OK, so I have just a couple of random questions for ya- so did you have trouble crossing the border?
Yeah, they were totally cool about it. I mean the guy at the window was a total dick. Ya know he totally vibes you but we just had our van and a trailer so it was cool.

I never get shit when I go across. I just say I’m going to the Casino in Niagara Falls and its not a problem.
I heard that’s the best place to cross. We went over in Winnipeg at like 8am and it was no problem at all. I guess they were tough on Strung Out cause they have that big bus.

What your favorite place or venue to play?
Trashiteria in Guelph was pretty awesome. Because its pretty personal and its really small and like…

Random Asian Girl: Yeah, its really strange watching you guys play on the floor in a tiny club.

Its just cool when you’re on tour with a big band and you get to play your own shows. Because you play in a venue like this- which is also amazing, but there’s like a barrier and all these kids all over the place. Then you go and play in front of like- how many kids were there like 300 kids?

Some Guy: 50.
Well, either way… it was over 42 kids, and everyone’s like right up in your face.

Who’d you guys play with, local bands?
Uh, Broken Star, Handheld, and the Constantines. The Constantines were pretty cool. They were kinda Fugazish.

A bunch of kids?
No, they were at least my age… like 24? Yeah, so I guess they’re older than me.

Any crazy shit from the tour so far?
Crazy shit? You mean besides drugs and rock and roll?

Yeah, besides the selling of marijuana in the backroom of a convenience store. (This story from before I turned the recorder on.)
That was pretty cool. No… I haven’t seen any heads in paper bags or anything like that. I wish I had something to tell but it’s been pretty mellow. Maybe when we get back to the states. Yeah Canada is a lot more…

Uptight?
Yeah.

I heard the cops even come into bars in Canada to bust you for smoking in certain places in Ontario cause its illegal to smoke in public places.
It is in California too, so I’m used to it. Its almost like culture shock when I’m sitting in a bar and I pull out a cigarette. I start looking around wondering if I’m gonna get a ticket for it, cause in California you’re not allowed to do it.

Anywhere?
Well, you can’t do it in bars or in restaurants or anything. Actually, in some places you’re not even allowed to smoke outside. You can only smoke in your house or your car. So basically in the whole state of California its illegal to smoke.

That’s bizarre. So what’s your opinion on the whole Napster thing? I know you’re probably looking to get as much exposure as possible, but at the same time you’re not looking to not sell records too so…
No, I back it. Yeah, I totally back it. I mean if you look at the statistics of it, record sales of bands have gone up since Napster’s been around.

Same random guy: Except in college towns.

Really? Either way, bands are selling more records so you can’t say that Napster’s hurting music at all. Plus, it’s a good thing like if I never heard of a band before I’d want to go on Napster and download a song before I spent $17 on a CD that I heard all this hype about. Cause that type of thing happens to me quite often.

Me too. You get it and the CD has one or two good songs.
Yeah. Plus with our record label, Vagrant, they help us out with tours and stuff. Like right now they’re sponsoring The Get Up Kids tour and the face to face-Alkaline Trio-Saves the Day tour. So you gotta back that too. They help out for the cause, ya know.

So is there a band or musician that you totally admire or want to sound like?
That’s a tough question. I don’t know.  You know what people that are involved in the music we play say we have a totally original sound, but people that don’t listen to us are like…  Actually, some guy earlier told a friend of ours that’s on tour with us that we sound like Blink-182 and that were trying too hard. I’m like- we don’t sound a fucking thing like Blink-182.  Not that I don’t like Blink-182 I just don’t wanna go for it. I mean there’s enough Blink copies out there, you really don’t need another one.

You mean like Fenix TX?
I like Fenix TX.

Really? Actually I haven’t really heard the record.
Well, you gotta respect them cause their record has been out longer than Blink-182’s. It’s been around for like six years now. They didn’t go big off of it cause they were too early for it but, then the timing caught up to it… and so when people say they’re trying to be like Blink-182 is like- fuck you their record was out first.

Yeah that’s true.
Actually, Mark Hoppus is their manager… Its almost like he knew what they had was marketable, but they weren’t in any position to go big. Then, they capitalized off of it and let Fenix TX follow. So you gotta respect them.

OK, one more question: The whole presidential election thing.
I don’t know. I really don’t like my options but…

So you’re gonna go with like Ralph Nader?
You know someone was telling me that. This guy I know- its funny cause this guy used to be total crusty bunk. You know like fuck religion, fuck politics, and all that shit. Now he’s like this mod kid telling me I should vote and help my country out. And I’m like- I really don’t like my options. So he tells me- Fuck it vote for Ralph Nader. Don’t vote for fuckin Gore or Bush. And I’m like you know what- what’s the point; he’s already lost the election. I know that’s a shitty way of thinking but, I really don’t care about politics. I just don’t give a shit. And as a band we just don’t really care about rights or politics or stuff.

Well, you do but you don’t.
I don’t care because I really don’t have a problem with anything. I mean I have a big problem with racism. I just don’t believe in preaching that in our music. It just doesn’t affect my life. I don’t lay in my bed and think,  “There’s just too many racist assholes out there”. I’d rather write about something that’s hurting me.

Random Guy: So you’re gonna write about herpes then right?

Yeah that’s it. Actually, there should not be people out there like me. We need more people that actually care. I’m just like fuck it I’m gonna move to Canada.

Yeah, really… all right cool thanks a lot.