Blue October Matt Noveskey Interview: Foiled & 2028 Album

Blue October bassist Matt Noveskey joined Rocking With Jam Man for a conversation about the band’s past, its next chapter, and the songs that still hit him hardest. From imagining the 2006 and 2026 versions of the band sharing one tour bus to clearing up the next album’s release year, Matt went deep on Foiled, Justin Furstenfeld, sobriety, fatherhood, his other projects and the power of playing music when life gets heavy.

The interview was recorded November 7, 2026. Watch the full conversation below, then dig into the highlights.

Watch the full Matt Noveskey interview on YouTube.

2006 Blue October meets 2026 Blue October: Who gets thrown off the bus?

I opened with a question: If the Blue October guys from 2006 shared a tour bus with today’s band, how long would it take before somebody got thrown off?

Matt immediately called it potentially the best question he had ever been asked. His answer: about 24 hours, tops—and the entire 2006 version of the band would be getting kicked off. Today’s Blue October, he explained, would have very little patience for the behavior of its younger self.

That funny opening led into a much bigger conversation about growth. Matt said becoming fathers and finding sobriety have changed the band. Asked who has changed the most, he pointed to Justin Furstenfeld. Family and friends who remember Justin during the difficult 2007–2009 period now notice a much more positive, upbeat person. Matt emphasized that Justin’s creativity never disappeared; his outlook on life changed dramatically. As for himself, Matt hopes he is still the same person at his core, with a little more wisdom and kindness.

Foiled, revisited with a clearer head

The anniversary tour is giving Blue October the chance to play Foiled from beginning to end. Matt recalled that the original touring cycle was disrupted when Justin broke his leg and then broke it again. While “Hate Me” and “Into the Ocean” became permanent setlist staples, other tracks have had much less time onstage.

He highlighted “Everlasting Friend,” “Sound of Pulling Heaven Down” and “Overweight” as songs the band had not played in years. “She’s My Ride Home” keeps reminding him how much he loves that material, and he described the crowd’s response as a high point of the set.

“It’s Just Me” brings a different kind of payoff. With no bass part to play, Matt can step offstage and experience it as a spectator. He praised Justin’s evolving vocal interpretation, the lighting and the sound, describing the song as a dramatic, theatrical pinnacle of the show.

Matt also explained that the concert continues after the full-album performance with a selection of more recent material. For returning fans, the difference is not simply nostalgia: he hears a more sober, clear-headed interpretation of the songs, with new emotion and dynamics. The conversation also looks ahead to the November 11 Riviera Theatre show in North Tonawanda. Find current tour dates and ticket links on Blue October’s official site.

The “Hate Me” performance he will never forget

When I asked Matt whether one particular performance of “Hate Me” still stands out, he stopped to praise the questions again before sharing an upstate New York memory.

Blue October had been booked to headline a heavy rock bill, with Breaking Benjamin playing immediately before them. Matt remembered worrying that the crowd might leave or reject a band he jokingly described as sad-boy emo. Instead, the audience stayed, listened and sang. During the closing singalong, he recalled roughly 10,000 people joining in. For him, that was the moment the band knew it had won the crowd over.

Imogen Heap and the “Congratulations” idea

Matt revealed that he had floated the idea of having Imogen Heap open the tour and join Blue October for “Congratulations.” It did not come together; he believed other commitments were involved. He would still love to make a guest appearance happen, possibly when the band reaches Los Angeles, but this was a wish rather than an announced collaboration.

Storytelling: Why that filming day meant so much

One of the most personal parts of the conversation concerned the Storytelling performance filmed in 2021. Matt said that earlier that day, he and his then-wife had sat down and acknowledged their decision to separate. With children involved, the conversation carried enormous emotional weight.

He barely remembered the drive to the filming location, describing a mental fog. Once the band started playing, however, things clicked into place. Being with his bandmates and making music felt like exactly where he needed to be. His account makes that performance more than a live recording: it captures a day when music gave him somewhere to put an overwhelming experience.

