The latest on the indie, alternative, and rock music scene including news, music, contest, interviews, and more. Best described as your favorite place to find new bands.
Our second Podcast is now up for downloading!
Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes here or listen below.
Music By:
Paulson – “Ultra-High”
Valencia – “The Space Between”
The Audition – “You’ve Made Us Conscious”
Eightyonedays – “Awkward Silence”
Desole – “Shadow Girl”
The first Podcast is now live! You can download it from the links below.
Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes here or listen below.
Music By:
The Appleseed Cast – “Fight Song”
The Class of 98 – “Everywhere You Go”
Matchbook Romance – “Monsters”
MC Goldie Wilson – “What’s An Old Timer Like You Want With A Two Timer Like Me”
Big City Dreams – “Death Of An Insurance Salesman”
From Aphony – “Result Of A Murder”
Quietdrive – “Rise From The Ashes”
Here is our first interview in our Industry series where we interview people throughout the music business. Filmmaker Taylor Gahm was nice enough to give us his views.
Could you give us your name and what it is you do?
My name is Taylor Gahm and I am a filmmaker from Texas.
When did you know that working with multimedia was something you wanted to do with your life?
About 3 years ago. I got a late start because I was sidetracked by the glamour and prestige of pursuing my post high school dream of being a career waiter at “Los Cha Cha’s” Mexican restaurant.
How did you start off as a cinematographer? What were your initial projects?
I started helping a friend of mine with his wedding videography business. I eventually bought my own gear, shot a documentary for a TV show called MXTV and then won an award for it. This was all within 9 months of picking up my first digital video camera, I guess it just made sense to me.
What do you think the difference between ordinary cinematography and digital cinematography is?
They are very similar acquisition formats. Film is so expensive but the resolution is second to none. Digital is cheaper, more forgiving and can give you similar results if you know how to set things up from pre to post production.
What kind of planning goes into shooting a tour dvd and a music video?
A tour DVD consist of me grabbing my gear and going. I bring clean underwear and jeans and then steal tees and hoodies from the merch table- it’s a good deal. After that I just shoot everything and figure it out in post.
Music videos are a bit different. It’s usually a juggling act between the expectations and ideas of the label, the band, and myself.
How do you go about coming up with treatments for the videos story, etc?
I usually just copy everyone elses ideas- it seemed to work for me in high school…. I don’t really know to be honest. I think it usually hits you when you first hear a song. You initially get an amazing conceptual idea that is so incredible and progressive that a solemn tear forms in your left eye then you take a look at the budget, laugh and go with a performance video.
Interesting. What person has had the biggest influence in your career?
Steve Bache.
Who is Steve Bache?
He is the drummer for He Is Legend.
Really? How is it that he has had such an influence in your life?
Well he hasn’t really. We just have a sweet deal where we mention each others names in press interviews. Sup dude?
Okay then…. Um, How much input does the artist have on your projects?
It depends. I have helped a couple bands sign to major and indie labels. Generally the unsigned bands come to me with a check and tell me to do my magic.
The Project 86 DVD was a bit different. It was kinda like “idea pinball” during the whole post-production process. I would put clips together online, and then adjust the edits accordingly to feedback.
I am currently working with He Is Legend and Dead Poetic on their DVD’s and they are a bit different. They are pretty much just telling me to do my thing. There really is no “right” way. My take is to just adapt to the ebb and flow of the tour and have fun.
Do you need to be trained collegiately in film to suceed in the business?
No, but it wouldn’t hurt a bit to be trained in business to suceed in film. The same goes for bands’ I think a course or two in marketing or economics would do more good than courses in music theory.
Do you feel that it is important/benetifical for an artist to get signed to a record label?
Sure. But the reality is that most bands look at a record deal as an easy way out. Landing a deal is a ton of hard work and dedication. Landing a deal is benificial, but it isnt totally necessary to be successful.
What does it take for you to work with an unsigned artist?
Talent. And money.
So do you have any advice for the upcoming filmmaker?
Get your hands dirty. Make your own movies. Forge your own path. Don’t wait for opportunity- create it. Don’t listen to negative people- they are jealous and they are wasting away their lives. Cling to those who inspire and support you. Glean from others- keep what you like, discard what you don’t. Brush your teeth. Please don’t drink and drive.
Where do you see the film and music industry going in the future with all of the technology making things easier?
