Featured Artist

How did Numbers on Napkins get started?

Tad, Moe & myself played for a band called Yars Revenge with another guy.  When Yars broke up, the three of us created Numbers On Napkins.  After a couple years we then added Matt.

Was any of in you bands prior to Numbers on Napkins?

Oh yeah.  I was the bassist, singer, and guitarist for Dirty Laundry all at different times during its 10 year duration.  I've also played with a few other bands like Forever Falling, Basketcase....nothing special.  Tad was in Stuck in a Groove, also known as Stucky.  Moe was in Cobalt Bloom.  Matt was in The New Republicans.  Of course Moe, Tad and myself all performed as Yars Revenge as well.

Tell Us About your band.

Not too much to say.  We just play music that we enjoy.  Music we think is funny, or music that is just something that can cause you to think or feel emotions.  Whatever.  We play what we like.  Our styles are very diverse and it's hard to put us in a catagory.  We just love music and hope that we can make people have a good time, laugh, or take something away from our songs.

Style of Music (political, EmO, Funny, hardcore, rockstars, ..etc)

This is a hard one.  We have been called Humor-Core, Party Punk, Pop Punk, Alternative, and just plain Punk Rock.  So I'm not sure where we belong yet.

Favorite place to play and why-

There are so many places that we enjoy.  So many cities give us love.  So many veues and fans have treated us great!  Although when it comes down to it I think that we would all agree that our home town of Phoenix is where we like to play most.  Venues like Alice Cooperstown, The Clubhouse, Jughead's, Cypress Lounge.....there are really too many local venues to list.  We love then all!

Funniest thing you've seen at a show?

I would say the funniest was at our CD Release for Quickerdrunkenlouderharder.  Our guitarist Moe was having a bad night.  We were shooting a music video before the show and he jumped in the air and his strap broke.  Then 5 minutes later we started shooting again and some chick put a smoke out on his chest.  Then after that, we got a little to into it during the shoot and as I was playing my bass behind my head I spun around and clocked Moe in the head (Almost knocking him out).  After the shoot, we started playing and during the first song Moe's Mesa Boogie fried!  It blew 4 tubes and melted a couple transistors.  Not his night at all.

Craziest place you've played?

Kris and Kelly's House.  All house parties get crazy, but when we played there the whole place got trashed during our set.  Furniture got smashed, beer was spilt, even the ceiling fan came crashing down in the middle of our set.

Are you on a label? If so, who?

We are currently signed to Bad Stain Records.  Check them out at www.badstainrecords.com

Any groupie stories?

Hahahaha.  Ummmm.  Lets stick with no comment from all of us on this one.

Who's your favorite bands right now?

We all have different taste.  I've been really enjoying Panic at the Disco....as embarrasing as it is to say.  Of course I still love my Mars Volta and the new Plain White T's is really good.  Avenged Sevenfold, Gnarles Barkley, and Peeping Tom are all in my CD player right now.  I know Tad is really into the new Yellowcard and Blue October lately.  Matt can't get enough of Wolfmother and She Wants Revenge.  Moe....well....I don't think he listens to any new music.  The last album I heard him really talk about was No Use for a Name, Hard Rock Bottom.  Although I must admit, that's my favorite NUFAN album too.

Who writes your songs and how are you inspired to write them?

We all write the songs.  I know the songs I write are usually inspired by the people around me, more then myself.  I write a lot of songs through the eyes of my friends.  All the drama that happens in our crew.  It's like 90210 sometimes.  Although some of the songs I write are from my perspective.  And the funny songs, I guess I write those because I'm in a goofy mood.  I know that Matt and Tad write from personal things in their life, and Moe writes from personal things as well.

When you play at a show are you all serious or do you just fuck around??

We are usaully too drunk to remember how the show went the next day....so I'm not sure.

Any pre-show rituals?

I have a ritual that I do.  I put Gold Bond all over my balls.  It's a little trick I learned when I played with The White Kaps back when I was in Dirty Laundry.  Those guys insisted we do it, and I've continued the tradition.  But I think our only pre-show ritual is a good luck shot before we head up on stage.

Does or did any of you get stage fright?

Not me....and none of the other guys have ever mentioned anything.  I thought Matt would be a little scared.  His first show with us was opening for The Queers and The Independents.  There was a good turnout.  I would have been nervous if I had just joined a band and my first show with them was that size, but Matt did fine.

What's your favorite song that you play right now and why?

Don't know about the other guys but I like "Forget this I'm going to Tokyo".  I like it because I can play it with one hand on the bass and put on a better show.

What does it mean to you being in Numbers on Napkins?

It means poontang and booze.

What do you do when your not playing?

We write or spend time in the studio.  I run my record label, and all the band helps with that.  We also have a booking agency that we all try and run.  If we aren't doing that we are promoting or going to shows supporting our friends bands.  There are great bands in AZ.  Check out ATM, The Dames, Adam Don't Care, and Sigma.

How does your families evaluate the fact that your musicians and not a banker or whatever?

Actually, we are all bankers and do music for fun......okay...that was a joke.  They are cool with it.  Although it is hard.  When we are on the road I really miss my daughter.  I know whenever we have girlfriends or whatever, we get all lonely.  We are pansies.

