Q: Would you rather be a commercially accepted band, yet rejected by your
original core fans or accepted by your core fans?
A: Ultimately, I would like the best of both worlds, like Led
Zeppelin or U2 or Radiohead have enjoyed, where the audience is large but they
trust you to lead them on an interesting journey. Of course, that kind of
success is extremely rare. Most commercial success is fickle and fleeting,
based on music industry concerns that have nothing to do with music. If I had
to make a choice, I would rather have a smaller but faithful hardcore fanbase
that knows every album inside out rather than any short-lived one-(or even
two)-hit-wonder success, however massive. I'd rather be PJ Harvey over Peter
Frampton. Any day.
Q: Who/ What are your musical/ life influences?
A: Too many to name. Everything from Ornette Coleman to Black Flag
to the women in my life to lack of (enough) money.
Q: If you could go out on tour with any bands/ solo artists who would you
choose? And why?
A: The Icarus Line. The Mars Volta. I think we would go over well
with those audiences.
Q: Which one of you came up with the name of the band? What inspired you?
A: I guess I came up with the name. Inspired by alcohol and the
film Rosemary's Baby. Check out both if you haven't already.
Q: What would you( as a band) like to be remembered for the most?
A: The honesty and timelessness of our music.
Q: Would you call yourself more of a studio band or a live band?
A: So far, we've mostly been a live band. Our first two albums,
"Comes With The Fall" and "The Year Is One," were essentially recorded "live in
the studio," with the band set up just as we would for a show and me playing
guitar and singing simultaneously for many of the keeper performances. There
were very minimal overdubs and no Pro Tools or digital manipulations of any
kind. Just microphones, magnetic tape and a whole lot of attitude. Both albums
were each recorded and mixed in 6 days. Our third album, "Live 2002," and the
expanded DVD "Live Underground 2002," were recorded over three consecutive
nights on our 2002 tour. The album and DVD were each mixed in one day. There
was no overdubbing or "fixing" whatsoever. What you see and hear is what you
get, exactly as it happened. I think this was the best way for a band like ours
to start out, just capturing the raw essence of what we are, both in the studio
and onstage, with no nonsense. It forced us to be focused and sharp and created
a good foundation for wherever we might go with our music in the future. Now
that we've accomplished that, I really look forward to our next album being
more of a bona fide studio album where the studio itself becomes yet another
instrument.
Q: What album and/ or song do you get more gratification out of playing?
A: It varies from night to night. "Unbreakable," "The 3 Wishes,"
"Strung Out On A Dream," and "Before The Fall" have all been consistent
favorites in the past. Currently, I'm looking forward to playing the new songs
that are being written right now.
Q: What are your thoughts on today's groupie scene? *note: no
incriminating tidbits needed...just your opinion*
A: I think it's alive and well. As it always was and always will
be.
Q: What sort of questions do you grow tired of answering in interviews?
A: See all of the above. But it's cool. I just make up different
lies each time. JUST KIDDING!!
