ANGIE: So your new release is called 'Daylight Saving' with Stomp Records (Union Label Group), who produced it?
JEFF: We had a sound guy named Frank, back in the day when he went to school, one of his best teachers was a guy named Gerome Boisvert. Anyways, he was one of the top teachers in Quebec so when we were looking for someone to produce the record he was the obvious choice. Our sound guy was taught by him so he said we should really go with him to do this record. He's not known in the punk industry but he knew how to make sure everything sounded good.
A: So you're very happy about this new record?
J: Oh yeah, totally!
A: I also heard you were releasing this album out in Europe on Leech Records!
J: Yes, actually that's now Asian Man Records, Europe!
A: Were you surprised about that?
J: Yeah! At first I was surprised at first, I didn't know, it's really cool!
A: And also you have two newer videos out right now, one for 'Twenty One' and 'L.A Beach Bum'!
MART: And we have another one called 'All About Shane' from 'Until the Party Ends' and we have another video that isn't broadcasted a lot called 'Daylight Saving' it's kind of a cheaper video, but it's on 'Musique Plus' and a couple of times on The Punk Show (Much Music)!
A: Did you get any negative reactions over all the attention, because tonight when I saw you (Jeff) I recognized your face from TV do you think that helped you guys or!?
J: Well a video is for marketing uses!
A: But you know how fans can see a face and think 'Oh well he's a sell out' or whatever, did you get a lot of that shit from fans?
J: Oh Yeah! totally we did, definitely. What's funny is when we were talking about touring with Bigwig some fans were like 'how come Subb's on tour with Bigwig, Bigwig is anti-commercial and you guys are on fucking TV' and on the other hand Bigwig came and told us they wished they could have videos played and they were like 'wow, you guys have money in Quebec to do videos and to have it broadcasted, in Jersey all we have is MTV that basically plays no punk rock, you guys are so lucky!' If the fans knew this they'd probably be stumped. Fans are like 'Bigwig's a big thing because they're not on TV' but it's just because in the States they don't have the support!
M: Matt, Bigwig's ex-drummer once said on Musique Plus 'Can I just say MTV sucks and you guys rule, Much Music and Musique Plus'
J: Yeah, they're out there supporting the local bands!
A: We are lucky and I mean if you have a video why shouldn't you play it? I never understood this whole conflict some fans had over this! Anyways, your first release was called 'Highstep to Hell' and you were all really young when you recorded that album, what would you say to a fan who wanted to buy it now, would you recommend it?
J: Buy it! (laughing)
M: The songs are good, it's just the production and recording was done so fast, we did twenty one songs in a week and mixed them. We weren't like is this perfect we were like is this okay? Yeah! okay then we'll keep it!
A: And you chose Stomp Records to release your follow up 'Until The Party Ends', do you love being on Stomp?
J: Yeah! Of course
M: They're sweet!
A: Do they give you full control?
J: Yes, totally. Like 'Until the Party Ends' was more punk rock than ska and for the new album if you haven't noticed it's more rock. They're, were like 'hey you guys can do whatever you want, if you guys want to make a rock, punk or ska album I don't care, I love your band and you guys, so you can do whatever you want. I mean that's the way it should be!
A: You need the support from your label and you never hear that anymore!
J: Yeah, with 'Until the Party Ends' we had 'All About Shane' being broadcasted a lot and that's probably the reason we sold a lot of CD's, so I thought they'd be like 'can you guys write songs like 'All About Shane' but instead they were like 'do your thing and we'll see what's going on' so that's really cool.
A: I heard Warped was a huge success for you guys, you had like eight thousand kids one day! Do you think you guys will be on again this year 03'?
J: Probably, I mean as long as Union still has a stage?
A: Will Union Stage get bigger this year, because Union Stage was only on for like 3 dates on this years Warped 02' right?…
J: Yeah, I mean as the years go by it's definitely getting bigger. We're part of the family there so we'll see what's going on!
A: I heard too a tour to Japan was being planned and also since Nicotine are distributed by Union Label in Canada will you be doing any dates together with them?
J: Yeah, actually out in Japan we'll be on Sky Records and that's owned by one of the Nicotine guys.
M: And we have a split coming out in April with Donut Man a band from Sky Records and after that they are going to release 'Until The Party Ends' and if that goes over good they're going to release 'Daylight Saving'. They want to take things step by step! All of this is unbelievable, it's like when I have that ticket to Japan in my hands I'll believe it!
A: I know 'Daylight Saving' was just released this summer but when do you think you'll start to think about getting another LP in the works?
M: We are going to start writing songs really soon, everyone in the band has lots of ideas right now and we have the month of January off aside from maybe some odd shows?…
A: Will you guys be playing at the Union Anniversary Party in February?
M: Oh maybe?
J: Every year is just sketchy (laughing) we'll never know, who's playing so!
A: Do you think you'll always keep ska in your music?
J: That's not important for us, what's important is we are a punk rock band, our first release was very punk rock then we experimented with the ska and the reggae but there's no pressure. You never know, maybe the next album we'll have five punk or ska songs, we'll never know but there's not stress that we have to write a certain album, we'll just see what's going on!
A: Because I always wondered since you're on Stomp and not under the punk side at Union Label under Union (Mayday 2112) that your label would be like we'll, you're under Stomp so you have to stay ska….?
M: I think what they're going to do is if the next record is really punk they'll just mark it down as being under both labels, like Stomp and Union.
A: That's great, I thought there be some pressure there!
J: You know they suggest, since they've been working on the ska side of things so hard, but even though we were playing with bands like Catch 22 and The Planet Smashers we were like hey, we're a punk rock band at first! We never said we're a ska band from Montreal! We could compare us to like the Suicide Machines they never came out and said hey we're ska but… Stomp said if you want to work harder and gain new fans, that's your choice, that's your problem!
M: We're ready for challenges so!
A: Well thanks so much for doing this guys and good luck!