Features / One Question Interviews

Loren (Scene Point Blank)

SPB: Which is the most difficult and which is the most enjoyable part of being an editor for a music webzine?

Loren: The most difficult is simply finding time. As a global site that, in turn, means we get submissions from everywhere and at all hours of the day. The most enjoyable part is …

Nate Pischke (United Teachers of Music)

SPB: What role does humor play in songwriting?

Pischke: Humor doesn’t play a role in our music. We’re serious as fuck and I’m pretty upset that you’d even ask that.

Recreant

SPB: What’s the largest crowd you’ve played to? Did you approach it differently?

Recreant: Not really sure, we approach every show differently. It just depends on the space. We have played for crowds that have just been the other bands, to almost 200 people. We prefer playing on the floor to a stage. A house show or …

Joel Tannenbaum (Plow United, The Rentiers, Ex Friends)

SPB: As a musician, do you find terminology such as “side project” to be relevant to you in any way?

Tannenbaum: In my experience, once a band starts being perceived as a side project, it's pretty much dead. So yeah, I'd say I find the term to be highly relevant!

Stephen Pierce (Kindling, Ampere)

SPB: Rank these listening options: cd, vinyl, digital, cassette, (other?)

Pierce: 8 track, floppy disc, player piano, minidisc, wax cylinder.

From worst to best. 

Scott (Kowloon Walled City)

SPB: Do you think that more bands are getting robbed nowadays? Has it happened to you?

Scott: It seems like lately you read about another band's van getting stolen or broken into every week. Fortunately, it hasn't happened to us yet. We try to be careful. We don't leave our van unattended when …

CJ Ramone

SPB: In what setting are you least likely to wear a leather jacket?

Ramone: On the toilet. 

Witt (The Wild)

SPB: Do you embrace the folk/punk genre?

Witt: Sometimes embracing a genre can be very limiting. The amazing thing about the folk/punk world is that there is an incredible amount of freedom to express yourself however you want. Folk/Punk is more than a musical aesthetic to me. It is a community, a mindset, and a …

Nathaniel Chapman and Austin Lunn (HammerHeart Brewing)

SPB: What about Bathory’s music is most aesthetically similar to your beers?

Chapman: A simple question requires a simple straight forward answer. I asked Austin, his response: "Epic metal inspires epic beer." 

I will add to that by saying that the HammerHeart album was the beginning of the Viking Metal …

Quintron & Miss Pussycat

SPB: How do you describe your sound to strangers when they ask?

Quintron & Miss Pussycat: SWAMP TECH

Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head Brewing, founder and president)

SPB: What is the connection between brewing and music?

Calagione: There are two art forms that have been created and enjoyed since the dawn of civilization, and enjoying them simultaneously amplifies the experience of each.  

Our brewery has been obsessed with music since long before we opened. Back in …

Fletcher (On the Water)

SPB: What is the worst job you’ve ever had?

Fletcher: Tough question: Being a high school dropout, I have worked some very shitty jobs.

Providing customer service and sales for a mail/online porn business here in Philadelphia, one of my special tasks was clearing out the voicemail for Mailing List removal. [I] had …

Brickfight

SPB: How big is your record collection?

Brickfight: Short Answer: 732

Long Answer: In a Cold War-style escalation which stems primarily from a missing copy of I Farm's Sincerely, Robots lent to Jonathan by Nick well over four years ago, all record players have gone quiet in the Brickfight camp. While neither party will admit to …

Micah (Unwelcome Guests)

SPB: If you could hear any band cover one of your songs, which song would it be, and who would play it?

Micah: Hearing Deerhoof cover “Warm Soon” would be pretty wild.

Houseplant Records

SPB: Do you run your own website, facebook, twitter, etc. Do you enjoy that side of the industry?

Houseplant: Yes, I do run all of those things. I would say they're necessary and I try to find some enjoyment in them when I can, but generally, no, I don't enjoy that aspect of releasing music. I …

Jesse (Gay Witch Abortion)

SPB: You’ve played shows out of your van and on a boat, among other locations. What setting has been the most fun or the most challenging to orchestrate?

Jesse: Playing 7 short sets outside 7 different bars in a van in one night was fun. The raft show was great. They just let us …

AngelFukk Witchhammer (AMSG 666)

SPB: How important is Satan to you/the band and what does that belief mean to you?

Witchhammer: Luciferianism for me is breathing /living each day preparing to transcend to the next level of energy transfer. It is utmost freedom and to conquer the highest form of self will/iron will to power and turn to …

Matt (Audacity)

SPB: As a California band, what do you think of winter touring?

Matt: Touring in winter can be very exciting. People appreciate the fact that you drive through bad conditions to hang out and play with other bands. That being said, we have been stuck in -33 degree weather in the middle of Montana for 2 …

Daniel Pujol (Pujol)

SPB: If you could re-record one song, what would it be?

Pujol: Honestly, any song of mine I feel has been inadequately captured or presented I will try to rerecord. Or remix. Or record live. There is usually a high level of intent going into a composition, and if that intent is strongly miscommunicated, then …

Josh Zanger (Bloodshot Records)

SPB: The covers compilation for your 20th anniversary is rather extensive. When did you start work on gathering the cooperating artists?

Zanger: Everyone on staff made lists of acts that we’d love to hear cover Bloodshot artists - past and present - back in late 2013. Our collective list was pretty massive and had …