Interviews » IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTIONS: PART FIVE

What three words best describe the new album?
OPTIMISTIC, CELEBRATORY, EMPOWERING

What sort of feelings/emotions overcome you just before you go on stage to play a show and the atmosphere just hits you?
WE ALL FEEL A SENSE OF EXCITMENT AND URGENCY, SORT OF LIKE THE FEELING YOU GET JUST BEFORE A FIGHT. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

A question to Tomo & Jared: Have you ever used finger picking or the clawhammer technique, like Donovan does when you play your guitars?
YES, WE ALSO USE THE CRAB TECHNIQUE AND THE RAVEN CLAW WHICH IS AN ANCIENT METHOD OF PICKING THE GUITAR STRINGS WITH THE TOES.

What do you think is most important in the music business nowadays: a unique sound, good lyrics, getting people involved and create a sense of community and unity or appeal to the teenagers or none of the above?
PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT OF THEM ALL. WE FOCUS ON PLAYING AND CREATING MUSIC AND SOUNDS THAT MAKE US HAPPY. YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU ARE PLAYING AND CREATING IF OTHERS ARE ALSO TO BELIEVE.

What do you think is bad about the music business nowadays? And why has it turned out that way?
BUSINESS IS FOR THE LABELS TO DEAL WITH. WE MAKE MUSIC AND THE MUSIC HAS NEVER BEEN AS EXCITING.

What do you think is good about the music business?
IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR EXPERIENCE WITH OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD.

What bands are you listening to right now?
ZAMFIR

Do you think the internet killed the video star or created some new ones? What are your thoughts about the power of the internet and do you think it is a powerful source for new projects, new experiences, and new music? Or is it killing the opportunities for valid creative projects?
THE INTERNET IS A REAL TOOL THAT CAN BE USED VERY CREATIVELY BY PEOPLE TO SPREAD THEIR ART OR ANYTHING THEY HAVE TO OFFER TO A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.

Have you ever questioned your own music? Have you ever thought it wasn’t good enough and just wanted to drop everything and start again doing something else?
WE DO THAT ABOUT 1000 TIMES A DAY. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

What is your definition of success?
ARE YOU HAPPY? IF THE ANSWER IS YES, THEN YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL.

Even with your growing popularity over the past couple of years, you always try and make time to talk to fans, even outside of signing lines and formal meet and greets. It's obvious that it's nothing you have to do, so what is it that makes you want to engage with your fans in a more casual setting?
BECAUSE WE LOVE YOU GUYS AND LOVE TALKING TO YOU AND HEARING WHAT YOU THINK!

How do you determine when a song/album is really finished to go to the process of mastering? Is it based on gut feeling you get from listening or a check list that's marked of?
THE SONGS ARE NEVER DONE, WE JUST ABANDON THEM.