Scott Walters: I'd like to ask you guys first of all, Matt and Bryan, who are you, where you coming from, what do you stand for?

B: Would you like me to go first?

M: Yeah, Bryan, I think uh, I think you could really nail this one down.

B: Ok. Um, who am I? My name is James Bryan Erwin. I was born on August 7, 1978. I like to think of myself, through my studies: philosopher. Um, musician. I don't know if I would call myself a musician more than an, more so an entertainer, just by the fact that I can't really play. I can, I mean I can play! I mean obviously. But perhaps in the classical Eddie Van Halen sense, I can't really play the guitar. You know, my approach to music I think has been shaped by my inability to play difficult, uh, chord changes.

M: I'd like to piggyback on that if I may. Bryan was a little more formal than I would be, so I guess I'll try to follow in his footsteps. My name is Matthew Michael Zimmer, I was born June 6, 1979. Little bit younger than Bryan, not much.

B: I'm older and wiser, I like to say.

(laughter)

M: We've talked about that before. Um, in the same vein I am also a philosopher, poet, writer, scholar. I'm even less musically schooled than Bryan is. I really fell in love with music, as a listener anyway, when I was probably in seventh grade, when I got my first CD player. Since then, I really got into this gig, wanting to express myself; express the poetry I had written. I tried to answer your question as best I could, I don't know where you're trying to go with this. I mean, I don't want you probing too deeply into my personal life here.

SW: All right, well I'm sorry about that. Where I'd like to go now is, where do you see yourselves now and where you're going in the future? I mean, where do you see your band as far as involving a message and how you're trying to give that message back to your fans?

B: Where are we going? Top of the charts, I would say.

M: Well, I guess before we can know where we're going we have to realize where we are.

B: Exactly.

M: Right. Um, you know. We've been around the country and we've done a lot of things. We have a lot of fans.

B: We've been to Canada.

M: We've been to Canada. Right.

B: Toronto.

M: Right. Before I started, you know, even being, you know, doing this, being in a band, becoming a rock star, I had rarely even left the state of Missouri, where we're from. Bryan's done extensive traveling I know but…

B: I've visited 23 states.

M: Right. This summer actually, we're planning on going to Tokyo.

B: Yes, quite exciting about that. Perhaps eating some sushi.

M: Right. Just the chance to open for Mr. Big is just really a thrill. And you know, I like geisha girls, who doesn't? But down to the other part of your question, what is our message, how we're trying to give that back to our fans.

B: Don't smoke.

M: Right, don't smoke, don't drink. Um, we do though but that's beside the point.

B: We're just saying, you know. Do as we say not as we do.

M: But I really think, you know I get fan mail all the time. Some of it's pretty damn scary but others I can tell that we're making a difference in people's lives. And I think that's really what it's all about. I mean, besides the money. But I think that's what it's all about is touching people. Because music has touched me and I'm trying to give that back.

B: And if I can relate a story. I was just walking down the street one day. Just walking the down the street and a young boy, I would say probably 14 years old…

M: I've had similar experiences.

B: 14 years old. You know, wearing baggy pants, baggy jeans, green t-shirt that said "Hook-ups" on it. He came up to me and said, 'you're Bryan Erwin aren't you?' And I said 'yes, yes, I am'. I didn't know who he was, I thought that maybe I'd met him and forgotten his name; I was feeling very embarrassed actually. He said 'you're in the Jefreys and I said 'yes, I am'. He said 'you guys rock'. And I think that really summed it up for me right there.

SW: Wow, that's incredible.

B: This is somebody…

SW: You guys rock.

B: Yeah. Yes. And this is somebody I don't even know.

SW: I think that shows how deep you guys run with your fans.

B: Right. Right. I don't even know the man. Well, let's not call him a man.

M: Man-child. (laughter)

B: Well, he was five foot eight, which I think is pretty tall for that age.

M: And actually when fans, they go to jefreys.com. You know, we have a feedback page and they can send us e-mail.

