MEB staffer Austin Gordon recently caught up with the guys of Denton TX indie-rock outfit Valise to discuss their experiences recording their Dreamcatcher EP, their upcoming new full-length record, brotherly love, and more.

MEB: How did the line-up of you guys assimilate together?

Vince: It actually started off in the studio, we didn’t think we were going to be a band until we recorded these songs. Then afterwards, we were like “we have to do something with this”, and so from then on we decided to be Valise.

Tell me about your practice sessions, how do things usually come together when a new song is being formed? Is there a usual sort of “schedule” or is it relatively freeform?

Jared: Usually what will happen is Vince will come up with the bare bones of a song, or he’ll have a riff or an idea. He’ll show it to us at practice, we’ll start fleshing stuff out. Over the course of a few practices we’ll get the basics of a song written. As far as practicing goes, we either go to Casey’s house or my house, just set up in a room, and go for it.

Casey: Make some noises.

Pretty much throw down, right?

Casey: Basically.

Tell me about recording with Matt Wilbur of The Vanguard Room and the whole process itself.

Ricky: He’s the worst (laughs). It was awesome. We went down to Lakeland to do this, several of us were really excited because Matt’s partner is Aaron Marsh and we were big fans of Copeland, and we had heard of Woodale, which was Matt’s old band. They had some success in the southeast. We got down there, and none of us really knew Matt. I feel like from the first 10 minutes we were there, it was just like we had been friends for a long time, over some biscuits and gravy (laughs). It was fun. We all went in there with specific ideas with what we wanted on certain parts, things here and there. We had this idea that these songs were set, we had figured we had thought about everything. He brought so much to the table, like “what about this”? Really quality stuff that helped shape these songs up. It was a really good experience, it was really fun.

Do you plan on recording with him again or is there someone else in mind for the full-length? 

Casey: We definitely plan on working with Matt again, for at least the next full-length. We’re just so pleased with how the EP came out, I feel like it’d be silly to stop what we have now. In the future for future albums, we’re all open to working with different producers and getting different sounds. For right now, definitely Matt, definitely Vanguard Room.

I can definitely agree with that. Was there a general theme underlying the Dreamcatcher EP?

Vince: I can’t say that there was a general theme, there was just a few songs that I had written and once we got them all together they just cohesively matched up.

Casey: I feel like that’s where Matt came in, we blended them all together and gave them a theme.

An identity?

Casey: Yeah, yeah.

When thinking about the next record, what sort of elements are you working towards? Maybe more experimentalism or just further developing your sound?

Vince: In one of our newer songs, it’s called “Monster”, we’ve already experimented with some trumpet in it. As far as the full-length goes, I think we’re just trying to better what we did on the EP, and we’re just trying to get a little more dynamic with the songs. At least for me.

Casey: I definitely feel like the 4 of us are just growing as people, and we’re getting a lot closer to each other, and becoming better friends. And because of that naturally, we feel more comfortable with each other and we feel more comfortable with trying new things.

Ricky: I think naturally as artists, we want to progress and constantly be doing something better than what we were doing before. Constantly just growing musically, bigger than the last record, softer than the last record, faster and slower, everything in between. Continue growing as a unit.

That’s exactly what you’re wanting to do. Stay cohesive, stay tight, and further move. Keep exploring. What sort of topics do you guys plan to cover on the record?

Vince: I don’t really just choose a topic, usually it’s kinda just whatever hits me.

Casey: The topics choose us (laughs).

Vince: Yeah, I never thought Dreamcatcher would be what it was beforehand and it just came out. I definitely think the Dreamcatcher EP has a little bit of a different feel for each song lyrically, and I think I’ll continue that on the full-length.

Can we expect a possible release time later this year, maybe next year? 

Casey: December 21st, 2012 (laughs).

Vince: There’s no way we can know.

Jared: We have no idea. We haven’t even set any date for recording a full-length yet.   So there’s not really any way to tell.

Casey: As soon as we finish it.

Probably more or so next year?

Ricky: It’ll definitely be a 2013 release date.

Where do you draw your music and style of songwriting influences from? Any major, particular people?

Vince: I think it’s fair to say that each of us have a completely different taste in music. We all have the same appreciation for similar bands. For me, I’ve listed As Tall as Lions, and some Death Cab for Cutie, as a bit of an influence for me.

Ricky: I grew up listening to Stevie Ray Vaughn, and a lot of blues; Robert Cray, stuff like that. I was always a big Copeland fan. Just, so many different areas of music.

Casey: God, I like a lot of stuff. Radiohead, Bjork, Portishead, Tool, I love what Puscifer is doing; I love everything that Maynard does. The Flaming Lips.

Ricky: Casey can go all day (laughs).

I knew Radiohead was coming! 

Casey: They’re just the greatest (laughs).

Jared: I’ll listen to anything that can catch my attention, really. Favorite bands have to be Thrice and The Dear Hunter. I listen to them a lot.

The Dear Hunter, yes finally! I was waiting for that. Oh my god, amazing. You guys have a very varied style, but it all comes together in a way in the root. All the music just blends, and that’s what makes your music blend so well. So looking at the future, what is definitely next for Valise? Give me a large goal collectively.

Vince: We’re just gonna try to tour as much as possible. I think we owe it to ourselves to get this EP in as many hands as we can, and from there it’s pretty much just taking over the world (laughs).

Just going all out on the planet.

Ricky: We just wanna keep making music, because we love hanging out with each other and the music we write with each other. We love what we do.

Casey: And we love each other, as long as we stay true to that.

(Group awwww)

Ah man, he’s splurging right now (laughs). Any last words for the fans?

Vince: Come see us at a show.

Ricky: Buy our record.

Casey: Give us all of your money.

Ricky: Tell your friends (laughs).

Jared: On a serious note, we all just want to say a big collective thank you to everyone that’s supporting us though, because you can’t do anything without people supporting you.

————-

Thanks so much guys! Make sure to go check them out!

MEB staffer Austin Gordon recently sat down with the dudes from Pierce the Veil on their tour bus to discuss the current “No Guts No Glory” tour, as well as details about their upcoming new record, getting locked down in Hollywood, and more.

MEB: Let’s start with what’s going on right now, how is the “No Guts No Glory” tour going? I figured it’s pretty epic as from I can tell right now.

Vic: You could say that our minds equal blown. (laughs)

Nice plug. (laughs)

Jamie: Yeah man, the tour has been awesome. I think it actually exceeds our expectations. This tour has been insane. I can’t believe the turn-outs on some of these days. After doing the signing tonight, we knew Dallas was gonna be crazy.

