BAND: June
INTERVIEWER: Sarah Boger (Sarah@bandvibe.com)
INTERVIEWEE: Mark Sutor of June
DATE OF INTERVIEW: 11.24.07
BAND MEMBERS:
Tim Brennan – Vocals, guitar
AJ Brown - Vocals, bass
Mark Palacz - Guitar
Mark Sutor - Drums
Sarah: How did you get started in music?
Mark: I got started in music, when I went to a Blink 182 concert my freshman year of high school, it was the Blink 182, Fenix TX and Bad Religion tour. I had never played an instrument in my life, nor had I really cared about anything in music. When I saw three guys absolutely take over a crowd of 30 thousand people and make jokes about farts and stuff like that, I was like, “this could be something for me”.
S: When do you first form the band?
M: We formed a couple years later after that, I’d been playing music for about 2 years, and the other guys were all doing other things, and once they fell through… It’s been about 5 years now total. So, 5 years ago.
S: How did you come up with the name for the band?
M: We used to be called ‘Drive Like June’ . We had never heard of a band called ‘Drive like Jehu‘. I don’t know if you have either. Their drummer is Mark Paladino. He’s a big producer now. He actually produced Blink 182’s Enema of the State and stuff like that. When we found that out, people were giving us shit about it basically we were just like we didn’t want to lose like all of our fans at the time, so we just cut the drive like and kept June.
S: Who would you say is your biggest influence as a musician?
M: My top three I’ll say Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters, Steven Jenkis from Third Eye Blind, and drumming wise, obviously, Travis Barker from Blink 182’
S: Is there any one song you especially enjoy playing live?
M: Off of any record? People really enjoy our fast song that we play live it’s called “A Taste”. Its track 10 on the new record. A lot of the new record is really pop-rock, and that song I feel is the same way, but it’s also really aggressive, and it brings the out the best in our music I feel like.
S: What new things did you try while writing and recording 'Make it Blur'?
M: Yeah absolutely. We definitely went with a more pop influence with a real rock feel behind it. We never wanted to abandon a rock band thing, but we want to go with a lot more melodic vocals and stuff like that, having the vocals lead the music more than just the music, you know?
S: I totally understand that a lot of bands are going with that more pop feel; it’s something new and different.
M: It really is, it’s a lot of fun too.
S: Do you prefer to be on tour or at home or is it more of a 50/50?
M: It’s really a 50/50. Home is home. You never appreciate home enough until you leave, and then when you leave and you don’t have your bed and all your home cooked food and your family, you really miss it. But being on tour is probably the most unique experience anyone can be on, a new city everyday a tour like this especially, hundreds of people every night going nuts to your music, meeting new people, seeing old friends in every city, so both have their perks.
S: What’s the one thing you want to go home to the most?
M: My bed.
S: Your bed?
M: My bed. Every time I go home to my bed, I sleep so good and have the most insane dreams ever that first night. My body is so confused, it’s like ‘why am I so rested right now, what’s going on’, and then my mind just goes crazy, and I wake up just so rested it’s crazy.
S: If you could tour with any one band, current or not, who would it be?
M: Foo Fighters. I think Dave Grohl is probably the coolest guy in the world, I’ve never met him, but I’ve heard that he’s just awesome.
S: What city do you love to play in, besides home?
M: We were just in Seattle. I absolutely love Seattle. Seattle’s like Chicago on the ocean. Boston is the same thing.
S: What's your favorite venue?
M: I dig The Chain Reaction in California. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it. It’s a small legendary club where everyone plays when they’re up and coming, and the people who go to those shows are the most amazing fans, besides hometown fans obviously. The shows there are always just insane.
S: What’s one question you'd like to be asked in an interview?
M: I would want to be asked? Weird….
S: Because I’m going to ask you it right after you tell me.
M: That’s a good idea… Um… I’ve always liked the ‘if you weren’t doing music what else would you be doing’ questions, and I would be trying as hard as I can to be a football player on the Chicago Bears.
S: Who would play you in the story of your life?
M: Ooh, Leonardo DiCaprio, he’s a fantastic actor.
S: What’s the first album you ever bought?
M: Oh, that’s tough. I can’t recall the first one I ever bought, but the first one that I ever bought and listened to all the way from front to back was Everclear ‘So Much For The Afterglow’ . I think that was when I was in 6th grade. I bought that, and I listened to it nonstop that year I think. I still think I know all the words.
S: What’s one thing you'd like to say to your fans that will be reading this?
M: We love them very much, and come out to shows and sing along.
S: If the world was being taken over by zombies, what’s the one thing you'd grab to defend yourself?
M: Is there a correct answer?
S: No, I’m reading the ‘Zombie Survival Guide’ and just wanted to throw that one in there.
M: Oh? Our old guitar tech had that book, and he would give us tips all the time, um... Anything? Chainsaw. Yeah.
S: Even if it’s large and runs out of gas?
M: Yeah I’d go for it. A chainsaw and a van full of gas.
S: So you’d be one big walking explosion?
M: Why not? You’re probably going to die anyway if everyone is turning into zombies might was well have fun with it.
S: Go out in a blaze of glory?
M: Exactly.
For more official information on June, please log onto:
http://junerock.com
http://www.myspace.com/june
Check out Bandvibe's photo coverage of June:
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