Tag Archives: Fat Wreck Chords

Cleveland, Interview, Music, Music Video, Pop, Punk, Rock

Interview: Ray & Kody of Teenage Bottlerocket

15 August, 2012 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Do I really need to sit here and type an intro for Teenage Bottlerocket? I am sure many of you who are reading this know who this band is and what they are all about. In the last few years they have been turning heads with their pop punk fun and special humor. Currently the band has become one of the more talked about bands on the Fat Wreck Chords roster with their recently dropped album Freak Out!. It’s easily one of my favorite releases of 2012.

I’ve been privileged to have caught this act years ago and knew back then that they would be going places one day. A few years back I was fortunate to have the chance to interview Ray just as the band signed with Fat Wreck Chords. They were still getting noticed at the time and it just a fun experience. When I heard that they was going to hit the road this summer headlining their own tour, I was stoked and felt the need to chat with them again.

This time around I was able to talk with Ray and Kody about their new release as well as whatever else came to mind. Enjoy!

How’s it going guys?

Ray: Going Great, Thanks for asking.

This is killing me so I need to get it out of the way, but last time we chatted we were talking about the worst city you ever played in and Ray said Las Cruces, NM. Well, recently I moved to Las Cruces, NM, and have caught a minor case of depression knowing you may never come down this way again. I understand. Perhaps that can change one day as I would love to see you guys live again. Can I bribe you all with chicken tacos or something?

Ray: Chicken enchiladas might be a bribe we would take.

Kody: I love Mexican food so you’re on the right path with the chicken tacos, but you’re going to have to throw something else in there too. 6 pack of HAMMS?

Shane_Salazar_01 — Photo by Shane Salazar

HAMMs….check. Seriously though, I am sure a lot has changed in the last two years since we first chatted. First off, congrats on an all new album! How stoked are you for all your fans to hear?

Ray: Very stoked to see the fans reaction to the songs, especially live. I cant wait to get out there and play these songs.

Kody: I’m stoked. I think it’s our best record yet.

The album rules. Once again you guys have impressed the hell out of me with your fun punk rock jams. Thank you.

Ray: You’re very welcome.

Kody: All in a day’s work!

You all crammed back into the Blasting Room again to record Freak Out. How did it feel to be in the recording studio working with Andrew Berlin?

Ray: Very comfortable. It was great to work with Andrew again, he is the secret 5th member of the band.

Kody: Working with Andrew is awesome. He’s one of us.

Any reason for calling the new album Freak Out!?

Kody: Yes.

Ray: We usually try to name our records after songs. Originally we were going to call the record Summertime. After we recorded, Summertime just didn’t really fit the feel of the album. We all agreed Freak Out! was a better title.

“Necrocomicon” is amazing. Who came up with that brilliant song?

Kody: Me. It’s about the comic book of the dead……get it?

Ray: I love it.

Are there any songs on the album you happen to favor?

Kody: It’s hard to pick a favorite. Songs you write for a record are like children. It’d be tacky and wrong to claim one as your favorite.

Ray: I really like “Go With The Flow” and “In The Pit.” I have a special place in my heart for all the songs.

Did you do anything differently this time around or did you keep with the same sound?

Ray: We have developed our sound a little more, nothing too out there, but I think we have all gotten better at our instruments.

Kody: We used a keyboard on one of the songs. Aside from that….no.

So tell me about the video you shot for the first single off the new album, “Headbanger”.

Kody: We threw a party at Brandon’s house and a bunch of our buddies showed up sporting all kinds of heavy metal gear. So we got wrecked and recorded it.

Ray: Its a Heavy Metal party. Our friend “Magic Cyclops” is in the video, he’s the headbanger.

That song was actually written by a previous band you guys were in, SACK, right?. How long ago was that band in full force?

Kody: SACK was around for about a year and a half maybe. It was never really full force. We played three shows and they were all a fucking disaster. I blame the booze. It was a fun band though.

Ray: They were back when the “Get Wrecked” album was recorded. I think it was sometime in 2003. SACK shreds!

Any other videos in the works?

Ray: None at the moment.

You are about to embark on a huge tour in support of Freak Out!, how does it feel to get back on the road?

Kody: Awesome. This last break we took [from touring] has been the longest since we started. It’s always fun playing shows and hanging out with earth other and all our buddies in other cities.

Who are you most excited to be sharing the tour with? I must say I am bummed the hell out to not be in Cleveland to see Nothington play with you guys… (and The Beat Kids…haha)

Ray: I’m excited to hang with everyone. I really like all the bands we are touring with.

