EXCLUSIVE INTERIVEW: Dynamite Walls
Ahhh, the band interview. An event that can be a nightmare, a laugh riot or anything in between depending upon so many variables not the least of which can be the lunar cycle. So when I sat down with the guys from Dynamite Walls shortly before their KROQ show at The Roxy in West Hollywood, the interview process took a turn for the different: instead of queuing up a recorder, I handed Tom, Allan, Eric, Alex and Paul each a pen and a list of questions to answer. The point: absolute randomness. You should have seen them as they all looked quite darling and studious as if they were taking their SATs. The result: a slight peek into the minds of Dynamite Walls.
Eric Pritchard: Drummer guy
Q: What bands did you listen to as a kid?
A: Led Zeppelin, Yes, Incubus, Coheed & Cambria, The Beatles, Foo Fighters
Q: Do you have any guilty pleasures?
A: Listening to Paramore!
Q: What’s your favorite Chinese food dish?
A: Orange Chicken
Q: What would we find in your refrigerator right now?
A: Sriracha
Q: If you could mass-produce a t-shirt with your own slogan on it, what would that slogan be?
A: “What?…Oh!”
Q: Have you, any of your friends or any of your friend’s friends, ever been on Cops or America’s Most wanted? If so, we’ll need details. Seriously.
A: Unfortunately no, but I was in jail for one night and my friends found out on the internet after I didn’t come home. My name was listed with my middle name spelled “Ponal” instead of Ronald. They still call me Ponal!
Alex Blundell: Geetar
Q: What bands did you listen to as a kid?
A: Phish, NOFX, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, Grateful Dead
Q: Do you have any guilty pleasures?
A: Top 40 Radio
Q: What’s your favorite song ever – your ‘theme song’?
A: Chumbawumba “I Get Knocked Down”
Q: If you could mass-produce a t-shirt with your own slogan on it, what would that slogan be?
A: “Whoops”
Q: What do you think is the worst job you could ever have?
A: Running monitors at a club.
Q: If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be and why?
A: Ability to fly. Who wouldn’t want to fly?!?
Tom Pritchard: Singer dude
Q: What bands did you listen to as a kid?
A: I listened to surf music. My dad was in The Sufaris. The Chantays, The Ventures, all the old stuff really spoke to me for some reason.
Q: What’s the first concert you ever attended?
A: Sufaris and Jan & Dean. Wish I could see that one again because I had diapers on.
Q: What’s the weirdest thing a fan has ever done at a show?
A: Old lady grabbed my crotch area once, and twice I’ve had beer end up on me or my gear.
Q: How do you prepare for a show? Any specific things you do to get in the right headspace?
A: I try not to eat a large pizza. Every show is different so I try to collect as I’m plugging in.
Q: Do you have any guilty pleasures?
A: My guilty pleasure is watching Wheel of Fortune and digging the shit out of it.
Q: Have you, any of your friends, or any of your friend’s friends, ever been on Cops or America’s Most wanted? If so, we’ll need details. Seriously.
A: My friend bought a dorky mortorized bicycle and got a DUI. There was a news team in the cop car. I got to see him try to walk a straight line (which he did), but he still got rolled.
Q: If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be, and why?
A: I would want the ability to eat a large pizza before the show.
Paul Kimmel: Tickling the Ivories (Keyboards)
Q: What bands did you listen to as a kid?
A: Nirvana, Deftones, STP, Pearl Jam, Tool (was in Seattle/NW grunge)
Q: How do you prepare for a show? Any specific things you do to get in the right headspace?
A: I like to wash my hands so they aren’t clammy or slippery.
Q: What would we find in your refrigerator right now?
A: Sriracha, Fat Tire, eggs.
Q: What’s the weirdest thing a fan has ever done at a show?
A: I had a beach ball thrown at my face.
Q: What do you think is the worst job you could ever have?
A: Probably a trench digger in hot weather.
Q: If you could mass-produce a t-shirt with your own slogan on it, what would that slogan be?
A: “Fatandhammered”
Allan Bates: Keeper of the Low End (Bassist)
Q: What bands did you listen to as a kid?
A: I got a lot of late 80’s/early 90’s rock from my older brothers. New Order, The Cult, Afghan Whigs
Q: What’s the weirdest thing a fan has ever done at a show?
A: I had a 16-year-old girl run up and hug me then only say the words, “Now I can die.” And run off completely. It was pretty awkward.
Q: How do you prepare for a show? Any specific things you do to get in the right headspace?
A: Biggest thing I do is stretch. Gotta stretch. Other than that just chill and try not to think about it. The less I think about a show, the better I play.
Q: Do you have any guilty pleasures?
A: Die Antwoord. South African weirdness. Can’t help but think it’s horrible but strangely love it.
Q: If you could mass-produce a t-shirt with your own slogan on it, what would that slogan be?
A: “Straight Chilling”
Q: Have you, any of your friends, or any of your friend’s friends, ever been on Cops or America’s Most wanted? If so, we’ll need details. Seriously.
A: No, but my brother was arrested on Halloween in a cow costume, so that made for some good mug shots.
Free download of their track “Blood on My Hands” HERE!