-you-like-a-hurricane quality... has the band been together long?
Terence: The entire band has been together for about a month and a half. But each member has had a long and dramatic past with previous bands and projects. Robert and I were in Smalltown Zeroz for a good year. Chris and Alan were in Subject to Disaster for about the same time. Edgar was lead guitar in a band called A Crash Flight To Cairo for the same time as well. Randy played bass in a band called Glory Beyond Zero. We've all pretty much played shows with each other in the same local venues and contributed to each other�s projects.
E: Is this band at all like your previous projects?
Terence: Not at all. Before all of us have been in the whole post-hardcore/screamo scene, but it wasn't really satisfying for everyone had different ideas of what a band should be. All of our styles vary immensely but clashing has never been a problem. Our ideas seem to coalesce perfectly.
E: Is there any particular sound you've been trying to match as a group?
Terence: Not really, but our guitarist has a lot of emphasis on the harmonic minor scale which is primarily used in neo-classical bands, a' la Yngwie Malmsteen. Combined with my love for classical piano and effects, I feel our sound is not so much progressive but entirely unique.
E: Do you think you pay more attention to the traditional, technical aspects of making music than a lot of other modern bands?
Terence: No, it's just that almost all of our members have been trained in music professionally. We pay attention to music theory, and not necessarily what's going on in the scene. Of course sometimes we'll play something on impulse or on instinct, but when we want to perfect a certain part of a song we'll all have certain goals on what we want it to sound like. Pretty much we try to stay on the same page when it comes to timing and structure.
E: The band's name, Boys of Pencey Prep--is its origin a reference to Salinger's best-known work?
Terence: Yes. In the Catcher in the Rye, the main character Holden Caulfield attended Pencey Prep. I feel I can relate to him more than any icon in literature that I've ever read
E: How quickly are you working to get your first album out?
Terence: We're practicing every day and we're scheduled to be in the studio in this coming winter. We're just trying to build a fan base while hopefully writing enough material to be picked up by well-known bands and have us open for them.
E: And the future is looking bright?
Terence: Yes, considering our airplay last week on Indie 103.1�a LA/OC based radio station--and the response we have received from not only our family and friends, but also the internet community, it has given us high hopes and inspired us to continue working hard on our new material.
E: Is a lot weighing on the success of this band?
Terence: Not really, all of us got together to make music and not necessarily to make it big. We're in it to have fun and if it takes us somewhere then we'll gladly accept it. Being that we're all eighteen and under, we're still attending school and trying to earn our diplomas/degrees. We still keep the band and music in general very much in our futures.
E: Do you think today's music scene is ready for what you're making?
Terence: It's not so much ready, we just don't know the reaction of the listeners. We're either going to get two responses: either you'll hate us, or you'll love us. So far people have been accepting our attempt at this "new genre."
E: Do you know what you'd all be doing if it wasn't for the band?
Terence: Other than sitting in front of the television and watching Cartoon Network while eating pork rinds in my boxers, I'd probably be contributing more to my high school drama department.
Robert: I'd just probably be training to get into Julliard School of Music.
Edgar: I'd probably be trying to get my business major.
Alan: Trying to get through freshman year in high school... and get laid.
Randy: Just trying to find another band.
Chris: Thinking of someone in particular. **Cough** BIANCA **cough**
E: **Laughs** Well, that should be enough. Thanks a lot--anything else to say?
Terence: I'd like to give a big thank you to Euphonia and any big bands wanting to put us on tour with them. We will even sell our drummer for various odd jobs around their tour buses **wink wink**. I'm Rick James.... B****.
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more on
BOYS OF PENCEY PREP...
                         
Official Site
                          MP3 -
"Dynamite City"
...
Interviewed was
Terence
interviewed by robby sumner
12/20/04
review & interview content, as well as web site graphics & design, copywrite 2003-2004 Euphonia Online. use of materials granted only with reasonable purposes.
BOYS OF PENCEY PREP--
Terence Calacsan - Vocals, Keytar
Robert Pena - Guitar
Chris Basilo - Guitar
Randy Colon - Bass
Alan Krespan - Drums
Edgar Munoz - FX, Synth