TRANSCRIPT(2)
Smash Mouth AOL Transcript #2 (MTV)
MTV Interview Transcript
11.10.1997
11/10 "Walkin'
On The Sun" Smash mouth 5:30pm ET (CyberRap)
SMASH MOUTH
CHAT
November
10 @ 5:30 p.m. (ET)
In the America
Online MTV Arena
(Keyword:
mtv)
Smash mouth.
You might not have heard the name, but you've definitely heard their hit
single "Walkin' On The Sun." It's been plastered all over commercial and
college radio stations as well as being a staple video on MTV. The 60's
influenced song was actually inspired by the frustrations and anger running
rampant around the time of the infamous Rodney King incident. Guitarist
Greg Camp reveals, "I was riding my bike through this gnarly area to get
to a club and I had these cheesy songs in my head; I was trying to be peaceful
when all around me there were mothers on crack with kids in their arms.
I know it's not gonna change the world, but it's my attempt."
Smash mouth
is probably one of the most open-minded bands when it comes to their sound.
"When we formed the band, we didn't have one style of music in mind. We
just decided we were going to write songs that feel good to us," explains
vocalist Steve Harwell. "Put every style in a blender on high, chop, frappe',
whatever you want, mix it together, pour yourself a cup, take a big shot,
and that's us."
Joined by
bassist Paul De Lisle and drummer Kevin Coleman, Greg and Steve made the
journey to Austin, Texas for the MTV Sports and Music Festival, that kicked
off Friday, November 7th and ran throughout the weekend on MTV.
Join Smash
mouth for a post-festival chat this Monday, November 10th @ 5:30pm. They'll
be discussing everything from their current release "Fush Yu Mang" to playing
at the Sports and Music Festival. So bring your questions, join us in the
MTV Arena on America Online AND see them play live at the MTV Sports and
Music Festival all this weekend on MTV!
MTVRock: Everyone please welcome
Steve, Greg, Paul and Kevin, collectively know as Smash mouth to the MTV
Arena. Welcome guys!
Paul: Wuzup.
Greg: Thanks
for having us here.
Steve: What's
up everybody.
Kevin: hello
world. We've got a fan in Istanbul!
Greg: Not Constantinople.
MTVRock: Smash mouth's hit single -
"Walkin' On The Sun" has been plastered all over commercial and college
radio stations as well as being a staple video on MTV. The 60's influenced
song was actually inspired by the frustrations and anger running rampant
around the time of the infamous Rodney King incident. Guitarist Greg Camp
reveals, "I was riding my bike through this gnarly area to get to a club
and I had these cheesy songs in my head; I was trying to be peaceful when
all around me there were mothers on crack with kids in their arms. I know
it's not gonna change the world, but it's my attempt." Smash mouth is probably
one of the most open-minded bands when it comes to their sound. "When we
formed the band, we didn't have one style of music in mind. We just decided
we were going to write songs that feel good to us," explains vocalist Steve
Harwell. "Put every style in a blender on high, chop, frappe', whatever
you want, mix it together, pour yourself a cup, take a big shot, and that's
us." Joined by bassist Paul De Lisle and drummer Kevin Coleman, Greg and
Steve made the journey to Austin, Texas for the MTV Sports and Music Festival,
which kicked off this past weekend. Let's get right into the questions!
MTVRock: NetherWrl asks: First of
all, I'd just like to say that you guys kix ass. Second, I wanted to ask:
What...how should I put this...inspired you to write your kix ass, totally
roxing song "Walkin on the Sun"?
Greg: It was
a bike ride through a bad neighborhood.
Steve: Great
Answer!
Paul: Way to
go Greg!
Steve: Whatever,
Kevin.
MTVRock: GLoWxGiRL asks: How did you
four studly men meet?? (c; Luv Ya All ~GLoW
Steve: At a
gay bar.
Paul: At a studly
man convention.
Kevin: How did
we meet?
Steve: At a
Gladiator flick in San Francisco.
Greg: Steve
and Kevin came to a place where I was playing, like night after night and
they were trying to get me to join a band that they were starting and I
got so tired of them coming out evey night and bothering me so I gave in
and decided to play with them. Now everyone's happy.
Steve: Greg
was rubbing Kevin down with hot oil and I happen to walk by.
MTVRock: My ZiM Zu asks: why are you
called smash mouth?
Steve: Why are
you called Zim Zu?
Paul: Ask Kevin.
Kevin: It's
a sports catch phrase and its just a stupid name that we just decided to
keep.
MTVRock: Xarsha13 wants some stats:
How old are you guys?
Steve: late
20s.
Paul: 28
Steve: 21
Greg: We all
just turned 21 and we're ready to party.
Kevin: I'm 28.
MTVRock: Oblivinat asks: what was it
like playing at the sports and music festival?
Greg: It was
dodging skateboards and snowboards all day.
