Julia Conny
10/26/08, 08:21 PM
Staff Interview continued...(Part One (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=639282) - Part Two (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=639252) - Part Four (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=639212))
Boxers or briefs? (for the males)
Joe: Boxers.
Drew: Commando.
Blake: I like those boxer brief thingys.
Paul: Boxer briefs, definitely.
Adrian: Boxers. My boys need to breathe.
Tristan: Boxers.
Chris: Boxers. Speaking of which, I need to go purchase some fresh new ones.
Anton: Adrian steals again.
Jonathan: Commando.
Travis: Boxers.
Steve: Boxers.
Eric: Boxers.
Jason: Boxers.
Thong or regular cotton panties? (for the females)
Julia: Thong. More comfy.
Jaime D: Depends on what I'm wearing. Thongs and dresses don't mix.
Paul: I'd just like to state that I prefer boy shorts on girls.
Anton: I agree with Paul.
Linda: It varies. Whatever works for avoiding the VPLs.
Lueda: I love both.
McDonald's, BK or Wendy's?
Rich: I would prefer not to choose but if I must, I would go with Burger King.
Joe: Burger King, but I love all three.
Drew: yuck
Blake: Wendy's or Whataburger
Julia: McDonald's, but only for the Redbox movies.
Jaime D: McDonalds, if i had to choose.
Paul: Those kind of fast food places sucks. If I'm going for fast food, I go for taco trucks (people from LA will get this).
Adrian: It’s the King for a reason.
Tristan: Wendy's. Lately McDonald's has been stepping it up though.
Chris: I've always been a Taco Bell guy, but Burger King is my pick.
Jamie P: In and Out
Anton: It depends on what I want. They're all good for different reasons.
Linda: McDonald's hashbrowns FTW
Lueda: McDonalds is the best.
Travis: McD's for the salads and parfaits!
Steve: Chipotle, but if I had to choose one of the above, Wendy's for lunch/dinner and McD's for breakfast.
Eric: Wendy’s probably.
Jason: BK. But with the economy like this - I'm living off of pasta, pasta, pasta.
Coke or Pepsi?
Rich: Pepsi
Joe: Diet Coke, regular Pepsi.
Scott W: Stone Ruination IPA.
Drew: New Castle Brown Ale
Blake: Wild Cherry Pepsi
Julia: Iced coffee. I stopped drinking regularly, but when I do, it's Coke.
Jaime D: Rarely drink soda, but when I do it's diet Pepsi. Can't stand regular, or any Coke products.
Scott I: My biggest weakness is a cold can of Pepsi.
Paul: Hansen's w/ cane sugar (aka no high fructose corn syrup. One of my roommates has gotten me into the whole no-HFCS thing)
Adrian: Coca-Cola, preferably bottled in Mexico.
Tristan: I don't like colas at all. Disgusting.
Chris: I'm a Mountain Dew addict, so Pepsi products all the way.
Anton: Pepsi, but Vanilla Coke is best.
Linda: Yuck to both.
Lueda: Pepsi all the way!
Travis: Diet Coke.
Steve: Mountain Dew.
Jason: Coke. Hands down. Pepsi makes me sick.
Fall Out Boy good or bad? I say bad.
Rich: I agree as I did not really continue to follow the band after Take This To Your Grave and was not into the other records. However, I commend them for always doing things for their fans, most bands seem to forget their fans once they reach a certain level, but Fall Out Boy continues to do special things for their fans and I respect them for that.
Joe: Take This to Your Grave is one of my favorite albums and I haven't been disappointed with either FUCT or IOH, so I say good.
Drew: Great at pop music and expanding the boundaries of the mainstream.
Scott W: Music taste: Subjective or subjective?
Julia: Good. Take This To Your Grave ... how can you say bad? It's a classic, IMO. I agree with Steve though.
Jaime D: Good.
Paul: Take This To Your Grave was awesome.
Adrian: Good. And From Under the Cork Tree is better than Take This to Your Grave.
Tristan: Like everyone else, I loved Take This to Your Grave when it came out, but I haven't been a fan of their other releases.
Chris: I may not be as big a fan as I was when I first began listening in 2003, however I admire them for being able to continue doing things for their fans. I feel like the band has been on a progressive slide since Take This To Your Grave, an album I still cherish, and while I respect the fact they've embraced their pop side, I prefer their aggressive pop-punk sound over their current pop-soul-rock combo.
Anton: Good. A band this big that cares this much about their fans and their roots is hard to find. They're more in touch with their fans than bands 10x smaller than them.
Linda: Good.
Lueda: I used to like them back in 2003, when they could only be found on mp3.com. Then, when I stopped liking them, everyone started to fall in love with them. Funny how that works, eh? I love some of their songs, but I still don't know how they became such a hit.
Travis: Take This to Your Grave was great. The rest has ranged from interesting to alright, and has at least brought more attention to lesser known bands by expanding the pop palette.
Steve: This band has been on a downward spiral since TTTYG. Each subsequent album has gotten less interesting, and IOH was a borderline disaster to me. The new single from FaD sounds like garbage.
Eric: Bad.
Jason: Great. The revolutionized the scene (you can argue for better or worse) and created a viable market. They took the lessons of Blink182 and mixed it with the budding internet world, a hip-hop mogul mentality, and have seen un-paralleled success. From that standpoint alone they deserve accolades. As for music wise - I absolutely love the band. They make great music. It may not be your cup of tea - but they are, in my opinion, one of the best pop bands around right now. They aren't afraid to take some risks, make fun music, and write some of the biggest hooks released. While other bands have come and gone - they remain relevant. While other bands have softened their sound and trying to become more mellow and mid-tempo - Fall Out Boy continue to write songs that have a more aggressive edge. Give me a Fall Out Boy record over anything by The Maine any day of the week.
Favorite color?
Rich: Blue
Joe: Blue
Scott W: Black
Drew: Red?
Blake: Orange
Julia: Purple.
Jaime D: Pink!
Scott I: Oatmeal
Paul: Depends on the context, I don't really have an absolute favourite color.
Adrian: Blue.
Chris: Green.
Anton: Navy blue.
Linda: Purple
Lueda: Blue.
Jonathan: salmon.
Travis: Blue.
Steve: Black/gray.
Eric: Blue.
Jason: Silver.
How many sugars in your coffee?
Rich: I usually do not drink coffee, however it usually varies from zero-two depending on the situation.
Scott W: Stone Ruination IPA.
Drew: gross
Blake: I've actually never had coffee. I prefer chocolate milk.
Julia: Two Splenda and 2% milk in a Grande. I work for Starbucks to pay the bills, so yeah. I know coffee too well.
Jaime D: I use vanilla flavored creamer, so whatever is in that.
Paul: Depends on the kind of coffee. Usually 1.
Adrian: Two, please.
Tristan: I don't drink it. I hope never to have to, either.
Anton: Coffee is disgusting. I drink hot chocolate to fit in with all the coffee drinkers at work.
Linda: Two and lots of milk or cream.
Lueda: I only drink French Vanilla from Tim Hortons (Canadians will get this), and that doesn't need any extra sugar!
Travis: None, thanks.
Steve: None, just cream. On the subject of coffee, I highly recommend the Keurig single cup brewers...so great.
Eric: Zero.
Jason: I don't drink coffee. If I do, it's usually one packet of cancer grains.
Yankees or Red Sox...? if you had to pick.
Rich: I will do the safe thing and say the Yankees since I live in New York haha.
Joe: Yankees, duh. There's only one answer to that.
Scott W: Tampa Bay Rays.
Drew: Milwaukee Brewers
Jaime D: YANKEES.
Adrian: I’m from the South, so the rivalry means little to me. I’ll go with the Red Sox because of those sweet Boston accents.
Tristan: Hockey.
Chris: I've been a Red Sox fan since before they became the new Yankees (i.e. the team people love to hate). Ted Williams shared my birthday, so from the start, I've had to support them, ya know? I like the Yankees pre-1980 - however, Steinbrenner has ruined that team for me and I have not liked them for a very long time - and will continue to do so until I die. Sorry NY kids.
Anton: Red Sox. I'm a Mets fan, so yeah.
Lueda: Why does anyone watch baseball?
Travis: Sox (but mostly Phillies)
Steve: Baseball is fucking boring.
Eric: I don’t know shit about baseball.
Jason: Ugh. If I had to? The Red Sox are the newest version of the Yankees. I suppose I'd have to go with the Sox though - because the Yankees deserve everything they're getting. Overpaid chokes.
Shower or bath?
Rich: Shower.
Joe: Shower.
Scott W: Shower.
Drew: shower.
Blake: Shath. Don't ask.
Julia: Who has time take a bath?
Jaime D: Definitely shower. I don't think I could even tell you the last time I took a bath.
Scott I: Lying or sitting down during a shower is extremely therapeutic.
Paul: Showers normally, but a nice jacuzzi bath sometimes is always nice.
Adrian: Shower.
Tristan: Shower the vast majority of the time.
Chris: Shower. Clothes on. No lights. Cold water. Tears as lubricant. Is that weird?
Anton: Star shower. This is a shower with the lights off and one of these (http://www.vaporstore.com/proddetail.php?prod=LaserStar) on.
Linda: Shower
Lueda: Shower.
Jonathan: shower.
Travis: Shower.
Steve: Shower (if I must).
Eric: Shower.
Jason: Shower. In the dark. The most relaxing time of my day. So much easier to focus and just wind down.
Which band members lurk on here constantly that you know of?
Rich: I am always out of the loop on these things. I honestly do not know who is on here constantly and most of you guys have seen the occasional apperances of some members (Max Bemis, Gabe Saporta, Geoff Rickley, etc)
Joe: I know JT from Hawthorne Heights comes here often. Dan from Playradioplay comes and posts a lot too.
Drew: Pete Wentz
Blake: The dudes from Moving Mountains
Julia: Too many to name. I have band members tell me all the time that they check it multiple times a day.
Jaime D: More than you'd think.
Adrian: Band members who constantly lurk are the ones who aren’t logged in, so I wouldn’t know.
Anton: Much more than you think. I don't mean to brag, but I can't think of any bands that don't read this site.
Jason: A lot. Almost any band I talk mentions various news posts or discussions on this site.
What are your happiest and saddest days as music fans?
Rich: Are we talking single moments? Happiest would be being in attendance for the last Get Up Kids show in Philadelphia and the saddest would be when Elliott Smith passed away.
Joe: Happiest: When New Found Glory announced that they left Geffen Records. From the release of Coming Home (September) to the time of the announcement (March?) I felt it would be the band's final album. There was hardly any promotion, no singles being pushed and they weren't playing that many shows. I was SO relieved when they said they were leaving Geffen and releasing part 2 of their covers album. Saddest would be when I heard Casey from Hawthorne Heights died. I never met him but in interviews he always seemed like an amazing guy and it was just such a shock.
Drew: The saddest day was when I awoke to the news of Tupac's murder. The happiest day was being hired here to promote the music I love.
Julia: Saddest: 1) When I realized that I didn't love The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. Happiest: 1) The first day I was staff here and 2) Sold-out All Time Low homecoming show my roommate and I promoted and half-booked ... November 18th, 2006 at St. Johns Hamilton in Baltimore, MD. Both were very surreal experiences, and made me realize how grateful I was to have music in my life.
