Mother's Children

     Mother’s Children don’t care what you call them as long as it’s not pop-punk, which I don’t see any danger of that anyway. With influence’s ranging from Nick Lowe, The Raspberries, The Zombies, Sweet and ELO, Mother’s Children craft songs like a gourmet chef cooks fine food. Their last LP, Lemon, was anything but. Instead Lemon is filled with the kind of American meets UK power-pop songs that most bands dream of writing for a single and Mother’s Children filled an entire album them. Mother’s Children don’t like being called pop-punk, but after listening to their songs you may come to agree with one reviewer that they are “Power Pop, with Actual Power.”

Interview by Ed Stuart

Who’s answering the questions?

Kenneth James; Singer / Lead Guitarist / Song Writer

Give us a brief history of Mother’s Children? How did you meet? What other bands you have played in and currently do play in?

We’ve been a band since 2008, so about 7 years. I broke up Sick Fits a year prior to do something new with our singer; Michael Hurts. The Million Dollar Marxists; another Ottawa group, broke up around the same time. The ex-Marxists went onto to form the Sedatives and the White Wires, while Tim and Davey went onto join us. It’s been the same fab four up until last year when we got Seiji, the current Average Times bass-player on bass for us. Two of us also back up Ian Manhire from the White Wires in Voicemail. Voicemail has been playing for about two years and has recorded about two albums but hasn’t released anything yet. I played in a version of The Barracudas, for a tour once, which was pretty neat.

Who is in the band and what instrument do they play?

Kenneth James – Lead Guitar, Vocals

Michael Hurts – Guitar, Vocals

Tim Ostler – Drums

Seiji W. Hewett – Bass, Vocals

How is the Ottawa music scene?  Is it competitive or like one big family?

Well it’s the only music scene I’ve been in, so it’s hard to tell. It’s definitely way better now, than when we started out. I’ve read about how great Ottawa’s bands and scene are lately. It feels like there’s a more positive energy and bigger crowds now at punk/underground shows than there was like 10 years ago. The Ottawa Explosion surely has something to do with that. There aren’t really any bands like Mother’s Children, so there’s no competition. Even if there was, it wouldn’t matter to us, because we just want to make music on our own terms.

What bands did you have in mind when starting this band?

I’m not lying even a little bit when I say that I wanted to be in a band that sounded like The Raspberries, Cheap Trick, The Sweet, The Zombies and T.Rex. I assumed with that mix of influences we’d come out sounding like Supergrass. We even had an organ player in the beginning. Over time, the band developed a more fast-paced, straight-ahead approach, which some people say is called Punk Rock. But those old influences are still very much looming in our songs.

In an interview with AUX, Kenneth mentioned Sparks’ Mael brothers, Nick Lowe, Ray Davies, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Wood as influences. What was about these musicians that drew you them originally?

Sparks for everything. The songs are fun, hook-filled, and occasionally epic. And the lyrics are perfection to me. Just the right amount of weird. Same thing about Ray Davies (the Kinks) and Nick Lowe. Although not as weird; it’s the unique way they are able to throw a story into a simple pop-song that is a major inspiration to how I write lyrics. Lynne and Wood, well you can follow their careers from the Move and the Idle Race who were psych-pop bands, and watch them evolve into the hugely successful Electric Light Orchestra. Quite the musical journey, and the tunes were always top-notch. Another influence to my lyrical writing is John Waters movies. I love just how declarative his characters are. The acting is bad, but the actors speak with such conviction you just have to listen! That’s kinda like our music.

In the same interview with AUX, Kenneth spoke of a very interesting band philosophy “I don’t like pushing my music on anyone, especially since there are just so many bands and varying tastes out there,” he says. “But I’d like people to know how to find us when they’re ready.” One could make the argument, that when a band plays live they are indirectly pushing the band on the fans especially since the only other alternative for the crowd is to step outside the venue to not hear them. Can you elaborate more on that quote?

