Towson, MD

c-I saw the video for My World. And seeing the thing with the exploding toilets was different. 

S- That was a reverse vacuum or something.  I think the director had that planned before the song went on it. 

E- We wanted to do just a song of us doing a live video.  Than wanted to translate what the song was.  But ended up with what we had.

c- Whats in your ipod/cdplayer?

e-The Almost, Chevelle, The Muse, Killers, The Used,

s- Stevie Wonder …

C- When you first started did you guys play cover songs?

S-At the time we did all Silver Chair songs.  A couple of originals that sounded bizarrely like tool.

c-I hear you guys do a cover of Beyonce’s Say My Name?

s- There was a whole bunch of label issues, basically we couldn’t release it because we said Fuck and Bitch.  If we recorded exactly the same as their version it would probably be ok, but that’s not how we wanted to do it.

Somehow it miraculously got on the internet.  It somehow became a blessing in disguise.  It encouraged people to come to our shows. 

C- How do you feel about pirating songs on the internet?

m-You can download a song or two but at least buy the album. 

e-The thing is you can’t really stop people from doing it.  If they do they could come to the show or buy a t-shirt or something.

m-Its good and bad.  For a huge band probably don’t like it.  But if listening to a song on the internet makes them come out to a show than cool. 
The primary concern is that the artist isn’t getting paid.  The advertisers for the people that own the site that you download the songs from are getting paid. The record stores probably can’t make it. 
At the end of the day there are only a few albums from the band that the guy or girl in the band is going to make a living from.  If you can find a way to get the music to the fans for free while making sure the artist still gets paid.  That will be the next step. That’s a matter of time. 
The industry won’t survive it keeps going like that.  The advertiser pays for the band and the fan gets it for free.
So you get the best of both worlds.  I used to make some mix tapes from the radio, because I couldn’t afford cds.  This is just a different version of the same thing.
So its always been the case, but its so easy now its actually affecting sales.  It’s at a point where an artist like us its tough to get the opportunity, but don’t get the opportunity because record labels aren’t selling cds anymore.
 

S- It may get where vinyl is now.  Where it’s more of a collector thing. 

C- How does the songwriting process work?

S- We collaborate with anyone we are able to. Its really about the song and not necessary the individual.  Other people have different vision.  It comes from different places.

C- What do you guys do for fun when out on the road?

S- Sleep.  Its funny how the little things like showers become so important.

E- We watch a lot of movies.

M- We don’t really do video games, or drink, or sleep.

E- We do have a song on halo 3.

S- We have been  with people who have toured with Mudvanye, pantera, and different country bands.  And they say that we are too straight lined. 

But to do the types of shows that we do, we go 110% on stage with as much energy as possible.

C- Who have you met on tour that you were in awe with?  Tool, did you meet Tool? 

S- Yeah they are actually very normal.  They do their thing than they are just regular dudes.

C- How did the name come about?

S- We were on a train coming home, about a week later my dad   suggested sick puppies as a name it kind of stuck.

C- How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t heard you guys before?

S- For someone who hasn’t heard before I would say it was really good so they would want to hear it.  Its hard to say, because we are influenced by so many different things. Its just super cool rock, with everything we like about it.…..

Mark- Nickelback,   

shimon ….yeah fuck you

Everyone- Hahaha

Emma- I would say a cross between Nickelback, Muse and Borg.  We aren’t part of any little sublevel.   Because we don’t fit in, people try to put us into the closest thing they can find which apparently is Nickelback. 

Shimon-I’ve heard Nickelback, Puddle of Mud.  I think it’s a cross between some heavier rock and something you can still sing to.

C- If you could tour with anyone who would it be?

Shimon- Rage Against the Machine, Gwar.and we would love to play with Silver Chair, (they actually sound very different now) just to say that we did.  Incubus     

C- When you write songs do you write in first person or third?

S- Often in first even if its not a personal story.  I think it works better for story telling purposes. 

CHRIS- Can you tell me about the meaning of My World?

Shimon- Its about the fear of abandonment.  It was actually written in the space of 3 seconds.  It’s the moment of the decision of why.  How all these people in the past have left, its the sort of people you expect to stay parents etc. When they leave you develop this fear of abandonment which is engraved in your subconscious, get over it etc and start to project yourself as a victim outward.  You are a victim as far as you and everyone else is concerned. You get stuck and you don’t really progress.  You don’t build relationships.   People can live their entire lives like that.  They can have a family but they don’t really grow. The song goes thru the 3 seconds where you decide you are going to change that, And you are going to move forward from this.  And you are going to move on.  When you decide that you are going to start investing in relationships etc

C- Can you tell me about Anywhere but Here?

Shimon- Anywere But Here … you ever have a dream, where it seems like it would be hours but it is only a few minutes?  This guy tells this story about how this guy was being hung, and tells a story about the seconds it takes to fall.  Well this is similar, Man and a woman, woman dies, the guy doesn’t know what to do with himself.  He is on a bridge about to jump, and the story goes everything that goes thru his mind before he jumps.  He actually sees the girl in the water.

C- What is the next single to be released?

S- My World.  It is set to be released in mid October.

C- What do you think of opening up for Evanescence

S- We are trying to work out more of a set design.  We get more time, and a lot more space on stage to work with.  We are ready to step it up a bit.  We can’t wait for this opportunity.

C- How are the Aussies diff than Americans fan wise?

S- Aussies don’t get as excited to see.  Here in America the fans wait outside for hours for some bands.  Here some of the fans have brought chocolate and flowers etc

C- How do you keep the energy going when the fans may be here for the headliner?

S- We just put in as much energy as we can, and rock as hard as possible.  Its not rocket science.

Chris- It was great talking to you.  I look forward to the show!