we’re trying to get rich or something stupid—because, you know, that’s never gonna happen. We’re doing it because we actually care, and we actually want to play shows, and we actually like sharing and being a family unit.
Q: There’s this new wave of emo pop-punk resurgence happening, but The Used never really left the scene. What are your thoughts on this new wave of the genre?
Jeph:
Yeah, it’s cool. It’s okay to pass the torch, but it’s also okay to help out bands that are trying to get somewhere—trying to change and bring something new.
Being in The Used, we never really set out to be the biggest band in the world. We just set out to do something and inspire, and be different, and bring change—however that is. And that’s still what we’re doing. We haven’t stopped. We’re still touring. Currently on tour still. It’s been 25 years, and we don’t really have any way of slowing down or stopping.
And like you were saying, there are a bunch of new bands that are coming up that are trying it. And there’s room, you know? I don’t know why everyone gets so scared about it. There’s room for everyone to win. We can all win. We can all help each other up, and we can all stand up and be a part of something. There’s nothing to be scared or jealous about.
Sure, some bands come out of nowhere and get really big. And some bands are incredible and they don’t get big. It’s all part of the whole. But like I said, there’s room for everyone to win, as long as we help each other.
Q: Is there a track that hits differently now for you than it did over 20 years ago—lyrically or sonically?
Jeph:
I mean, this whole year we’re playing these three records back-to-back, three nights in a row. And it’s cool to revisit because we did it before in 2015 or 2016 or something, and it was incredible then. But now we’ve added Lies for the Liars, so it’s a pre-record one. What’s so cool about this is, it’s an experience.
Each night we play has a little different vibe. Plus, there’s a video that plays that brings that nostalgia. There’s some other stuff going on on stage—I don’t want to ruin too much. You could probably see it online if you really wanted to. But yeah, there’s some fun stuff. It’s definitely a vibe for each show.
What’s really cool about it, like you said—sonically and lyrically—it’s cool to revisit all these songs again. Some songs we don’t ever get to play because of how touring works. You don’t get that much time, and everyone wants to hear their favorite song. So we try to play as many favorites as we can, but we miss out on some songs.
For me personally, a song that’s always been a top favorite from the first three records is Pieces Mended. It’s always been up there. Musically, the way that song is sewn together is very interesting—and very fun for me.
Also, we’re playing a song that—depending on how you heard Lies for the Liars—you may or may not know. It was a B-side. If you bought the album on iTunes back in the day, it came with it. But if you didn’t, it’s not even on Spotify. That’s how deep of a B-side it is. You have to find it through, I think, a B-sides record. I’m pretty sure it was on that—or somewhere else.
But the song’s called Pain. We used to play it live a lot too, actually, which is funny. But we’ve brought it back, and it’s been so much fun for me to revisit.
Q: What’s it like revisiting your early songs on this tour?
Jeph:
What’s really cool about it is, sonically and lyrically, it’s fun to revisit all these songs again. Some of them we never get to play because of how touring works—you don’t get that much time, and everyone wants to hear their favorite song. So we try to play as many favorites as we can, but we miss out on some.
For me personally, a song that’s always been a top favorite from the first three records is Pieces Mended. The way that song is sewn together is really interesting and fun for me to play.
We’re also playing a B-side from Lies for the Liars called Pain. Depending on how you heard that record—if you bought it on iTunes back in the day, it came with it—but if you didn’t, it’s not even on Spotify. You have to find it through a B-sides release. We used to play it live a lot, which is funny, but now we’re bringing it back, and it’s been so much fun to revisit.
Q: If 2002 Jeph could time travel to these shows now, what do you think he’d say?
Jeph:
So, me talking to my old self? I’d slap myself a couple of times and tell myself to stop stressing. I’ve battled anxiety my whole life. I’m kind of an introvert. I’m talking more now because I’ve overcome a lot, but I’ve always been that way. I’m an only child—I used to just hide out.