Kody: I’m stoked to have all the bands out with us. We’re lucky that we can have a say in who we take out with us. So it’s always a blast going out as a headliner cause we get to take our buddies with. I’m stoked to see Masked Intruder. That ep they put out cracks me up.

So who in the band decided that Teenage Bottlerocket needed to cover some Joy Division songs?

Ray: Kody came to me with the idea and I was all about it. I wasn’t familiar with “Ice Age”, but I knew “We Walked In Line.” The 7″ turned out great. It was cool to have Clearview involved with one of our releases again.

Kody: Todd Greene at Clearview brought it up cause he knew that we were into Joy Division. He picked “Ice Age” and we picked “Walked in Line.”

Any chance you guys will do something like this again?

Ray: We are doing a special vinyl release with Clearview, but I don’t want to give too much away. It’s going to be really cool.

Kody: I would say yes. We’ve always had fun covering other bands tunes and recording that shit.

Did you guys ever think your bad would get where it is today?

Kody: And where is that?

Ray: I never thought it would, but I always wanted it to.

10 years together as a band; that is pretty damn impressive. Are things getting easier for you all?

Ray: Yes, We just know how to do it a little better now, not too much better, but a little.

How was insubordination Fest?

Kody: It was rad.

Ray: It was alot of fun. Great bands, and Natural Bohemian beer.

“Bigger Than Kiss” made it on Rock Band. Dudes, you totally have a video game song. Is it weird playing it yourselves?

Ray: Haha, I haven’t ever played it. I was stoked “Crashing” got into Skate 2. I like skateboard video games more than the Guitar Hero stuff. I really suck at playing those guitars.

Kody: I’m more of a Guitar Hero kind of guy. Next question.

So, just a random out of nowhere question, does it freak you out that so many of the bands on the covers of music magazines like AP and whatnot are more or less dressed in drag?

Not at all, its nothing new, take a look at the front cover of the 1st New York Dolls records, or Look What the Cat Dragged In by Poison. I think its cool. I don’t know any of those bands, but they look different, and that’s cool with me. I get bummed out on the way every one in my hometown of Laramie, Wyoming, wears North Face jackets, and they try to look all “Colorado”. I wish they dressed like the New York Dolls, so I guess its sort of a breath of fresh air, in kind of an odd way.

Kody: It would freak me out more if they weren’t dressed.

Both valid points. I still question what happened to some of these kids…

Kody: Bath salts!

Enough of me sounding like grandpa punk… Let me turn this interview over to you. Any thing you guys would like to say?

Ray: Please come check us out if we are playing in your area. It would mean a lot to us.

Teenage Bottlerocket’s Freak Out! is currently available at Fat Wreck Chords.

I reviewed the album a couple weeks back and loved it.

Teenage Bottlerocket is currently on tour in support of Freak Out!. Check out their dates below and for the love of all things punk…go see them live. They really put on a good show.

Metal Sucks posted their own thoughts about “Headbanger”. It’s hilarious although I think they are serious.

Teenage Bottlerocket Tour Dates:

08/17/12 – Cleveland, OH – Now That’s Class w/ Nothington, Masked Intruder
08/18/12 – London, ON Canada – Call The Office w/ Nothington, Masked Intruder
08/19/12 – Toronto, ON Canada – Horseshoe w/ Nothington, Masked Intruder
08/20/12 – Montreal, QC, Canada – Les Foufounes Electriques w/ Nothington, Masked Intruder
08/21/12 – Cambridge, MA – Middle East w/ Nothington, Masked Intruder
08/22/12 – New York, NY – Santo’s Party House w/ Nothington, Masked Intruder
08/23/12 – Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Lanes w/ Nothington, Masked Intruder
08/24/12 – Philadelphia, PA – The Barbary w/ Nothington, Masked Intruder
08/25/12 – Baltimore, MD – Otto Bar w/ Nothington, Masked Intruder
08/26/12 – Pittsburgh, PA – Garfield Artworks w/ Nothington, Masked Intruder
09/13/12 – Omaha, NE – The Sandbox
09/14/12 – Minneapolis, MN – Cabooze w/ NOFX, Dilliner Four, Arms Aloft
09/15/12 – Chicago, IL – Riot Fest
09/17/12 – Lansing, MI – Mac’s Bar
09/18/12 – Indianapolis, IN – Deluxe w/ NOFX
09/19/12 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts w/ NOFX
09/20/12 – Nashville, TN – The High Watt
09/21/12 – Little Rock, AR Downtown Music Hall
09/22/12 – Dallas, TX – Riot Fest
10/09/12 – Des Moines, IA – Gas Lamp w/ Masked Intruders
10/11/12 – Madison, WI – The Frequency w/ Toys That Kill, Masked Intruder
10/13/12 – Detroit, MI – Magic Stick- Lounge w/ Toys That Kill, Masked Intruder
10/14/12 – Fort Wayne, IN – The Brass Rail w/ Toys That Kill, Masked Intruder, Flaming Nosebleed
10/15/12 – St. Louis, MO – Firebird w/ Smoke Or Fire, Masked Intruder
10/16/12 – Kansas City, MO – Record Bar w/ Smoke Or Fire, Masked Intruder
10/17/12 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Conservatory w/ Smoke Or Fire, Masked Intruder
10/19/12 – Houston, TX – Walter’s w/ Smoke Or Fire, Masked Intruder
10/20/12 – Austin, TX – Red Seven w/ Smoke Or Fire, Masked Intruder
10/21/12 – Corpus Christi, TX – House of Rock w/ Smoke Or Fire, Masked Intruder
10/22/12 – San Antonio, TX – Korova w/ Smoke Or Fire, Masked Intruder
10/27/12 – Atlanta, GA – The Loft w/ Propagandhi, The Menzingers

Music, New Release, Pop, Punk, Review

Album Review: Teenage Bottlerocket – Freak Out!

21 July, 2012 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Small town pop punk heroes Teenage Bottlerocket have done it again…

You know what? Why make you all wait to read this entire review to find out what I think, Freak Out is nothing short of what I would ever have expected from this Wyoming foursome. Full of hilarious, catchy, and memorable pop-punk tracks, Teenage Bottlerocket has released one of their best albums to date.

There, review done. Go buy it.

Ok, for the sake of those who might want to know a little more, I suppose I can talk about Freak Out a little more. After all, what else do I have to do right now?

Formed in 2001 in Laramie, WY, Teenage Bottlerocket started small and soon got noticed the old fashioned way. With no gimmicks and hard work the band was not only picked up by Red Scare Records, but also grabbed the attention of the Groovie Ghoulies who had them play their stage at a Warped Tour. In 2009, Teenage Bottlerocket signed to Fat Wreck Cords and dropped They Came From The Shadows, an impressive release that immediately grabbed this listener’s attention. It’s had to believe that it’s been 3 years since that album dropped; I still listen to it regularly.

Freak Out is the band’s fifth release and immediately started off where They Came From The Shadows dropped off. The 39-second title track screamed Ramones in a good good way. I loved the “1, 2, 3, 4” count in the background. Following the opening track was “Headbanger”, and it straight up ruled. There is nothing quite like a punk rock song glorifying an 80s metal party and especially one that rocked out from start to finish. I loved the fact that said headbanger got a concussion from whipping around his hair and the band noting “that shit can’t be good for your brain.”

“Necrocomicon” was brilliant. The song revolved around “the comic book of the dead” in San Diego. Fun lyrics with Yoda and Captain Kirk aiming to attack thanks to an evil curse. Seriously, I totally expected Teenage Bottlerocket to write something like that. “Maverick” continued as a catchy ass track talking about the other guy in Top Gun that did not go on to have a flourishing career making movies while battling to stay in the closet.

Not all jokes and tributes to movies, “Done With Love” was more serious about anti-love surrounded by riffs and hooks that made for one of my favorite tracks on the album. “Punk House Of Horror” was another track I really got a kick out of that had Teenage Bottlerocket just producing fun pop-punk music. “Never Going To Tell You” followed in the lines of something Screeching Weasel might have written without ripping them off one bit.

At my current age, it was nice to find out that “In The Pit” actually made fun of mosh pits rather than glorify them. Once upon a time my dumb ass ran around in circles and probably pissed off tons of people. That was then, and this is now and I appreciated that song a lot and apologize for my mindless actions as a confused youth in the 90s.

“Summertime” screamed to be the anthem for the rest of my summer. Singing of being sick of the cold and snow and going to where it is “hot as Mexico”, I am sure some of you can sense why I liked this song so much. Beyond that, it was a punk rock love song I am sure many of my Ohio friends can relate to.

