Here is an interview I did wth Braid in the spring of 1998 via e-mail.
Braid.
1) How do you go about writing lyrics? is there any one song that stands out lyrically? Or is your music at the forefront?
99% of the time, the music gets written first, then depending on the mood of the song, i'll come up with a subject, and then dive into the countless notebooks that i'm always scribbling in... to extract any relevant passages. lyrics are extremely important to me, however so is the actual music, so there really is no clear cut winner.
2) What do you like/dislike about touring?
I absolutely love traveling and meeting new people in new places... and seeing old friends, too. There isn't too much that i dislike about touring lately. sometimes i wish i could sleep more, but that's not really a complaint cause i'm having the time of my life.
3) Which bands do you feel are your contemporaries?
I would include all of the bands from Chicago, Champaign, and Milwaukee, figuring that's where we're all from. there's too many to name... i like them all.
4) What do you see as "selling out"? Is it something as simple as signing to a major label, or is it more than that?
"Selling out" is more than just going to a major label. i have friends on major labels and i would in no way consider them sell outs... maybe it's cause they would have made more money and kept more fans on an indie. but anyway, i would define it as compromising your beliefs and ideals or deliberately altering your music for a quick buck.
5) Where do you see yourself in the context of original, American music in 1998?
Right in between Bragg/Billy and Brandy... you know, right there in the B section.
6) If you could tour with any band, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would have to say Fugazi, cause in a lot of ways, they are the reason that we're doing what we're doing. aside from the fact that the shows would all be all ages, cheap, and packed, i'd really like to sit down and eat with all of them... or maybe bowl.
7) What influences you to write/play? Is there something that happened that made you want to be in a band?
Everything influences me... everything from a picture to a book to a song to an email message! I don't really block anything out creatively. I've always loved music, but it was when I got into high school when i met similar people who wanted to start a band. It was a crazy dream, but it became an intense passion. I'd have to thank the people that were in my first band: Sean Nolan, Marty Ellinger, and John Donald. Where are they now?
8) While you are on the road, is there any music you take with or games you play to pass the time? Any interesting stories?
Nothing too interesting happened yet in this tour... but we did play a punk prom last night in state college, and we all got suits from a thrift store. it was fun. we're planning on doing it again for our new york show. our tape player works now, so we've been listening to a lot of mix tapes... we've got a lot of books too... and we used to play Uno a lot, but i think we lost the deck.
9) Lastly, any closing advice?
Do your best and don't worry.