John P: First up, why the delay between albums?
Josh: Well, it`s a pretty well known fact that we`re not the fastest song writers in the world...
Jim: By "well known," he means our wives, the four or five guys from other bands that actually give a crap about us, Scott Hamilton, our friend Dave, and Ron freakin` Palmer.
Josh: Also, when the band isn`t your main focus (ie: when you`re over 35 and have regular jobs and kids), it happens when it happens. We try to get together at least once a week depending on the schedule. Right now we`re working on a covers EP that will also include some unreleased tracks from Universal Freak Out. As of now, we`re just planning on releasing it digitally, for free, via our website but we`ll see what happens. We`re hoping to get that out in the Spring of `09.
Jim: He didn`t ask what we`re up to, Josh, thanks for letting THAT cat outta the bag! And you relax over there, Mr. Arzgarth, you`re lucky you don`t have to wait a year for this interview!
John B: I think he did wait a year for this interview.
John P: You played with CKY a couple of years back and then that band took you out on the road. The reception you got at the Boston show was, to be kind, cold. Did you ever connect with the disaffected suburban teens who seem to make up that band`s core audience?
Josh: Yeah, it was kind of weird. I had done a tour with Fireball Ministry filling in on bass when Johnny Chow was having his kid, and we were direct support for CKY. We got to be friendly and they asked if Puny Human would play their Xmas run with ASG and we were psyched to do it. We played at "Northern Lights" in Clifton Park, NY and those kids actually really dug us. They clapped along and got into it. We played there again last Winter with Clutch and Priestess and a lot of the kids remembered us and asked when we were gonna come back again. The last show with CKY was in Atlantic City on December 30 (kind of a surrogate NYE show) and those kids dug it too. Now I`m not bashing Boston, but much like NYC, it`s a fickle town and I definitely agree that CKY and Puny Human don`t necessarily have crossover crowds. However here`s a funny story. After the Boston show, we were loading out and a few "tweener" girls came rushing up to Jim our singer and said "I love you guys. You were great and you totally remind me of my dad!" It was pretty classic.
Jim: A: Young kids don`t like us (even less than older folks). The younger they are the less they like us. 2: Josh, again with the answering of the question that wasn`t asked! III: I do remember two things about those dates (wait, why are we talking about a show that happened two years ago?!?!?) 1. The greatest review ever: "The singer in Puny Human should come out of the closet and retire." A double whammy! Yyyes! BTW, I`m close to doing that (the latter). 2. And I remember that girl who said I reminded her of her dad. Except her dad is younger than me! Crap!
John B: The only thing I remember about that show was trying to navigate a car around Boston. PS: I thought the show we did a little later at that corner bar with Throttlerod was one of the tightest shows we ever did
John P: The Company Band - in the end, was it possible to start a band with Neil Fallon and not have it sound like Clutch?
Jason: I think when you have an extremely recognizable "voice" both sonically and creatively, you run the risk of anything else you do being compared to the first thing you did or are known for. I think someone like Ronnie James Dio is a good example of that. Either way, it`s awesome to have him in the band and be creative.
Jim: Jase, now why did you have to mention Dio in our interview? We were having a nice little conversation here. Why did you have to bring up THAT guy! Jeez! And besides, mine and Bongiorno`s band with Neil sounds like early 80`s British Oi! (I`m kidding so everyone calm the crap down!)
John P: The first two albums were very direct, while Universal Freak Out seems to take a more progressive direction (especially with the first half). What led to this shift in direction?
Josh: Well, as you anyone who has ever been in a band knows, when you change a member, your sound changes. It`s not a good or bad thing, it`s just different. No two people play the same. This album came about the same way the other two had, just through jamming and writing and having fun. We didn`t deliberately set out to say "Lets write a prog-ier record." It`s just how we as a band related and ultimately created this album.
Jim: Waddya mean the first half, smarty pants? And you think that`s progressive? Man, you shoulda heard it before I edited out the nerd-ness.
John P: This is true. There was a brief period early in the writing process where we getting a bit too out there with the prog. I think we made a conscious effort not to lose the plot. I come from a prog background, which appealed to the twins (not so much Jim though). But, I joined the band based on my love of their second album... you know, the one with all the really good tunes. And, I really liked how they drove a riff for miles and miles, so I think we all made sure to stay within certain boundaries.
John P: Universal Freakout was released last year and you`ve done only a moderate amount of touring. Are there any plans to venture out on the road this year?
Josh: We keep our eye out for bands who are touring that are friends or bands who we really admire and then just try to jump on local "weekend warrior" type tours. We all have regular jobs and now three of us have kids so it makes it a lot harder to go hit the road. For now, we`re just keeping our options open and taking things as they come.
Jim: If by "road" you mean the road that runs from our houses to our practice room, then yes ....
John P: I know at least one of you has a side project going. What else do you guys do to keep yourselves busy?
Josh: Change a lot of diapers, play video games, etc...
Jason: Dive into serious technologies that subvert society.
Jim: Constantly pester my Puny Human mates with daddy questions and continue to lose my mind one frame at a time.
John P: Start side projects that are in full bloom by 9 pm and broken up by 1 am.
John P: When the bus crashes, are you really thinking of me? And what exactly are you thinking about?
Jim: I AM thinking of you, ya hairy knucklehead, ya, and also thinking that we need to do MORE vocal passes on the next record just to drive Schneider completely crazy. I`m also thinking that life would be better if we could smoke weed at shows again, and to never to trust anyone under 30. Can I go now? Thanks!