“Go With The Flow” ended the album on a rather personal level about growing up and moving on. I liked how the song circled back around enough to show different levels of hurt from each side. The music that played with it was a tad different over the other songs in the sense that there was what sounded like a keyboard in there. Seeing two sides of the departure made the song that much more interesting to listen to.

The album is a quick but lasting listen with 14 tracks carrying just below a half hour. Freak Out is one of those albums that easily can be listened to over and over without getting sick of it, trust me on that. Teenage Bottlerocket easily has dropped their best release to date and intend to take their talent to the road for all to hear.

Fans of the Ramones and Screeching Weasel (even early Green Day) probably already know who Teenage Bottlerocket is and what they are all about: pop punk with fun, easy to sing along to lyrics. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s hard to not like this band, especially for the fact that they have not really changed up their style much and still drop excellent releases. It’s nice to see a level of consistency for a 10-year-old band not because they have not gone anywhere, but because they choose to stick to what they do best. As they are just starting to get heavily noticed, I hope to hell they keep their sound for 10 more years. It’s perfect.

Acoustic, Music, New Release, Punk, Review, Rock

Album Review: Joey Cape / Tony Sly – Acoustic Volume 2

26 June, 2012 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Has it really been been 8 years since Tony Sly and Joey Cape released their first solo album collectively? I can remember the day I heard cuts off that release and bragged to my close friends about it. Soon they were just as hooked as I was with the acoustic renditions of Lagwagon and No Use For a Name (NUFAN) songs.

Hearing those punk rock songs acoustically was just something so new and exciting for this listener. Keep in mind, this was before many of the punk musicians started their acoustic projects. It was a new method of sorts and would pave a side road for punk rock music forever. It’s save to say the revival was made possible by Cape and Sly.

Cape and Sly would continued with their solo careers separately after the release and both dropped some remarkable albums, but nothing was as memorable as their first attempt. Over the past 8 years, Cape and Sly really built their reputation as solo artists and decided it was time again to take some of their classic songs and create acoustic renditions of them for all to head. Needless to say when I found out via Fat Wreck Chords that Cape and Sly were releasing Acoustic Volume 2, I got a tad excited.

Once again the duo took 5 songs each from their back catalogs and turned them into acoustic masterpieces. To keep with the idea of their original attempt, they both wrote and recorded brand new tracks to add to the mix. The result is a sequel to an amazing release that follows the same path of awesomeness.

Cape took the first half of the album and started it with “I Must Be Hateful” taken from 2003’s Blaze. The already amazing song sounded more powerful than ever when broke down into acoustic form. Cape loses the rasp in his voice and gently sings with assistance from soft piano.

“Know It All” was one of my favorite tracks off of 1994’s Trashed, and 18 years later it continued to impress me on a different caliber. “Alison’s Disease”, originally found on Live Fat, Die Young, was a tearjerker to listen to. I remember the original on the Fat Wreck compilation, but this round was almost as hard to listen to as Fat Mike’s acoustic version of “My Orphan Year”. Amazing on how slowing down a song can unleash so much emotion.

I was so happy to hear “Resolve” on this release. Listening to Cape play a more folky version brought a smile to my face even though the track pays homage to their drummer Derrick Piourde who passed in 2005. “Broken Record”, Cape’s all new track, followed the same path as previous tracks with a mellow mood. The song perked up half way through but ended just as soon as it started.

Sly took over the remainder of the album with a powerful version of “Black Box”. Maybe it was the accordion in the background with piano and a strings section, but the new and improved version taken off the 2005 NUFAN release Keep Them Confused sounded better than ever.

“Soulmate” was my choice track off this release. The track was already one of my favorites in the 90s on Leche con Carne! and hearing it all over again in a different way was just refreshing. A new take on an old classic was just what I was looking to hear. I could not help but feel the same way I did when I heard “Justified Black Eye” for the first time in acoustic form back in 2004. It brought a smile to my face and I instantly sung along.

“Chasing Rainbows” was a fun take on the original found on More Betterness!, but overall I still preferred the 1999 original. “Pre-Medicated Murder”sounded nothing like the version found on Hard Rock Bottom. The slowed down version was eerie in a sense to listen to and enhanced the lyrics so much more.

Sly’s original, “Liver Let Die”, was a barroom masterpiece in it’s own carried by strumming acoustic guitar. The song was likable and held out an instant invite for me to learn the chorus and sing along. The track ended with a crowd chanting “one more song, one more song” and to me was a perfect way to put this release to sleep. It also provided for a taste of what Sly has in store for his listeners in future releases.