B: Our secretary will answer it for us.

M: Right. I mean, we pay her to do that, among other things. But, uh, so they send us feedback and it's good. I know if I would have written to Ian Curtis of Joy Division and got, well, he committed suicide when I was an infant, but if I would have been able to write to him and he would have wrote me back I would have had a fucking heart attack. So I know what that means.

B: It's a personal touch.

M: Right, personal touch. Personal identity.

B: We like to think that we're the celebrities that you know. The celebrities that live next door.

M: We're the people in your math class, in your high school but really famous.

B: You know, most celebrities seem inaccessible. And we don't want to seem inaccessible. We are inaccessible, but we don't want to seem that way.

SW: Could you talk about some of the more memorable experiences you've had, on and off stage? I've read some things in many smaller publications and reviews that you guys are pretty much hellraisers when you get on stage. Could you talk about some of the more interesting moments?

B: You know, our image. The bookers, of the clubs of course, not the bookies. They're like 'oh, it's an acoustic guitar band!'

M: Yeah.

B: With one acoustic guitar and a singer!

M: Right.

B: How much havoc can they raise?

M: We have to put up with a lot of people, you know we're pretty judged.

B: Right. I mean, people think, oh wimpy pop. Wimpy pop band. They don't understand that I have straps on my guitar, I jump around while I play. Zimmer is unencumbered. He runs around the stage. He stage dives.

M: I stage dive. I often wear brass knuckles. I jump into the crowd. I kiss all the pretty girls and you know, I do a lot of crazy things. Every time, you know, I'd like to think. Me and Bryan love playing live. You know, a lot of bands they want to hole up and release their records and whatnot, but we are, I think we're the quintessential live band. We only got into this to play live gigs.

B: I think we've replaced the Rolling Stones.

M: Right.

B: In that regard.

M: But, you know, we like that sort of, you know, Rolling Stones, big over the top explosions. All that sort of thing. But, as I was trying to say, I'd like to think that if anyone was crazy enough to follow us around the country, every show they went to, every Jefreys show they went to, was entirely different. Every one unique, original and special. You never get the same thing twice.

B: We often vary our set list.

M: We have actually so many songs, that we rarely ever play the same set list.

B: Which, especially since we only have one tape out. You know, that just shows you the number of unreleased songs that aren't on that album. We actually have another album worth of material ready to go.

M: Some people just write songs with the intention of putting them on an album. That's really not the case with us, we just write whatever comes to mind.

B: Bootleggers. Bootleggers tape our shows, you get some rarities songs.

M: Actually what we're saying is; someone asked us this question in a previous interview. And, once again we have to go back to the Trocadero.

B: The Trocadero.

M: Yes, the Trocadero.

B: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

M: Philadelphia, PA. You know, nice people and whatnot. But, really, really crazy experience. From the moment we arrived, from the moment we landed at the airport we got mobbed by fans. Just going to the hotel, I don't think we got a night's sleep.

B: Took awhile to get a taxi.

M: Right.

B: We would hail the taxi…

M: I mean people, fans love us. It's like writing love letters and covering your walls and you don't even know who we are. So, you know, we had a hard time getting a taxi, our manager was a few minutes late and whatnot. So, we end up going to this Marriott uptown.

B: Yeah.

M: That was just, really a nightmare.

B: It was.

M: And the opening band that evening, was just really…

B: Putrid. Putrid.

M: Atrocious.

SW: Yeah, I also heard about that you guys really have a hard time getting opening bands that you agree with, or you really don't like your opening bands, what is that all about?

B: Well, really we have. Well, our taste in music is pretty narrow. Um, if Guided by Voices were to come and open for us we'd be thrilled.

M: Right.

B: But really anybody else that's playing music today, you know maybe Morrissey, really anybody else, we're just not gonna like. We're just not gonna like it. All the good bands are defunct.

