Stephanie: Ok, first just say your name, and what you play/do and all that for the band?
Adam: I'm Adam, and I handle the microphone
John: I am John and I sing sometimes too, and play guitar
S: How did your band form
A: actually Eddie started the band (he's the guitar player) about two years ago and I joined to play bass originally. I moved up from North Carolina.
J: suffice to say the first year of the band had a lot of lineup changes
S: oh yea, wasn't there another lead singer?
J: yes, there was another lead singer. Me and Eddie are the only the only people who were originally, originally in the band. We had another singer, we went through about 3 bass players and two drummers before we settled on what we have now. And that was about a little over a year ago. So far it's been very good, It wasn't so good before that.
S: How long has the new lineup been together?
J: yea, a little over a year
S: Did you just say that? (gimme a break, I had a headache, and it was way late)
J: yea, a little bit
S: So you guys made the demo. How long after you made the demo did you get picked up by Victory?
A: umm, close to year .. Like we made the demo in February of 2000,
J: yea, somewhere around there. January or February and then it came out around March, and we got signed around September of 2001, so it was around a year after we made the demo. And then it was a couple of months until the album came out.
A: After we got signed, everything is happening so fast. Like, we recorded the album literally two weeks after we signed, and then that was in December.. and we were in the studio for like 3 and a half weeks, or a month, like on and off from being sick and stuff. And now its March , and now its done.
S: Did you have any other labels talking to you?
A: Yea, we talked to a couple of different people. A lot of the reason we settled with Victory was because , In all the people we talk to in the industry and stuff, even on the indie aspect, its really hard to find someone that is really excited about what you're doing and everyone at victory was just really excited about us, and to have somebody just as stoked about what you're doing as you are. That was exciting.
J: we talked to a few labels, for a while. And we had a lot of things, like we had a label interested in us, and we'd try talking to them, and getting something going, and then they were just putting it off, or it wasn't happening. And they weren't showing enough interest to actually do it, showing enough interest to say we kinda wanna sign you guys, but not enough where its like ok lets get this done and put out an album. It was just right there Victory was like "we want you guys now, and we want to put out an album"
S: yea, that's awesome, Who do you like playing with the most?
A: well everyone we've played with has been really cool. And on this Victory tour, we were really weary about getting on the tour, and playing with the other bands. B/c we were like uhhh they're not gonna like us b/c we're the new guys. But everything just clicked, like the guys from Grade, Reach the Sky, Student Rick, Catch 22, they are just all amazing guys. And as far as other stuff. Normally its not the band that makes the show, it's the people at the club, or the audience.
S: It's all about energy
A: yea
S: What's the whole story behind the Brand New lyrics, because I have heard so many stories about that.
J: I think that's where I come in. We've just started to get questions about it now. Its something actually that went down quite awhile ago
S: Is it really personal, that you don't wanna talk about?
J: It's personal, but the fact is, that we wrote a song about it, and they wrote a song about it, so you gotta kind of expect to get questions about it. Some interest in it. And I can't say that we did it expected to not talk about it. It was based on something that went down. Me and Jesse (who's the singer from Brand New) have been friends since grade school.
S: yea, you guys kind of look alike
J: yea, I get that a lot , and then about a year ago, there was a little incident that went down involving a girl, and around the same time, we both wrote our own songs about it, basically b/c it was something that was going on in our lives and so he wrote a song about it, obviously b/c it was something that was very I dunno
S: close to the heart?
J: yea.. close to his heart, yea.. and I did as well. And then they're album came out first. And then we heard their song, and then some of the things were changed around after we heard their song, so it was a little bit of a response to their song on our part. Basically if you listen to both of the songs, and you're really interested in to know what happened. I really think that it'd fit together. I mean, both his song, and our song .. the lyrics are very very personal, and very very in depth in a certain way, maybe not in an obvious way but if you really listen to his song and you listen to our song. With the stuff that I put into it and the stuff that he puts into it, I think it says about all it needs to say about it. But suffice to say that we were very good friends, and are still friends in a certain way. But have had a situation that has come between us, and have expressed it through the songs that we have written.
S: OK, I'm sorry for prying into your personal life.
J: no, honestly it's expected. Like if I didn't want anyone to know about it, I wouldn't have written a song about it. And you know people are going to be interested and people are going to ask what's going on, specifically we have put things in reference to their songs, b/c its kind of an interesting little thing to have going on there.
A: like a little LL cool J thing.. ya know a hip-hop battle
J: yea
S: drama.. yea, I gotcha
J: so we tried to get a little controversy or interest in what was going on there. So if it makes it difficult when it actually comes down to it , to talk about it, but its like I dunno. That's about all there is..
S: that's fine, you said your point.. If anybody wants to know more they can listen to it
Who are your influences?
A: That's a hard question b/c we all listen to so many different things. We all take from different stuff. I mean we all listen to some of the same stuff.
J: Everyone has their bands, and then there are bands that we all agree on that are good bands, and that we have all drawn influence on. And then there are bands that are for all of us just completely on the outskirts of everything. Like mark, our drummer has like his Journey, and Metallica, and god knows what else. And Shawn listens to like Dropkick Murphys, and Guns n Roses. But they haven't had any influence on me. And like I've been completely influenced by all this indie rock. And Adam.. well what have you been influenced by?
