JW- Yup! absolutely, we grew up going to a lot of hard core shows in our hometown. See, New Found Glory is from South Florida and that’s kind of where we found our hard core and pop feel. definitely a big influence.

SW- out of your 4 releases, which one is your favorite and is there a reason for that?

JW- It’s kind of weird. When people ask me that question, I don’t know what to say. I like each record as what it is. Each holds memories of places and times. It’s weird, but I like our new record a lot. It kind of pushed us to the forefront of what we’re trying to do, it says a lot on the record.

SW- You’ve been together for quite a few years; as the music industry changes, do you feel as though that influences you all as a band? how so?

JW: Not really, because we never became a band to say, ‘we’re going to sell a million records,’ or ‘we’re going to become millionaires from this,’ or anything like that. That’s never been what we’re trying to do, so as far as the business changing, record sales not doing as well, touring not being as good as it used to be, all that kind of stuff. We don’t really care. We play hardcore pop punk, a think that does not make sense at all. That should go to show that we don’t really care, that we’re just doing this to have fun.

SW: How is your relationship with your label mates?

JW: We don’t really know too many, we have done that much touring [with them], but all the ones we know are awesome dudes.

SW: How has the fan reaction been to What Separates Me From You?

JW: I think it’s going pretty good. It’s our newest stuff and our touring is all the biggest shows we’ve done, ever. I would say that it’s translating pretty well.

SW: I’ve read that your last two albums have debuted at #1 on the US indie charts, how does that feel? You were saying the success doesn’t really matter.

JW: You want to do well, but if it all started to go down hill now, I never expected any of this, so I’d be happy. Our very first touring show, we played to one person, one human being. To watch today and see how much it’s grown, it’s just insane.

SW: Who or what do you pull inspiration from now and how does that differ from what your earlier inspirations were?

JW: It’s actually pretty much the same. Any new bands or bands we’ve been with on tour, even old bands, just listening to music like, ‘I want to write a heavy part like this band has been doing.’ As far as lyrical content, Jeremy [McKinnon], just takes everyday life. Anything that you or me would experience, it’s stuff that anyone can experience.

SW: Your lyrics are very upfront, take for instance “All Signs Point To Lauderdale,” is it nerve racking putting those kinds of words and lyrics out in the open?

JW: No, because like I’ve said, we don’t care. Not to say that we’re those rockstar dudes that are like, “eff everything.” We’re not saying that, we’re respectful kids. We’re doing what we want to do, if you like it, listen to it.

SW: This isn’t your band’s first time on Warped Tour, so as veterans of sorts, how would you sum up the tour?

JW: Crowds are great, bands are great. We know our way around and we know where like, the showers are, or secret showers. We know a little bit.

SW: How would you say your music has changed throughout the years?

JW: I don’t know, because people said the old stuff was heavy, but I feel like some of the heaviest songs we’ve ever written are on the new record. 2nds Sucks, I mean geez, that song is heavy as hell. Sticks & Bricks, first song on the record! The songs have just gotten better, we’ve become better song writers.

SW: What do you think music, as a whole, is all about? How do you think the industry affects that?

JW: I don’t even know. People ask these questions, they aren’t bad questions, I’m sure some people have answers for them, but we aren’t really focused on what’s going on around us, we’re just trying to figure out what we want to do.

SW: Would you trade being in a touring band for anything?

JW: No! These are the best memories of my entire life. This is what I want to do.

SW: Any last words?

JW: Just thank you so much for doing in the interview! I know it sounds dumb, but without people like you, you keep people interested.

Big thanks to Josh for sitting down with us and to the whole band for putting on one of the best shows I’ve ever seen! The crowds get absolutely wild for these guys, I suggest never giving up and opportunity to see them!

SW: So, you guys hail from Los Angeles, which is pretty much the epicenter of all creative things. People have the dream that they’re going to go out there and “make it big.” Coming from that area, do you ever feel any pressure? Like you need to be successful?

TA: Being that we’re from there, I wouldn’t say we do. I don’t feel that pressure because, simply, I don’t know, it’s where we’re from. Motion pictures are centered there, the music business, whatever is left of it [laughs], is there. Yeah, I don’t think I feel any additional pressure, being from there. If anything, maybe the reverse, because if we were from a small town elsewhere, there would be like a pressure to make it, but it’s [LA] where we’re from. If we don’t do it, we could always find another job out there. [laughs]

SW: Being together for many years, how has the band changed or progressed throughout the years?

TA: Yeah, there’s been different members. The band is actually, uh, nine, it started in 2002.

SW: Your genre is only represented by a select few on Warped Tour, because the tour is much more populated by alternative or pop punk, etc. Is it a blessing to be one of those bands, a compliment of sorts?

TA: I’m not sure if it works to our advantage, because I think such a large majority of the people coming are here to see heavier music. I think in some aspects, it’s a break, so. I guess it can work to our advantage because some people get bombarded with heavy stuff all day long, it’s a nice change. Overall, I think the majority of people coming here want to get their heads blasted off…

SW: Not really my favorite thing…

TA: Nope, not mine either.

SW: Anyway, I read that your first album was recorded in just one day.

TA: Yeah, I actually wasn’t in the band at that time. They just recorded everything on the spot, though. None of that, ‘let’s just record a bunch of songs.’ They just threw everything together.

SW: That’s crazy. What would you guys’ say is the most influential on your music?

TA: Hmm, I have to think about that. As an artist, or just anything?

SW: Whatever you see fit.

TA: Well, I guess my true answer would be, basically the band has based their style on a specific style of Jamaican music, like late 60’s early 70’s era. Obviously, there’s a lot of other influences that come in. We’re not trying to replicate exactly what was going on at that time, but we try to keep it a traditional sound.

SW: The band has quite the discography, any favorite albums or songs?

TA: That’s another tough question. I don’t know, the stuff that I’ve been apart of kind of represents that time when we were doing it. Sort of, different things for different reasons, it’s hard to settle for anything specific.

SW: Well for this time, how has Warped treated you?

TA: It’s pretty hard. You’ve gotta arrive at 7 in the morning, load your stuff to the stage and just go on all day long. There’s interviews and we do acoustic performances, as well; our regular stage performance. Always stuff going on. Hot during the day time, a lot of noise at all times.

SW: On another note, what’s the relationship like with you and your label mates?

TA: The Aggrolites are on Hellcats Records. The Street Dogs are out here with us, they’re probably like, as bands, some of our closest friends. I think that a lot of bands that are on that label are friends.

