We often get interviews postponed, rescheduled, or interrupted, it’s just par for the course: but you rarely these days get calls that just keep dropping out!
Everything seemed to happen when we spoke to Austin from Of Mice and Men earlier this week. On the road between shows the reception was all over the place but we managed to get in a few questions before they hit Aussie shores next year!
Mark: Hi, Austin, how are you going?
Austin: Hi, good. I’m just leaving Reno, Nevada, we are on tour over here at the minute.
Mark: Cool. It’s great to see you coming back to Australia. We have seen you here before but it’s about time you got back. Next year you hit Soundwave, what can we expect to see from you live?
Austin: Yeah, well we always try and have the same energy, whether we are playing to forty thousand of forty people in the crowd. If you like us then check us out, if not throw something at me, and go and watch another band!!
Mark: The new album was supposed to be out in July. Have you got another date for release?
Austin: We had a re release of ‘The Flood’ with about 3 or 4 songs added to it.
Its here the call drops out for the first time before being reconnected…
Mark: What’s the reaction been like to the new single ‘The Depths’?
Austin: Oh, man, it’s been huge! We didn’t expect that song to go over that well – we are all really proud of it.
Mark: I guess it’s a great introduction to the new sound of the band. It has changed slightly over the years, as you have been in and out of the band yourself.
There is a distinct pause before the line drops out again before being restored by the organisers…
Mark: The UK tour seems to have pretty much sold out, so obviously the word is spreading globally, not just in the US.
Austin: Yeah, we just got a phone call tonight that our last show, our headliner show is sold out, so we are really excited about that.
Mark: You have a unique style and sound, you must have an amazing pair of lungs because some of those notes that you can hold are great. Did you have any formal training, and who are your influences?
Austin: It’s something about four years ago, I just wanted to try! I just tried it and kind of went for it! I never had any formal training up until about four months ago.
At this point the call drops out again and Austin apologises when I get him back, travelling in a car between shows even in the US where there is pretty much universal coverage for cell-phones isn’t ideal!
Mark: It (your voice) sounds great, and I think that’s part of what is attracting people to the band at the moment. We did a poll three weeks ago about the Soundwave line up, and as well as the big names your name kept coming up, so you were the band here that people wanted us to interview.
Austin: That’s cool we’ll try not to disappoint you!
Mark: We had a few people write to us with questions. If it’s cool I’ll read out a few for you: Are you all from Costa Mesa, Orange County, California?
Austin: Yeah, we are all from the Southern California area.
Mark: Someone asked us if you ever got chance to hang out at the OC fair?
Austin: Yeah, we all have, it’s something you just go to if you live there!
Mark: If you could tour with anyone, who would it be?
Austin: Oh, man. I have no idea!! Maybe Korn, Slipknot or Jay-Z.
Mark: Are you sure about that last one!?
Austin: Oh, and Nickelback.
Mark: If you could have been involved in the recording of any piece of music at any point in time, what would it be and why?
Austin: Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen. Absolutely has to be. Or anything by Frank Sinatra, I love classic music and I listen to it all the time, when I warm up, when I do anything. It was a cool era for me, I love that stuff.
Mark: So you have quite a diverse range of influences, is that you personally or is the band the same?
Austin: I think all of us love all kinds of stuff from hardcore to just about anything. I like we can appreciate all kinds of music from all kinds of musicians.
Mark: What is the meaning of life?
Austin: I think…
And it is at that point in the answer the phone cuts out completely. I think I say my final line to dead air somewhere close to Reno. The messaging service comes on the line again to ask if we’ve finished and I want to say no, but end up saying ‘For now’. We’ll get that answer next year I’m sure!
We are all looking forward to seeing Of Mice and Men at Soundwave, later next year.
