Linda Ferreira
09/13/09, 03:41 PM
The following is a mini interview of generic questions that we posed to all bands that wanted to answer:
Therefore I Am - (Travis) [myspace (http://www.myspace.com/thereforeiam)] [ap.net profile (http://www.absolutepunk.net/artists/showlink.php?l=3709)] [website (http://www.thereforeiamrock.com/)] Brian's random interview (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1249282)
1. How did you get your band name?
I actually joined the band a few years after they had decided on the name "Therefore I Am". I'd like to say that one of the previous members was so wrapped up in thoughts concerning theology and philosophy that they found it useful to quote Renee Descartes, but I'm pretty sure they heard it and thought it was cool. Either way, I love the name.
2. How did this band get started?
Jim and Chris were playing in bands together for a long time before the start of TIA: experimenting with different guitar players and sounds. I think they found our singer Alex on Justanotherscene.com, HA! So long ago. The guitar players seemed to change up pretty often until finally Brian and I solidified the line up in early 2006 and by summer, we had already began writing. As far as I'm concerned this band started in 2006.
3. What bands are you influenced by?
The 5 of us individually have a very eclectic mix of influences. I think the only band that we can all agree on is At the Drive In. Ha!
I personally am driven by a lot of bands that actually grew up and matured as I grew up and matured. Saves The Day would have to be my number one. I heard "Through Being Cool," "Stay What You Are," backtracked to "Can't Slow Down" and the rest was history. As they molded their sound, I as a person was changing. We grew together and there aren't many bands I can say that about. Also I have an unrivaled affinity for Glassjaw. Lately I've been listening to a lot of Ryan Adams and Rocky Votolato. Its nice.
4. If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would it be and why?
Blink 182 would be a lot of fun, Black Flag would be an experience.
I'd definitely love to tour with both Saves the Day and Glassjaw.
To be honest, I'm content with Warped Tour: I think it's a long awaited dream of ours that's finally panning out.
5. If you were a furry, what animal would you be? Why that animal?
Koala bears are pretty awesome. They climb, jump, get high and fight. Plus they're foreign. Definitely a Koala bear.
6. Why should people listen to your band?
We are five middle class dudes trying to make music happen. There are no gimmicks, no ulterior motives, there is nothing about this band that we ourselves are not 100% psyched on and I think that really bleeds through onto our performances, our recordings- we put our all into everything we do. We're doing this because we want to do this, and we hope you enjoy it and have just as much fun as we do.
7. If you were chosen to be in Guitar Hero/Rock Band, what song would you want in the game? How hard do you think it would be to five-star on expert?
If it had to be a song from our last EP, I would probably pick "I Get Nervous in Cars" because of the harmony intro alone. Expert on rockband would be pretty difficult depending on which instrument you've chosen.
Sadly, I'm terrible at guitar hero so to me, every level would be devastating.
8. If you won a Grammy, who would you thank?
My family for never calling me a loser, my friends for always holding me up.
9. If you could change something about the music industry, what would it be?
Art should be free.
10. Memorable tour experience?
Oh man... I wish I could elaborate more on these but here's a few brief synopses.
1) We partied in North Carolina with a bogen family who took colonapins and drank beer while climbing trees. We drank moonshine and Chris cried to his Mom in the middle of the street.
2) Driving 35 hours straight from a bunk show in New Orleans to a bunk show in Phoenix. Alex was my Co-pilot. I got scared driving in TX and had to pull over.
3) We spent last Thanksgiving with Vanna in Connecticut. Brian from our band and Shawn from Vanna are brothers so it just seemed to make sense to spend Thanksgiving with their family while on tour. While they were out doing family things, Chris from TIA, Nick from Vanna, Our dear friends Jim, Joe and I became restless and sober. Being that Connecticut doesn't sell alcohol on holidays except at bars, we drove to the closest bar we could find. We tried to buy a bottle of whiskey from the bartender. No dice. But he did give us a few free drinks. Respectively, he claimed to know cops and then offered to sell us weed. Sounded sketchy. We left. We found an Ames and Joe bought a suitcase (a week into tour). There, at Ames, We found high school girls who looked fucked up on something. They offered to sell someone in our party some pot, so we agreed to follow them. We parked in a driveway and walked into an extremely crowded house (it was Thanksgiving) and everyone was speaking Spanish. They all sort of stopped and looked at us as we walked in. This was a very large family with people of all ages. We followed the girls to the back of the house and their friend sold one of us some shitty weed. We were gracious, told them we'd call them that night and left. We didn't call them. We met up with the rest of the bands and went bowling. Chris, Chris 2, Alex, Nick and I proceeded to drink incredibly cheap jack & cokes at the bowling alley bar. We got shitty. We left the bowling alley and headed to a townie bar in Connecticut (Brian's old stomping ground). Its open mic night and everyone sucks. Someone tries to start a fight with little Chris and I (we're both little). He throws a punch at me and knocks my hat off. I don't remember exactly how, but he gets thrown out. End of that chapter. We play Vanna and TIA songs with a crummy guitar/amp and a lot of yelling. We sound like shit but we're having a lot of fun. Some girl hits on our friend Jim and he graciously declines. Somehow, this starts an entire bar fight (staff versus us). We win, we leave, we go back to Shawn and Brian's parents and fall asleep. Best Thanksgiving ever.