Yeah, sometimes you’re gonna have to listen to bands you hate, and sometimes you’re gonna BE the band people hate. I guess I’m just a sensitive “artiste.” I’d rather stay underground than be shrugged off by a cold, indifferent public. Yet I refuse to make the music that the public wants to hear, HA! I sometimes feel we belong in a different, simpler time. As a kid I grew up with the Oldies AM radio station playing all the time, and I never knew that they were “Oldies” until I got older. You are right though. All bands have to push themselves to get anywhere, especially when they’re just starting out. When you make music that isn’t the accepted norm, sure, you get creative satisfaction, but the fallout is a lot of folks just won’t care, and that can sting. We prefer to play small venues and house shows. I feel they have a more open-minded and fun vibe going down. If the crowd is up-front and responsive it’s the best thing in the world. If they’re not, I kind of feel foolish. I think we come off as kind of reserved compared to some of the bands we play with. Running around the stage or being super intense just isn’t our thing. I just want to sound good. So yes, you must go outside your comfort zone a little bit if you’re gonna blaze your own trail. A LOT if you’re gonna try to change anything for the better.

In an interview with 53^rd and 3^rd, the band didn’t really seem to enjoy being labeled power-pop, but then at the end it was stated “Call it anything you want really, just don’t call it pop-punk,” which begs the question, why not pop-punk?

HAHA! I guess we don’t leave a lot of options for ourselves do we? I dislike labels, but I understand it’s important to be able to categorize bands. I’ll accept “Power-pop” as a title. Our music is certainly heavy on both those things. Someone once said in a review; “Power Pop, with Actual Power,” which was great. I love Punk Rock, it’s truly thrilling. I have hundreds of punk albums and we play with punk bands all the time. We get a kick out of playing fast and loud, but I just never felt the music we were making was punk music. I guess I just don’t wanna set the wrong expectations.

What are some things you like about all the digital avenues presented to musicians nowadays (Bandcamp, blogs, blog writers, Facebook, smaller record labels, internet magazines, etc.) to help bands today?  And some things you don’t like?

There’s a lot of shit talk in some places, but all the other stuff is great. There are many web-zines and blogs worldwide who have reviewed us and said wonderful things about our records. There was a time when the only reviews I ever read were in an actual magazine. You used to have to create a website from scratch, with pages and everything. Now we just have a band camp and we make money without really doing anything. We’re not about making money, we just want our music to be accessible, and all the resources you just named are great for that. Small record labels however, are the true heroes. I know how hard putting out records is. Without them we’d be nowhere.

Where can people hear Mother’s Children and what’s next for the band?

HUGE Cross-Europe tour with Calgary’s the Mandates in May 2015!

Our bandcamp has pretty much all the songs. (motherschildren.bandcamp.com) It’s all on vinyl too. Our newest one is on Mammoth Cave Records in Canada (www.mammothcaverecording.com) Resurrection Records in the USA (www.getresurrected.com) and Taken By Surprise in Europe (www.takenbysurprise.net) We just recorded a few new songs this month. There will be a new 45 coming out soon to hold you over until our next full record.

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Nervous Talk

     The stream of fantastic band’s coming at us from Vancouver seems to be never ending. That stream turns into more like a raging river when listening to Nervous Talk. They ride these rapids hard hanging onto a raft inflated with influences ranging from 1970’s style power pop like Cheap Trick, or even catchy pub rock like Rockpile. Throw in some 1990’s garage punk that you might have heard exploding out of Fink or Jack Oblivion’s amplifiers back in their prime and this might get a bit closer to describing their full range of sound. Nervous Talk just released their debut 7” on Mammoth Cave Recordings and it very much reflects this broad range of influence. It’s a bit hard to describe it all accurately, but once you listen to this record you’ll sink right into it just like in your favorite pair of black Converse All Stars.

Interview by Jay Castro

Please introduce yourself (or selves) and how you contribute to the Nervous Talk Rock N' Roll machine?

J: I'm Joel and I sing and play guitar not the fancy parts.

T: Todd, sing and LEAD guitar.

Where are you all from originally?

J:  I'm from all over the prairies, but I spent the most time in Lethbridge, Alberta.

T: I'm from Vancouver Island. I lived on a boat for a third of each year until I was 15.

How did you all meet and start playing music together?  Are any of you in any other bands?