SW: What has been your favorite experience as a musician?

TA: I guess, for me, it’s special when you get to meet and perform with the people that, ya know, inspired us. We’ve had the opportunity to play with a lot of classic artists, people that I was listening to when I was young.

SW: Has music always been a huge part of your life?

TA: Yes! I think for all of us, actually. I can say, 3 of us, our fathers were musicians. Roger’s dad played in an LA band starting up in the 70’s, actually pretty popular.

SW: Coming from, and being in music, is there any advice you’d give to aspiring musicians? Especially in Reggae.

TA: Well, you know, I say, if you love it and you’re doing it because you love it and you get satisfaction out of it, that’s all that really matters. No matter what happens, if you’re getting a sense of fulfillment out of it and are getting to share it with people, it doesn’t matter how many people! If it’s a positive thing that you’re sharing, then keep doing it.

Thanks to the band for their time on this day! With such a long work day, it’s a miracle any of the band members want to sit through an interview!

SW: What’s the meaning behind your band name? Was it a coincidence the way the acronym worked out?

NM: It worked out that we were sending out demos to our producer and our management and yet we didn’t have a band name at the time, so we just put Drugs on it, for fun. Then, when it came time to actually decide on a band name, we had this massive white board and we just wrote so many band names on it. Then management said, “To be honest, Drugs is better than a lot of these.” So, we were like, alright! We like the intensity of it, whatever comes from it, if people are offended by it. We wanted to come up with some sort of deeper meaning, so we sat on it for a bit. Craig and I decided on Destroy, Rebuild, Until God Shows.

SW: Very cool. So, your album came out in February, any thoughts on how the response has been to it in such a short time?

NM: Crazy! Being on the main stage and only having the record out since February,  we were a little scared, at first. I don’t know, though. We did the AP tour and crowds were crazy at those shows. It was quite intense. So, at that point, we noticed that the record was doing pretty well. Then we came out here, thinking here’s the test, we’ll know if we come out on stage and there’s only 20 kids watching, but the crowds have been insane, so far.

SW: Well, there was a lot of hype when Craig left Chiodos about what he was going to do next.

NM: Yeah, ya know, there was a lot of hype around the band, with all the different members.

SW: Of course, I mean, you’ve all been in different projects before.

NM: Yeah, yeah, yeah! We just thought it was either going to be really bad or it was going to be really good.

SW: How did you all become acquainted?

NM: I’ve known Craig since 2003… 2004. My old band used to play with his old band and then, by total fluke, I hit him up on MySpace years after, in 2006, telling him to check out my bands new record. He said he would check it out. He listened to it and called me the next day saying he wanted me to sing on the next Chiodos record. So, I did that, and then from there on out he and I just wrote together. Then, we started this new band the day after he got disbanded from Chiodos. We started hitting up out favorite musicians. We called up Matt, and Aaron was looking for a new project. We were in the studio and Adam from Story of The Year came in, and that was it! It was really easy, really, really easy.

SW: Those connections really help you, huh?

NM: Yeah!

SW: How was your experience in your other band compared to your experience now?

NM: Um, I think we’re just older and more mature. I think our previous bands were kind of like our high school, going through the years of learning and learning from your mistakes, a lot. We came into this project knowing the right way to do things on every aspect, whether it be the business side or just personality wise; how to deal with people.

SW: Do you feel like your old fans have followed your from all your guys’ previous projects to where you are now?

NM: Yeah, completely. I think, to be honest, there really hasn’t been any backlash… well there’s been a little backlash from kids coming over. I think they wanted to see what everyone was going to be up to and what everything would sound like. I think, for the most part, everyone has been really stoked on it.

SW: Are there any hard feelings with your ex-bands? How would you feel about touring with them?

NM: There’s no hard feelings, necessarily. A few guys in my previous bands are kind of doing there own thing, now. Maybe we don’t talk as much anymore, but I miss the guys.

SW: What is the meaning behind If You Think This Song Is About You, It Probably Is?

NM: I think a lot of people can kind of speculate on what it’s about. Actually, you probably want to ask Craig that one. Most of the lyrics are a lot of what he had gone through that whole entire year. He went through a lot with Chiodos, but he went through a lot just personally with his own life and his own battles. So, I think that song is just a massive culmination of feelings he had pent up with a lot of shit in his life.

SW: Being a young band, you all have already toured overseas, which usually takes quite some time to achieve. What’s it like to be able to do that so quickly in the D.R.U.G.S. career?

NM: There’s like no words to describe it. We were all very optimistic and very positive coming into this band. We new that we were going to take it as far as we could and we were going to do all that we could to make sure that it was as successful as possible. However, I don’t think we quite knew it would go that well. Being over there is just insane. Kids are very receptive. It is different playing over there, but they are still very similar. Every time I answer that, it’s impossible to explain just what those things are.

SW: So, what’s your relationship like with your label mates?

NM: Everyone is awesome. Our boy from The Ready Set came out the other day and sang with us.

SW: Jordan is a great guy.

NM: Jordan is the nicest kid ever. We actually don’t know a lot of the other bands, yet.

SW: Do you think being on one of the notoriously hardest tours has affect you guys, at all, as a new band?

NM: All of our previous bands have done it before. Not saying we’re veterans, by any means, but this is my fifth Warped Tour, so I kind of knew, going into it, what it was going to be like. We knew how to go into it, and how to put the right set together; we know what the kids want and we provide.

Having an incredibly busy schedule, it meant a lot that Nick took the time out to chat with us! This band has huge things in store. Be sure to check them out on the last few days of Warped Tour and on any upcoming tours!

Shelby Wilson: How did you guys form?

Sergio Otaegui: Chris Pennings (guitar/vocals/piano) and me had met through the Hudson Valley NY music scene in 2005 when we were in different bands. At the start of 2007 our bands broke up and we decided to start playing music together. We grabbed some friends, started recording/touring right away, and here we are.

SW: Was it intimidating being signed to Victory Records and recording an album so soon after forming as a band?

SO: Intimidating isn’t even the word for it. It came really really quick and we weren’t even sure how to handle it at first. Right after signing we did a short run with The Atari’s and it was crazy to be at those shows feeling like every eye in the room was saying “okay, who are these kids & whats all the fuss about? they better be good.” We were so nervous before those shows and really stressed out about putting an album together so quickly. I think it definitely showed in the quality of the album because we were too unsure of ourselves to really stretch out creatively and take risks. But soon after, we became comfortable with our position and really made up for it on our upcoming sophomore album “South America”

SW: ”Thieves and Villains” as a name kind of embodies a negative connotation; is there any meaning or significance behind it?