Dude I have no idea. I am sure you wanted something better than that but I got nothing. I am still eagerly anticiapting flying cars like in Back to the Future II.
What do you see yourself doing in the future whether it’s continuing with cinematography or moving on to something else?
I am pretty much counting on marrying a doctor. Once that happens I will probably play a lot of golf. If that falls through, then I would like to be directing music videos for the next few years and then move on to feature films when the time is right.
I am also in the process of starting a non-profit organization to benefit touring musicians. I am hoping that it wont be too long before it is making a difference in this business.
Thanks for your time and insight on your thoughts of the industry. We hope to hear more about you in the future and wish you the best with your work.
Thanks for having me. Take care.
So here’s the interview I did with Benjamin Coyte, the lead singer of Day of Contempt! Feedback is much appreciated 
Firstly, just some basic questions:
Q – What’s your full name? How old are you? Where are you from?
A – Benjamin Coyte, 25, originally from Adelaide, Australia.
Now some more challenging stuff.
Q – Day of Contempt has evolved a lot since forming as a band, to the point that you’re the only original member still in the lineup. Tell us about the lineup changes? What were the reasons for so many changes? Do you think the band has a solid lineup now? Is it strange sometimes to think about how much has changed?
A – It is weird that so much as changed, but when it all started we were basically kids playing instruments we barely knew, trying to play punk and hardcore songs in our parents garage. There was barely even punk bands in our town to look up to, and maybe a handful of people in a city of a million who’d heard of hardcore. With 8 years of touring and growing somethings have to change I guess. We’re definitely happy with the guys we have in our band now. We’ve been through a lot together, and we all don’t really know anything but our band.
Q – Obviously the band has evolved musically, as well. I read a description of your earlier music as a cross between hardcore, metal, and grindcore. Now it seems that your music has shifted slightly more towards a mainstream sound, while still incorporating elements of punk, hardcore, and metal. Did this evolution come about naturally, or was it more of a forced decision? How would you personally describe your sound to a new listener?
A – I’d avoid describing our music to someone if possible… Haha… I hate doing it. We used to have a drummer and a guitarist who grew up on grindcore, yea, I’d forgotten about that… it’s all flooding back. All of us in present-day DOC were dragged into the music world via punk-rock… So I guess that’s what we have in common now. I don’t think anyone ever really gets forced to change style, maybe with some really shitty major label deals, but I think that’s more of an underground scene myth than much else. We just try to play music that makes us feel alive, like we’re doing something that captures our own imagination. If we can still get that feeling out of it we all had when we first got addicted to a favorite record it makes everything worthwhile.
Q – What’s your writing process like as a band? Do you guys enjoy being in the studio? Who are some industry people that you hope to get the opportunity to work with in the future as far as producers or musicians are concerned?
A – We have a few guys who write in the band, which seems to make things come out well in the end, but there can be a lot of ideas flying around on the way. Being in the studio is a mix between the most pressure and stress imaginable, while doing your favorite thing in the world. It’s weird. It was definitely a lot more of the latter last time when we did the record with Josh Abraham and Ryan Williams. Hopefully our next record will be with them again.
Q – Along the lines of your sound, what are some of your personal favourite artists, or influences? Do you take any elements of your sound from other bands? I know some of your friends are in more pop-oriented, mainstream bands (ie: Good Charlotte, The Used); has their sound had any influence on Day of Contempt’s sound?
A – It’s probably had influence, I’m not really conscious of writing like a certain bands style when I’m writing music, I’ll just be thinking of an atmosphere to aim for, maybe a more energetic one, or a darker one, something slower… If that makes any sense. It doesn’t always finish up like that, but it’s a starting point. But, yea, I still love some hardcore and metal bands a lot, but to an extent that stuff seems to be hardwired into us because we know it pretty well, and more melodic bands can help bring newer ideas for influencing songs.
Q – You guys just released an EP in August on Epitaph, an indie label founded by Bad Religion’s guitarist, that’s in large part responsible for the 90s punk explosion. How did your deal with them come about? Are you guys liking being on the label so far? Any plans for a full-length release or a single off the EP? Any video plans?
A – We just did the one EP with them so far. We did a 2 record deal with our producer, and they liked our demo and liked Josh Abraham’s track record I guess, so they got on board. We hope to start a full length early 2006. Epitaph have talked to us a bit, but we don’t know who we’re going with yet, we’re just working on the material.