Paul: It was
distracting because we were more interested in the skateboarding than...
playing
Greg: There
were half pipes like, on the stage behind us and all the pros were skating
and rollerblading and bmxing and biking out.
Steve: Just
being able to kick-it with Carson was a joy...we haven't seen him in a...
long time. He's a pimp.
Kevin: It's
amazing no one got killed. I seen two guys collide and I could have sworn
one guy broke his arm because it was hanging by a thread.
MTVRock: Bomohound asks: what are your
musical influences?
Greg: I like
surf music and dub reggae, and I just recently started liking Supergrass.
I don't know why.
Steve: I would
say from Elvis to Van Halen to The Waterboys.
Kevin: I'm gonna
go with the Beatles and the Stones and Green Day and Rancid.
Paul: X, Buzzcocks,
Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks...you get the picture.
Kevin: I like
Sublime a lot. We can't leave out the Clash -one of my favorites!
MTVRock: NONE IS 1 asks a question,
that we ask of almost anyone who happens through these offices: what do
you think about hanson?
Steve: I think
they are a bunch of brats.
Paul: Leave
the kids alone. Let 'em rock.
Kevin and Greg:
Let the kids rock!
Steve: Once
again, they are a bunch of brats....And I'm sending kaos to kick their
ass.
Greg: We love
'em. When we were in England, you wake up every day and turn on MTV and
that's all you saw was Hanson and the Spice Girls and now we have to love
them!
Kevin: Let the
kids rock.
MTVRock: NJB12 asks: What is the name
of your next single?
Greg: Why Can't
We Be Friends
Steve: Why can't
we be friends. We just finished the video last week. It's gonna be rad.
Thanks for asking. Tell a friend. Get your ass to the record store and
buy the record. Ha Ha! Just kidding.
MTVRock: GLoWxGiRL asks: In your song
'Flo', did that really happen to one of you..? Just wondering.
Paul: I think
it's happened to all of us at one time or another. It's about a guy's girlfriend
who's questioning her sexuality.
Steve: P.S.:
Love to Yodell in the Valley.
Greg: Yah, an
ex girlfriend of mine decided she didn't like men after she was with me.
How am I supposed to feel about this?
MTVRock: Joplintoo asks: Do any of
you have Realationship?
Greg: Not anymore.
Paul: We have
relationships with each other...
Steve: and that's
hard enough.
MTVRock: Tara t21 wants to know about
personal habits: what is the first thing you do when you get up in the
morning?
Paul: Smoke.
Kevin: Crawl
to a pot of coffee.
Steve: I pee.
I pee then drink a coke.
Greg: I try
to beat everyone to the shower in the hotel -- that way you don't have
to stand on those old raspy towels and pick the hair off the soap.
Steve: Or visa
versa.
MTVRock: Son of Ab asks: Will your
popularity change your music?
Steve: Um...no.
Greg: I think
so -- we have more money.
Kevin: Definitely!
Paul: Greg,
what do you mean? I don't have any money. Where did you get all your money?
Greg: There's
more avenues to go down with more money. (production/recording wise).
MTVRock: Seanaz asks: Smashmouth, What
can you say to all of us out here who want to start a band of our own?
Steve: Make
sure you have good people around you and always move forward. Never look
back.
Paul: Quit immediately.
It's easier to sell cars.
Greg: Have a
lot of fun, and if it isn't fun don't do it, and don't ever expect to make
money.
Kevin: Do it
because you like it, not to make it, or you'll lose your mind, like we
did.
MTVRock: Angels4li asks: How long did
you guys play before you were signed to a recording contract? Was this
a "garage band" so to speak?
Steve: 3 years.
Paul: It was
more like a "bedroom band". We couldn't afford garages.
Steve: I never
said in front of people. We usually played with ourselves....in our studio.
Greg: For some
of us it was a bathroom band (You'll have to think about that)
MTVRock: Seusser asks: Hi, what were
your influences for the songs "Disconnect the Dots" and "Petnames"?
Steve: "Disconnect
the Dots" is about Paul and his failed relationship with some other...
blonde.
Greg: Disconnect
the dots... is about our bass player Paul getting dumped by a straight-up
hoe bag.
Paul: I got
dumped for a fry cook.
Greg: And us
trying to get him back on his feet in a positive way.
Paul: Greg,
that's not nice. YOU tried to sleep with her in high school.
MTVRock: GLoWxGiRL asks: I heard that
your going to be plaing with U2? Is that true, and what do you think of
that?
Paul: It's the
coolest thing I've ever done in my life.
Steve: Amazing!
Greg: I've got
a story for you...
Paul: We've
already done a couple of shows with them. Greg On Halloween we played with
U2 and we dressed up in nighties and fluffy slippers and really elaborate
makeup and right before we were about to go on we got a call from their
manager saying that they were going to come down to meet us.
Greg: When they
walked in they saw us dressed up like that and they ran away screaming.
But they sent us a case of guiness and two bottles of Mum Champagne so
apparently, they want us to be alcoholics as well as cross dressers.