Touring, living on a bus, and suddenly having “brothers” really helped me on that journey. The old me was a lot more afraid—not of anything scary—just regular life.
Q: What’s the one feeling that still hasn’t changed when you walk on stage?
Jeph:
“Don’t f— up.” [Laughs] We all feel that. The first five minutes are the most intense because they set the tone for the entire show.
We mess around on stage a lot. We have microphones that only we can hear, so we joke around, tease each other, and if someone messes up, we laugh about it. The minor mess-ups stick with us, but only the big ones are really noticeable.
But those first five minutes—if something major goes wrong, it can get in your head, which is the worst. I’ve learned that it’s like riding a bike: if you focus too much on little stuff, you crash. I need to take a breath, get my head in the game, and then the rest of the show is smooth.
Q: That’s amazing. After 25 years, you still get butterflies?
Jeph:
Oh yeah, those never go away. And sometimes they’re good to have. But after those first five minutes, it becomes a hangout. The nerves go away, and it’s just fun.
Q: I saw a comment on your Instagram—someone said they just discovered one of your songs for the first time. That’s got to be wild.
Jeph:
Yeah, I wonder what song it was. It’s really interesting, though. At our shows, you can definitely see multiple generations in the crowd. We’re lucky that we connect on so many levels through different experiences.
Q: So this tour is for the day-one fans and the newbies. What’s your favorite way to spot a longtime fan in the crowd?
Jeph:
Honestly, the Lies for the Liars shows. You can spot the old-school fans that come for the first record. Then there’s that second wave of fans who come for the second record. Some fans overlap, but Lies has more deep cuts. Only The Bird and the Worm was really big on the radio, so the rest of that album connects more with second- or third-wave fans.
But my favorite are the fans who know our record Artwork. That’s one of my favorite Used records. It got leaked six or seven months early, so the label didn’t push it—we didn’t get radio play. So it’s kind of underground. But it’s definitely my favorite.
Q: Let’s talk about the reimagined art show. How did that idea come about?
Jeph:
We wanted to do something really special, especially in what kind of feels like a second hometown. I lived in California for around ten years, and Burt did too. I still live here. Some of the artists live here as well.
Alex Pardee, Cam Rackam, and Craola—all the artists who reimagined the first three albums—they’re all coming in. They’ve set up a full art show with pieces based on the albums, and even some items that were part of those eras. I’m trying to be vague because I don’t know exactly what they’re using—I haven’t seen the final setup yet—but I know what they pulled from our storage unit, so I’m excited to see it.
Q: Can you share one item you’re excited for fans to see?
Jeph:
I don’t know exactly what they’re using, but I gave them some masks from Lies for the Liars. The person on the album cover? That’s a real person wearing one of those masks. All the characters in the booklet are real physical masks—they’re expensive, from this horror prop company. One of them is actually in the Punk Rock Museum in Vegas.
I also gave Cam all the laminates from every single Used show we’ve ever played. And I had a hat from The Taste of Ink music video—I gave them that too. I used to have the jacket from All That I’ve Got, but I lost it. I was holding on to it, and it just disappeared. That would’ve been great to have.
Q: Isn’t it crazy that those items are now part of music history?
Jeph:
It’s wild. Twenty-five years is a long time to do anything. But we’ve just kept our heads down and pushed forward. It’s been a really fun ride, and I’m excited about what’s next.
Q: What do you want fans to know about the shows, the tour, or the art exhibit?
Jeph:
I know some people just want to see one or two records, but honestly, this is one big show split into three days. Seeing it all together is the full experience. If you’re a big Used fan, it’s worth coming to all three. I know life happens, and tickets can be expensive, but if you can swing it, it’s worth it.
Just know that we appreciate every single fan. We appreciate the vibe, the energy, the support. We love meeting people. That’s why we do meet and greets almost every day. We care—a lot.
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For more info, visit: https://theused.net/
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