Josh Nacho: Who are some of your musical influences?
Andre: Wire, Gang of Four, PiL, Talking Heads, Joy Division, Crass, God is my
Co-Pilot, The Ex
Matt: Tom Waits, Devo, Velvet Underground, Talking Heads, David Byrne, The
Cramps, David Bowie, Danny Elfman
J.N.: How does it feel growing up in a punk/ska scene, and kind of making a
whole new sound? How did it come about? Did kids embrace it, or did they not
seem to know what to make of it?
Andre: At first not many people got it.. we'd either get funny looks or we'd
get made fun of... or people would just seem indifferent, but we've
improved, and our audience has grown and changed as well since then, I think
we
get a much better response nowadays...
Matt: People still don't know what to make of it in some ways, they'll
genuinely be digging it, but won't know whether to dance, or mosh, or raise
the roof or what...
J.N.: How did it feel when the Telerobotics Division of NASA selected your
website as "Cool Robot Website of the Week"?
Andre: That was great... quite unexpected... its an honor to be recognized
by fellow space robot scientists... your tax money at work!
Matt: Personaly, it felt disgusting.. i felt used and exploited.
J.N.: When exactly do you plan to take over and destroy the world? I'm quite
anxious.
We've actually abandoned our original plan for a hostile takeover and
replaced it with a corporate buyout... we'll keep you informed
J.N.: You said about your first full-length CD, "At Home With Machines" on
Eiffel Trousers Records, "It's about the eradication of humankind. Cleansing
all organic material and erasing all bits of imperfection." Don't you feel
that in some way being imperfect is what makes humankind good? I mean, if
everyone walked around and was perfect and life was like "Leave it to
Beaver", don't you think it'd be kind of boring?
Andre: Beaver was very imperfect... and that's why his father was
always sore... he was a pain in the ass... his brother Wally should've
kicked
the shit outta him
Matt: I'm not deep enough to understand such analogies
J.N.: Since you wear jumpsuits when you perform live, and you have
synthesizers, do you get any comparisons to 2 Skinnee J's? What do you think
of 2 Skinnee J's?
Andre: Actually I've never seen 2 Skinnee J's although one of the
founding members went to high school with one of my best friends, and we've
hung out a couple of times... I hear they sound like the beastie boys or
something... anyway, 2 Skinnee J's (who by the way used to be endorsed by
'Subway' restaurants) aren't the first band to ever wear jumpsuits, and
neither
are we...
Matt: I believe andre said what needed to be said.
J.N.: You've been compared a lot to Devo, among other bands, but you don't
seem to want to be compared to other bands. Do you take these comparisons as
compliments or just brush them off?
Andre: Sometimes the comparisons can be annoying... especially for a
band who prides itself in its integrity... no one likes to hear that their
creations have been created by someone else already... I think people
don't think sometimes when they compare us to someone else... they think just
because we wear jumpsuits and have a synthesizer that we're trying to
be Devo, or since we use General MIDI drum sounds that we're trying to be
Atom and His Package.. but really if you just listen to the music, you'll
realize thats not the case...
Matt: I don't really think people go around saying "oh those SRS kids,
using general midi drums.. surely they are ripping off atom.. everyone knows
atom uses general midi drums.. i mean REALLY!".. however, I think we get
that because we're electronic, and punk... Though.. he's not the first to be
electronic and punk... and neither are we... (hey, flashback reference
there!)
J.N.: You said that robots- technology- could never overpower humans,
because humans are imperfect and they create machines. With the internet
now, and the way computers have seemingly started to replace humans, don't
you think that there is a chance one day technology could in fact take over?
It starts out small when you call a business and can't get a live person,
only automated messages, and then it just grows from there.
Matt: People are becoming technology.. we're all carefully marketed products
at
this point... kids grow up on the internet and pokemon these days, and thus
have less social skills because theyre always talking on a computer... Could
technology destroy all humans? no.. Humans could destroy themselves with
technology quite easily... Can technology Dehumanize humans? yes.
J.N.: Who is a band that you would like to play live with or go on tour with?
Andre: A lot of the bands I like have broken up, or are doing lousy reunion
tours... John Lydon would be good to play with... Solex, The Ex... God is my
Co-Pilot would be a few...
J.N.: With your invention of new music- and your growing somewhat bored with
the current music- what are your thoughts on the music scene today on a whole?
Andre: Hmm well it seems like its easier for underground music to be
heard now with the internet and all... and now everybody and their mother has
a website, whereas 6 years ago that wasn't the around as much... The
internet has really helped independent musicians a great deal, but therefore,
thedownside to that is that mainstream music has gotten worse to the point
where its just mass produced corporate crap. I think major labels are
tryingto compensate and keep their place industry alive... so they've gotten
moreaggressive with their production of one hit wonders and teen idols...
Unfortunately the public are buying it and keeping the money rolling...
J.N.: What are your thoughts on the role technology plays in music today-
from bands getting more exposure over the internet, straight down to the
whole Napster scandal?
Andre: Well... I have mixed feelings about companies like MP3.com and
Napster. On one hand they provide a great service to unsigned musicians..
giving them the venue for their music to be heard online... but on the
other hand, they're making money off other people's art, and whereas with
MP3.com it voluntary, Napster it isn't... they can go on all they want saying
that its the liablilty of the individual user, but I believe napster
condoning this usage makes them liable for copyright infringement... People
seem
to neglect the fact that Napster is indeed a business, and they are making
money off other peoples music, through advertisements and whatnot...
J.N.: What are some bands that you have played with or listen to that you
think need some recognition but aren't getting it?
Andre: Hmm... Funeral in the Rotunda, Heston Rifle, The Skabs, My Favorite,
Zia, Bookstore, Sprout, Hidden Agenda, and Pale Marble Movie
J.N.: Any final thoughts, comments, plugs... ?
Andre: Thanks for the interview... watch for our second cd in the Autumn of
2000