How long have Hoods been around, including the time before you were signed? Mike Hood ( guitar ) started the band in 1995. The rest of us joined in 1997. When you first started, were you trying to get signed, or was it just a hobby? It has never been a hobby with this line up. We have always wanted to be a touring band, signed to a bigger label. That has always been our goal. We knew that if we put in the time, and hard work, this opportunity would come. Before your first show, did you doubt your capabilities, or were you completely confident in yourself? As a musician, you are only as good as your skills will allow. Musicians shouldn't try to write and play music that is too difficult for them. They should work with what they know. When this line up first started playing shows, we definately were not as good as we are now. But, we knew we were not as good as we could be, and we worked with it. We were confident with the skills we had, and knew we could only improve. How did you feel right after your first live show? At my first show with Hoods, I wasn't sure I would do the band justice. Hoods was already established, and the kids at the show knew all the songs. I was afraid of not being able to play the music the way it was written. But, once we started playing, and fell into the groove, everything just felt natural. After that first show, I knew that drumming for Hoods would be something I'd be doing for a while. Does performing live feel much different from recording? Of course! This band is all about the live performance, because of the vibe we get. We feed off of the crowd, and their energy. Watching a venue full of people going nuts to our music is amazing. When the crowd is going crazy, we end up performing at our best. Live shows are where bands show their skills as musicians. Recording songs will show the creative,artistic side of a band. Do you spend less time, more time, or the same amount of time mastering as you do recording? With us it seems that we spend more time mastering than recording. We are well rehearsed when we go into the studio, so doesn't take too long to get songs tracked. It is deciding what to do with the basic tracks that takes time. Do you have a song that you are the most proud of? I'm proud of the entire record we just released. All the song on the record, are songs we put a lot of effort into writing. They're important to us because they represent time we've spent together as a band, and the personal sacrifices we've made to keep this band going. What things in life influence your music? Our music, especially our lyrics, is mostly influenced by personal experience. All the bullshit we see and experience, we write about. There is nothing fake about what we do. Who has influenced you most in life? My friends and the people I keep close to me have influenced me the most. Friends are one of the most important things in life. If you could assemble a band with members of other bands, who would you have? I wouldn't I love this line-up. Fuck everyone else. If you could play on a tribute album for any band, which band would it be? Hoods. Do you have any words of advice for aspiring musicians? Pack a fucking lunch. For more info on Hoods, check out www.sactohoods.com, or click here for more info. You can also contact the band at this address: xhatex@earthlink.net