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[This interview was taken two times, once with Andrew [bassist] and the second was with both Jim [drummer] and Jack [guitarist]. So since I asked basically the same questions, I tried to blend the two interviews.]
Estrella: When did Bayside begin?
Andrew: Bayside began, two and a half years ago in Long Island
Jim: That's a good question because I'm not really positive. Bayside began for me about four months ago.
Jack: Same for me.
Jim: April
Jack: We're relatively new
Jim: April 2003 is it?
Jack: I know that Bayside has been around for probably the last three years or so
Jim: Two years, three years, something like that. The town of Bayside in Queens that it's been named after has been there for a long time.
Estrella: The band's name
Jack: Yea
Estrella: Is Anthony the only original member?
Jack: Anthony is the only original member. Andrew's only been in the band..
Jim:I've heard rumors that Anthony isn't even an original member
Jack: Actually yea
Estrella: So you just kick everybody out and bring in new people?
Jack: We're the new people
Jim: They just try to get the right fit and then they work with it and get it professional
Estrella: Yea I know
Jack: Yea, I think that alot of people have been in and out and they have gone to different things
Jim: Some people weren't as serious as others
Jack: Yea
Jim: Only serious contenders
Jack: Yea, Andrew's been in the band for like a year and a half, I think
Jim: Yea
Jack: And then Anthony has been in it for probably like two or three years
Estrella: Alright, where is everyone from?
Jim: Me and Jack from Boston
Jack: Yup, Boston, Go Boston
Jim: Boston, Massachusetts, Andrew is from Long Island, and Anthony is from Bayside
Estrella: Everyone's from Long Island
Jack: Not us, we're holding strong
Jim: Yup I'm sticking with Boston
Jack: Yea, I gotta stick with Boston too.
Estrella: Ok
Jack: Boston wins, two to nothing
Jim: Right
Estrella: So at least you know how the name came up right, Bayside?
Jack: Yea
Jim: Yea, I figured that one out already
Estrella: How did the band come up with the name "Bayside"?
Andrew: I'm not really sure, I wasn't in the band when they got the name. When they were recording their demo and everybody was just kinda like throwing out names, I guess, and Bayside is the one that gotten written on the demos, so that's the name we have.
Estrella: So, how do you like touring so far?
Andrew: Um, it's good, it's okay, like after a while you kinda wanna go home, but in general it's fun. You meet alot of cool people.
Jack: I like it
Jim: It's awesome, get to play a show every night, um, it's, it's great all around, good times
Jack: It's better than sliced bread
Estrella: How do you like being on Victory Records?
Andrew: We haven't really been on that long, so far, they've been awesome to us. But, I mean we haven't done a record yet. It's been all just kinda like, it's like the name is on our band, but we haven't really done anything for them yet. So we haven't been really to do too much. But everything so far, they've been great to us.
Jack: That's awesome
Jim: It's cool but like, you know, we haven't reaped any benefits from it yet, but I'm sure we will eventually
Jack: Yea
Jim: But we haven't even recorded
Jack: Actually that's not entirely true, we have reaped some benefits, but it's nice to have like a label behind us who's able to promote shows, and to send, who's gonna make posters and stickers for us that are promoting an album that hasn't come out
Jim: Fine
Jack: Who are going to be sending clubs posters for us
Jim: Yea, they have already helped us out, I'm sure they'll help us out even more
Estrella: I tried to take a poster
Jack: Yea, we can get you a poster
Estrella: No, it was on the wall and it was a while ago, and I tried to take it, but I didn't want to take it cause it was at the Made Tour and everyone was here
Jack: We can get you a poster. Yea, but they do alot, just having our name up on the Victory website and definitely helps people, just helps draw attention to us
Jim: Yea
Jack: And they have been doing alot for us and we do have some friends that work there as well, who are doing alot of stuff for us. So far it's been a very positive thing, we're just looking forward to recording now
Estrella: What would you be doing if you weren't in a band?
Andrew: I'd be still in school writing. Like, starting to be a writer
Jim: Um, honestly or yea, honestly, I'd probably be driving a school bu
Jack: I'd be persuing my life long dream of playing guitar for GWAR or doing graphic design for a software company, probably "The Ladder"
Estrella: Who writes most of the songs?
Andrew: Anthony writes most of the music, Jack's just started writing some, and I write all of the lyrics
Jack: That would be Anthony
Jim:Anthony right there
Jack: Anthony has written almost, probably 95% of the material we're doing now
Jim:I've only been in the band for four months
Jack: Yea, we've only been here, we spent the first, we spent the first chunk of time sorta catching up, playing old stuff, and we're just, the last few times, in between the last tour and this tour we spent a couple weeks just writing new material and stuff so this has been... This tour is actually pretty interesting, it's like really the first time we've been out here playing songs that we've written together, rather then rehatching old material, so it's been alot of fun
Estrella: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it?
