Up-Load UK, Gigs News & reviews The Starting Line Interview

	Picture the scene …… Nik from Three Quarters is the biggest Starting Line fan in the UK (Official!) and we had taken him and Chris along to Rock City for the show and managed to arrange a quick interview while we were there, thanks to Tom and their nice Tour Manager. So there was Nik watching Starting Line on stage when we suddenly announced that he would be interviewing them in about half an hour. His face was a mixture of sheer elation and pure panic, there were no questions prepared and he was shaking like a leaf, however he managed to compose himself and scribble down a few random questions before we were taken through to the dressing room to meet them. Here is how the interview went …………
Nik	How is the tour going so far? Is it different supporting MxPx rather than headlining your own tour?
TSL	Kenny - Actually we are co-headlining, it just happens to be them headlining today Mike - It just sort of flip-flops every day
Nik	Happy Birthday Matt
Matt	Thank you very much
Nik	Ok all of you, what did you get him for his birthday?
TSL	Kenny - A bottle of Jack, Tom - Respect (laughs) Mike - and we got him a bottle of Champagne
Nik	That’s cool
Matt	Where is my Champagne anyway?
Nik	What towns are you looking forward to playing on the tour?
Kenny	Glasgow
Nik	Is there any reason for that?
TSL	Tom - It’s the drunkest part of the UK Kenny - Yeah, they are drunk and impossible to understand - hilarious
Nik	Now this question is going to be tough. What would you say is the best gig you have ever played?
Kenny	That’s a really hard question, uuummmm the best one lately as in recently is one that we played a couple of days after Christmas , it was the first time that we had played at home in ages, it was a sold out show which was great.
Nik	What did you guys get for Christmas? Any special presents?
TSL	Kenny - I got a PSP Tom - I didn’t get anything good, I got a safe from my parents Mike - I got a PSP too – I bought it myself Matt - I had a video I-pod
Nik	Cool, Cool. Ok then, what other bands would you like to play with?
TSL	Tom - Jimmy Eat World Matt - Jimmy Eat World Kenny - Death Cab, Radiohead Mike - Death Cab Kenny - Radiohead should be any day now (lots of laughs all round)
Nik	That leads on to my next question and I will ask all of you. Who have your main influences been ?
TSL	Kenny - Radiohead is a really big one. Jimmy Eat World, Deat Cab and Bob Dylan at the 1111111moment. Tom - I listen to a lot of ‘Dirty south’ rap, Jay Z and stuff but I listen to a lot of punk music 11111as well Mike - I listen to a lot of Death Cab Matt - I like Jimmy Eat World, Death Cab and Owen
Nik	Ok, this question might be a bit tough for you guys to answer. What was the reason for going from Geffen (records) to Virgin ?
TSL	Mike - ‘Cos Geffen sucks (lots of laughs) Matt - ‘Cos Geffen is the worst label in the world
Nik	I remember speaking to Tom in Manchester last year and he said they wouldn’t release your album over here, why was that ?
TSL	Mike - They didn’t think we had a fan base over here Tom - The Management had never been to one of our shows Mike - They (Geffen) do some good stuff for some people like Ashley Simpson Kenny - It was just a really bad fit for us
Nik	What did Virgin offer you? What attracted you to their label?
TSL	Mike - They love us, they like what we are about , it wasn’t just like , oh ‘The Best Of Me’ 111111you’ve got to do that again, they like our band and just want us to do what we do. Matt - They gave us a free reign Kenny - Yeah they really respect the direction we are going in Mike - It wasn’t just like one person at the label, there were a lot of them that really liked 111111what we do
Nik	What was the first song you guys ever wrote together?
TSL	Kenny - It was called ‘Nothing short of a miracle’ and you can probably find it on some weird 1111111or bizarre web site (see note* ) (laughs from everyone) Matt - It’s a really good song Mike - For a first song it was pretty damn good Tom - Yeah it was – I’m proud to say it too
	* Try here! Lyrics + link to buy MP3 download http://www.lyricgeek.com/s/starting_line/-/nothing_short_of_a_miracle/
Nik	Did you guys start by playing around Philadelphia and that area ?
TSL	Tom - No we did our first gigs around New Jersey and that area because Philly was a bit 11111weird at that time Mike - There was a really tough street punk scene, you’d probably get stabbed or 111111something (laugh) Matt - Jersey was like ‘Oh you guys are really cool’ Tom - Yeah we just played up state Kenny - It was around the time that ‘Saves The Day’ were just breaking out and everyone 1111111was loving that scene. Tom - Yeah Philly didn’t like it at all
Nik	Right guys, how long were you an unsigned band?
TSL	Matt - It was like a year and a half Tom - Yeah about that
Nik	So what did you do then? Send off a load of demo’s and that?
TSL	Mike - We just sent out our demo to as many labels as possible Kenny - Yeah we sent them out to just about every one, and got rejected loads, we even got 1111111rejected by them (Geffen) a few times we were just really persistent Matt - I got a the label mans instant messenger (Geffen) and just kept messaging him 11111asking when he was going to sign us
Nik	Before you were in the band what did you guys do? Did you have jobs?
TSL	Tom - We were at College and stuff Mike - I had a job, I went to Tec school and got a degree then worked for about a year, it 111111was miserable Matt - I was at College, I left on my second semester, Senior year Tom - I was in College and had a shit job
Nik	Ken, didn’t you leave school to join the band?
TSL	Kenny - I was in Junior High school, my last semester Mike - He graduated though Kenny - Yeah I got my diploma, I didn’t drop out or anything.
Nik	On a final note I was just like to thank you guys for being such a big influence on me and my band. I have been looking forward to this night so fucking much.