Vic: We could have had a show with just the kids from the signing. There was that many kids.

Mike: I just want to thank Tino from Of Mice and Men for everything he’s done. We always thank Tino.

Surrounding all of the hype with fellow tour-mates letlive, do you think it’s great they’re touring as much as they are? I’ve literally caught them on 3 tours in the span of a year. Is there such thing as too much?

Vic: Not when you’re starting out, you know? That’s what we did, we just toured like crazy until we got our name out there a little more. We’re stoked to have letlive, we’re stoked to have all of the bands on the tour. Letlive in particular, they were one of the first bands we thought of when we were putting together a headlining tour. We just had to have them on it, because they’re doing something different and we like it.

Mike: I think kids just don’t really get it at first with letlive. I mean, kids all watch and clap which is awesome. It’s just I think it’s gonna take a little time for them to grow on them.

Vic: It’s so shocking, they put on such a crazy show and it’s such a different kind of music. Kids just want to watch it and be mesmerized. We’re stoked for them, they’re a punk rock band with a lot of soul.

I can completely agree with that.

The next time you guys get a tour lined up, who would you want to be on it? If it had to be bands that you haven’t toured with yet?

Jamie: That’s tough, it took us a long time to figure out this line-up. We got so lucky with this tour. It would take us a day to figure out a “dream” line-up.

Vic: I wanna tour with Sleeping With Sirens, because kids have been tweeting like crazy that we need to tour with them. So, I actually finally talked to their singer Kellen, and we’re going to hook it all up.

Do you think there are any misunderstood songs in your catalog? Maybe people take the context presented the wrong way?

Vic: We have a older song that’s called “I’d Rather Die Than Be Famous”. That wasn’t like a literal thing, it’s more because I’ve met so many stupid people in Hollywood. Those people think they’re so cool because they’re famous. If you’re not famous, they don’t even want to talk to you. There was so many people like that. That’s why I wrote that song, because it’s so mindblowing.

Now we know that you guys are in the process of creating the new record, what sort of elements are being brought into the writing mix? More theatrics? More screaming? Heavier riffs? Things of that nature.

Vic: It’s coming out a little more aggressive, a little more heavy lately. Not for any particular reason. Just that’s the riffs that are coming out. We’ve been touring with a lot of heavy bands. We’re getting in that zone. I don’t know, Jamie’s been working out a lot.

Jamie: I’ve been hitting the gym. We gotta start playing “man” music, you know what I mean?. We can’t be doing this “sissy la-la” stuff. (laughs)

Are there any topics you guys haven’t covered yet in a song but want to cover in the future?

Vic: I think this record is going to send out a little more positivity and little more boom-shaka-laka (laughs). We got a lot of kids that hit us up about really serious situations. Thoughts of suicide, and depression. We get it a lot from kids and they try and confide in our music. I want to keep that in mind while we’re doing it, that side.

Are there any songs you guys are most proud of? Like one of those kind of songs that 10 years ago you never could of imagined being involved in creating?

Vic: For me, there’s one song on the new record called “Stay Away From My Friends” where for a change we kept it super mellow and didn’t do a lot of things to it. Usually our songs have a million elements in them, tons of guitars, tons of crazy staff. That song we were like “Alright! We’re just gonna do this simple beat the whole time”. We made ourselves do it simple.

What has been the craziest thing to happen to you guys on tour so far?

Tony: In Hollywood, we were standing outside talking to our manager. A bunch of cops run up on a guy and he ends up getting shot right in front of us.

Are you serious?

Jamie: Yeah, we were part of a crime scene. We couldn’t leave.

Tony: Everyone else was inside, except for me and my friend Jaxin Hall and Mike.

Mike: There were undercover cops walking behind this guy, and they were about to pass us. Then they start running after this guy, and tackle him. We back up, because we thought they were normal people but undercover. We just heard a shot and all ran on the bus.

Jamie: I was on the bus and it was funny, because I was playing Tupac at the time. I just was like “Oh god!” Everybody just fell. “Get down!”.

Vic: The worst part about it, was for those of us that were not there could not get back to our bus until like 4 AM. It was a crime scene. It was crazy.

At what point in your tenure together as a band did everything just start to click? You know, that prevalent moment where everything was just coming together naturally?

Mike: It’s been a long, long journey for us. We didn’t just come from some label that put together a band. We gradually made our way up to where we are right now. I think that’s what’s cool about our band because our fans are so dedicated.

Jamie: It’s kinda crazy too, because we’ve been playing this venue since we started out opening for other tours and stuff. I was talking to a kid inside and she was so stoked for us. She was like “I remember when you guys were opening, and no one knew who you were. And you guys kept going and going and finally now you guys are headlining tonight and all of these kids are here”. You never really notice because you’re so busy. But it’s definitely crazy to think that we started from the bottom and just built this amazing fan base. It didn’t happen overnight. That’s why we’re on a first-name basis with tons of kids.

Mike: They grew up with us, pretty much.

Exactly. I can definitely vouch for that, because the first time I caught you guys was 4 years ago when you were opening for Scary Kids Scaring Kids right here, in this venue.

Vic: The singer from Miss May I Levi, was like “Dude, I saw you guys 4 years ago with my girlfriend on the Emery tour”. I was like “really”?

Jamie: It’s just crazy to see from playing to the 20 kids that knew who we were, until now is just crazy.

What are ya’lls favorite albums of 2011 so far?

Mike: Definitely not Yelawolf (laughs). What happened to trunk music?

Vic: There’s this dude that we rock all of the time called The Weeknd. He’s pretty badass.

Jamie: That record came out like 2 years ago, they did mixtapes in 2009. 2010 I think was the earliest one. We rock that a lot. I’ve been listening to the new Thrice a lot too.

Man, everyone’s been talking about Major/Minor. I can’t agree more really. It’s such a great record.

Jamie: In Europe I listened to it a lot, that’s when I got it. And it’s funny, because it reminded me of it today when they were playing it on the house music. I hear a song, and it brought me back. It’s so funny how music takes you to that place, I just thought of when we were in Europe when we were driving down the road. It’s a chill record to put on, and play cards to.

Mike: The new Mayday Parade.

Oh yeah! I just got that one too.

Vic: I’ve really been diggin’ that one.

What is the next step for Pierce the Veil?