J: We all met each other through our previous bands. I met Shane, our bass player, when he was playing in the Hot Blood Bombers. Trevor, our drummer, was playing in a shitty band called Hazard Lights when I met him. Our bands hated each other. Todd was in Timecopz when I met him. I moved to Vancouver last year and wanted to start something new right away, so I called Todd and showed him what I'd been working on. A few weeks later, Trevor & I were playing some Spits songs for fun and I asked him to join. Shane followed soon after and here we are. Everyone, myself excluded, is in at least one other band aside from Nervous Talk. None of them are as good.

T: Joel originally asked me be a part of the new Moby Dicks lineup that he was thinking of forming. I told him I would give it a try, but a few minutes later we just decided to start a new band. I also recently joined B-Lines on bass and have been playing with them for a while.

You have a new 7” coming out soon Introductions b/w Shut It off, care to elaborate on any details about the release?

J: It's out now on Mammoth Cave Records. 3 songs. Art by Todd/Tony from Noodles//Pans.

T: Our friend Drew recorded us a couple times for free with his Tascam 1/4 inch 8 track. There was a pool table in the same basement so good times. We got hot dog stuffed crust pizza and it wasn't that bad.

Did you have a particular sound or concept in mind when starting out the band?  On the new 7” the song “Shut It Off” is a complete Rip Off Records style barnburner and “Introductions” seems like it has a bit of Power Pop or even a Glam influence.

J: The first song I wrote for Nervous Talk might have been Introductions. I'd played a lot of poppy sort of stuff in other bands, but it always had a kind of weirdo/primitive edge to it. I wanted to play classic pop kind of stuff without yelling myself hoarse about hot dogs or science. Todd's stuff has a harder, darker feel to it, much like his personality.

T: We've had a handful of songs with fairly different styles so far. I think we're still trying to find the right mix, but as long as we are liking each song for what it is we'll play it. Joel's dream has always been to have a band and its first release be called "Introductions." Do you get it? It's like an introduction to the band. He writes from deep within. My song, "Shut it Off," is based on what you'll probably want to do when you hear this single.

I recently read that out of all different art forms, music has the power to alter a person’s disposition the fastest.  Do you agree with this?  Do you have any favorite tunes that you can put on that will lift you out of a bad mood?

J: I think that's probably true. When I'm bummed, "Little Boy Blue" by Angel always brings me back to normal. Until I hear any of that new grunge revival shit that's happening these days then I get bummed out again by how badly it sucks and I have to listen to "Oo Oo Rudi" by Jook. Grunge revival, fuck off!!

T: I wouldn't say the kind of music I listen to be dictated by the mood I'm in. Whether I'm in a good mood or bad I just want to hear some good stuff. If I'm trying to boost my energy before Fight Club I'll throw on something like Teengenerate, Reatards, or Consumers.

You guys have only been playing together for a little over a year and I see you’ve played with some other pretty good bands and you played The Music Waste Festival in Vancouver last summer.  What has been the most memorable show the band has played so far?

J: This year's "Winter Waste" show, kind of a halfway to music waste party, sticks out in my mind as one of the funnest shows we've played. Lotta cute girls in attendance. Lotta dancing. Lotta good bands. We also played on this weird Red Bull tour bus thing at some skate contest that Andrew Reynolds was in or sponsoring or whatever. That, for me, stands as one of the most soul-sucking, regrettable shows I've ever played. Ha ha ha. But then later that day, we played a really rad show for 20-some people at our friends studio. Smaller venues lend themselves to better shows.

T: For me it was getting to open for Mark Sultan at the Astoria. I've been enjoying that guy's music for many years so to be on the same bill as him was cool. That skateboard thing was really weird. The stage was pushed off to the side of the park so it didn't really work. I do wish we hadn't of done it but I still managed to kind of enjoy how ridiculous it was.

If you guys could tour with any band/musician from times gone by, who would it be and why?

J: Well that's a toss up between Motley Crue and Led Zeppelin for obvious reasons.

T: GnR, Oasis, and Mitch Hedberg.

I don’t like using the term “guilty pleasure” because I don’t think anyone should be made to feel ashamed of anything they like. However with that being said, what do you listen to that you think a lot of fans may be surprised by?

