HT: Some people are just beginning to discover your success. How long has the band been together and jamming?
Gerard: The band has been together 3 years. Another interesting fact is that the band has yet to “jam.” It’s never been the kind of situation where we sit around and search for songs. The songs find us, we assemble, and put the pieces together.
HT: You guys write music that follows some type of concept. Does this help you write the music and do you mind giving us a breakdown of how a concept is brought to the writing table?
Gerard: The concepts for the songs almost always come from the music. How the music makes us feel dictates where the direction lies. Occasionally, the song concept will come from a long list of unused song titles I have sitting in my mom’s computer. They will sometimes find a home.
HT: If you were stranded on a deserted island with only 3 albums to jam out to, which ones would you choose?
Gerard: This is a tough one but I would probably go with The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths, Walk Among Us by The Misfits, and Music For Airports by Brian Eno.
Gerard: The band was nervous, scared, excited, and anxious but all very positive and looking forward to what we were about to make, which, by the way, had no definite shape or sound.
HT: You guys have been on tour forever! What’s one of the things you love most about being on the road?
Gerard: The camaraderie you share with your band mates and other bands is priceless. The victories and defeats you have everyday are immeasurable when compared to other lifestyles or careers. The risk and hardship are great but when you have 3,000 people sing back your words, you win like no one ever wins.
HT: Gerard, does anyone ever mistaken you for Billy Corgan?
Gerard: When I was younger, it would happen all the time. When he shaved his head, people thought I was him with a wig on. He is, in fact, a lot taller than me.
Gerard: We don’t get on the internet much, but when we do, some of our favorite sites are www.homestarrunner.com, www.absolutepunk.net, and www.americandreamcomics.com
HT: We are in a new age of music with new gadgets to accommodate that music, and it’s pushing us into the future. How do you position yourself on music downloads, for or against?
Gerard: Downloading is a good thing, protected under the federal laws. The way I’ve always felt about music downloading is this. If you are curious and want to find out what a band sounds like, then go download it. If you like it, go buy it. If you hate it, well then there’s really no reason to buy it. But ultimately, a band’s record sales support them personally, so if you want the artist to be able to go live and work then you should pick up their music… for the cheapest price possible.
HT: What’s a question you wish was never asked from a fan or interview?
Gerard: Hmm…“Would you please bite me on the neck?”
source: web.archive.org