Vic: We’re gonna record another album. We’re just gonna do it. We’re gonna keep the ball rolling this time instead of taking 3 years to write a record. We’ve already been working a lot on it, we’re writing on this tour as well. We have a studio in the back of the bus. So, after this tour we’re gonna record.

Any closing words for fans?

Vic: Don’t do drugs.

Jamie: Stay out of gangs.

Definitely don’t get shot in Hollywood.

Vic: Wear condoms.

Jamie: Only on the weekends though, cause monday-friday will be fine (laughs). Worst advice ever. Always give 20% for tips. Don’t go 15%, don’t be that guy. Go 20.

Go 20.

Mind Equals Blown staffer Shaun Tan recently had the opportunity to interview two members of Japanese Metal/Electronica band, Crossfaith. He spoke to vocalist Kenta Koie and Terufumi Tamano, who handles sampler/panorama duties, through band manager/translator Rew Kubayashi.

How did Crossfaith manage to break in to the European market with their first album? (The Artificial Theory for the Dramatic Beauty was released by Zestone Records in Japan in 2009)

Thank you so much. We used to be with Zestone Records, in Japan, but as of right now, we’ve signed with Sony Music Japan. The Dream, The Space was released in Japan in April this year, and in September in the States and on iTunes. Crossfaith’s dream is to eventually have a world tour!

Speaking about The Dream, The Space, now that the band has gotten wider exposure, how did the sound shift from the first album to adapt to a wider market?

They wanted to create a more passionate, sensitive sound, which they felt they were not able to fully portray on their first album.

There are a lot of bands that combine metal and electro and hardcore music – like Asking Alexandria and Attack Attack! – so how does Crossfaith distinguish themselves from the scene? What makes the band different?

Crossfaith is completely different from Asking Alexandria and Attack Attack!. We’re taking it to the next level (laughs). We know the kids say our music sounds like those bands, but we feel that it’s completely different. After we released TDTS, we started writing new songs for our next release, which should be out next spring. There’s going to be a more “hyper” sound.

I have to ask about the cover of “Omen” by The Prodigy that the band did. Why cover The Prodigy?

We really love The Prodigy so much! We were thinking that if we were to cover any song by The Prodigy, we had to make it better than the original!

How has the 2011 Japan tsunami and earthquake impacted the band?

We’re from Osaka and didn’t suffer any losses from the tsunami or earthquake, but we did a charity concert to help benefit our friends in Sendai. We help where we can. Some of the venues for live shows have been wrecked because of the earthquake.

Do Crossfaith plan on touring in America though? 

Actually, we are speaking to booking agents right now, and we can’t say who or what company, but I can say that it’s going to happen early next year. We might be doing a full tour of over 30 shows – as much as possible.

Chip Maestro is a brand new MIDI cartridge for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), developed by Jarek Lupinski. The project has so far received an overwhelming amount of support from backers on Kickstarter. You can hear the cartridge in action in the embedded video. Jarek was kind enough to answer these questions.

Mind Equals Blown: Jarek, first of all, congratulations on the success of your Kickstarter campaign. According to the website, you’ve reached 10 times your original funding goal and sold a full run of 150 cartridges. How does it feel?

Lupinski: It feels amazing. When I was first setting the goal many months ago, I set it at a point where I thought I would have the highest chance of getting this cartridge into as many musicians’ hands as possible. I really didn’t think the demand for this would be so large, and once this batch is being used and featured, perhaps even more people will be interested.

For those unfamiliar with the Chip Maestro, could you tell us who the product is made for, and how it is to be used?

The Chip Maestro is, most simply put, a special cartridge that turns any NES into a MIDI synthesizer. The target audience is any musician who wants an easy-to-use 8-bit synthesizer that can play back authentic tones made popular by the NES back in the day. The renaissance of chiptune and 8-bit sounds is strong, and many independent artists and even professional labels are using these sounds in their tracks.

Support for the project has come from a number of members of the chipmusic community. How would you describe your relationship with that community? Were you a fan before this project?

I was a fan of chipmusic for a long time, starting back when ocremix was taking off. I listen to a few current artists in the community, such as Anamanaguchi, who have been my inspiration for this project. Throughout my 8 months of development, there have been many people who have helped me along the way, notably kevtris from the nesdev forums. Without their support this project wouldn’t be possible.

You have been taking requests for different features to be included, and have received a lot of submissions. Which have been the most requested, and how has it changed the final product?

The most requested one is pitch bending and vibrato. These sounds are popular among some chiptune sub-genres (such as cracktro-scene), and I have implemented them fully in the latest revision of the code. I am still accepting submissions, so keep the requests coming in!

The price-point you’ve set in the Kickstarter is extremely reasonable for musical equipment. Will the price remain the same after the pre-sale, and how do you keep your costs so low?

I am going to keep the price this low even after the pre-sale. Low cost has always been a priority of mine throughout the project, and by sacrificing certain features that aren’t required to make music (video, certain MIDI control messages), I was able to create a basic instrument which has the simplicity of letting anyone start playing right away, while leaving a lot of room for hackers who pick up the dev kit to fiddle around with more advanced settings and push out their own improvements. By using common chips with inexpensive components and readily available programmers, a little cost calculation and proper sourcing has led to this low price.

Do you see your project as an environmental movement, in the sense that you are giving people the tools to re-purpose game consoles forgotten by many as musical instruments?

I see this as more of a step in that direction, but not a movement in and of itself. Retro gaming and music have always gone hand in hand, and many people can still hum their favorite tune from their favorite 8-bit game. It is difficult to find NES systems for every artist who wants to use one, but hopefully once demand takes off, we’ll see a surge in people digging through their basements to bring out the NES again, and perhaps using newer versions of the NES console (like the Retro Duo) to create a different-sounding tone.

With the interest in Chip Maestro, do you have any other MIDI cartridges planned for other gaming systems like the Commodore 64 or the Sega Mega Drive? Do you plan to grow the business?

MIDI cartridges already exist for other systems, notably the MSSIAH and little-scale‘s Sega work. The NES was really the only console in need of a low-cost, available solution, so after this, it’s on to other projects for me.

Where can we follow your progress online after the Kickstarter has finished?

I have already parked www.chipmaestro.com, which should go live a little before the Kickstarter ends. Also, my other projects (including an alpha version of the Chip Maestro) can be found at www.soniktech.com.

If you would like to lend your support to Jarek’s project, there are still Chip Maestro cartridges and development kits from the first run available at Kickstarter: here.

David Eselgroth, the lead singer of the Dayton, Ohio-based indie rock quartet The Orphan, The Poet, took the time to answer some questions for Mind Equals Blown prior to the release of their second EP, Translating, which comes out May 31st and was reviewed by us here.

