Interviews

River City High

Interview with James on Nov 30, 1999 by Archive Bot

Thanks to James for doing the interview and all of River City High for putting on such a good show. And check out www.rivercityhigh.com for more info. This interview was done in Orlando at the Social on May 28th. Pictures courtesy of rivercityhigh.com. 

PB: What time did you get here?
James: Is that the interview?

PB: No, I just wanted to know.
James: No comment then. Hah.

PB: I thought Student Rick was playing tonight.
James: No, I don't know what's going on with them. But actually the tour was supposed to end in Richmond and we were like "What? Florida is our best place to play in the country." So that was stupid. So we called Coheed and Cambria and they were down with coming out here cause they rule. But I wish Student Rick were playing tonight. The new guy is great, he's probably the best musician in the band. I love Jason though. It took me a while to warm up to them because Jason was really the only one I was friends with. But they're great.

PB: And Lefty is playing too?
James: Yeah.

PB: What's the worst thing you ever got caught for?
James: Uh, the worst? My mom caught me jacking off when I was 13 before I was going to work.

PB: Where did you work?
James: Well I've only had one job in my life and it was at a country club at a snack bar and one day before I was getting ready to go to the snack bar I was watching Road House, Patrick Swayze...

PB: You were jacking off to Patrick Swayze?
James: No, heh, not Patrick Swayze but there is another scene where this dude has this girl bent over this desk and he's all getting up on her from behind and I was like 13, and I had HBO and so I taped it the night before and I was watching it and I was jacking off and my mom came down and caught me.

PB: What did she do?
James: She like, kinda like walked back upstairs and then I went to work and I never talked about it with her after that.

PB: Look I wrote down song lyrics here but first I want to know why it's so damn hard to get your CD in Canada.
James: Oh I'm sure it is, it's hard to get any Canadian CD's here.

PB: Like what?
James: Like I couldn't find Doughboy CD's in America for so long. Treble Charger.

PB: You like them?
James: I like the video's I've seen, I just can't get a CD. You can't get any Canadian CD's here in America.

PB: Dude, yes you can. Sum 41, Grade...
James: They're on American labels. 

PB: Yeah I guess so.
James: It's different, see?

PB: Ok back to the lyrics, you know in just Wondering when you sing "I saw you headed backstage with the guy with pants like Jimmy Page" I always wondered whether you're the guy in the band that's taking her backstage or the one watching her?
James: I've been both guys. *Laugh* But I'd like to think that I'm more the guy with the tight pants than the other guy.

PB: You're into tight pants?
James: Only if I can look like Jimmy Page.

PB: When was the last time you broke a promise?
James: This morning before breakfast. Heh. That I wouldn't eat chicken fajitas and I ate them.

PB: Who'd you make that kind of promise to?
James: Myself. I was trying to, you know, cut down on the meat. But I couldn't help it.

PB: You know when you can't concentrate?
James: Yeah, like cause the guys from Lit just walked by?

PB: What?
James: Yeah, that was the guitar player and the rest of them. I swear. I love Lit. Apparently they're coming to our show tonight.

PB: You also love Kirsten Dunst right?
James: Yeah, I love her.

PB: Have you seen Spiderman?
James: No, not yet, I'm waiting until I get home because the the theatre will be empty and I can jack off to that scene with the rain.

PB: Yeah, where they are kissing upside down. How'd you hook up with Doghouse?
James: Big Wheel got Doghouse to fly out and see us, but we had no clue. We had like 6 songs and they came out and saw us and they said they were going to put out our next whatever. We were stoked it was awesome.

PB: Why are they the right place for you guys, cause I'm sure you must have had other offers?
James: They were the first ones. But if we get other offers and the offer is cool, then that's cool, otherwise whatever.

PB: Are you touring this summer?
James: We've been touring for a year so far, so we're going to take a break and go back to Richmond and start writing.

PB: New album? When could we expect that?
James: Next Febuary maybe. But you know just kicking back relaxing, writing all summer.

PB: Do you get drunk before you play?
James: Uh, yeah, sometimes.

