HERE IS CELINA'S INTERVIEW
: Icebreaker: Do you believe in aliens?
Nick: I just watched the movie “evolution” on the bus right before we played. That’s my answer for that.
C: Most of the songs on your CD have to do with relationships. Will the songs on your next album be based on similar experiences?
Nick: When we wrote the album, Tyson and I were about, ya know, 15, 16 to about, ya know 17 18-ish, so I mean, that’s about all you know about when you’re that age. Ya know, you don’t know about, ya know, worldly things when you’re in junior high and high school. So, ya know, I’m sure there’ll be uh, you know, every song ever written can be basically a metaphor for a relationship. So ya know, I’m sure there will be some other subjects too. So, you’ll just have to listen to it.
C: How do you feel about people in the public eye openly voicing their opinion on the war?
Nick: Can you be a little more specific?
C: Like actors, like on the Oscars? Did you see the Oscars?
Nick: Oh like the war stuff, and all that shit? I don’t know man. I don’t watch the news, I’m not educated enough to hold an opinion on that stuff. You know, I mean, this is, this right here (motions around) is all I know. You know what I mean?
C: Speaking of global issues, do you think the “all–american” in your name will affect CD sales in other countries?
Nick: You know, I wondered that, but again, I didn’t have enough background to, you know, expand on that and think very deeply into it. So I don’t know, we’ll see. You know, I hear we’re doing great New Zealand, so you know, hopefully it won’t. *laughs*
C: There’s like Australians and stuff on the toastboard.
Nick: Really? Fuckin A! Saying good things?
C: Yeah
Nick: Ok good.
C: What do you think has been the single greatest invention of all time?
Nick: I’m gonna have to say Sierra Nevada pale ale.
C: What was your most embarrassing moment on stage?
Nick: Um, let’s see. The other night in Washington DC I was stretching out before the show. And when I was I think was just you know, fucking you know stretching a little bit and my crotch ripped out of my pants. The only pair of jeans I had on me. Wore them the whole night, wore them throughout the whole show so whenever I, ya know, did my *put his leg up on the table and pretends to play guitar* there was a giant rip right there. That could have been embarrassing. I don’t know if it was but if anybody saw it that would have been embarrassing
C: Are you religious?
Nick: How religious?
C: Do you believe in god?
Nick: I believe in god.
C: Do you go to church?
Nick: No time for that. We’re playing every day almost and uh, you know, every day involves heavy drinking, so we don’t get up very early.
C: What about the other guys?
Nick: About the same.
C: What is your biggest regret?
Nick: Biggest regret? Well I started playing, I started giving guitar lessons when I was 7 years old, but I didn’t start playing like, for real, until I was about 12 or 13. My biggest regret is not being serious about it earlier, because I could shred a lot better than I do now. I can’t shred at all that’s why the songs are so straightforward and simplistic.
C: Well you’re still great.
Nick: Thank you, I appreciate that.
C: What was high school like?
Nick: I was that kid that just played guitar. He didn’t hang out or talk to anybody really, he just played guitar. And he dressed and smelled funny.
C: Did you have a lot of friends?
Nick: Um, no. Luckily Tyson came along when I was a senior and we were buddies, and uh, ya know, when I graduated. *Laughs*
C: Were you in the high school band?
Nick: I was. I was in the marching, well I was in band from about 6th or 7th grade through, I think it was 9th or 10th grade about when I dropped out because you had to march under that bass drum in a polyester suit in like the dead of fucking summer.
C: Yeah, I played flute so it wasn’t that bad.
Nick: You didn’t have to carry a bass drum, that sucked. It’s still tough fucking marching in a polyester suit in August.
C: It is. Especially in south Texas.
Nick: Ah, I could only imagine.
C: Do you think that college is important?
Nick: Depends on what you want to do. In my case I hope to god it’s not because I fucking, I flunked out the first semester so I don’t plan on going back.
C: I heard you were in fraternity, is that true.
Nick: Shhhh, no comment.
J: Everybody knows.
C: It’s true
Nick: No comment on that one.
C: What are your individual and band goals?
Nick: I’m gonna say both individual and band goals are to make this last as long as possible. It’s why we *pats tattoo* I would’ve gotten it over my heart, but I’ve got my guitar strap there. We got it in the middle of the tour so I couldn’t, ya know, I couldn’t spend the next three weeks of healing with the guitar strap rubbing against it every night. That would have sucked. Ya know, I mean, we fucking, all of us love what we do and this is all we know, so, ya know.
At this point, we were interrupted by a girl named Nicole getting something signed…
Ty: to Nicole.
Nick: Nicole, n-i-c-o-l-e?
Nicole: Yeah.
Nick: You were at the backroom right?
