Feature / Interviews
Four Questions With: The Red Light Sting

Words: Zed • Posted pre-2010

Since the last time ScenePointBlank checked in with The Red Light Sting a few things have occured. They've played a lot of shows and recorded Hands Up, Tiger. It will be released on Sound Virus July 19. They currently have limited clear vinyl, so if you're into that thing, grab it quick. Without further ado, The Red Light Sting!

ScenePointBlank: What is the overall message/feeling you are trying to give to the listener with Hands Up Tiger and how is Hands Up Tiger going to be different than your previous releases?

The Red Light Sting: Hmmm... I don't know if there is an overall message with the album. Gregory wrote the lyrics, and I think people can get what he's talking about in most of the songs, and we're always open to have kids ask us about lyrics/songs etc. We took a long time to write this record and spent a long time in the studio, and it's our first time putting out a full length so that whole process was different for us. I think the record shows a bit more diversity then our previous releases and we're all really excited it's finally coming out!

ScenePointBlank: Since our last interview, how has passing through the Canadian/USA border been?

The Red Light Sting: It's actually been quite easy, because we got ourselves work visas and have been crossing legally. It was getting to sketchy and scary and we were crossing so much we had to do it all pro.

ScenePointBlank: When you get on MTV, which song will you use and what is your music video going to be about?

The Red Light Sting: When we get on MTV? I don't really know if that would happen, but we'll see. We want to make a music video for the song, "That's Not My Girlfriend; Those Are Girls Shaving". We've had a lot of ideas for a video, but nothing is set in stone. Our friend Mikey Ott will be shooting the video, he runs Sound Virus and has done all the Pretty Girls Make Graves videos and is an amazing filmaker, so we're excited to work with him on a video.

ScenePointBlank: What's up with your upcoming tour? (who is it with, where are you going, what will you be wearing, what stuff will you be playing, etc.)

The Red Light Sting: We leave for tour in less then a week so we're pretty busy getting ready! We tour down the west coast all the way over to Baton Rouge and then back up to Seattle. I expect it to be extremely hot, but we finely have a van with AC so hopefully the road rage will be less to none. We vowed never to tour Arizona in July again without AC. We're touring with this band, Gerling from Australia, so we're excited about that. We'll be playing mostly new songs as our new record will just be coming out, so hopefully people are into that. As for what we'll be wearing, I don't think any of us have packed yet, so I'm not sure. My friend Claire runs a design company "Dead Good" and she has made me a bunch of clothes, so I'll be wearing some of her stuff, and if it's hot we'll probably pull out our good old short-shorts.


The Red Light Sting Website

Interview conducted by Zed over e-mail. Design by Matt.

Related features

Unseemlier

One Question Interviews • June 27, 2025

Mike Assatly (Unseemlier - guitar/vocals) SPB: Do you have a preferred model of van for touring? Assatly: Chevy G-20 Gladiator! It was my first van, I got it from my uncle with 115,000 on it. He got rid of it for a new van because it was "old" and would … Read more

Dollar Store

One Question Interviews • June 26, 2025

Dave Slaverave (Dollar Store - bass) SPB: This band hits a lot of styles, all kind of overlapping at the same time. How hard was it to find “your sound” when bringing these influences together? Slaverave: Not very hard at all actually. We're all old-ass adults who've soaked in a … Read more

Golden Shitters

One Question Interviews • June 25, 2025

Matt (Golden Shitters) How nervous were you the first time you played a show? My first show was around 2002. I was 15 years old and it was a basement house party in my hometown of Welland, Ontario. I’d just proved myself to my high school buddies by singing The … Read more

Arms Aloft

Interviews • June 23, 2025

Remember Election Day 2024? Maybe you shouldn't. Maybe you've blocked it out. That's fair, but there was one pleasant surprise that day: a new EP from Wisconsin's Arms Aloft. It took a while to claw out of the darkness in November, then Year End 2024 coverage took over the Scene … Read more

Small Steps

One Question Interviews • June 12, 2025

Jeremiah (Small Steps - guitar/vocals) SPB: What song has the best use of whistling? Jeremiah: I feel like the easy answer would be the Bobby McFerrin song "Don't Worry Be Happy". Which is catchy as all get out, but we prefer the road less traveled here in Small Steps. For … Read more

More from this section

Arms Aloft

Interviews • June 23, 2025

Remember Election Day 2024? Maybe you shouldn't. Maybe you've blocked it out. That's fair, but there was one pleasant surprise that day: a new EP from Wisconsin's Arms Aloft. It took a while to claw out of the darkness in November, then Year End 2024 coverage took over the Scene … Read more

Ilya Arbatman (Rotary Club)

Book store co-owner

Interviews / Don't Quit Your Day Job • May 13, 2025

There are a lot of misconceptions about the life of a musician. Most musicians have day jobs – and not just to pay the bills. Jobs provide new challenges, personal fulfillment and, yes, some rent or gas money. How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative … Read more

Chuck Ragan

Fly fishing tour guide

Interviews / Don't Quit Your Day Job • April 14, 2025

How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene Point Blank looks at how musicians split their time, and how their careers influence their music (or how their music provides escape). In this edition, we caught up … Read more