SO: Oh yes, of course. When starting the band, we decided that we wanted to always run it with good/honest intentions. We really wanted to, and still do, treat everyone kindly in our business interactions and because of that we figured we’d call the band “thieves and villains” so that we as people wouldn’t have to be.

SW: There’s been some line-up changes throughout the history of TAV, do you feel that the music has changed at all with the members? Did the change make you all stronger as a whole?

SO: Chris Pennings (guitar/vocals/piano) and myself are the principle songwriters so we’ve always really controlled the vision/sound of the band. I play drums and bass as well, so when it came to writing I would always dictate the parts that those instruments played, regardless of who was in the band. But things just weren’t working out personality wise with anyone that we had played with and we realized that in order to carry on we’d need people that we felt close to and could really expand with. So in Spring 2009, we effectively started over with two close friends: Chris Competiello (Bass) & Joseph Penna (drums). It was the first time that we had members who were actually real friends of ours and once that happened, everything just took off amazingly. I’m still just as involved in the arranging of the drum & bass parts, but Chris & Joe, really bring their own flavor to the table and just mesh with us perfectly personality wise & business wise. We’re beyond happy to have finally found the perfect lineup and can’t wait to see how we grow together over the years.

SW: Growing up, did any of you think you were going to be/want to be in a band when you got older?

SO: We all started playing music between the ages of 11-15 and we’re all similar in that it became our main interest right away. At that age its too hard to tell where you’re going to end up in life but by high school its safe to say that all of us knew music was what we wanted career wise. It was definitely a dream and a long shot but I had faith in my abilities and knew that my work ethic was strong, so by age 17 I just knew that this is where I’d end up. Though I didn’t think it would have happened within my first 2 years after high school like it did.

SW: What sparked your interest in music?

SO: I always enjoyed music like anyone else but when I was about 9 or 10 my older cousins introduced me to Sublime and a lot of the 90’s skatepunk bands. I got really into it once I realized that there was a whole world of underground bands out there for me to discover. I started playing guitar when I was 13 and became obsessed with music, practicing/writing/studying for 8 to 9 hours a day, between school, work, & soccer.

SW: Do the fans have an influence on your guys’ music, or do you just write with the hopes that the fans will have a positive reaction to what you all came up with?

SO: We actually never even think about that. We just write things that get us excited and assume/hope that other people will enjoy them too. It’s also our job to push the envelope in order to hopefully expand the tastes of our listeners. If we can make them feel a bit uneasy or surprised by something, then we’re doing our job.

SW: Have any of the bands you’ve toured/played with had an influence on you? (Positively or negatively)

SO: I’d say that everyone we’re involved with, whether its friends or bands, influences us in one way or another. Whether its their policies on life, business, or art we always try to approach things like a sponge soaking up information. You can really learn something from everyone and we take advantage of that everyday.

SW: Has anyone/anything outside of the music world influenced/inspired you?

SO: Oh absolutely. I take just as much influence, if not more, from people in the literature/arts world. Some of my favorite authors: Hemmingway, Kerouac, & Bukowski really played a part in influencing my writing of our new album. And I also gained tons of insight on pushing my creative limits by studying the work of great artists like DaVinci (whose notebooks are a key source of inspiration to me), neo-expressionist painter Jean Michel Basquiat, Raymond DuChamp, & more. Now that I think about it, authors/artists inspire how I think about and approach music a lot more than musicians do.

SW: What would you consider your lowest and highest points in your careers as musicians?

SO: I would say that our lowest point was in April 09 after we had gotten back from a 3 month tour. Chris P and me were at absolute odds with our bassist/drummer and knew that we needed to change literally everything if we wanted to last as a band. The sad thing was, popularity wise we were at an all time high, so we knew that if we took some time to change our lineup we’d lose that buzz and have to rebuild.  Thankfully we made the right choice in rebuilding, because popularity aside, it was only a matter of time before we would have fallen apart. And our highest point would have to be sitting down and listening to the final finished copy of our new album “South America” and realizing that we made it through our awful 2009 and really achieved what we set out to do in this band since day one: make a creative record with great friends that we can be proud of.

SW: Is there anything un-assuring or scary about being in a band?

SO: Oh, of course. The music/entertainment industry is ever evolving and shifting. What’s hot now wont be hot tomorrow and because of that we all have other side businesses ranging from recording/songwriting/production to screen printing. We’ve all taken up other trades within and outside of the industry in order to maintain a constant stream of revenue that’s entirely independent of the up’s & downs of our career in Thieves and Villains.

SW: What is your #1 goal that you wish to accomplish as a musician or as someone who other people look up to?

SO: I speak for myself and all of us when I say my only financial goal is to be able to make just enough money off this to live comfortably while being able to fully take care of my parents and one day a family of my own. Aside from that, our artistic goals are to constantly push/challenge ourselves while making music that really speaks and connects with people. Very simple…we don’t want to be rich & famous. We just want to be good at what we do while making sure our loved ones are secure.

SW: Has there been any particular time in the lifetime of TAV that you will always remember? If so, what was it?

SO: We’ve been lucky enough to have countless amazing experiences in this band. And aside from trivial stuff like hearing ourselves on the radio or seeing ourselves on TV, I’d have to say that the entire process of recording our new album was an experience we’ll never forget. Our producer, Tim Gilles, is so experienced and wise when it comes to life in general, that it was truly a privilege to be able to make music with and learn from him.

SW: I know that some bands have admitted to this, so, if you weren’t in your band, do you think you would listen to TAV’s music?

SO: I wouldn’t have listened to our first album because it was the sound of a rookie band warming up, but I would absolutely listen to and be very into our new record.

SW: In March you all finished recording your sophomore album, how does it compare to your first album?