M: I mean we're really close-minded. If you look at my record collection, it's basically like a who's who in the graveyard, as far as rock music as concerned. And you could just subtitle my listening as 'death and pop'. You know, these little bands might come up, especially, you know, ska bands, we went over this before.

B: Right.

M: It's just really out of place in any endeavor we've involved ourselves in. We hate brass instruments. We hate that sort of thing. These people, they're cocky. They try to steal all the girls from our audience. And they're ungrateful that we're giving them this chance. And that's, you know. That's really all I have to say about that.

B: What we like to say to them is, you know, 'you are opening for us. You may have ten people in your band and we only have two, but you are opening for us.' And I think that says something about what you need to be a successful band.

M: Right.

B: I mean, there's only two of us. There's only two of us. There's ten people in a ska band.

M: Ten people in a ska band. We're doing with a fifth the number of people.

B: That one had a cowbell player.

M: Mmm-hmm. Right.

B: You know, there's no cowbells in our music. A guitar and a voice.

M: We'll stick with guitar, melody. Period. Exclamation point. Next question, Scott.

SW: With all bands there are pivotal moments, ups and downs. Could you tell me about some of those? What are some of the more formative experiences that have taken place over the last few years. I heard that you guys formerly were a hardcore band is that right?

B: Well, well in another incartation, um, incarnation...

M: Incarnation.

B: Yes, incarnation (laughter) Excuse me I'm a little tongue tied today. I'm a little tongue tied.

M: We're not really used to giving these interviews.

B: But, that original band, the original grouping we were known as the Cosmic Oatmeal Buckets.

M: Right, I believe Bryan thought that up in Advanced Placement U.S. History class.

B: Yes.

M: Actually, it was Oatmeal Buckets. Um, when we were youngsters, you know we're from Missouri, real midwestern 'hick' sort of place. And bowling is really a pastime.

B: Especially in the southern part of St. Louis county.

M: Right. And so, there was this little thing called cosmic bowling and we used to do that, so we took that and just added it to our name.

B: The band was formed with the intent of playing in the high school talent show.

M: Which of course ended in…defeat, but we're getting a little ahead of ourselves in the narration.

B: We were more of a punk band.

M: Punk rock. Acid core. I mean, melody shmelody really.

B: Precisely. I was writing I would say 95 percent of the songs at that time. I was listening to a lot of Minor Threat.

M: Right, this was at the point; I was the bass player in the band. I didn't even have enough finger dexterity early on, even to pick out a few notes. So I've really progressed as far as that is concerned. But also, the whole, you know going back to your question; things that happened and how that relates to your music and whatnot. I think that our acid days in punk really goes along with how frustrated we were to grow up in a midwest town. Cut off…

B: Suburbia.

M: Suburbia, sort of like a modern lethargy, sort of thing.

SW: As far as going into developing your first album, how did that go about, what were the early stages, final completion and where do you guys see yourself on the next album that's coming out?

B: Well, I think the next album to get to that part first. I think it's going to surprise some people. I really think it will.

M: Right, we don't have a title for the second album.

B: We like to think of the title last. Because we look at all the songs as one. What you're saying when you're titling an album is this word or phrase is appropriate for every one of those songs on the album.

M: Right, it has to be thematically…

B: You're saying a lot, it's saying a lot. You know, it's a lot of responsibility that goes along with that.

M: Those early days of production. We've never actually been in a professional recording studio. We've mastered producing an entire album on Bryan's four track and my computer.

B: No effects. No effects whatsoever. Just one microphone.

M: Dual voice on a few tracks. But, other than that, what you hear is what you get.

B: Raw. It's the song. You know, the song can hold up even to maybe not the finest method of recording.

M: It can shine through.

B: Not the traditional rock band. I say that in quotes -- quote-unquote rock band structure. Just the song, that's the important thing. That's what you go to hear.

M: You go to hear the melody. And you see the singer jumping around while the band's playing, you know. I always wanted to be the guy on the stage, getting the attention, creating that energy. Anyone who strives for that, more power to you. So, with the first album, it was really about incorporating songs we had written, you know, choosing the best ones and going with that. Seeing that we're a live band, we chose only the ones that we thought would come across on stage very well.

