Rainy Days
from Rainy Days JAN98

RD: name/age/instrument/greatest place you’ve ever been?
NATE: nathan beale / 18 / guitar / “the outhouse” in Lawrence, Kansas.
RODRIGO: rodrigo palma / 18 / bass / Chile.
CHRIS: christopher jay salmon / 19 / guitar, vocals (lead) / my backyard
DAVE: dave / 17 / drums / marvin’s marvelous mechanical museum.

RD: how did you guys get together?
ROD: chris and dave were in this band ‘the spiffys.’
DAVE: nate, rod and I were in a band called ‘dogweather’ and I quit ‘the spiffys’ to play with that band and we had a different singer at the time. We played a little show at my house and chris came and we were looking for a different singer, preferably one that played guitar, and chris is good at both.

RD: where does your music come from? (Answer any way you want)
ROD: my basement

RD: I read in an add that you’re “3/4 vegan”, still the lyrics and overall tone of the music speaks nothing of veganism. Is there a message or a theme to your music?
DAVE: first of all, i’d like to say that the 3/4 vegan thing came about when the label who put out seven inch (old skool) thought it would be funny to say that in the ad. So they played that cruel joke on us. I think wanted to get these hardline vegan kids to accidentally buy it or something. Anyways...i’m not vegan anymore ‘cause i make copies at kinkos.
ROD: nate’s going to be vegan when we tour! haha!
CHRIS: my lyrics are about whatever is affecting me at the time I write them. Sometimes, actually most of the time, it’s about something that’s bothering me, or something that i’m pumped up about. Usually i’m just complaining though.

RD: thoughts on playing shows?
NATE: shows are good!
ROD: I like to play shows.
CHRIS: shows are neat.
DAVE: yeah shows!

RD: The name “Empire State Games” sounds pretty rad by itself. Is there meant to be a hidden meaning, or is it all about the new york special olympics?
ROD: it’s about the new york junior olympics, not the special olympics. My brother swam in it and had all these speedos and warm-ups left over from it. We found all this stuff and took the name from there.

RD: how have you changed since the beginning of the band?
NATE: I got my hair cut.
ROD: I wear smaller pants and I got a nice amp.
CHRIS: I got good equipment and I don’t like my band mates anymore.
DAVE: nate got his hair cut and i dress like a poor kid.

RD: what have you been listening to lately?
NATE: weezer, pavement, braid.
ROD: sleater-kinney, portishead, crudos.
CHRIS: shellac, philo beddow, weezer, promise ring, archers of loaf.
DAVE: weezer, cap’n jazz, blood sweat and tears, gyga.

RD: views on religion or god?
NATE: nope, no thanks!
ROD: I think that people like the idea of objectivity and absolute truths because it’s convenient and comfortable. I think that god and religion fit nicely into this niche. I’ll save the theological argument for another time.
CHRIS: I think that it’s great that jesus died for our sins and all, but i don’t need that crutch in my life.
DAVE: what? i’m the dumb one.

RD: what were you like as kids?
NATE: I was a lot shorter and I had a mullet.
ROD’S MOM: rodrigo smiled a lot but was very serious.
CHRIS: I loved brand name clothing and my side spike.
DAVE: i’m a sap, and i dress like a poor kid.

RD: if you could remain in childhood instead of growing up, would you?
NATE: no, because I wouldn’t be able to RAWK!
ROD: yea! School would not nearly be as tough.
CHRIS: no. I miss my childhood a lot, but there is a lot of freedom in growing up.
DAVE: probably not...i’m still waiting to grow up!

RD: about love...do you think it’s worth the pain? Why?
NATE: it’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.
ROD: what a cheesy question! I just sometimes get crushed and sometimes when relationships don’t come out the way i’d like them to, it sucks, but hey, I run my own life and I can change things. Yippee!
DAVE: I like that question...(sigh)...no comment.
CHRIS: i’ve never been in love.

RD: do you have anything besides the seven inch? What’s on the horizon for ESG?
DAVE: the seven inch is all that we have out for right now, but a split seven inch with king for a day will be out by detroit fest. We have plans for a new two song single for release by may, but we haven’t recorded it yet. We are on tour for seven weeks this summer to just about every where american so look for us to come to your town.

RD: any closing thoughts, ideas, ramblings, etc?
CHRIS: why is everyone so negative?
ROD: thank you for interviewing us!

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