Nicole: Huh?
Nick: You were at the backroom right?
Nicole: Yeah, I didn’t think you would actually remember me.
Nick: I remember you.
~then I stopped recording for a while, and began again with this~
Nick: You have to meet someone and say their name back to them twice.
C: Well I’m Celina.
Nick: Sorry?
C: Celina
Nick: Celina, nice to meet you Celina. I will never forget that now. Seriously that works. *points to me* Celina… *points to Jeanenne* Jeanenne. Nice to meet you, Jeanenne.
J: Nice to meet you Nick.
Nick: See what I mean, I’m serious, that really works. And… *points to David*
D: David
Nick: David. Nice to meet you David.
Nick: Hot wheels shirt in Houston.
Nick: Yeah, we’re gonna be at buzzfest, you gonna be there?
J: No, it’s 75 dollars and it’s sold out!
Nick: Holy shit! Are you serious?
J: Yeah, I’m a poor college student.
Nick: 75 fucking dollars for a festival?
J: Yeah, and it’s sold out.
C: Mine was like 30 something at edgefest in dallas
Nick: Jesus… yeah, that sold out in like 12 minutes.
C: Yeah, I like wanted to get pit but obviously that didn’t happen so look for me way the hell in the back.
Nick: Alrighty, I’ll be like hey! *starts making waving motions* Celina!
C: Have you guys made a profit yet?
Nick: Excuse me? Oh, like monetary profit? Ya know, I don’t know, you know? I mean, I haven’t had to worry about money lately which is nice. I just ya know…
C: Cuz I’m giving all of mine to you.
Nick: *places his hand on my shoulder* I love you. Um, my parents are still waiting for me to pay off their house in case you’re wondering. I haven’t done that yet.
C: What are feelings on the recording industry practices?
Nick: As in?
C: As in they cheat artists out of their money, like major recording labels.
Nick: Yeah I mean, ya know, you go to a record store and you pay 15-ish dollars for a record, it’s going to a lot of places. A couple bucks go to the artist, a couple bucks go to the store, a couple bucks go to the making of the album, a couple bucks go to the record label… ya know there’s a lot of divisions. There’s a lot of people to divide the money up amongst. I just feel lucky that I get to do this every night. I just feel lucky that people are coming to the shows and know the songs, and I haven’t actually physically handed them the CD. Because we just used to burn the CDs off my computer and just,ya know, hand them out of shows sell them for a dollar at the show. Give people a dollar just to take it at the show. I just feel grateful that people have the CD that took the time to go buy it, ya know, spend their money. God knows how they earned it, ya know? Whether they fucking walked out of the store with the CD in their jacket, or whether they fucking, ya know, didn’t eat for a week and saved their lunch money. I don’t… it doesn’t really matter to me.
C: As long as people listen.
Nick: Yeah
C: You should do same girls new songs again.
Nick: It’s just demos.
C: I want the CD.
Nick: All right, we’ll put those up on the website.
C: And the cigarette song I love that song, you guys should play it.
Nick: That was gonna be a full, like a real song on the album but we didn’t have enough time or money to finish it
C: It sounds finished to me.
Nick: It wasn’t supposed to be acoustic. We just did it. We did that in my bedroom back home.
J: Lots of Oklahoma people claim that you can only play it there and that’s why it’s not on the album.
Nick: Well yeah, we only play that song in Oklahoma.
J: Yeah that’s what they say. But we love it too.
Nick: I know you do but… (I can't understand what he says here)
J: We’re your neighbor.
C: We can’t help where we were born.
Nick: Last time we played it was in uh, I think we haven’t played it in 6 months, it’s been a while. Yes! The last time we played it was at a record release party for doghouse on October 15. It was the last time we played that song.
C: How is the touring life?
Nick: It’s nice, I find myself being bored often. Because now, ya know, I mean we’ve got a lot of our friends on tour helping us out, ya know, taking care of, ya know, all of the of, ya know, behind the scenes stuff, ya know? And we’re totally grateful for it because all we gotta do is plug in and go for it. Ya know, and uh, ya know, thankfully we get 8 hours of sleep at least every night so, ya know, I’m grateful for that. Where as last time you saw us we were in a van about as big as this table right here, and we had 8 dudes in it and it was not comfy and we were all sick and we were all miserable and we weren’t getting any sleep.
J: And stinky probably.
C: Yeah, how do you wash your clothes?
Nick: Um, whenever we get a chance. For example, we played uh, I think it was Tallahassee Florida, and there was a laundromat right beside the venue, so I just, ya know, we get there at like 2 o’clock every show and so I just, ya know, while they’re loading in gear, I just go wash my clothes.
C: You all wear the same shirts a lot.