SO: We were like nervous rookies on our first album. We were new to the game and scared to go out there and really mix it up. Now that we’re comfortable and confident with who we are, we weren’t scared to take risks on this record.  It literally sounds like a new band, but I really believe that people who liked the first record will LOVE this one and that people who hated the first album will really really appreciate this one. Back in 2009 we took a glance at what our peers were doing and became disgusted. So many bands adopted the whole “neon color” image and dumbed down their music in order to get big quick. What they didn’t realize is that they aren’t REALLY connecting with people and while success may have come easy, it surely won’t be lasting. We wanted to raise the bar on this record to remind fans of what actual creativity and effort sounds like, while hopefully inspiring some of our peers to do the same. People are applauding mediocrity these days and that needs to change. We hope to help be a part of washing away a lot of this B.S in the same way that Nirvana and the other early 90’s punk/grunge bands helped get rid of cheesy 80’s hair metal.

SW: How does it feel to have your music featured on really popular shows such as Gossip Girl and The Hills?

SO: While we don’t watch the shows ourselves, its cool to get that kind of mainstream exposure and our friends/families love it. It makes us a little sad to be a part of the dumbing down of America via these silly shows, but our band isn’t in a position to be picky with this kind of stuff and the checks from it keep the lights on!

SW: You guys share a label with bands such as A Day To Remember, The Audition and Bayside. Do you look up to any of your label mates and is there ever any competition between any of the bands?

SO: We absolutely LOVE our Victory Records family for all that they do for us and we consider the other bands to be family. When we signed we immediately hung out with Silverstein and A Day To Remember. And Bayside (who we had previously known) hit us up to congratulate us and offer their support. We’re super inspired by the bigger bands and really want to establish ourselves as a big band on the label.

SW: Lastly, if you could create the tour of a lifetime and be a part of it, who would be on the line-up?

SO: Hmmmmm. That’s really tricky but lets just go with something old: Red Hot Chili Peppers, something new: Vampire Weekend, and something blue: The Blueman Group

A HUGE thank you goes out to Sergio for taking the time to answer these questions. Sergio and all the other guys in Thieves and Villains are out on tour this summer. Make sure you go check them out!

Shelby Wilson: You guys are currently on The AP Tour, which is quickly coming to an end, How has it been so far?

Jess Bowen: Best tour ever.

SW: Really?

Brian Dales: Definitely the best tour we’ve ever done. We’ve had all sorts of crazy set backs, too and it didn’t matter.

JB: We call this ‘The Summer Set Disastour” with Brian’s foot and having to skip a few shows because of getting stuck, but it’s honestly the best tour.

BD: Well, you skipped a few shows.

JB: (laughs) Well, yeah, they played acoustic.

SW: So, good reaction from the fans and everything?

BD: Oh, it’s been ridiculous.

SW: You get along with the rest of the bands and everything?

JB: Yes, of course!

BD: Yeah, we get along with everyone.

SW: I know you’ve toured with The Cab and Every Avenue before.

BD: Yep, we’ve never had a tour when we’ve gotten along with the bands better than this one. This tour has been incredible.

SW: Does it make you excited for Warped Tour this summer?

JB: Yeah!

BD: Oh yeah! Pretty much every band on this tour, except Every Avenue, is on Warped this summer.

SW: So, Warped will kind of be like a reunion for you all?

JB: Yeah, we’ll be with The Cab again, and they’re pretty much our best friends.

BD: I could tour with The Cab for like, forever, not kidding. They are my best friends.

SW: Is there anything negative you find about being on tour for so long?

JB: I mean, honestly, you get used to touring. It’s one of those things, expecially for long tours, I was telling our tour manager today, like you get exhausted. I’m at the point that everyday, when I wake up, I’m tired no matter how much sleep I’ve gotten.

SW: Does the fan reaction kind of pump you guys up again, give you a second wind of sorts?

JB: Oh yeah. Every night the shows are just getting better and better.

BD: And honestly, sometimes you have a lot of down time. Sometimes I’m actually really bored. There are times when I am legitimately bored.

SW: Lots of Entourage and Dexter going on?

JB: Mhmm, exactly!

BD: I actually forgot about that show, I need more of that. (laughs) There’s just lots of being bored.

JB: Lots of long drives.

SW: So, you’re from Arizona, there’s a really big music scene down there, are there any favorites and do you guys like being associated with all of them?

BD: Arizona’s scene is awesome, there are so many bands from Arizona. It’s a really different scene.  Some of our favorite bands are from Arizona, like Jimmy Eat World, The Format and The Jim Blossoms. So, it’s actually a good scene to be associated with. The Maine’s from there, Anarbor is from there.

SW: You guys grew up with Anarbor didn’t you?

JB: And The Maine! Actually, Kennedy was the singer when me, John and Stephen were in our band Last Call For Camden. So, we’ve grown up with those kids and have known them since we were in like 8th grade.

BD: It’s cool to now see everyone succeeding.

SW: Watching all of them succeed, did you ever feel nervous that you wouldn’t?

JB: No, I actually feel that it kind of got us more stoked, like hey we grew up together, you know? It’s really possible.

BD: That’s actually what’s so awesome about the Arizona music scene is that, there’s so many bands that have succeeded out of it, that is makes new bands work harder.

SW: So, you all formed in 2007, since then you’ve gotten signed, have you guys’ ever had the feeling that you’ve ‘made it’?

BD: In today’s music world, being signed sometimes doesn’t mean shit. There was a time where we had signed and it actually set us back a little while. We had some label issues and what not. Like, the more you can do with out a label, I mean there’s only so much you can do with out one, but the more you do do, the better you’re going to be. You just have to work hard.

SW: With you saying that, did you prefer before you had a label? Are there any negatives about being signed?

BD: No, not now. No negatives. Our situation with Razor and Tie is incredible. We have the best working team over there, ever. We weren’t unsigned for very long, so I guess we didn’t really know the difference. Militia Group came after us pretty quick and we had the mentality that like, ‘oh my god if we don’t sign, maybe no one will want us’. We kind of jumped the gun I guess.

SW: Do you ever regret ‘jumping the gun’?

BD: I don’t.

JB: Honestly, if we didn’t do it, we wouldn’t be in the situation that we are now. Like, everything happens for a reason.

BD: Everything worked out incredibly.

SW: As far as recording is concerned, you had Love Like This come out in October, what’s next?

BD: I don’t know, it could be a little while, but I mean, I would do a new record today.

SW: Do you think you’d want to do it like Love Like This was done or change it up a bit?

BD: We’d change it up a bit, but we’re still a pop band.

JB: We haven’t toured off of Love Like This enough. We’ve only done the Cartel tour for like a month, we did a short run with Every Avenue, then this tour, The AP Tour. This tour has pretty much been the big tour off of this album.

BD: Most album cycles are like two years. So, we’ll probably go pretty hard with that record this year.