If you check out TV on any given day often you see "punk" video clips or sound bites from bands like Something Corperate, Rise Against, AFI, Greenday, etc.. What are your thoughts on the influences of Punk Rock on the mainstream?

I have nothing wrong with it.  When I was younger that was important to me.  I called bands sellouts....it's a stupid thing though.  They are musicians.  Let them do what they want.  I personally could not change my music for anyone...well, maybe Rick Rubin.  But I honestly believe most of these bands are doing what they love and playing music that they are proud of.  Good for them.  Besides, most of the bands started out small and worked hard for 5-10 years before they got picked up.  They deserve a reward.  Also, I know my musical style has changed in my life.  My previous bands sounded nothing like Numbers On Napkins.  It's not because I sold out, it's because I listen to as much music as possible.  I have a CD collection with over 3,000 CD's and it includes Rap, R & B, Jazz, Blues, Alternative, Grind Core, Hardcore, Thrash, Pop Punk, Rock, Punk, Ska, Reggea, Experimental, country, techno, folk, anti-folk.....I love all music.

What is your current evaluation of the current punk scene?

Punk died over 20 years ago and it is just new styles of rock that everyone calls punk.  For every rock band there are 150 punk bands.  For every country band there are 250 punk bands.....everyone wants to be punk.  It's easy to classify your band as punk......but lets face it, new bands are usually not punk at all.  At least, not punk in the way it was in the 70's.  The scene is good though.  And it will always be good.  Punk has a following that is timeless.  It's not a style like New Wave or Glam Rock that fades away.  It's a community of everyone.  I'd say the scene is as strong as ever.

Who are your musical influences (and please don't say Jonny Cash)?

Shit.  Johnny Cash is one of them for me...and I think everyone in the band.  My major influences are anything Mike Patton (Mr. Bungle, Faith No More, Fantomas, Tomohawk, etc.), Guns N Roses, The Beatles....Too many to list.  Tad's are 311, Quiet Riot, Buddy Rich....Matt's are the Hanson Brothers, Nomeansno, The Rolling Stones, Face to Face.....and Moe's are Simon & Garfunkle, The Vandals and Bad Religion.

Too many bands to list.  There are some producers I would love to work with though.  Rick Rubin, Ryan Greene, Donnel Cameron, Darian Rundall, Matt or Andy Wallace...damn...that would be awesome! 

Who's the craziest band you've ever done a show with?

E.T.T.S.  Those guys rock.  Enough said.  See them live and you will see why.

Descibe the stage presence of Numbers on Napkins -

DRUNK

Has your style of music changed at all since the band started? If so, why?

Yes.  It always changes because we always try to write new and interesting material.  We don't like 2 songs to sound alike.  Our next CD will be very diverse.

Favorite Band of all time (from each band member please)

Mine is The Beatles.  I think Tad's is Buddy Rich.  Matt's is Nomeansno.  I believe Moe's is Bad Religion

What are your general thoughts on the world today?

No comment.  We don't wanna have this arguement.  Hahaha.

What's your favorite part of being in a band?

The constant sex with underage girls.

What are personal thoughts on the mentality of today's america?

Moe and Matt are very happy with the way the country is being run.  Tad hates it.  And I'm in the middle.  If we are talking about the Iraq shit.  It's a shitty situation, but I understand why we did it.  Everyone I ever talked too wanted to go to war with terrorism, and now about half of them say they never supported it.  I think that america jumped the gun.  Sometimes we let our emotions get the best of us.  I think that is what happened in this situation.  Just like in Pearl Harbor when we dropped the bomb in retaliation.  I think even back then, bu doing that we showed the world that we have the weapons and will use them.  It put the U.S. in a tough situation because now we feel it is our duty to police the whole fucking world.  I can honsitry say that I would not want to be president.  I think Bush is doing the best he can, and think Clinton did the best he could.  I honetly think all poloticians are shitbags...I hate them all...but at the same time I feel bad for them.  Nothing they do is right for everyone.  I don't even want to get into my feelings on the way that the U.S. or the world has reacted over the past 100 years.  I could babble for hours.  So lets say that I see both sides of the situation and understand both sides.  And I will play Swittzerland and stay neutral....even though Switzerland really isn't neutral....WAIT...I'm not gonna get into this.

What are your thoughts of the whole Warped Tour traveling circus?

Good Show.  Always 2-3 great bands.  When we play there are 3-4 great bands.

When you look into the crowd, what would you say are the kind of people at the shows?

Drunks.

How did you come up with the name Numbers on Napkins ?

Moe came up with it.  We have a napkin signed by Ron Jeremy "To Numbers On Napkins, I Jizzed on this, Ron Jeremy".  We like to have our heroes sign napkins.  But that has nothing to do with how we got the name.  I just think it's cool.

What makes Numbers on Napkins  different from other bands?

We rock and all other bands suck in comparison.  In fact, pretty soon I'm sure all bands will just give up and stop playing because we rock so much.  I feel bad for other bands.  I am thinking of opening a school for bands so I could attempt to teach them how to be as cool and punk as us.....but I'm not sure if it is something you can teach.  It's really something you are born with.  And as far as I know, the four of us are the only ones who can do it. 

Anything you want to add or say.

Buy our new CD "Quickerdrunkenlouderharder" online at www.interpunk.