These guys turned out to be really cool dudes and I had a lot of fun with this interview. Check out Name Taken's album, Hold On out on Fiddler Records for a pretty good listen of indie rock.

PL: State your name and what you guys do in the band.

C: I'm Chad, and I sing and play bass.

J: I'm Juan and I play drums.

B: I'm Blake and I play guitar.

R: I'm Ryan and I play guitar.

PL: I could be wrong about this, but did you guys play a festival in New York this past Sunday?

ALL: Yeah.

PL: Did Dying Fetus play that?

J: Yes. Between the Buried and Me did too.

PL: How'd that end up happening? I found it to be hysterical that Name Taken was on the same bill as Dying Fetus. You've got to love diverse line ups.

J: Its because we bring the mosh really hard.

B: We turned it into a warzone.

C: We were put on the tour and that happened to fall in the middle of it. We weren't sure what to expect.

PL: How'd that show end up going?

J: Not too bad, actually. We got a pretty good response.

B: A lot of kids watched and clapped but...

C: They were definitely waiting for some harder bands.

PL: Did you guys watch Dying Fetus?

ALL: No.

B: No, I actually went in there to watch them, but someone else was on and I was kind of bummed because I wanted to watch them and we had to take off.

PL: Your drummer (Juan) played in other different styled bands, like Taken, and you were in some other bands, weren't you?

J: I drummed for Eighteen Visions for a month and a half on tour. Just a lot of fill in stuff for local bands, but nothing other than Taken as far as permanent.

PL: What did he bring to the table when he joined?

C: A lot of stupid drumming.

B: A lot of double bass. He's very open. He was in other kinds of bands but he plays everything and he listens to everything.

C: Its mostly personality though.

B: Yeah.

C: Its more personality than skill actually.

R: He sucks at drumming, but we take what we can get.

J: They bought me at the Mexican market, on the boarder, and they brought me in.

PL: Was it tough? Were there any adjustments that you guys had to make?

R: Not really. The album was done.

B: Thats why it was easy. He picked up real quick. He jumped in as we were ready to go.

J: I had to play a lot less tech.

PL: It sounds like you do a lot more than whats on the album.

J: Its calmed down quite a bit since Taken, which was nothing but tiresome.

PL: I was watching this thing about cannibalism yesterday. If your van crashed into a snowy mountain, stranding you guys there and killing one of you, would you eat him to stay alive?

J: Yes.

B: Definitely.

R: We'd eat Chad's back fat.

C: If it was me who died first, they could live for months off of me because my back is so heavily saturated with fat.

B: We'd definitely indulge in human meat if we had to.

C: I wouldn't, but thats just me.

J: Yeah you would; you're always hungry.

B: Chad's lying.

J: He'd eat us if we were in the form of a cheeseburger.

PL: Given the chance, would you rather tour with Minor Threat or Operation Ivy?

R: Minor Threat because I used to listen to and Operation Ivy I never used to listen to.

J: Can we choose the Aquabats? I've never heard of either of those bands you just mentioned.

PL: Really?

J: Funny story.

B: Thats a good story.

J: Funny story; I've never heard of those two bands. Story's over.

C: You just ruined our scene cred Juan.

J: I like Primus.

PL: Did you grow up listening to punk and hardcore?

J: I grew up listening to Michael Jackson.

PL: So, how'd you get into this type of music?

J: I started playing drums and I got into the usual cycle for most drummers that I've talked to. They start off with Metallica, and they think he's the best drummer in the world, and then they grow up to be a better drummer and then realize that he's not all that great. And then they go to Pantara and then they go up and up and up and it gets heavier and heavier and once you get to that, you start getting bored and you go to the softer bands. And then Primus comes along.

B: And saves the day.

J: Yeah. Not Saves the Day, except for their old stuff.

PL: Do you guys ever see yourselves trading in your instruments for 9-5 jobs with a wife, house and kid?

B: Blake says no.

C: I sure hope not.

J: I've had a 9-5 job and its stupid.

R: I'd trade it in if I was like 35.

J: I wouldn't. I'd be like one of those old rockers who just wouldn't let go. I'll be onstage when I'm 70 and I'll be like 'I'm not going anywhere.' They'll wheel me up to the drum kit.

PL: Are you guys going to vote this year?

R: No.

C: No.

B: No.

J: I'm gonna be playing Mega Man.

PL: If you're in a black metal band, would you a)Grow your hair long, b) Burn down a Church, or c)Kill a member of your own band?

C: A.

J: Juan says long hair, and I'm half way there.

B: I'd move to Sweden.

R: Can you repeat the question? I was on the phone.

Question is repeated.

R: I'd kill Juan.

PL: Do you guys have any final comments?

J: Thank you. Hope you enjoyed the wah wah wah and the great noise downstairs.

B: Something wicked funny.

Interviewed by RF

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