SW: And mixing it up with Taylor Swift and stuff from other EP’s.

JB: (smiles) Yeah.

SW: Is there anything you would warn people of when considering going into the music industry?

BD: There are a lot of people who are full of shit! Brace yourselves!

SW: So, don’t trust everybody?

JB: Yes, exactly!

BD: If you’re going into the music industry, the more honest you are, the farther you’re going to go. Just be real with people.

SW: Did you ever regret choosing to be musicians?

BD and JB: No!

BD: I don’t know what the hell else I’d be doing.

JB: If I weren’t doing this I’d probably still be playing soccer and honestly, I hated it so much! So, I’m really glad this worked out.

BD: I was about a piece of paper away from playing college tennis. I hated everything about that sport. I hated playing it, but I was good at it and I was going to play it in college. I would’ve been miserable. I love what I’m doing now.

SW: Was there a single moment when you realized music was what you wanted to do?

BD: Yes, but I can’t think of when. This tour has kind of been the icing on the cake, like yeah, this is what I want to be doing. Actually, the Boston show of this tour was like, it was my favorite show in the history of this band.

SW: Are there any aspirations for the band or for you as individuals?

JB: Just longevity I think! (laughs)

BD: I want to do this as long as possible! I want to put out another record and keep touring off that. I mean, we’re young, so we can take advantage of how long we can be on the road. A lot of people who are older can’t really do that much touring. We tour 9 months a year, not many people, who are older, do that. And just make more records.

SW: Is there any quotes or something of the like that each of you live by?

BD: Yeah, it’s a quote from the movie The Shawshank Redemption, which is like my favorite movie of all time. The quote is, “Fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free.” I live by that and always have.

SW: Is there anything for you, Jess?

JB: No, and I wouldn’t even try after that. That’s too good.

SW: Is there any motivation to keep you going with music, period?

JB: I mean honestly, it sounds kind of stupid, but like, being a girl musician because there’s not a lot. I want girls to know that they can be in the industry. There’s just a lot of girls that come up to me and are like “I’m too scared” or “I don’t want to do this because I’m a girl and no guys want to play with me.” IT’S POSSIBLE! There’s girls in bands, there’s girls in the music industry (points to their tour manager). Don’t be scared to do it.

SW: With you talking about you being a girl, you’re always with the band who are all boys, how is it finally being with another girl?

JB: It’s good! It’s really awesome.

BD: There’s 6 girls on this tour!

JB: That’s kind of why this is one of my favorite tours, because it’s a lot better.

SW: You get to be a girl!

JB: Yes! I get to have my girl moments.

BD: There is just way too, way too much female.

SW: When there weren’t girls around before, did you have a hard time being girly?

BD: She’s more of a dude than I am!

JB: They do call me Jeff, and honestly I’m probably manlier than every person in this band and (points to Brian) I could beat him up.

SW: Okay, this is probably a question you don’t really get, but if you guys had the opportunity to work with an organization or charity, would you and what would it be?

JB: Absolutely!

BD: We’re already a little bit involved. Like, this summer we’re sharing our bus on Warped Tour with To Write Love On Her Arms. We’re all, well, we all were, vegetarians. (laughs)

SW: Jess…

BD: QUITTER!

JB: I was a vegetarian at the beginning of this tour! Me and Stephen are going to eat chicken and turkey for a month.

BD: I mean we all support PETA and stuff like that, sharing our bus with To Write Love, in highschool I did two volunteer events for Invisible Children.

JB: If we were given the opportunity we’d definitely do it!

BD: In February we played a charity event for Haiti. So, yeah…

SW: Okay, final question, you guys and international touring?

BD: Get me to it now! I spent two and a half weeks in Australia in February. I, I want to go back. So, (looks at their TM) let’s make that shit happen! The faster we can do international touring, the happier I’ll be.

JB: Yeah!

BD: Nothing yet.

JB: Hopefully, by the end of the year!

BD: We’ll be making one more US tour in the fall, but afterward…

SW: Well, thank you guys so much for taking time out.

JB: Thank you!

Well, there you all go! One 14 minute interview with a ton of insight to one of the quickest growing pop bands out there. Make sure to catch The Summer Set on the last 4 dates of The AP Tour 2010 and all summer long on Warped Tour.

Special thanks goes out to The Summer Set’s tour manager, Courtney, for filming and letting me interview her precious baby wolves!

When and how did you start playing music?
I actually got a piano when I was 3 years old, and started taking piano lessons. It actually taught me a lot! And it helped me eventually learn guitar on my own.

I know from experience how piano teachers can be, not good! How was yours?
[laughs] I know what you mean! My piano teacher would actually hit my forearm with a rod if I didn’t have perfect structure. It actually did teach me to keep my hands structured though! [laughs]

What bands influenced you the most growing up?
I had a lot of christian music influence me growing up actually, but I remember when I was in the fifth grade I was going through my “rebelling” stage and started listening to the radio. I remember the first song I liked was “Slide” by Goo Goo Dolls , and then just a lot of 90’s rock and definitely Matchbox 20 really influenced me.

You used to be known as Courage Call, why did you switch to be known as Matthew Mcginn?
It was just a lot of drama to the name, a lot of baggage. Especially when it came to the acoustic songs that I would write, it just didn’t make sense to be playing them as Courage Call so I made the switch and it was the right thing to do.

How did your fans take the switch?
I’m actually really glad that everyone took it nice, and had a signal of Courage Call. There was just a lot of weird things happening, especially with labels so it was good to have a fresh start.

You also switched styles a bit, changing from alternative to pop/country sound, what influenced you to make that transition?
Courage Call was supposed to sound like that actually! [laughs] I was the 90’s pop guy, and Pat was the rock guy. I loved being able to do that, but I wanted to write the songs that inspired me the most, which was acoustic songs. It’s what I always wanted to write, and I knew that it was what I needed to do.

How do you find it being an independent solo artist? Is it a lot less restricting?
Absolutely! It’s a learning experience. Having a label and management at one point had taught me a lot, and it builds character. Plus, it feels good being able to do this on my own and any accomplishment that I have I know is because I got myself there.

You just released your new EP, Under A Million Stars, which I thought was brilliant. how was it received by former and newer fans?
So far so good! [laughs] There is people who still love “Change Your Mind” by Courage Call here and there, but I’ve moved forward and I hope that they can accept that. I’m happy with the people who support me and the music that I write, and I love to see a lot of new faces.

