So it’s been about three weeks of back and forth emails between Christian of After Midnight Project and myself, and I’m finally pulling up to meet up with the band for an interview that was weeks in the making.  It was literally like a blind date scenario complete with the mutual friend set up and the so-how-the-hell-am-I-supposed-to-know-which-one-he-is thing going on.  Lucky for me however in lieu of just one option I was meeting up with four dudes.  Like a four-for-one thing going on!  So after assessing the four guys who conveniently chose the outside table right next to mine, I make the first move and it’s on like Donkey Kong.

Usually I need to go back and cut things down but I can safely say that even while transcribing I was guilty of an LOL moment or two.  Here’s what the four boys of After Midnight Project had to say about their upcoming release, show at the Roxy, their long distance relationship, and having the Beiber cough.

LN:  So currently dominating my mind is SXSW- will I get to see you guys there this year?

AMP:  We actually played the last 3 years in a row- but we can’t make it this year!  We’re in record mode!

LN:  Damn!  Wait- aren’t you guys releasing in two weeks?

AMP:  Yeah, we are- and our single actually got leaked today!

LN:  Shut the front door.

AMP:  I mean- we were going to be giving it away for free either way- but the one that got leaked was the rough, unedited mix- so yeah….

LN:  Well obviously you dudes still sound great or people wouldn’t want it!

LN:Alright- so you guys are missing SXSW this year- but you’re getting set to release your record!  What’s it called?

AMP:  “You Belong”- it’s a 6 song EP.

LN:  Main inspiration behind it?

AMP:  There’s a lot really.  Us leaving the label, feeling this ultimate need for us to really reconnect with our fans in the most basic way- so this record is really straight for the fans.

LN:  Self-produced?

AMP:  Yeah!  It was crazy from a lyrical standpoint as well- we lost a lot of friends this year, unfortunately, a lot of close friends ended up going away- so it’s weird, but it ended up turning into a pretty positive album!  You know, as opposed to talking about death or anything it was pretty positive, and we really started looking at the bigger picture.  It kind of opened doors- actually, there’s a song called “Open Door”

LN:  That’s convenient!

AMP:  Yeah and so it just kind of led us all into another room.  It’s got some love in there, it’s got some kind of savor-the-moment stuff…

LN:  Any ballads I should be aware of?

AMP:  No, no ballads on this one!  It’s a pretty feel-good EP- lots of dance moments!

LN:  Great, I’ll be working on my skills when I leave here then!

 

LN:  Now refresh my memory for a quick sec- the first time I got to hear you dudes live was when you played alongside Everclear a couple months ago- were we privy to any new stuff at that show?  (Note to reader, if so- get ready to be rocked.)

AMP:  Yeah we actually did play a couple new songs- “Fire in the Sky” which was when my grandmother passed away, and another called “Take the World” which is going to be on the full-length, but it won’t be on the EP.

 

LN:  Alright let’s jump right into your main musical influences- always a tough question, but pick your poison…

AMP:  Right this second?  Right this second I’d say the new Radiohead record.  Miike Snow- he’s been on my playlist a lot, Mumford & Sons- like them a lot!

LN:  So you dudes are gearing up for your big record release show at the Roxy on March 4, yes?

AMP:  Yeah well it’s more like a single release show- our single comes out on March 1^st, well- actually it came out today because it was leaked, but…basically March 1^st we’ll be giving it away for free.  If you give us your email and contact info we’ll send it your way and you’ll also be entered into a contest to win a free, signed guitar.

 

LN:  Alright so speaking of your next performance- any pre-show vices or rituals you guys always get into?

AMP:  Well he flies here from Washington, that’s pretty cool!

LN:  Damn you commute between states?  That can be tough!

AMP:  Yeah so that, shooting music videos…

LN:  Interviews…

AMP:  Yes, interviews!  The crazy thing about us is that we all have so much going on in our personal lives that there’s never a dull moment!  Like, I play with legos all day long- and if people call me I’m like “QUIT BEEPIN ME MOM!”  So like when we’re out of the studio for a while we get back into hanging out mode- like hang out in the back of the van- I haven’t seen Ryan in….since the photo shoot!

LN:  Do you guys get down with a little Skype date sesh?

AMP:  You know we don’t do Skype!

LN:  Look, long distance can be tough- you’ve got to make time for each other.  Get down with a little face-time via the cyber world.

AMP:  We really might need to start!  Time goes by pretty quickly though.  The thing is Christian over here has a bat phone- so in order for you to get a hold of him, you need to put up signs in the sky.

CPM:  Do you have an iphone?  No, you have a blackberry- I had a blackberry for forever and let me tell you- all the horror stories you hear about iphones are so true.  Still the best phone ever- but with issues.

 

LN:  Now you dudes are clearly into music- which fest are you looking forward to?

