How did the band get started? I'm pretty sure the original concept was Jeff's. He bugged the rest of us about it until we gave in.
What is your goal as a band? We want to educate people about what it means to be a Christian and let them know the goodness of our Lord through music and fun.
What style do you play? People usually (and stereotypically) call us a ska band, but we also use a lot of punk, funk, hip hop, and metal. The only thing that makes us ska is our horns.
What is the music scene like in your area? I think Chicago probably has one of the biggest music scenes in the nation. There are thousands of bands that play every style. You can find anything you want to hear.
What bands influence your band? I think Five Iron Frenzy is a big influence on all of us, but we're influenced by a lot of bands that don't play ska. A lot of us are really into Slick Shoes, Homegrown, Dear Ephesus, and Sunny Day Real Estate. I think a lot of these non-ska influences have really affected our diverse sound.
What kind of a ministry does the band have? We try and get in the audience and speak to our fans and people with questions as much as possible. That's a big part of our ministry. We want people to know that we're kids, too, and that we're someone they can relate to and speak with about anything.
If you had the choice, which band would you tour with? The W's and Five Iron Frenzy have both been very fun to play with. They were really helpful and generous. It would be fun to play to thos large crowds with them.
Any interesting concert experiences or funny/weird stories? We showed up for a show in Detroit half way through our own set a month ago. We were running in the building and throwing all our stuff onstage faster than Superman. In the end, they only let us play two songs. There are a lot more stories, but I don't want to go on all night.
What's the wackiest thing you've ever done in concert? At our first show we threw Smarties out to the crowd in an attempt to win them over. For some reason, it didn't do the trick. They ended up throwing them pack. Thos things may be small, but they can hurt.
Do you ever play cover songs? We used to cover a fair number of Five Iron Frenzy and Supertones songs. We've finally written enough material that we don't have to do that anymore, although we though in some very strange and interesting covers from time to time.
Best and worst things about being in a band? It's definitely best to talk with the people in our audience and share stories with them. I'm amazed when someone tells us that we've had a major affect in their life. It's hard to think that a bunch of kids from the suburbs can really make a difference. The worst thing would be intolerant audiences. We understand and respect that Christianity is not everyone's choice, but some people think we're accusing them of being immoral and that we're not open to their beliefs. All we ask is that people listen to each other with open minds and open hearts.
Anything people should know about the band? Know that we are willing speak to anyone and share what we can. Know that we would like to hear what people have to say and what they think. The people at our shows have encouraged us so much.
What 5 cds do you think everybody needs to hear? I think the band would agree with this: Slick Shoes - 'Rusty', Homegrown - 'Act Your Age', Sunny Day Real Estate - (The pink album), Dear Ephesus, - 'The Consolation of Pianissimo', and Five Iron Frenzy - 'Upbeats and Beatdowns'.
Do you have any cds, demos, etc., out? We have a 3 song demo tape out at the moment. Our independent compact disc, 'A Little Message...' will be out in about a month. Everyone should buy at least one copy. We also have tons of other merchandise.
How can people contact you for merch and stuff? They can come to our shows or visit our website at: http://www.funwithdirt.com/nifty
Any final comments? Come check us out.
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