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PLAIN WHITE T'S :::::: |
THE BASICS Name : Dave Tirio Band : Plain White T's Job In Band : Guitar Website Address : www.plainwhitets.com HOME Hometown : Lombard, outside of Chicago IL Hometown is best known for : Chicago style hot dogs, pizza, Al Capone, the architecture, the crazy weather. Best thing about the music scene in your hometown : The community vibe, that everyone helps each other. Most influential band to yourself that's come out of your home town : Smoking Popes Best up and coming band from your home town would be : The Scissors THE BAND What's the story behind the band name? The band started with a love of older music, 50s and 60s style. The plain white t was a staple of that era, and also worn by artists like Michael Jackson, Springsteen, etc. It's something that's always been cool and iconic and familiar. When did the band begin and how did it come about? Throughout high school Tom and I always played songs with our friends in our basements, and that inevitably led to writing our own stuff and starting the band right as high school ended. How would you describe your sound to the average Joe on the street? Alternative rock, just tight songs with good hooks, melodies and harmonies. What's your current release? Tell us a little about it? Every Second Counts. It's got a bit of everything, I think it's the best record we have, and the singles from it have been Hate, Our Time Now and Hey There Delilah. What image do you think / hope your music conveys? I think we have a very Midwestern vibe, I think the music comes off as kind of blue collar, and just trying to express the normal pitfalls and struggles of life and relationships. In five years time the band will be? Hopefully a huge band all around the world! We love what we do and would be very fortunate to keep doing it with lots of success. OFF THE STAGE What was your first introduction to music that made you think seriously about playing it? I asked for an acoustic guitar for my 8th grade graduation, and when I got to high school and met friends that played as well, I wanted to be a part of it and got as involved with it as possible. What was your first band name and what style did you play? Right around the time we started there was The Carbonas, and Sig Transit Gloria. The Carbonas were Ramones-worshipping pop punk and STG was more like the Get Up Kids. Tell us three albums you couldn't live without in your collection. Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. Blur - The Great Escape. Smoking Popes - Get Fired Best piece of musical advice you've been given. To not give up on the band, even when we were down on our luck, that if we stuck together and worked hard enough good things would eventually happen. Two groups/artists you'd love to take out on the road. I'd love to tour with Green Day, or Jimmy Eat World again, or at least just play with The Strokes or maybe Weezer. Favourite song of your group? I don't know, maybe Let Me Take You There, or an older song called Shine. The thing you most look forward to just before a tour is Hopefully getting to see new places, which next year will be happening a lot, so that'll be exciting every day. The thing you least look forward to before a tour is Sometimes sleeping can beat you up, if your back doesn't vibe well with your bus' mattresses you're gonna be in trouble with some achy days. But really, touring these days is much more comfortable so if that's my biggest concern, we're doing just fine. When your not doing band related stuff, what are you usually found doing? Going to Cubs games back home, or just going to the bar to watch them with my friends, reading, seeing movies, playing poker, the norm. ON THE STAGE / ROAD What gear do you use? Epiphone guitars, Rivera amps. Favourite place (city/town/country) you've toured? and why? New York and Chicago are great, Southern California and San Fran, the UK is awesome too for the really enthusiastic crowds. The best show you've ever played was? and why? The Palace of Auburn Hills in Detroit was amazing last year, and some Metro shows we've played in Chicago. Also the All-State Arena show in Chicago we just did with Fall Out Boy. Who hogs the stereo in the van the most? When we were in the van whomever drove had the power, and I'd think that De'Mar, Tom and Mike drove the most so they were playing their picks. After a week in the van/bus on tour which band member will have the messiest section, and what would we most likely find stashed there? Mike would probably have the messiest area, full of video games, books, shoes, maybe a stray beer even. Who in your group has the worst bad habit on tour, and what is it? Our habits aren't too bad actually, Tom tends to talk on the phone in earshot of people as they sleep, and that'll piss some people off. Your manager calls and says the venue you are about to play really wants to keep you happy, what?s the first thing you chuck on the rider? Load us up with beer, you can never have too much of that, whereas you can definitely have too much salsa, or too much cereal! RIGHT NOW What's getting the most spins in your stereo right now? The new Jimmy Eat World record, Chase This Light. Tell us a band or artist everyone should check out and why? The Scissors, Chicago punk from guys who love Ramones, The Misfits, The Clash and Screeching Weasel. They have MySpace and Facebook pages. If you could change one thing about the music industry today, what would it be? I wish there were more indie outlets for video and radio that held influence as a tastemaker in the industry. MTV2 was a brilliant step in the right direction when it first came out, and now it's as much an outlet for reality television as MTV. I think they could be introducing many up-and-comers to the masses the same way 120 Minutes did in the 90s. As soon as I've finished answering these questions I'm about to.. Maybe shower, maybe find a smoke, and then find some food! |
