P: Hey Mercedes! Could you just give us a brief introduction of yourselves and what kind of music you play?
Bob: I’m Bob, I play guitar and sing. Then there’s Damon who plays the drums and Todd who plays the bass. We have no other guitarist at the moment, but we’re working on it!
P: You’ve just recently signed to Vagrant and released ‘Everynight Fire Works’, did the record go as well you’d expected? Were there any hiccups?
Bob: We are very pleased with the way the record turned out. The only real hiccup was that they were having distributor issues which delayed the release, but once it was out… clear sailing. As for the recording process, it was super smooth. We were in a woodsy setting in Minnesota with an indoor swimming pool and the wonderful J Robbins behind the boards.
P: One of the most appealing attributes of your music for me is the densely layered sound of your recordings – are you looking to retain this style in your future recordings?
Bob: Eventually I’d like to try something a little different, just to see how it turns out, but I don’t think we’ll ever want to stray too far from the layering. We dig it. too.
P: What are all the band members up to right now? Do you have plans to tour the UK in the near future?
Bob: Actually, we’re on a short tour right now that includes two shows in Japan. We have plans to get to the UK in the early fall, so hopefully that works out.
P: Would you say that any other artists have directly influenced your music? And what are you all listening to at the moment?
Bob: Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of singer / songwriter type stuff like Ron Sexsmith, Pete Yorn, Elvis Costello. If they’ve influenced me in anyway, it’s in the singing department. I’m constantly trying out new things to condition my voice.
P: The sun is shining outside, and it’s the perfect day for some outdoor banter – but there’s 3 hours of the simpsons back to back on TV and you’ve just bought a big bag of Doritos… which route do you take?
Bob: Unfortunately, I’d go for the Simpsons. I’m not too hip on Doritos, but some microwave popcorn would sweeten the deal.
P: If you could scupper one musical act on the planet, who would it be and why?
Bob: Scupper? Does that mean “do away with”? I’ve got some real problems with Puddle of Mudd and the 100 bands that sound exactly like them. It will be a grand day in the USA when something actually good gets played on the radio.
P: You enter a record store with £15, determined to buy a CD – but all they’ve got is Cher’s greatest hits and a copy of Rod Stewart’s classics – which one do you grudgingly pay for?
Bob: Rod Stewart. That is the only choice. And perhaps “Young Turks” would be on there. I liked that song when I was a kid.
P: Do you have any strong views on the present campaign Bush is undertaking in the Middle East?
Bob: I have strong views against pretty much anything that George does or says. He’s not exactly the brightest star in Orion… It’s admirable that the US would want to help keep peace in that region, but our goals are usually ashamedly selfish and we end up being a total nuisance, adding fuel to an already raging fire. The whole thing pretty much disgusts me.
P: Finally is there anyone or anything you’d like to thank/give a shout out to?
Bob: I’d like to thank everybody for coming tonight and clapping.