I sent Declare This An Emergency some really dumb questions and they were gracious enough to answer them for me. If you haven't all ready, go over to their myspace page (www.myspace.com/declarethisanemergency) to find out about upcoming shows and hear music by this great, underappreciated local band. Enjoy! - Tommy R.
1) Name/Instrument/Stats
Tony/Vocals/4.79 lifetime E.R.A.
2) What is the Emergency that you’re declaring?
This.
3) All bands debate about things. What do you argue about the most as a band?
We argue a lot about who gets the last beer. We almost broke up once over a bottle of Schell Caramel Bock.
4) How would you describe your music to an older relative who has no concept of punk or indie-rock?
I'd pretty much just make it clear that we're not a metal band. Older people often assume if you're in a band, you play heavy metal. To them there's 2 kinds of bands: heavy metal and not heavy metal.
5) How would you describe your music to a scene-kid who was no concept of punk or indie-rock?
Describing your music is always hard. I usually just say that we're a 5 piece melodic rock band. We're not heavy and we're not too mellow.
6) You recently got to play with Sparta. What went through your mind when you received the phone call/e-mail asking you to support that show?
It was a pleasant surprise. I think we were all a little nervous. It was very exciting. Sparta rules.
7) List three reasons why people who have never heard you before should listen to you. The stipulation is that the first reason has to involve peanut butter, the second reason has to involve mountain goats, and the third reason has to involve a deity.
First reason: The enjoyment you get from listening to Declare This An Emergency is the complete opposite of the enjoyment a person who is allergic to peanuts gets from eating peanut butter.
Second reason: No mountain goats are ever harmed in the making of our music.
Third reason: God listens to Declare This An Emergency. He/She may even own one of our t-shirts.
8) Do you find it difficult to break through to new audiences being people who grew up in “the DIY ‘90s”? What major differences do you see between young bands/audiences now compared to when we were that age going to shows? What are some similarities? In addition, what do you think we can collectively do to improve the music community?
I guess it's been a little bit difficult. We have bands getting signed now. The Twin Cities are getting a little more attention and I think some bands might be focusing more on trying to get signed and not enough on having fun and making friends. When I started playing in bands about 8 years ago, bands seemed a little more willing to help each other out. It wasn't about "scenes" and there were no "rock star" attitudes. There seems to be a little bit of that now, which sucks. We're all the same. We're just people who love music and we want to play our music for as many people as possible. Our local scene almost feels like a competition sometimes. We need to work together and help each other out as much as we can. There's no reason why all of our bands can't succeed.
9) Regarding cereal cartoon characters: Will one of the characters eventually go batshit on the kids who keep him from his tasty breakfast? Which character will be the first to lose it? What will happen? BTW, what cereal do you guys enjoy the most?
I'm pretty sure that the Trix rabbit would be the first to lose it. I imagine he'd dig holes, bury the kids up to their necks, and starve them to death. He'd probably sit and eat Trix in front of them until they died.
They stopped making my favorite cereal. It was Rice Krispy Treats cereal. It was great. I miss it.
10) Using your band name’s acronymn (DTAE), give us four words that perfectly explain yourselves as a band.
Down-to-Earth
Thankful
Ambitious
Emo............haha.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Declare This An Emergency
Thursday, March 01, 2007
The Aesthetic Interview
You guys just released The Last Great Escape, are you pleased with how it turned out?
Stu: I haven’t actually heard it yet
Dave: I think we’re very pleased with how it turned out. It sounded dynamically unique and it really represented us very well.
Paris: Having an album out definitely brought us to the next level, it seems like it’s a new level for local band.
Have you guys got a lot of positive feedback so far?
James: We’ve gotten some very positive feedback. Especially since we did it ourselves and a lot of people were impressed with the recording quality and how brilliant the sound is.
Paris: James has been getting more recording jobs because of it.
Is there any symbolism behind the title or did you just think it was sweet?
James: All the songs are based around life situations that bring you to a point where they need to get away and take some time for themselves and start fresh.
There have been some rumors floating around about you guys and labels, care to discuss anything?
James: We talked to one a little bit, but nothing recently. We’re just trying to get our stuff together.
I mean do you plan on shopping this around?
James: Absolutely, absolutely
Paris: We’re in the process now of getting a really good press kit together so we can send that out. We’re getting closer every week.
Where’s your favorite place to play in Minneapolis?
Dave: We love to play the Toybox because it’s a very dynamic crowd, a lot of different people and groups play there. It’s always all ages.
James: As far as non all-ages venues go, I think my favorite is the Fine Line just because it sounds amazing.
Nate: As far as all-ages venues Andy runs the Toybox really well. For an all ages venue that’s really small, it’s great for local bands.
So what’s next for you guys? Are you going to tour, shop this around, record anything else?
Paris: In March and April we’ve got a bunch of shows coming up just to push our album and promote it locally. Most of them are in Minnesota and Wisconsin and hopefully some in Iowa. So we’re going to try to get a good local following. And while we’re at the practice space, we’ll all be here at least three days a week, we’ll be working on new stuff. We’re actually hoping on getting out a full length this summer. But at the same time shop this around, see what kind of response we get from labels.
Nate: We’re basically going to be stretching ourselves as thin as possible. Covering all bases at the same time.
What should all the cool kids be listening to? What are you guys listening to?
Nate: I listen to Say Anything a lot.
Stu: I don’t know. I don’t have a car so I don’t really listen to music anymore.
Paris: As far as local bands I really like Declare This An Emergency.
Nate: Yeah Declare definitely, and Lies In The Effort. They have some new stuff coming out that’s really good. James is a big fan of Spirit of ’76.
