Interviews

Interview by Beth VanBoxtel

    Halifax—a five-piece band from Thousand Oaks, CA—is the group that have been whispered through Websites and bounced off the walls of various venues around the country. Halifax is prepared to take their music to the next level and play in shows with more acclaimed bands. They commit to being a nationally touring band with upcoming events on their plate such as the Skate and Surf Festival in New Jersey (on April 17). Earlier this year, Halifax released a six-song EP known as A WRITER'S REFERENCE on NoMilk Records that displays for listeners their advanced guitar skills, vocal talent, and surprising riffs and hooks.

SKRATCH: We'll start out with your touring plans for the spring and summer. What are hoping to achieve on these tours?
ADAM: Phone numbers of girls in skirts.
MIKE: So true.
KEVIN: Great interview, you jackasses, Anyone gonna really answer?
MIKE: We're planning on some East Coast stuff with Boys Night Out in early April, as well as Skate and Surf Fest; and summer is still in the works. As far as achievements, we just want to play as much as we can and get our music out there.
KEVIN: And sell as many copies of A WRITER'S REFERENCE as we can.
MIKE: Yeah, that, too.

SKRATCH: Okay, then. How has the EP been selling online and at shows?
ADAM: That depends on how well we play any given night.
KEVIN: Today it is #7 on Smartpunk.com.
MIKE: It's doing fairly well, considering how new we are and how long it has actually been out. I'm happy with how it's doing.

SKRATCH: Awesome. What's your favorite song to play live from the EP?
MIKE: My favorite song to play live has to be "Sydney".
ADAM: We've been closing with "Broken Glass Syndrome" lately, and I think it's the most energetic, my favorite. Wait, I mean "Sydney", too.
MIKE: There you go, Adam: always giving in.

SKRATCH: With the song on Purevolume.com, have you noticed that kids are coming out and singing along to that song simply because they can find it online? And how has the Internet helped boost the support of your band?
KEVIN: I've noticed random people are singing along with it. I have no idea where they are getting it. Either Purevolume or mp3.com when that was still up, and possibly even our e-card.
MIKE: When we first recorded that song, we put it up on Absolutepunk.net and mp3.com. Then when Purevolume came up, it went on there. So yeah, that's been the most accessible song, and I personally have noticed a lot of people at random shows singing along.
ADAM: I don't think one person has heard the stuff off of Purevolume, but "Sydney" was on mp3.com ,and a wicked amount of kids did hear if off of there before AWR came out. They do sing, and it's awesome.
KEVIN: The Internet is an amazing promotional tool.
ADAM: I think the Internet as a whole has created more buzz on this band than any street team could have.
KEVIN: Look where this interview is happening.
MIKE: Good call.

SKRATCH: If you were to describe your music to someone who has never heard it before, how would you do so?
ADAM: THE question. [Laughs]
KEVIN: Pass.
MIKE: We are compared to Story of the Year and The Used often. So when people ask me, I say a John Feldman band.
ADAM: It's rock 'n' roll.
KEVIN: We get compared to Taking Back Sunday a lot, too.

SKRATCH: Are any of those bands that you'd like to tour with? Or what would be your dream tour to play?
KEVIN: I would love to tour with any of those bands.
ADAM: Any band is a band I want to tour with. We all just want to tour.
MIKE: I'm with Adam: I'd love to tour with those bands.
KEVIN: But what would our dream tour be, kids?
ADAM: [Iron] Maiden.
KEVIN: Yeah, let's tour with Maiden.
ADAM: I did: Maiden and [Judas] Priest. That's a tour!
MIKE: Dream tour is with The Higher.

SKRATCH: Why The Higher?
KEVIN: We already toured with The Higher, you idiot.
MIKE: 'Cause they are awesome guys, and friendly people make the best tours.

SKRATCH: How many days out of the year are you on tour?
MIKE: We just started touring, so not many yet.
ADAM: As far as touring, we're all for the most part still in school, so we don't have that much time to tour.
ADAM: Summers and weeks off are our prime times to tour.
ADAM: I have a feeling this might be our last semester in classes, though.