Mind Equals Blown: What was it like working with such a high-profile producer like Kris Crummett this early in your career?

Eselgroth: Working with Kris is undoubtedly the best thing to happen to us.  We’ve all been big fans of his work for a long time and when the opportunity came to work with him, it was absolutely surreal.  I can remember sitting down with our manager, Chad, as he dropped the news that not only did Kris have an opening in his calendar, but that he was very interested in working with us. We are very aware that we, as an unsigned band, got to work with a producer that many artists get the chance to record with upon signing to a label, so we never take that for granted.

On the production side of things, Kris really helped refine our sound and pushed us to be as deliberate as we could with Translating, meaning that we were getting tones and using arrangements that the songs called for rather than simply pushing forward and hoping for the best.  I think that’s one thing you’ll hear on this new EP—coherence between the multiple facets of songwriting, arrangement, and tone.

With two EPs under your belts, is there any plan for a full-length in the near future?

I really hope so.  I’ve always been very proud of the expansive writing we achieve as a band, and though EPs are cool and all, I think we could really spread our wings with a longer format. That said, however, the thought of a full-length is actually pretty intimidating.  Looking back on the work that went into just 5 songs, 10+ songs seems huge! Keep hyping us and a full-length might come sooner than we think!

Who are some of the bands that influenced you during the recording of Translating?

This is always a really hard question for me.  I find that music is such a constant continuation that it’s hard to distinguish when certain influences begin and others end.  Bands like Thrice, Circa Survive, Copeland, As Cities Burn, Consider the Thief, etc. have been big influences on us for a while so I’m sure they shaped Translating in a general sense.

However, one specific album that without a doubt directly influenced Translating was Tides of Man’s Dreamhouse. From beginning to end, that album dominated my ipod and stereo for 6 months after it was released.  I honestly love everything about it.  Dreamhouse was actually one of the main reasons we pursued Kris to produce our EP as well.

What was the high point of the recording process?

The high point for me was being done, haha.  I’m a guy who obsesses and worries about every detail of our music, so this translates into the entire recording process being pretty tense for me.  I sat in on nearly every tracking day we had no matter what part was being recorded, just because I would literally get very anxious if I didn’t know how a particular section was coming together.

On top of this, my main contribution, the vocals, were spread over a period of 4 weeks.  I had gotten sick during our first stay with Kris and had not been able to sing half of the vocals. Thus, I ended up going home and flying back out to Portland the following month once I had healed up.

So whereas I should have only been a nervous wreck for the 2 weeks we had originally planned to record, it ended up being a full 6 weeks of mental carnage. But hey, I survived!

Do you have any nationwide tour plans for the summer?

Yeah, we plan on seeing some new places and meeting some new faces.  We’re working on a couple things for the end of summer.  Too soon for details, but we’ll let you know as soon as we can.

Have any labels expressed interest in signing you guys and have you pursued any on your own?

We’ve been talking to a few people, but a gentleman never kisses and tells. Keep your ear to the ground.

What kind of guitar rigs did you guys use to achieve your sound?

We used vintage Vox, Fender, and Marshall amps for the guitar sounds on Translating. And actually, among our peers, recording guitars that way is a bit of a luxury. A big trend today is to use software-based processing to emulate classic amps, so I think it was great that we got to use the real deal instead of some software copy. Also, nearly all of the amps had after market mods—makes for a more boutique sound.

I think the piece of gear that shaped the sound of Translating the most was the guitar we used.  Nearly 100% of the rhythm tracks were done with this handmade replica of a ’52 Telecaster Kris had at the studio.  It has this perfect balance of crunch and tone and after we used it once, we knew we needed it on every song.

If you could form a dream tour lineup of any four current bands, yourself included, what would that lineup be?

The four bands on our dream tour would be:

1. The Orphan, The Poet – Obviously.
2. This Love – Not only our best buds, but some of the most talented musicians out there.  We already share a practice space so I feel the next step in our relationship is sharing a bus!
3. Wolves At The Gate – These guys have been like brothers to us.  We played our very first show with them and have been close ever since.  We’re all (including This Love) under the same management now, so it’s really become like a family.
4. Justin Bieber – Got to have at least one heartthrob on a tour, right?

I just want to say personally how much I enjoyed the EP. It was refreshing and really great. Any parting words for your fans?

Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us! I’m really glad you liked the EP, we really poured ourselves into it.

As for our fans—we cannot thank you enough! Everything we’ve accomplished is because of you and everything we have yet to accomplish will be because of you too. We have the best group of fans that any band could ask for.

Matt Tobey is one of my favorite musicians, and he should be one of yours too. He is best known as one third of the positive power-pop trio Good Luck, adding his distinctive vocals and guitar-based gymnastics to the mix. Recently, he has started a new band called Memory Map that I featured on my list of recommended bands for 2011 here on Mind Equals Blown. Both bands are currently in the process of recording new material, so I caught up with him to ask him a number of questions.

MEB: Hello Matt, thanks for taking the time to speak with me today.

Matt Tobey: Yes, you’re very welcome. It’s great that we can do this from across the sea, and it’s so easy! My mind is still always a little blown by the existence of things like Skype.

First off, I found this very early picture of you online, and I wondered if you could explain what was going on.

Wow, it even has the date on it! 2000? I was 15. Geez. That is a little confusing, isn’t it? To be honest, I’m not sure exactly what I’m doing! I would assume playing harmonica, which was something I liked to do back then. Can’t really tell from that picture though, and I don’t actually remember playing harmonica with Canine Sugar! Where did that picture come from?!

It came from the Canine Sugar Angelfire page!

Well, I didn’t know that existed! Very funny. I’ll have to peruse that!

Was this pretty close to your starting out in bands?

Yeah, it really was. I started playing in Abe Froman when I was 13, and I think our first show happened when I was 14.

…and this all happened growing up in Lansing, Michigan?

Yes, a relatively unremarkable capital city.

Could you guess any of the other connections I found that you have to the state of Michigan?

hahaha…let me think…Thrash*a*Thon?

Sadly not, but I’m intrigued to hear more about that!

I can send you a picture! It was a short lived skateboarding-themed hardcore band. I didn’t even really skateboard…

Wow, so when was this?

It was with Ryan from Abe Froman and our friend Josh who is now a doctor researching cancer. Let’s see, this photo was from March 2002. I’d say it lasted about a year.