What happens when punk musicians age? They grow up, maybe have a family, live life, but never put down the guitar. If you are thinking that this album is “just another punk rock side project” you are wrong. This album is a celebration by two men and their career featuring some classic songs. I am glad I only had to wait 8 years for this because honestly, 10 years might have been too long.

If you like NUFAN and Lagwagon, chances are you already know about Acoustic Volume 2. If you dig acoustic music, check it out, you will not be disappointed. Punk rock or not, this duo make for some amazing renditions of classic cuts I feel many can appreciate regardless of what genre of music is preferred.

90's, Music, New Release, Pop, Punk, Review, Rock

Album Review: Useless ID – Symptoms

27 February, 2012 Brian Mc 3 Comments

As many of you know, good, wholesome punk rock is not just an American thing. Middle Eastern punk rockers Useless ID can prove that and have been for almost 18 years. The foursome, who hail from Haifa, Israel, signed with Fat Wreck Chords last year and recently released Symptoms.

So what took Fat Wreck Chords so long for them to suck them in? Well, perhaps because the band never seems to sit still and is too busy playing shows all over the world and befriending anyone in their path. Regardless, Fat Wreck Chords has them now and I seriously doubt they will be letting go anytime soon.

Symptoms was recorded with the legendary Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore (Rise Against, NOFX) at The Blasting Room Studios once the band was able to come back to the states from their current hometown of Tel Aviv. The result of months of hard work is a pop punk gem that Fat Wreck Chords should be beyond proud of. (I’m talking “dad, I just won my first fistfight in grade school” proud.)

“Live or Die” started the 12-track album off full of pop punk goodness. I was set back at how great this song started off the album. The lyrics were catchy, the music was solid and I wanted more. Good thing I was only on the first track. Lucky for me “Before It Kills” followed with the same amount of substance I was already craving. Hell, the second track was better than the first.

“I’m just suffering with you” repeats throughout “Normal With You”, a very singable track. “Erratic” hints heavily towards something Lagwagon might have meant to do years ago. I loved the lyrics on this track a lot and found myself singing “Down over the low, there’s always something on my nerves that gets me so erratic” almost instantaneously. Add in a great breakdown halfway though, and you have yourself a must hear song on the album.

“Mani Depression” sounded to me like what would happen if the Descendants and Cobra Skulls would have joined forces. This was another killer track on the album and I think anyone who thinks that 90s punk rock is the best should take a listen to this track. I felt 18 all over again listening to it and favored this track over all of the others without a doubt. “Sleeping With Knives” was another track I just dug a whole lot. It was just one of those songs that once I listened to it for the first time, it felt like I had heard it a million times before.

If “Symptoms” was the post-breakup song, then “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder” without a doubt was the “I’m so over you” realization. “Your obsessive compulsive disorder creeps me out, I don’t want it” loops throughout the track that hints at anything more than to go away. “Somewhere”, on the other hand, ended the album with almost a feared reconciliation.

If i had to describe what Useless ID sounded like to someone, I would tell them to take the pop punk from the Ataris, vocals of Milo and mix them up with loads of Cali 90s punk rock riffs. Symptoms has been in the CD player of my car for weeks now. I have listened to it over and over form start to finish and each time it ends I just tell myself that I need another listen.

It’s early on in 2012 and Symptoms already has a place on my best of list. This was a shocker of a release for me. I have a split by them as well as The Lost Broken Bones, but there is just something about this album that has turned them from a punk band I like, to one I adore. This is about the time when I tell everyone that I will be digging into their catalog. That is a given. If you like 90s punk rock you need to check out Useless ID’s latest release.

Austin, Cleveland, Interview, Music, Punk, Reggae, Rock, Ska, SXSW

Interview: Chicken of Dead To Me

11 December, 2011 Brian Mc 1 Comment

San Francisco punk rockers Dead To Me recently dropped a new album titled Moscow Penny Ante on Fat Wreck Chords. The band, having been around since 2003, has had their fair share of changes with musicians coming and going, but never really lost their sound. Their ability to mix up a bunch of genres like reggae and ska into their punk rock groove always stood out to me. Having caught them twice this year, you could say I dig them a little.

Having toured the US in 2011, the band will be heading to Europe for a tour in 2012. I seriously do not think these guys, between touring and recording, ever take a break.

Recently I had the opportunity to chat with bassist / vocalist Chicken. He was more than kind in doing an interview with me. Check it out:

BHP: So, how’d 2011 treat you guys?

