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| ::Interviews:: |
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| review & interview content, as well as web site graphics & design, copywrite 2003-2004 Euphonia Online. use of materials granted only with reasonable purposes. |
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| interviewed by robby sumner |
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| Interview with Dustin and PJ December 10th, 2004 |
Dustin Beck - Vocals Dylan Beck - Guitar, Vocals Dylan Peters - Guitar, Vocals PJ Biscontini - Bass Jim Schin - Drums |
| E: Stimulis is a band with a great sound to offer anyone who's been lucky enough to hear it. How far would you say you've come since the band was started?
Dustin: I guess I'll take that one since PJ hasn't been with us since the beginning. I think we have come a long way since the band first started. We have gone through a few line up changes and finally found the style of music that we want to play. We formed back when I was a freshman in High School�five years ago--and we had no idea what we were doing, but now things are going very well for us and we can't wait to see what the future has in store. PJ: Well, I have not been in the band as long as everyone else has, but what I do remember is way back over the summer my old band Benton played a show with Stimulis back when Dustin was playing bass as well as singing, and the songs that Stimulis as a band has been writing today are more complex and written a lot better then the older ones, and you can tell that they have matured from sounding like other bands to having successfully developed our own sound. E: How do you think the band sounds compared to other groups becoming popular these days? PJ: I think we have a sound that�s different from other bands in the sense that we don't try to call ourselves "post hardcore" or "emo-core" and never got into the whole screaming fad that in my opinion is beginning to die out. We have fun while playing our songs that I would classify as pop punk. Songs with happy lyrics, not all about dying and heart break, rather about partying and passing the reafer. Dustin: Well one thing that sets us apart from a major group of bands these days is that we don't scream. Screaming has become very popular lately, but we just couldn't see ourselves playing in a screamo band. The other thing that I would say sets us apart is our intricate guitars: we like to use a lot of off-timing with our guitar riffs and just try to make the songs interesting instead of the old 4/4 timing structures. E: Do you guys have principle songwriters? Dustin: The majority of the songs are written by Dale, Dylan, and I at the start, but what it really comes down to is how the songs are put together at practice. We all have to contribute to the song to make it really stand out--if just one or two of us try to write the whole song it won't feel complete. PJ: I think the band members who bring the most ideas into writing songs are Dale, Dylan, and Dustin. After the song is worked up me and Jim add to it, give our input and it goes from there. We all try to bring two or three ideas to the table at every practice. E: What makes you decide a song is finished? Dustin: **Laughs** We usually don't know if a song is finished until we play it live a few times. At practice we could decide a song is done, and then we'll play it live and be like "We definitely have to change that!" I guess the songs aren�t really complete until they're recorded and released. At least that�s my opinion. PJ: Well, many times when playing a new song, it can be the ninth time playing it and I always hear Dylan add a cool guitar riff or Dustin change some melodies around. I think once we have it recorded, usually as a demo, then we pretty much declare it finished and begin to perfect the song in that context. E: What have been the band's proudest moments? PJ: My favorite moment was when Good Ol' John Steil told us he wanted to sign us to his new label. We knew the label was going to be big just be looking at John's resume with Utterpunk.com, and knew he would work hard for us. It�s a privilege to be the first band he signed. He's been doing so much for us and as our CD was just released by him a few days ago I can't say how much he has meant to us thus far. Dustin: I'd say one of the top moments is when Johnathan asked us to sign with his new label--Stowaway Records. We all knew the label was going to do well, and we love being a part of it. PJ: The saddest moment thus far was when Dustin cut off his lobster tails. E: So where do you see yourselves being taken? Dustin: Hopefully into everyone�s stereos. That and on tour are really all I want. **Laughs** PJ: I see us as being on tour ninety-nine percent of the time. We are entering our final semesters of school because we know this band decision is the right one and will make us happy. I just want to be able to play shows for a bunch of kids who are singing along to all our songs and buying our CDs. That would make me totally happy. Even if it�s three kids and two of them are deaf and the other is handicapped and not paying attention to the songs, it would make me happy just to see our music put a smile on their faces. E: What are the plans for the near future? PJ: We have a touring coming up with The Big Screen and Days Like These, so that should be a blast. We have begun demoing for our full length. And we were recently confirmed for the 2005 Utterpunk.com tour so well have a lot of shows to play and a lot of songs to write and a lot of hearts to steal and finger. Dustin: I think as of right now we're writing songs for a full length, which we aren�t too sure of when it will be released, and we're going to do some touring too to promote our EP, which was just released on Stowaway Records. E: Well hey guys, thanks for being a great interview. PJ: Thank you very much, Robby . Dustin: Thanks for having us. It has been a pleasure. |