Q – As far as your EP, The Will To Live, is concerned, how has the reaction been so far? To me it seems pretty different from your previous material, “Where Shadows Lie” and “See Through The Lies”. Have you gotten a lot of feedback from fans? Have you encountered anyone (an older fan, for example) that’s been surprised by the direction in which your music is headed?
A – Yea we’ve had a couple of emails mostly from Australia from older fans. Most of them seem really into the new one too, which I think is rad, because it is pretty different. A couple just asked about the change and when we told them where we were coming from, I think everyone except maybe 1 sent a cool reply back – that other one never wrote back to us. So, not a bad track record. I’m sure there are other kids who talk shit on guestboards, but those kids hate on everybody, so I can live with that. We’ve probably had about 1000 emails mostly after touring Canada and Australia from new comers saying they’re really into the record and that they got it after the show. We’re trying to get back to everyone, but we are a lot behind.
Q – This summer, you guys toured with Good Charlotte a band who typically draws younger kids, specifically young girls. To me, this doesn’t seem like your typical “target audience”. What was it like to play to a younger crowd than you’d normally be used to? Did you get a lot of positive reactions from the fans, or did you find that your music didn’t really appeal to them?
A – We’ve played with pop punk bands even when we were a lot heavier, so it wasn’t really weird for us. We’ve done Australia, Japan and Canada with them, and the shows always seem to go amazing. I think its a lot easier to see a heavier band live and stay interested even if you’re not used to it. The energy can suck you in, and break the ice so when they do hear the CD they understand what’s going on. Some of my friends today in Australia had never heard of hardcore before seeing us play with some US punk bands. Now they’ve been around it for years, so it’s cool to be a part of that.
Q – Both of the times I’ve seen you guys play live, you’ve always made a point to come out after your set, to meet and greet with fans. Is it important to you to connect with the fans? Have you encountered any specifically interesting people while doing these meet and greets? Do you typically find that you meet new fans, or ones that have been listening to your band for a long while? What are some of your most memorable fan experiences?
A – I’d just rather hang out than sit backstage in a room and be bored. At some of the bigger shows it can be pretty impersonal, because its just saying hi, signing something, or taking a photo, then [on to the] next person. It’s usually a mix of people we’ve met before and new comers. But for younger kids who don’t really feel a part of the music world it can be pretty cool just to have something signed or something real to take home from a show. I think that counts for something. Pretty much all my friends in the world I’ve met through shows or something to do with them too. Every night we’ll walk away with some crazy stories usually, definitely beats sitting backstage if we have the choice.
Q – This question is a bit more specific. You may or may not be aware of these events, but in the beginning of September, you guys played a show with The Used in Thunder Bay, Ontario (my hometown). The set was in a theatre-style venue, and some kids rushed the stage while The Used was playing. The end result was that quite a few of the theatre seats ended up being broken. An article was written in the local newspaper, and as a result, many letters were received by the paper that expressed concern about the “violence” associated with this type of music. Some even expressed concern about these fans being “out of control”. How do you feel about this? Do you think there is a lack of understanding about the culture associated with the music scene? What would you say if someone were to ask you why mosh pits and hardcore dancing are a part of this type of music?
A – Yea there’s definitely a lack of understanding of it, but that’s part of its beauty. Conservative people see anything like that and put it down to something negative. They’ll never even want to understand it, but it’s ok with me. That night was as simple as… It was a big energetic show where kids had been counting the days before it, and they get to a venue, that’s set up for a theatre production, and are forced to stay in a seat while they watch a band that they live for. The same people that wrote off those kids would complain their asses off if they had to see opera, or an orchestra in a rock venue with no seats and just a stage. It’s as ridiculous to them as a rock show in a place like that.
Q – This article is directed to a bunch of college students, and is taking place because of a unique program designed for students that want to work in the music industry, so for the most part, we understand what it’s like to have a passion for music. Did you have the chance to go to college before deciding to make music your main focus? What made you choose music as a career path?
A – I did, but it wasn’t in a music field. I did psych/sociology. I just kept letting go of more and more things I thought I’d end up doing, and did more of what I wanted…. like fight club, haha.
Q – You guys moved your band from Australia/New Zealand to California in hopes of getting more exposure. Do you ever have times when you regret doing what you did? How has moving to California helped Day of Contempt? What types of struggles were presented when you first moved? Have you been able to network more freely this way? How is the music industry/scene in California different from the one you were used to back home?