As an upcoming artist, what are you planning for the new year?
I plan on making another EP called “Winter”, which are going to be a lot sadder songs. Surely after that, at the beginning of summer I’ll be giving out my free EP, because I feel that I can reach more people that way. The plan of every month is to give away a free song, which actually I’m hoping to have one done by Valentines Day.

As your own booking agent and manager, do you find it difficult to balance the two?
Sometimes! From time to time it can be a problem financially, because honestly it costs a lot to make music. At the same time, I learned a lot when it came to having all of that before, because instead you get to decide what it sounds like, and your opinions don’t get deleted. Instead of it being a business thing, I’m living my dream.

You interact with your fans a lot on via MySpace, in terms of videos of your songs and just released a free song for fans to download which is very unique. Do you feel it as important to be on a personal level with your fans?
The fact that I can make music and CD’s is a blessing, and if there is someone on the end supporting what I do then I let them know how much I appreciate them.

Now being 2010, should the fans keep an eye out for any touring or new music?
Little of both! I’ll be doing a College Tour in the South East actually. Then, 98% most of the month of March I will be doing a national run, hitting smaller venues and the South West. I hope to go out again in summer, but I plan on being on tour at the end of summer and all of the fall. To say the least, lots of touring!

Sing it Loud first came to be in 2007 in Minneapolis and since then have been steadily growing in part from their debut effort that produced the hit singles Come Around and No One Can Touch Us and have hit the road with a slew of huge artists including Cobra Starship and All Time Low along with their headlining tour Guys, Guys, Guys. Colleen Johnson recently got the chance to sit down with Pat Brown, who provides lead vocals in the band and we talked about everything from the writing and recording of their second album to some of their bigger influences.

You’ve headlined tours along with playing with bands like Cobra Starship, All Time Low and Motion City Soundtrack. If you could go on tour with any three bands, who would they be and why?
Taking Back Sunday, Jimmy Eat World, and Foo Fighters. These are three of my favorite bands that I look up to and try and pull influence from. Touring with any of them would be a dream come true.

Why Sing It Loud for the name?
What happened was we recorded our entire first EP with out a band name. That was the hardest part about starting this band. We brainstormed for weeks about a name but we wanted it to be perfect so we wouldn’t settle. We booked an entire Midwest market tour under the band name “The Heat” so promoters would book us. We had a song called “Let Yourself Go” on our EP that had the song lyric “Sing It Loud” in the bridge and we really liked the sound of it so Ben suggested that we steal the line for our name and change the lyrics and that’s exactly what we did.

It’s rumored that you’ll be working on your sophomore album. How do you believe the process will differ from your first album?
We actually have been finished recording our sophomore album since late October. The song writing is a lot different from our debut. It’s much more pop music than pop punk. On our last album, Kieren and I wrote the whole thing and the other guys weren’t very involved. This time around Kieren wrote a lot more of the album then I did but everyone got to dip their hands into the writing process. We’ve never had everyone working on all of the songs. It was a pretty fun experience and I think it helped make the overall product more enjoyable for the other guys than just Kieren and I.

Who would you say are some of your major musical influences?
Adam Lazarra from Taking Back Sunday and Ace Enders from The Early November (RIP). They’re front men that I would try and look like, sing like and act like all the time being in bands in high school. I’ve seen both bands so many times I can’t even count. They definitely had a huge impact on me.

Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with and what would the song be about?
I would want to collaborate on a song with Andrew W.K. and I would want the song to be about partying!

How did the band first come together?
We all came from the Minneapolis area and all played in local bands throughout our junior and senior high school years. We all knew each other from local shows and parties and what not and one night at a local show in Rogers, MN Ben, Kieren and I all told each other that if our bands ever broke up we would join forces and start a new one. That’s exactly what happened!

What’s your favorite part of the touring experience?
All of the people you meet. It’s incredible. Every tour it’s like you’re traveling across the country and sometimes the world with thirty friends. It’s ridiculous. Every tour we do I leave with tons of new friends. It shouldn’t be real life but somehow it is.

How did you choose the concept for your video “Come Around”?
We had a huge list of companies and different ideas for our music video. We chose to go with Luke Asa for our music video producer because we loved the idea of us chasing each other around and doing funny stuff in mod suits. Luke killed it. Another reason we really wanted to go with him is because he was newer than the other guys we could have chosen. We felt like this project would mean a lot more to him than it did to the other producers, he rules! if you’re in a band, make sure he does one of your vids.

What’s been the craziest fan encounter you’ve had?
Our fans know what we love. It’s pretty insane. Like people will be bring me $20 gift cards to Chipotle and Applebee’s and stuff. Sometimes they bake us cakes with our name on it. One time in Manchester, UK these fans brought me to a convenience store and bought me every single candy bar I hadn’t heard of before, so sick! Our fans rule!

What can fans look forward to in 201o from Sing It Loud?
A brand new sophomore album from us in April, a really awesome tour that we’re supporting in April and May. The lineup will blow your mind, and some headlining dates in the future as well in support of our new album!

You drove through that massive blizzard to get to your first show in Elgin, right? How did that go as a start to your touring cycle?
Jag: It was scary!
Joey: Yeah, I’m probably the best driver in the band so I mean I handled it pretty well.
Jag: He doesn’t even have his license.
Joey: Yeah.

And then last time we talked you were about to go to Europe for the first time.
Jag: Oh it didn’t end up happening because he went into rehab.
(everyone laughs)
For one second there, I believed you. Now, you’re going back with Alesana right after this tour. Are you excited for that, like going to places like Rome and Prague?
Jag: We’re excited about it.
Joey:Yeah, I’m excited because last time the weather was so shitty. It was depressing because it was all this rain.
Jag: We’d wake up at like one thinking it’s like four in the morning because it only went from gray to black. Gray back to black. I saw the sun for like maybe two minutes total in two weeks. It was depressing.

Adelphia. It was out for about five months last time we talked but now that it’s been about eight months and kids have had a chance to really listen to it for a while, how has the reception been?
Joey: The response has been awesome. I mean, I have no complaints about it. It’s good, every song we play off of it, it’s just like everyone sings along. It’s pretty cool!

