Jamie Woolford (The Stereo)

Rock and roll is a strange creature. While some acts are blessed with the luck and savvy to get instantly popular on the strength of one mediocre release, others are forced to toil in the depths of obscurity despite a constant string of quality records. The Stereo would fall into the latter category.

For those who don't know, The Stereo has released three albums and an EP on Fueled By Ramen Records. They have toured extensively and have built a loyal fan base all over the United States, Europe and Japan. Even though they have been at it since early 1999 creating honest rock music, they also have not had any kind of commercial success. In fact, a good number of knowledgeable indie rock fans have never heard of The Stereo.

The creative force behind The Stereo, Jamie Woolford, doesn't seem to mind one bit. True to his convictions, he focuses his energy and attention on what matters most, the music. Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Jamie about a number of things regarding the band, and he was gracious enough to give me 2 weeks worth of material. This week we'll touch on his odyssey to create a band that suits his aspirations, and how that translated into a new album - Rewind + Record.

Mad Caddies

Punknews.org contributor Angie Lalonde scored an interview with the Mad Caddies on their current tour with Rise Against in Ottawa, Ontario. Click READ MORE to see singer Chuck's opinions on their new album [especially what he thought of my review of the disc], the PGA, drinking, and other equally heavy and socially conscious topics. Click READ MORE to read the full interview, and click here to read my review of the band's latest album.

Finch

So a little while ago I asked you guys to post questions for a little band called Finch.

Hundreds of questions were posted, but most of them were of the "why do you suck so hard?" variety.

As much as I wanted to ask these questions, it was out of my hands. The PR guy who set the interview up asked the band the questions himself, and this is what we ended up with.

Click READ MORE to read Finch guitarist Randy Strohmeyer's responses to the few questions that didn't ask why he sucked. Keep in mind these are all user submissions - I did no moderating at all here. Enjoy.

Jesse Michaels (Common Rider/Operation Ivy)

I just heard back from Jesse Michaels about Common Rider's sudden breakup. For those who care, and others who don't - here are the words from Operation Ivy's mouth.

Tsunami Bomb

The wait is over. Here's our interview with all four members of California punk band Tsunami Bomb. Click READ MORE to read about pretty much everything you could ever want to know about this band [and then some]. If you'd like to read a review of their newest album "The Ultimate Escape," click here.

Reach The Sky

Angele Lalonde writes "Sadly as previously announced, Boston's hardcore's 'Reach The Sky' have parked the van and called it quits as of February 9th. A mutual decision between all members, they're leaving this industry with absolutely no regrets and lots of friends, officially this is RTS's last interview so take it in while you still can…"
Click READ MORE to see Ian and company's final thoughts on the band.

Rise Against

Like I said before, Rise Against are the future of Fat Wreck Chords and hardcore punk in general. I recently interviewed the group's singer Tim via email [after my tape recorder broke down moments before the planned interview].

Glassjaw

A long time ago, we asked for questions to pose to Daryl Palumbo, singer of Long Island progressive hardcore group Glassjaw. He finally got around to answering them, and, if you take away nothing else from the interview, you will take away this - THE MAN LIKES TO TYPE IN ALL CAPS. Click READ MORE to see all the in-your-face Glassjaw madness.

Sewing With Nancie/The Reason

Angie Lalonde writes "Big announcement interview with the now, officially declared, formerly 'Sewing With Nancie' Canadian skate-punks. If already a fan I'd advise to read on, they've literally changed every aspect of SWN's future, including their label, dropping their previously sappy-poppy sound for a more dignified mature melodicore style and most of all SWN biggest news to date, the inevitable declaration that the band has to change their name. Publicly SWN have become and bear the name 'The Reason', from now on find out why…"
Click READ MORE to get all the dirt.

Ken Casey of Dropkick Murphys

"This is a short interview I did with Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys. Enjoy."
Click READ MORE to find out Ken's feelings on the current popularity of punk, information on the band's new album entitled "Blackout," the Street Dogs, and more.

Northstar

Emily Driskell writes "This interview was conducted on the back porch of Mary Jane's (Houston, Texas), on November 6th, 2002 after their sold-out show with Taking Back Sunday, The Starting Line, and the Reunion Show; with members of Northstar (Nick and Shawn) and one lonely member of the Reunion Show (Derrick) pretending to be a member of Northstar (Tyler)…genius."
Click READ MORE for all the goods, and click here to read a review of the band's debut album, out now on Triple Crown Records.