Interviews

Interviews: The Aquabats

The background we already have on the Aquabats is that they are an 8 (or 9) piece ska band from Orange County, CA. This is also the home of many other recently popular ska bands, which The Commander will get into later on in the interview. The Aquabats are scheduled to play the Warped Tour this year. Their show is VERY electric and energizing for the crowd as well as the band. The Commander does somersaults, fights break out onstage between the Milk Man and the Radioactive Guy, and the band keeps it going with an infections funny-assed ska beat. On with the interview!

Smother: Seeing your show, and it is pretty weird, what is the weirdest thing you think you've ever seen out on the road?

Commander: Well, thats a hard one. I can't really think of something off the top of my head, since it has been so weird. I'll have to get back to you on that one. (Note: The Commander never did answer this one...must've been something pretty weird.)

Smother: If you ever met a guy named Carbomb, what would you think of him?

Commander: Carbomb!?! Well, I'd never give him a ride anywhere. Is that how others have responded? How many people have you asked this?

Smother: Well, we asked Bruce Campbell, and he said, "God help that child!"

Commander: (Laughter)

Smother: Do your families ever come to shows?

Commander: Yeah, they do actually. Too much to tell you the truth. They'd stand right up front with big signs with our names on them, so we'd have to tell them to go away eventually.

Smother: Is it true that you guys are all Mormons?

Commander: We aren't all Mormons, but a couple of guys in the band have converted. We also have a Hebrew, which seems to be a rarity.

Smother: Any atheists or satanists?

Commander: No, no satanists, thats bad. But we do have a couple of atheists I think.

Smother: So do you know who Bruce Campbell is?

Commander: YEAH.

Smother: Are you guys big fans?

Commander: Bruce Campbell is the dope, homey. Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness, those are awesome movies.

Smother: Did you ever watch him in Brisco County Jr.?

Commander: Yeah, that was a good show, isn't he on Xena or something now too?

Smother: What sort of music is the band listening to?

Commander: Well, since the first part of this tour was with the Long Beach Dub All-Stars, they sorta rubbed off on me. So I've been listening to Bad Brains, home right here in D.C., and some old reggae, like Desmond Dekker. But I still listen to the classics; Toy Dolls, Devo, you know. The rest of the band, well, we listen to any GOOD music really. I know a few of the guys really like Radiohead.

Smother: How did the names in the band come about?

Commander: They're secret codenames.

Smother: So you guys have real identities, you just don't want them to be known? Like, if an Aquabat was walking around, and somebody yelled, "BOB!", is there a chance he might turn his head a little?

Commander: Yeah, Bob is a pretty common one, you might see some heads turn. Actually, our real names are in the second CD.

Smother: So you've enjoyed the tour thus far?

Commander: Yeah, this tour has been a lot of fun. Since we know LBDA, they're really cool and good friends, and Blink also, because we all grew up near each other. With Primus, I was sorta wondering about if they'd be all distant and stuff, but one night we played and I saw Les out there, and when we got done, he asked us how long we had been doing this, I told him 3 years, and he was sorta like..."Okay then..."

Smother: What has been your greatest benefit from doing this sort of thing for a living?

Commander: Well, this may sound cheesy, but it's meeting people, the kids like you guys and everyone who comes out, and getting to see the sights of the country while we go around. It doesn't matter if it does sound cheesy, because, "The Aquabats live for cheese!" (as he salutes)

Smother: Any plans for feature films in the future?

Commander: Acutally, we've been asked to be in a couple, but we haven't really returned any word. We're still looking over the scripts. Bobcat Goldthwait is a friend of ours. He directed the video we put out and we have more plans for him in the future.

Smother: How has your show and the band evolved over the years?

Commander: Well, at first, there were 15 Aquabats. Then, well, you know how nature has its way of thinning out the herd, and now we're here with 8 (or 9) of us, and it's pretty tight.

Smother: How did some of them go out?

Commander: Hockey accidents, dying, we tried to send them back to Aquabania, but we don't know what happened.

Smother: So, is it true that everysong is a hit and the girls like you too?

Commander: (starting with a sly grin) How did you know? I guess so, you know how it is. (Raises the roof) Actually, you know that song "Everything Sucks" by Reel Big Fish, you should ask Aaron about that, because it was written about us. We helped direct the video and all too. It all started with No Doubt getting sort of big, and then Sublime rose up, then Suburban Rhythm, and the Reel Big Fish, and we sort of came in when a few bands broke up, and we were sort of making fun of the whole thing, by having such a good time, and wearing costumes and everything. So we were liked, but I'm not sure it was in a good way.

Smother: So what ever did happen to Suburban Rhythm?

Commander: They just broke up.

Smother: Ahhh...so the mystery is finally solved.

After that, we talked to the Commander for about another hour about all sorts of stuff, including but not limited to: being happy, movies, smurfs (with the help of Julie Happy, THANKS JULIE, WHERE ARE YOU?), and all sorts of other stuff. He is the nicest guy we've ever met in a big band, and he takes the time to talk to all the kids. A cool guy indeed, we salute you, Commander.

- Jesse and Jimmy