SKRATCH: Because you want to pursue this band more?
MIKE: Yeah!
ADAM: Definitely.
KEVIN: Yeah, for sure
ADAM: But stay in school, kids.
KEVIN: We're at the point now where we can actually pick and choose some tours.
KEVIN: I never ever thought I'd be saying "no" to an invitation to any tour.
MIKE: Yeah, that's amazing: to have options.

SKRATCH: What is one goal you'd like to achieve with this band by the end of 2004?
KEVIN: I want to be touring with a full-length.
ADAM: Have a local following to some degree. We get no love at home.
KEVIN: Yeah, we have zero hometown following.
MIKE: Have a following, period, and have a full-length.
KEVIN: That would be nice.
ADAM: Have a fan bake me a cake and bring it to the show. That'd be nice.

SKRATCH: Funny you should mention that: I brought a cake to a band last night.
MIKE: That's awesome.
ADAM: Damn you! Where are you at our shows?

SKRATCH: Any memorable moments playing live?
MIKE: Kevin hit me in the head one time at the Troubadour.
KEVIN: Yeah, really, really hard.
ADAM: Every time Mike does a 3/4 front flip and lands on his back. Oh, man, that's good to watch.
MIKE: It was fun. Seriously, Adam, you are the only one who appreciates that.
KEVIN: One time we were playing, and something with the P.A. exploded, and Chris ran away like a little girl—and we kept playing.
MIKE: That was awesome.
ADAM: Yeah, he ran like a girl and covered his ears.
KEVIN: Mike throws up when we play to big crowds. That's quite memorable.
MIKE: Yeah, well, I get nervous.

SKRATCH: You guys get along well. How long have you known each other?
MIKE: Who says we get along well?
ADAM: We all bond by making fun of Mike. I've known Kevin and Chris since high school. We're tight like a 12-year-old. (Oh, that was bad.)
KEVIN: I've known Chris and Adam for a number of years. Good times in high school. Then I met Mike through Halifax long before I was in the band. And Tommy and I met at my first Halifax band practice.
MIKE: Chris and I were in the original Halifax, and Tommy and I have been friends for a few years. I met Kevin and Adam through Chris.
ADAM: I do feel close to all these knuckleheads, though.

SKRATCH: What are three albums that you can't leave home without?
ADAM: Refused's SHAPE OF PUNK TO COME, Weezer's BLUE ALBUM, and The Casket Lottery's MOVING MOUNTAINS.
KEVIN: THE CHRONIC, DOGGYSTYLE, and who needs a third one?!
MIKE: Saosin's EP, Thrice's ILLUSION OF SAFETY, and Jimmy Eat World's S/T.
KEVIN: Yeah, I listen to CLARITY (Jimmy Eat World) a lot.

SKRATCH: Speaking of Thrice, what are some other Southern California bands you like to support? play with? think people should listen to?
ADAM: Well, we really like The Higher from Las Vegas.
MIKE: Mind Driver from Orange County. They are way nice guys—and a good band.
KEVIN: Any band from NoMilk Records, The Higher from Vegas, Taken from Orange County, and definitely Mind Driver.
ADAM: There's this band Halifax from Thousand Oaks, too. They need to be listened to.
MIKE: Good call.
KEVIN: Yeah, you should definitely make them your favorite band.

SKRATCH: [Laughs] Nothing like shameless self-promotion.
ADAM: Nope. We have zero shame.

SKRATCH: Anything else you'd like to add to this interview?
ADAM: I don't know who that brave girl was who first decided to wear a skirt in the middle of winter with her Ugg boots, but I just want to salute her and thank her for her contribution to society.
MIKE: I want to say one thing: On our first tour we recently did with The Matches, I want to thank every one of those kids that came and did sing along to "Sydney" and all the kids who gave us a chance.
KEVIN: If we're gonna say thanks to people, I'd really like to thank Chris's family for the countless things they have done for Halifax.
ADAM: These aren't linear notes, fags.
KEVIN: Don't use that word!
MIKE: Well, in that case, check out Halifax, PLEASE.

Check www.halifaxrock.com for updates, touring info, and free music downloads.

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