It’s interesting that you mentioned Abe Froman, because the connection I was thinking about has something to do with Abe Froman!

Lay it on me!

Did you know that in Michigan, the city of Colon in the 1930s claimed itself to be “the magic capital of the world”?

I was not aware of that. I don’t think I’ve even heard of Colon.

It’s about 2 hours away from Lansing according to Google Maps. The magician Harry Blackstone lived there and pioneered the vanishing birdcage, dancing handkerchief and floating light bulb tricks. That is in Colon, Michigan, and I strangely found out about it in an article by another Matt Tobey.

Oh yeah! The other Matt Tobey! He has www.matttobey.com or something, right? A blog writer?

Yeah, that’s the one. He writes for The Black Table. I thought you would be a fan of magic because the text on the front of Abe Froman’s album is an extract from the book The Once And Future King by T.H. White, and I also saw a clip of you performing solo on YouTube with a Harry Potter book sticking out of your guitar case!

I would consider myself a fan of magic, yes. You know when that album came out I hadn’t even read that book yet, though my sister had. Now it’s one of my favorites! And yes, that MPC show in Gainesville was the night the last Harry Potter book came out. I was really stressed out all night, because I didn’t think I was going to be able to get the book, but there was a tiny bookstore across from the venue that actually had a bunch of copies, and no queue or anything! I was so happy, I had to display it while I was playing.

On the last of the Lansing questions, are you responsible for Defiance, Ohio becoming famous?

Definitely not, though I did witness a lot of their first shows when it was just Ryan, Will, and Geoff. They actually played at my high school graduation party, with a bunch of other punk bands from around the country. It was epic. Who would have thought a little pavillion in a park in Dimondale, MI would host a punk show?

Yeah, the show was on May 24th 2003 with Carrie Nations and The Devil Is Electric, according to their tour dates.

Yep, it was Soophie Nun Squad, Carrie Nations, The Devil Is Electric, Abe Froman, Defiance Ohio, Matty Pop Chart…I think that’s everyone? This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb and One Reason were supposed to play, but not all the members of those bands actually made it. Really it was a long way to go for all of those bands, and I feel so lucky to have made friends with such amazing people so early in my life.

Man, that sounds like such a great show.

I really couldn’t have asked for a better graduation party. EVER.

Lets talk a bit about your current bands. Your band Good Luck seems to be a real Bloomington-based enterprise, since your CD packaging was made there and your album and EP were recorded there too. How important is local sourcing to you?

It’s definitely very important to me, though in the world of producing albums, a process containing a multitude of steps, it can be pretty difficult. We do our best. We’re pretty lucky that our small town of Bloomington is home to such a wide variety of music-related enterprises. We’ve recorded everything we’ve done at Russian Recording, and because of that Mike Bridavsky (who runs it) has become one of my very best friends. Bellwether, the company who produced our CD, is located in Bloomington, but they don’t actually print things here. I believe the printer they use is in Canada. When it comes to producing hundreds or thousands of physical copies of an album into the world, there will always be some amount of environmental consequences. But doing as much locally as you can and trying to use recycled materials whenever possible can at least help ease that burden a little bit.

You mentioned Mike Bridavsky, who is now your bandmate in Memory Map. Was it through recording with him for Good Luck that Memory Map got started?

In a way, yes, I suppose. I didn’t know Mike at all before we recorded the first Good Luck album. He actually approached us, asking if we would like to record at Russian. I had heard good things come from there, but we didn’t know if we would be able to afford it. This was less than a year into being a band. We actually entered a local battle of the bands contest, and ended up winning! We got $1500 and a free day at Russian. I don’t know what we would have done if we didn’t win the battle, probably just borrowed money, but I like to think it was winning the battle of the bands that allowed us to do what we’ve done! Anyway we all got along really well with Mike, and it wasn’t for another couple years until we started Memory Map.

What sort of band was it that came in second place in this contest?

Oh who was it that came in second…I believe it was a rockabilly band called The Phantom Cruisers.

I was just curious if by winning you had robbed the world of another metalcore band.

Back to the topic of magic…Before the final show of the battle, we concocted a Felix Felicis potion to bring us luck. How’s THAT for Harry Potter nerdiness. And to make it extra nerdy, we almost didn’t do it because in the book, it’s illegal to use Felix Felicis before a sporting match/contest. We decided (after much debate) that it was okay, since we weren’t ACTUALLY going to be lucky, just FEEL lucky!

Haha, that has to be about the biggest Harry Potter endorsement possible. Read Harry Potter. Get a new Good Luck album.

Exactly. If there’s one thing in the world we could endorse in the world, as a band, it could very possibly be Harry Potter. I’m considering getting a deathly hallows tattoo. I don’t have any tattoos and have historically been against getting them, so that’s a big deal for me.

I understand that you’re also recording new Memory Map material right now. Why are you already in the studio when your first album is coming out?

Haha, that is a reasonable question. Well we actually recorded the Holiday Band record about a year ago, and released a small run of it on CD ourselves. Now it’s officially “out,” but we’ve been working on new stuff for a while now. Actually we pretty much have all the songs for a new album already, they just need to be fleshed out. Mostly it’s just very fun working with those guys, we play together really well and Mike Dixon, the singer/midi-bass/guitar player has a seemingly endless supply of cool riffs.

My favourite of those cool Memory Map riffs was at the start of the song “Stowaway,” that I named as part of my recommended Mind Equals Blown mix for 2011. Can you talk us through the process of writing that song?

It’s funny that that’s your favorite, because that’s pretty much the only song that started with one of my riffs! I actually wrote that riff during a Good Luck practice but it didn’t seem appropriate for that band. So I presented it at the first Memory Map practice, and it was one of the first songs we wrote. The song came together really quickly, it’s really only the two alternating parts. I believe Dixon wrote the progression for the chorus during that first practice.

Mentioning Good Luck, right now you’re also recording the new Good Luck album right? What are you hoping to bring to this record that was absent from Into Lake Griffy?

Yeah, I think we spent a total of 17 days in the studio for the new Good Luck record. The biggest difference, for better or worse, is that we’ve spent a LOT more time on the new record. Into Lake Griffy, all things considered, came together relatively quickly (it was finished on the exact one year anniversary of our first practice). It’s been difficult trying to follow that up, and consequently we’ve spent a lot more time trying to get every song exactly how we want it. I like the new record because the songs are a little more varied and have more interesting sounds, but at the same time have a more consistent lyrical theme that I think is more cohesive than Into Lake Griffy.