A – It’s a lot more real here, this is where everything happens for this kind of industry. If it’s what you care about its pretty important to be near it, not on the other side of the world from it. Bands are here, enough cities to tour all the time are here, labels and people who make stuff happen are here, so its with it. Its definitely been hard, and we all miss a bunch of people, but we’ve never looked back as far as the band goes. We still struggle to get by, to live cheap, own nothing and just to know where we’re going to be staying from month to month. We were basically reborn here with a bag of clothes each and had to start from scratch, but we’re getting where we want to be, living cheap, but living good.
Q – The music industry is often portrayed as a cut-throat business, one in which few will survive. Do you think it’s truly as rough as it is made out to be? In your opinion, what is the most important quality to have if you’re interested in getting into the industry? What are some important things you’ve learned by being a part of the industry?
A – There are definitely sketchy people around, but the best people in the world are a part of it as well. People will work their ass off for something they believe is special, which is pretty rare. Its important to do whatever you can think of to get you where you want to be, not to just wait for someone to instruct you and then follow. Definitely being a decent person counts for a lot I think as well.
Q – Where is Day of Contempt headed these days? Musically, as well as tour plans, album plans, and just general plans. What do you guys hope to accomplish in the near future, or the extended future? Do you have goals as a band, or are you pretty laid back and just take each day as it comes?
A – We are writing now, and looking to record pretty soon. So far in a similar vein to our EP, but there’s some avenues we want to explore more, and new bands that have inspired us. We are sorting out label and booking agents and should have that worked out pretty soon. We have shows with our friends in Bleeding Through in Cali, Utah, Nevada and Arizona in the meantime.
Q – Before deciding exactly what to ask you for this interview, I was checking out your band’s myspace page, and I noticed a common question on many of your fans’ minds, so I decided to do the asking for them: when are you coming back to Canada!?
A – As soon as the snow thaws, we’re back there! Canada is awesome!
Q – And lastly, is there anything you want your fans to know about you as a musician, or the band as a whole? Is there a certain question you’ve always wanted to be asked? If so, let me know what it is!
A – Hmmm… If there is I’m blowing my chance because its 2am and I need to get up really soon, and my brain is only half working, haha. Check it out… www.dayofcontempt.com
I had the chance to interview a local band by the name of Her Name Is June (HNIJ). I truly believe these guys are talented. And I could see them going places once they get their hands on a label.
Me: Can you please state the name of the band, the members, and their positions in the band?
HNIJ: Her Name Is June. Benjamin Jameson Morey – Vocals, guitar. Justin Pulver- Drums. Patrick James Davis – Bass. Nathan Alan Derby – Guitar
Me: Now who exactly is June? An old girlfriend maybe?
HNIJ: It’s a character in the novel “A Handmaid’s Tale” by Margret Atwood
Me: How did the band get together?
HNIJ: Ben, Pat, and Justin were in a band together called “Since, Discarded” and Nate and Kyle Chapman (who was in the band from January to August) were in “Fantasy Controller”, both the bands played many shows together and were friends, both bands eventually broke up, and we started Her Name Is June soon after.
Me: Now you guys released ‘When The Sun Blows Up None Of This Will Matter’ earlier this year. Which is your first release. How does it feel to actually have your music out there on CD?
HNIJ: Honestly, it stings a bit…..Just kidding
(laughs)
HNIJ: We’d had small acoustic demos out for people to listen to before the full length was recorded, but once it was completed and pressed, and available for everyone it was really exciting.
Me: Now what are you lyrics based off of? I was looking over some of the lyrics from “Purgatory Is For Lovers” and it just seems like a lyrically wonderful song. Especially the line “Like a moth with a friend
In an interview with a campfire” I think that is just a fantastic line. And who writes the songs? The entire band or just one of you?
HNIJ: Well, thank you for the compliment. The song “purgatory is for lovers” in particular is fictional. But Ben writes the songs from life experiences. He says “Usually a Her Name Is June song begins when a line results from something significant happens and I write it down and work from there.” So, Ben writes the lyrics and we write the music together
Me: Now did you guys send your CD off to any labels? Or are you interested in getting a label?
HNIJ: Right now we are getting press kits ready to send off to labels, and we are extremely eager to have a future in this band playing music, whether with the support of a label or not.
Me: I’m sure once a label hears your music, they will be all over you. Now how about touring, are you guys planning a tour sometime soon?