That’s awesome. I know you’ve been saying Joey that you’re covering ‘Stick Stickly‘ for the Punk goes Classic Rock compilation. I’m pretty sure you know I don’t believe you.
Joey: Yeah, I wonder if Attack Attack has heard stuff about that actually.
Jag: Yeah, but we don’t want to say the song.
I totally understand, I wouldn’t want to know beforehand but some kids actually believe you.
Joey: Oh yeah, definitely!
Jag: I know! People like write me on my formspring saying ‘Joey told me’ and I’m like ‘Well, Joey told you? 90% of what he tells you is probably fabricated’.

Now if you were going to collaborate with another band on this tour, be it The Word Alive or Alesana or any of the other bands, who would you pick and what would the song be about?
Jag: I’d probably pick Of Mice and Men.
Joey: I’d pick Of Mice and Men for sure.
Jag: Just because we’ve been friends with them for so long. I know we could write something sick because we all have so much fun together. I mean, like we’re friends with everybody but we’ve been really good friends for quite a while and we’d be able to hang out and write a really awesome song.
They actually said the exact same thing about you so there you go!

What was one of the first shows you went to as a kid?
Joey: My first show was when I was six years old. I saw The Beach Boys and John Stamos was playing drums.
No way!
Joey: Swear to god!
Jag: I saw Kiss on their first reunion tour in 1996 when they first put the make up back on. Good times!

Over the years, I mean since 2008 when you first got big as a band with Wires(their debut release in 2008 as a band), I think you’ve really gotten a lot of fans through the internet along with people listening to you on myspace. How do you think that’s affected who you are today?
Joey: Yeah, we definitely probably couldn’t have done it without myspace to be honest.
Jag: I don’t think anybody can do it without myspace now a days.
Joey: Yeah.
Jag:It makes me wonder how bands like Motley Crue and all those bands got that big like it makes me feel really lazy. They did it all by like busting their ass.
Joey: Putting up fliers everyday, outside of shows all the time and we just post a little thing up on myspace.
Jag: And then it goes out to like a thousand kids. I mean,definitely the music scene has really changed. That’s also a good and bad thing. It’s good because like even beyond talented people who maybe aren’t so good at networking can still have the opportunity to make it but at the same time it allows a lot of quote on quote crap to get through you know.
Joey: Like Of Mice and Men for example. Horrible band, big on myspace.
Jag: I actually change my quote earlier saying that I would want to write a song with them because we’re friends, it’s just to show them how much better we are then them.
That’s so sweet of you.
Joey: Yeah.

I know you’ve been in this band for a long time but if you weren’t in A Skylit Drive, what do you think you would be doing, considering you both have side projects (Of an Era and We Are Giants respectively)?
Jag: Yeah, I’d just be in another band definitely. I mean, while I was auditioning for these guys, I was auditioning for other bands too. So, I mean I would have just gone on to the next best opportunity so I’m glad things worked out the way they did.
Joey: I’d would probably record bands because I like doing that anyways.

Now, you recently put out a video for the first single off of Adelphia for ‘Those Cannons Could Sink A Ship’ but if you were to do another one for one of the other tracks like ‘Eva The Carrier’, what would be the craziest concept?
Jag: The actual concept itself. I mean like a girl named Eva having like telekinetic powers, where she can like control people with her mind.
Joey: She can like create light out of her hands.
Jag: You know Jean Grey of X-Men?
Yeah.
Joey: She’s a real person though and they actually killed her for being a witch. She was one of Houdini’s friends too. She got killed by someone who thought she was one.
That’s who you base Eva The Carrier off?
Joey: Sort of. Yeah, I was just reading stuff on Wikipedia and I found it. I was looking at like telekinetic stuff just because I was bored and was thinking about it and I saw this little cool thing.  I clicked on it and her name was Eva Carrier.

How did you all first decide to get serious with music, and start this band?

We all really just wanted to do it, so we formed the band then something progressed. We didn’t really say to start this band, more like what are we gonna do next. We’ve seen and done so many cool things one year after another, and it’s something we all loved. We work as hard as we do so we can do that. Early on, when we started doing it we busted our asses so now being where we are is just awesome. It’s something I always wanted to do, it’s something we all wanted to do.
Was there ever any hesitation in what you guys were doing?

There always is, especially when you aren’t indecently wealthy and have the whole set up to fall back on. You just gotta throw yourself into it, and whatever happens in the end happens. Of course there is hesitation, like for it was paying my student loan and life getting in the way, but you just have to go for it and not look back.
You guys have already been playing together for seven, almost eight years. Had you ever thought that the band wasn’t going to work?

Oh definitely! We never thought we would make it this far. I mean we just finished our fourth EP, we never thought we would have done anything close to that. Every day I think about where we are and everything we do, it still shocks me.
How would you describe your style of music?

I am the worst person to ask that! [laughs] People would ask before, and I would say something then after think “What in the world was I talking about?”[laughs], but honestly I would just definitely say that we are emotionally driven, hardcore influenced music.

What do you think it is that attracts listeners to your style of music?

I don’t know actually, we always just have been truly honest. Honest about the lives we live, and it makes it easy for them to relate to us. We write about things that we go through, things that people are going through right now as we speak. In our songs, we write stories. And I think listeners can feel closer that way. We have a little bit of a unique Long Island sound, which I think attracts listeners.

In one sentence, what is your ultimate goal as a band?

I just want every person to be crying and singing “I love Crime in Stereo!” [laughs] and be able to have the songs just get to them.

It’s not hard to sometimes find trends between bands’ songs, as far as inspiration for what the song is talking about (love, hate, being happy, etc.). Is there one sort of emotion that dominates the songs that you guys write, or is it more sporadic?

This last record that we wrote was mainly just based on love, love lost, personal life heart-ache, heart-ache in general, again just life experiences. We write about what we live, which there is a lot of happy moments but there is also a lot of sad emotions included. All of which we write about.

You guys did a split album with Kill Your Idols in 2003. Has there been another band that you guys have wanted to do a split with since then?

There is a million bands! We actually tired to do a split album at first with another band from Long Island, which I was totally psyched about because the singer had inspired me so much. But, there had been some conflict with the label and such, which had made it so that couldn’t happen, which sucked.

Of all the tours you’ve been on, which would you say has been your most favorite?

We did an Australia tour with Against Me!, which was incredible! Australia is one of the best places, I loved it. We also toured just got off the tour with Brand New, which is honestly one of the best experiences because they are just awesome guys! So I would have to say both of those tours.

As you just mentioned, you just got off the tour with Brand New. What’s it like touring with them?

It’s honestly one of the best experiences like I just said before, they are just such cool guys and such positive, fun people. Since we all are from Long Island, it’s like we are just a huge family on tour.