PB: How do you play properly?
James: You think you play great when you're drunk, but I haven't seen any videos or anything so I don't know yet. After the show though it doesn't matter, we're all puking all over ourselves.

PB: Wait, how old are all you guys?
James: I'm 23, Jay is 22, Bob is 29 and Mark is 28.

PB: Haha and you're not here for a long time but a good time right?
James: Heh, yeah. That's my favorite quote, Tommy Lee said that shit.

PB: Dude I want to hear a tour story because I know you have them.
James: In Germany I met the girl that sings 99 Red Balloons. You know that song?

PB: Nope.
James: It's a big 80's song, everyone knows that song. You'd know it if you heard it. Well I met her. I don't know, it's not that exciting. 50 percent of it is a job, you gotta get here do soundcheck, change your strings. And then you have to play and be conscious of that somewhat. And then the only time that's fun is after when you go to the bar or whatever.

PB: What do you think of the state of punk rock today?
James: It's gonna blow up.

PB: Which means that words like selling out come up. Has that word ever been an issue for you guys, cause I'm obsessed with it and the fact that it doesn't exist.
James: Getting your music out and getting it distributed to like people, like in Canada, where people can get it, that's not what selling out is. Ok, because you can be the best musician on the planet and record songs in your basement and not get out to anyone and that's a travesty. 

PB: Well the point in making music is so people can hear it.
James: Right on, like so I, this band, never started with the intentions of being a rockstars. We do what we do and work our asses off and are rewarded for our efforts like getting a label, getting a better offer, that's beautiful. It's not that we're assholes because bigger labels might be talking to us or we're entertaining big offers. It's a reward, we're getting recognition. Everyone who uses the word sellout is like 13 and is on AOL all the day long. I know, I've been that person.

PB: Yeah so it doesn't matter if you're on MTV or you play huge shows...
James: Or you start getting fat and start dating fat chicks.

PB: I just think it's interesting that a lot of bands are doing all of this and they're doing it for the kids cause they want the kids to hear and then the kids are going back and being all dumb and using selling out....
James: A lot of bands don't start out with the idea "we're never going to sign to a big label" and a lot of the bands that these kids are listening to don't play political, anti-government kind of music. Most of them play songs about girls, which is historically what the major labels have provided the public with. It's so funny, there are just some bands that don't belong on like Trustkill Records. There are just some punk bands out there that belong on a major label.

PB: Like you guys...
James: Yeah, I think so too. People just, I don't understand how kids can go around saying this band has sold out, this band has sold out when they don't know them, they don't know their ideas and plus, by the time you get to your mid-20's you're trying to make a living off of this. I don't want to live with my dad for the rest of my life.

PB: Do you live with your dad?
James: Yeah, I don't want to live with him until I'm 50, I have to find a way to get some money and get my own place. You know? Am I going to get a 9 to 5 job? Hell no, I love meeting people and drinking and playing music. I have no choice but to do this for the rest of my life.

PB: What do you mean you have no choice?
James: I've played music now for about 10 years, River City High for a few and at this point..... Ok all I've ever wanted to be was be a really good musician in a really good band. To give up now would be ridiculous. It's become a religious thing that I have to keep going. And I give up so many things. We're always on the road. You can't have a girlfriend, you're not around your friends and they get mad when you don't call them all the time to maintain the friendship, you miss your mom's birthday, the death of your cat...

PB: Your cat died?
James: Yeah it did.

PB: That's so sad.
James: Jay's died too, a few days ago. Like your girlfriend cheats on you, your cat dies and all your bank accounts are frozen and you can't pay your bills.

PB: How do you pay all your bills from the road?
James: You don't. You get sent to credit agencies because you have no money.

PB: Seriously?
James: You have cell phone bills that are sky high. It's not easy. But when it comes down to it at the end of the day, I'm not sitting at a desk and I'm not home with some stupid girlfriend watching movies on my couch every night.

PB: So you just don't pay your bills?
James: Well you try to pay them from the road or when you get home, pray that you haven't overdrawn your bank account. It's hard!