Interview w/ The Waffle Stompers!

modernindependent:

So how did the band start? And how did it get to become The Waffle Stompers we know today?

The history of the band is in two main parts. The first generation of the band began in the year 2002, when most of the group was in 7th grade, and when most of today’s group was not in it. The band consisted of a few core members wanting to start the first (and therefore best) ska band in our middle school. They had a couple of practices over the summer which consisted of skateboarding and minimal music writing, and quickly disbanded by the beginning of freshman year. The second generation came about when Adam (drums) wanted to get the group back together. Adam recorded the three existing original songs, and gave them to Teddy (guitar), asking if he wanted to get serious and take this band somewhere special. He agreed, and a year later from that, they recruited enough kids to start trying to play shows and write more music. After a few years of touring and lineup changes, the band solidified into who we are today. There are two members from that first generation remaining (Nathan and Adam).
You just put out an EP “Words With Enemies”, how was the reaction to it from your fans?

The reaction has been generally great and enthusiastic. Our fans had been mulling over the singles for a while before the E.P. was released, and we have yet to play a hometown show since our CD release party, but the online feedback and the reviews have been awesome!

Where’d you record the new EP? and who did the artwork?

The E.P. was recorded at Silent Owl Studios in Orange County New York, owned by producer John Collura of the Ataris (and engineered by Paul Carabello of the Ataris as well). The artwork was done by Jeff’s (vocals) best friend Nick Aitkens, a guy you all should hit up if you need anything like that done!

You guys are signed to Danimal Records, based out of central Jersey,s how’d you end up signing with them?

The signing came as one of the prizes of the Jersey Shows Battle of the bands. We entered it three years ago really with the intent to get exposure and get a consistent string of shows, but after the first couple rounds, we were looking to take the prize. After talking with them during and after the competition, they decided to go ahead and work on a booking contract and recording contract that we signed in July or August of 2009? or 10? I’m getting mixed up on dates and years.

You guys have been around in the local scene for years, what’s changed since you first started playing?

That question is real tough. I think what’s changed is there are no venues that have their own following. So bands can’t go to play a venue hoping to see a bunch of kids who are just there because it’s the cool thing to do on Friday or Saturday night. The random interest of unknown local bands is not really prevalent in our scene, which I hate, and am just as much to blame for that as anyone else! We are in need of a place like the late Hamilton Street Cafe and Stage, which was a place that hosted shows for the sake of hosting shows. RIP.

What other local bands should people check out?

Our fellow NJ ska brothers have been working really hard and churning out some great stuff that should, at this point, back people off of the anti-ska train that the world’s been on for too long. Survay Says!, No Such Noise!, are among the top tier! We also have to shout out to some brother bands that aren’t local to NJ, but deserve to be famous in NJ soon. Uncle Joel’s Comb, our little brothers from Albany, and The Real Deal, our big brothers from Montreal! keep a look out for all of them please! but also, I’m an asshole, so please just go look for other bands in the tri-state area because there are so many good ones.

Your music video for single “We’re In For a Long Night” had a pretty good reaction on youtube, why’d you choose that song from the new EP to make a video for?

Choosing that song was not really difficult at all. I mean our initial ideas were to shoot a video for “Tired of It,” which was one of the first two singles, but it had gotten to the point where that song was hardly new anymore, and “We’re In For A Long Night” felt like a stronger choice anyway. We chose it because it represents our sound the best: A strong, fun horn riff, intense but melodic vocals (and three-part harmonies), and an in-your-face punk rock rhythm section. We were all pumped on that song since it was first written, so it was a natural choice.

What shows/tours do you guys have coming up?

February will be light for shows for us, with this weekend just being a Staten Island show and a Marlboro, NJ show. The guys at Danimal are working on booking us a tour at the end of March that’ll see us I think in parts of the Midwest and the southeast, but nothing set in stone. That’s all that’s scheduled for now, though.

2012 just started, what can people expect from The Waffle Stompers this year?

Trying to get people to listen to this new CD. we’re proud as hell of it, and we gotta make sure everyone gets a hold of it. So whatever we need to do for that to happen (touring, online promotion), that’s what this year is going to be.

—go check out their music video!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjgtHO3K3R8