J: I get pretty stoked when I hear Loverboy, Saga, and Van Halen. Other than that, I just listen to the radio broadcast of the lunar landing and songs of the whales & shit. Guess that's weird.

T: I just played in a Brian Eno Halloween cover band called HalloweEno. Zero guilt attached to liking that stuff but definitely isn't much like NT.

The cassette: a viable, collectable form of music or a fleeting hipster trend that will soon hobble back into the cave of obscurity where it belongs?

J: Cassettes will at least last for a long ass time. They're possibly the most durable analog format for personal music or whatever, so I understand the appeal in that sense. I don't have a ghetto blaster or anything so I don't buy them.

T: I don't have much of a tape collection but I'm always impressed by a good one. They sound fine, I'm all for it.

What music have you unleashed on the world and where can people go to hear it or buy it?

J: Nervous Talk only has the one 7" so far. Look for it on Mammoth Cave Records' website, whatever that is. My other bands, Myelin Sheaths & Moby Dicks, put stuff out on Southpaw, Bachelor, Hozac, Handsome Dan, and Mammoth Cave Records. Guaranteed none of them are sold out. Is that what you mean or did I just make myself look like a douchebag?

T: You can hear some other stuff on our bandcamp page as well. My old band Timecopz had a split single with Fist City, also on Geographing Records. Timecopz stuff is online too.

What does the band have in store for us in the near or not so near future, any tour plans?

J: We're going to keep on writing, trying not to barf, recording, and playing for as long as we can stand it. A tour to Alberta in mid-November is in the works. There's also talk of a tour down South but I don't have any solid info on that yet so keep your ears & eyes open.

T: We'll hopefully have more of everything. We have a steady supply of new songs so that should take us a ways. Can you get us one of those grants?

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Greenback High

     Every now and again you read a band’s profile that just hits the mark spot on.  One would think that a band would know their sound.  Not always the case, I assume it’s a bit of the old “forest from the trees” syndrome.  Anyhow, Greenback High describes themselves as “Power Pop for Punks”.  Simple and brilliant, that’s what I thought when I read that excerpt, that’s what I thought when I first heard their debut 7”.  The hooks of power pop songs propelled by the power of a punk engine.  I can’t wait to see what gets dropped on us next!

Interview by Jay Castro

Who’s answering the questions here?

Floor Tom, Joshy, and Beardo.

Who is in the band and how do they earn their keep in it?

Floor Tom Jones – Guitar, Vocals

Beardo – Bass, Vocals

Joshy Atomic – Guitar, Vocals

J.J. Heathen – Drums, Vocals

What is the Greenback High origin story?  How did you all come together?

Beardo: Like a lot of bands, we’re a group of friends who had played in many different bands in the same scene. Funnily enough, the first show Joshy played was opening up for one of my old bands when we were on tour in his town. Jimmy and I had played many shows together over the years in different bands, and we became fast friends when we both moved from Alberta a few years back. J.J. came into the fold a little later on but he engineered our first recording sessions, so he's been there from the band's inception too.

On your debut 7” Bombs Away b/w All of Us or None There is an obvious power pop influence. The B-Side however has a hint of Cocksparrer in it to me.  Are you guy’s fans of the ‘82 British Oi/Street punk era as well?

Joshy: Some of my favorite records are from the UK 77-85 period and they're records I've consistently listened to for over a decade and that spans all of the genres from UK82 and two-tone to Mod-revival and Oi.  We all grew up playing in punk and garage rock bands so we tend to have a pretty good appreciation for most of what were exposed to throughout the histories of each scene.  There are a lot of rules in those scenes though and I don't think we are a perfect match for any single one of them.  I personally identify most with the early punk scenes in New York and Britain but the Oi and UK82 stuff is great for its aggression and release.  I think if you try and pull a ton of influence from those bands you end up a Discharge or Void copy and that's been getting a bit stale.  The main influences that run through my head all day/every day are Clash, Replacements and Stiff Little Fingers I think those are most evident in the songs that I write.  You'd be on the money assuming I could sing every line to every song on Shock Troops though so who knows, perhaps it's snuck in!

