Eight Track Mind
Virus: Why does Eight Track Mind exist?
Nathan: To entertain people and/or ourselves with good music.
Patrick: To spread joy and love to all the little boys and girls. Actually, it started with me and just playing in my garage. The first time we played we were wearing capes and devil horns and was running around in circles...it was just for kicks. But then people actually started getting into it, and we got a bassist, and the rest is history.
Virus: Tell me about recording Don't Forget to Live.
Nathan: The recording for DFTL took much longer than it should have.
Doug: (Groan)
Sean: Doug sure forgot the lyrics to Roses a lot.
Patrick: He sure did! Heh heh.
Nathan: We recorded, trashed it, recorded more, then recorded a third time and kept it.
Virus: How did the experience differ from Technicolor Yawn or The Cheese Sessions?
Nathan: Technicolor Yawn was from the same recording sessions, actually. That was the original DFTL sessions.
Patrick: Our equipment was good, and we had the help of friends who were very, very familiar with the recorder.
Virus: How did they end up as two separate cds?
Nathan: We recorded a few songs, and wanted something to sell at shows, so we released an EP to hold us over until the entire album was done.
Patrick: The Cheese Sessions was recorded in my garage and Doug's living room. We didn't have enough material. We knew we just wanted to make/release an EP.
Doug: We were playing a big talent show in San Francisco, so we wanted something to sell.
Patrick: (Always a capitalist). We just wanted to get our name out there.
Virus: Are you doing everything yourselves for the DIY ethic, or to be practical?
Nathan: I'd say we're practical.
Doug: At this time, yes. To be practical.
Patrick: Yeah, if we get an offer for a contract we'll jump on it.
Nathan: Whatever helps us to get our music out there.
Patrick: I gots ta be makin' da cash money.
Virus: Are you looking for label support?
Patrick: and Doug: YES!
Nathan: Label support would be nice.
Doug: Anyway we could distribute our CD's better.
Nathan: And the funding for recording would be nice.
Patrick: But it would have to be the right label...I mean, some labels wouldn't really help us much, because their exposure is just local.
Virus: What are your plans for promoting the new CD?
Nathan: We're selling it online at www.interpunk.com. And we're planning to sneak it into some record stores to sell.
Patrick: We're planing a West Coast Tour this summer, we're going all the way up to Washington, and down as far as LA.
Nathan: And, yes, a tour to promote it.
Sean: If you buy the CD you get my body for the night. How's that for prompt ion?
Virus: Are you ever going to come to Ontario?
Doug: Hopefully.
Nathan: We plan to tour a lot more in the future, because right now we're still in high school.
Patrick: We don't really have the funding for a tour that far up. We can only afford a two-to-three week tour as of now.
Nathan: And that makes it tough.
Virus: It is awesome that you are still in high school and you care about your band.
Sean: Well, Doug is a big boy.
Nathan: We love our band.
Virus: What do you think it is about the four of you together that makes it all work?
Patrick: The band is our release. Every Monday, we practice. In the morning it's like, "Aw crap, school" but then it's like "oh wait BAND!! YAY!!"
Nathan: We were all friends before the band started, so there's already chemistry there.
Patrick: I think it's all about having a good business ethic, but definitely not getting too caught up in that aspect of the band.
Virus: Do you plan to make a full career from ETM?
Patrick: Lord knows we'd love to be rock stars...
Nathan: Even if I don't make a career of it, I'd love to stay in the band anyway.
Sean: I was born to be a rock star.
Nathan: Because, either way, it'd still be fun.
Patrick: How cool would it be to come back to your High School Reunion as a multi-millionaire rock star?
Sean: Come on, I've got a mo-hawk.
Patrick: But we're not unrealistic. We all have college plans.
Nathan: So, if the band falls through, we're still okay.
Patrick: What? OKAY?? NO!!! I HAVE NO BACKUP PLAN!! OH GOD MY WORLD IS CRUMBLING!! (Just kidding)
Virus: What makes you different from other bands doing the same thing?
Nathan: We don't restrict our music to a specific genre. A lot of local bands are just cheap knock-offs of the newest radio favorite band. We try to write our own music, accessible or not.
Patrick: Our style is really interesting. We take what we're listening to that week, and it'll influence a song. And whether that song is punk or indie-pop, who cares? It's all about expression. We listen to a whole bunch of different stuff. Doug listens to everything from Dido to Refused. I mean, our influences are so broad.
Virus: I'm sure you'll each answer this differently, what would your dream gig be? Where would it be, and who else would be on the bill?
Nathan: Headlining a show at the Oakland Coliseum (when it was still general admission) with Green Day and Less Than Jake opening. Because they're great bands.
Patrick: I would love to play on the same stage as Ben Folds, because he is my idol. Also, his fans aren't crazy nazi punks who kill each other, so the show would be good-natured. It would be nice if the show was really really big.
Doug: It would be a coliseum show with Oasis or Alkaline Trio.
Sean: Playing a venue in Paris with Rasputina, Sigur Ros, and Dealership. Talk about variety.
Patrick: Sean is so very cultured.
Sean: Oui.
Patrick: Alas, all I know is big shows with pop bands. (Kidding again).
With two EPs, a comp and a full length under their belts with no signs of letting up, this young Cali four piece are off to a great start.