The Fiction Plane Info Center was lucky enough to sit in on this interview. Here is our review of the unique experience. Enjoy!While driving to the station, we heard “Death Machine” on the radio. At first, we didn’t know how to react, because it seemed a strange occurrence to be hearing them on the radio. It was weird, but still really cool.
The station was located in a Clear Channel compound right next to a K-Mart. We arrived as the guys were warming up. We were welcomed by all and sat on a love seat in the corner.
While the guys were tuning their guitars, Pete was banging on everything in the studio trying to find a decent percussion sound. He ended up settling on a plastic fishbowl, which was full of shreds of paper with dirty questions on them.
During Seton’s tuning, he was doing some finger exercises with some amazing runs up and down the guitar neck, arpeggio-style. The man is a REALLY talented guitarist…not that any of you needed convincing.
Joe was warming up making strange warbling noises and playing acoustic Rage Against The Machine. It almost seemed like he was possessed, because for that moment, he didn’t seem like he was aware he was in the room at all.
The interview begins; Joe & Seton are seated in front of mic’s, while Pete stands off to the side (small studio). The guys noodle with their instruments while JJ, the DJ, talks, and they play with the little tchotchkes around the studio console.
JJ asked what the funniest story they had while on the road with Snoop Dogg, and the only thing they could come up with was on one of the off-dates (where 311 was not playing), Snoop tried to pump up the audience by shouting, “Anybody out there ready for 311?” and the crowd looked confused. Yeah, not exactly an exciting story, but it sounds like FP has been making an extra effort to behave.
During the first break, JJ asks, “what is the one question, besides Sting-related stuff, are you guys tired of hearing?” Almost in unison, they say, “how did the band get together?” The guys decided that since the way they got together was so boring, they would just start making stuff up. Some of these bizarre little stories were reiterated on the air, when the DJ jokingly asks the question.
They take a call, and someone with a very thick red-neck accent says, “Why you all talking about America like that? If it weren’t for us, Hitler would have taken over England, and y’all would be speaking German!”
Everyone in the studio looked shocked. Seton thought for a minute and asked to get the guy back so he could retort. JJ was about to push the button to call him back, but the other guys said to let it go. This turned into a bit of an inside joke, as the guys would break out into southern accents during the off-air segments. (Editor’s note: When listening to the recording of the interview, this is the call that prompted the American music that starts out the recorded feed. The call, as well as the entire segment that was taped before this, was dumped.)
Also during the interview, they said that they didn’t get any sleep the night before, because they were up all night starting a new band with Snoop’s road crew called Code Seven. They recorded a 5-song EP of a new genre of music – acoustic hip-hop.
They play “Two Sisters” and “Death Machine”, and during “Two Sisters,” Seton drops his guitar pick. While still strumming, he inches to the floor, which reminded us of the part in “Shout,” where they go, “A little bit softer now, a little bit softer now.” Pete and Joe just stared at him, trying to figure out what he was doing, and started laughing when they realized it was just to get his pick. When Seton got back up, Pete lowered himself to the floor, mockingly. It was a real highlight. (If you listen closely during “Two sisters”, you can hear when it happens by the laughter.)
Between segments, Joe picked up a kazoo and started blowing on it and talking through it. I said that he sounded like a Dalek (from Doctor Who), and Joe turns his head quickly and exclaims, “A DALEK?
”, as if one just entered the room. Very funny.
At previous concerts, we had heard Joe play the Airwolf theme during sound check. We thought this was odd, so we asked how he knew it. He immediately starts playing Airwolf theme acoustic and Seton starts talking about different cool TV themes that they can play. Joe starts to play the Knight Rider theme song on the acoustic, and Seton started analyzing the structure of the Knight Rider song. Another surreal, funny moment.
After the interview, Seton asked JJ where the best waves were that day for surfing. JJ made a quick phone call and replied, “79th Street, 10th Street, and the inlet.” Guess where Seton and Pete spent most of the afternoon?
If you missed the interview, we have it linked here. Enjoy!
allison.moonfruit.com/#/96rockinstudiosalisbury/4530155126
”, as if one just entered the room. Very funny.