I find it interesting that on your band profile you describe your music as “Power Pop ringed with tragedy, political commentary, and straight up good times”.  Quite a broad spectrum of human emotion!  Do you ever find it hard to put political or tragic lyrics to a poppy tune, thinking it might make light of a serious situation?

Floor Tom Jones: Not Really. I actually find it harder these days to write a happy-go-lucky song. Music can conjure a broad spectrum of human emotions, sometimes within one song. Power Pop has been pigeonholed as a genre that is not categorically political. On the pop side, I like to think Greenback High’s music is driven by melody and musical hooks.

On the Power side, it's driven by the urgency and directness of punk.

In the case of Bombs Away, the lyrics came after the last Federal election, when Stephen Harper’s majority Conservative government was elected. Shortly after that, Canada Post locked out its CUPW employees due to collective bargaining negotiations coming to a halt. Those lyrics were written as a way of realizing that, regardless of the obstacles from Corporations and the Government,  organized labour and everyday people, still have strength in numbers.  And just like in the protest songs of the early labour movement, I wrote what I saw right in front of me in an effort to reflect what I knew was all around. But who knows? The next one might just be about something a bit less serious. I'd like to think anything is possible with a melody.

What led you to decide to self release your 1^st 7”? 

Beardo: We've all put out tons of records in past bands, on and off of various labels, so it wasn't much of a stretch for us to get it together for ourselves. And lo and behold, we're down to our last 50 or so copies, so get it while you can!

We're chatting with a couple of labels right now for projects down the road, but expect another self-released 45 in the fall from us in the meantime.

You also have a song on The Party Lives On compilation record.  How did you get involved with that project?

Beardo: The compilation is a tribute to Devon Clifford, and a benefit for the Devon Clifford Memorial Foundation. Devon played drums in You Say Party! We Say Die! before tragically passing away in 2010 from a brain aneurysm. In my day time gig, I book bands for a living and YSP WSD were one of the very first clients I took on as an agent. It was a tragic loss and I'm grateful that we were asked to contribute a song to that compilation.

I read that out of all different art forms, music has the power to alter a person’s disposition the fastest.  Do you agree with this?  Do you have any favorite music that you can put on that will always lift you up from a slump?

Floor Tom Jones: If you’re talking about the drive between Vancouver and Edmonton to play for 30 people then absolutely not! That’s a long drive. But otherwise, as in putting a record on, I think it’s totally possible.

These days, I put on a band called Nude Beach. But the tried tested and true standby for me is Talking Heads.

Joshy: I'm not sure if music is going to change my disposition so much anymore, but it certainly helped shape me when I was younger.  I'm still hanging on to my youth cult and I'm nearly 30 so if anything it's stunted turning me into a well-adjusted adult, thank god.  I will say it's really, really hard to be in a bad mood listening to Radios Appear by Radio Birdman. 

If Greenback High could tour with any band/musician from times gone by, who would it be and why?

Floor Tom Jones: Elvis Costello and the Attractions (1978) tour of North America.

Why? Great songs. Killer band. I’m thinking the Greenbacker’s coulda picked up a few tricks.

Joshy: The Sex Pistols.  No I'm not joking.  That would be insane.

Beardo: The Clash, or Paul Collins Beat, anywhere from 77-79. Just amazingly well written songs, and I've got to think the performances would have been incredible. Bram Tchaikovsky. Again, just tremendous songwriting and playing. Oh god, the MC5. New York Dolls. The Stooges circa 1974. Fuck, too many to mention.

You guys seem to play out quite a bit.  All of you are also in other bands too.  Is Greenback High considered a side project?

Floor Tom Jones: I do moonlight as the drummer in the James T. Kirks with Beardo and his brother Teddy. If you wanna talk about a side project, that would be the definition. The last show we played was when we realized we were all in the same room at a Greenback High show. Greenback High is my main squeeze right now.

Beardo: This band has pretty well become the focal point for all of us these days, and other projects we're in tend to take a bit of a back seat as this band gets busier and busier. I have a big record collection and a Protestant work ethic (with associated guilt!), so it's tough, for me anyway, to not have another band (s) in the wings.