Chicken: This year has been great for us! We have toured pretty much non stop and we recorded a new album and released it. So needless to say we have been very, very busy. It’s a good thing.

I’ve been lucky enough to see DTM twice this year, once in SXSW. Any comments about that magical evening in March?

That night was crazy. I learned how to play guitar listening to Screeching Weasel, so I was pretty bummed out about what happened. I just wish the whole thing never happened. It was a bummer too because the other bands that played (Dead To Me, Banner Pilot, The Flatliners) all worked really hard to get to Austin for SXSW and we all played great sets. Unfortunately, no one remembers because of the whole Ben Weasel fiasco.

DTM played CMJ in NYC recently. How did it go for you guys?

CMJ in New York was so much fun. Fat Wreck did a great job of putting together an amazing evening of awesome bands. We had a blast! We played two shows in one day in NYC, and that is super hard to do. Just getting around NYC with all our gear is a nightmare, but we pulled it off. We played a free show in SoHo at the Chrome Bag store with kegs of beer and lots of drunk New York hipsters. Good times.

Your band’s style mixes up a plethora of punk rock goodness that spans from almost a street punk to a reggae-vibe. Was this style how DTM always was since its inception or has the band experimented throughout the years?

We have always just wanted to write songs that we want to hear. If it has a little Reggae vibe to it, then so be it. We love bands from all different genres like Hip Hop, Reggae, Hardcore, World Music, etc… so we just want to be able incorporate all of our influences into the songwriting process.

Fat Wreck Chords has been there for you since your debut. How does it feel to be on their roster? You actually worked for them for a few years correct? Being employed by Fat Mike on two different levels…nice.

Yeah, it is awesome being on FAT. I used to work in the mail room there and it was so much fun. It was like a family vibe for sure. We did tons of stuff together, not just work. We would play in bands together, go to shows together, go out to eat all the time and all that. Now being in a band on the label, I consider it an honor. When I call the label and have questions about this or that, I am talking to people that have known me personally for over ten years now, so I trust them completely. It’s a great feeling for sure.

DTM’s new album Moscow Penny Ante dropped a couple months back. It is a great release by the way. What can you tell me about this new release?

We are all really excited about our new record, Moscow Penny Ante. I love the job Matt Allison did producing it and am so excited to be playing new songs live, it rules. We have been touring so much over the last two years that this batch of songs is a very good reflection of the live spirit of DTM. It is much more cohesive than African Elephants and has a little more straight forward delivery I think.

Does the title have any reference to your country of origin?

No, I grew up in California. The title is taken from a term Malcolm X used to define his crew of small time thugs in Harlem, NY. I feel like a small timer in a sea of boys in bands that want to be big time and I could care less. I am happy with everything we have been able to do and I’m riding this thing until the wheels fall off. I never though in a million years that because of songs I wrote in my bedroom, it would take me to places as far away as Moscow.

What was done differently on this album that stands out over previous releases?

I feel like there as an overall confidence in song writing on this new record that wasn’t as apparent on previous releases. We got experimental on African Elephants and I love that record for that, but on Moscow Penny Ante I felt way more confident with what my melodies would end up sounding like and how I wanted the guitars to sound.

Will the band be taking a break anytime soon. Seems like you boys have been touring all over the world this year?

What is a break? I’ve never heard of that before.

Aside from DTM, your drummer Ian does some amazing artwork on used vinyl. I am kicking myself in the ass for not buying one when you played in Cleveland. How long typically does it take him to turn a beat up vinyl into a work of art?

I am sure he will be bringing some with him on our European tour in Jan/Feb 2012 so come to a show and try to grab one before they sell out. His pieces can take anywhere from an hour to twenty minutes to three hours sometimes. It depends on what materials he has laying around and how much time he has available to work on something.

Would you agree that punk is not dead?

It never has been and never will be!!

Did you ever think that you would be where you are now 20 years ago?

I definitely used to dream about playing in a touring punk band all the time 20 years ago. I knew with all my heart that it was what I wanted to do. I feel so insanely fortunate that I am able to do it now. I have literally traveled much of the globe and met amazing people world wide. I feel very lucky to be on FAT and lucky to have been able to play with some of my all time favorite bands over the years. It’s like living in a dream, it rules.

Awesome. Well that’s all I got…anything you care to add?

Thank you for the interview, we appreciate it! To anyone reading this, come hang out when we come t Europe in early 2012, it’s gonna be a blast!