AMP:  There are a ton- we were really excited about Coachella but we’re going to be on tour with Hawthorne Heights all of April…

 

LN:  Well speaking of touring- craziest show/ tour story to date?  (ALL FIVE OF US NOW STRUGGLE TO HEAR AND BE HEARD OVER STARBUCKS’ SOUNDTRACK- CURRENTLY THE EURYTHMICS “HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN” IS BUMPING FULL-FORCE IN THE BACKGROUND)

AMP:  Jason threw a mic over a brick wall once.

J:  Wait- was it a microphone or was it the PA speakers?

AMP:  You threw something.

J:  Maybe it was the monitor?  I don’t know I was out of it.

AMP:  No, no- you said something about the monitors- what’d you say?

J:  I said “it sounds like the devil took a sh*t in one of my monitors.”  OK- here’s the thing.  It was SXSW and we did 6 shows in 2 days- and when you’re at Southby you’re just drunk the whole time- so by the sixth show, my voice is gone and we’ve been drinking whiskey the whole day and we get on stage and I remember all I could hear was “kdfkgihierhiuerhiifhifhu”

LN:  Were you at a metal show?

J:  Yeah, right!?  No but seriously that was the first and only bad review ever- like saying “the singer of After Midnight Projec is a pompous piece of crap”

LN:  Can we just backtrack for a sec- we’re doing an interview, at a Starbucks in the Valley- I don’t think anyone can ever call any of you pompous again!

AMP:  That night ended up being the best night ever though.  We went and saw Anberlin after, took a Gondola ride.

LN:  You sure you want to miss out on this year?

AMP:  Reconsidering going and staying at Spencer’s mom’s house.

 

LN:  Whiskey though- seriously?  Sounds painful..  That’s different than Jaegermeister, right?

AMP:  Jaeger is cough medicine!  Let’s go to a bar and we can finish this there.

5 SECONDS LATER, MP3 IN HAND AND WE’RE WALKING NEXT DOOR TO A BAR WHERE, THANK GOODNESS, THE EURYTHMICS WERE IN FACT NOT BLASTING OUT OF THE SPEAKERS.  IT REALLY IS THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE.

LN:  Alright so back to fests and stories and such…

AMP:  You know, I (Jason) put my foot through a stage once.

LN:  You really just like to try everything once, eh?

AMP:  Ha- and- AND- We’ve only trashed ONE dressing room.

LN:  Congrats on that accomplishment!  Was it as good for the room as it was for you?

AMP:  I mean, we were with Papa Roach- it was kind of mandatory, and it was the whole cliché of a band trashing a dressing room.

LN:  Did you do it while singing “Last Resort”?

 

LN:  Alright so social networking is a huge thing for bands right now- Facebook, Twitter, MySpace- any crazy cyberstalking stories?

AMP:  Oh yeah, well we stalk people all the time!  Wait- you mean people stalking us?

LN:  Do you specifically stalk people over or under the age of 18?

AMP:  We’re all about 60- maybe 65.  You know, the snow leopards.

LN:  To the last remaining Golden Girls, watch your back.

AMP:  Seriously the entire write-up for this interview is going to be, they have a show March 4^th, single release party, Jason likes 65 and older women.

LN:  Well, my job’s done!

 

LN:  Now Justin Beiber just did the Grammy’s- do you have Beiber fever?

AMP:  I’d say I have a Beiber cough.  I mean I watched it and for him to be that poised at such a young age on stage with millions of people watching on the biggest music night of the year?  I don’t even know if my nerves would take over if I was thrown on the Grammy stage tomorrow!  Well, have you ever been beaten with a whip 24 hours a day?

J:  I have actually.

AMP:  I wonder if Usher ever roughs him up…No but really they get onstage and Usher’s like “Remember when I met you for the first time?” and he’s all “Yeahhhhh” “Remember what I said to you?” “Yeahhhhhh”

LN:  That’s actually a little creepy.

AMP:  So Usher goes “Let’s show the world what you got”- and from there, it got weird.

LN:  Oh that’s where it gets weird- not before.

 

LN:  Alright so what’s up for A-M-P in the next year?

AMP:  Well, we’ve got the EP coming out, lots of touring and shows hopefully!

 

LN:  Closing remarks for friends and fans?

AMP:  BIG, BIG YEAR!  And- it’s all for your guys!

After experiencing After Midnight Project live I knew what their next show would bring- so if you haven’t already gotten Roxy tickets for their show on March 4^th get on it.  If you can’t wait until then, they strongly encourage cyberstalking so head over to their Facebook and check them out, and follow them on twitter- or just follow them anytime really, especially you senior snow leopards!  Either way, be sure to turn up the AMP.  Also for you cyberstalkers- don’t be surprised if their Facebook now says “in a relationship”- we really hit it off.  I’m currently planning the wedding, which will require us to move to Utah.