Jaime D: I don't know that I could pick a happiest or saddest. The saddest days are obviously band members passing young. I might have to be lame and agree with the masses that being hired here made me very happy.
Adrian: I’m not sure about the saddest, but I was probably happiest being crammed near the stage at a Brand New show when they were touring with Hot Rod Circuit and Eisley. It was the Deja Entendu era, you understand.
Tristan: I can't think of a specific happiest day. Some great shows I've been to would rank up there though, like The Decemberists, The Great Lake Swimmers, and Islands. The saddest would be when I was a kid and my dad told me that John Lennon was dead.
Jamie P: Happiest would be The Get Up Kids touring again the spring. And the saddest was when The Get Up Kids announcing they were breaking up a few years back.
Anton: I can tell you what the saddest day as a music fan was for me. It was the day that I finally accepted that Midtown was actually done. They never actually announced a break up or anything and said for so long that Cobra Starship was just a side project, and Heath in Senses Fail was a temporary replacement. I held out hope and tried to remain optimistic. Then I remember I was just fed up with the entire thing and lost all hope. I even changed my avatar on this site to RIP Midtown to try and give myself some sort of closure (lame), but I still don't have it. I'm still waiting for a reunion or just something. I've been waiting too long with nothing...I wish they were able to understand what it's like for some of us Midtown fans. Happiest day though? Perhaps the day that I was put on AP.net staff because I knew that I was going to be able to be an active part doing the thing I love.
Lueda: Finding out that Elliott Smith died was pretty devastating, and finally being able to see the Faint live was just such a great feeling. I had been wanting to see them for years, so it was like a dream come true. Same with Imogen Heap and Backstreet Boys! I loved them so much when I was younger, and always wished to go to one of their concerts one day. That was a pretty impossible wish at the time, seeing as I lived in Albania.
Travis: Happiest: Having the chance to meet the members of Thursday at an in-store acoustic performance. Saddest: The day The Early November broke up. They were one of my formative bands and it felt like they'd never fall apart.
Eric: I was so sad when my friend and I drove about 6 hours to see CKY and then there was a note taped to the door that said they broke up. (They later got back together.) That same day, the Blood Brothers broke up and I think Some Girls too. My happiest day though was the day I bought Jane Doe by Converge. I was like, “What the hell is happening? Wow.”
Jason: Seeing a band I love and support reach stardom and mass appreciation makes me extremely happy. However, watching a band I love or support break-up or not be able to afford doing what they love - absolutely kills me.
How do you all know each other/work together when you're not all living in the same place? The wonders of the internet, I'm sure, but is it difficult/annoying?
Rich: It is through the internet and it is not really that difficult or annoying, but occasionally with all of us being in different areas with other things going on, stuff can slip through the cracks.
Scott W: It’s 2008. It’s not hard to stay in touch. Haha.
Blake: Rich and I are in constant communication!
Jaime D: It's not really difficult. We have the staff forum, email, and we know most of each other's phone numbers. I like to send Julia noodz. And pictures of Jesse Lacey giving me an oil change.
Adrian: The staff forum and e-mail exchanges keep us running without too much trouble. I’m sure it’s an easier system than staff conference calls would be.
Tristan: It's not really difficult, I mean we all know how forums work so it's pretty easy to keep things straight. There's always PMs, email, and AIM if someone misses a thread.
Anton: I have called a bunch of staff members when it's been needed to organize stuff or in case of emergency (insider info: Jason has a manly and enthusiastic voice) and it's always been cool. Other than that, it's definitely easy via staff forum, e-mail, and IM to keep in touch.
Linda: We obviously have to rely upon non-face-to-face communication, and that can be frustrating.
Lueda: Mostly through AIM, and the Staff forum sometimes. I don't think I have ever talked to a staff member on the phone. Damn.
Jason: We are based online - and we've built tools to increase this kind of productivity and collaboration. As easy as it is to talk in our forums it is for us to talk about business related things. It's not that hard. Oh, and Eda - that's because no one wants to pay to call Canada.
Where do you think the future of pop-punk is going?
Rich: It would be ignorant of me to say pop-punk as a whole is a genre with no future, mostly because there are some pop-punk bands I enjoy and think are doing things the right way, but the future is looking bleak. Too many bands are following trends in this genre and are trying to imitate one another and that causes stagnation within the genre. I also hate the over production of bands in the genre. Sure it is important to have a good sounding recording, but not the point where all the personality is glossed over. However, there are some bands out there who are doing things the write way and write great songs, so I cannot write off the genre entirely.
Joe: It's going to continue to be filled with "glamour kills" bands that will get popular, but there's going to be many who are doing it right but don't get the kind of exposure.
Scott W: Downhill. And it scares the shit out of me. Thank god we still have bands like Teenage Bottlerocket, Dead to Me, NOFX, Lifetime, The Swellers, that kind of stuff around. Bands that do it right.
Drew: Pretty much dead.
Blake: Love me some pop-punk. If you play it and you're hot, more power to you.
Julia: The same place it's been for the past decade - halfway between the radio and the underground. If it's slick enough, pop-punk is always going to have an opportunity to fit into the Top 40.
Jaime D: Who knows. All we can do is try our best to support the bands we love and hope others feel the same.
Scott I: There's nowhere left for the genre to go. It's tired, overdone, and out of options for a fresh direction. There will always be music deemed "pop punk", but I think more and more people are realizing its boundaries and are moving away from it.
Paul: Hopefully it'll shrink soon. It's been too saturated for a while now, it'll hopefully distill into only good bands soon.
Adrian: I’m pretty out of the loop when it comes to pop punk. Yes, I’m pretty tired of it, and no, it’s not going to disappear yet. I figured All Time Low would be MTV’s mini-Fall Out Boy by this point, but I’m not sure if that’s happened or not.
Chris: There are still a number of bands doing it the right way - I just think the genre is so loose-ended, too many pop bands are labeled "pop-punk" for the sake of fitting into a crowd. I don't think of Hit the Lights or The Maine or Simple Plan when someone says "pop-punk" - I think of the bands that started it: Descendents, The Vandals, MxPx. It's a genre that has potential and has been knocked around by bands leaving a stain on its title. It has a future ... we just need to filter out the sounds that don't particularly belong.
Anton: As much as I wish the early 2000s pop-punk would come back, it probably won't, at least not anytime soon. I think that it's going to branch off into two directions, as it has already started. We will have more bands focusing on the more hardcore of the pop-punk, like Set Your Goals and Four Year Strong, crafting poppy, yet aggressive music. On the other side, we'll have the dance trend continue until it (finally) dies, giving us...? I don't know, but I don't know how it can be worse. To be honest, I love bands like All Time Low that focus on the rock sound but still make fun music, but bands like The Medic Droid and Brokencyde and garbage like that are really embarrassing for fans of this genre.
Lueda: I don't even know. I can't imagine it getting any bigger, or better, anytime soon. New trends are becoming more popular these days.
Travis: Somewhere with dragons and unicorns and rainbows.
Steve: It is about dead, but it is great to see some bands carrying on the tradition of great pop punk. I get all nostalgic thinking about it.
Eric: It’s going to go away. I think maybe all the electro pop punk will turn straight back into boy-band-ism.
Jason: Not where I think it should. The problem is that more progressive pop-punk is consistently being overlooked for the quick-sell. The band with the hair cut and mid-tempo ballads are being signed while the band that could be the next Fall Out Boy (ie: come in and kick pop-punk in its face) is being overlooked for playing too fast. With the trying economic times and the lack of anyone to be able to sell albums on a consistent basis - labels are going for quick fixes. If they have one band that sold reasonably well - they might as well sign 3 other bands with the same album and release them while they can. The idea of creating a career for bands is dying.
How many emails does Tate get a day?
Rich: I bet he gets in the neighborhood of a couple hundred, if not thousands.
Blake: I shudder to think about it.
Adrian: I get five e-mails a day and I can’t handle them. Jason gets about 500.
Anton: He probably gets around 200, but I assume most of them are press releases. Those can get annoying fast.
Lueda: Probably none, because he has blocked everyone. Except us, of course.
Jason: 300-800 on a consistent basis. This is including press releases that I skim and post/delete. Dealing with that takes a lot of filters, labels, and color coating. I just finished a clean up of my inbox this past weekend - and my current stats are: You are currently using 1705 MB (23%) of your 7208 MB. So not to bad at all - I got things pretty organized.
What other offers did AbsolutePunk/Tate get besides Buzznet in the past?
Drew: He was offered a ZJ for 15 dollars.
Julia: What's a ZJ?
Jaime D: If you don't know, you can't afford it.
Paul: Is a ZJ a zitjob?
Adrian: I know he’s been offered A&R jobs, though there have to be tons of offers I don’t know about.
Anton: I believe there have been some offers to merge with certain other companies.
Lueda: Only you would think of that, Paulina. Gross.
Jason: Non-disclosure agreements prevent me from really talking about them. I will tell you I stayed out of the print business and waited for the right deal that would give me control of my future and vision.
What's your favorite show you've attended?
Rich: Probably my very first concert, which was Rage Against The Machine’s last performance in Philadelphia. It was completely insane and not your standard show at all by any means, especially for me being fairly young at the time. You can read more about what the show was like here.
Joe: New Found Glory / Cartel / The Early November
Scott W: The filming of the Mxpx DVD, 3 straight nights in Seattle.
Drew: April 2005 at the Canopy Club, Urbana, IL. 18+ club and say GCH, Academy Is, Midtown, and Fall Out Boy. FOB played all their songs from TTTYG, so great.
Julia: Brand New, Hot Rod Circuit and Eisley at 9:30 Club in Washington, DC. I think that was in 2003?
Jaime D: Thursday's first holiday show at the Starland Ballroom. When we heard the opening riffs of Jet Black New Year the whole place exploded. I don't think I've ever felt that much electricity. It was surreal.
Scott I: Like I said on down, Deerhunter at the Drunken Unicorn was probably the best show I've been to. It was the first time I had heard them (I only went because of their hype, I thought they were a hardcore band). I'm glad I was unfamiliar with their music because it stunned me all the more. The light-show and the fact that the band doesn't interrupt their set with stupid banter also helped.
Paul: Oh Jesus. The Knife in 2005 (I think) in San Francisco, Radiohead in 2006 in San Diego, Broken Social Scene in 2006 in LA, Justice/MSTRKRFT in 2006 in LA.
Adrian: To quote myself, "I was probably happiest being crammed near the stage at a Brand New show when they were touring with Hot Rod Circuit and Eisley. It was the Deja Entendu era, you understand." This was somewhere in Texas, sometime after Deja Entendu was released. Hey, Julia and I match!
Tristan: I'd say Islands may be my favourite show. It's so hard to pick things like this.
Chris: I think the Drive-Thru Records show with New Found Glory, Something Corporate and the Startling Line was pretty fun. It was during NFG's rise to fame, and during the final days when Drive-Thru was, well, a respectable label.
Anton: New Jersey folks should know about the Wayne Firehouse and the legendary shows there.
Linda: Drew Danburry's show. Some members of the band and the audience were taking off their clothes by the second song.
Lueda: The Faint because they made me feel like dancing the whole time, and they were just amazing.
Travis: Either one of the first Warped Tours where I got to see a ton of great bands and meet the members of The Receiving End of Sirens right before Between the Heart and the Synapse came out, or my most recent show, The Dear Hunter/Lydia/You, Me, and Everyone We Know/Eye Alaska.
