Interviews

Avoid One Thing

Interview with Joe on Nov 30, 2000 by Archive Bot

I'd like to thank Joe Gittleman of Avoid One Thing and Eddie @ Side One Dummy for making this interview happen. 

PB: Avoid One Thing is a new band. Perhaps you can give us a brief synopsis of it. When and where you got started and how you came together.
AOT: We got started in August of this year. So you know just like within the last 5 months. It kind of started as a studio project. I had a bunch of songs that I wanted to record, so I called my friend Paul who is a guitar player. We wanted to go into the studio and record some tunes. We weren't really necessarily positive that it was going to be a band until we were done and we thought it was really good. So we wanted to take it to the next thing [level]. We wanted to do it for as much fun as we could get out of it. I think there is enough heavy-handed kind of shit in the world, you know?

PB: If you could compare Avoid One Thing's musical style to an existing band, who would it be?
AOT: Well I can only tell you who people say to me cause I wouldn't really know. People say Pegboy and I don't even know if they exist. People say Jawbreaker, people say a little Social Distortion. But I don't really know. You know it's hard for me to tell. But those are the two most common comparisons that we got.

PB: My understanding is that you were and still are a Mighty Mighty Bosstone. Why did you feel the need to start a new band?
AOT: The Bosstones have always been sort of a collaboration. Like the songs that I write with Dicky or the other guys in the band is a group effort and this band sort of came together around songs that I wrote separate from them and I didn't really feel like imposing these songs into what was sort of a group process. I had never really written lyrics on a record or anything cause Dicky had always done it for the Bosstones, so I wanted to after so long in the Bosstones. I still get a lot of pleasure out of it and I'm still proud of thework we [the Bosstones] do and the thing that we've built and the live show we have and continues to draw people regardless of any sort of label or radio kinda crap. I wanted this to be different... I wanted to experience something else.To be honest with you I enjoy loading this van, It's fun for me. It reminds me of when The Bosstones first started. I booked all the shows. I kind of managed the band. I got us around . I navigated. I got gear. I did the whole thing.That's kind of fun. Without that there's kind of a lot of down time. So touring like this is kind of a different experience. It's a new group of friends. But I still have a really good old group of friends that I'm gonna be going to Australia with in about 3 wks. [Bosstones]

PB: Is it hard being in both bands at one time?
AOT: Not as of yet. But as we get deeper into the year maybe it will be. But I'm looking forward to it. The Bosstones go to Australia then when we get back I turn right around and go out with this band--hopefully playing with Flogging Molly for a few weeks when our record comes out. 

PB: What kind of influences did the other members of Avoid One Thing bring to the band?
AOT: A lot of really cool melodic guitar playing stuff, that came from Paul and his background. and harmonies and singing and suggestions and arrangement stuff--those guys definitely add a lot to it. And I think as the band continues, I think it will become more of a collaborative effort. This came about because I literally had spent a year and a half writing songs and I had like 20 songs and I was like... I'm going to make a record, so by the time those guys came into the mix it was already sort of there.

PB: After April 9th, when the self-titled album comes out, are you planning a tour?
AOT: We hope to be going out on the road with Flogging Molly for 2-3 weeks or something. We're working on finalizing that. "Knock on wood!"

PB: The Name of the band is Avoid One Thing. What is the one thing that you are avoiding?
AOT: I think everyone has something that they should avoid but usually don't. But Ill tell you, it came from a quote-- but it doesn'tnecessarily apply. There was this quote that was tacked on my refrigerator at home that my wife had put up there and it was from this monk, so this was like a dude who like lived in the woods for all his life or whatever, and hes said... "Be anything you like. Be madmen drunks and bastards of any shape and form but above all else avoid one thing.... success..." And I kind of appreciated that in a way. Cause you know like a lot of shit comes along with that, I sort of found out along the way. But by no means is that what it necessarily is. We're not Fugazi in our approach to the music or anything. I think a lot of people have things that they should avoid.

PB: You said you're married. What does your wife think aboutyou being on tour and traveling?
AOT: Yeah. Well you know we've been together for a long time. She worked at Taaang Records, which is where the Bosstones first started. You kno we've been together for a loooooooong time. I've been touring the whole time. She's very used to it. And she's supersupportive of this band especially.

PB: Why did you choose Side One Dummy to release the upcoming album as opposed to any other label?
AOT: They really liked the record. Honestly I really didn't send it around that much. I didn't shop it around. I really only sent out a couple of cd's and they really liked it. I think they're a great label. I like the bands on the label. I like the way they approach working with bands. Its really cool to be on a label that wants everyone to have the cd and isn't precious about it and thinks that it's just as important for a dude in a tattoo shop to get the cd to play for people as it is for a big magazine or whatever. They appreciate the fact that careers in music are built around people one at a time. I just kind of like that idea! 

PB: How cool is it to have a female guitar player, and what does she add to the band?
AOT: It's great, she adds a lot. Just in her style and the way she plays. She's a really good lead guitar player especially. She's really got chops. She can play. When it comes to the rockabilly stuff she's amazing. And alot of that stuff, just the rock and roll leads is really great. It works really well in this band. And she's got a cool voice for it too. Just personality wise, I really enjoy her. She's cool to travel with. She's cool to hangout with. She's got a really good outlook on life and she's got a good attitude. Thus far she has been nothing but fun with all these guys. I think that we're gonna have more of that. That's what I'm looking forward to.

PB: Well I think that's It. Thank You for giving punkbands.com the opportunity to do this interview. Is there anything you'd like to leave us with about Avoid One Thing that I didn't ask?
AOT: No, I don't think so. Just... I think if people get a chance to hear the cd I think that says more than me and you talking..... at least I hope!