Features / One Question Interviews

Chris Veinot (Talk Show Host)

SPB: Was any of the “Blood in the Sand” cat footage shot specifically for the video or was it all footage you previously had on hand?

Veinot: The only thing shot specifically for the video was the intro, with Maila (the big white marshmallow doofus) lounging like an idiot in front of the …

Chris Fogal (Discomfort Creature-guitar/vocals)

SPB: Do you get nervous before you play a show/take the stage?

Fogal: If I haven't played for a while I do get a little nervous but it's more like an annoying excitement. It's not like fear of being up on stage or anything. It's more like I wish I could just relax and …

Andy Diaz (Safety)

SPB: You break a string onstage during a song. What’s your strategy: attempt a BB King-style replacement while playing?

Diaz: If I break a string in the middle of a song, I simplify the chords until I have the opportunity to grab my backup guitar. For me, having a backup tuned and ready to go …

Bob (I Against I – bass)

SPB: (In non-COVID times) What do you like to do on a tour off date?

Bob: On a tour off date I like to walk around town with people who live there. They know where to find the best record stores, bars and places to sleep in the sunshine. We did a …

Sandré

SPB: What was the first concert you all attended (together)?

Sandré: We went to the Idles show together two years ago. It was incredible. Stefi and Rosa ended up on stage. Marc lost his glasses. Nothing happened to Carles but he enjoyed it very much. 

Scott Turner (Black Sheep Wall)

SPB: What’s the most MacGyver-esque workaround you’ve made to connect different bits of equipment?

Turner: Using a $5 1/8” splitter cable and a few 1/8” to 1/4” adapters from Radio Shack to link up two live rigs at once.

Igor Starshinov (Ploho)

SPB: What make/model of synth did you primarily use on the new record? How did you choose this model?

Starshinov: We used Moog minimoog model d, Nord lead 2x, Quasimidi the Raven, Roland Vp550, Casio VL 1, Roland sh 101 and Roland juno 60. We chose these synthesizers because they are the best for these …

Ian MacDougall (Nice Surprise – guitar/vocals/bass)

SPB: Is Nice Surprise primarily a two-person project? What is the origin story?

MacDougall: Nice Surprise is myself, Ian MacDougall on Vocals/Guitar/Bass and Stuart Sikes doing the recording and drums. It was pretty much born out of quarantine boredom and our love of fuzzed out punk/garage music. I’ve recorded and interned in …

Lindsay DeGroot (Fox Face - lead guitar, vocals)

SPB: How old were you when you first learned an instrument?

DeGroot: I started playing guitar when I was 25 years-old. A few years before that, I played drums for the first time for "All Messed Up." All Messed Up is a yearly "randomized musical experiment" in Milwaukee, WI, where …

Sean Arenas (Pinned in Place – guitar)

SPB: What guitar do you play (and how did you choose it)?

Arenas: I've only ever owned one electric guitar: my purple Fender Standard Telecaster, a Mexican model. I purchased it when I was nineteen from a sixteen-year-old kid in Temple City, Calif. His mom forced him to sell it because …

Gene Woolfolk III (Vincas - guitar)

SPB: What type of guitar do you play for live gigs and how/why did you choose it?

Woolfolk: I have a plethora of large, heavy tube amps but none of them fit in a minivan. Chris lets me use his Musicman HD-130 2x10 combo for Vincas because I need something loud, clean, …

Tommy Plural (The Plurals)

SPB: What do you remember about the first Plurals live show?

Tommy: The Plurals -- from the beginning, and to this day, Tommy, Nich, and Hattie -- started playing together when we were all still in high school, largely jamming on Pixies covers in the spring of 2004. We cycled through a lot of …

Derek (Old Ghosts)

SPB: What is the best TV theme song?

Derek: It would have to the Cheers theme (I know I’m showing my age). Some of the lyrics hit me & I find them quite relatable. Also, the piano is quite catchy.

Here’s some lyrics with my comments:

“Making your way in the world today …

Ossa Humiliata (City of Industry)

SPB: Who is your favorite lyricist?

Humiliata: Damian Abraham and Mike Haliechuk from Fucked Up. Collectively, their word play, storytelling, and creativity are always operating at 100 in my opinion.

Matt P. (Bummer)

What is your amp setup and how did you choose to pair that with your guitar?

Matt says:

Kenny Feinstein (Water Tower)  

SPB: You’ve been through a lot and your songs reflect that. Can you tell us the symbolism or how you landed on the Water Tower name?

Feinstein: Thank you for asking. Thank you for taking the time to listen to and understand my songs. I think it takes someone who has been through …

Jason Fusco (Shehehe)

SPB: What drummer (not your own band) stand out to you the most?

My faFusco: vorite drummer is Michael Gonzalez of the local Athens, GA band Deep State. I just really dig his driving style of playing. It's aggresive, but fluid, reminds me of why I play drums in the first place, to really feel …

Vincent (Faux Depart)

SPB: Which records do you consider essential for the development of Faux Depart's music?

Vincent: Well, we're big music nerds but if I have to name 3 albums that are key influences in our music, I'd say WIPERS "Is this real", WIRE "pink flag" and FEELIES "crazy rhythms."

They all have both punk and …

R. Boyd

SPB: Is there a particular album or artist that inspired you to start writing your own music when you were younger?

Boyd: No particular album or artist but I was really into ‘90s grunge when that hit. My neighbor who had learned to play guitar showed me some chords and really inspired me. He definitely played …

SJC (Mycelium Cloak – drums/lyrics/vocals)

SPB: Has being on a stage regularly changed how you interact with strangers? Are you more/less social because of your stage experience? 

SJC: When I first started playing music, it definitely made me more social. Simply playing with other bands extended my network of friends. As I became an ancient head in punk …