PZO:
Whats the meaning behind your song Fred Astaire?
Stubhy: Fred Astaire is like a call to arms to all the kids. Its
basically a conversation between a parent and a child and not living up
to expectations of parents. It gets into detail and stuff. I had decided
to use, you know Fred Astaire, just as a character to base it off of.
Its basically about failed expectations.
PZO:
Did you go to a lot of concerts when you were younger?
Stubhy: No, actually I didnt. Growing up I wasnt allowed to
listen to music until I was about 14 or so. Except for Indian music. So
no I didnt go to rock shows.
PZO:
What is it about music that you love so much?
Stubhy: Its a safe escape. You dont have to...some people
use drugs to escape, some people use sex and they hide into people. Music
is something you can do by yourself. Its like a solitary escape
and it doesnt hurt anybody else, unless youre playing really,
really bad.
PZO:
Do you remember what your biggest crowd has been?
Stubhy: You know, theres been a lot of big crowds. But I guess that
the Q101 Jamboree in Chicago, we played for about 5,000 people. That was
pretty cool.
PZO:
Is there a certain song that you like performing the most?
Stubhy: I like anything that the crowd starts reacting to. I like playing
One to the Right, I like playing Bossman, Saturday
Night. I like them all. Theyre just certain songs for certain
occasions.
PZO:
What other bands from the Chicago area do you think other people should
check out?
Stubhy: Swizzle Tree, The Dog and Everything, you know, just all our homies.
Plain White Ts, Backdrop, Close Enough, Retro Morning, Penny and
the Loafers...there are so many good bands. Um...Ill think of some
later, I cant really think of them right now. Um...you know, Material
Issue, but theyre not around anymore. Oh yeah, Showoff and Mest.
PZO: Theyre awesome; I love Mest.
Stubhy: Yeah, theyre cool.
PZO:
Has there ever been a time where you didnt want to be who you were
for a moment?
Stubhy: Of course, who doesnt? You know? Its what Im
good at; its what I do. Without this, if I didnt do this I
know Id be doing something else, for sure. But this is what I get
the most happiness out of and there are rough times, and there are times
that you dont wanna get up and sing, but once you get on the stage
you remember why youre up there.
PZO:
If you could be handcuffed to one person for the rest of your life, who
would it be?
Stubhy: Uhh...for the rest of my life? Let me think about this for a second.
Shit...just myself. I dont wanna be handcuffed to anybody for the
rest of my life. Maybe my brother...
PZO:
What do you like to do after you play a show?
Stubhy: I like to go chill by the Merch. table and talk to everybody thats
coming up and supporting the band. Usually I just kinda hang out; sometimes
I grab an acoustic and just play if Im inspired by the show. For
the most part theres a big buildup til the moment that we
play, and then after that you just kind of take it easy. Relax, you know,
talk to the kids in the crowd and whoever else comes along.
PZO: What keeps you grounded and optimistic?
Stubhy: Thats just the way I am: one step at a time. Dont
look too far...make sure you troubleshoot, but dont look too far
into the future and just be happy for what you have. I have no problem...I
have faith in myself. You have to...if you dont have faith in yourself
youre not gonna ever get anywhere. So I just make sure Ive
got my head on straight, and everything will work out fine as long as
I do.
PZO:
Is there a question that comes up in interviews that youre tired
of being asked?
Stubhy: Oh yeah, what does Lucky Boys Confusion mean.
PZO:
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a member of the opposite
sex?
Stubhy: Of course: thatd be fun.
PZO: What would you do?
Stubhy: I dont know...go in the girls locker room.
PZO:
What was it like the first time you filmed a music video?
Stubhy: I was really tired and whiny.
Ryan: Crabby.
Stubhy: All I wanted to do was get a fucking beer. I remember that. I
was like, I gotta loosen up, man. You guys are making me all tense. And
theres all these fucking mikes and cameras the first time. So Im
just like, let me have a beer, cause we were in a bar and they wouldnt
let me, so I was pretty pissed.
PZO:
Are you a good dancer?
Stubhy: I used to be.
PZO: You dont dance anymore?
Stubhy: Not really.
PZO:
If you had to erase every memory in your life and you could only keep
one, which one would you keep?
Stubhy: Aw, these are like...so basically youre asking what the
most important moment of my life was?
PZO: Yeah.
Stubhy: Fuck...I dont know. I hope its to come. I dont
really have anything right now thats really like, monumental. Yeah,
I have to think about that and get back to you.
Ryan: Meeting me!!