B: We wanted the record to be kind of a miniature live show.

M: Yes, miniature live show.

B: Miniature live show (laughter) The image we're going for is, you can put on this record, close your eyes…

M: It's like you went to Tickets Now and bought the ticket and you got to see the band playing in the studio.

B: Exactly, you close your eyes and we could just be sitting right next to you playing these songs.

M: The only thing you're missing is the cigarettes and the beer.

B: Right.

M: But you can do that while you listen. I mean why not? Why not, it's like a little show in your room. It's not real sterile like some things that are produced. You can spot a commercially produced album in a second. It's real slick and high gloss and whatnot.

B: We're not about that.

M: We're not about that at all. It's that feeling that comes across.

SW: With every band there's influences, there's things you listened to in the past. What would be in your record collections, what were those things that turned you on?

B: Well, I started…this is a bit embarrassing. First concert I ever went to, Six Flags over Mid-America, Weird Al Yankovic, bringing it back again, Weird Al Yankovic. Second concert I went to, also at Six Flags over Mid-America.

Both: The Crash Test Dummies.

B: But I quickly progressed. I started to get into grunge. Pearl Jam. Nirvana. I still like Nirvana. I still like Pearl Jam for that matter, their early albums. I just don't listen to them every day. Weezer.

M: Classic.

B: You know they're one of those pop bands.

M: (singing) My name is Jonas.

B: Exactly. (singing) I'm carrying the wheel

M: (singing) If you want to destroy my sweater.

B: Yes, yes. Pull this thread as I walk away. I then actually…

M: (singing) As I walk away. Right, sorry.

B: That's Weezer again. A mutual friend of ours introduced me to the Pixies. And that's when my life really started to turn.

M: I think that's when me and Bryan's separate musical interests, they really converged at that point.

B: I immersed myself in Pixies. I shaved my head so I would look more like Frank Black.

M: I mean, I grew my hair out to look like Kim Deal. I was really into the whole vegetarian feminist thing as well.

B: I carried my Pixies obsession for quite awhile. I still love the Pixies.

M: I see our interests much like if you take two of the Olympics rings. You have two circles. You know, I'm really into imagery and abstract thought, but you really have these two circles of interests. Think of Bryan's interests on the left, mine on the right, then you overlap them. So, in that little crease there that's where we have similar interests. And the Pixies are in there.

B: Guided by Voices.

M: Guided by Voices.

B: Guided by Voices.

M: Those are the two main…

B: I would say their influence is quite apparent in I would say a good 60, 70 percent of our songs.

M: I compare our band to a helicopter. You think about it, you know in a helicopter you have one central point around which two blades revolve. And those two blades revolve, and you know, they're separate blades but they're together when they revolve around a central unit. And that's when you can just go higher and higher. And that's where our band's going, we're a helicopter. To go into my interests. I'm more interested in literature, things like this than music, per se. However, when I started listening to Morrissey and the Smiths, even as a young child, I wanted to duplicate that kind of power, that kind of energy. Also, me and Bryan went to see Candlebox when we were juniors in high school.

B: The American Theater.

M: Right, American Theater, St. Louis. And the song "You". Cheesy sort of metal thing, but just that kind of passion…

B: Cock rock.

M: Right, cock rock. (laughter) I wanted to climb the rafters too, just like um, oh I've forgotten his name.

B: Uh, I believe it was Kevin… Kevin

M: Kevin.

B: Kevin Martin.

M: Kevin Martin, right. His brother, Bardi.

B: The bass player.

M: Right. Then there's Peter Klett. It was really a memorable moment. I remember the next morning. It was my first experience having a contact high and so I'd gotten ill, very ill during the night, and so the next morning I was vomiting and you know, of course I'm deaf. That has really stayed with me. So, that's what we're all about. We're the Jefreys. Thank you Scott.