Could you tell us a bit more about the lyrical themes of the new record?

Well, without giving too much away, much of the album is about trying to be able to make decisions. To not be wishy-washy. To be confident and ultimately happy with your life and the choices you’ve made. I’ve had kind of a difficult time with that my whole life, and only recently have been coming to terms with it. It’s about the human tendency to regret, or to not do things for the fear of regret.

The way I see it, you’ve sacrificed quite a lot to spend your life entertaining people, whether it’s through music, or through a few online videos as well. I think it’s really admirable.

Well I don’t really see it as a sacrifice. Sometimes it can feel like that, but most of the time I feel very grateful that people care about the art that I make.

Rounding up a bit here, was the record cover for the Matty Pop Chart record Everyone Does Everything influenced by The Weakerthans’ Reconstruction Site album art? I’m asking because I heard that you once performed as a Weakerthans cover band.

The Weakerthans are definitely one of my all-time favorite bands, and yes we did indeed (Good Luck plus another guy) do a Weakerthans cover band for Halloween a few years ago. It was so fun. But I wouldn’t say the artwork for Everyone Does Everything was really influenced by that album’s art. The idea for that artwork sort of came about on its own. The face in the artwork is inspired by my dad, who has been wearing glasses and a mustache for my whole life. It was just something I had been drawing a lot, and decided to use that for the album art.

With your Good Luck bandmate Ginger opening up her own restaurant now, will there be more free time for a new Matty Pop Chart album?

Ha, well it’s possible! Though I’ll say it’s still a low priority for me. It’s just not that exciting playing by myself anymore. The last Matty Pop Chart song I wrote got turned immediately into a Good Luck song (“Contact”).

Thanks for taking the time to speak to me today Matt!

You’re very welcome Garry! It has been a pleasure.

Memory Map’s song “Stowaway” is available for free download from my 2011 recommended mixtape for MindEqualsBlown.net. You can download it by going: right here.

I recently had the chance to ask Living With Lions vocalist Stu Ross a few questions. Incorporating catchy guitar hooks and rough vocals, Living With Lions deliver a refreshing punk sound. Read below as Stu and I chat about their current stint on the Manscout Jamboree tour, their new record, Holy Shit, and a little Third Eye Blind.

Mind Equals Blown: First off, could you please state your name and your position in the band?

Living With Lions: I’m Stu and I am the singer for Living With Lions.

So you set off on the Manscout Jamboree tour with The Wonder Years, Fireworks and Make Do And Mend in early April. How has the reception been so far on this tour?

The tour has been great. Kids seem really open to checking us out. All in all it has been a lot of fun so far.

Any funny/strange/odd stories for this tour?

Yes, for sure. However, I don’t really know if the guys would appreciate me filling you in on the dirty details.

I guess the most note-worthy thing was when we were in Vegas. Our bass player Bill [Crook] was mistaken for Travis Barker by some pool-side ladies. Our guitarist Chase [Brenneman] won a grip of money and then lost it all. I watched Seinfeld and went to bed before midnight. Vegas was a great time.

I was lucky enough to see you guys play on the first date of the tour and I would like to tell you that I personally enjoyed your set just as much as I enjoyed the headliners, which is definitely a phenomenal thing.

Thanks. I really enjoyed that show. It was a cool indication of what we could expect for the rest of the tour. The kids were awesome that night.

Even though you are a Canadian band, you have had a lot of success in the states and nationwide as well, likewise you have toured a lot all over, so tell us: what area would you say is the most fun to play shows in and why?

I think there are a lot of areas that are great to play. I really enjoy playing in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Denver, Anaheim,… the list could go on and on. Last year in Gainesville at Fest 9 was really awesome. We have some overseas plans for the summer. We are really looking forward to going over for the first time.

What is your favorite song to play live and why?

There are a few for me. I really like playing “Later Is Better,” “She’s A Hack,” and recently “Honesty, Honestly.” I am really excited to start playing songs off our new record.

What is the funniest and/or most interesting thing that’s ever happened to you while on tour?

Tons of interesting stuff happens all the time. To pinpoint one event as the most interesting would be pretty hard. I’d say us getting back home to Vancouver without the van exploding is the most mind boggling thing every tour.

You are set to release your sophomore effort, Holy Shit on May 14th. Now I have to ask, how exactly did such a ballsy title come to fruition?

When I joined the band the dudes were like, “We wanna call the record holy shit!” My first thought was ”Wow, these dudes are retarded.” Then it grew on me. There isn’t any anti-christian or anti-religion message on the album. We just thought it was funny. Look at bands like Blink 182, Nofx, The Vandals etc etc. All those bands that we look up to have taken the dive into borderline offensive humor, so we figured why the fuck not? I don’t subscribe to any religion personally, I think it’s a crock of shit.

Even more ballsier than the title itself is the idea of gracing these words on what appears to be the cover of the Bible for the artwork. Now is this some sort of statement by the band, something you thought would be humorous or both? I personally laughed quite a bit when I first saw it.

I think I covered most of that in the question before this. We aren’t trying to make any sort of statement. It’s just funny. It’s punk rock, if someone thinks it’s offensive, tough titty.

I just had a chance to listen to the album and I loved how refreshing of a listen it is. Much like your first full-length, it’s very melodic, but rough around the edges as well. What do you feel fans should expect from this album compared to Make Your Mark?

Obviously the change in vocalist is there. But I think the album delivers what any fan of Living With Lions would expect. I think in ways it has darker moments than Make Your Mark but overall is very consistent with the band’s sound.

What was it like jumping in to the recording process so suddenly?

Getting into the studio was really exciting. I had spent a lot of time with the new material and it was awesome to finally put some vocals down on the songs. Dan Weston (producer/engineer) was really helpful and patient when we were tracking. It was a really pleasant experience overall.

Who wrote the majority of the lyrics for Holy Shit as opposed to Make Your Mark?

Chase wrote the majority of the lyrics on Holy Shit, the former vocalist Matt Postal had written a couple songs as well. I did a song or two. It was kind of already laid out before I had even joined the band.

What lyrical theme does Holy Shit follow, if any?

There are a lot of lyrics that deal with personal experiences. You can take from them what you will.

What has been your biggest challenge as a band and in what ways do you try to overcome this challenge?

I think the biggest challenge has been to keep out on the road and continue to get the band’s name out there. All we can at this point do is tour, tour, tour and do our best to keep kids interested.

Tell us, what band/artist do you enjoy that most people wouldn’t expect you to like?