Stubhy: Yeah, meeting Ryan was just...I dont know yet. Im
too young to answer that question, you know? And I havent done the
whole self-reflection, I mean I try to, but the whole self-reflection
that comes around 35 is when Ill probably try to figure that out.
What made me me...I dont know.
PZO:
How do you calm your nerves before a show?
Stubhy: I dont really get nervous too much. Its really kinda
become, not in a bad way, but a routine. But for the really big shows
I dont wanna get calmed down. The more hyped you are, probably the
better youll do. So, no, I dont wanna calm down. Thats
the last thing I wanna be. I want a Red Bull and whatever I can scrounge
up, even though I shouldnt be drinking that shit.
PZO:
Do you usually get to be good friends with the other bands that you play
with?
Stubhy: Yeah, real good friends. We kind of...some of my really, really
good friends are in some of the bands that weve toured with. Showoff,
Grasshopper Takeover...obviously all the boys from home. We didnt
tour with them, but we played with them so much that it felt like that.
Funk Junkies...and all the bands on this tour. But this tours been
different, its like a real, real tour: more than a month. So you
really get to know people then. You really become friends. Its just
nice.
PZO:
Whats the coolest venue youve played at so far?
Stubhy: Still love The Metro. I just love the shape of that room; its
perfect for a concert. The Bowery Ballroom in New York: theres just
something about being in New York and playing in that place that was cool.
But we didnt have a lot of people there. All the House of Blues
are great. Thats about it, man. What else is...are there any other
good venues?
Ryan: Any House of Blues; like the House of Blues in New Orleans is good.
Stubhy: Were just so lo-fi. We dont really...were a
really low-maintenance band. For the most part if you give me a little
bit of room to jump around and move to try to entertain the crowd, and
give him space <points to Ryan> so that he can beat the drums,
its...were happy. And give us decent monitors. Were
happy, were happy.
PZO:
What other bands were you in before you formed Lucky Boys Confusion?
Stubhy: Just one other band with him, Farm Boy. It was a good band.
PZO:
What do you attribute your success to?
Stubhy: I dont really consider ourselves successful. Were
not really that big. Just hard work; we work really hard. And we dont
make any money and we dont care. Were just happy to be doing
what were doing. If it looks like you like what you do, people will
give it a chance too. Thats what Ive learned.
PZO:
Have you ever gotten in trouble with the law?
Stubhy: Yeah, lots.
PZO: Do you still?
Stubhy: Uhh...occasionally. Not really that much anymore. I dont
really have time to get in trouble.
PZO:
Who came up with the name for the street team, 420 Geeks?
Stubhy: 420 Geeks...the storys so stupid. One of Adams friends...most
of Adams friends...there was just this one kid that he used to hang
around with. And Im like, I told Adam, man, all of your friends
are such 420 geeks. And I was just talking about how theyre such
potheads and dorky. Then his other friends, I started calling them 420
geeks too. That became like an affectionate term, you know, Im like,
hey whats up geeks? That turned into...when we used to play our
first shows almost everyone who came used to be friends with either me
or Adam or Ryan or Jason or Joe, and they were all the 420 geeks. Our
420 geek crew. And then in the song LBC I said 420 geeks are trying to
make room. So when our crowd turned into from just our friends to actual
fans they started calling themselves that. It just turned into something
and now Im like, whoa, okay.
PZO:
Are there any cities youre looking forward to playing in?
Stubhy: L.A., Anaheim, Phoenix, San Diego, Denver, Omaha, Iowa City, Chicago,
Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, Detroit...should I go on? I can
keep going...after Detroit Lancaster, Pennsylvania, I think Poughkeepsie,
New York, and then New London, Connecticut, and then back home for 2 more
shows in Chicago. Im excited about all of them!
PZO: Would that be your first time playing there?
Stubhy: Chicago?
PZO: No, like other places, cause I know youre from Chicago.
Stubhy: Weve never played Lancaster...yeah, thats it. Weve
played everywhere else before. We played a lot this year. Weve been
on tour straight since January.
PZO:
Do you ever get really just...exhausted often?
Stubhy: Everyday. But its okay. Its worth it to be able to
play every night. Spread the word every night.
PZO:
Do your fans ever bring you anything at the shows?
Stubhy: Yeah, theyre funny. They get little gifts, theyre
funny. Its so cool, though. Its usually posters and cookies
and...you guys are making me fat!
PZO:
Is there anything youd like to tell your fans?
Stubhy: You rock. Thank you so much for everything you guys are doing
for us. I hope our shows are satisfactory and you guys are having fun.
Spread the word.
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