He also singled out “Come Back Home” as an overlooked Blue October song that still affects him deeply, connecting it to the lows and highs of his own life during that period.

The next Blue October album: Matt says 2028

I asked directly about the conflicting years fans had heard: 2027 or 2028?

“It’s gonna be 2028 for sure.” — Matt Noveskey

Matt said much of the record is already done, with further refinements and a couple of additional songs still to come. The plan he described is to finish the current tour early next year, return home, refine the album and aim to hit the ground running in the first part of 2028. He did not give a specific release day or month.

There is plenty of music waiting in the wings. Matt described unreleased material from across the years, plus instrumental beds recorded for the next album more than a year earlier. He said the band wants to take its time and make the next record special. Two newer songs, in particular, have become favorites of his.

Blank demo CDs, a seven-year wait and a record he would love to revisit

Asked whether Justin had ever brought in a demo that left him wondering what to do, Matt contrasted the strength of the current writing with some chaotic experiences around Any Man in America. He remembered receiving burned CDs with nothing on them, or parts that did not seem to fit together. He connected those older difficulties to a time before sobriety.

His trust in Justin’s instincts remains strong. “You Make Me Smile,” he explained, was written together around 1999 but did not appear on an album until Foiled in 2006. Although he had wanted to finish it earlier, he now feels it found the right home as that album’s opening track.

Matt would also love to revisit Consent to Treatment. He credited producer Nick Launay with inspiring him to become a producer himself, while admitting he has never loved how his bass was captured on that record. “James” is a song he especially imagines approaching with his current sound. This was an artistic ambition, not an announcement that a rerecording is underway.

Icarus Bell, Disastronaut and stepping outside his comfort zone

With Icarus Bell, Matt gets to sing deeply personal material as well as play. He described performing as something spiritual: playing the song and its meaning rather than mechanically following a part. Singing gives him another outlet for feelings he may find harder to discuss directly.

Opening for Blue October in 2025 meant double duty and a new set of nerves. Matt said taking Icarus Bell’s layered recordings onto the stage was more daunting than returning to his familiar Blue October role. He remains more comfortable playing bass, but found the challenge rewarding.

He also talked about reconnecting with longtime Michigan friends in Disastronaut, including the songs “Midwest Love Song” and “Torture.” For Matt, the friendships themselves are the heart of the project. He said they were considering live shows for the following year, with nothing announced at the time of the interview.

From bass purist to a pedalboard full of fuzz

Earlier in his career, Matt wanted little more than a bass, an amplifier and a tuner. He was skeptical of picks, distortion and other effects. Encouragement from Justin helped open that door, and today he jokes that his pedalboard has become much bigger than a bassist needs. He feels those sounds help him do greater justice to the heavier material.

He also shared the side of Justin audiences do not always see: the jokes delivered with his back to the crowd and the calm presence when something goes wrong. During a gear problem in Cabo, Justin’s humor helped Matt get out of his own head. Those imperfect, unrepeatable moments, Matt said, are part of what makes live music special.

Discussing his production work at Orb Recording Studios, Matt added that an artist’s path can be unpredictable. A song he expects to take off may struggle, while a project he never expected to hear in a store can suddenly turn up at Target. Believing in artists and watching their journeys remains a meaningful part of his work.

Death Row Meal: Mom wins

Before letting him go, I asked the Rocking With Jam Man closing question: What would your final meal be?

Matt loves Indian food and chicken tikka masala, but his final choice was his mom’s homemade biscuits and gravy. Childhood memories won out. The reason was simple: it is his mama’s cooking.

At the end, Matt called the conversation one of his favorite interviews. Thanks to Matt for the stories, the honesty and the laughs—and to everyone watching Rocking With Jam Man.

Watch, listen and follow

Reporting and interview: Rocking With Jam Man. Artist comments reflect the November 7, 2026 conversation; future plans may change. Official tour and account links are provided above.

Blue October’s Matt Noveskey Confirms 2028 Album Plans, Talks Foiled, Justin Furstenfeld & His Death Row Meal