I guess it would be Third Eye Blind. I love that band’s first couple records. I think the singer Stephen Jenkins is a genius.

In two words or less, how would you describe Living With Lions?

Smoking & Drinking.

Thank you so much for your time! Anything else you would like to add before we wrap this up?

Check out Holy Shit in stores and online May 17th 2011. Thanks!

Our friends at Epitaph know talent, alright. The label wisely snagged up Los Angeles’ Letlive., a band known for their chaotic live shows, strong passion for music and impressive 2010 album Fake History. Back in December, I spent a good hour chatting with the boys and filming the first MEB Acoustic Session. Below is one of my favorite interviews I’ve conducted while working for MEB. Enjoy, and check out last week’s re-release of Fake History (which earned 4.5/5 stars in an MEB review).

Mind Equals Blown: You have a large presence online; there’s still a little bit of mystique about you.  You have the WordPress site where you do a lot of updates.  To describe you as a band seems a little small; rather than asking who is letlive, what is letlive?

Jason Butler: letlive is in fact whatever you would like it to be.  Not so much that it’s malleable or influenced by the things that are happening around the environment, but more so will move along as we progress.  What we want to do is open up as many avenues for as many people as we can.  We’re not here with a mission statement to change the world; we would just like people to believe they can change the world, and if we happen to serve as that medium or vessel, then we are very much appreciative of that and hope that people can feel that with the essence that is letlive.  It is more than music, it’s not about us at all.  It’s about what people want to change.

Your fan base seems to grow daily, largely from the critically-acclaimed release of Fake History. For the newbies, give us a brief bio on what letlive was before Fake History.

Ryan Jay Johnson: Not this. haha.  Fake History was written over 3 years, very slowly.  We were touring in and out of a lot of random little kicker tours.  The progression was just us growing up essentially, I think our mindsets were much different four years ago when we came together than they are now. Fake History is just a complete compilation of the last four years.

Jason: That’s the best way to put it; Fake History is simply what we’ve wanted to have done at some point.  We never gave ourselves a timeline, we never gave ourselves a due date. Thankfully, it came to fruition at its own pinnacle; it made itself.  That’s really what Fake History is.  It’s what this band is, and what’s to become.

What specifically do you feel like with your creative process is different than other bands or different than your other experiences?

Jeff Sahyoun: I think what separates us from a lot of other bands is how collective the process is.  Everyone in letlive understands how every instrument works and how everything coincides with one another.  Everyone has a say; there’s not really one dominant songwriter.  When we get together in the studio or on a sidewlak or wherever it is we’re trying to write, everybody’s in.  Aton’s our drummer and he’ll write me guitar parts or I’ll write him drum parts.  You don’t see that in a lot of bands too often.

Jason: I think the irony in it is humorous.  We very much remove ourselves from letlive as individuals.  We are a unit; it really does work as one thing between five people.  I think that’s our best bet with anything, whether it be writing or traveling or making merch or speaking with people or whatever.

Ryan: It’s like we create a single person with multiple personalities but they all kind of coincide to become something tangible in the music.

Jason: Poignancy! That’s what it is.  We want to evoke any sort of emotive quality that we can.

Of the songs on Fake History, what would you say was the most difficult one to complete?

Jason: “Muther.”

Ryan: “Muther” went through a few revisions, “Enemy” went through a few revisions.

Anthony Rivera: “Over Being Under.”

Jason: I was gonna say that! But that was like a concentrated era for that song.

Ryan: A few came right away, “Casino” came right away.  ”Renegade,” “James Brown” (“Homeless Jazz” on the album).

Which of the songs are you most proud of on the record?

Jason: the one called Fake History (laughs).

Ryan: I don’t know, the whole album has different emotions. I can’t say I particularly choose one.  I’m proud of the record in general.  It took a while to kind of hit me in the way that it has.  The different dimensions we were able to portray were really nice.  Literally every song was a new start.  It worked together strangely enough, but everything was its own entity.

Jason: I think that album is an era.  That is the era of letlive.  Now we’re writing more and we continue to write for a very long time and it’s undoubtedly a new era for letlive.  They’re all integral and without each other, I dont think it would stand properly.  Taking any of those songs out, I don’t think they would be the same.

Who is the guest vocalist on “Muther?”

Jason: Chelsea Warwick..I believe(haha) I mean, her name is Chelsea, and it’s War-something.  She’s a wonderful young lady we met in North Carlolina through friends of friends.  The way that it happened was almost serendipitous; we wanted this part to exhibit a female voice.  We met her at a party we played in the city we were recording put on by the producer and engineer that we were recording with.  She’s a very wonderful spirit, a good girl with a great voice and she complemented that song better than anything I could have gotten.

Are we going to get any more videos from Fake History before we move to the next record?

Ryan: Yeah, I’m sure we get another video out of it.  Not sure what it will be, we’re still throwing out ideas.  It will definitely come in [2011, the] year should be very hectic.

Jason: Self-released, as well.  We’re going to do some things on our own media-wise.

Anthony: I think we brainstormed “Muther,” maybe “Homeless Jazz.”

Ryan: We’ll wait before the day before we have a deadline and figure it out (laughs).

You’re one of those “genre-busting” bands, with influences coming from anywhere.  What are some of your individual influences that show through in your music?

Jean: A lot of Earth, Wind, & Fire; a lot of Faith No More…it’s all around really.

Anthony: Jason and I were having a discussion earlier today about James Brown, and one song specifically plays homage to him.  I’m all over the place; as a student of drums I learned picking up jazz and stuff like that.  I don’t know if I still carry that on. I listen to salsa, and a bit of everything else.

Ryan: My genres always change, though I’m most infamous for listening to Radiohead within this band [Ed: "Every band has a Radiohead guy" to which Jason replied: "You have to if you're going to be in a band! (laughs)]. I love a lot of Neil Young.  Modern, I listen to Brand New, Flaming Lips.  La Dispute is great.

Jeff: Definitely a hard question.  I spend a lot of time with Nirvana, Brand New, Rage Against The Machine. More recently, Taylor Swift and Saves The Day.

Jason: To encompass most of it: the 90′s.  I really, really, really enjoyed the 90′s.  That was rock ‘n roll; it was like a retro-fitted idea of rock in the 80′s but so much more pure and raw.  What I grew up with was music from my father; he played music very akin to soul, R&B and hip-hop.  That’s the first taste of music I ever got.  Then my Scottish uncle gave me Bush and Radiohead, and that’s what changed my whole perspective on rock and what white people listen to (laughs).  I think [as a band] we find a very strong liking to groove; something that fits and goes to some sort of rhythm intrinsically within you.  It’s gotta move you.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you to everyone.  Every single person who reads this or sees this.  Thank you to every single person who listens to our band and has anything to do with this at all.  We’re so appreciative that I stumble my words, and I’m usually pretty eloquent.

