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Interviewer:
Who's idea was it to make Paper Chase pillow cases?
John: Mine. The whole marketing idea for this was, you know, “sleeping
with the Paper Chase.”
How
would you describe your music?
I
don't describe it. Basically I write whatever strikes me… I'd say
only 25% of what I write ends up as a Paper Chase song--There is a lot
that doesn't go with the whole vibe that the band is about. Then I have
to think about if it is applicable as a Paper Chase song. And then I
bring it to the guys and see what they think. I usually come to them
with a full idea, and a good idea of what I want everyone to do. And
what makes it a band unit is that they have the Presidential Veto of
"that's horrible and I'm not gonna play that. You can do better
than that"
You
write most of the songs then?
Pretty
much everything, especially now more than ever.
What
about this movie soundtrack? Is there an actual film out there?
Yes and no. It's like a half-truth. I answer that question all the time,
and I feel a little unprofessional about it. Everyone thinks I made
it up or something, but I really didn't. The idea was to make a new
pressing that would have an enhanced CD that you could watch the movie
on, but that could be really far down the line.
Influences?
Last night you were rocking to Guns n Roses.
GnR is definitely an influence, though not on the surface. I was not
a metal kid at all, though I definitely like GnR. GnR seemed to transcend
things. Everyone seemed to be into that band. As far as influences I
can only speak from my own point of view. I 'm definitely into album
rock. I really like Pink Floyd , Peter Gabriel, those reaching for the
stars kind of albums, where it’s almost borderline campy.
On a smaller scale, I am influenced by modern classical. I like a lot
of John Cage. I definitely made a conscious effort to incorporate that
kind of sensibility into rock. Bobby and I are big into country-western
bands--I like a lot of singer/ songwriter dynamic. Singer/ songwriter
is very powerful. Band dynamics are few and far between as far as being
powerful. There are definitely great bands out there but when it’s
one person with one vision, I think the connection is made a lot quicker.
With bands there are all these channels and filters that go through
each member’s mind. And sometimes I think the singer/songwriter
kind of thing is a little more direct and a little more easier to connect
with. That is just my opinion. A lot of people would probably disagree
with that.
How
did sampling become part of your sound?
I've
always liked it. I don’t know why, I just always liked it. Sampling
is one of those things that can be easily misused and done badly, so
maybe that's why it excites me. There is an element of risk to it--of
it being absolutely stupid. I don’t have an answer for it.
How
long have you been playing together?
I
started the name about 4 years ago, somewhere between 3 years and 4
years ago. But from the onset we started putting out records.
Average
time spent on your hair?
15 sec
Piercings?
0
Tattoos?
Only one, on Aryn (drummer).
Hours of sleep per night?
I need a lot. I like to get 8. On tour I don't always get it.
Hours practicing?
It absolutely just depends, mainly just because of my schedule. With
me I usually work about the time they get off work. Basically if I have
a day off we try and practice. I try to make a conscious effort to try
and practice more if we’re about to go on tour. I am sure we won't
see each other for awhile after this tour, not that we aren't getting
along. But after 3 weeks on the road together you’re kind of sick
of seeing each other.
How many white belts do you own?
Funny ‘cause someone else was talking about white belts in Pittsburgh.
I don’t own any and I am pretty sure they don’t own any. Bobby
(bass) is looking pretty fashionable these days. Bobby has a lot of
Texas pride right now.
What would you say to someone who did not know what to think about
your music?
As long as they have a reaction, I am satisfied. The more violent the
reaction the better. If they really like it, that’s awesome, but
I kind of like it when people hate it. That’s what good art is.
I don’t like any fence sitters. I don’t like people going
' yeah you guys are pretty good'. That’s what bothers me more than
anything else. I gotta move them in some way even if it is repulsion.
That’s ok, I don’t want to float in mediocrity. I want them
to think it’s great or I want them to think it’s horrible.
How
about the new full length?
No street date yet, late spring or early summer.
The tour how did it go?
It went really well. The last couple of tours were rough--not organized
the way they should be. This kind of turned the pattern around. It was
a good time.
Are you going to tour when the new CD is out?
Immediately. Yeah, immediately. We’ll be right back through.
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