Spitfire play angry and sludgy hardcore metal, and seem to be on a roll after a four year absence. The other 40% of the band needs to work on their beards for Spitfire to really make an impact in the music scene. This interview was conducted with guitarist Dan Tulloh, along with a few comments from drummer Chris Raines, on April 29 in Worcester, MA.

PL: State an interesting fact about yourself.
DT: I think 60% of the band has a beard now. Thats a nice interesting thing. I think beards are the most interesting thing about us right now.
PL: Thats funny, because when I was watching you guys play, I was thinking that these guys sound like they all have beards.
DT: Well, thats good. We're trying to sound more manly these days.

PL: How do festivals differ from playing regular shows?
DT: Its definitely a lot more stressful. Its fun because you get to play for different people and there's so many people around. Its hard because you have to move equipment and you're constantly worried about your equipment getting stolen. But, its kind of a nice vacation from normal shows.

PL: Did playing today meet the expectations you guys had before you played?
DT: Yeah, it actually exceeded them. I played this once before when I was in Scarlet, and it was a good show, but there were a lot of technical things. You're playing on different equipment, so you're not used to things, but today was awesome. There was a good crowd and the sound was good, so it definitely exceeded it. Sexually it was very good.

PL: Was it difficult to regroup after a four year absence?
DT: Um...no, well I guess-Chris (Raines, drummer), was it difficult to regroup after a four year absence?
CR: No.
DT: It was actually easier.
CR: Yeah, much easier.
DT: There was never any bad blood with any of us. We were always good friends. I joined the band after, and I played a little bit before, but it was definitely very very easy.
CR: It was easier the second time. We learned a bunch. This might sound lame, but we learned from our mistakes, I guess. We're having a lot of fun, and the first time was always like-
DT: Business.
CR: Yeah, but now its fun.

PL: Whats one movie everyone should see?
CR: "JFK."
DT: Yeah, definitely "JFK." Its long, but very intense.
PL: Whats a little known fact about Virginia?
DT: Since we're talking about movies, Robert Duvall lives there. Dude from Days of Thunder and The Godfather and stuff like that, he lives in Charlottesville. Its a pretty cool place, and there's a lot of amazing bands there. Four Walls Falling and Strike Anywhere. There were awesome bands when I was growing up in Richmond. There was Avail and so many other awesome bands. Bands with ethics, and thats the one thing thats really lacking in music right now: there's no bands that talk about anything. There's a few, but as big as all this stuff is, the percentage is very small. There's a lot of amazing bands, and its cool that there's so many amazing bands, but it was cool back then growing up and seeing bands with ideas.

PL: Name one album, besides your own, you think all kids should have in their collection.
DT: I'd say Damnation A.D., and I'd say their first one, which is No More Dreams. They're playing in a few minutes, but its just so ahead of its time. I've listened to it non stop for ten years continuous, and its the thing I've ever heard.
PL: I don't think I've listened to it in five or six years.
DT: It holds the test of time. So much stuff doesn't. That and Deadguy, those two bands hold the test of time so well, and no one knows about them anymore. Its sad.
PL: They're (Damnation A.D.) reuniting, right?
DT: Yeah. Its crazy. I think everyone saw hardcore and metal get big again, and we're kind of wondering-its changed so much. Even us getting back together after only four years, we're nobody now; not like we were ever huge before, but its just so different with the level of media around hardcore and metal; its just so different. Its cool though, its great.

PL: Fo you like the idea of all these bands reuniting?
DT: I do. Sometimes you worry about bands getting worse. The Misfits reuniting was a sad thing because they were so amazing. Its still cool, but a lot of bands that have gotten back together have put out amazing albums. Its cool for people who didn't get to see some bands. I was lucky to see Damnation when they were around before, but if I had missed them, then I'd be stoked to see them.

Interviewed by: RF

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