Kevin: How do feel being touted as one of the best pure electro acts in America right now?
Sam: It feels great. We are very happy with the response we have gotten.
Kevin: Do you plan on doing more "cross-over" stuff like the track 'Hideaway'?
Sam: We never plan what our sound is going to be, we do it song to song. There is never any definite preset mood to the songs before we write them.
Kevin: What do the numbers on the bottom back of the CD
stand for?
John: Well we can't really tell anyone right now. Whoever DOES crack the mystery of the numbers on the CD wins a prize, so get those numbers cracked.
Kevin: Who do you have playing live?
Sam: John Ricker on vocals, Sam P. on synth and triggers, Jason Mashburn on synth and percussion, and Keith Williams on synth and occasional guitar.
Kevin: Have you been happy with your live performances so far?
John: We have had some good, some bad. Our shows in Hawaii we think were of a higher caliber, because we incorporated stage props and lighting into the live show. We eventually plan on working those elements back in. Our shows here in California have been good, but we have plans to make them more impacting and memorable. The other half of the show is our crowd; if they don't respond, then half the energy is gone right there. Not to say that the shows over here have been bad, but we plan on delivering more than just a live band.
Kevin: Why the move from Hawaii to Los Angeles and now to San Francisco?
Sam: We moved from Hawaii, because Hawaii is geographically
handicapping, to LA because it was easier to move there because we have family
and friends on the west coast. We are moving to San Francisco in May because
it's a lot easier for recording and live purposes; and a lot of our shows are
booked in San Francisco and it's a great place to live.
Kevin: How has COP treated you?
John: Other than the fact that Kim X locks us up in her shed behind her house and beats us with sticks until we finish a new song, and the fact that Christian makes us go bobbing for razorblades in vats of boiling yogurt, COP has been quite supportive. They have a lot of faith in their bands, and it is more like a family rather than a business.
Kevin: Are there any places you like to grab samples from or is it more of a random process? Do you usually build songs around samples, or put in appropriate samples after the music is created?
Sam: Some of our samples are off of movies or shows. In terms of vocal samples, we place those after the music has been finished.
Kevin: Where does John draw inspiration for his lyrics? Does Sam do any of the lyrics?
John: I do all of the lyrical writing. A lot of it is based on personal experiences, dreams, emotions and fears.
Kevin: Do you two (John and Sam) work well together when creating music?
John: We work well together. Sometimes we don't see
completely eye to eye, but it is always quite easy to compromise. For the
majority of the time we are on the same wavelength.
Kevin: What are your future plans? Do you plan on doing any remixes?
Sam: There is a side project we are working on with Amanda Jones, the vocalist who sang on 'Maelstrom'. The first song is going to be on the "Diva X Machina II" Compilation. We are trading remixes with Index and were doing a remix of the Idiot Stare song Smile', and there is a tentative Scar Tissue remix we might be doing. Also, we are touring in February on the west coast.
Kevin: Did you play any live shows with Soil & Eclipse in Hawaii? Have you guys talked about doing any collaborative work together (besides the guest appearance by them on `Before the Punishment')?
Sam: We did one show with Soil and Eclipse when they were known as Oracle of Delphi (yes, I thought that name was goofy, too) before either of us were signed, and one show with them after we both got signed. Both bands have known each other quite well for a long time, and it's very ironic that we both wound up on the same label. We have discussed trading remixes, but nothing is concrete yet.
Kevin: Have you gotten a lot of response on your web page? Would you say that it has increased the recognition of your band?
Sam: We've gotten e-mails from people that have visited the
site, and it sure does help. It has all of our show dates on it, and a few
people have told me they purchased the CD because of the RealAudio samples on
it. It has broadened the audience, and given people that would have normally
never heard of us a little bit of insight as to who we are and what we are
about.
Kevin: Has Sam been in any big movies as an "extra"?
Sam: A few, but unless you have a magnifying glass you can't see him.
Kevin: Has Sam ever been asked to get naked in front of the camera to "play a part"?
John: No thank God. Who wants to see his big white ass anyway. Besides extras don't get parts, they are peons, background gimps. He has gotten naked in front of the camera, but only for the eyes of the Thailand smutpeddlers and the unfortunate elderly ladies that saw his private act at the Shadow Pines Convalescent Home