MUEN: Hi Mike, how have you been?

MIKE: I'm doing terrific, how are you?

MUEN: Great! So, you're kickin back at the ranch in Michigan... How long until you are back on the road again?

MIKE: We'll be home this week until about Thursday, and then we're off to New York.

MUEN: About the song Neenah Menasha... is it true that song was going to be released as the first single instead of Plowed?

MIKE: Well actually that was just the song that the label was putting out there to sort of "test the waters" so to speak.

MUEN: The first video for "Plowed" was a concept video, but was then later replaced with a live video, did Columbia notice Vinnie getting better on camera?

MIKE: No, I think it was just the fact that there were so many concept video's out there at the time, and the record company decided to scrap all that and just do a cool live video, which I agreed with.

MUEN: How does it feel to reach this level of success, after struggling for years, and what have you learned from the experience?

MIKE: Well yeah, there were a whole lot of years of struggle, and we've learned a lot through the whole process. One thing we have definitely learned is that it pays to be as honest as you can with what you put out there. And I think we've done that with this record, and we'll continue to do that.... to tell you the truth, Greg, we haven't had a whole lotta time to rest.

MUEN: Like a "miles to go before I sleep" sort of thing?

MIKE: Oh yes, We've been touring constantly since last August, and the three days we have off now, is the first three days we've had off in the last three months.

MUEN: What has been some of the highlights of the tour so far, and just the year in general?

MIKE: All the shows have been great in different ways. The appearance on David Letterman was a big thing for us. Getting Buzz Clips with MTV was a big stepping stone, also. Being added to the play list on stations such as K-Rock and Z-100 in New York was a really big deal for us because they are not "alternative" stations. The biggest thrill is when we come into a town for the first time and we sell out the venue.

MUEN: We saw Sponge perform in Bowling Green, OH two years ago (1992), and there were only five people in the audience.

MIKE: (Laughing) Well, that is a pretty believable scenario. We played a lot of clubs back then where we played to bartenders and our crew.

MUEN: How did the signing to Columbia come about? You signed in January of '93 right?

MIKE: Our manager at the time, got our demo to a lawyer named Stacey Fast, who then gave it to the Columbia people. They flew us out to New York, and you know, we got a great response. There were other labels interested in signing the group, but we decided that we liked the feel of the place at Columbia.

MUEN: About the song "Drownin'", could it be a reflection of the band's state of being before national success, or is it more of a personal statement from Vinnie?

MIKE: Well you know, vinnie writes the lyrics and he really tries to capture the feeling of the song. He uses some of his own personal experiences. "Drownin'" may have reflected his own feelings at the time, I don't really know.

MUEN: Vinnie played drums when your band was called Loudhouse... was it hard getting used to him as a lead vocalist?

MIKE: It's hard for me to remember him as a drummer to tell you the truth. He's come into his own as a singer, and he's rose in his vocal abilities. He was our drummer for Loudhouse, but he always wrote music, and was always the 'leader' type. I think because of his songwriting ability, he belongs up there in front where he can be the communicator between the band and the audience.

MUEN: Do you feel that the Detroit scene is growing because of bands such as yoursleves?

MIKE: there has always been great music here. We get a lot of attention because we seem to have gotten our music out more than other bands have in the past five or six years.... but sure, we are very proud to be from Detroit. We are a Detroit band and Detroit will always be apart of us.

MUEN: What sort of advice can you give to the struggling musicians out there who feel their material is good enough?

MIKE: Well, I've seen a lot of people put a band together, but then they never record anything. They don't record their material, and you don't know how important that is... to have something on tape. You have to have something to give someone so that they can listen to you. We've always taken an aggressive role in the business aspect of the music. We've always tried to stay informed and hustle. If you think that you can sit in your basement and expect somebody to give you a call asking "Can I come listen to you?" I mean, It's not going to happen. I hear people talk sometimes and I get a little frustrated - I just don't understand that way of looking at things. Like "This is supposed to happen to me, so I'm just going to sit back and let it happen." We've never looked at things like that, and I think that is what helped us to get to the people that take us seriously.

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Interview by G. Cataline