MTVRock: Seanaz asks: What is your
next step as musicians?
Steve: To work
even harder and hopefully be able to deliver the goods night after night.
Paul: I'd want
to learn to play the banjo so that I can annoy everyone on the bus.
MTVRock: Joplintoo asks: What do u
guys look for in a girl?
Greg: Girl stuff.
Steve: Silicone,
collagen...
Kevin: Silicone
and... a bad attitude
Steve: And Pamela
Lee.
Kevin: I've
got to be honest with you.
Paul: a husband...it's
a challenge. It gives me something to work for.
MTVRock: Snyderflo asks: how long does
it take to write a song?
Steve: As long
as it takes.
Greg: Every
song's different... Disconnect the Dots only took a few minutes and Walking
on the Sun took a few months.
Steve: Like
"Smack", it only took them long enough to steal ours. Paul: ...and Sugar
Ray's
MTVRock: LazyCat3 asks: What does the
album title Fush Yu Mang mean?
Greg: Its a
scarface term. xxxx You Man!
Paul: Say it
like Al Pacino in Scarface.
Kevin: It's
a Scarface reference you cockroach!
Steve: Fly,
Pelican, Fly.
MTVRock: GLoWxGiRL asks: On AOL they
said you were alternative..but I consider you guys ska....what do you Question:
consider your self to be??
Paul: All things
under the sun.
Steve: Yes...and
then some.
MTVRock: Muchacha7 asks: Where did
you get the idea for that neighbor song? It rox! And I love the Walking
on the Sun remixes! Keep up the good work!
Steve: Thanks
for the compliment.
Greg: I was
having a birthday party for my room mate during the day on a Sunday
Paul: It's a
word for word account of an afternoon at Greg's house.
Greg: and we
were listening to jazz and just being mellow and drinking cheap beer and
the next day, when I was at work, the lady came over from next door and
started calling my roomates just all kinds of nasty names that I can't
say, and then she called our landlord and said we were playing really loud
music and being really loud and it kept her up all night when really it
ended at like eight o clock at night. So our landlord raised the rent and
we decided to stay any way so they raised it again the next month.
Steve: Enough
already...she's a xxxxx.
Greg: So we
set the house on fire and moved out.
MTVRock: Snyderflo asks about the horror
of music video production: how long does it take to make a music viedo?
I hope she gets evicted sometime soon so she knows what it's like to be
wrongfully judged.
Greg: Right
on, brother. It normally takes us like two or three days.
Steve: 2 days
shooting...editing 2-3 if you're McG, of course. He's also a pimp.
Paul: 2 very
long, 14 hour days. And a day of recovery. They made us do some crazy xxxx
in this last one.
MTVRock: Kiliraqua asks: did anyone
take music lessons at any point in there life?
Steve: Why do
you ask? Do you think we need them?
Paul: I did
for about a week when I was like 13. But, my teacher kept showing up drunk.
Greg: I took
guitar lessons once, and the next day I broke my hand so
Paul: This was
bass guitar lessons.
Kevin: I took
lessons and the drum teacher didn't like me so he gave me to the other
drum teacher and we used to smoke pot together and just jam.
MTVRock: WIZTHEKID asks: what does
it feel like to be famous?
Steve: I feel
the same. I think everyone else around me feel different.
Paul: I'm not
famous. ...in the sense of being recognized all the time.
Steve: But,
Paul, I recognize you. You're Paul.
Paul: Thanks
Steve.
Steve: Sure
Paul, anytime. Let's go have a beer.
Paul: Maybe
we'll be recognized.
Greg: I don't
feel famous.
MTVRock: We have time for one last
question... ZH12 asks: Hi, Are any of you aliens?
Paul: Yeah,
I'm from Canada.
Steve: Nanu
Nanu.
Greg: No, but
we've met some.
Paul: I have
a Green Card.
Kevin: It's
a government conspiracy. To undermine religion as we know it. And it's
all just crap.
Greg: Believe.
Kevin: Gotta
pull the conspiracy card.
MTVRock: Cigarette smoking man was
behind it all...course now he's dead....anyhow... Thanks for coming by
guys!
Steve: To All
our Fans: I hope you really enjoy the record. Thanks for liking us.
Greg: Thanks
for having us.
Paul: Thanks
for chatting with us. Now turn off the computer and go get some fresh air.
And thanks to. JoAnne and Fawn for typing. JoAnne kicks ass.
MTVRock: Or for all the Manhattan chatters,
just go take a hit off the subway fumes! And as always, thanks to our audience
for their great questions.
Copyright 1997 MTV Networks.
footnotes:
you know i am so dead tired already.
anyway, when i get the chance i'll put in footnotes. i'm not sure why i
do this since only anally-retentive dangerously obsessed smash mouth fans
will read through them.....(shit, am i one?.....)
bwahahahahahahahahahahhahahaha!!!!!
oops, sorry.....
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