HNIJ: We are hoping to go on the road as soon as possible.
Me: Now who is an influence on your music? And if you had the chance, what bands would you tour with?
HNIJ: Our influences range from folk and classic rock to more experimental and indie bands. And off the top of our heads, the bands we would most like to tour with would be Fire When Ready, Limbeck, Tomorrow Is Forever, and Moneen.
Me: Now here is a random question. If you could be any sort of super hero, what would you be and why?
HNIJ: We would be the Fantastic Four, and Ben would be the Invisible Woman (because he likes both invisibility and women, not necessarily in that order), Pat would Thing (because he resembles the thing), Nate would be the human torch (because he’s a loose cannon), and Justin would be Mr. Fantastic, but with a beard (because he likes to think he is the leader and enjoys stretching).
(laughs)
Me: Haha. Ok guys one last question. I understand some of you are working on a company called Elephant Sound. What exactly does that do?
HNIJ: Nate started a company called Elephant Sound with Blake Cooper and Kyle Chapman from their old band fantasy controller, The aim was to offer a mobile recording studio with reasonable prices and good quality to local bands.
Me: Sounds cool, I wish him luck on that. Thanks for your time guys, I can’t wait to hear your next CD. Hopefully I can come and see you guys at the next show. Is there anything else you want to say?
HNIJ: Right now we are working on some songs to hopefully put on an e.p. by the end of winter. We feel this music is much stronger than ‘When The Sun Blows Up None Of This Will Matter’, and we are really excited to play these songs live, and hopefully hit the road by spring.
Me: Sounds good guys. I wish you luck.
HNIJ: Thanks man, and thank you for listening to our music, it means a lot to us. And we look forward to meeting you at an upcoming show.
Check Them Out:
Here Name Is June
Their Myspace Account
HNIJ On Pure Volume
1. So what is your name and rank (what you play)?
My name is Kelsey and I usually play guitar.
2. Where did you guys get the name?
As the story goes, there is no real story behind it. It is an insect that is native to where we live and it is a nice word. Also, I think Chris did a report on them in school.
3. You guys have just wrapped up a major touring stint, was there a venue that was particularly memorable?
This whole tour has been amazing…Ohio was great, New Hampshire…the list goes on and on…
4. What has been the general fan reaction to the new material on “Buy Our Intention…”?
Positive… I think for anyone who was into the previous material it was pretty easy to digest. Stylistically, it is definitely more diverse, but that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.
5. Did you see it as a departure or evolution from the “Did you know people can fly”?
From my eyes (eyes that were not in the band), I see “Buy Our Intention” as the next logical step. It is still in the same vein, and the same band, but you can sense the growth.
6. What were some of the geneses for song ideas on “Buy Our Intention”?
We never really set out to write specific types of songs; they just sort of ooze out. We knew that we wanted it to be more diverse, but we never really tried (if that makes any sense).
7. As a very progressive band you use tons of unusually instrumentation, can you describe some of the more atypical sounds you’ve used in your songs.
A lot of the instrumentation stems from us wanting to create a mood and feel, rather than using them as a novelty. On the record we used kalimbas, concert bells, melodicas, wine glasses, organ…anything that could help create a mood.
8. What are some of your musical influences?
I grew up listening to Dire Straits, The Police, Toto, Yes and Enya, thanks to my parents. My dad also listened to a lot of jazz, which has a big influence on my playing. Lately, I have been listening to Isis, Minus The Bear, Botch, Steely Dan, R.E.M. and Pinback, to name a few.
9. You mentioned on your website that you’re going to settle down for a couple of months and write material for the new record. You’ve set the working album title as “Set Sail The Prairie” what is the story behind that? Isn’t it also a track title on “Buy Our Intention..”?
The next record will be “Set Sail The Prairie” and the second installment in a trilogy of albums that will end on “Horses Galloping On Sailboats”. The title track on “Buy Our Intention” represents current time, “Set Sail” the future and “Horses Galloping” the end of time…heavy stuff haha.
10. What more can you tell me about the new record? How different will it sound compared your previous releases?
The best way I can describe it is that it will be more cohesive like “Did You Know” but still have the diversity of “Buy Our Intention”. It will be one solid unit of music. It will span 12 tracks and 12 months. I am beyond excited to finish writing, start recording and presenting it to the fullest…it will be large.
