April Fools Day is the one day out of the year where jokes and pranks are expected. So when news broke on April 1st that Pittsburgh punk band, The Gotobeds signed with Sub Pop Records, some were skeptical. Only it wasn’t a prank. The foursome were featured on Sub Pop’s website signing away. We caught up with the band to ask them a few questions about the process and they threw in a few questions for themselves. The guys will be at Gooski’s April 8 with Protomartyr. Check out the interview below.
The Gotobeds are:
TFP – guitar
Hazy Laser – vocals and guitar
the Arid Plateau – bass and vocals
Parryman – drums
Sound Scene Express: How long have you all known each other?
The Gotobeds: Mathematically, that is a six part question. The short answer is: years.
SSE: How did you guys come up with your band name?
The GTB: The name is a nod to the drummer of the Wire (*Spoiler alert* Omar dies).
The GTB Question: What was the last thing that you ate?
The GTB: Organic, free-range Spiders nest.
SSE: Who writes your music?
The GTB: The writing process is a depressingly collaborative effort.
SSE: What is your favorite Gotobeds song and why?
The GTB: My favorite Gotobeds song is “Fast Trash,” because my dad approves of it. He has been negletcing me for years until he heard this oh so meaningful tune ( i would’ve said the one i wrote).
SSE: What do you think of the Pittsburgh music scene?
The GTB: It valorizes mediocrity and punishes original thought.
Its punk bands are great!
SSE: Who is your favorite Pittsburgh band or musician?
The GTB: The list could go on and on and on but if we had to pick one, we would say when Read C hosts sweet jams.
I’d say any band Kevin Parent is in.
The GTB Question: What’s that smell?
The GTB: The smell of $UCCE$$
SSE: How did you get discovered by Sub Pop Records?
The GTB: We had been prank calling them for months before they finally agreed to check out our myspace page.
SSE: What does this mean for the band?
The GTB: Probably gonna hear from the cops soon.
Honestly I just cant wait to purchase our next album at best buy right next to the flat screen tvs that we are using to cover the walls of our practice space with.
SSE: Did you find out about the signing through e-mail, phone call or by someone knocking at your front door?
The GTB: We met with a Sub Pop rep in a neutral setting to discuss terms. That place was called New Orleans.
SSE: What was your initial reaction to the news?
The GTB: legit confused.
The GTB Question: How do you get dressed in the morning?
The GTB: One sock at a time. Easy does it there partner
SSE: So does this mean you are real rock stars?
The GTB: we reject the “rock star” persona as a by-product of the military industrial complex and campus rape culture. we see ourselves punk skeptics or, less frequently, radical alien humanists.
SSE: What can we expect from your show April 8th at Gooski’s? Will it be a
celebration or business as usual?
The GTB: Hahaha we are excited to play there because we havent all been there together in many hours.
SSE: So what is next for The Gotobeds? Big tour, album etc?
The GTB: After tour we plan on kicking out our current bass player and replacing him with a computer that was designed by a CMU robotics student and TFP is gonna continue expanding his collection of VHS cassettes and open a store called TFPVHSIDGAF!
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