A: Bands like Lifetime, or Brit Pop stuff and Quicksand, and Fugazi.. Old school hardcore.
S: oh yea, I think a lot of people are influenced by Fugazi, just b/c they were so monumental.
Speaking of that.. what are you guys listening to .. Like what's in your stereo right now?
A: Right now? Well, we listened to At the Drive In on the way here. And Casey Chambers. She's Australian, but over here, she would be called "country", but she's more classified as "Western." It's an amazing cd "bear kings and brick walls?" (he kinda mumbled that part.. )
We've also been listening to a lot of "Coheed and Cambria"
S: oh, I saw them actually.. they opened up for "The Reunion Show."
A: really..
S: yea, yea.. up in Poughkeepsie, I caught the end of it
A: They're album is amazing. We listen to it so much in the van, especially since we've been gone. It was just like second nature to have it on, that if something else was on we'd be like "do you want to listen to Coheed and Cambria."
S: yea, I've been hearing a lot of good hype on them.
What would you categorize yourself? Also how do you feel about being categorized as "emo"?
A: I feel that people are going to dub you as whatever they are gonna dub you, that's just how it goes. And there's nothing we can do like.. Emo is a word, that a couple of years ago, it was a derogatory thing. Like John would say something and I'd be like "ohhh you're so emo" like talking shit to him. And now it's like just a common thing, for people to describe a whole genre of music. I think it's more funny than anything else. I just wouldn't want to stick ourselves in …
S: yea, I know, nobody ever wants to stick themselves into a category
J: they're sending us home
A: oh, we're getting the boot
S: well I'm almost done anyways (it was really late)
J: the fact is, that every band is gonna get put into a category. And nobody likes the category that they are put into.
S: yea, obviously
A: post emo!
S: actually the more I write reviews, and do interviews, it is just impossible for me to categorize some bands, and of course you have to when you're writing a review. Or the new bands that I'm hearing, it's just hard to categorize them, b/c they don't fit neatly into anything.
J: most bands right now are drawing from so many different influences, and the fact that none of them are doing anything completely new and original, but its so many different various things that come into place or the influences that its like very hard to put a label on it, and I guess everyone has to put a label on it. But.. I think it's kind of a good thing.
S: I don't' think you need a label, I was just asking your opinion.
J: I didn't mean like YOU putting a label, it's just everyone. Like every review. Or interview. They have to categorize it in some certain way. And I think it's somewhat necessary to categorize something in order to explain it to someone who has never heard the band before. To say like if you haven't heard them they sound like this meets this plus this equals this.
S: it's so true
J: there you go..
S: that was good.. it's a good quote actually.
What about your name? How'd you come up with that?
A: It's a Smith's reference. Just this B-side John had on a little 7'. We stole it from that. Basically that was all that was.
S: alright, I thought there was like this big meaning.
J: no there really isn't.. no
S: I made up this little meaning b/c I've been working at this stupid retail store for like four years and I've always worked Sundays.. so when I quit.. ya know.. I'll take it back.
A: take that bitch back..
J: the name was thought up a long time ago, when as I said there was a much different lineup of people and at least for me, I can't speak for anyone else. The only thing I like about the name , I'm not actually a huge fan of our name.
A: yea
S: It's catchy!.. I like it J
J: part of the thing that I liked about it was that there was potentially a lot of different meanings for the name which is good.
A: it means whatever you want it to mean (in almost a little baby voice)
J: yea, whatever you want it to mean, there ya go. And that's about it
Mark walks in
S: Would you rather play LI b/c that's where your from.. as opposed to other places, or what?
A: we like playing absolutely everywhere. I know my hair is bothering me so much. (After taking his sweater off from being tied around his head, his hair puffs out, and I laugh) Its just LI is fun, b/c we're playing for our friends. And that's where we started playing and that's where we'd like to keep playing. It's better to play LI b/c we're playing to our friends and people we know.
J: The thing is, and its starting just a little bit already. It continues more, with the more we tour, and play outside of LI, is the more comfortable it seems, and the more kids seem to be really supportive of us.
Some kid rants and raves about how much fun the show was, and how rad the kids are. And how he hasn't that much fun since he saw a show in Ohio
S: I have nothing else.. Do you have any closing statements, anything you want me to quote you on for this big article I'm doing.
A: quoting me would probably be a bad thing.
J: the last thing you can quote me on is this.. I think that everyone should go see " The Royal Tenenbaums" b/c it is the best movie I've seen in the past year. I don't know if it's still in the theatre.
S: that's weird b/c this came up in the last interview I did
J: very odd, and I've actually been thinking about this. B/c in the last interview the person was like "do you have anything to say" and I couldn't think of anything.. so I was like I want to spread the word about "The Royal Tenenbaums". I want people to know that this movie needs to be seen. And that's what I want to tell all the kids. I want all the kids to go see "The Royal Tenenbaums" whether they have to wait for it to come out on video, or whether they get to see it in the theatre if its still there.
S: Is it still there?
J: I'm not sure.
A: john saw it like 10 times
S: I really need to see it now that everyone is talking about it.
J: oh my god, its one of the best movies ever!! If you can't see that, then see "Rushmore" or "Bottle Rocket."
A: See "Bottle Rocket" before "Rushmore."
J: yea.. you see the whole trilogy as it were.. bottlrocket, rushmore, then the royal tenenbaums. Well God Bless.
S: well there you go.. Thank you