Steve: Copeland/Lovedrug/Acceptance was an amazing experience, as was seeing The Juliana Theory/Something Corporate. In the end, though, Oasis/Travis theater show was probably the best.
Who's the best live band you've seen?
Joe: New Found Glory. They get better every time I see them.
Scott W: Mxpx. The Fall of Troy.
Drew: Emery and Gatsby's American Dream.
Blake: Modest Mouse.
Julia: GWAR. Steel Train is always a pleasure. Muse. Anathallo. Nine Inch Nails. Manchester Orchestra. I was impressed by Anthony Green as a frontman just recently.
Jaime D: Thursday, Gatsbys American Dream, Midtown.
Scott I: Deerhunter was indescribably breathtaking the first time I saw them in a hole-in-the-wall venue called the Drunken Unicorn here in Atlanta. The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower probably comes in a close second.
Paul: Radiohead.
Adrian: I haven’t seen many bands live, but I was very impressed by the way Billie Joe Armstrong and company held captive an entire amphitheatre of kids on my date of the Pop Disaster tour (see further below). Green Day were pros that night.
Tristan: The Great Lake Swimmers or Islands were probably the tightest bands I've seen live. The Decemberists may have been the most entertaining. Of course Yes would be one of the most talented.
Chris: I honestly think Less Than Jake is remarkable live. They bring such palpable energy to their shows, and it's contagious. Butch Walker does the same thing, never settling down for a break, instead drawing energy from the enthusiasm of his audience.
Jamie P: Probably the Get Up Kids. And Yellowcard (back in the day).
Anton: Thursday, Midtown, and Muse take the cake for me.
Lueda: Again, I would go with The Faint, but also Great Lake Swimmers because they were unbelievable live.
Travis: Hm. Either Days Away, Lydia, The Dear Hunter, or The Receiving End of Sirens (in their first incarnation).
Steve: Andrew McMahon is probably the most incredible performer I have ever seen, both as Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin. Circa Survive and Lostprophets always kill it live too.
What's your favorite review on this site, and who wrote it?
Rich: Scott Irvine’s review of Explosions In The Sky’s All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone.
Joe: Blake Solomon's review of 3OH!3's Want.
Scott W: Ryan Mills’ review of Mae – The Everglow. Haha.
Drew: Jason's review of Deja Entendu.
Blake: Scott Weber's review for Set Your Goals' Mutiny.
Julia: Blake 3OH!3's review.
Jaime D: Scott Weber's Scary Kids Scaring Kids review.
Scott I: Anything Blake writes is a surefire favorite of mine. The guy is going to go places.
Adrian: I’d probably pick one of Jason’s older reviews if they were still in the database; also, Blake is constantly fascinating me with his writing style.
Chris: Jason's review of Butch Walker's Letters, because it's what lured me into this behemoth.
Lueda: I don't read reviews. Sorry, guys.
Travis: Blake's review of everything.
Thoughts on Pitchfork?
Rich: I will not lie, I read Pitchfork fairly often. I cannot knock the writers there, although at times they can be unnecessarily wordy, because they are all excellent writers and are better than I am. However, there are various things that I disagree with that they do and think there are ways they could improve their site.
Scott W: Great writers. Often, good taste. Often not. Pretentious as hell.
Drew: Amazing writers, but I hate their reviews.
Blake: I personally love Pitchfork. Their news has flair, their reviews are solid, and they cover a wide array of genres. What's not to love? Also, Pitchfork TV is the hotness.
Julia: Love it. If I'm ever having writer's block, I go to Pitchfork for inspiration. They have some amazing writers - while you may not like their style or flair, they have innovation with words which is something I very much strive for as a writer.
Jaime D: Arrogance that is well deserved. And their Jet review still makes me laugh.
Scott I: I think the internet community and music community needs a place like Pitchfork. They're a wonderful source of news and opinion, but also a reminder not to get too concerned with how you are specifically perceived. I'm continually impressed with their work-ethic and quality of material. Don't be ashamed if you read it.
Paul: More in line with my taste in music, although the reviews can bug me sometimes. Or, rather, the lack of substantive content in some of the reviews.
Adrian: I don’t visit other music websites. Are we battling them like we did punknews.org?
Tristan: Honestly, I've only been to the site maybe twice.
Chris: Only been there a few times ... but it's not really my style. I'm still a NOFX kid, so I just don't fit in haha.
Anton: The site is visually confusing and I don't care for the music they promote. Not my cup of tea, but I respect them for their hard work to get them where they are.
Lueda: Their site covers the type of music that I listen to on a regular basis, but I have never been a fan. I think I read a few articles back in '04, and I have disliked them since. I just can't appreciate that site for some reason.
Travis: I haven't been often. The few times I visited, I was rather distracted by the visual flashiness so I blacked out a bit. I hear it's nice though.
Steve: Amazing as a literary showcase, useless for actual content in their reviews. I wish I could write as well as their guys, but I would hate to be burdened by such cynicism.
Eric: Dicks. The highest ratings they ever give are like 40%. They hate everything. BUT, Pitchfork Music Fest is incredible. You should all go.
Jason: I feel nothing from them. I don't feel as though they have any real passion behind their writing. It feels stale and trite. I never get a feeling of love for the music or the writing from anything I've ever read over there. They can do whatever they want - doesn't impact me - but I would rather have a connection with the writer, his tastes, and feel as though they were moved by an album. So, fuck it, I don't read it.
To everyone except Jason: If you all made decent-good money, would you work here full-time as a career?
Rich: Absolutely. I would probably work here full-time or as a career even if the pay was not that great simply because I love writing about music and interacting with people on the site. Also, as I have stated before, I cannot see myself doing anything that is not somehow related to music.
Joe: Definitely.
Scott W: Who wouldn’t want to sit on the internet and get called a ****** by 15 year old kids all day for copious amounts of money?
Drew: Yep.
Blake: Certainly Certainly Certainly.
Julia: Without a doubt. I might even move if I had to. I have so many ideas and so much passion for music, I would love to be able to commit more time. Gotta pay those bills, blah.
Jaime D: Would anyone say no? Seriously?
Scott I: This is a case of, "Duh, of course." I much rather hiding away in my room than dealing with an office. Whether it's a great job or a horrible job -- if I have to sit in an office then I'll likely slowly beginning to hate it. You can't hate sitting on your ass.
Adrian: Yes. It would be fantastic to work for my favorite website and continue my own creative endeavors at the same time.
Tristan: No question. I'd do it and love it. I love doing it for free and the only thing I dislike is that there isn't more I can do.
Chris: Most definitely. I can't say it wouldn't influence me to get more done either, because it certainly would. I think we've got a great thing going on here, and helping out bands for a living, amongst other things? Who would want to pass on that?
Jamie P: Of course! I can just sit at home all day in my boxers.
Anton: It would be a dream come true to make a living doing what I love to do. Simple as that. I know that I would be able to bring so much more to this site if I just had more time to do it.
Linda: Of course. I would love to quit my day job to work here fulltime.
Lueda: It depends. I get bored if I'm not challenged enough, but I think in the end, I would love to just work from home and do something that would actually be really appreciated by people I respect (musicians/bands).
Jonathan: Does a bear shit in the woods?
Travis: Hell yes. In a heartbeat.
Steve: For sure.
Eric: Totally.
Why is AP.net always referred to as AP.net? Isn't that confusing for newbies because the actual website http://www.ap.net (http://www.ap.net/) is COMPLETELY unrelated? I mean, I guess if you're already here you know how to get here, but it's a little weird isn't it?
Rich: I can see how it may be confusing for new members, but the simple answer is it is a lot easier to type AP.net than AbsolutePunk.net.
Julia: And it rolls of the tongue.
Jaime D: I don't think it's confusing.
Adrian: I like it, I use it. It’s not tough to get used to in this abbreviated text message-centric world we live in.
Anton: The real story is that we used to just refer to the site as AP, but another AP got high and mighty and mad at us for it so, rather than fight them, we just decided to adopt AP.net in order to be the bigger people in the situation.
Lueda: It's become such a bad habit, because people in "real life" don't know what I am talking about until I spell out the full name.
Eric: Ha, I read Alternative Press all the time. I….hate it, but I read it for some reason.
Jason: Because Alternative Press thought ignoring the Associated Press and claiming themselves as the only AP was the way to go. I decided I didn't care - and just call it whatever comes out of my mouth at that particular moment in time. People shorten and abbreviate most everything.
Would you rather go deaf or go blind?
Rich: Blind. One time I had a bad ear infection where I literally could not hear anything out of one of my ears, and I couldn’t handle it.
Joe: Deaf.
Scott W: Deaf. Sorry, music.
Drew: Deaf.
Blake: Deaf, although I'm terrible at reading lips.
Julia: Deaf.
Jaime D: Blind.
Scott I: There's both auditory beauty and visual beauty in this life, everyone knows that. But which one can you replicate over and over? You can't decide to watch the lights of the Eiffel Tower sparkle in front of you for the first time -- you can't feel the way it hits you that very first time ever again. I can, however, relive a song so splendid and powerful like "Mogwai Fear Satan" or "For Reverend Green" over and over with that same feeling of fever I felt the first time I gave the specific song a first listen. I would rather go blind. There are some stunning lyricists out there. I don't need to see if I've got them to paint things out for me.
Paul: Deaf. Scott I., your answers are insane.
Adrian: I don’t want to think about losing a sense.
Tristan: I hate this question. I'm always torn. My opinion changes from time to time.
Anton: Deaf without a doubt.
Linda: Deaf.
Lueda: I am scared of not being able to see what's around me. It would make me feel very naked and unprotected, so I'd rather be deaf.
Travis: Wow, really, guys? Blind, for sure.
Steve: Deaf.
Eric: Blind dude! I don’t care if I can’t see shit. Seeing is overrated.
Jason: Blind.
If you could only listen to one album the rest of your life, what would it be?
Rich: Probably The Dismemberment Plan’s Emergency & I.
Joe: New Found Glory's Sticks and Stones.
Scott W: Mxpx – Life in General.
Drew: Illinois by Sufjan Stevens.
Blake: Hmm, maybe The Postal Service's Give Up. It's got lots of types of songs to keep me interested.
Julia: Transatlanticism, Death Cab.
Jaime D: Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen.
Scott I: Do Make Say Think - Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn.
Adrian: Pinkerton by Weezer. Easy choice.
Tristan: That's so hard, I don't think I can choose. Maybe The White Album.
Chris: This is tough. Probably Marvelous 3's Hey! Album because it never ever gets old.
Anton: Thursday's Full Collapse. It has everything.
Lueda: I really don't know, because I would want it to be an album that makes me really happy and really sad at the same time. It's hard.
Travis: Brand New Deja Entendu.
Steve: Revolver by The Beatles.
Eric: Maybe pg.99/Majority Rule’s split.
Jason: Pet Sounds.
Favorite song of all time?
Rich: The Dismemberment Plan's "The Ice Of Boston".
Joe: New Found Glory's "Sonny".
Scott W: The Who – "Baba O’Reilly".
Drew: "Cute Without The 'E' (Cut From The Team)" - Taking Back Sunday.
Blake: Northstar - "The Pornographer's Daughter".
Julia: Brand New - "Soco Amaretto Lime".
Jaime D: Death Cab For Cutie - "Transatlanticism".
