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Well, that up there says interviews... what do you think is on this page?
Unfortunately i have only had 1 interview with 1 person. It would be awesome if i could get more. If you are someone or know someone who is in a local band and you think YOU disserve and interview up on here let me know and i shall ask away.
Thanks a bunch to Dickie for agreeing to answer a few questions.
Intreview with Dickie- 8-27-02-
Q1. Are you a Chicago native?
A: No, I was born in Missouri and grew up in Kentucky (believe it or not). I moved to Chicago after I graduated from college.
Q2. When did you begin writing songs?
A: I believe I wrote my very first song in 6th grade, on this cheap Casio keyboard. It was a cheesy instrumental synth song, and I recorded it directly onto a cassette tape. It's hilarious to hear it now.
Q3. Which of your written songs are your favorites?
A: The first ones that pop into mind are Colortone's "July 5," "Silent Films" and JB's "B" and "Flyer." There are several unreleased Colortone tracks I'm fond of as well.
Q4. Do you prefer singing in JB or drumming ES?
A: They are completely different animals. Drumming is very easy for me and is always fun, but being an entertainer in JB is where I can be an entirely different person. JB is also my baby, and I always prefer performing my own songs.
Q5. Is there a certain type of people you try to gear his music towards?
A: Not necessarily. I write about subjects that I think about and deal with, so I suppose if you are a fan of JB, then you are somewhat like me (god help you).
Q6. Are there any musical influences in your life that you feel show in the music you make?
A:My music is a combination of every single note of every piece of music I've ever heard up to the present (ok, stop trying to be poetic, Dickie). It's hard to pick out specific influences, but I've always had a love for great pop, art music, and glam. I'd say Queen, the Cure, and Smashing Pumpkins would have to be my biggest single influences.
Q7. Any funny things ever happen to you in regards to the band. Is there any information about yourself, Jupiter Blue, or other band members you would like people to know? (Bio stuff)
A: I love eating cereal by myself, and I used to be very afraid of pigs. I would also like people to know that they should never loan Pauly anything.It will slowly dissappear and you'll never see it again. Os is obsessed with having sex. Oh, and Bob is the world's biggest fan of Pepsi Cola, but that's just cause Britney Spears is in the commercials (don't tell Bob I let that one out!).
Questions dealing with PP and JB:
Q8. What do you think are the biggest differences between Plastic Princess and JB (music, and stage performance wise), and do you feel PP fans have responded well to JB's music?
A: PP was far more aggressive and twisted, both lyrically and musically. WhenI started Jupiter Blue, I was tired of trying to make every song into some complicated, sick opus about little girls and boys and sisters and evil sex (common subject matter). I have always been rooted in great pop music, so I decided to accept the great hooks I had always heard in my head, rather than dismiss them, thinking they weren't "hard core" enough. Now, I feel like there's no kind of song JB can't do. The addition of keyboards, which PP didn't have, has also taken it to a level where song/sound is possible.I'm not too sure how PP fans have dealt with the transition. I still see a lot of the same people at JB shows, but I think the old fans of PP's heavier brand of music are turned off by JB. Then again, JB has gained fans who are into great glam/power pop. I absolutely LOVE our fans, and am flattered ANYone even cares about what I have to say. I sincerely thank everyone for listening and/or giving a damn.The overall feel of JB is far less "faked" than PP. Yes, I can still be quite twisted at times, but JB's lyrical content is closer to my real life (though it's still a bit outrageous at times, but then again, that's part of the fun, right?!). The character I played in PP was only a small part of my actual personality. In JB, I'm allowed to show a bit more of myself.I'm also singing now (no matter how much I may struggle at times to do so), instead of screaming. That's another huge change.(did you expect a book? well you got one!)
Q9. You mentioned in another interview "Just before PP broke up we had planned to release a new CD tentatively titled "Stars From Mars.". That CD signified a completely new direction for the band into that pop element." What was the reason for the change? Do you think the change has been for the better or worse?
A: I got bored with the material. Jesus, Pauly got so bored he left the band.I started to want to write songs that sounded good instead of sounding bad on purpose. Just before PP was to release "Stars From Mars" (which eventually became half of JB's debut, "Generation Z"), Amy and I discussed changing the name of the band and starting over from scratch, because I realized the new songs were drastically different from PP's old material.PP finally split because of internal personality conflicts, but it happened at a time where things were changing anyway. I will always treasure PP, but JB is more what I've always wanted to do. For that reason, the change hasbeen for the better for me.
Questions dealing with JB
Q10. What are your goals in terms of commercial success, and how much would you change JB if at all to gain this success?
A: I want to be the greatest and biggest band on Earth. I don't think JB needs to change at all to achieve that. I've learned, over time, how to craft pop songs. And I've learned that there is a fine line between writing songs for the radio and writing songs for yourself - I think every songwriter goes through stages where they fall hard to one side of the fence or the other.Eventually, they gain a balance where every song begins to be a combination of the two, without even trying. I'm sure I will continue to grow as a songwriter until the day I die (at which time I will discontinue any and all growth or maturation), but I feel I've recently reached that happy common ground where my songs are both radio friendly and artistically satisfying.
Q11. Explain how the fashion of JB goes along with the music?