What was the motivation behind writing I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone?

The biggest motivation honestly was just pushing ourselves musically as far as we could go! We want to give every record we make 100% and so it’s always just getting your mindset to that point.

Do you feel more or less confident about this album compared to previous albums?

Definitely more confident, I think that this is the best record yet!

You guys have moved from label to label, three in the span of almost six years. What do you guys look for when you’re evaluating which label is best for you?

We actually were really good friends with the guy that worked the label, and even initially working there he would help us sell our CD’s and promote us a lot because he liked our music. They still are amazing though he’s not there anymore, but the main thing we look for is just to have similar values, and to make sure the relationship between us seems right.

What are your goals for 2010 as a band?

Tour our asses off! [laughs] Definitely sell some records, and just get out as much as we can. Come hang out!

Do you have any touring dates just yet?

We have some upcoming U.K dates, but we’re just gonna be staying busy, so keep an eye out!

To start, let’s go back, how exactly did you get into music personally?
I started playing in church actually, I was that guy that they would come to play any instrument.

So when and how did the band officially get together?
Roy, God, when did I meet Roy? 95′ I believe in college, and then Darren and Greg in 97′. We were all in and out of different bands, and then the pads finally get together.

I must say I love how unique your songs are, especially when compared to the music of the moment. What’s your personal opinion on the music that is most popular nowadays?
Like top 40 music? Well, when I was twelve, let’s see if I can remember. I remember, let’s pull this off the treasure chest for you [laughs]. “Cold Hearted Snake” by Paula Abdul was at the top, and every now and then I will like a song that comes on, but the majority of the music doesn’t resinate with me.

You have just released a new album in August 2009, Armistice. How did you feel about this album compared to your former records?
Of course I really love it, in our mindset we were making the second record, and were all surpassed how well the songs had worked together. At the same time, I’m really tired of this record because it was the record we had to make, and wrote the songs pretty quick. But, we never recorded like that before, and I think it payed off for the whole vibe in the end.

How did your fans respond to the record?
The responses were mixes of youth. We were trying to make this album different than the first record, and I think that effected some bits of our fans. At the same time it’s something we had to do because we weren’t going to make a second record that sounded identical to the first.

I saw that you guys actually were on the verge of breaking up before writing the record, how are you guys doing now after the album is complete?
We are all okay now, we’re actually all on a break right now but our last album saved our band. We had written a list of songs , which the collection of songs truly poisoned the band because of disagreements about the songs being one way or another. And we started working together, and putting our ideas together for the songs on the album.

It’s not always easy when your trying to write but can’t seem to get in the mood, which I experience myself, but since you have a time frame how do you push yourself to do so?
I just try to not think about it and I’m always in singing/writing mode, but it’s not hard to write just writing good stuff [laughs], every time there is an idea that pops into my head, I always go back and think “What was I thinking?!” [laughs]. Writing songs is an on call job and all I’ve ever known really. I tend to write a bunch of bad songs, or songs that just aren’t good enough and then the songs start to get better, and then the good ideas happen more often.

Well it’s like they say, you gotta go through the bad to get the good!
Exactly! Sounds like a new hit title! [laughs]

[Laughs] What inspires you the most when your writing?
Lately? The acoustic guitar. I don’t play guitar, it’s a new instrument to me. I just mess around on the guitar, and see what I come out with. It’s popular for most musicians, but it’s my new medium.

Who influences you the most music wise?
Let’s see, James Taylor, I enjoy The Dooley Brothers, Steely Dan and I love The Strokes. Other than that, some good songs from the 70’s, I’m intrigued by those type of bands. I, I believe that our bands like that though, that everything kinda goes. We take different parts of music and throw them on a recording device and a lot of times the end result of our songs have so many different parts to it of bells, percussions, etc. And I’ve drawn inspiration to those songs.

You’ve done songs for hit movies like Transformers and Twilight, how did it feel to achieve an opportunity like that?
Transformers, we didn’t know what to say! Me and Darren, and well most of the band but mainly Darren and I were big Transformers fans as kids, so we owed it to eight-year-old Paul and Darren [laughs]. As for Twilight, we had no idea what opportunity it really was or how big it really was going to be. I mean the Twilight album is still in the top 20, and on the shelves. It was a real phenomenon, but we were really amazed to be a part of it.

Now being 2010, is there anything that you or your fans should be looking forward to?
This year, we are going to putt on a lot of live stuff. We did a lot of recording and filming the last tour, and we’re ready to do more towards recording Live, and tour. We are also filming a new music video soon, and hopefully by 2011 we will be working on a new album.

You guys are not only brilliant on tracks but play an incredible show. Do you have any routine warm-up before any show or do you just wing it?
[laughs] The one thing that we noticed we do is we leave each other alone and pace around a lot! Then we go on stage with the bright lights and put everything together into one show! That’s how we started doing it so we never changed it, and it seems to have worked out for the best with us.

What is one thing you would love to achieve as a band?
Probably, making records quicker, [laughs] it’s a simple process of evolution. One thing we plan on working on with the next album, is to record quicker. The problem that we always face is the little imperfections wig us out, the bells, the whistles, this isn’t right, that could be better, I really hope can we can not do that as much. Our last album actually only took 3 months to complete, but an additional 9 months of is that right, is that wrong, could that be better, etc.

What do you love to do off of tour and away from music?
I’m boring! I have no hobbies [laughs]. I usually just lock myself in my dark room [laughs] but really I just love being able to see my friends and family while I have off, which I’ve been doing! Plus it’s an incredible time in New Orleans right now because I’m not sure if you heard but the Saints have made it to the Superbowl, so nothing could be better over here.

The music industry seems to be getting harder and harder to make it in, do you have any advice to inspiring musicians or fans who would love to make it in the music industry?
Yeah [laughs], the only thing that has worked for us is to stay in the middle of whats going on, play shows and keep your mindset on the passion in your music. Try to make sure that along the journey you don’t begin to resent what your doing, because there has been a few times that I’ve experienced that and I just slapped myself in the head, and told myself “Why am I not enjoying this?”, because this is what I’ve always wanted and dreamed of since I could remember. We just make things simple, and good for us. Just try to not get too wigged out and realize I’ve always wanted this, and to make music for a living. I just realize I didn’t answer your question at all! [laughs], advice right? My advice is not to listen to a word I have to say! [laughs harder].