Scott I: caP'n Jazz - "Little League" I couldn't tell you how many times I've tried to describe on paper the effect that song had on me.
Adrian: Damn, tough choice. "Everlong" by the Foo Fighters.
Tristan: This is very very hard too. I used to say "A Day in the Life" by The Beatles, but I don't say that anymore. Maybe some Beatles song, maybe "Take the Veil, Cerpin Taxt" by The Mars Volta. Maybe not.
Chris: Jimmy Eat World's "23" or The Beatles' "Hey Jude". I can't decide.
Jamie P: "Juicy" by Notorious BIG.
Anton: Thursday - "Jet Black New Year".
Lueda: Maybe "Between the Bars" by Elliott Smith? I could listen to that song for hours.
Travis: "A" by Cartel, for personal reasons.
Steve: "In My Life" by The Beatles.
Eric: Husker Du’s "If I Told You" or “Chartered Trips” or about one million other things, but that came to mind first.
Jason: Brand New - "Play Crack the Sky"
What is one band that a lot of people on here like (for instance, Brand New, lol) but you cannot get into?
Rich: Four Year Strong.
Joe: The Get Up Kids.
Scott W: Lydia.
Drew: As Tall As Lions.
Blake: Lots, but I guess the biggest offense would be Brand New.
Julia: Anberlin.
Jaime D: Rise Against.
Scott I: There's quite a list, but the first that came to mind is Say Anything.
Paul: Most of the bands. Sigh.
Adrian: For me it’s more like, “What bands do people gush about that you still haven’t given a chance?” Anberlin, Death Cab for Cutie, Elliott Smith, the list goes on.
Tristan: Heh, uh, there's too many to name. I'm not a big fan of most of the newer bands that people in here like.
Chris: Mercy Mercedes. I know Steve, Joe and Jason dig them, but I can't tell the difference between them and every other synth-pop band out there.
Anton: Radiohead, for the most part.
Lueda: There are a lot, but I think Say Anything stands out.
Travis: I was never a big Midtown fan. Please don't hit me, Anton.
Steve: I like Say Anything, but not nearly as much as some of the fanatics here.
Eric: Anthony Green.
Jason: Radiohead.
Who benches the most?
Blake: I've seen Steve wrestle a shark, so probably him.
Adrian: Chris “Catastrophe” Fallon.
Chris: Adrian "The Wolf" Villagomez.
Anton: I probably could, not trying to brag. Everyone else that works on this site is so skinny. I'll kick all your asses!
Linda: Definitely not me. I have had limited use of one of my arms since the end of April, so bench pressing is off of my list.
Travis: Julia.
Steve: Anton "Diesel" Djamoos.
Eric: Competition!
Jason: Steve is ripped.
Who is always the one that falls asleep first and gets messed with at all the ap.net staff member slumber parties?
Scott I: Richie Dunks is a lightweight. Probably him.
Rich: This is totally untrue haha.
Adrian: Blake, but only because he wants the attention.
Anton: Whoever's the newest. We like to put people's underwear in the freezer, shaving cream and feather prank, hand in the warm water...we're ruthless.
Lueda: Maybe Jason, because it would be fun to pick on him! Or Joe, because he is so easy to make fun of.
Travis: I want no part of the whole frozen underwear thing.
Steve: Joe is the youngest, so I would say him.
Jason: Drew. Then he wakes up to drunk dial everyone.
Who is the biggest drama queen in the secret staff forum?
Scott W: Brandon Allin.
Drew: Between the staffers here, pretty much drama queen free.
Adrian: The staff members who aren’t on staff anymore.
Anton: Jason, haha. He loves talking all the juicy gossip.
Lueda: All the guys.
Jason: Hahah, reading the "emails from users, bands, labels" thread is my favorite thing to do.
One thing you absolutely hate about this site?
Scott W: The users.
Drew: People who just shit on people's taste just to seem cool.
Blake: The people who act like they don't care about anything until you don't like something that they do. They're so quick to be defensive, but I just wish they would admit it.
Julia: When users are mean and vindictive towards a band just to be mean and vindictive.
Jaime D: When people bash certain bands because they have nothing better to do. It's easy to be tough when you're hiding behind a keyboard.
Adrian: People who are tough (see: unwarranted dickheads) with a keyboard, but would skirt from a fight (verbal or otherwise) in real life. But this complaint extends far beyond AP.net.
Tristan: The recently increasing number of people who think this site is like /b/ or some shit site like that where you just make fun of people and tell people to kill themselves all the time, and the random groups of users who hate other random groups for no apparent reason. That's never what this site has been about, and it pisses me off when more and more people act that way.
Chris: The elitist members who refuse to take others' opinions into account.
Jamie P: The people who think they are too cool for school.
Anton: People who go out of their way just to say that they hate a band. You'll get a news post about a band that just saved a baby cat from a tree and someone will come in and start making fun of the band's music. It's so annoying. Let it go.
Linda: People who have not figured out that musical taste is personal and not something that is right or wrong.
Lueda: I agree with Linda. That is one of my biggest pet peeves. I do not understand why people aren't capable of realizing that not everyone will enjoy the same things. I also absolutely hate the bullying on the forums. People who act "tough" on the internet are even lamer than the ones that try it in real life just to get attention and be appreciated in some way.
Travis: Folks who hate on other people's favorite bands. They like 'em, fuck off.
Steve: The general forum dorks.
Eric: That everybody cares as much as I do about music! That’s constantly my conversation with people; when I ask someone what they listen to and they say “Whatever’s on the radio”, our talking is over.
Jason: Racist or homophobic comments.
One thing you absolutely love about this site?
Scott W: The users.
Drew: The users circa 2005.
Blake: the endless recommendations
Julia: It's centered around music.
Jaime D: The music!
Scott I: That thing it does with its tongue.
Paul: The fact that so many people read it.
Adrian: When people connect through music, movies, or life in general.
Tristan: The way that it can bring people from all over the world together to talk about music and anything else. The fact that people who have never seen each other can become the best of friends due to this site. The fact that it has changed my life for the better in so many ways.
Chris: The rest of the people here who make it worth coming back.
Jamie P: The people who don't think they are too cool for school.
Anton: There are certain nights where everyone gets along, talks to each other, and has fun. This is rare these days, but it's those times that it's worth it to stay awake until four in the morning just talking to others and having a great time. These nights are what make being a member on this site so much more than being a member on the site.
Linda: The way that so many people come together to provide information.
Lueda: The forums, because it's where I met most of the people I know. I just love talking to people, and making friends. And I will forever be grateful to them (and the site as a whole) for meeting Tristan, who, if it wasn't obvious by now, I love more than anything. There are things that I would change about them now, but when it comes down to it, I can't help but love the community, or at least the people that I'm close to because of it.
Travis: Hearing about new bands!
Steve: Its influence.
Eric: That everybody cares as much as I do about music! That’s constantly my conversation with people; when I ask someone what they listen to and they say “Whatever’s on the radio”, our talking is over.
Jason: The community.
What year do you think Brand New will release their next album in?
Rich: Late 2009/early 2010.
Joe: 2012.
Drew: Boycotting the band until I receive my lyric booklet.
Julia: 2009, if we're lucky.
Jaime D: Hopefully 2009!
Scott I: I don't care.
Adrian: 2009.
Tristan: 1914.
Chris: Dr. Pepper might want to get a lifetime supply of their product ready, just in case.
Anton: Next year most likely. Good answer from Mr. Fallon, though.
Lueda: ....
Travis: Next year.
Steve: Mid/late 2009. They turned down my request for an interview (lame) until after the album comes out.
Eric: Jeez I hope soon. But I saw them at Lollapalooza and it seems like they don’t really cooperate too well. So maybe it’s difficult for them to make things.
Jason: 2010.
What are your opinions on the Jonas Brothers?
Rich: Do not like their music whatsoever.
Joe: They wouldn't be as popular as they are without Disney shoving them down people's throats. When they released their first album("It's About Time"), it hardly got any promotion. Didn't do well on TRL and they even played Bamboozle that year. Now if they played Bamboozle, I think the world would explode. Anyway, I dig the song "Burnin Up," not gonna lie.
Scott W: Indifferent.
Drew: Never heard a song, didn't one of them sex up Hannah Montana?
Blake: I'm reminded of the movie Josie and the Pussycats.
Julia: Don't listen. Would not seek them out, so they don't really matter. But to each his own.
Jaime D: Guilty pleasure. I'm Burnin' Up for you babyyyyyy.
Scott I: The people behind radio's digression need some new flat-pop to shove down your throat. Why not these guys?
Adrian: Haven’t bothered to form one.
Tristan: I've only heard one song; I thought it was silly.
Chris: Every generation has their pin-up group, and that's what they are to our current time. I'm not a 13-year old girl though, so it's nothing I have to worry too much about running into.
Anton: Haven't really listened, but my boys in Hanson think they're cool.
Lueda: Have only heard one or two songs, and I haven't been impressed.
Travis: Who?
Eric: Whatever. Be a cute kid and you can sell anything.
Jason: Heard one song - thought it blew balls.
Jason Tate, were you invited to Pete Wentz's wedding?
Anton: I wasn't. Nor was I asked to be the child's godfather. Blasphemy! I've done everything for this kid!
Jason: Haha, nope. That would have been cool though.
Favorite scene trend?
Rich: None
Scott W: The part when it dies like ska.
Drew: Nothing.
Blake: Dunks.
Julia: Rip-off Ray-Bans. Moccasins.
Jaime D: Unforgivable. GIMME A CHICKEN SANDWICH AND SOME WAFFLE FRIES. FOR FREE.
Scott I: My favorite scene (whatever that is) trend is the one where kids don't buy in to trends: the one where people aren't foreign to the idea of being themselves and don't allow a taste in music dictate the way they dress and the way in which they view other people and ideas.
Adrian: “Don't Cut Your Fabric to This Year's Fashion.” I've always dug that album title.
Anton: I like the...well, nothing.
Lueda: I don't know, but I know that I hate the haircuts and fashion style.
Steve: I'll say I like the trend of bands mellowing out and exploring folk music through certain albums or side projects.
Eric: I love the emo look on girls. I don’t care what you say.
Jason: Look how angsty Scott is! Hahaha. I like fail pictures, does that count?
The next big genre?
Blake: I would like everyone to fall in love with folk music. French Quarter, Human Highway, The Tallest Man on Earth, The Decemberists, etc.
Julia: I think folky pop or cute, fuzzy indie pop is gonna really get into the mainstream.
Jaime D: Jaimetronic.
Scott I: The one that doesn't become big.
Paul: Big is relative (no penis jokes, please).
Adrian: Rock ‘n’ roll.
Tristan: God, I hope it's rock 'n' roll. If there was a revival of good rock 'n' roll music on the radio, I'd be ecstatic.
Anton: I think people are going to get burnt out on the synth and go back to regular rock and roll with an emphasis on sweet solos.
Lueda: I guess dance music? I wouldn't mind that, because I love dance music.
Travis: The sound of animals fighting. Like, the actual sounds of animals fighting.
Steve: I think the backlash from the sissy pop/dance garbage we have now will bring back some harder music, so I would guess screamo or post hardcore.
Eric: I think Pitchfork Music Fest is the new Warped Tour, honestly. We all grew up a little.
