1.
Introduce the band: Name, age, instrument, and all-time favorite TV show.
Hello. I'm
ryan i'm 19 and i sing and play the low end. Kenny is 19 and he plays guitar
and sings. Chris is 19 and he just shreds. Matt is 18 - he hits the skins.
2. Tell us how you guys all met, how you
decided to form the band, and if its all original members of if you made changes.
Chris and Kenny have known
each other since grade school. I met them in junior high and we all became friends
and started playing our instruments at the same time… learning them together.
We played in a few bands than we met matt in high school. He played drums and
we needed a drummer and there you go...Allstar Otis formed.
3.
Where is Randolph NJ? Do you consider yourself part of any local scene? Are there
other bands in your high school or town that you like to play shows with? Where
is your favorite place to play shows?
Randolph
NJ is in Morris County. The "randolph scene" is pretty cool..kids come
out and support their friends which is chill. I guess we're a part of the scene..we
play shows in randolph and kids come out to see us and have fun..so if thats being
in..then yeah.
4. You have some interesting song titles like "50
Is Conservative, 60 Is Provocative" and "Oregon Disappeared Today."
Do the titles become understandable if you read the lyrics, or do you just like
song titles that make people think but dont really mean anything?
I guess it depends. After i write the words to
a song, i kinda just either make a title that i like or i try to base the title
off what the song is about. Whichever i feel like doing for that particular song.
5. What do you think of "emo"
as both a musical style and a social thing (like the way kids dress, hang out,
etc.) I noticed you dont use the word to describe Allstar Otis -- do you think
"emo" has become to overused that it really doesnt mean anything anymore?
Or do you feel that your music is not emo in any way?
The
whole "emo" thing is just a bunch of bullshit for little fucking kids
to bitch to eachother about. I dry not to pay attention to that stuff. That term
is different to everyone so it's kinda hard to describe something as emo. I try
not to go deep into describing our band..that's for the listener to do..i just
say we're a fast aggressive band that plays really, really loud.
6.
You say in your bio that your stage show is something that a fan will never forget
once they've seen you play. Why? What's a typical ASO show like?
We just go on stage and get so into the music
that we can't help but to throw our guitars around and practically break our necks
from throwing them around...It just kinda happens. Off the stage we're totally
chill dudes..but once we get on..for some reason..we just become new people.
7. How important do you thnk image is to a band?
Do you put a lot of thought into what you wear on stage, how you do your hair,
etc? Does what a band looks like influence how fans react to their music? And
what does All Star Otis' appearance and personal style say about YOUR music?
haha..nah we dont dress up in suits or wear
bandana's or any of that lame stuff. In my humble opinion, that stuff is just
ridiculous. It's only cool if the dudes look badass..like 50 cent..he wears a
bullet proof vest. But makeup..no.
8.
Do you guys do anything besides the band (sports, school activities, girlfriends
etc.)? Do you find it hard to find a balance between being in the band and school
& everything else? Do you all go to the same sschool? And how do you all do
in school anyway?
Kenny,
Chris, and I are all a year older than matt so we graduated and all go to a school
close to home so we can constantly play shows and practice. So yeah..we all attend
some form of college right now but the band comes first to us. Some of us have
girlfriends but that subject doesn't affect the band..everyone in the band knows
what comes first and is more important.
9.
Name the song or band you heard when you were younger that made you want to be
in a band yourself.
This
is a cool question. Hmm...honestly..probably a Metallica or Limp Bizkit song.
That was the jam I used to listen to way back when i started playing music. But
it was Pennywise and Goldfinger that opened my eyes and ears to punk rock.
10. Do you have any plans to make a CD or any
other big plans for 2006?
We
are definitely going to tour, definetly going to record again, and most definetly
going to play as many shows as possible. I really think 2006 is going to be a
big year for us...better than every other year we've been in existence.
11.
Tell people how they can find you on the web, email you, and what merch you have
available.
www.AllstarOtis.com
www.PureVolume.com/AllstarOtis
email us at
Band@allstarotis.com or email me personally at ASO Ryan@aol.com
buy our merch at www.loudmerch.com/allstarotis
12. And finally… Why wont you take your shirts off for
a Yummyzine photo?
We don't feel america
is ready to see how sexy we are without clothes on. We might blind some people
with amazingness. haha.