I wasn't expecting Number One Fan to be as funny as they were, but they made for a very entertaining interview on January 13, 2005 at The Call while they were waiting for their food. It should be noted that Matt, their guitar player, looks a lot like Jack Black.

PL: Start out by introducing yourselves.

M: I'm Mike and I play bass.

Matt: I'm Matt and I play guitar.

N: I'm Nick and I play guitar and sing.

Someone: I'm Jonathon Fries and I play drums (he was waiting for his food)

PL: Do you guys feel like the odd band out being the only non Victory band on the tour (they play the show with Hawthorne Heights, Spitalfield and the Black Maria)?

Matt: A little. Its not as much as the genre.

N: We thought we may, but the bands have been really good to us and made us feel like we're not being laughed at, and the fans have been really good to us.

Matt: We most certainly are stylistically are way different, but the bands have been awesome to us. The fans have been very receptive as well.

PL: Do you think that there are too many imprint labels out there?

N: I think there's a lot of imprint labels out there. I think the idea of an imprint label is great. You have the power of a major label but the concentration of an indie label. But, I think at the same time, there's not that staff that indie label or a major label would have. It really depends on the label. Strummer (Universal) does a good job. They're one of the better ones, but I think there's a lot of imprints out there that aren't doing much. They put out two records and then go away. Hopefully, our label won't be one of those.

PL: I just think its weird that they all seem to be popping up so often.

Matt: If they're run correctly, its awesome, but some just don't care a whole lot.

PL: Where do you think your band would be today if there was no internet?

Matt: Appleton, Wisconsin.

Mike: Yeah, home playing to a few people.

Nick: The internet has done amazing things for us. Its been even better than the Warped Tour. Its been amazing.

Mike: Its especially good for all indie bands, like Hawthorne Heights. They get some press and that good stuff, but internet ads and Myspace and all that stuff has been the cheapest and most effective tools used for promotion. It doesn't touch on the kids that only listen to the radio, but it does touch on the kids that never leave their computer, which is becoming pretty popular these days.

PL: Do you think underground music is more popular now because of the internet?

Nick: I think underground music is becoming more accepted by regular people its gonna be put in their face.

Mike: Also because people are getting so sick of mainstream music. Its getting so watered down that even the mainstream masses are looking elsewhere for a little more substantial music.

Matt: At the same time, it feels like the indie scene is becoming more watered down and is becoming more accessable. People don't need to search that hard for it.

Jonathon: (Finally arrived) Blue is my favorite color.

Mike: You win.

PL: Earshot Media just sent me your album this week, and the back said that it was released in 2003. When was the album actually released?

Nick: August 2004, but we originally released it independently in June of 2003, and we shopped it for about a year. Finally, it was released by Pat in August of 2004.

PL: Was anything done differently for the rerelease?

Nick: We remastered it and did some basic song structure editing in some songs. Nothing really to freak out about.

PL: Would you rather have a pet robot or to be able to go into space?

Mike: It depends on the advancement of the robot.

Nick: Yeah, describe the robot.

PL: Its kind of a Bender-ish (Futurama) robot.

Matt: So what can it do?

PL: It can pretty much do everything, but he also has a big drinking and smoking problem and he steals and cheats, lies.

Jonathon: The robot sounds pretty good-laughing.

Nick: That doesn't sound so good anymore.

Jonathon: I think Mike really wants to go out into space.

Mike: Yeah, I'm kind of bored with Earth. Space, I think would be my choice.

Nick: I'm gonna go with you into space.

Matt: Ever since I was a little boy, I wanted to be an astronaut.

Nick: I'll just rent Jon and he can be my robot.

Jonathon: I don't steal, but I do do those other things. And I will cut your girlfriend.

Nick: laughing What?

Jonathon: I don't know, I'm a naughty robot.

Mike: Space beckens us.

PL: If you can get 20 million dollars, you can go.

