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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 Ross and Mike May 13th, 2004 |
Ross Costanza - Vocals, Guitar Ryan Lee - Guitar, Vocals Brent Myers - Bass Mike Bulman - Drums |
| E: The songs of Jet Noise are the kind that fans have trouble getting enough of. Has there ever been an instance where, in the middle of writing, you decide that the song you are on will most likely be the best on the record?
Ross: I'd say yes. We've had this one song called "Worst Case Scenario" that we have been writing and revising for over a year, and I think we all agree that it will be the best on our EP, which comes out next month. Mike: It seems like every time we write a new song it becomes our new favorite, and in turn, the one we'd think would be the best. E: How much time is dedicated to writing a single song? Ross: That varies. I generally write the songs in my room, and when I present them to the band, we jam out the idea and make modifications and what not... but it usually takes us several practices to really nail it down and have things set in stone. E: Just how much of the song tends to be written in your head before you actually sit down with your instruments to write? Ross: Generally the whole song is written in my head. I tend to hear other parts being added to them and I tell the band what I'm hearing, and then they do their thing with it. Mike: If I get a rough copy of Ross's idea for a song early enough and it hits me the right way, I'll hear different ideas... that probably only happens about half of the time. E: After a new song is written, do you usually premier it at the very next show you play? Mike: That varies by song. We usually judge whether or not newer songs get played by how tight or confident we are in them. Ross: 90% of the time, yes. E: Do you ever write songs that are, for a time, deemed your "favorite"? If so, how long until it's replaced? Ross: Usually, once we write something really new and fresh it becomes our favorite for a while, and that song is usually replaced by other new ones. It's like a cycle we can't get out of, or something. *Laughs* Mike: Yeah, generally newer songs remain our favorite for a while with a couple that stick around. We like to keep things fresh and not play songs older than 43 days. Joking. E: How would you describe the way the members of the band work off of one another to produce the best music? Mike: There are times when someone will have an idea that's just "out there," but seems like a good idea at the time. Luckily, the rest of us are there to keep the ideas in check and make sure everything makes sense and works together. Ross: I think we fuel each other in our own ways. Ryan and I feed off of each other for ideas on our parts so that we can come up with riffs that we think go really well with the song. Brent and Mike seem to work well together as far as being creative in the rhythm section. And Mike seems to have this "all-knowing" power about whether we should keep or drop an idea or song... so naturally, when something goes wrong, we all look at him. *Laughs* Mike: Damn right. *Laughs* E: Would you say that bands become "better" as they gain experience? Ross: Definitely. I think the more experience you have, the more comfortable you are in what you're doing, and in turn, you naturally become better at it. Mike: Individual experience aside, I think bands only get better if the relationships�personal and musical�grow. E: When do you feel the most satisfied in your career as a musician? Ross: When I receive positive feedback from people... songs that they can relate to and can really get into and enjoy. Every second of it is worthwhile as well. It's something I try hard not to take for granted, because everyone takes certain things for granted. Mike: I feel most satisfied as a musician when I find myself really rocking out to one of our songs and not realizing we created it. And the band seems most worthwhile when all of us are just hanging out having a good time, unrelated to music. E: Are there any questions you commonly get once people learn you're in a band? Mike: Of course the dreaded question, "What kind of music do you play?" I don't think we have yet to be able to say anything other than "rock," so I really don't like that question. Ross: Or if we're in Radford, we get, "Do you know any Three Doors Down?" *Laughs* E: Is your music something you'd want to be known for after death? Mike: I don't think so. It wouldn't necessarily be something I'd be mad about, but it's not really a priority. It sounds extremely cliche, but it's true�I'm really not playing music so I can be famous. I just have tremendous fun doing it. Ross: Music is all I really care to be known for... nothing would please me more than to know my memory lived on with people. That's something that's truly special and priceless. Eventually I want to be known as a good father as well... but that's years down the road, hopefully. E: What do you think is the most important thing a person should keep in mind when listening to music? Mike: I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that they are listening to music, not listening to a bunch of hot or cool guys or listening to a band with a hot chick in it or something. Live shows are an exception, though. *Laughs* I'm full of cliche answers tonight. Ross: I think they should respect the artists' creativity and realize that even if they don't enjoy it fully, that others do and that music may very well be helping someone through some odd transition of their life. Music is a gift, and without it I know myself and thousands of people would be lost and searching for something else. E: Well thanks for being such an interesting interview. Ross: Hey, thanks for having us, man. Mike: Thanks for asking such interesting questions. |