Eric Vizion Jones: Here is Dan from the band Atreyu. You guys can have fifteen minutes to ask your questions.
Male journalist: I am from the Courier
Kristin- Hi, I am Kristin and I work for BacSagePass.com.
Male Journalist: On Cursed you did a cover of Bon Jovi's "You give love a bad name", how did you guys play it so metal sounding?
Dan- Um we all wanted to do a cover song and uh we figured we'd do like a limited edition, special.. whatever, and we wanted a song we could pull off that would sound like us.
Kristin: Off of the Curse What is your favorite song to play, or perform?
Dan: Um It kinda changes...Remembrance Balance or uh "November's Grace"
Kristin- Ok, How do you feel your latest cd differs from "The Curse"?
Dan- I think like there was a transition where I don't know we got more direction.
Kristin- What made you decide you wanted to make music for a living?
Dan- Um, I think it was uh when I saw Green Day play for the first time, the first concert I went to. It was uh the Dookie tour. I think it was just amazing I knew I was in.
Other Male Journalist- Who would you say your biggest influences are?
Dan- Um, Like rock. All the famous bands that have guitar heroes, you know groups like Van Halen.
Kristin- On your own warp tour who would be the first band you'd contact?
Dan: Uh I would probably call Van Halen or um some other 80's Band.
Other Male Journalist: What's a bigger thrill for you playing the warp tour or Ozzfest?
Dan- Um, as far as playing wise- Warp Tour. We're a lot further than we were a year ago so the crowds a lot more responsive- it's a lot more fun to play.
Kristin- What is the craziest thing a fan has done to meet you?
Dan- Um we've had people who just walk up on the bus and sit there and we're like "Your not supposed to do that!" One guy just came on the bus and we're like "Who are you? Do we know you?" He's like "oh I was just checking what your set list is for tonight." We were like "What the hell!"
Kristin- That is crazy!
Dan- Yeah, we were like this is like our home, you don't just walk in and sit down. It's like some dud just comes in your house and sits down on your couch! People are crazy.
Kristin- What is the best and worse thing about being on tour?
Dan- Um the worst thing it's ah just the inconveniences of like not being able to shower all the time. Not being able to wash your clothes, just little things like that- things that make it a little tougher. Being away from home for long periods of time. Um The best I guess is just that time you are up on stage. It's, it's ....
Kristin- Amazing?
Dan- Yeah, I mean just like being able to go out there especially Warp Tour in front of thousands of people. Watching them, telling them to jump and they jump just piles of people- it's crazy.
Kristin- For people that have never heard Atreyu's music, how would you describe it?
Dan- I would say it's aggressive, melodic, classic rock.
Kristin- What's next for Atreyu after the Warp Tour?
Dan- Six months off I'll be in the Hollywood area.
Kristin- Describe yourself in one word?
Dan- Um I'd say interesting.
Kristin- Ok, How does an outdoor festivals like Warp Tour change your performance?
Dan- Um, it's uh... It changes I don't know it uh actually helps a lot as far as like controlling the crowd- Your out there and your like "Holy Shit" Look at all them groove and like learning how to talk to that many people and how to get them to move and do their thing. Then you come back to the small club scene and it's of course not as active.
Kristin- What does Atreyu actually mean?
Dan- Nothing...
Kristin- No underlying references to The Neverending Story? I chided.
Dan- Laughs, Nah No that was the horse wasn't it.
Kristin- yea. laughs. How do you feel your latest cd, The Curse differs from your debut Suicide notes and Butterfly kisses?
Dan- Um well the record is more polished, it's uh I think a little more heavier overall as far as like uh..we kinda grew as musicians, Shit like that. We stepped it up a little bit that's all.
Kristin- Give me a rundown of your day on the Warped Tour?
Dan- (his face shows there are secrets he is not going to share)
Kristin- Laughing, you can leave out any stuff you don't want us to know.
Dan- Laughs with a little red tinge on those cheeks. Um I don't know we get up in the morning you know do the necessary things, then go find out what time your playing. Then uh just sit around, watch TV. I don't know maybe go get lunch or something...usually a lot of sitting around all day or waiting to play. Maybe after playing do a signing for an hour or two. Some days you just don't feel like doing anything.
Kristin- Anymore musical influences besides Van Halen?
Dan- Just old 80's style, Billy Idol, and you know just bands like that. I just try to take the whole painstakingly heavy
style of music and mix it up a bit.
Kristin- Thank you so much for your time.
Dan- smiles.
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