Jason: I think as the music world moves online and into ipods - we'll lose the idea of genres or trends blowing up as a whole and see more diversity. Well, I hope so at least.
Boxers or briefs? (for the males)
Joe: Boxers.
Drew: Commando.
Blake: I like those boxer brief thingys.
Paul: Boxer briefs, definitely.
Adrian: Boxers. My boys need to breathe.
Tristan: Boxers.
Chris: Boxers. Speaking of which, I need to go purchase some fresh new ones.
Anton: Adrian steals again.
Jonathan: Commando.
Travis: Boxers.
Steve: Boxers.
Eric: Boxers.
Jason: Boxers.
Thong or regular cotton panties? (for the females)
Julia: Thong. More comfy.
Jaime D: Depends on what I'm wearing. Thongs and dresses don't mix.
Paul: I'd just like to state that I prefer boy shorts on girls.
Anton: I agree with Paul.
Linda: It varies. Whatever works for avoiding the VPLs.
Lueda: I love both.
McDonald's, BK or Wendy's?
Rich: I would prefer not to choose but if I must, I would go with Burger King.
Joe: Burger King, but I love all three.
Drew: yuck
Blake: Wendy's or Whataburger
Julia: McDonald's, but only for the Redbox movies.
Jaime D: McDonalds, if i had to choose.
Paul: Those kind of fast food places sucks. If I'm going for fast food, I go for taco trucks (people from LA will get this).
Adrian: It’s the King for a reason.
Tristan: Wendy's. Lately McDonald's has been stepping it up though.
Chris: I've always been a Taco Bell guy, but Burger King is my pick.
Jamie P: In and Out
Anton: It depends on what I want. They're all good for different reasons.
Linda: McDonald's hashbrowns FTW
Lueda: McDonalds is the best.
Travis: McD's for the salads and parfaits!
Steve: Chipotle, but if I had to choose one of the above, Wendy's for lunch/dinner and McD's for breakfast.
Eric: Wendy’s probably.
Jason: BK. But with the economy like this - I'm living off of pasta, pasta, pasta.
Coke or Pepsi?
Rich: Pepsi
Joe: Diet Coke, regular Pepsi.
Scott W: Stone Ruination IPA.
Drew: New Castle Brown Ale
Blake: Wild Cherry Pepsi
Julia: Iced coffee. I stopped drinking regularly, but when I do, it's Coke.
Jaime D: Rarely drink soda, but when I do it's diet Pepsi. Can't stand regular, or any Coke products.
Scott I: My biggest weakness is a cold can of Pepsi.
Paul: Hansen's w/ cane sugar (aka no high fructose corn syrup. One of my roommates has gotten me into the whole no-HFCS thing)
Adrian: Coca-Cola, preferably bottled in Mexico.
Tristan: I don't like colas at all. Disgusting.
Chris: I'm a Mountain Dew addict, so Pepsi products all the way.
Anton: Pepsi, but Vanilla Coke is best.
Linda: Yuck to both.
Lueda: Pepsi all the way!
Travis: Diet Coke.
Steve: Mountain Dew.
Jason: Coke. Hands down. Pepsi makes me sick.
Fall Out Boy good or bad? I say bad.
Rich: I agree as I did not really continue to follow the band after Take This To Your Grave and was not into the other records. However, I commend them for always doing things for their fans, most bands seem to forget their fans once they reach a certain level, but Fall Out Boy continues to do special things for their fans and I respect them for that.
Joe: Take This to Your Grave is one of my favorite albums and I haven't been disappointed with either FUCT or IOH, so I say good.
Drew: Great at pop music and expanding the boundaries of the mainstream.
Scott W: Music taste: Subjective or subjective?
Julia: Good. Take This To Your Grave ... how can you say bad? It's a classic, IMO. I agree with Steve though.
Jaime D: Good.
Paul: Take This To Your Grave was awesome.
Adrian: Good. And From Under the Cork Tree is better than Take This to Your Grave.
Tristan: Like everyone else, I loved Take This to Your Grave when it came out, but I haven't been a fan of their other releases.
Chris: I may not be as big a fan as I was when I first began listening in 2003, however I admire them for being able to continue doing things for their fans. I feel like the band has been on a progressive slide since Take This To Your Grave, an album I still cherish, and while I respect the fact they've embraced their pop side, I prefer their aggressive pop-punk sound over their current pop-soul-rock combo.
Anton: Good. A band this big that cares this much about their fans and their roots is hard to find. They're more in touch with their fans than bands 10x smaller than them.
Linda: Good.
Lueda: I used to like them back in 2003, when they could only be found on mp3.com. Then, when I stopped liking them, everyone started to fall in love with them. Funny how that works, eh? I love some of their songs, but I still don't know how they became such a hit.
Travis: Take This to Your Grave was great. The rest has ranged from interesting to alright, and has at least brought more attention to lesser known bands by expanding the pop palette.
Steve: This band has been on a downward spiral since TTTYG. Each subsequent album has gotten less interesting, and IOH was a borderline disaster to me. The new single from FaD sounds like garbage.
Eric: Bad.
Jason: Great. The revolutionized the scene (you can argue for better or worse) and created a viable market. They took the lessons of Blink182 and mixed it with the budding internet world, a hip-hop mogul mentality, and have seen un-paralleled success. From that standpoint alone they deserve accolades. As for music wise - I absolutely love the band. They make great music. It may not be your cup of tea - but they are, in my opinion, one of the best pop bands around right now. They aren't afraid to take some risks, make fun music, and write some of the biggest hooks released. While other bands have come and gone - they remain relevant. While other bands have softened their sound and trying to become more mellow and mid-tempo - Fall Out Boy continue to write songs that have a more aggressive edge. Give me a Fall Out Boy record over anything by The Maine any day of the week.
Favorite color?
Rich: Blue
Joe: Blue
Scott W: Black
Drew: Red?
Blake: Orange
Julia: Purple.
Jaime D: Pink!
Scott I: Oatmeal
Paul: Depends on the context, I don't really have an absolute favourite color.
Adrian: Blue.
Chris: Green.
Anton: Navy blue.
Linda: Purple
Lueda: Blue.
Jonathan: salmon.
Travis: Blue.
Steve: Black/gray.
Eric: Blue.
Jason: Silver.
How many sugars in your coffee?
Rich: I usually do not drink coffee, however it usually varies from zero-two depending on the situation.
Scott W: Stone Ruination IPA.
Drew: gross
Blake: I've actually never had coffee. I prefer chocolate milk.
Julia: Two Splenda and 2% milk in a Grande. I work for Starbucks to pay the bills, so yeah. I know coffee too well.
Jaime D: I use vanilla flavored creamer, so whatever is in that.
Paul: Depends on the kind of coffee. Usually 1.
Adrian: Two, please.
Tristan: I don't drink it. I hope never to have to, either.
Anton: Coffee is disgusting. I drink hot chocolate to fit in with all the coffee drinkers at work.
Linda: Two and lots of milk or cream.
Lueda: I only drink French Vanilla from Tim Hortons (Canadians will get this), and that doesn't need any extra sugar!
Travis: None, thanks.
Steve: None, just cream. On the subject of coffee, I highly recommend the Keurig single cup brewers...so great.
Eric: Zero.
Jason: I don't drink coffee. If I do, it's usually one packet of cancer grains.
Yankees or Red Sox...? if you had to pick.
Rich: I will do the safe thing and say the Yankees since I live in New York haha.
Joe: Yankees, duh. There's only one answer to that.
Scott W: Tampa Bay Rays.
Drew: Milwaukee Brewers
Jaime D: YANKEES.
Adrian: I’m from the South, so the rivalry means little to me. I’ll go with the Red Sox because of those sweet Boston accents.
Tristan: Hockey.
Chris: I've been a Red Sox fan since before they became the new Yankees (i.e. the team people love to hate). Ted Williams shared my birthday, so from the start, I've had to support them, ya know? I like the Yankees pre-1980 - however, Steinbrenner has ruined that team for me and I have not liked them for a very long time - and will continue to do so until I die. Sorry NY kids.
Anton: Red Sox. I'm a Mets fan, so yeah.
Lueda: Why does anyone watch baseball?
Travis: Sox (but mostly Phillies)
Steve: Baseball is fucking boring.
Eric: I don’t know shit about baseball.
Jason: Ugh. If I had to? The Red Sox are the newest version of the Yankees. I suppose I'd have to go with the Sox though - because the Yankees deserve everything they're getting. Overpaid chokes.
Shower or bath?
Rich: Shower.
Joe: Shower.
Scott W: Shower.
Drew: shower.
Blake: Shath. Don't ask.
Julia: Who has time take a bath?
Jaime D: Definitely shower. I don't think I could even tell you the last time I took a bath.
Scott I: Lying or sitting down during a shower is extremely therapeutic.
Paul: Showers normally, but a nice jacuzzi bath sometimes is always nice.
Adrian: Shower.
Tristan: Shower the vast majority of the time.
Chris: Shower. Clothes on. No lights. Cold water. Tears as lubricant. Is that weird?
Anton: Star shower. This is a shower with the lights off and one of these (http://www.vaporstore.com/proddetail.php?prod=LaserStar) on.
Linda: Shower
Lueda: Shower.
Jonathan: shower.
Travis: Shower.
Steve: Shower (if I must).
Eric: Shower.
Jason: Shower. In the dark. The most relaxing time of my day. So much easier to focus and just wind down.
Which band members lurk on here constantly that you know of?
Rich: I am always out of the loop on these things. I honestly do not know who is on here constantly and most of you guys have seen the occasional apperances of some members (Max Bemis, Gabe Saporta, Geoff Rickley, etc)
Joe: I know JT from Hawthorne Heights comes here often. Dan from Playradioplay comes and posts a lot too.
Drew: Pete Wentz
Blake: The dudes from Moving Mountains
Julia: Too many to name. I have band members tell me all the time that they check it multiple times a day.
Jaime D: More than you'd think.
Adrian: Band members who constantly lurk are the ones who aren’t logged in, so I wouldn’t know.
Anton: Much more than you think. I don't mean to brag, but I can't think of any bands that don't read this site.
Jason: A lot. Almost any band I talk mentions various news posts or discussions on this site.
What are your happiest and saddest days as music fans?
Rich: Are we talking single moments? Happiest would be being in attendance for the last Get Up Kids show in Philadelphia and the saddest would be when Elliott Smith passed away.
Joe: Happiest: When New Found Glory announced that they left Geffen Records. From the release of Coming Home (September) to the time of the announcement (March?) I felt it would be the band's final album. There was hardly any promotion, no singles being pushed and they weren't playing that many shows. I was SO relieved when they said they were leaving Geffen and releasing part 2 of their covers album. Saddest would be when I heard Casey from Hawthorne Heights died. I never met him but in interviews he always seemed like an amazing guy and it was just such a shock.
Drew: The saddest day was when I awoke to the news of Tupac's murder. The happiest day was being hired here to promote the music I love.
Julia: Saddest: 1) When I realized that I didn't love The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. Happiest: 1) The first day I was staff here and 2) Sold-out All Time Low homecoming show my roommate and I promoted and half-booked ... November 18th, 2006 at St. Johns Hamilton in Baltimore, MD. Both were very surreal experiences, and made me realize how grateful I was to have music in my life.
Jaime D: I don't know that I could pick a happiest or saddest. The saddest days are obviously band members passing young. I might have to be lame and agree with the masses that being hired here made me very happy.
