Drown

An interview with AMZ's Bushman

Brick By Brick, San Diego, CA

Drown is:
Lauren - Vocals
Patrick Sprawl - Guitar
Sean E. Demott - Bass
Marco Forcone - Drums

First of all - moods were sullen tonight due to the news of the sudden, untimely and unfair death of "Snot" lead singer, Lynn Strait. Lauren, being a longtime part of this SoCal scene was familiar with Lynn and the band and dedicated tonight's set to his memory. The first couple of minutes we spent chatting about that whole situation....but eventually got on to do the ‘real’ interview (as follows):

AMZ - Do you like doing interviews?

Lauren - Absolutely. Actually, I feel honored when asked for an interview/picture whatever. I hate bands that whine about interviews and press. I'm just glad someone is taking an interest in us.

AMZ - After listening to ‘Product of a Two Faced World,’ one gets the feeling that (singer Lauren) has been dicked around about 20 times too many. Do you (Lauren) feel you've got a negative attitude towards people in general, or just directly aimed at certain episodes of lameness.

Lauren - Humanity sucks. Everyone's on their own agenda. Personally, a lot of this attitude stems from people that have claimed to be down 110% but bailed when we/I needed them most. All the political bullshit from Elektra ... even our manager turned his back on us when we needed him.

AMZ - Could Lauren please explain: “We are all tired of the games and the fake people we've had to deal with. I would love to rip the throat out of everyone responsible for the last three years, ...and you know who you are,” (but we don't know who they are...we want to know so we can kick them in the teeth also....gotta recognize the enemy!)

Lauren - Again, individuals who turned their backs on the band and were the cause of the band laying dormant for so long.

AMZ - Is that Lauren doing the panicked voice on the answering machine in “Redial?”

Lauren - Yea.

AMZ - I noticed the subtle use of a sampler in the "Drown" sound. Aside from the filler it provides in the silence between songs, what do you think it does for "Drown’s" vibe.

Lauren - I think it adds a third dimension to the sound. So many bands have just the basic guitar/bass/drums set up. Electronics to us is just a backdrop of sound.

AMZ - What are the current touring plans for "Drown?" Any plans to take it abroad?

Lauren - We're putting together a tour right now.

AMZ - What's your opinions on the state of ‘contemporary’ (i.e., radio) music?

Lauren - I hate it.

AMZ - Drown likes to sport the ‘Fuck Top40’ logo. Any reasoning in the face of the masses that blindly support this kind of format?

Lauren - I've found people buy what they're told to. They're sheep. Radio isn't a stepping ground for artists anymore...only touring is.

AMZ - It sounds like Drown has had it share of label problems. From what I've read, both majors that signed Drown, either offered zero support or dropped Drown soon after choosing to go with a Top40 format (there's that word again). What are your thoughts on this mentality of labels? (shouldn't good music be good music, and forget what ‘category’ it fits in - as long as there is a market for it - from a label point of view).

Lauren - I hate labels. Its nice to have when they believe in what your doing. Its just so much of it has to do with politics and not with the actual music. For instance, when we got signed to Elektra after years of playing locally, we had our CD release party. And like 14 labels showed up to check us out. Weave been in their own backyard the whole time and its not until another label takes interest that they bothered to look at us. Labels know nothing about the actual scene. They only know how to play off something that's already proven itself and reworking of the trends.

AMZ - Any thoughts on the current state of "metal?"

Lauren - Its healthy. I mean, for the bands that have been here the whole time. I see a lot of people coming along that aren't very real about it.

AMZ - Any bands you want to mention that people should be listening to but probably aren't? (I get names thrown at me from bassist Sean E. Demott - former Ex-Idol - and guitarist Patrick Sprawl - former DeadSurfKiss - as well as from Lauren)

Drown: 20 Dead Flower Children, Amen, SlipKnot (from Des Moines, Iowa), Corporate Avenger, The Countdowns, Goody-Mob, Psycho Realm, VideoDrone...oh yea and 13A!

AMZ - What's Drowns favorite place to gig?

Lauren - The Barn in Riverside, CA. Alice from the Brick by Brick here in San Diego has been great also. San Diego has never really been a good town for us, but I think weave found a bar that we can work with (here at the Brick by Brick).

AMZ - Give me a screwed up (but true) Drown story.

Lauren - They're all screwed up....um...yea...they're all screwed up-twisted stories.

Sean - Its like, everyday stuff to us is probably pretty screwed up to normal people.

AMZ - Any opinions on drugs?

Lauren - They kill people...consistently. I mean, do want you want to do...but I grew up watching junkies and the lifestyles it brought with it, and I don't know....they kill people.

AMZ - (Unless we're uncovering some serious childhood scars) What were Drown like as youth?

Lauren - 100% alienated misfit. Shy. Scared. I was the kid in the corner everyone looks at and says, "What the fuck's wrong with him?"

Bass - Um...a miniature version of me now. Actually, I was the kid always hanging out in the record store. Yknow those punch cards they have, like buy 10 CDs and get a free one? Well, Id hang out by the counter and bug people for their CD credit until I had enough for a free CD. They hated me there.

AMZ - What's the coolest?

Lauren - Nothing.

AMZ - What's the lamest?

Lauren - Everything.

AMZ - Who's an Asshole?

Lauren - Everyone.

AMZ - Who's a Saint?

Lauren - No one.

AMZ - Given the power, what new laws would you pass?

Sean - No white rappers.

Lauren - To be what you are and not something else. That should be mandatory.

AMZ - What's the sickest thing you've seen on the Internet?

Lauren - We've got problems....many, many problems.

AMZ - Speaking of the Internet, how has this new marvel of technology affected the band?

Lauren - It's really helped our band. Keeping in touch with fans seems the most obvious, but reaching people all over and having people from all over reach you...that's great.

AMZ - What are some of "Drowns" favorite indulgences?

Lauren - Again...we've got some deep rooted problems.....

AMZ - Who's most likely to end up in jail tonight?

Lauren - ...Probably all four of us.

We also talked in depth about how music was a way of making friends and identifying with others.

Lauren - When I was a kid, I was totally into this band called "Zodiac Mindwarp" and one day I was walking along and I saw this other kid with a "Zodiac Mindwarp" T-shirt and I was like dude! and immediately started talking to him. Especially as kids, I see music as a way of communicating and relating to others you might not readily talk to.

Bassist Sean also chimed in about how he spends much of his time turning friends onto bands and collecting all the music he can get his hands on.

It seems, naturally enough, that music is the driving passion behind "Drown" the band as well as "Drown" the individuals

For all the angst one can readily feel in Drowns music, the members are all quite personable. Lauren being the most straight faced, but as the title of the CD states, he's a product of this two faced world. One gets the feeling of a person who has genuine heart, but keeps it locked up tight because it's been messed with too often. Very literate and well spoken, the above interview is verbatim and stripped due to space and a faulty tape-recorder. If you get the chance, check the disk (there are actually two Drown CDs available), check the show and if you've got any questions, singer Lauren wont bite (maybe).

Props to Drown for their time and coolness.