11. Where do you or would you like to see the band in two years?
Writing, playing and performing…playing to more and more people, getting better at our instruments, going to Europe…the whole 9 yards.
12. Alright last real question… what are your personal views on copyrighted file sharing, as far as music downloading and burning.
To me, it all depends on the situation. If you are checking out a smaller band, downloading their cuts, and you enjoy it, support them and buy their album. They need it. If you just want to dance to “Rappers Delight”, I say download it.
13. Thanks for the interview, any last words for the fans?
Thank you thank you thank you….keep it real, booyaka booyaka boo.
You can now download the Driven Far Off Podcast teaser. It’s just a glimpse into what we will be offering on the Podcast. Stay tuned for Episode 1 coming soon.
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Last night, I got to chill out with Travis, Matt, and Disashi of Gym Class Heroes in their van, and let me tell you, these guys are awesome. Matt didn’t talk much, and Disashi mostly laughed, but they’re cool dudes. Travis is one of the straightest guys I’ve met, and if you ever get a chance to meet this amazing person, please do so and show him some love.
Trevor: So this is the end of the tour, right?
Travis: Yeah, tomorrow’s the last date.
Trevor: How’s it been so far?
Travis: Awesome. Really, really awesome. But now it’s kinda come to the point where we’re all like, “Alright, let’s wrap this up and go home.”
(Laughter)
Travis: It’s always like that. It could be the coolest tour ever but once it wraps down to the last two or three days it can get pretty grueling.
Matt: I kind of equate it to the last week of school, you know, before summer vacation. It’s kind of like that.
Trevor: I know the fans here are into music that’s a lot different from what you guys play, but have they been reacting really well to you guys?
Travis: Well I mean there’s never a crowd, and there won’t be for a while, that’s all our own. Like, I mean before, when we first started playing, there weren’t kids there to see us at all. Now you’ll see groups, and you’ll see the kids that like to merge and it’s really really cool. I think I’m more comfortable..well, I wouldn’t want to say more comfortable, but I wouldn’t..I don’t know how I would take it if there was a whole crowd there to see us. I mean, it’s cool, but it’s also cool to take kids that necessarily wouldn’t listen to us in any other situation and have them go home and say, “That was cool.”
Trevor: Is there a specific band on this tour that you guys have been watching and digging a lot?
Travis: He Is Legend. Those guys are blowing me away.
Trevor: They’re awesome live. I saw them back in June and it was a crazy show.
Travis: Those guys are amazing. One of my new favorite bands. They’re really, really, really, really great dudes, too.
Trevor: What have you guys been doing to keep you occupied? I mean, this has been a really long tour. Weren’t there two runs of it?
Travis: Yeah, Gatsby’s and then He Is Legend. We’ve been doing the same shit we do any other tour. We listen to music, I’ve been doing a lot of video editing and shit and um..
Matt: We just bought the new Tony Hawk. We’ve been playing that a lot.
Travis: Yeah, it’s really fun.
Trevor: Alright, your labelmates, Panic! At the Disco..they’re uh..they’re blowing up. Do you guys have an opinion on that? I asked October Fall about it and they were stoked about it, and I talked to Panic! and of course they were stoked. So what do you think of it?
Travis: I think it’s awesome man. Definitely. Especially like..anybody that you have a correlation with, you’re always excited for them to further..you know what I mean, to go further and I think it’s beautiful.
Trevor: Speaking of Panic!, do you think there’s a chance of a Decaydance Tour later?
Travis: Um..perhaps. I mean, shit is so crazy right now, I mean, we’re writing our new record and stuff, but I’m sure something like that or another Fueled By Ramen Tour will go down soon, in the next year or so.
Trevor: Yeah, and you guys were wanting to record this winter, right? Do you have any dates scheduled to start recording?
Travis: Actually, we start writing right after this tour. We’re gonna take like three days off and then start writing the record right away, so we’re shooting for this winter and it’ll definitely be out by next summer.
Trevor: Is that when you’d like for it to be out? This summer?
Travis: Yeah, definitely.
Trevor: Is there the chance of any more collaborations like “Naked Peek-A-Boo?”
Travis: Uh..I mean, there might be. I mean, there’s definitely a lot of artists we’ve toured with that we have in mind for our next album. It’s going to be really tasteful as opposed to just getting somebody on our record for namesake. You might even have to like..like..dig into it to find who’s actually on the record. It’s gonna be one of those deals.
Trevor: Alright, so you went to the UK. How was that?