Adrian: I’m not sure about the saddest, but I was probably happiest being crammed near the stage at a Brand New show when they were touring with Hot Rod Circuit and Eisley. It was the Deja Entendu era, you understand.
Tristan: I can't think of a specific happiest day. Some great shows I've been to would rank up there though, like The Decemberists, The Great Lake Swimmers, and Islands. The saddest would be when I was a kid and my dad told me that John Lennon was dead.
Jamie P: Happiest would be The Get Up Kids touring again the spring. And the saddest was when The Get Up Kids announcing they were breaking up a few years back.
Anton: I can tell you what the saddest day as a music fan was for me. It was the day that I finally accepted that Midtown was actually done. They never actually announced a break up or anything and said for so long that Cobra Starship was just a side project, and Heath in Senses Fail was a temporary replacement. I held out hope and tried to remain optimistic. Then I remember I was just fed up with the entire thing and lost all hope. I even changed my avatar on this site to RIP Midtown to try and give myself some sort of closure (lame), but I still don't have it. I'm still waiting for a reunion or just something. I've been waiting too long with nothing...I wish they were able to understand what it's like for some of us Midtown fans. Happiest day though? Perhaps the day that I was put on AP.net staff because I knew that I was going to be able to be an active part doing the thing I love.
Lueda: Finding out that Elliott Smith died was pretty devastating, and finally being able to see the Faint live was just such a great feeling. I had been wanting to see them for years, so it was like a dream come true. Same with Imogen Heap and Backstreet Boys! I loved them so much when I was younger, and always wished to go to one of their concerts one day. That was a pretty impossible wish at the time, seeing as I lived in Albania.
Travis: Happiest: Having the chance to meet the members of Thursday at an in-store acoustic performance. Saddest: The day The Early November broke up. They were one of my formative bands and it felt like they'd never fall apart.
Eric: I was so sad when my friend and I drove about 6 hours to see CKY and then there was a note taped to the door that said they broke up. (They later got back together.) That same day, the Blood Brothers broke up and I think Some Girls too. My happiest day though was the day I bought Jane Doe by Converge. I was like, “What the hell is happening? Wow.”
Jason: Seeing a band I love and support reach stardom and mass appreciation makes me extremely happy. However, watching a band I love or support break-up or not be able to afford doing what they love - absolutely kills me.
How do you all know each other/work together when you're not all living in the same place? The wonders of the internet, I'm sure, but is it difficult/annoying?
Rich: It is through the internet and it is not really that difficult or annoying, but occasionally with all of us being in different areas with other things going on, stuff can slip through the cracks.
Scott W: It’s 2008. It’s not hard to stay in touch. Haha.
Blake: Rich and I are in constant communication!
Jaime D: It's not really difficult. We have the staff forum, email, and we know most of each other's phone numbers. I like to send Julia noodz. And pictures of Jesse Lacey giving me an oil change.
Adrian: The staff forum and e-mail exchanges keep us running without too much trouble. I’m sure it’s an easier system than staff conference calls would be.
Tristan: It's not really difficult, I mean we all know how forums work so it's pretty easy to keep things straight. There's always PMs, email, and AIM if someone misses a thread.
Anton: I have called a bunch of staff members when it's been needed to organize stuff or in case of emergency (insider info: Jason has a manly and enthusiastic voice) and it's always been cool. Other than that, it's definitely easy via staff forum, e-mail, and IM to keep in touch.
Linda: We obviously have to rely upon non-face-to-face communication, and that can be frustrating.
Lueda: Mostly through AIM, and the Staff forum sometimes. I don't think I have ever talked to a staff member on the phone. Damn.
Jason: We are based online - and we've built tools to increase this kind of productivity and collaboration. As easy as it is to talk in our forums it is for us to talk about business related things. It's not that hard. Oh, and Eda - that's because no one wants to pay to call Canada.
Where do you think the future of pop-punk is going?
Rich: It would be ignorant of me to say pop-punk as a whole is a genre with no future, mostly because there are some pop-punk bands I enjoy and think are doing things the right way, but the future is looking bleak. Too many bands are following trends in this genre and are trying to imitate one another and that causes stagnation within the genre. I also hate the over production of bands in the genre. Sure it is important to have a good sounding recording, but not the point where all the personality is glossed over. However, there are some bands out there who are doing things the write way and write great songs, so I cannot write off the genre entirely.
Joe: It's going to continue to be filled with "glamour kills" bands that will get popular, but there's going to be many who are doing it right but don't get the kind of exposure.
Scott W: Downhill. And it scares the shit out of me. Thank god we still have bands like Teenage Bottlerocket, Dead to Me, NOFX, Lifetime, The Swellers, that kind of stuff around. Bands that do it right.
Drew: Pretty much dead.
Blake: Love me some pop-punk. If you play it and you're hot, more power to you.
Julia: The same place it's been for the past decade - halfway between the radio and the underground. If it's slick enough, pop-punk is always going to have an opportunity to fit into the Top 40.
Jaime D: Who knows. All we can do is try our best to support the bands we love and hope others feel the same.
Scott I: There's nowhere left for the genre to go. It's tired, overdone, and out of options for a fresh direction. There will always be music deemed "pop punk", but I think more and more people are realizing its boundaries and are moving away from it.
Paul: Hopefully it'll shrink soon. It's been too saturated for a while now, it'll hopefully distill into only good bands soon.
Adrian: I’m pretty out of the loop when it comes to pop punk. Yes, I’m pretty tired of it, and no, it’s not going to disappear yet. I figured All Time Low would be MTV’s mini-Fall Out Boy by this point, but I’m not sure if that’s happened or not.
Chris: There are still a number of bands doing it the right way - I just think the genre is so loose-ended, too many pop bands are labeled "pop-punk" for the sake of fitting into a crowd. I don't think of Hit the Lights or The Maine or Simple Plan when someone says "pop-punk" - I think of the bands that started it: Descendents, The Vandals, MxPx. It's a genre that has potential and has been knocked around by bands leaving a stain on its title. It has a future ... we just need to filter out the sounds that don't particularly belong.
Anton: As much as I wish the early 2000s pop-punk would come back, it probably won't, at least not anytime soon. I think that it's going to branch off into two directions, as it has already started. We will have more bands focusing on the more hardcore of the pop-punk, like Set Your Goals and Four Year Strong, crafting poppy, yet aggressive music. On the other side, we'll have the dance trend continue until it (finally) dies, giving us...? I don't know, but I don't know how it can be worse. To be honest, I love bands like All Time Low that focus on the rock sound but still make fun music, but bands like The Medic Droid and Brokencyde and garbage like that are really embarrassing for fans of this genre.
Lueda: I don't even know. I can't imagine it getting any bigger, or better, anytime soon. New trends are becoming more popular these days.
Travis: Somewhere with dragons and unicorns and rainbows.
Steve: It is about dead, but it is great to see some bands carrying on the tradition of great pop punk. I get all nostalgic thinking about it.
Eric: It’s going to go away. I think maybe all the electro pop punk will turn straight back into boy-band-ism.
Jason: Not where I think it should. The problem is that more progressive pop-punk is consistently being overlooked for the quick-sell. The band with the hair cut and mid-tempo ballads are being signed while the band that could be the next Fall Out Boy (ie: come in and kick pop-punk in its face) is being overlooked for playing too fast. With the trying economic times and the lack of anyone to be able to sell albums on a consistent basis - labels are going for quick fixes. If they have one band that sold reasonably well - they might as well sign 3 other bands with the same album and release them while they can. The idea of creating a career for bands is dying.
How many emails does Tate get a day?
Rich: I bet he gets in the neighborhood of a couple hundred, if not thousands.
Blake: I shudder to think about it.
Adrian: I get five e-mails a day and I can’t handle them. Jason gets about 500.
Anton: He probably gets around 200, but I assume most of them are press releases. Those can get annoying fast.
Lueda: Probably none, because he has blocked everyone. Except us, of course.
Jason: 300-800 on a consistent basis. This is including press releases that I skim and post/delete. Dealing with that takes a lot of filters, labels, and color coating. I just finished a clean up of my inbox this past weekend - and my current stats are: You are currently using 1705 MB (23%) of your 7208 MB. So not to bad at all - I got things pretty organized.
What other offers did AbsolutePunk/Tate get besides Buzznet in the past?
Drew: He was offered a ZJ for 15 dollars.
Julia: What's a ZJ?
Jaime D: If you don't know, you can't afford it.
Paul: Is a ZJ a zitjob?
Adrian: I know he’s been offered A&R jobs, though there have to be tons of offers I don’t know about.
Anton: I believe there have been some offers to merge with certain other companies.
Lueda: Only you would think of that, Paulina. Gross.
Jason: Non-disclosure agreements prevent me from really talking about them. I will tell you I stayed out of the print business and waited for the right deal that would give me control of my future and vision.
What's your favorite show you've attended?
Rich: Probably my very first concert, which was Rage Against The Machine’s last performance in Philadelphia. It was completely insane and not your standard show at all by any means, especially for me being fairly young at the time. You can read more about what the show was like here.
Joe: New Found Glory / Cartel / The Early November
Scott W: The filming of the Mxpx DVD, 3 straight nights in Seattle.
Drew: April 2005 at the Canopy Club, Urbana, IL. 18+ club and say GCH, Academy Is, Midtown, and Fall Out Boy. FOB played all their songs from TTTYG, so great.
Julia: Brand New, Hot Rod Circuit and Eisley at 9:30 Club in Washington, DC. I think that was in 2003?
Jaime D: Thursday's first holiday show at the Starland Ballroom. When we heard the opening riffs of Jet Black New Year the whole place exploded. I don't think I've ever felt that much electricity. It was surreal.
Scott I: Like I said on down, Deerhunter at the Drunken Unicorn was probably the best show I've been to. It was the first time I had heard them (I only went because of their hype, I thought they were a hardcore band). I'm glad I was unfamiliar with their music because it stunned me all the more. The light-show and the fact that the band doesn't interrupt their set with stupid banter also helped.
Paul: Oh Jesus. The Knife in 2005 (I think) in San Francisco, Radiohead in 2006 in San Diego, Broken Social Scene in 2006 in LA, Justice/MSTRKRFT in 2006 in LA.
Adrian: To quote myself, "I was probably happiest being crammed near the stage at a Brand New show when they were touring with Hot Rod Circuit and Eisley. It was the Deja Entendu era, you understand." This was somewhere in Texas, sometime after Deja Entendu was released. Hey, Julia and I match!
Tristan: I'd say Islands may be my favourite show. It's so hard to pick things like this.
Chris: I think the Drive-Thru Records show with New Found Glory, Something Corporate and the Startling Line was pretty fun. It was during NFG's rise to fame, and during the final days when Drive-Thru was, well, a respectable label.
Anton: New Jersey folks should know about the Wayne Firehouse and the legendary shows there.
Linda: Drew Danburry's show. Some members of the band and the audience were taking off their clothes by the second song.
Lueda: The Faint because they made me feel like dancing the whole time, and they were just amazing.
Travis: Either one of the first Warped Tours where I got to see a ton of great bands and meet the members of The Receiving End of Sirens right before Between the Heart and the Synapse came out, or my most recent show, The Dear Hunter/Lydia/You, Me, and Everyone We Know/Eye Alaska.
