Interviews

Interviews: The Chiodos Bros

A surprisingly young yet mature sound band, The Chiodos Bros. are one of the more unique bands I've had the pleasure of listening to. Their latest album "The Heartless Control Everything" is out now on Search and Rescue Records. Read our review of it here. We chatted things up with their vocalist Craig Owens about a variety of subjects.



Smother: Your sound is pretty unique--you combine punk and hardcore with synth pop but without sounding like a harder The Anniversary. How would you guys describe your sound?

Craig: Boy band hardcore.

Smother: I like the end of "Compromise of 1984" how it just goes out and I definitely dig the noisy ending to "Bulls Have Horns", how did you guys come about putting those songs together?

Craig: Some of us wear forks around our wrists, it was just another way of trying to be audio artsy fartsy.

Smother: How did the band form? What brought all of you guys together?

Craig: We actually all went to the same high school and grew up rocking together.

Smother: What influences led to the songs on "The Heartless Control Everything"?

Craig: Different experiences we were going through and the music we were listening too.
Experiences: Breakups, member changes, and music.
Musical Influence: Saves the Day, Underoath, At The Drive In


Smother: Do you really think that the heartless control everything?

Craig: Yes.

Smother: A lot of your song lyrics deal with relationships it seems, does the girl/guy exist or is this fiction?

Craig: Yes, unfortunately these relationships and people do exist.

Smother: What's been your favorite show or tour thus far? Why?

Craig: Every stop on the past tours we have done. It's always sweet in any city to see people come out to see you.

Smother: Not that The Choidos Bros. are exactly a political band, but what are your political views? Do you guys support any of the candidates currently running for president in 2004 or are you like most young people and indifferent?

Craig: As a group we are politically indifferent, but all enjoy Micheal Moore's work(he actually went to the same high school we did)

Smother: Do you think that politicians have any inkling of a clue about what young people are concerned about? Or even more so, musicians?

Craig: We don't think that the politicians are very concerned about the youth, due to the lack of political participation by young people.

Smother: How do you feel about mp3s, peer-to-peer networks such as Napster, Kazaa, AudioGalaxy, etc. in both a general sense and as it relates to your band?

Craig: We love them, it gives bands proper exposure.

Smother: What's in your CD player/DVD player/X box/PS2/Gamecube these days?

Craig: Cd player : Hot Rod Circuit - If It's Cool With You It's Cool With Me
Dvd player: The Gate
x-box: Grand Theft Auto :Vice City
ps2: Simpsons Hit & Run


Smother: Any bands you guys think our readers should check out? Local or signed?

Craig: Island View Drive - friends from Michigan
Anathallo - friends from Michigan
The Suicide Pact - friends from Pennsylvania


Smother: We ask this question of all the bands we interview just to see what the most creative response is. What would you do/say/act like if you met a guy named Carbomb?

Craig: I'd ask him what he thought about the albino monkeys from Turkeystein, then tell him to do an Irish backflip: (penetration face).

Smother: Anything else you'd like to add?

Craig: We plan to record a new album in the spring, also extensive touring.

Links:

Official Site

Search and Rescue Records