I hope everyone is cool with what I just posted.
11. What does AP.net mean to you?
Besides being an iPhone icon, my homepage and my favorite twitter poster, its a consistently updated source of information that I care to know.
12. What is your favorite song to play?
On Escape probably "Deep in the Cell". That will change once we start playing our new stuff :)
13. What is your vacation spot of choice?
Ideally, I'd like to leave this country someday. I'd love to vacation in Europe.
I'd have to say that the most beautiful place of all is the Maine shore.
14. What music reminds you of your childhood?
Poppunk! Fenix TX, Fairweather, Saves the day, Blink 182, NoFX, Jawbreaker- stuff I still listen to but it definitely takes me back.
I thought Travis Barker was sick so I asked my father for a drum set. He bought me a Peavey Raptor electric guitar with a Rage 158 amp. Drums were too expensive and loud. So I used to try to play guitar along to the above bands all the time. I also used to think I was good at skateboarding. Ha!
15. If you could have any super power, what would it be? Why?
Mind Control! Anything is possible with the power of persuasion! Actually, can "Jedi" be a super power??
16. Do you feel that your band has "made it"?
In a lot of aspects, yes. If 15 year old Travis could meet 22 year old Travis, he'd be pumped at what I've accomplished.
However, there are still a lot of things I would like to check off my list as far as this band goes. Hopefully in '09!
17. What is something that most fans don't know about you?
Fans? Whats a "fans"?
18. What's your favorite holiday?
Easily Halloween. I love scary movies, orange leaves and pumpkin beers.
19. What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy writing music in my spare time. It keeps me sane. I love reading, I love writing. When weather permits, one of my favorite things to do is ride my bike. (cue the queen sound clip)
20. What kind of hidden talents do you have?
Chris Fernandes is the only man who has ever beat me at Goldeneye.
Oh, and I can school anyone on Simpsons Trivia.
Such useless talents.
Therefore I Am - (Travis) [myspace (http://www.myspace.com/thereforeiam)] [ap.net profile (http://www.absolutepunk.net/artists/showlink.php?l=3709)] [website (http://www.thereforeiamrock.com/)] Brian's random interview (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1249282)
1. How did you get your band name?
I actually joined the band a few years after they had decided on the name "Therefore I Am". I'd like to say that one of the previous members was so wrapped up in thoughts concerning theology and philosophy that they found it useful to quote Renee Descartes, but I'm pretty sure they heard it and thought it was cool. Either way, I love the name.
2. How did this band get started?
Jim and Chris were playing in bands together for a long time before the start of TIA: experimenting with different guitar players and sounds. I think they found our singer Alex on Justanotherscene.com, HA! So long ago. The guitar players seemed to change up pretty often until finally Brian and I solidified the line up in early 2006 and by summer, we had already began writing. As far as I'm concerned this band started in 2006.
3. What bands are you influenced by?
The 5 of us individually have a very eclectic mix of influences. I think the only band that we can all agree on is At the Drive In. Ha!
I personally am driven by a lot of bands that actually grew up and matured as I grew up and matured. Saves The Day would have to be my number one. I heard "Through Being Cool," "Stay What You Are," backtracked to "Can't Slow Down" and the rest was history. As they molded their sound, I as a person was changing. We grew together and there aren't many bands I can say that about. Also I have an unrivaled affinity for Glassjaw. Lately I've been listening to a lot of Ryan Adams and Rocky Votolato. Its nice.
4. If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would it be and why?
Blink 182 would be a lot of fun, Black Flag would be an experience.
I'd definitely love to tour with both Saves the Day and Glassjaw.
To be honest, I'm content with Warped Tour: I think it's a long awaited dream of ours that's finally panning out.
5. If you were a furry, what animal would you be? Why that animal?
Koala bears are pretty awesome. They climb, jump, get high and fight. Plus they're foreign. Definitely a Koala bear.
6. Why should people listen to your band?
We are five middle class dudes trying to make music happen. There are no gimmicks, no ulterior motives, there is nothing about this band that we ourselves are not 100% psyched on and I think that really bleeds through onto our performances, our recordings- we put our all into everything we do. We're doing this because we want to do this, and we hope you enjoy it and have just as much fun as we do.
