Rooney's Robert Schwartzman, on leaving their label and finding their sound

Rooney is performing on Aug. 28 at the Sunset Junction music festival. Lead singer Robert Schwartzman spoke with Daily Bruin’s Madeleine Flynn about the festival, the band’s new album and acting in “The Princess Diaries.”

Daily Bruin: What should people expect from your performance at Sunset Junction?
Robert Schwartzman: We want everyone to have a good time. Music’s meant to be for people’s enjoyment. “¦ We’re always complimented on being a tight band and the music coming across better (live) than on our records. We come across well live, because (our music) is upbeat. It rocks and it pops. It’s got enough ear candy that everyone can enjoy themselves and let go of their stressful lives.

DB: Tell us about Rooney’s new album, “Eureka.”
RS: We did it all ourselves. We got out of our label deal. We’d done the other records with Geffen Interscope. We were just kind of sick of not being able to work at the speed we wanted to work at and (of) having too many cooks in the kitchen.

DB: Was there a particular breaking point, or was it a gradual decision?
RS: I think there was a breaking point, because when we made the second record it was a three and half year process, and some people who probably found Rooney originally were like, “Where’s this band? I haven’t heard from them in three years.” But we were working our butts off and trying to get a record out and trying to keep the flame burning. That was a little hard and (was) a breaking point for me. The label didn’t put up too much of a fight ““ it was mutual ““ because they’re used to working with artists who are willing to play their game. We’re not like that. We’re more rebellious than a lot of the other artists.

DB: What was their game?
RS: Having to work with (the label’s) people or use their people for things “¦ I feel like it’s blackmail or something. It is a partnership, so you have to play nicely. And if you’re not seeing eye to eye all the time, it’s a constant battle.

DB: How do you think the switch from being on a label is reflected in your new album?
RS: I didn’t want to have to write music worrying about having hits “¦ I was always trying to write these “silver bullets,” as they call them “¦ And, by the way, (I stand by) the Rooney records we put out before … as everything I wanted them to be. We fought and fought to make sure those records were great. But it’s a game, you know? “¦ Not having all that red tape, it was just so liberating. Specifically, there were limitations making it in my house, because I’d just made the studio, and it’s in an old garage … Sonically, the room has limits, and those limits have character. I wanted to make a record that was a little rough around the edges. “¦ Everyone’s live, playing together, and that’s something we never really did before.

DB: A California theme runs through all your albums ““ you’ve used the state flag and the state seal as cover art, “Eureka” is named after the state’s motto, and your new record label is called California Dreamin’ Records. Was that a conscious decision?
RS: The California theme is something we embraced early on “¦ It’s my roots, so anything California-related gets me excited. California Dreamin’ Records, I liked the name because the initials are CDR, and CD-Rs aren’t going to be around for much longer. The bands we work with are from California and our studio is here. We make dreams here.

DB: You played Anne Hathaway’s love interest in “The Princess Diaries.” How did you get that role?
RS: I did a movie called “The Virgin Suicides.” My cousin (Sofia Coppola) directed it. It was her first movie, and she put me in it. “¦ The director of “Princess Diaries,” Garry Marshall, had seen me in that and had me come read “¦ and I eventually got the part. Meanwhile, I was playing Rooney shows, and I (thought), “I want to be in a band. I don’t want to doing any of this acting stuff.” Then I moved away to New York for school for one semester, and then I left to pursue my life in music. We got signed a few months later.

DB: Would you ever want to act again?
RS: I’d love to. I just feel like I committed myself to my music.

DB: What’s next for you and Rooney?
RS: I made a solo album that I’ll be releasing at the end of October. It’s my first solo album, and I’m really excited about it. I made it myself. I play everything on it …. It’s called “Double Capricorn.” “¦ It’s kind of 80s at times. There’s barely any electric guitar on it. It’s very open-sounding, with lots of synthesizers and rhythmic hanky panky.