T3M: In the past, you've mentioned Silverchair, Rage Against the Machine, and Green Day as influences. Are they influencing the direction of your music?

EA: Yeah, a little bit. It's funny you say that, because Silverchair has released another album. Their latest album is very different than what we're used to, and what we first got into before. So I don't know about Silverchair.

In terms of Green Day, definitely. Some of the songwriting is really good... good songs and stuff. And Rage Against the Machine, definitely, because they've just got great riffs. We always wanted to make sure that we have heavy enough riffs.

MG: I would say they're still influences for sure. I think they will always be influences. They were our influences when we were at such an age when we were being molded. Those bands were at the forefront.

T3M: What did you think of Silverchair's latest album?

SM: We sort of have mixed feelings about it, because we all like different things about the band and their catalog of music. I personally like the first half of the record because it's sort of bent. I like some of the musical changes. I don't really like the second half because it's too soft. That's what I think. I would love to see that band take what they're doing now and put in more heavy guitars. I think it would be a really good musical mesh. But, he's sort of thrown the guitars away for a different direction, which is their thing now.

EA: I love their earlier stuff. The new stuff is probably not my direction.

MG: (to Shim) It's funny how you always say 'the first half' and 'the second half' like it's two completely different albums.

SM: It's just not my cup of tea.

T3M: I know that you did a cover of 'Say My Name', when I heard it, I thought it seemed very familiar... like Green Day?

MG: Yeah, Green Day's riff with Destiny's Child's lyrics

T3M: In the past you've been asked if you would record another cover song in addition to 'Say My Name', and you were quoted as saying "that one worked particularly well, and so far we've kept it at that". What led you to take on your cover of 'Cherub Rock'?

EA: There was a competition to do a Smashing Pumpkins song. Twelve bands were asked to cover one of the songs. Every band chose one. We actually chose 'Ava Adore' first, but every time we'd choose something they'd say 'no, it's taken'. Finally we learned that 'Cherub Rock' wasn't taken, so we said 'great, we'll do that one'. We wanted to mix it up a little bit. I think we put in the chorus of 'The Everlasting Gaze'. We wanted to mash it up a little bit.

MG: They just came to us asked if we wanted to do it. For me, Smashing Pumpkins was one of my big influences. You had to like Smashing Pumpkins.

SM: I only liked the singles, and all those were the songs we chose originally that kept getting taken away.

MG: We've never played it live. We just played it in the studio and recorded it, that's about it. But, we're getting so many requests that I think we might start playing it one of these days.

EA: Maybe.

T3M: What are you favorite cities to play in?

SM: I like Portland, Maine.

MG: We're there tomorrow.

SM: We've played at a place called The Station two or three time now.

EA: Tomorrow will be three times.

SM: When we started out, no one came. The second time, lots of people came. So tomorrow is going to be a lot of fun.

T3M: Do you guys miss Australia?

SM: Yes, I do. I get homesick sometimes. I've just got family back there. I'm an emotional wreck.

MG: I was there for three months and I'm homesick.

SM: I get homesick. We're really lucky at the moment because we're working so much. We got the next single coming out in mid-October, 'My World', so we're going to be doing a lot of work. When you working, it doesn't come up as much, but when you have time off to think it becomes a problem.

T3M: How has the response been so far to Dressed Up As Life?

SM: In Australia it's been good. It's been a bit disappointing that we haven't had an opportunity to tour there because we've been working so hard here. Hopefully we'll be going back at the start of the year if we get a chance.

The response here... I don't want to say a surprise like I'm surprised, but I'm still surprised that it keeps growing bigger and bigger. It feels like it's starting to become something so much more than us. Because we wrote it in a little studio in Santa Monica, and it was pasted together out of all these different experiences. It was just sort of this amalgamation of a year and a half's worth of effort to hopefully get a record out. Now it's out, people know the words, we've seen the numbers grow, we see people coming to shows more, and all that stuff. When you hear the stories about people playing 'All The Same' at their weddings or their anniversaries, it just sort of blows your mind.

MG: Tomorrow night, someone's going to propose on stage during 'All The Same'.

EA: It's going to be fun.

SM: We'll get them up on stage and pretend that they're competition winners, and he's going to surprise the girl.

EA: She doesn't have a clue. Hope she says 'yes'.

Continued on Page 2 »

| 09.20.2007 | Interview by Kristen Pierson |