7. If you were chosen to be in Guitar Hero/Rock Band, what song would you want in the game? How hard do you think it would be to five-star on expert?
If it had to be a song from our last EP, I would probably pick "I Get Nervous in Cars" because of the harmony intro alone. Expert on rockband would be pretty difficult depending on which instrument you've chosen.
Sadly, I'm terrible at guitar hero so to me, every level would be devastating.
8. If you won a Grammy, who would you thank?
My family for never calling me a loser, my friends for always holding me up.
9. If you could change something about the music industry, what would it be?
Art should be free.
10. Memorable tour experience?
Oh man... I wish I could elaborate more on these but here's a few brief synopses.
1) We partied in North Carolina with a bogen family who took colonapins and drank beer while climbing trees. We drank moonshine and Chris cried to his Mom in the middle of the street.
2) Driving 35 hours straight from a bunk show in New Orleans to a bunk show in Phoenix. Alex was my Co-pilot. I got scared driving in TX and had to pull over.
3) We spent last Thanksgiving with Vanna in Connecticut. Brian from our band and Shawn from Vanna are brothers so it just seemed to make sense to spend Thanksgiving with their family while on tour. While they were out doing family things, Chris from TIA, Nick from Vanna, Our dear friends Jim, Joe and I became restless and sober. Being that Connecticut doesn't sell alcohol on holidays except at bars, we drove to the closest bar we could find. We tried to buy a bottle of whiskey from the bartender. No dice. But he did give us a few free drinks. Respectively, he claimed to know cops and then offered to sell us weed. Sounded sketchy. We left. We found an Ames and Joe bought a suitcase (a week into tour). There, at Ames, We found high school girls who looked fucked up on something. They offered to sell someone in our party some pot, so we agreed to follow them. We parked in a driveway and walked into an extremely crowded house (it was Thanksgiving) and everyone was speaking Spanish. They all sort of stopped and looked at us as we walked in. This was a very large family with people of all ages. We followed the girls to the back of the house and their friend sold one of us some shitty weed. We were gracious, told them we'd call them that night and left. We didn't call them. We met up with the rest of the bands and went bowling. Chris, Chris 2, Alex, Nick and I proceeded to drink incredibly cheap jack & cokes at the bowling alley bar. We got shitty. We left the bowling alley and headed to a townie bar in Connecticut (Brian's old stomping ground). Its open mic night and everyone sucks. Someone tries to start a fight with little Chris and I (we're both little). He throws a punch at me and knocks my hat off. I don't remember exactly how, but he gets thrown out. End of that chapter. We play Vanna and TIA songs with a crummy guitar/amp and a lot of yelling. We sound like shit but we're having a lot of fun. Some girl hits on our friend Jim and he graciously declines. Somehow, this starts an entire bar fight (staff versus us). We win, we leave, we go back to Shawn and Brian's parents and fall asleep. Best Thanksgiving ever.
I hope everyone is cool with what I just posted.
11. What does AP.net mean to you?
Besides being an iPhone icon, my homepage and my favorite twitter poster, its a consistently updated source of information that I care to know.
12. What is your favorite song to play?
On Escape probably "Deep in the Cell". That will change once we start playing our new stuff :)
13. What is your vacation spot of choice?
Ideally, I'd like to leave this country someday. I'd love to vacation in Europe.
I'd have to say that the most beautiful place of all is the Maine shore.
14. What music reminds you of your childhood?
Poppunk! Fenix TX, Fairweather, Saves the day, Blink 182, NoFX, Jawbreaker- stuff I still listen to but it definitely takes me back.
I thought Travis Barker was sick so I asked my father for a drum set. He bought me a Peavey Raptor electric guitar with a Rage 158 amp. Drums were too expensive and loud. So I used to try to play guitar along to the above bands all the time. I also used to think I was good at skateboarding. Ha!
15. If you could have any super power, what would it be? Why?
Mind Control! Anything is possible with the power of persuasion! Actually, can "Jedi" be a super power??
16. Do you feel that your band has "made it"?
In a lot of aspects, yes. If 15 year old Travis could meet 22 year old Travis, he'd be pumped at what I've accomplished.
However, there are still a lot of things I would like to check off my list as far as this band goes. Hopefully in '09!
17. What is something that most fans don't know about you?
Fans? Whats a "fans"?
18. What's your favorite holiday?
Easily Halloween. I love scary movies, orange leaves and pumpkin beers.
19. What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy writing music in my spare time. It keeps me sane. I love reading, I love writing. When weather permits, one of my favorite things to do is ride my bike. (cue the queen sound clip)
20. What kind of hidden talents do you have?
Chris Fernandes is the only man who has ever beat me at Goldeneye.
Oh, and I can school anyone on Simpsons Trivia.
Such useless talents.