Matt: Thats nothing for us rock stars.

PL: Do you feel safe at shows with all the recent killings and fires?

Matt: Not in Salt Lake.

Nick: I don't think people even think about it until it actually happens. I bet you the show where all that stuff has been happening at, people would have no thought in their mind that that was a dangerous place. For me, anyways, that just seems absurd.

Mike: We're more scared of how we sit in our van and how we sleep in our van and possibly getting into an accident. I think that's a little more hazardous to our health than show conditions. Would you say?

Jonathon: Yeah, and our fear of fried foods. We all feel really safe at shows. We get to a venue and there's all your friends around and people to watch out for you.

Matt: If we were at a Metallica concert, we wouldn't feel very safe.

Jonathon: No, we'd probably get our legs broken.

PL: Whats your favorite day of the week and why?

Nick: Monday.

Matt: Monday? Why, Monday is the worst day of the week.

Nick: No, Sunday is the worst day of the week.

Mike: I hate Sundays, I get so depressed on Sundays.

Nick: Sundays are the worst for me because the weekend is over. Fridays are the best because the weekend is just beginning.

Matt: Sunday has always been my day to relax.

Jonathon: Sunday has always been family day. Family and good food.

Nick: I really get frustrated when I can't work. Places are closed Friday through Sunday or Friday night through Sunday, so I like Monday the best because its the first day that I can actually work and I'm a bit of a workaholic.

Matt: Friday nights are big show nights.

Mike: (To Me:) I can see the light through your ears. Thats cool.

PL: So, is this not a full time job for you then?

Nick: It is. I mean work as getting things for the band.

Jonathon: Lets say you want to get something at a music store: Nope, not Sunday. Monday-woah-open late on Mondays. I like Sundays. Its good to be Jewish.

PL: What was your favorite childhood movie?

Matt: "The Lion King."

Jonathon: Either "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" or "The Sword in the Stone."

Mike: Mine would have to be "Big Top Adventure."

Nick: Mine would be "Conan the Barberian or Labyrnth." (This brought on a discussion about movies)

PL: What's a little known fact about Wisconsin?

Nick: We don't all like cheese more than other people and we don't all like the Packers.

Matt: Speak for yourself.

Jonathon: A little known fact: Wisconsin is a great state.

Mike: It is the second coldest state in the country.

Matt: But its awesome and I love living there.

Mike: Those are not facts.

Jonathon: It is the best place to come home to when you're on tour...

Matt: ...if you're in Number One Fan.

Nick: We have very good roads.

Matt: There's a lot of deer there.

Jonathon: No, that's opinion; thats not a fact.

PL: Name one album, besides your own, that you think all kids should have in their collection.

Mike: Can we recommended that you do not have our album in your collection?

Jonathon: Counting Crows-which album?

Nick: Recovering the Satellites.

Mike: I'm going to go back and say the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club.

Jonathon: I think I liked Yellow Submarine better.

Mike: I'm not a fan of Yellow Submarine.

Matt: Metallica Load.

Jonathon: No, Metallica Ride the Lightning. Come on.

Mike: No, St. Anger.

Matt: (Laughing) Scratch all that.

Jonathon: Dream Theatre-Self Titled.

Nick: Beatles' Abbey Road.

PL: Do you guys have any final comments?

Jonathon: Check out the new Hanson record. Its really good. Thats my comment.

Nick: We're actually really starting to get pumped up for our next record. We're proud of this record, but we've toured on it for quite awhile and we're gonna tour on it for another few months, but we're gonna be really pumped up for the next record and we'll be writing it over the next six to nine months and hopefully it'll be out by early 2006.

Matt: We're gonna take over the world.

Jonathon: Everything turns black.

Mike: Everything turns pink.

Jonathon: Everything turns rainbow. Rainbow colors.

Nick: The cook's outside, so that means that our food is probably done.

Mike: Well, thank you very much.

Interviewed by RF

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