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| ::Interviews:: |
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| review & interview content, as well as web site graphics & design, copywrite 2003-2004 Euphonia Online. use of materials granted only with reasonable purposes. |
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| interviewed by robby sumner |
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Peter Munters - Vocals, Guitar Nick Bailey - Guitar, Vocals Seth Watts - Bass, Vocals James Ulrich - Drums "Eddie" - Band Manager |
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| Interview with Peter, Nick, Seth, and Eddie November 10th, 2003 |
| E: Guys, ever since you started Over It in 1998 you've been receiving more and more acclaim from the punk world, playing shows with countless other notable bands. What do you think was key in getting you to where you are today? Nick: Always writing songs, perseverence... working hard has definitely been key to any kind of success we've seen. Seth: I think that helping out whenever we can has gotten us farther than not. Every band should try to hook up... people remember the good and forget the bad, if they can. E: What do you think has been the greatest marker in your career thus far? Peter: Getting to participate in Warped Tour two years in a row. Seth: We got to play a show with the band ALL. That was gnarly. E: You guys have a tour in Japan coming up soon with Yellowcard. Will this be a new experience for you? Are you excited? Seth: Very excited. We have to go to the Japanese Consulate tomorrow morning to get the last of the papers in order... I've never done anything like this. Peter: I'm sure I'll experience deja vu; I went to Japan with Yellowcard in May. Eddie: I'm not going. I won't know what it's like. E: Even as you become more and more recognized within the punk world, is it still difficult to remain professional in the presence of bands with lasting legacies? Seth: You know, I finally realized they're all just a bunch of dudes. They wanna hang out. We helped Jimmy Eat World unload yesterday up in Santa Barbara. Eddie Numbskull was doing the show, and he needed some help... so we got to hang out with JIMMY, and they were duding it up as much as I've ever seen. E: What do you think being in a rock band, touring and recording, has taught you? Eddie: RESPONSIBILITY. Seth: Good answer, Eddie. It's taught us a lot about the world (touring) and ourselves (recording). Eddie: 1. Always get a receipt, 2. Never get drunk before you settle, and 3. Always check the date on the turkey. E: How would you compare being in a band with some of the more mundane places of employment? Nick: You don't have to wear a uniform and you make your own hours. Eddie: When I worked at Express... I had to deal with customers' attitudes. Being with the band, they have to worry about my attitude. And I hate when kids ask for prices on merch, 'cause the sign's right there. E: Do you find songwriting to be more successful when you sit down with the intention of writing a great song, or when an idea just pops into your head sometime, say, on tour? Peter: It's a subtle mix of the two. Nick: Both. E: How much of your music would you say was influenced by real life? Seth: We tried to break into Warped Tour two years ago and got kicked out... that turned into a song. We worry a lot... that turned into a song. This interview will probably turn into a song. E: Will I get credit in the CD jacket? Eddie: If I get credit, and only if I get credit, will they consider giving you credit. Seth: Shut up, Eddie. Of course we will. E: Do all of the songs you write on tour end up getting recorded in the studio? Seth: Most of the stuff written on tour is just a piece... most pieces find their way into songs. Songs are typically written on tour... usually something happens when Pete and Nick sit down together in Virgina or Ventura. Nick: I wrote "Fall" on tour. We were in Canada and had a lot of time on our hands. E: What is the hardest part about keeping up with the duties of being in a band? Seth: There's no way to do things... no manual or training pamphlet... so everything is made up as we go along. Hell, who knows what we'll do next. E: Growing up, did any of you foresee yourselves as being where you are right now? Nick: We live life with a no-expectations policy. We definitely didn't see ourselves anywhere other than our basements, really. Seth: Expectations can be a huge drag... they can lead to that ultra-jaded type of person. Going with the flow is much more fun. Eddie: I thought I was going to be in jail. E: If you weren't playing music, where do you think you'd be? Seth: We'd all still be in school. Nick and I would be seniors... Nick went to Virginia Tech and I went to St. Johns College in Annapolis, Maryland. Pete went to school with me and was a year older, so he'd be starting graduate school this year. James didn't start college, but he was accepted to JMU and kept deferring... so he would probably still be there. E: Where do you hope to take Over It in the future? Peter: Everywhere. You know what I mean. Seth: I dunno about my grandmother's CD player. Peter: Your grandmother probably loves your band--what are you talking about? |