Features / One Question Interviews

Sal Medrano (Rebuilder – vocals/guitar)

SPB: Who is the first musician whose technique really stood out to you?

Medrano: While I play guitar and sing in Rebuilder, I grew up playing drums. I really wanted to push myself to become a better drummer when I listened to the Vandals and saw them open for No Doubt. Josh Freese …

Matthew Ryan

SPB: Is there a regional food you look forward to when you tour?

Ryan: One of the best parts of touring is getting to enjoy the local culture and foods. My times in Italy stand as my favorite experiences, meal after meal. Late night focaccia fresh out of the oven in some ancient square to absorb …

Tom White (Frog)

SPB: What do you remember of playing your first live show?

White: We played 15 second covers as a house band for a live improv comedy show. We played between acts, but most of the acts didn't know we were going to play, so they would walk out and start talking, and then have to …

Taylor Iversen (Abrams)

SPB: What club has the worst bathroom?

Iversen: Some notable Denver bands on the road like to take pictures of the various bathrooms they encounter with the addendum #TourBathrooms, so I'd say this question pitches right to our wheelhouse. 

The worst bathroom we've found on the road so far is at The Blue Lamp …

Dave Bate (Michael Crafter)

SPB: What is a hyped band, TV show, or movie that you just can’t get into?

Bate: I can’t get into anything metalcore. The fact that it is so big in this country is actually embarrassing. It is the worst genre of metal ever created. Our band name and some lyrics are obviously a …

Michael Guggino (The Space Merchants)

SPB: What is your primary tour food?

We really don't have a primary tour food, though we are very into food. We always like to get the standout food in the cities we tour. Like pulled pork sandwiches at Tony Luke's in Philly or Joe's Kansas City BBQ. Ani is a vegetarian so …

DJ Trackstar

SPB: Do you feel the value of a DJ has diminished in present day hip-hop? If so, do you see a resurgence on the horizon? 

DJ Trackstar: Compared to a couple decades ago, I'd say it definitely has. Recorded hip-hop definitely features far fewer scratches than they used to--in the 80s and 90s, a lot of …

Mike Kilker (Tidemouth-vocals)

SPB: What do you think of bands playing an entire album as a tour concept?

Kilker: I love when bands that haven't toured in a while play an old record that everyone knows, the record that made people fall in love. I'm a nostalgic guy. On the other hand, if your new record just came …

Laura Stevenson

SPB: What is the biggest thing you’ve learned about performance since moving to a solo approach?

Stevenson: So the biggest thing I've learned about performance since I began a solo-approach. I'd have to say pacing. I used to be oblivious to how important that is, and I would fly through songs when I played solo because …

Nathan Kearney (Gonzovillain)

SPB: Is there a particular record you’ve heard this year that surprised you? In a good or a bad way?

Kearny: I'd say that the record that's surprised me the most this year is Institute's EP Salt. They're a band from Texas who, for me, represent what I first got into when I got …

Jim Sykes (Invisible Things-drums)

SPB: n songwriting, how do you draw the line between taking influence and mimicking?

Sykes: Honestly I think bands should be sued if they cop someone's style. I don't care if it's the same melody but played in a totally different style - that shows creativity. But when I hear a band write an …

Hard Girls

SPB: What is the most valuable thing you’ve lost on a tour?

Morgan: Mostly we lose things like phone chargers and sunglasses, shirts and t-shirts, crap like that…I guess you could say we’ve all lost our wide-eyed innocence on the road…SIGH…

We have lost 2 drum seats and one drum kick pedal over the years.

Andy (Warm Needles)

SPB: What was the most memorable thing to happen during recording Inconsolable?

Andy: Oh geez, good question. Luckily now I can laugh about it. We actually recorded the record ourselves in our own space with our own equipment. This is also the first time I've ever done any real recording or used this equipment …

Dave Pirnier (Soul Asylum – vocals)

SPB: Who is your favorite musician you’ve discovered in New Orleans?

Pirnier: Henry Butler first comes to mind. I saw him for the first time at the Funky Butt and he was playing the midnight to 4am slot. Seeing that he is blind, I was able to sorta stick my head in …

Jxckxlz

SPB: Which of your songs is hardest to play live?

Nathan (vocals): “Trophic Level,” ‘cause I just scream like a manic dog for 5 minutes plus.

Max (drums): “Solace,” as it’s technical, fast and we play it first quite often. Or “Alpha & Omega,” because I’m usually tired as fuck at that point.

Lachlan (guitar): …

Serious Beak

SPB: When did you decide that you want to make music for a living? 

Andrew Mortensen (bass): When I finished high school. But then I discovered to “make a living” from music, you had to play shit covers, in shitty RSLs, out in the middle of nowhere to pissed arseholes. So I got a day job …

Georgia Maq

SPB: What song would you want played at your funeral? 

Maq: I'd like “Two Worlds” – Tiger’s Jaw played at my funeral. 

Matt Vaughn (Lesstalk Records, Michael Crafter-vocals)

SPB: Do any of your musician friends have tinnitus?

Vaughn: Yeh, I think a lot of my friends have or will have tinnitus when the years go by. I have been playing in DIY bands for about 10 years now and going to gigs every weekend as well as playing and jamming …

Lachlan R. Dale (Adrift for Days, Art As Catharsis)

SPB: How has the increasing digitisation of music changed your listening habits?

Dale: A very good question, and one I often reflect on.

There is no doubt that the digitisation of music has dramatically increased access while also increasing supply through reduced production costs.

The effect for …

Reece Prain (Diploid-bass/vocals)

SPB: How much space in your home is dedicated to music storage (records or instruments)?

Prain: I have a bandroom/equipment storage room. It’s pretty full, so lots of junk is just sort of hung around the room as well. But really, music equipment is scattered throughout the house. As for record/cds/tapes and such, I have …