
Interview by Denise Blaz
Spastic breakdowns and powerhouse screaming are only a snippet of what ornaments Haste the Day's debut CD, BURNING BRIDGES. I showed up late to the venue the night of this interview to find a line of people stretching around to the corner waiting in the rain to get into the show. But once inside, I introduced myself and began the interview shortly thereafter—only to find out that their music in no way matches their personalities.
Jimmy happens to think that's he's quite timid while doing interviews, so this interview was conducted in two parts—hence my asking some questions twice. The first part was done with frontman Jimmy Ryan, the second with guitarist Brennan Chaulk and drummer Devin Chaulk.
SKRATCH:
Your CD just came out this past Tuesday, and you guys played at
a high-school cafeteria for your CD-release show. Why
did you
decide to do it there?
JIMMY: We have a really great group of fans in Indianapolis.
At our last show in Indianapolis, we had 700 kids out. It was
amazing.
And
three guys from the band went to the high school, and a lot of
people that go to our shows are from that high school, so we
wanted to have
a CD-release [show] with all our fans and all the people that
we love. We also did another one a half an hour later at a record
store, and
there were about 250 people who came out to that who were at
the
first one, so it was really exciting.
SKRATCH: How has the response been so far towards
the record?
JIMMY: We haven't gotten the first-week sales report yet, but
I know that the first day in Indianapolis we sold 610 records.
And
a lot
of my friends in different cities are calling me and saying
that Best
Buy was sold out.
SKRATCH: What are some of your favorite places
to go in your hometown?
JIMMY: I know some of the guys hang out in coffeeshops, but
I like to drive my Jeep. I love driving my Jeep.
SKRATCH: How do you entertain yourselves on
the road?
JIMMY: It's pretty easy, because we're all best friends.
We don't have a TV or anything, but we listen to CDs and
we wrestle.
We
like to goof
around.
SKRATCH: You're on Solid State Records.
Is that a part of Tooth & Nail?
JIMMY: Yeah. The heavier bands are on Solid State.
SKRATCH: You scream a lot in your music. When
did you first realize you had the capability to do that?
JIMMY: I was in eighth grade, and I started listening
to metal, and I was like, "I just want to try that," so
I just started screaming.
SKRATCH: Are you planning on voting?
JIMMY: I'm not registered, and I'm very upset that
I'm not. But I would like to vote. I'm not at home,
so….
SKRATCH: Can't you mail in your vote?
JIMMY: Can you really? I don't know these things,
but I totally want to vote.
SKRATCH: What's a band
out there right now that you think deserves more recognition?
JIMMY: I would say Emery on Tooth & Nail Records. They get
a lot of recognition, but they deserve more, because
they're awesome.
SKRATCH: What's your favorite band?
JIMMY: I love Fugazi, Bjork, and I really like
The Police and The Cure.
SKRATCH: Spirituality
plays a very prevalent role in your music. Has it always been a
part of your
life?
JIMMY: No. I'm 25 now, and in the past six
years it's taken a role in my life. I haven't
been
into it my
whole life,
so it's
kind
of a new thing.
SKRATCH: How about the other guys?
JIMMY: They were all raised with religious
backgrounds.
SKRATCH: What's your favorite word?
JIMMY: My favorite word would probably
be "word," because
I say that all the time. [Laughs]
SKRATCH: What's a hobby that you've always
wanted to take up?
JIMMY: I've always wanted to learn
how to play guitar—which is
funny, because I'm in a band and I
should learn.
SKRATCH: Do you have
a motto that you
live your life by?
JIMMY: I just think that we all try
to love God first before anything.
That's
the most
important
thing
for us, so I
guess that, if that's
a motto.
SKRATCH: Have you received any bad
criticism for that?
JIMMY: Yeah, we have. But, you
know, that happens.
SKRATCH: Who's the girl on the
cover, and who designed it?
JIMMY Asterisk Studios designed
it. They do a lot of artwork
for Tooth & Nail.
And the girl on the cover is
one of Demonhunter's Clark brothers'
wives.
SKRATCH: If you had to
describe
yourself in one word, what
would it be?
JIMMY: I want to say fun, but
I hope that doesn't sound conceited.
SKRATCH: What are some of your
other interests outside of
the band?
JIMMY: I really like Jeeps
a lot.
SKRATCH: What kind of Jeep
do you drive?
JIMMY: I have a '94 Jeep
Wrangler. I love Jeeps.
SKRATCH: What color is
it?
JIMMY: It's white. It
looks like one of those
Barbie
Jeeps.
SKRATCH: Are you planning
on voting in the
upcoming presidential
election?
MIKE: I can't, because
I'm actually a Canadian
resident.
I have my
green card,
but I wish
I could. Maybe one
day I'll become
a citizen.
SKRATCH: Who would
you like to vote
for?
BRENNAN: Bush.
Is he going again?
SKRATCH: What's a band out there
right
now
that you
think deserves
more recognition?
MIKE: I've been
listening to
Bleeding Through
a lot.
SKRATCH: Are
you guys just
into
metal?
DEVIN: No,
I'm actually
more
into bands
like Jimmy
Eat
World. I like
Copeland
and Death
Cab for Cutie.
BRENNAN: Copeland
is my favorite
band right
now.
SKRATCH: Is
there anything
that
annoys you
guys about
the other
members
in the band?
BRENNAN:
Jason cracking
his
toes all
the time.
(I hope
that makes
the magazine!)
SKRATCH:
Is there
anything
that
you would
like to
add?
BRENNAN:
Oh, I don't
know….
What do
people
usually
say?
SKRATCH:
Stuff
like, "Go buy our CD."
BRENNAN:
[Laughs]
Okay,
then:
go buy
our CD.
SKRATCH:
Well,
let's
talk
about
the
CD. How
stoked
are
you about
it
now that
it's
come
out?
DEVIN:
I love
it.
A friend
of
mine
called
me
today
and
told
me
that
all
his
friends
that
despise
screaming
music
are
really
liking
the
CD
are
going
out
to
buy
it
because
there's
so
much
melody.
We're
not
the
best
at
what
we're
doing,
but
I think
we
have
a little
bit
of
something different.
So
I say:
go
buy
our
CD.
If
you
hate
our
style
of
music,
just
give
it
a
chance—you
might
like
it.
Haste the Day will be touring with non-stop tenacity this year. Go to www.hastetheday.com to find out tour dates.