Thanks to Absolute Punk’s Free Music Fridays feature (the most recent one can be found here) I came across a band based out of Massachusetts known as Settler. This 4-piece has recently put up all of their releases, including the 5-song EP War Wolves, online for free here. Settler’s exciting sound has been earning them some buzz and have lead to some highly energetic shows which should not be missed. The self described “funrock” group took some time out to do an interview with me and here’s what Jimmy Mullen, their drummer, had to say:

Mind Equals Blown: Ok to start it off, give a brief history of the band.

Jimmy Mullen of Settler: A couple years ago Curtis, Matt and I (Jimmy) were in a band together and when that band broke up, we really wanted to keep writing with each other. We all had the same desire and ideas for what we wanted so it just made sense. After a lot of time off, we started things off full force this past winter. Curtis’ brother Thomas joined us on guitar and we just instantly started writing and gelling well. It’s fun because we’re like a family band. Curtis and Thomas are brothers and Matt and I are cousins haha.

MEB: Why did you decide to be an instrumental group rather than having a singer?

JM: Moving away from the generic song structure allows us to have more fun and the lsitener to make the music what they want it plus its much more accessible. We actually talked about this the other day, but a vocalist and lyricists job is to paint a picture, and sometimes it’s very literal and to the point. I feel like with us and any other instrumental band, it leaves a lot open to interpretation and the listener can feel and think whatever they want about the song.

MEB: Your sound feels familiar yet still seems to defy genres, how would you best describe your music?

JM: We write music that narrates our personal lives. We thrive on being outdoors and just doing fun things in general and I really think that our music directly reflects our lifestyle. I don’t really know what type of genre to place us in, funrock would work if that exists. I think sometimes we tend to sound like a Mid-West emopunk band with no singer. So whatever you want to call it is fine.

MEB: All of your releases so far have been done DIY style. Have you been searching out any labels to try and expand with?

JM: Currently, no. We sent out a handful of presskits to labels initially, but we’re comfortable right now. We all absolutely love the DIY style and even though it’s financially draining some times, it’s a very proud moment when everything we’ve touched from start to finish is out there and it’s because we worked for it. All of the songs we’ve ever recorded were recorded by us and we’re protective of what we want to do, so staying DIY is a pretty natural feeling.

With that being said, we’d certainly be open to finding a home with a label that has the same mentality as us. If any of you labels are looking, we’re single and ready to mingle!

MEB: In a clear act of embracing the digital age, you’ve released your 3 EPs for free. Why did you decide to give them out rather than make them purchasable?

JM: As previously mentioned, we recorded every song ourselves. Earlier in the year we broke down and bought the best recording equipment we could afford on our budget (which wasn’t very much) and just decided that for the start of this, we were going to do it ourselves. Coupled with the fact that we essentially didn’t pay a lot to have these recorded, we also love having anyone and everyone hear our music. We pressed about 100 copies of War Wolves ourselves and have been giving those out at shows along with the digital downloads.

I genuinely think it’s helped us immensely because we’re making ourselves incredibly accessible to people, and that’s been our goal to start. Blurring the line between bands and fans is awesome because it’s so personal and fun. Plus, people can’t deny free stuff haha.

MEB: On the complete opposite side of the musical medium spectrum there are vinyl records which seem to be coming back into style. What’s your opinion on this?

JM: Our general consensus is nothing but love for vinyl. We all collect or own albums and are avid listeners. With that being said, I don’t think it’s for EVERY band even though a lot are jumping on the bandwagon. Almost all of the bands in the popular scenes today are recorded with digital enhancements, as in drum triggers, guitar sound editing, etc. When those bands put their albums out on vinyl for some bonus pre-order release thing, I don’t think it translates as well as a band who recorded their album naturally, with natural drum and guitar tones. There’s a certain tone and sound to records and that’s the appeal, to us at least. We’d love to put a release out on vinyl if it were done right. Hopefully in the future!

MEB: Any tour news?

JM: None yet. We’ve been trying to build buzz in our home state of Massachusetts, but our scene is geared more towards heavier bands so it’s been a battle. It’s definitely crossed our minds, and it’s on our radar for the very near future. We’ll be sure to let you know when it gets set up.

MEB: What are your musical (and non-musical) influences?

JM: Life is a big non-musical influence. That sounds sooooo lame but we really love just hanging out and doing what we think is fun. That absolutely reflects in our music and is a big influence. Musical influence is from every direction. Obviously, we’re big fans of other instrumental or experimental bands doing their thing like This Will Destroy you and Fang Island. Those two bands are big influences and inspirations.

MEB: Of course I have to ask, where does the name Settler come from?

JM: The honest and boring answer is that it’s the only name the 4 of us liked and felt fit our style.

The epic and not-entirely-truthful answer is that we, like settlers of this very country, are attempting to break ground and begin a new life in a territory foreign to us. The winters will be tough due to illness and lack of food or sustainable shelter, but we will persevere and be known throughout history as the SETTLERS that laid the groundwork for the genre known as funrock.

MEB: Ok, fun questions time. What’s your dream tour?

JM: Super Dreamland: Kiss, Blink 182, Lynyrd Skynyrd

Regular Dreamland: To tour with bands as laid back and fun as As Cities Burn and Fang Island to heavier bands like Every Time I Die

MEB: Any hobbies outside of music?

JM: Bridge jumping, bike riding, wiffle ball home run derby, ice hockey in shoes. Fun things haha.

MEB: If you could hang out with any person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

JM: Will Ferrell and Sean Connery. Two men that need to be in the same room together at the same time.

MEB: Thanks for talking with me and good luck in the future!

JM: Anytime! Thanks for asking us to do this!

Settler’s Myspace can be found here and all of the group’s releases can be downloaded here FOR FREE!

We talked to a few of the boys in VersaEmerge at the San Diego Warped Tour.  As you can see above, the gentleman were lucky enough to receive some of the first MindEqualsBlown shirts!  Check out the interview to hear about their tour plans, upcoming full-length, and other fun nonsense.

[audio: http://mindequalsblown.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/VE-interview.mp3]

NOTE: As of today, VersaEmerge drummer Anthony Martone (pictured far right) is no longer part of the band.