Eric: well to start this off, I have been listening to my American heart (no way out) for a while now. can you tell me a little background of the band and its members, and how you fellas formed
Jesse: Well we formed back in November of 2002 doing covers. Like Rufio, and Fenix tx and all that stuff. We were all best friends just messing around and it sounded alright. So we got serious and started writing songs…. but we sucked.
Eric: what are the members of the band an the instruments they play, so people who haven’t heard you guys know
Jesse: Me, Jesse – bass / Larry – vocals / Jeremy – guitar / Clint – More guitars / Steven ï¿Â½ drums
Eric: killer, were did u guys play your first shows at, and how was the crowd response
Jesse: Our first show was at a battle of the bands at this big name venue called Canes in Mission beach. We actually ended up winning. We beat 30 other bands. We were tiny, haha.
Eric: well man that doesn’t sound like sucking to me
Eric: haha
Eric: so, when did you guys realize that you were good? I mean like people were actually coming to shows to see you, and how was your response to that
Jesse: After we played with this band called Off By One, and became friends with this big band in San Diego called Larger Than Life. They were the bomb and they got us to open for them a few times. Our draw every show kept growing from like the 70 people to over 120.
Eric: wow, thatï¿Â½s awesome.
Jesse: way.
Eric: now I have loved u guys since the first day I listened to your stuff. I have heard many bands with high voice singers and I hated them, but for some reason I can’t get enough of your music. do you think that a singer with a particularly high voice makes you guys original like yellowcard with a violin or something corperate with a piano?
Jesse: Yeah. I think it’s a pretty good thing. The thing is that we get so many different opinions on Larry’s voice. Some people love it, and some people aren’t really big fans of it. But it sets us apart, it’s original. I hate how people always go “man you guys just sound like any other band” and then they say our singer sucks.. saying uhh.. everyone else has a sucky singer. I love it. Mm
Eric: so, you do like his voice?
Eric: so what would you categorize My American Heart as?
Jesse: yes
Jesse: I like his voice yeah
Eric: here
Jesse: hmmm
Jesse: my American heart…
Jesse: I’d just say progressive / aggressive rock and roll and add a little ball squeezing.
Eric: haha, a little ball squeezing, what kind is that
Jesse: I donï¿Â½t know!? The squeezing that makes you scream. it really brings the mosh. Haha
Eric: hahaha
Eric: that it does
Eric: so have you guys ever had those crazy screaming fans come up to you after shows?
Jesse: haha NO. they just do it while we play. I like it better that way anyway. We get some little ones sometimes, people asking us to sign something or take a picture. Wait we did have a group of people like that up in l.a when we played there. they were all over Jeremy
Eric: haha
Eric: that is awesome man
Jesse: way
Eric: so tell me about your lyrics, at first it seemed like you guys had the same old lyrics as other bands but they are a lot deeper than that
Eric: who writes the lyrics, and were do they come from?
Jesse: Larry writes all the lyrics.. he gives me like just pages and pages of words… and I arrange them into the music. most of our stuff is about what he’s dealing with. once in awhile i’d write a few words and incorporate that into his lyrics as well. it usually sounds great
Eric: that it does
Eric: how do you guys go about writing songs?
Eric: do you just go with a riff and move on or?
Jesse: I write most of the music. get the lyrics from Larry. put it together on acoustic. then just show it to all the other guys and thatï¿Â½s when the other members work their magic
Eric: nice very nice
Jesse: indeed
Eric: so have you guys been looking for any sort of record label, or do you plan to just go and let them come to you?
Jesse: after we released the songs on pure, we’ve got a crazy amount of emails from very big indie labels.. about 7 or 8 or so. and we hope it doesn’t stop. it’s good to have more to choose from you know? get the best deal possible for us.
Eric: so do you plan on signing with any of them or just to keep looking?
Jesse: well if the label gives us something good, of course we’re going to go with them. but if not, yeah we’ll keep looking. that’s how it should be.. right?
Eric: yea man
Eric: so what do you guys plan to do next, for example: music style, places to go, any changes?
Jesse: music style is pretty much going to stay the same, if it does change im guessing maybe a little more harder. we just wanna get out and tour and show everyone what we could do. we’re mainly a band you’d want to see live, and hopefully after the cd comes out, we get a big tour goin on for everyone. that’s it. we bring the mosh.
Jesse: lol
Eric: a live band huh, what makes your live performance so….live?
Jesse: just watch us. that’s all I have to say. and if you cant check out our videos on our site
Eric: here, don’t worry I saw them
Eric: what makes you so energized on stage? is there any songs you listen to before going on?
Jesse: good. what do you think?
Eric: awesome
Jesse: yeah.. I listen to copeland and the appleseed cast.. The Beatles. they get me pumped up
Eric: awesome
Jesse: haha just kidding. I feed off the crowd most of the time.. and if not the crowd.. Steven the drummer
Eric: what do you think about on stage?
Eric: oh man
Eric: haha
Eric: does he go crazy or what?
Jesse: you thought I was serious about the Beatles!? you’re crazy!
Jesse: yeah he’s fun
Eric: yea
Eric: well you never know man, some of the most hardcore bands listen to like dashboard
Eric: not that that is bad
Jesse: haha.. hardcore kids are really just emo kids that scream.
Eric: you got that
Jesse: you got dat bomb ass pussay
Eric: so what were you doing before the whole band got together, and side jobs?
Jesse: we’re all dumb and donï¿Â½t have jobs. haha mainly we were just focusing on school. this stupid band ruined our edumucation!
Eric: haha, fuck yea. mine too
Jesse: haha!
Eric: well I believe that is all I got
Eric: lemme just shoot for some crazy questions herr
Jesse: I believe it too man
Eric: if someone gave you 50 thousand dollars a year to quit the band and work at BK would you?
Jesse: haha BK?
Jesse: burger king?
Eric: yea boi
Jesse: HAHA. 50 thousand dollars a year.. hmmmm thatï¿Â½s a toughy
Eric: go ahead
Eric: think it out
Jesse: sorry bob can’t give you an answer there
Eric: alright let’s make it 100,000 dollars a year, or be in a band with screaming women all over
Eric: hehe
Jesse: ok yes Iï¿Â½d quit the band in a heartbeat
Jesse: lol
Eric: are you serious
Eric: yer crazy
Jesse: NO
Eric: hehe
Jesse: of course not
Eric: I knew it
Eric: alright let’s see
Eric: hostess or little Debbie?
Jesse: penis?
Eric: hahaha
Eric: alright, skinny and long, or short and fat?
Jesse: short and fat man.. that’s what hits it
Eric: hahahaha
Eric: hmmmm
Jesse: girth counts bro
Eric: tru dat
Jesse: HAHA
Eric: boxers or briefs
Jesse: boxer briefs. I like those….
Eric: hahaha
Eric: lol
Eric: alright man
Eric: well thanks a ton for the time
Eric: anything else you wanna say
Eric: about my good looks or?
Jesse: tell everyone to check out our music at www.purevolume.com/myamericanheart.. our website at www.myamericanheartrock.com.. sign up for our message board and ask us anything that was left out of this interview I love you
Eric: you love me?
Jesse: of course I love you
Eric: awwww
Eric: aight man nice talking
Jesse: you too
