Greenbrier Lane
How did Greenbrier Lane get started?I started writing songs and contacted some high school friends to help me put together a recording (Chris Conde, Brian Stumps, Paul Meyers). They were great for helping me. The agreement was that they would help me get my recordings together so I could build a Web site, find some permanent band mates, and start promoting my music. I started promoting the demo with flyers, stickers and demo cds. I got the attention of Vipe Desai, an action sports event coordinator here in Southern California. He liked what I was doing and suggested I put together an even better recording. I called a couple of friends who were members of a band called the Scrimmage Heroes. They had recently decided to put that band aside to work on other projects, so I knew I had a chance. I called Frank and Jay, and they liked the demo. We got together a few times to play and we hit it off in both music and personally. We still needed a bass player, though, and Randy was a childhood friend of theirs. We hit the studio to re-record the tracks in June 2004. Some of the songs from that session made it to this Japanese release (You Doubted Me, I’m so Sorry, Used). Since then we have hit the studio together for several different sessions.
Were any of you in bands prior to Greenbrier Lane? Jay, Frank, and Randy were in a band called The Scrimmage Heroes. They toured with Blink and Green Day on the Pop Disaster Tour. Greenbrier Lane is my first band.
Tell Us About Greenbrier Lane- Taken from greenbrierlane.com In Early 2001, Steve Chavez, inspired by the sounds of bands like The Misfits, The Sex Pistols, and The Ramones, began his musical endeavors at an early age. A little cynical, and completely motivated, Steve realized his own vision and formed his own group taking his childhood street name Greenbrier Lane. Recruiting friends and members of other bands like Ignite, Trauma, and Scrimmage Heroes, the quartet soon began drawing attention to itself and was quickly recognized by KROQ’s “Kevin and Bean Show.” The show, sharing in GBL’s view of the world, began taking notice of the band’s antics. In 2003 the station played the band’s track entitled, “The Dead Walk The Streets on Halloween” for the Halloween holiday. Soon after, GBL submitted "Christmastime in the 909" to play off the morning show's love/hate relationship for the Inland Empire. As it turns out, Kevin and Bean really loved it. Proving themselves to be creative and fun the band earned the respect of Kevin and Bean listeners, and so began the building of a fan base...
Style of Music -Punk Rock / Rock and Roll
Favorite place to play and why- Small Clubs with great sound systems.
Funniest thing you've seen at a show? I once got yelled at for drinking Alien Ant Farm's Gatorade. They had a barrel full of it, and we were their opener. They really could have spared one.
Craziest place you've played? Jay's christmas party
Are you on a label? If so, who? In ya Face records in Japan, and SameSame sound in Australia. They have been amazing to work with, and great friends.
Does playing in a band get you laid? Not me, but it seems to work for Jay pretty well
Who's your favorite bands right now? AFI, Misfits, Social Distortion, NOFX
Who writes your songs and how are you inspired to write them? I write the lyrics, and the basic structure. I call together the troops and show them what I have come up with. We weigh opinions, and discuss the progression. Sometimes the song stands as is, and other times the guys help me rebuild the whole thing. We haven't put anything out we weren't proud of...
When you play at a show are you all serious or do you just fuck around? Before the shows, I'm usually in a weird mood. I don't like to Fuck around. I am kind of a buzz kill. I seem to go to the bathroom a lot. I think my nerves get to me....
Any pre-show rituals? I like to brush my teeth. I like singing with a clean mouth.
Does or did any of you get stage fright? I still get nervous. We just played live on the radio for KROQ Los Angeles. That was a bit nerve racking. I listened back to the tape, and we handled it pretty well.
What's your favorite song that you play right now and why? Today is the day you will Die. It's really fast, and it gets everybody moving.
What does it mean to you being in Greenbrier Lane? I eat, shit, sleep, and breathe my band. I take it very serious. Greenbrier Lane is a business to me. Don't get me wrong. We don't make a ton of cash. It's not the money. Its about chasing your dreams. It takes a lot of sacrifice to be in a band.
What do you do when your not playing ? I own a business printing t-shirts. I have 4 employees, so that keeps me pretty busy. Jay is the lead bellman of a beautiful resort call the Surf and Sand in Laguna Beach. He wears a suit and a tie to work every day. He looks like he is in the secret service. He is a good leader. There is a lot of bell men under him, and his bosses always seem happy with him. Frank is a bail bonds man. He calls me at weird hours of the night from jails all across So. Cal. He shows me a lot of mug shots.
How do your families evaluate the fact that your musicians? Our families are very supportive. My dad and mom are unbelievable. I have to ask them to not go to certain shows. Some are in such gritty venues, I don't want my mom in these dumps.
What are your thoughts on the influences of Punk Rock on the mainstream? I am a big fan of Rancid, Social Distortion, Blink, & Green Day. I also love the Ramones, the Misfits, and the Descendents. I don't care if they go mainstream. They are great bands, and I want them to grow, and reach as many people as they can. Just like they reached me.
What is your evaluation of the current punk scene? There isn't much of a punk scene in Southern CA, hardcore is popular. I am not big on this Christian Hardcore thing. Kids swearing in churches, and fight dancing. Calling their music Christian, and eating cigarettes in the parking lot. Fuck that! I'm not very religious, but I think that whole scene is a slap in the face of religion.
Who are your musical influences? Rancid, Social Distortion, Blink, Green Day, Ramones, Misfits,& Descendents
Any bands you really want to do a show with and why? I would love to do the Warped Tour, and I don't care who is on it...
Who's the craziest band you've ever done a show with? These guys wearing gorilla suits, I thought that was different. I didn't get it and neither did the crowd
Describe the stage presence of Greenbrier Lane - We don't jump around like a bunch of dip shits, we want to sound solid. By all means we are not going to put on tight pants and make-up. I have always admired the Foo Fighters, and Social Distortion, they don't do ninja kicks or anything stupid like that, and they still kick ass. I want to come off like them.
Has your style of music changed at all since the band started? If so, how? I think it has had a natural evolution. I don't have a specific direction I want it to go. I just want to be a better songwriter.
Favorite Band of all time- Steve- Metallica Jay- Ozzy Osbourne Frank- NOFX Randy- Janes Addiction
What are your general thoughts on the world today? I don't know, I'm not a general.
What's your favorite part of being in a band ? Carrying my own equipment
What are your personal thoughts on the mentality of today's America? I think people are lazy. People think they are victims. To tell you the truth, I can't stand people. We have a country that is a Free Enterprise, and it makes me sick to see how lazy people are.
What are your thoughts of the whole Warped Tour traveling circus? We want to be a part of it!!!!
When you look into the crowd, what would you say are the kind of people at the shows? Good kids, Kids with imagination, Kids with hope. Adults that are kids at heart.
How did you come up with the name Greenbrier Lane? It is the street that I grew up on. I was going over band names, and when I thought of that, it felt right.
What makes Greenbrier Lane different from other bands? Work ethic. We don't want a hand out.
Anything you want to add or say? Thanks for your interest in my band.
Anyone you want to thank? Everyone who gives us the hope to keep on truck-in.
Next - Word association, Type the first thing that comes to your mind when you read the following words.
Punk -Fun
Drink - Jack and Coke
Porn- Addicted
Eat- I eat Bad
Girls- Headaches
Money- Headaches
Work- I hate t-shirts
Sex- Porn
Sleep- Need more
Leather- Face
Police- Baton
Movie- Star trek 4
Government- Civilization
TV- Danny Bonaduche
Life- Going by fast
Death- Choose your battles
Check out Greenbrier Lane at www.greenbrierlane.com