Steve: Copeland/Lovedrug/Acceptance was an amazing experience, as was seeing The Juliana Theory/Something Corporate. In the end, though, Oasis/Travis theater show was probably the best.
Who's the best live band you've seen?
Joe: New Found Glory. They get better every time I see them.
Scott W: Mxpx. The Fall of Troy.
Drew: Emery and Gatsby's American Dream.
Blake: Modest Mouse.
Julia: GWAR. Steel Train is always a pleasure. Muse. Anathallo. Nine Inch Nails. Manchester Orchestra. I was impressed by Anthony Green as a frontman just recently.
Jaime D: Thursday, Gatsbys American Dream, Midtown.
Scott I: Deerhunter was indescribably breathtaking the first time I saw them in a hole-in-the-wall venue called the Drunken Unicorn here in Atlanta. The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower probably comes in a close second.
Paul: Radiohead.
Adrian: I haven’t seen many bands live, but I was very impressed by the way Billie Joe Armstrong and company held captive an entire amphitheatre of kids on my date of the Pop Disaster tour (see further below). Green Day were pros that night.
Tristan: The Great Lake Swimmers or Islands were probably the tightest bands I've seen live. The Decemberists may have been the most entertaining. Of course Yes would be one of the most talented.
Chris: I honestly think Less Than Jake is remarkable live. They bring such palpable energy to their shows, and it's contagious. Butch Walker does the same thing, never settling down for a break, instead drawing energy from the enthusiasm of his audience.
Jamie P: Probably the Get Up Kids. And Yellowcard (back in the day).
Anton: Thursday, Midtown, and Muse take the cake for me.
Lueda: Again, I would go with The Faint, but also Great Lake Swimmers because they were unbelievable live.
Travis: Hm. Either Days Away, Lydia, The Dear Hunter, or The Receiving End of Sirens (in their first incarnation).
Steve: Andrew McMahon is probably the most incredible performer I have ever seen, both as Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin. Circa Survive and Lostprophets always kill it live too.
What's your favorite review on this site, and who wrote it?
Rich: Scott Irvine’s review of Explosions In The Sky’s All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone.
Joe: Blake Solomon's review of 3OH!3's Want.
Scott W: Ryan Mills’ review of Mae – The Everglow. Haha.
Drew: Jason's review of Deja Entendu.
Blake: Scott Weber's review for Set Your Goals' Mutiny.
Julia: Blake 3OH!3's review.
Jaime D: Scott Weber's Scary Kids Scaring Kids review.
Scott I: Anything Blake writes is a surefire favorite of mine. The guy is going to go places.
Adrian: I’d probably pick one of Jason’s older reviews if they were still in the database; also, Blake is constantly fascinating me with his writing style.
Chris: Jason's review of Butch Walker's Letters, because it's what lured me into this behemoth.
Lueda: I don't read reviews. Sorry, guys.
Travis: Blake's review of everything.
Thoughts on Pitchfork?
Rich: I will not lie, I read Pitchfork fairly often. I cannot knock the writers there, although at times they can be unnecessarily wordy, because they are all excellent writers and are better than I am. However, there are various things that I disagree with that they do and think there are ways they could improve their site.
Scott W: Great writers. Often, good taste. Often not. Pretentious as hell.
Drew: Amazing writers, but I hate their reviews.
Blake: I personally love Pitchfork. Their news has flair, their reviews are solid, and they cover a wide array of genres. What's not to love? Also, Pitchfork TV is the hotness.
Julia: Love it. If I'm ever having writer's block, I go to Pitchfork for inspiration. They have some amazing writers - while you may not like their style or flair, they have innovation with words which is something I very much strive for as a writer.
Jaime D: Arrogance that is well deserved. And their Jet review still makes me laugh.
Scott I: I think the internet community and music community needs a place like Pitchfork. They're a wonderful source of news and opinion, but also a reminder not to get too concerned with how you are specifically perceived. I'm continually impressed with their work-ethic and quality of material. Don't be ashamed if you read it.
Paul: More in line with my taste in music, although the reviews can bug me sometimes. Or, rather, the lack of substantive content in some of the reviews.
Adrian: I don’t visit other music websites. Are we battling them like we did punknews.org?
Tristan: Honestly, I've only been to the site maybe twice.
Chris: Only been there a few times ... but it's not really my style. I'm still a NOFX kid, so I just don't fit in haha.
Anton: The site is visually confusing and I don't care for the music they promote. Not my cup of tea, but I respect them for their hard work to get them where they are.
Lueda: Their site covers the type of music that I listen to on a regular basis, but I have never been a fan. I think I read a few articles back in '04, and I have disliked them since. I just can't appreciate that site for some reason.
Travis: I haven't been often. The few times I visited, I was rather distracted by the visual flashiness so I blacked out a bit. I hear it's nice though.
Steve: Amazing as a literary showcase, useless for actual content in their reviews. I wish I could write as well as their guys, but I would hate to be burdened by such cynicism.
Eric: Dicks. The highest ratings they ever give are like 40%. They hate everything. BUT, Pitchfork Music Fest is incredible. You should all go.
Jason: I feel nothing from them. I don't feel as though they have any real passion behind their writing. It feels stale and trite. I never get a feeling of love for the music or the writing from anything I've ever read over there. They can do whatever they want - doesn't impact me - but I would rather have a connection with the writer, his tastes, and feel as though they were moved by an album. So, fuck it, I don't read it.
To everyone except Jason: If you all made decent-good money, would you work here full-time as a career?
Rich: Absolutely. I would probably work here full-time or as a career even if the pay was not that great simply because I love writing about music and interacting with people on the site. Also, as I have stated before, I cannot see myself doing anything that is not somehow related to music.
Joe: Definitely.
Scott W: Who wouldn’t want to sit on the internet and get called a ****** by 15 year old kids all day for copious amounts of money?
Drew: Yep.
Blake: Certainly Certainly Certainly.
Julia: Without a doubt. I might even move if I had to. I have so many ideas and so much passion for music, I would love to be able to commit more time. Gotta pay those bills, blah.
Jaime D: Would anyone say no? Seriously?
Scott I: This is a case of, "Duh, of course." I much rather hiding away in my room than dealing with an office. Whether it's a great job or a horrible job -- if I have to sit in an office then I'll likely slowly beginning to hate it. You can't hate sitting on your ass.
Adrian: Yes. It would be fantastic to work for my favorite website and continue my own creative endeavors at the same time.
Tristan: No question. I'd do it and love it. I love doing it for free and the only thing I dislike is that there isn't more I can do.
Chris: Most definitely. I can't say it wouldn't influence me to get more done either, because it certainly would. I think we've got a great thing going on here, and helping out bands for a living, amongst other things? Who would want to pass on that?
Jamie P: Of course! I can just sit at home all day in my boxers.
Anton: It would be a dream come true to make a living doing what I love to do. Simple as that. I know that I would be able to bring so much more to this site if I just had more time to do it.
Linda: Of course. I would love to quit my day job to work here fulltime.
Lueda: It depends. I get bored if I'm not challenged enough, but I think in the end, I would love to just work from home and do something that would actually be really appreciated by people I respect (musicians/bands).
Jonathan: Does a bear shit in the woods?
Travis: Hell yes. In a heartbeat.
Steve: For sure.
Eric: Totally.
Why is AP.net always referred to as AP.net? Isn't that confusing for newbies because the actual website http://www.ap.net (http://www.ap.net/) is COMPLETELY unrelated? I mean, I guess if you're already here you know how to get here, but it's a little weird isn't it?
Rich: I can see how it may be confusing for new members, but the simple answer is it is a lot easier to type AP.net than AbsolutePunk.net.
Julia: And it rolls of the tongue.
Jaime D: I don't think it's confusing.
Adrian: I like it, I use it. It’s not tough to get used to in this abbreviated text message-centric world we live in.
Anton: The real story is that we used to just refer to the site as AP, but another AP got high and mighty and mad at us for it so, rather than fight them, we just decided to adopt AP.net in order to be the bigger people in the situation.
Lueda: It's become such a bad habit, because people in "real life" don't know what I am talking about until I spell out the full name.
Eric: Ha, I read Alternative Press all the time. I….hate it, but I read it for some reason.
Jason: Because Alternative Press thought ignoring the Associated Press and claiming themselves as the only AP was the way to go. I decided I didn't care - and just call it whatever comes out of my mouth at that particular moment in time. People shorten and abbreviate most everything.
Would you rather go deaf or go blind?
Rich: Blind. One time I had a bad ear infection where I literally could not hear anything out of one of my ears, and I couldn’t handle it.
Joe: Deaf.
Scott W: Deaf. Sorry, music.
Drew: Deaf.
Blake: Deaf, although I'm terrible at reading lips.
Julia: Deaf.
Jaime D: Blind.
Scott I: There's both auditory beauty and visual beauty in this life, everyone knows that. But which one can you replicate over and over? You can't decide to watch the lights of the Eiffel Tower sparkle in front of you for the first time -- you can't feel the way it hits you that very first time ever again. I can, however, relive a song so splendid and powerful like "Mogwai Fear Satan" or "For Reverend Green" over and over with that same feeling of fever I felt the first time I gave the specific song a first listen. I would rather go blind. There are some stunning lyricists out there. I don't need to see if I've got them to paint things out for me.
Paul: Deaf. Scott I., your answers are insane.
Adrian: I don’t want to think about losing a sense.
Tristan: I hate this question. I'm always torn. My opinion changes from time to time.
Anton: Deaf without a doubt.
Linda: Deaf.
Lueda: I am scared of not being able to see what's around me. It would make me feel very naked and unprotected, so I'd rather be deaf.
Travis: Wow, really, guys? Blind, for sure.
Steve: Deaf.
Eric: Blind dude! I don’t care if I can’t see shit. Seeing is overrated.
Jason: Blind.
If you could only listen to one album the rest of your life, what would it be?
Rich: Probably The Dismemberment Plan’s Emergency & I.
Joe: New Found Glory's Sticks and Stones.
Scott W: Mxpx – Life in General.
Drew: Illinois by Sufjan Stevens.
Blake: Hmm, maybe The Postal Service's Give Up. It's got lots of types of songs to keep me interested.
Julia: Transatlanticism, Death Cab.
Jaime D: Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen.
Scott I: Do Make Say Think - Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn.
Adrian: Pinkerton by Weezer. Easy choice.
Tristan: That's so hard, I don't think I can choose. Maybe The White Album.
Chris: This is tough. Probably Marvelous 3's Hey! Album because it never ever gets old.
Anton: Thursday's Full Collapse. It has everything.
Lueda: I really don't know, because I would want it to be an album that makes me really happy and really sad at the same time. It's hard.
Travis: Brand New Deja Entendu.
Steve: Revolver by The Beatles.
Eric: Maybe pg.99/Majority Rule’s split.
Jason: Pet Sounds.
Favorite song of all time?
Rich: The Dismemberment Plan's "The Ice Of Boston".
Joe: New Found Glory's "Sonny".
Scott W: The Who – "Baba O’Reilly".
Drew: "Cute Without The 'E' (Cut From The Team)" - Taking Back Sunday.
Blake: Northstar - "The Pornographer's Daughter".
Julia: Brand New - "Soco Amaretto Lime".
Jaime D: Death Cab For Cutie - "Transatlanticism".
Scott I: caP'n Jazz - "Little League" I couldn't tell you how many times I've tried to describe on paper the effect that song had on me.