Nick: Yeah I know
C: Like Ty, I’ve seen that INXS shirt I don’t know how many times.
Nick: Yeah, We only have like 5 t-shirts each.
J: You have the first outie I’ve actually ever seen.
Nick: Really? Well it’s half and half.
*We proceed to look at his half and half belly button*
J: At least you’re unique.
C: Well I already asked this, but you’re the most high maintenance?
Nick: I am.
C: Who’s like the low maintenance one?
Nick: Well I think Tyson took a shower for the first time in about 9 days today.
C: That’s good.
Nick: Ya know, none of us wash our hair or change our clothes often, yeah. When it comes to uh, when it comes to say the number of hair products items we have I probably am the winner.
C: Well your hair is awesome.
Nick: I grow it myself.
C: Do you have any other talents?
Nick: Um, I’ve recently been able to drink A LOT of beer without actually getting drunk.
C: Is that a good thing?
Nick: *laughs* I don’t know you tell me.
J: How much is a lot?
Nick: I mean I usually I told myself I couldn’t drink before the doors open…. But by the time we got on since this is our headlining tour I can usually take out a sixer before we play *laughs* and then usually about 12 afterwards.
J: I could drink like three before I…
C: Don’t kill your liver.
Nick: I won’t too late. Other talents? I dunno. This is all I’ve ever known how to do. I flunked out of school and, uh, ya, not any other talents.
C: What’s your favorite snack?
Nick: Starburst. Original. (my note: there’s more to that, but that’s all I’ll say, haha)
C: What is the newest movie you’ve seen?
Nick: The newest movie I’ve seen? We went and saw “house of a 1000 corpses” the other night cuz we had a day off in Orlando. It’s that rob zombie movie. It’s basically an hour and a half long rob zombie video. It’s pretty dope.
J: He was the director right? Was he in it?
Nick: He wrote and directed it, he wasn’t it. I don’t believe unless it was a little cameo that I didn’t even notice.
C: What are your feelings on “teenyboppers”?
Nick: Um you know what? I was one myself. I had pictures of C.C. Deville on my wall ya know. Poison. Ya know, I, there’s bands when I was ya know, a “teenie”, there’s bands that I worshipped that I’ll always worship. So I mean, sometimes we play 18 and up shows and they’re a lot of fun don’t get me wrong.
Ty: Ya know, sometimes we DON’T, man.
Nick: Exactly, but seriously, sometimes I feel like the people who appreciate the music most are these teenyboppers you’re saying because that’s the most influential age. I mean anything they take in, I mean, they’re gonna hold on to it for a lot longer.
Ty: Where did we get our influences. How old were you? I mean…
Nick: Exactly, that’s what I’m saying. So I mean, fucking Bret Michaels could shit on a CD, hand it to me, and I would fucking buy it from him.
Ty: Just because they go ape shit doesn’t mean, ya know, they don’t like the music. Just ya know, whatever.
J: Just cuz they think you’re cute.
Ty: Well if that’s all they think, then that’s not a true fan.
Nick: The kids that screams at shows and you feel aren’t appreciating the music for what it is, I believe actually, ya know, I appreciate them for a lot more than it actually is. But then vice versa, ya know, I mean the kids who are older and, ya know, are sitting there and taking it in are appreciating it in another way, ya know what I mean? But I do feel if we can be say a band like poison for these teenyboppers you say, then I’m fucking honored as shit because honestly, we’ll be a band with them, I mean we’ll be, they’ll be like fans forever. Ya know what I mean? That’s fucking pretty great. I’m sorry…
C: It’s cuz everyone on the toastboard hates teenies. They get all mad, and tell them to leave.
Ty: I think what defines a teenie is a person who puts “I love Nick and Tyson, they’re so hot.”
J: Yeah, they just registered and they’re like. “oh Tyson’s so hot.”
C: And ask “which one is your favorite?”
Nick: But you know what, maybe they’ll grow up and they’ll understand the whole other side of it ya know? But still, however they fucking…
Ty: Maybe they’ll just grow older, like the new kids.
Nick: Maybe so, but, ya know, hey I still listen to new kids
*Ty and Nick proceed to sing “oh oh oooh, oh oh ooh” like the new kids*
Nick: Yeah, she’s taping this. *Laughter*
J: So you don’t care if they just think you’re hot?
Nick: I dunno, it’s pretty fucking, ya know. If they’re fucking here at the show and they’re like “oh whatever they’re playing” and then afterwards they’re just like “ohmygod there they are in the flesh,” ya know, whatever. But if it’s just because they’re young and they’re at the show and they’re screaming, fuck it, that’s awesome. I mean, they’re there cuz they like it and they like us and we’re sharing something with them. I’m rambling, I’m sorry.
