Errortype:11 - Arty
Feb 14, 2002 - Email
Done by: Melanie
Errortype:11 is a really rad name. What's the story behind it? Does is have any special meaning?
Well, we needed a name cause we had a show about 3 weeks into our existence and Phil (guitar) is a graphic designer so he works on Macintoshs all the time. One day he got an errortype 11, which is a fatal system error only on mac’s. He thought it would work, we agreed and there it was. It actually brings a lot of people to our website looking for computer advice.
How would you classify your sound?
BIG POWER DRINKING ARENA ROCK for the underground!
You guys are pretty big in the Underground scene, but do you have plans to break into the mainstream?
We are? Where do you live? I guess we need to play there. The underground has always had a love/hate relationship with us. We don’t sound or act like an indie band at all. That is just us but it has never seemed to go over too well in the underground scene. We do a lot of rock posturing on stage and our sound is very big. No one got the irony of playing in basements across the country and acting like you were playing in an arena, it was fun but flew over people’s heads a bit. I found it interesting that a scene that should be about being able to do whatever you want without judgement is so closed minded, it is sad. Musically, we fit with Stone Temple Pilots more then we do the Vagrant scene or whatever. I thought that people would be into that and have fun with it, I was wrong. I guess my idea of fun and what is funny is vastly different from other people. We would get comments like "great songs, but that singer is an asshole", obviously misunderstanding the whole thing. Plus our records were really poorly distributed so we just assume no one has them. Being good doesn’t always mean being popular and vice versa. As for the mainstream thing, you can never really “make plans” to do that. As popular culture (and business trends) goes through its twists and turns, certain unexpected things break into the mainstream. Sometimes your timing is good, sometimes it is bad. Do you think we could break into the mainstream??????
What are your feelings on the mainstream music scene?
It is all about money. Whoever has got it behind them, makes the trends, that goes for the underground scene as well. In a way, that contradicts what i just said in the previous question, i mean once you get to the Major Label level, the companies prioritize records and whoever they put their money behind will usually do better because then they get the airplay and press etc. BUT, it doesn't always work, but usually it does to a certain level, just look at the Strokes. they are pretty cool, but there are some really god awful popular bands out there. Radio works on payola, MTV works off of radio (and payola) and vice versa. IT is a mess. Money and timing control everything. You gotta have the goods to have any longevity once you get to the mainstream.
What would be your ideal tour?
For record sales, it would be Creed, millions of lowest common denominator people. I love it. That is the true America! For music, right now there are so few bands we fit with musically in the underground scene. I would love to tour with Fireside or Rival Schools. The latter being something we have been offered already. I know the other guys would have different opinions but they are not here.
Do you have a favorite thing about touring?
Meeting people and the traveling. I have met so many people from around the world who have become lifelong friends. It is definetely an experience that few ever get to have. I am proud of that and ever grateful for the ability to do it.
I've read bits and pieces of your tour diary and there's some pretty interesting info in there. Can you share your most interesting tour experience?
There are so many. My best experience was on this past tour in the UK. The band we were touring with, Hundred Reasons, is a top 40 band in the UK, really kind of big. Anyway, the guitar player did our sound every night and their other guitar player actually teched for me. That would never ever happen here in the US on a tour of that scale. I didn’t think people that sweet actually existed. They do and everyone should go to their website and download their songs www.hundredreasons.com
Can you tell some of those stories that you won't tell in your diary? I'm sure your mom will not be reading this interview! What's with the sleep walking and then waking up under tables and things?
No I won’t tell any of those stories, what happens on the road stays on the road…rule of life!!! It involves masturbation in gas stations and telling a thousand people about it on stage before telling your band…that sort of thing. To answer your other question, I sleepwalk when I am drunk. But I never seem to make it back to the bed.
What was it like doing FarmClub?
It was amazing. IT was great experience to play on TV, but we also got driven around in limos and shit. Which was fun. We met all sorts of silly celebs. IT was also great to get a free trip to LA and see all of our friends out there. Matt Pinfield is awesome! I think the whole story is on our website so go visit it….
Who is the driving force behind the band?
WE all whip each other into shape. We have all been a driving force at one time or another.
Do you have a lot of people that inspire you?
I am inspired by people who become successful on their own terms. I think that is amazing and should be a blueprint for life no matter what you are doing. Be original, be yourself, that is what life is about.
How long have you been involved with music?
I have been in bands since I was 15 years old (that is 14 years). This is the first band I ever sang in. I love to sing more then anything in the world, but lack of confidence kept me from doing it before.
Has it always been a dream of yours?
Playing and song writing has always been more of a reality then a dream. The dream is to not have to worry about how my bills are going to get paid. The easy part is writing and playing the hard part is living as a musician without giving up everything you believe in. I wish I lived in ignorance, it would make life so much simpler.
Finally, what are the bands upcoming plans?
We have about 20 songs written for our next record. So right now our priority is finding a suitable home for them. We also recently toured in the UK and went over quite well, so we are going back in April. Basically that is it, besides working and trying to claw our way out of debt, NYC is an expensive place to live. We are re-doing our website and putting some more demos up for people to download. Go to www.et11.com also please buy all of our records!!!
Check out Errortype:11 at their website http://www.et11.com/.
Thanks to Arty for the interview!!