Josh: No.  This is my main focus right now.

I read an interview with Keith Richards where he said that anyone buying digital music is getting short changed.  Do you agree with this and if so, why?

Floor Tom Jones: If you like pulling a record out of its sleeve, cleaning it, dropping the needle and checking out the artwork and lyrics, which I do, then yeah I agree. But when you get finished the gig and just have to hear that one song, which I do, then no I don’t. I’m a big fan of people who care for a treat their physical records with respect.  And carting around digital music saves them from my harsh judgements and everybody’s happy. Furthermore please note, I don’t ever want to imagine Keith Richard’s listening to music on an ipod. It would just look wrong. Thankfully I think his publicity team agrees.

I don’t like using the term “guilty pleasure” because I don’t think anyone should be made to feel ashamed of anything they like.  However with that being said, what to you listen to that you think a lot of fans may be surprised by?

Floor Tom Jones: Rush, Bill Monroe

Beardo: I agree that people don't need to have guilty pleasures. Like what you like, life is too short. I guess when you have a few thousand records it's hard to pinpoint a genre or specific band, but maybe you wouldn't think a dude in a band like mine is really into 20's country blues & ragtime, or 60's r & b, or a band like Midnight or Cursed. A good song is a good song. It all comes down to a hook, a story, and a strong emotional response.

I read that you guys are recording some new songs.  Is this for more EP’s or can we expect a full length sometime soon?

Beardo: Yeah! Our drummer J.J. just finished the mixes for 5 songs and we'll be sending them off for mastering any minute now. The next release will be a 3 song 7 inch EP this fall, and beyond that we do have a full length in the works out in 2014. We're focusing hard on writing new tunes at the moment, with some in the can ready to record and tons more lurking in the background. I'm certainly not ruling out more 45's or other projects before the full length comes out, as we do have some songs ready to roll without a specific release planned for them yet.

Any extensive tour plans in the works for this upcoming release?  Can we expect to

see Greenback High in a town near us any time soon?

Right now we're working on a November tour down the west coast of the good ol' U S of A. Touring Canada is a huge undertaking and it makes so much more sense to head south towards your cheap smokes and malt liquor. More shows in Canada are definitely in the cards too, but we'll spend a good chunk of time writing songs this summer and fall too. Probably recording as well. Touring other countries around the world is a shared goal, so next year we're going to try to hit another continent or two. “Like a shark — got to keep moving.” - Johnny Cash

Where can people go to hear your music or buy your records?

One of our shows, ideally!

You can buy our music digitally as well as the 7 inch online at
www.greenbackhigh.bandcamp.com

www.greenbackhigh.bigcartel.com

It's also distributed via Underground Medicine, Record Store Base in Japan and Hyper Enough Records in Japan. More in the works.

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Sugar Stems

     When I hear a good power pop band, my heart feels like jumping out of my chest and doing a dance like John Cusack’s cheeseburger did in “Better Off Dead”.  It happened when I first heard Cheap Trick, then with The Beat, now The Sugar Stems!  The tunes are memorable, and the lyrics are emotionally authentic, which makes the entire package multi coated; so you never get worn-out listening to it.  “Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears, ” you won’t be dissatisfied, because this is timeless pop music.  I am confident that decades from now, The Sugar Stems will still be in heavy rotation on many turntables, including mine!  

Interview by Jay Castro

Who’s answering the questions here?

It's me!  Betsy!

Who is in the band and what instruments do you all play?

Betsy - vocals/guitar

Steph - bass

Andy - keyboard

Drew - guitar

Jonny - drums

Are you all originally from the Milwaukee area?  How did the band come together?

We were born and raised in various places around the state, but we've all lived here in Milwaukee for a while except for Drew who has been between here and Sheboygan, WI.  We've all been friends for many years and have played in different bands/projects together.   We all got together to start this band about 5 years ago and everything just kind of clicked.  There were a few changes along the way, most recently we added a keyboard player, our good pal Andy Harris, which we are very excited about!

The bands second LP has just been released, are you surprised by the international attention you have been getting?  Where has there the band garnered the most interest that’s come as a surprise to you?