A: The fashion really has nothing to do with the music itself, but how the band presents itself. I guess a parallel can be drawn between flashy clothing and flashy, in-your-face music, but that's as far as it goes. The bottom line is, I LOVE shopping and dressing up - I blow money on clothes wheneverI can. I also believe that people on stages should look like they're supposed to be on stages (I believe Bowie said something like that, too) -I've always been a fan of bands who put on a show. So, we're really just being ourselves and mimicking those we admire who've come before us.
Q12. What do you have to say to people who walk out of a JB show not understanding what they have just seen?
A: I've never had to encounter such a scenario, but if I did, I'd just tell them not to take it too seriously. People, and ESPECIALLY Chicago people, are very defensive when it comes to live music. I think most bands have 2 strikes against them the minute they take the stage, and it's up to them to" prove something" to the crowd. That's absolutely ridiculous. After all, there are a lot of reasons NOT to like JB, especially if you hate boys in makeup, or flamboyancy, or things that are a bit left of center. But if people would relax and allow themselves to have a good time and enjoy it for what it is, they wouldn't feel the need to dig so deeply into stupid things like "what are they trying to accomplish?" or "why are they dressed up so flashy?" or "just what is he trying to SAY with his music?" or "why is that guy so over-dramatic?" I say WHO CARES! Just have fun and laugh at me, I don't mind. It's far better than trying to convey my personal "pain" and "anguish" to you. I'm SO SICK of bands who do that. Trent did it, and it was new and cool - since then, it's all been boring. Do people really care what happened to me when I was 10? I certainly wouldn't expect anyone to.
Q13. If people like JB what other bands do you think they would also like?
A: Younger fans should really search the 70's for great bands like Queen, ABBA,Sweet, and Bowie. That decade was by FAR the best decade for rock music.
Q14. What songs have JB covered, and what do you look for in songs to cover?
A: We've covered Love and Rockets' "Motorcycle" and Cyndi Lauper's "SheBop."Covers are strictly for fun, and I believe that bands should NEVER cover songs from bands they sound like. I'd also stay away from songs released within the past 5 years. I look for songs that people wouldn't expect us to cover, and that we can really change into something cool, making it sound very different from the original. I don't concentrate too much on covers, to be honest. Covering songs will never get you anywhere (unless you'reOrgy - ouch!).
Q15. A lot of people praise unreleased JB material as being some of the best yet. With that much material does JB plan to release another album or EP soon, or do we have to wait a while?
A: Yes, there is a lot of unreleased material, and a lot of new material. I'm actually considering doing an EP to accomodate some of the more mellow, spooky songs I've written. It will also allow me to do some music strictly for art's sake,that wouldn't be remotely radio friendly at all. Working title is "moon in the man" to be released under the name "man into orbit."Apart from that, there are several new JB songs, and I should have enough material for another new JB record in 6 months or so.
Questions dealing with JB and ES
Q16. The world of music is full of competition. Do you think JB and ES are in competition with each other or is it more, whichever band makes it makes it they are two separate projects?
A: No, Pauly and I try our best to separate the two (which is sometimes difficult, as we share two members, alot of gear, and rehearse in the same space). ES is his baby, and JB is mine. I often think of our relationship like that of Bowie/Iggy, or Paul and John. I believe I am more pop and song oriented, while Pauly is more raw and rock. We're fabulous teammates, though. We always seem to be on the same page.
Q17. What do you think is different about the two bands that set them apart from other bands out there right now?
A: Well, neither band is nu-metal, which immediately sets us apart. I'm so sick of that crap I could puke (oops, there I go alienating part of my audience again!).
Q18. Would you or Pauly compromise your positions in each others bands if one ended up getting offered a record deal?
A: That's a great question. It would depend on the deal, honestly. Both of us believe strongly in each project, and in each other's talents, so even if we had to choose, it wouldn't kill either one of us. I have fun just drumming and Pauly has fun just playing guitar - after all, they are our natural instruments. Even still, if we did sign with one project, I'm sure the other would quickly revive the other band to release "solo records." Hey, look at Nirvana and Foo Fighters - two great bands and two great success stories. Doesn't Dave Grohl just rock the asses of the masses?!
Q19. What is important for new fans to know about either/both band(s)?
A: Perhaps that we are not doing what most bands on the radio are doing, and weDO care about the way we look onstage.
Other Questions
Q20. What do you think is the most important thing bands that are just starting out need to know?
A: First and foremost, no matter what genre of music you're attempting, you'll never get ANYWHERE without good songwriting. And that starts with doing your homework. Pretty much all good rock music originated decades ago, with a handful of influencial bands - Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and David Bowie. Since then, NOTHING good has been entirely original. Please, for the love of god, if you're going to start a band, familiarize yourself with the music of these influencial bands. If for no other reason, at least serious musicians won't think you're an idiot when you say something like"my musical influences are Creed and Tool." *comes down off soapbox*
Q21. When can new music and shows be expected for Colortone?
A: Not soon. I haven't written a Colortone song in a year or so. Funny, though - lately, people seem to be requesting more info about Colortone, and wanting the record (not many people know that a second Colortone record exists, but was never released, and there is enough unreleased material for another 2 records). I have only performed live as Colortone once, before the project even had a name, and that was only as a joke/favor. I never thought it would turn into a serious thing, and even then I never planned to perform live. It's strictly a studio thing.
And last but not least-Most important!!
Q22. Waffles or Pancakes?
A: sour punch candy straws, please. |
