Welcome to our almost daily quickie Q&A feature: One Question Interviews. Follow us at facebook or twitter and we'll post one interview every Monday-Thursday. Okay, sometimes we miss a day, but it will be four each week.
After our social media followers get the first word, we post a wrap-up here at the site and archive 'em here. This week check out Q&As with American Scarecrows, Brown Brogues, Ghoul and Specialist Subject Records.
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Allen Maier (American Scarecrows, drums)
SPB: Do you wear earplugs when you play? Why/why not?
Allen: I have heard people say they wish they took better care of their hearing when they were younger. Playing almost every day I was getting tired of trying to fall asleep while my ears were ringing. The more I was playing the worse it got, I knew it was time to make a change. A few years ago I bought ear plugs that don’t muddy the sound but just reduce the volume. It took a bit of getting use to but I started realizing I was hearing stage monitors better because it was cutting down on a lot of the room sound and bounce.
I also use a in-ear monitoring system with custom molded Westone in ears for performing with my band American Scarecrows. This way I have control of a click track and my overall monitoring volume of my drums and my other bandmates. I am glad I made the switch to protect my hearing and only wish I had done it sooner. These days there are so many great options to protect your hearing that still let you enjoy the music you are playing and listening to.
Mark (Brown Brogues)
SPB: Assuming that you're not playing a show, what is a typical Saturday night for Brown Brogues? What does it involve?
Mark: If we're flush with cash we would go out in Manchester and drink posh cocktails and prosecco. If not so flush we would drink cheap beers at each other houses then go to a gig.
So I guess what I’m saying is....typical Saturday night is getting drunk.
Digestor (GHOUL)
SPB: How's Creepsylvania this time of year?
Digestor: Moist
Andrew (Specialist Subject Records, Bangers)
Do any of your musician friends have tinnitus?
I've actually had tinnitus for nearly 10 years and I can pin point the source of it to a Shai Hulud show in Newport, Wales. For years it was the bane of my life, now I think I've lost my hearing to the extent that it doesn't bother me. It's probably going to come back to bite me in later life. When I was younger I had some custom ear plugs that were amazing. I highly advise getting some if you would like to continue being able to make conversation in a noisy bar.