Andrew: Just straight rock. I wouldn't put any label on it.
Jack: Uh, Sort of pop rock, a little bit on the punk edge
Jim:I just say rock
Jack: Rock? I think we sound like a cross between the Smoking Popes and Alkaline Trio
Estrella: What are you currently listening to?
Andrew: Right now, the new Saves The Day cd and Cursive
Jim: Me?, who me?
Jack: Um, Howard Stern repeat shows and Beetlejuice clips
Jim: I listen to Guided By Voices mostly. And uh, Blaulb!
Jack: I listen to Sunset is a Battle, that's Jim's old band, I also listen to alot of like Noise Rocket, noise, and jazz
Jim:And the Beatles
Jack: And the Beatles
Jim: And Guided By Voices, the Beatles, and Blaulb!
Jack: And actually, actually I've been, we've been doing alot of listening to just alot of others, other bands that are happening right now, some of the Victory bands, and
Jim: Silverstein, Spitalfield
Jack: Yea, Silverstein, Spitalfield, and actually we got to play with Silverstein on the last tour and they were really, that was an awesome experience
Jim: Those guys are killer
Jack: They really are, they're so good, I hope they read that and they're like "Man, those guys from Bayside, they're pretty good guys"
Estrella: What do you like most about your fans?
Andrew: Just that they come. And they come up and talk. You know. They come period, because if they're not there, there's no point in playing shows.
Jim: The fans, How they cool me off when they blow on me
Estrella: Ohmigod, I got that answer before
Jack: Hey now
Jim: Really?
Jack: You unoriginal bastard
Jim: Damn puns, Fans, I don't know
Jack: It's flattering having them come up and tell you that they really like what you're doing
Jim: The flattery
Jack: The flattery, it's not flattery, it's almost embarassing
Jim: Oh yea, the embarassment
Estrella: The embarassment?
Jim: You know
Jack: I like it when they come up and they suckerpunch you and tell you "Nice show, asxhole". That doesn't happen too frequently.
Jim: No
Jack: But I treasure the moment when it does
Estrella: What do you enjoy most about being in a band?
Andrew:Probably getting to meet fans and just getting to meet people in general.
Jack: I think sleeping in a van with four other sweaty guys is probably one of my favorite things
Jim: I just playing
Jack: Yea, seriously, the fact that I get to wake up everyday and my job is to play guitar, everyday and just do something I genuinely enjoy is amazing
Jim: Play video games
Jack: Yea, it's a dream come true
Estrella: Do you have any goals for your band? If so, what are some?
Andrew:Just for it to be fun. That's all. That's all of my goal
Jim: Um
Jack: We'll I mean, we'd definitely like to experience some success on some level, not necessarily financially but just. we'll obviously to some degree financially, but, that's not the end goal, I mean the fact that, what my goal for coming into this band was that I really decided it would be an amazing thing to be able tour the country and maybe other parts of the world and playing music that to a receptive audience who really knew and cared about the music you're playing, I think that's gotta be a phenomoenal thing as to go half way around the globe and to have people there who know the words to your songs and are just excited to see you, it really, sorta get off on your music, is something that is remarkable
Jim: If it happens
Jack: I hope it happens
Jim:If it happens it's your goal
Jack: If it doesn't happen I'm gonna cry, a little, but then I'll be okay
Jim:That's your goal?
Jack: Alright, that's my goal, that's my final answer
Jim: I'm sticking with, I think Jack's pretty much summed it up for me
Estrella: Do you have any advice for your fans?
Andrew: Advice for fans, no, none whatsoever. for other bands, just to go out and tour alot, and to just keep working, that's about it.
Jack: Study hard and stay in school
Jim: No. Seriously though, start young
Jack: Actually, yes totally
Jim: Just do it, just like even if you suck, just keep getting better, and like do shows, and don't spend to much money on your recordings and promote yourself, and listen to Guided By Voices
[women screaming in the background]
Jack: And stay away from people like that, no, yea, but absolutely, like I've been in bands before where we don't go anymore because we spend so much time practing and trying to perfect our set
Jim: Yea, don't just perfect
Jack: Start touring, like if you really wanna make it, you just have to get yourself out there
Jim: Buy a van
Jack: Buy a van and start playing shows, just book your own tour, get out there, do it, get off your lazy behind!
Jim: Do it
Jack: And clean up your room!
Jim: Dxmmit
Jack: This place is a mess
Estrella: And any closing words?
Andrew: Thank you.
Estrella [to Jim and Jack]: Basically what you just said?
Jim: Closing statements?
Jack: I don't know, sometimes I wonder
Jim: Um, don't lend your friends your comedy material
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