Interviews

No Motiv

Interview with Jeremy on Feb 4, 2002 by Archive Bot

PB: Please introduce yourself, what you play, and the thing you are most proud of?
NM: My name is Jeremy…. I play for No Motiv, and I play guitar. Probably making records, going on tour, and writing songs about cool stuff.

PB: I've had the chance to listen to your album "Diagram For Healing" which I think is phenomenal. For those who haven't heard it what should they expect, how does it differ from your first album, and did you come into the studio with a different attitude?
NM: We went into the studio just trying to make the best one that we could…. just like anyone else would. As far as differences go, the first album was a lot darker than the one we wrote this time. It was basically about relationships and stuff like that. There are some songs on the new one about relationships also but uhhhh…. The previous one was a lot darker and this one was a little more up lifting I guess you could say. Musically it's a little more mid-tempo.

PB: Who writes the lyrics?
NM: I do!

PB: You guys have a busy spring/summer going on some Blink 182 dates/The Vagrant Across America Tour, and some Warped Tour Dates. What keeps you guys going?
NM: What keeps us driving is wanting to be successful and trying to be the best band we can be. I mean this is all what we wanna do, so that's what keeps us going. It's really fulfilling in the end when you accomplish something…. so that's what keeps us going.

PB: "Diagram For Healing" is an album filled with emotional lyrics. What's the significance behind the album name?
NM: It's more like a….. the songs are more like a guideline to overcoming hardships.

PB: I know that one jesus!
NM: Hahhahahah. That's where it kinda stems from.

PB: No Motiv is from California and was wondering how the scene differs from that of the east. Do you think the entire punk rock scene is alive and well?
NM: Uhhh yea I do! I think it is holding strong. Every place is different of course. The east coast seems to be pretty good. It's different in ways but umm… it's kinda hard to explain. Genres may be a little more segregated over on the west coast than on the east coast.

PB: Which ones?
NM: Like independent rock is probably a lot bigger on the east coast than it is on the west coast but that is probably changing now.

PB: From listening to your albums I hear influences such as Blink 182. Who are others that had both a musical and personal effect on you?
NM: Lets see. Personally….. I'm influenced by a lot of older artists like stuff from the 80's and some classic rock and stuff like that. Ummm… mostly for me I used to listen to a lot of Depeche Mode, Prince and The Revolution is one of my favorite bands in the entire world. I try to draw from what I listen to when I grew upjust because it's kinda cool, and is kinda a nostalgic kind of feeling.

PB: How bout as a band?
NM: Inspirationally, Good Riddance is one of our favorite bands because of the way they pursue everything and attack their shows, and are really inspiring if you ever get to see those guys play. Our first tour they took us out on so we never forgot the whole thing.

PB: What are your top three favorite albums/bands of all time?
NM: That's tough. Prince and The Revolution is one of my top favorite bands of all time, and probably Pearl Jam too, U2 is one of my favorite bands ever, and I like Bad Company a lot.

PB: Are there any albums that stick out?
NM: Pearl Jam "Ten" I'm trying to think of the albums I listen to the most of my entire life and it's those probably.

PB: What's in your cd player right now?
NM: Bad Company, and the new Alkaline Trio record, and the new Saves The Day Record is really good. I think it's coming out in June or something…. when it does, it's gonna hit! I'm actually listening to the "Greatest Hits Willy Nelson cd".

PB: How did you guys go about getting signed to Vagrant and what type of impact has it had on the band?
NM: Basically, Pat sent them a demo tape with like one song on there and it was called "My Time" and it was an old song we wrote a really long time ago and uhhh…. He talked to them and called 'em up and said do you guys like it? They were like yea! Bla… bla… bla… Then we sent them a live tape of us playing and they really liked that, came to see us play one time, and we had a meeting with them, and then they said you wanna be on Vagrant? We were like yeap! It's done a lot for our band. It's gotten us out there to tour…. It's gotten our records out. It's probably the best thing that could happen to us.

PB: Do you guys hang out with the other Vagrant bands?
NM: When we can yea…. Because everyone is doing stuff. Mostly, we have gotten to hang out with Alkaline Trio, Saves The Day, and Boxer.

PB: Do you guys have a "motiv" and if so…. what is it?
NM: Our "motiv" is to write the best songs that we can, and to progress as much as we can, and have fun ya know? We want to make sure we have fun when we are playing because if we don't then….. ya know…..

PB: How did you guys arrive at the band name No Motiv since now I know that you have one?
NM: Uhhhhh we couldn't think of anything to call a band at all so…… NO MOTIV!

PB: What are some things you wan't to do as a band, that you haven't yet been able to do?
NM: Hmmmm…… good question! Play shows where people have heard our record and know our songs….. and everyone is having a good time. That has kinda been coming around lately since the new record came out. A lot more people are coming out to our shows who mostly know who we are. Most of the time we will be playing on tour for people who have no idea who we are, where we come from, ya know? So, we are really used to playing shows like that but now that it's changed around I am very excited! I just hope to see us ya know….. getting better at what we do?

PB: Fruitloops or Wheaties and why?
NM: (Sighhhh) Oh man! I'm kinda both a Fruitloops and a Wheaties person, but the first thing that comes to mind in Fruitloops because they are tasty and you can eat them any time of the day.

PB: You don't need milk!
NM: That's right…… you don't even need milk for that!

PB: Hahhahahahaha. I know you guys must have girls in your lives. How hard have you found it to carry on a relationship while on the road. Also, from listening to the lyrics in your new album I can tell some of you have been heart broken. How did you deal?
NM: IT'S FUCKIN HARD! Hahhahahahhaha Oh man! That's the hardest thing about being in a band, is being away from home and being in a relationship. That's the only thing that's bad about that.

PB: No bootie?
NM: Hahhahahahahah yea that sucks man. Not only that, but when you are away from the person you care about…… when you are together you are one person but when you are apart you are two different people. You know how this is! You like start readjusting to being alone.

PB: My ex-girlfriend went to school way far away so I know the deal!
NM: Yea…. You're not growing as one, but you are growing by yourself. That can result in going off track.

PB: I've become emo because of it.
NM: Hahahahahahahah it's fucked up. Basically, we have been on tour before and things have happened at home and things got screwed up. That's where a lot of the stuff I write about comes from. Not only that but also I have seen Max get burned a couple of times. Going back to who you are with….. you break up with someone but then when you have the chance to get back together you're like "yea everything's gonna be the way it was before", then it turns out that…. that's not the way it is.

PB: Do you guys try to stay away from girlfriends?
NM: I have a fiancé actually, but as far as everyone else in the band everyone is single.

PB: Lastly, for someone who has hit rock bottom and is looking for a "Diagram For Healing" where do you suggest they start?
NM: Go to your friends man! That's my advice. I used to think that you never needed friends, but you do! Hahahhaha so yea man, hopefully if you have friends and things like that and things should be cool.