J: I think you’re music is like uh, it helps a lot of people with problems. Like, it’s a way out for a lot of people.
Nick: Right, I’m really bummed that a lot of music nowadays is fucking, just really like it’s almost hard to listen to. It’s like, depressing and fucking, there’s so much of this, like every time you turn on like a new modern rock station or something and you hear just bands that are just…
J: yelling?
Nick: Yeah, I mean, I can’t point out any bands because we’ve met a lot of bands on tour that are amazing people. I’m just speaking about the whole modern rock sound in general. Music’s fucking fun and it’s my life and I’m gonna make it fun, you know what? I mean and if people can appreciate it and have a good time listening to it then fucking a. I mean even if they don’t get it, even if they don’t fucking appreciate it for what it is, even if it’s just like “oh god tyson’s hot,” ya know whatever. They’re fucking there and they’re having a good time so…
J: and we rock out to it in our cars.
Nick: There ya go. (Celina i have to add, i'll never forget the face he made when he said this, its like the most fuckin amazing face "there ya go" as he raises his beer)
C: I listened to it like 7 times in one day.
C: And I was all, I’m not gonna listen to it anymore, but then I went and put it on like three times.
Nick: Fucking a.
C: And he [david] gets annoyed.
D: Yeah, I’m an eyewitness. I mean, I think you all are great but I can’t listen to you 7 times in a row. That’s just not good for me.
Nick: *hearty laugh* Dude I don’t blame you. I’m sorry.
J: Well sometimes I’m just in a bad mood and I need the music.
Nick: There ya go, when you’re in a bad mood are you gonna listen to a band that goes “aaaaaah!”? No you’re not cuz they’re just gonna fucking make you sink deeper and deeper and you’re eventually just gonna slit your throat.
*laughter*
C: That would be sad.
Nick: I’m sorry. Wow! I’m gonna stop now. Continue. *laughs*
C: A gift from a fan to make you merry, do you think it’s sweet or a little scary?
Nick: What kind of gift are we talking about?
C: Just I dunno, just little things.
J: Not bras thrown at you.
Nick: If they gave me puppy dogs that would be awesome.
J: Bracelets or shirts…
Nick: No bracelets are great. Tyson’s actually the bracelet guy. I don’t, I can’t wear bracelets. I don’t like, I don’t like *rubs his wrist*
J: I don’t even like wearing a watch.
Ty: That’s trauma. Feel this finger, (I feel his fingernail) and then feel this one (I feel the other fingernail). That’s weird right?
C: Yeah.
Ty: It’s flat… and drinking is fun.
Nick: You know what actually, I do have an answer for this because I did a, uh, an interview for a uh, for this high school paper and I told them that about my influences def leppard, bon jovi, blah blah etc. Anyway, so the next time we went through that town this girl had this like uh, this like tin box decorated with like pictures of like axl rose and fucking, ya know, kiss pictures, ya know, and jon bon jovi and stuff ya know. So I’ve got that box actually in the bus and it holds all my, ya know, gifts from fans. Also change, but… *laughs*
J: You don’t think it’s obsessive, like you appreciate it? Stuff like that. You’re not like “they’re obsessed with me they listen to every word I say?”
Nick: Well if they gave me like uh, well it depends on what it is right?. Like, if they gave me something that was really fucking important, like kids like give us lunch cards and shit and it’s like, ohmygod, eat lunch please. Ya know what I mean? Ya know, whatever.
C: So if they like make you something?
Nick: That’s fucking beautiful, I love it.
C: If you could have dinner with any 3 famous people, dead or alive, real or not, who would you choose and why?
Nick: C.C. Deville from Poison, Richie Sambora, and then I would take both Phil Lynott from Thin Lizzie, I would have to bring him back from the dead unfortunately, and Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden. I would take them both out at the same time. They are some killer fucking guitar players. Amazing.
C: You would take lessons from them?
Nick: Yes.
C: Finally, if you were stuck in a cave, which of the band members would you eat first?
Nick: Is there a crew with us? Ah man, Let’s see, who’s got the most meat on their bones? Ya know, I’d probably eat myself because this [beer] isn’t helping me out. I’ve got some thickness going on.
C: You’d eat yourself?
Nick: I’d eat myself first. Ya know, it would either be me or Mikey because we play the same thing and we sing the same back up vocals ya know? I’d either eat myself or eat Mikey because, ya know, we could get along without either of each other. No, that’s not true, I didn’t say that.
~Then he apologized about my interview being canceled even though we had just talked forever. He is so sweet. Then we started talking about Spanish classes and Nirvana and Creed and colleges and Big 12. Haha. The end!~
