Interview from Acid Rain Entertainment, August 29th, 2003
Acid Rain Entertainment: Where do you see Kill Hannah going in the next year or so?
Mat: I’ve been desperate to get on MTV since I was 17. I’m a very bad judge of time. We signed to Atlantic Records a year ago this month, and our record is only coming out right now. We’re very optimistic, but it’s hard to tell.
Garret: The albums out on October 14.
Dan: This next year, more than any other one probably, will be totally unpredictable. It’d be hard to say where we will be in a year.
Mat: In less than a month, we’re going to be very busy. The song seems to be reacting at radio, even though it just went out a few weeks ago. We could be anywhere. I hope that we’ll have a video out.
ARE: What can fans expect with the release of the new album?
Dan: A professional recording (laughs)
Mat: I think they can expect to see who we are now and what we’ve become over the last five to six years. We have a good album to make out to (laughs)
ARE: What do you hope to accomplish with this album?
Dan: I hope that people recognize this album as a little different than the constant shit that’s on the radio right now.
ARE: Are there any obstacles that you can see now that you feel might get in the way of the band becoming extremely successful?
Mat: My hair (laughs)
Dan: The radio is probably going to be the hardest. It’s primarily dominated by pop punk and metal, we don’t really fit in.
Garret: We don’t fit into a lot of the popular genres that are out on the radio right now and it might be difficult to get the kind of exposure that they’re getting.
ARE: How far do you want the commercial success to go?
Mat: As far as it can go without getting ridiculous or losing who we are.
ARE: What’s one thing that you would change about the music industry as a whole?
Garret: A lot of people are comfortable with how the music is going. They’ll sign a band because they sound like another. They keep on doing that because it seems to be what’s working. That’s kind of the most aggravating thing. A lot of them are afraid to take chances and I think they should. Otherwise, shit will get worse.
Dan: There’s going to be natural changes that whether you like it or not, that are going to be happening now since music is so easily accessible with online music sharing. Also, it’s becoming pretty realistic. People can record some really great sounding albums in their home now. The way the music industry is working like a big money machine is going to be changing.
Mat: I disagree. I think that it’s too easy to bash the music industry in general. But, I think that it is what it is. It’s a massive networking system that needs to be in place because it acts as a filter between us and the listeners and the millions of local bands out there. It’s not perfect, but it’s a good tool for quality control. Not necessarily originality, but there are a hundred bands on every block in Chicago and there’s no possible way that anyone would have that much patience to listen to that much crap. I think the music business is essential for that reason. It’s not perfect, but I can’t think of a way to improve it.
ARE: What has been your greatest musical accomplishment so far?
Greg: I think the record. We played Metro and we sold it out, it was like, a hundred degrees. Even with the last song, the kids were still going nuts. It was overwhelming and flattering.
ARE: What unique quality or qualities do you bring to the band?
Mat: Jon raises the bar for hair construction (laughs) I bring irregular facial hair (laughs) I lower the weight of the band (laughs)
ARE: What’s one misconception that people make about the band?
Mat: I think that we care too much about the bands image. That’s a definite misconception. I’ve seen this in print, that we spend more time on our hair than we do in the studio.
Dan: That couldn’t be further from the truth, look at him, he’s living proof (laughs)
Mat: I think that is completely a wrong answer. It’s just an unfair attack on a band that just happens to have a good sense of style.
ARE: If you were president of the United States, what’s one thing that you would change?
Mat: I would attack Canada! (laughs)
ARE: Why?
Mat: Because it’s just waiting there .... and they speak French. That’s the first thing I would do.
ARE: Not all of them speak French.
Mat: Just enough where it’s weird and wrong (laughs)
Garret: I would change pollution regulations, but you know, that’s not a very good answer, but I’ll go with Mat’s answer and back up an attack on Canada (laughs)
ARE: What’s one thing that you absolutely cannot live without?
Garret: Dan can’t live without Halo (laughs)
Mat: I think that music would be it.
ARE: Is there anything musically that you might be embarrassed to admit to?
Mat: I have nothing that I’m ashamed of. I can’t play guitar that well, there’s that (laughs)
ARE: If you could ask anyone in the world one question, who would you ask and what would you ask them?
Mat: There’s so many.
Dan: I would like to ask OJ, and I would like an honest answer, I would like ask him how he did it (laughs)
ARE: If you could have only one off the wall item on your tour rider, what would it be?
Mat: A great white shark in captivity (laughs)
ARE: If you could put together the ultimate tour, what acts would you include?
Greg: How successful are we talking here?
Dan: It’s the ultimate tour, it doesn’t matter (laughs)
Mat: Interpol, Radiohead, the Cure, Nine Inch Nails
ARE: Where do you feel your musical style as a band is headed?
Mat: Edgier, but at the same time, more mature, but staying totally relevant. I hope that’s where we’re headed. It’s so hard to say one way or another.
ARE: Who are some new bands that you would recommend checking out?
Mat: I like Interpol.
ARE: I’ve never heard them, but I’ve heard they’re not very good.
Mat: (laughs) Their record is very good.
ARE: What can the fans look forward to with the rest of the year?
Mat: We’ll be touring for awhile.
Garret: There’s nothing planning right now, but I know we will be.
Greg: Hopefully we’ll be getting out West.