It is always exciting to see and hear the response from all of our fans over-seas.  It never gets old!  I think the response from Japan has been the most surprising, I think because it is just so far away and so different from here.  We really want to tour there some day.

Tell me about the cover art for the new album “Can’t Wait” and the issues it’s caused some people? 

We were very excited about it and had a lot of fun making it and putting it together, but we were a little surprised when we read some things online where people were saying how gross it was.  I guess they thought it was real worms in the picture.  No worms were harmed in the making of "Can't Wait!” 

The Sugar Stems had a write up in Spin Magazine where they described your music as having “Golden Retriever melodies”.  Do you feel this is an accurate metaphorical portrayal of your music as a canine breed or do you feel it resembles a different variety of pooch?

Ha!  I love dogs of all kinds, and as far as canines go Golden Retrievers aren't too bad.  They are not the smartest but loyal and playful and often get whiter as they age which I think accurately portrays our band.  I guess I'd rather be a Golden Retriever than a poodle or a yorkie or some kind of schnauzer mix that relentlessly humps peoples' legs.  My cousins had a dog like that when I was little and one time it was humping my leg and my sister said "Look! look!  He's dancing with you!"  So I guess for me music and dogs have always been linked...  Anyways, I think our third album will have more of a pit bull sound.   

You recently opened up for Paul Collins’ The Beat.  How was that experience?  Were you a fan prior to sharing the stage with them?

Yes we are fans!  It was really neat and a tiny bit surreal to play a show with someone who you spent so many years listening to.  A lot of his songs are so timeless and catchy and I think that is something that every musician, no matter what kind of music they make, aspires to do within their own "scene" or "genre."  

You just played Happenin’ Records “Happenin’ Fest” in Huntsville, Alabama and are about to play the Girls Got Rhythm fest in Saint Paul, MN with legendary ladies like Cherie Curry and Penelope Houston of The Avengers. On top of that you are scheduled to play Gonerfest!   How did you get involved in all of these festivities?  Do you enjoy playing shows like this with so many different bands?

We do, they are always tons of fun.  We like to travel and wish we could tour more, but because of our day jobs it's hard to get away for weeks at a time, so we decided to take as many long weekend type trips we could this summer to help promote our album and play for as many people as we can.  We have been so fortunate to have been asked to play all of these really cool events and we always look forward to them.  Something about playing a "fest" really makes it feel like a vacation and just makes it a lot more fun.  

I read that some of you grew up in households that embraced music.  Do you think Rock ‘N’ Roll can still be a vital and influential force for kids in such a disposable age?

I think there will always be kids out there who see and hear an instrument like a guitar or some drums and just have to pick it up and give it a try.   Parents just need to encourage their kids to play REAL instruments though and not some stupid bullshit plastic video game version.  Oh!  That sounded like a cranky old woman, didn't it?  Anyways, yeah, kids these days….

50 years ago people used to buy music and get their water free; now people pay for water and get their music free. How do you think this affects the music industry?

I don't know fuck about shit when it comes to the music industry.  I reckon it's not good though!  I am REALLY inspired by all of the independent record labels out there in the world though, especially the little guys who aren't making billions of dollars but are still working super hard to get the music they think is good out there.  That's really admirable to me.   

Where can people hear the band or purchase Sugar Stems music or merch?

Welllllll, you can download both of our records on this thing called iTunes which I guess sells "MP3’s" or whatever.  And you can also download the first album and 2 other singles on Bandcamp.   

And of course you can always come see us play live and we will happily sell you records, t-shirts, lip balm, and other misc. merch type things!  We'll give you a button for free!  And if you just need a hug or some advice, we'll give you that too!  For free! At least I will the other guys might charge.  

What’s next for the band?

More travels - St. Paul, Memphis to name a few this summer, hopefully a West Coast, Europe, or Japan tour some day.  Working on stuff for a third album.  After that?  Who knows!  Video game soundtrack?  Nickelodeon show for tweens?  Or an animated series?  Maybe we'll market a Sugar Stems breakfast cereal?   Strange opportunities tend to present themselves to this band so a lot of times we never really know what our next step will be.

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