Travis: Amazing! We played one show. Just one show. We just hung out, and it was incredible. I can’t wait to go back. It’d be really awesome.
Trevor: Okay, “The Papercut Chronicles”. I’ve noticed a lot of the album has serious topics, and then there’s humorous stuff in it. Did you try to balance it out, or did it just come out that way?
Travis: I think that it’s my life in a nutshell. My lifestyle, you know? I don’t think anybody in this band takes themselves too seriously. And I think that’s how I’ve delt with serious stuff. I throw a little humor on, or look at it in a humorous way. And I don’t know..laughing. Laughing is probably one of the coolest, healthiest forms of therapy, for me at least. So when it came time to post the album, I definitely wanted to touch things that were relevant and things going on in my life, but at the same time, have a little fun. I think that’s one of the cool things about Gym Class, is that, like I said, we don’t take ourselves too seriously and have a lot of fun with what we do. I think the next album will definitely have the same element. It’ll have a little humor to it. I like making…girls laugh.
(Laughter)
Trevor: I asked some people if they had any questions that they wanted me to ask you so these are a little bit off the wall.
Travis: Alright, alright. Cool.
Trevor: Um…how often do you get snakebit?
Travis: Oh man! I know exactly where that came from. Was that from Erika?
Trevor: I’m pretty sure. She was like, “Ask him that, he’ll crack up!”
Travis: That’s so funny. Oh man, I get snakebit way too much and the anti-venoms don’t even work anymore.
Trevor: Are any of you guys cereal guys? Do you like any specific ceral?
(Matt shakes his head and Disashi continues to chill in the back of the van.)
Travis: I love ceral. Shit, I love soggy, cinnamon Life.
(Laughter)
Trevor: Brittany really wants to know where you went to art school.
Travis: Munsen Williams in Proctor, in Utica New York. Don’t go there.
(Laughter)
Travis: Don’t support the demons.
Trevor: Are you guys going to be going through Miami any time soon?
Travis: Miami? Um..(Looks back at Matt)
Matt: Orlando.
Travis: Yeah, we’ll be in Orlando next week, or in a couple of weeks. But um..Miami may have to wait until the next album’s, done.
Matt: I don’t think we’ve ever played in Miami.
Travis: I don’t think we have, either.
Trevor: Speaking of Florida, with the hurricanes and everything, what do you think about that?
Travis: It sucks. It sucks and I feel fortunate that we live in New York and really don’t have to worry about crazy shit like that. I mean, we get ice storms and stuff, but I can’t imagine having to put up with fear the minute a storm comes, and you’re worried that your house is going to get washed away or something.
Trevor: A lot of crazy shit has happened over the past few weeks. You had Andy from the Junior Varsity’s girlfriend…
Travis: That was really tragic.
Trevor: And then Bayside…
Travis: It’s crazy, man. Like, my heart goes out to all those people who were involved or have any relation to those kids or to Beatz, you know. I mean, it’s really really tragic and it’s hard. Especially being on the road. Anything can happen out here. We’re constantly hearing stories, whether it’s someone getting killed, someone dying, vans or trailers getting jacked, I mean, it’s really crazy. Like, we’re out here trying to entertain people and have fun doing what we love to do, but there’s constantly, you’re constantly in the back of your mind thinking, “Damn anything can happen right now or tomorrow.” I mean, I was talking about bands getting robbed, it’s like the new black. I mean, trailers..and bands getting their equipment stolen. Like, the other night I was just..up, like seriously checking the window every five seconds, you know what I’m saying? The road is crazy man. There’s a lot of cool things that happen out here, but there’s also a lot of crazy things we have to deal with.
Trevor: How difficult was it to think of the basic structure of each song for “The Papercut Chronicles?”
Travis: Lyrically it was like, I would start out and the first line would determine how the rest of the song was gonna go. Like, the first two lines, and once that idea was in the air, I mean, if it’s a fictional story or whatever you want to do with it. Once there’s the idea, you just tumble with it, fall with it until you like it and then you mold it and play with it for a while.
Trevor: And this one’s from me. You still love Kelly Clarkson?
Travis: Shit yeah man, are you kidding me? (Unzips his jacket to reveal an “I <3 Kelly Clarkson” t-shirt)
Trevor: Haha, that’s freaking awesome.
(Laugher)
Trevor: Thanks for sitting down with me.
Travis: No problem man, no problem.