Adrian: Damn, tough choice. "Everlong" by the Foo Fighters.
Tristan: This is very very hard too. I used to say "A Day in the Life" by The Beatles, but I don't say that anymore. Maybe some Beatles song, maybe "Take the Veil, Cerpin Taxt" by The Mars Volta. Maybe not.
Chris: Jimmy Eat World's "23" or The Beatles' "Hey Jude". I can't decide.
Jamie P: "Juicy" by Notorious BIG.
Anton: Thursday - "Jet Black New Year".
Lueda: Maybe "Between the Bars" by Elliott Smith? I could listen to that song for hours.
Travis: "A" by Cartel, for personal reasons.
Steve: "In My Life" by The Beatles.
Eric: Husker Du’s "If I Told You" or “Chartered Trips” or about one million other things, but that came to mind first.
Jason: Brand New - "Play Crack the Sky"
What is one band that a lot of people on here like (for instance, Brand New, lol) but you cannot get into?
Rich: Four Year Strong.
Joe: The Get Up Kids.
Scott W: Lydia.
Drew: As Tall As Lions.
Blake: Lots, but I guess the biggest offense would be Brand New.
Julia: Anberlin.
Jaime D: Rise Against.
Scott I: There's quite a list, but the first that came to mind is Say Anything.
Paul: Most of the bands. Sigh.
Adrian: For me it’s more like, “What bands do people gush about that you still haven’t given a chance?” Anberlin, Death Cab for Cutie, Elliott Smith, the list goes on.
Tristan: Heh, uh, there's too many to name. I'm not a big fan of most of the newer bands that people in here like.
Chris: Mercy Mercedes. I know Steve, Joe and Jason dig them, but I can't tell the difference between them and every other synth-pop band out there.
Anton: Radiohead, for the most part.
Lueda: There are a lot, but I think Say Anything stands out.
Travis: I was never a big Midtown fan. Please don't hit me, Anton.
Steve: I like Say Anything, but not nearly as much as some of the fanatics here.
Eric: Anthony Green.
Jason: Radiohead.
Who benches the most?
Blake: I've seen Steve wrestle a shark, so probably him.
Adrian: Chris “Catastrophe” Fallon.
Chris: Adrian "The Wolf" Villagomez.
Anton: I probably could, not trying to brag. Everyone else that works on this site is so skinny. I'll kick all your asses!
Linda: Definitely not me. I have had limited use of one of my arms since the end of April, so bench pressing is off of my list.
Travis: Julia.
Steve: Anton "Diesel" Djamoos.
Eric: Competition!
Jason: Steve is ripped.
Who is always the one that falls asleep first and gets messed with at all the ap.net staff member slumber parties?
Scott I: Richie Dunks is a lightweight. Probably him.
Rich: This is totally untrue haha.
Adrian: Blake, but only because he wants the attention.
Anton: Whoever's the newest. We like to put people's underwear in the freezer, shaving cream and feather prank, hand in the warm water...we're ruthless.
Lueda: Maybe Jason, because it would be fun to pick on him! Or Joe, because he is so easy to make fun of.
Travis: I want no part of the whole frozen underwear thing.
Steve: Joe is the youngest, so I would say him.
Jason: Drew. Then he wakes up to drunk dial everyone.
Who is the biggest drama queen in the secret staff forum?
Scott W: Brandon Allin.
Drew: Between the staffers here, pretty much drama queen free.
Adrian: The staff members who aren’t on staff anymore.
Anton: Jason, haha. He loves talking all the juicy gossip.
Lueda: All the guys.
Jason: Hahah, reading the "emails from users, bands, labels" thread is my favorite thing to do.
One thing you absolutely hate about this site?
Scott W: The users.
Drew: People who just shit on people's taste just to seem cool.
Blake: The people who act like they don't care about anything until you don't like something that they do. They're so quick to be defensive, but I just wish they would admit it.
Julia: When users are mean and vindictive towards a band just to be mean and vindictive.
Jaime D: When people bash certain bands because they have nothing better to do. It's easy to be tough when you're hiding behind a keyboard.
Adrian: People who are tough (see: unwarranted dickheads) with a keyboard, but would skirt from a fight (verbal or otherwise) in real life. But this complaint extends far beyond AP.net.
Tristan: The recently increasing number of people who think this site is like /b/ or some shit site like that where you just make fun of people and tell people to kill themselves all the time, and the random groups of users who hate other random groups for no apparent reason. That's never what this site has been about, and it pisses me off when more and more people act that way.
Chris: The elitist members who refuse to take others' opinions into account.
Jamie P: The people who think they are too cool for school.
Anton: People who go out of their way just to say that they hate a band. You'll get a news post about a band that just saved a baby cat from a tree and someone will come in and start making fun of the band's music. It's so annoying. Let it go.
Linda: People who have not figured out that musical taste is personal and not something that is right or wrong.
Lueda: I agree with Linda. That is one of my biggest pet peeves. I do not understand why people aren't capable of realizing that not everyone will enjoy the same things. I also absolutely hate the bullying on the forums. People who act "tough" on the internet are even lamer than the ones that try it in real life just to get attention and be appreciated in some way.
Travis: Folks who hate on other people's favorite bands. They like 'em, fuck off.
Steve: The general forum dorks.
Eric: That everybody cares as much as I do about music! That’s constantly my conversation with people; when I ask someone what they listen to and they say “Whatever’s on the radio”, our talking is over.
Jason: Racist or homophobic comments.
One thing you absolutely love about this site?
Scott W: The users.
Drew: The users circa 2005.
Blake: the endless recommendations
Julia: It's centered around music.
Jaime D: The music!
Scott I: That thing it does with its tongue.
Paul: The fact that so many people read it.
Adrian: When people connect through music, movies, or life in general.
Tristan: The way that it can bring people from all over the world together to talk about music and anything else. The fact that people who have never seen each other can become the best of friends due to this site. The fact that it has changed my life for the better in so many ways.
Chris: The rest of the people here who make it worth coming back.
Jamie P: The people who don't think they are too cool for school.
Anton: There are certain nights where everyone gets along, talks to each other, and has fun. This is rare these days, but it's those times that it's worth it to stay awake until four in the morning just talking to others and having a great time. These nights are what make being a member on this site so much more than being a member on the site.
Linda: The way that so many people come together to provide information.
Lueda: The forums, because it's where I met most of the people I know. I just love talking to people, and making friends. And I will forever be grateful to them (and the site as a whole) for meeting Tristan, who, if it wasn't obvious by now, I love more than anything. There are things that I would change about them now, but when it comes down to it, I can't help but love the community, or at least the people that I'm close to because of it.
Travis: Hearing about new bands!
Steve: Its influence.
Eric: That everybody cares as much as I do about music! That’s constantly my conversation with people; when I ask someone what they listen to and they say “Whatever’s on the radio”, our talking is over.
Jason: The community.
What year do you think Brand New will release their next album in?
Rich: Late 2009/early 2010.
Joe: 2012.
Drew: Boycotting the band until I receive my lyric booklet.
Julia: 2009, if we're lucky.
Jaime D: Hopefully 2009!
Scott I: I don't care.
Adrian: 2009.
Tristan: 1914.
Chris: Dr. Pepper might want to get a lifetime supply of their product ready, just in case.
Anton: Next year most likely. Good answer from Mr. Fallon, though.
Lueda: ....
Travis: Next year.
Steve: Mid/late 2009. They turned down my request for an interview (lame) until after the album comes out.
Eric: Jeez I hope soon. But I saw them at Lollapalooza and it seems like they don’t really cooperate too well. So maybe it’s difficult for them to make things.
Jason: 2010.
What are your opinions on the Jonas Brothers?
Rich: Do not like their music whatsoever.
Joe: They wouldn't be as popular as they are without Disney shoving them down people's throats. When they released their first album("It's About Time"), it hardly got any promotion. Didn't do well on TRL and they even played Bamboozle that year. Now if they played Bamboozle, I think the world would explode. Anyway, I dig the song "Burnin Up," not gonna lie.
Scott W: Indifferent.
Drew: Never heard a song, didn't one of them sex up Hannah Montana?
Blake: I'm reminded of the movie Josie and the Pussycats.
Julia: Don't listen. Would not seek them out, so they don't really matter. But to each his own.
Jaime D: Guilty pleasure. I'm Burnin' Up for you babyyyyyy.
Scott I: The people behind radio's digression need some new flat-pop to shove down your throat. Why not these guys?
Adrian: Haven’t bothered to form one.
Tristan: I've only heard one song; I thought it was silly.
Chris: Every generation has their pin-up group, and that's what they are to our current time. I'm not a 13-year old girl though, so it's nothing I have to worry too much about running into.
Anton: Haven't really listened, but my boys in Hanson think they're cool.
Lueda: Have only heard one or two songs, and I haven't been impressed.
Travis: Who?
Eric: Whatever. Be a cute kid and you can sell anything.
Jason: Heard one song - thought it blew balls.
Jason Tate, were you invited to Pete Wentz's wedding?
Anton: I wasn't. Nor was I asked to be the child's godfather. Blasphemy! I've done everything for this kid!
Jason: Haha, nope. That would have been cool though.
Favorite scene trend?
Rich: None
Scott W: The part when it dies like ska.
Drew: Nothing.
Blake: Dunks.
Julia: Rip-off Ray-Bans. Moccasins.
Jaime D: Unforgivable. GIMME A CHICKEN SANDWICH AND SOME WAFFLE FRIES. FOR FREE.
Scott I: My favorite scene (whatever that is) trend is the one where kids don't buy in to trends: the one where people aren't foreign to the idea of being themselves and don't allow a taste in music dictate the way they dress and the way in which they view other people and ideas.
Adrian: “Don't Cut Your Fabric to This Year's Fashion.” I've always dug that album title.
Anton: I like the...well, nothing.
Lueda: I don't know, but I know that I hate the haircuts and fashion style.
Steve: I'll say I like the trend of bands mellowing out and exploring folk music through certain albums or side projects.
Eric: I love the emo look on girls. I don’t care what you say.
Jason: Look how angsty Scott is! Hahaha. I like fail pictures, does that count?
The next big genre?
Blake: I would like everyone to fall in love with folk music. French Quarter, Human Highway, The Tallest Man on Earth, The Decemberists, etc.
Julia: I think folky pop or cute, fuzzy indie pop is gonna really get into the mainstream.
Jaime D: Jaimetronic.
Scott I: The one that doesn't become big.
Paul: Big is relative (no penis jokes, please).
Adrian: Rock ‘n’ roll.
Tristan: God, I hope it's rock 'n' roll. If there was a revival of good rock 'n' roll music on the radio, I'd be ecstatic.
Anton: I think people are going to get burnt out on the synth and go back to regular rock and roll with an emphasis on sweet solos.
Lueda: I guess dance music? I wouldn't mind that, because I love dance music.
Travis: The sound of animals fighting. Like, the actual sounds of animals fighting.
Steve: I think the backlash from the sissy pop/dance garbage we have now will bring back some harder music, so I would guess screamo or post hardcore.
Eric: I think Pitchfork Music Fest is the new Warped Tour, honestly. We all grew up a little.
Jason: I think as the music world moves online and into ipods - we'll lose the idea of genres or trends blowing up as a whole and see more diversity. Well, I hope so at least.