Lagwagon & No Use For A Name

After the Fat Mike interview, I spotted Joey Cape chatting it up with Tony Sly. Not wanting to interrupt, I stood aside and took in the gorgeous view at the Gorge. After a little while though, I couldn't stand it anymore. There was a break in their conversation, and I introduced myself, and asked if they would do an interview together. They were down, and including the NOFX interview, this was the best half hour of my life!

All right, if you were going to be stranded on a desert island, and you could only bring 3 CDs, and 3 other things, what would you bring?
Joey Cape: I'd bring Either Or by Elliot Smith, OK Computer by Radiohead, and... see that's 3, that's not enough. I would bring a Beatles record, maybe Abbey Road, I don't know. See, but then when I think about it, I would probably want to bring a classical record, or a jazz record. Something way more complex that you can... I mean ‘cause basically if you're gonna have to listen the same records over and over again. I have another scenario, before he answers. Tony Sly: I would bring 3 burned, mix CDs.

That's cheating man!
Joey Cape: That's the right answer though! I have another scenario that I think of a lot, and this one I think is a little bit better. If I were to do a ‘zine, my question would be: if you were in a round room, padded cell, insane, and you had to be subjected to one record, or one song for the rest of your life, what would if be?

What's your answer?
Joey Cape: I don't have an answer. I've thought about it a lot though, and it would be some sort of really long opus, like a classical song. Just something really intricate... Tony Sly: Bohemian Rhapsody. Joey Cape: Yeah, it would be Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. Actually, what was that song, that ‘too sexy' song by those two...

I'm Too Sexy for my shirt?
Joey Cape: Yeah, it would probably be that song because I never get sick of that song.

What about three other things for that island?
Oh, three other things? My girlfriend, Kristin. Um... I'd say, a surfboard, I don't know... Tony Sly: Warped Tour laminate. Joey Cape: (laughing) Yeah, and my Warped Tour laminate.

What about you man? You've got the burned CDs...
Tony Sly: Yeah and my wife, and... 2 chairs. Joey Cape: Stokin' our wives and girlfriends with that one though. Like, they'd have to be subjected to it too. Yeah, I'd make them go...

If I'm going down, you're going down with me!
Joey Cape: They'd be with me for the rest of their lives, for real.

Would you rather fight Mike Tyson or talk like him?
Joey Cape: Oh my god, what a ghetto question. That's awful! I'd have to say talk like him, only because if he hit me with one of his real punches I'd either be retarded or dead. I mean for sure I'd have brain damage, I mean... he'd kill you, or permanently damage you, and then you'd talk like him anyway. Tony Sly: Is this a fistfight? A street fight?

Well, like a boxing match.
Tony Sly: Are they promoting it, is there money? Joey Cape: Oh wait wait wait! That changes everything! Tony: Could I train?

I don't know, could you?
Tony Sly: ‘Cause I'd work on my neck for six months. Joey Cape: First you make the mix CDs, and now you're training? Tony Sly: Yeah, for six months I'd do isometrics and isotonics, then I'd collect my ten million dollars. Joey Cape: Ok, you see what's happening here? He's going first next time, so it gives me more time to think. He got the right answers, it's totally true, I would totally fight that guy. Because just for losing, you get like four hundred million dollars.

If you could be anyone for one day, who would you be?
(Tony's talking to someone else) Joey Cape: Hey Tony... kinda doing something over here dude, are you lost? Tony Sly: I just ate a clove of garlic.

All right, if you could be anyone for a day, who would you be?
Tony Sly: Joey Cape, J.C. Joey Cape: Tony Sly!

What's the craziest or funniest thing that's ever happened on one of your tours?
Tony Sly: I saw him try and climb out of a bus hatch once, and then there was a bridge following like a minute after someone pulled him down. Joey Cape: Ok, I've got his. This one time we playing on the island of Victoria, ya know in Vancouver. It was a No Use and Lagwagon; we were touring together. Well, we were on this ferry, and Tony is goofin' around on the deck ya know? Just foolin' around being silly like he is. So, he's getting all goofy like he gets, because I mean he's a good guy, but he's kinda goofy. And he was dancing, he had this dance, I think it was called the pancake or something. This was a great dance of his. Do you remember the pancake? Tony Sly: Oh yeah, it was the coolest. Joey Cape: Yeah, so he's just going crazy with this little dance of his, and it was a little slick on the edges, because it was one of those moist days ya know? So anyway, he slipped backwards and went over the rail, and fell off the boat.

Seriously?
Joey Cape: This is seriously true. I can't believe you don't know this, because he's talked about this before. I mean, it was actually a really traumatic experience for people watching, as for Tony I'm sure. Tony Sly: Was that the time I was saved by the orca, or was that the other time? Joey Cape: It was the other time. No, this really happened. So anyways, he goes off, and for a split second it was the funniest thing I had ever seen in my life. Because, he's doing this little dance and then there he goes, ya know, overboard. And the water was like thirty-five? Ya know, just above freezing, really cold. Well you know... Fahrenheit. Anyhow, it was crazy. But ya know, they didn't save him. But you know they way when you're going towards Victoria, there's those little islands with the trees on them, the mini... he found one of those. And I guess you had to live there for a little while right? It was like... Tony Sly: A month. Joey Cape: Yeah like a month. He was on this little island for like a month. And that's the craziest thing I remember happening to No Use For A Name. Tony Sly: Unfortunately I only had three of my own CDs though.

How do you guys feel about burning CDs, about MP3s and people sharing music over the Internet?
Joey Cape: I think it's cool. But ya know, if you're gonna do that instead of buying records and everything, it's not really good for the bands. Tony Sly: But, ya know, it's cool to find rare stuff, things that you can't find in stores. I do that sometimes.

What do you think about it with My Records and everything like that?
I mean, it's a reality. So, it's not something you want to think about too much when you have a record label. I mean, it's really, it is the way it is.

So, you don't think it helps you?
Joey: No. It doesn't help any, especially indie labels. It hurts them more than major labels, for sure. It's a ratio thing. I mean, kids that are seeking independent music tend to be a little more outgoing while they're seeking music. And so, those kind of people... I mean, most people just buy what they hear on the radio. They're a little more drone-esque, they'll just drive to The Warehouse or to Virgin Records and buy their records. Where as I think indie kids are a little bit more innovative, so they'll definitely hit the net a lot more. So, indie labels get hurt really bad. But, ya know, I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing anyway because, there's something to be said for any kind of technology that gets people interested in music for whatever reason. So, I don't necessarily think it's a negative thing. It's hurt Lagwagon's record sales, for sure... huge. Tony Sly: It's good for really small bands, that don't have other means to promote their band. Joey Cape: There's definitely that, and what he said about rare music, I think that the internet is providing people a much needed way to find things that are out of print, that sort of thing. So, I buy stuff off the Internet all the time. Tony Sly: Like, all those Weezer songs... Joey Cape: That's the best example. Tony Sly: Before they re-released them. Joey Cape: Stuff like Jawbreaker, any type of obscure band... you can find anything, which is cool.

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