James: Yeah, I love Spirit. I feel like I was supposed to be born in that era; the hair, the tight clothing.
Everyone: What?
Paris: The new Cue The Doves stuff is really good too. I can’t wait to hear it when it’s completely done.
Nate: The new City of Sound song is amazing.
James: As far as famous bands go..
Paris: James only has like three bands in his iTunes.
James: Pretty much. I have Thursday in there, Thrice, Saosin.
Nate: I think everyone should start listening to Cave In personally.
Paris: I listened to Third Eye Blind in the shower today…
Amber: What!?! Edit.
What would you change about the local scene?
Nate: A bowling league.
Paris: No, a kickball league where all the bands play each other. The loser has to carry the winner’s gear.
Well this is actually from Jonny…What does slayer mean and why has daveisgay69 lost the lead?
Paris: Well if you look at the TV in front of you that’s a pretty good example of that.
James: We don’t even practice our music, we just play Halo all the time. Slayer is when I kill Dave.
Dave: (laughs) right.
Nate: For a long time we were thinking of having the Halo music as our intro at our shows.
Paris: We learned not to play Halo with Gloria, they get very angry.
Someone else wanted to know whether you would rather want to drink a cup of blood or a cup of urine.
Nate: Urine
Paris: Urine
Dave: I’m going to go with blood. I think it’s healthier.
Nate: Well is it someone else’s blood?
Dave: I think if you drink a cup of urine you get pretty sick
Stu and Nate: Urine is sterile!
Paris: I would rather mix them.
Amber: That was from the same guy that posted “The Aesthetic does not care about black people.”
Nate: That’s my favorite poster. That was my favorite post of this century.
Stu: I haven’t actually heard it yet
Dave: I think we’re very pleased with how it turned out. It sounded dynamically unique and it really represented us very well.
Paris: Having an album out definitely brought us to the next level, it seems like it’s a new level for local band.
Have you guys got a lot of positive feedback so far?
James: We’ve gotten some very positive feedback. Especially since we did it ourselves and a lot of people were impressed with the recording quality and how brilliant the sound is.
Paris: James has been getting more recording jobs because of it.
Is there any symbolism behind the title or did you just think it was sweet?
James: All the songs are based around life situations that bring you to a point where they need to get away and take some time for themselves and start fresh.
There have been some rumors floating around about you guys and labels, care to discuss anything?
James: We talked to one a little bit, but nothing recently. We’re just trying to get our stuff together.
I mean do you plan on shopping this around?
James: Absolutely, absolutely
Paris: We’re in the process now of getting a really good press kit together so we can send that out. We’re getting closer every week.
Where’s your favorite place to play in Minneapolis?
Dave: We love to play the Toybox because it’s a very dynamic crowd, a lot of different people and groups play there. It’s always all ages.
James: As far as non all-ages venues go, I think my favorite is the Fine Line just because it sounds amazing.
Nate: As far as all-ages venues Andy runs the Toybox really well. For an all ages venue that’s really small, it’s great for local bands.
So what’s next for you guys? Are you going to tour, shop this around, record anything else?
Paris: In March and April we’ve got a bunch of shows coming up just to push our album and promote it locally. Most of them are in Minnesota and Wisconsin and hopefully some in Iowa. So we’re going to try to get a good local following. And while we’re at the practice space, we’ll all be here at least three days a week, we’ll be working on new stuff. We’re actually hoping on getting out a full length this summer. But at the same time shop this around, see what kind of response we get from labels.
Nate: We’re basically going to be stretching ourselves as thin as possible. Covering all bases at the same time.
What should all the cool kids be listening to? What are you guys listening to?
Nate: I listen to Say Anything a lot.
Stu: I don’t know. I don’t have a car so I don’t really listen to music anymore.
Paris: As far as local bands I really like Declare This An Emergency.
Nate: Yeah Declare definitely, and Lies In The Effort. They have some new stuff coming out that’s really good. James is a big fan of Spirit of ’76.
James: Yeah, I love Spirit. I feel like I was supposed to be born in that era; the hair, the tight clothing.
Everyone: What?
Paris: The new Cue The Doves stuff is really good too. I can’t wait to hear it when it’s completely done.
Nate: The new City of Sound song is amazing.
James: As far as famous bands go..
Paris: James only has like three bands in his iTunes.
James: Pretty much. I have Thursday in there, Thrice, Saosin.
Nate: I think everyone should start listening to Cave In personally.
Paris: I listened to Third Eye Blind in the shower today…
Amber: What!?! Edit.
What would you change about the local scene?
Nate: A bowling league.
Paris: No, a kickball league where all the bands play each other. The loser has to carry the winner’s gear.
Well this is actually from Jonny…What does slayer mean and why has daveisgay69 lost the lead?
Paris: Well if you look at the TV in front of you that’s a pretty good example of that.
James: We don’t even practice our music, we just play Halo all the time. Slayer is when I kill Dave.
Dave: (laughs) right.
Nate: For a long time we were thinking of having the Halo music as our intro at our shows.
Paris: We learned not to play Halo with Gloria, they get very angry.
Someone else wanted to know whether you would rather want to drink a cup of blood or a cup of urine.
Nate: Urine
Paris: Urine
Dave: I’m going to go with blood. I think it’s healthier.
Nate: Well is it someone else’s blood?
Dave: I think if you drink a cup of urine you get pretty sick
Stu and Nate: Urine is sterile!
Paris: I would rather mix them.
Amber: That was from the same guy that posted “The Aesthetic does not care about black people.”
Nate: That’s my favorite poster. That was my favorite post of this century.
