On May 8th, 2012 we did a short chat with New York noise/metal trio PIGS, featuring Dave Curran from UNSANE. Their first album entitled “You Ruin Everything” was released on April 11th via Solar Flare Records. Scroll down to read our interview with Andrew Schneider and Jim Paradise.
Hey, guys. Good to talk to you. How are you?
Andrew:
Hi …. Umm, how are you?
Jim:
Very good, thank you.
Great, thanks. I’m cheering up for Polish team on their struggle at Euro 2012 championship. Tomorrow we are having the most important match in the group phase, so please cross your fingers for us. [smiles]
Ok. You have released your “You Ruin Everything” album on April 11th via Solar Flare Records. How was it received? A busy time now?
Jim:
So far so good. Most reviews have been super positive. We are stoked.
Andrew:
Agreed
How did you end up on Solar Flare Records? Tell us more about your deal with the label.
Jim:
I’ll let Andrew answer this.
Andrew:
I had mixed a couple releases for Mathieu’s band SOFY MAJOR. I Finally met him in person last year while playing bass on a European Julie Christmas tour. After the box wine hangover wore off I realized he was one of the good ones. He co-runs a music venue, a van touring company, a label, a great band etc. … he basically works really hard at all the things that keep good music going. We wanted to do a vinyl only release and he offered … perfect fit …. Oh, and Dave speaks French.
Cool. Let’s go back for a while. What was the original idea behind the forming of the band? How did you get together?
Jim:
After PLAYERS CLUB (the band me, Dave and Cooper were in.) broke up, we took a little time. During that time me and Dave discussed starting something new. 2 years later Dave had a bunch of songs written and gave them to me, i learned the songs, we got cooper to play guitar and our friend Bob to play bass. After a while Bob had been feeling like he might have to leave the band, so when we had a little mini tour booked, Dave asked Andrew if he would want fill in for the tour. When we got home Cooper went back to Austin, Bob was fine with being out of the band and Andrew stayed in the band. It’s been this line-up since and it’s perfect.
Your video for the song “Give It” is definitely one of the most underrated video on YouTube [smiles]. Is it just a visualization to your music or is there more behind the footage?
Andrew:
All of it was done with my little point and shoot camera and I just wanted to capture moments of the constant frantic motion around the city. I am a big fan of movies that find unique ways to document the city (C.H.U.D.D., Warriors, The Wiz etc.), so I am sure that plays into it. Matt Egan from MADE OUT OF BABIES was at one of our shows and I just threw the camera at him last second and asked him to video a song or two so all credits for band footage go to him.
Any plans for a split or an EP some time soon?
Jim:
When we are all together soon we are going to write some new songs and get it out there. We do have an ep out on our COEXTINCTION RECORDS label.
Andrew, at the beginning you were filling-in on bass only during your live shows, right? What made you stay and become a full-time member?
Jim:
Our straight-edge professionalism.
Andrew:
They asked me to do a tour with them and that was it. I was a big PLAYERS CLUB fan and getting to play with them for a week was all it took. It is hard to find people who know how to play wrong music the right way.
So let’s make it right. What other bands have you been playing in, besides UNSANE, PLAYERS CLUB, FRESHKILLS and HELL NO?
Jim:
Back in late eighties/early nineties I was a hardcore band called GO!. In late nineties I was in this band KILL VAN KULL.
Andrew:
I played in a band called ‘Slughog’ during Clinton, and then in a band called Barbaro during Bush. Presently I also play bass when Julie Christmas does solo shows.
How’s Brooklyn these days? I’m Polish, so I have to ask [smiles]… Do you have any Polish friends out there? Any Polish accents in your neighborhood?
Jim:
Being that me and dave both live/lived in north Brooklyn we live around many Polish families. Greenpoint is a huge Polish community. My opinion is that there is not too much mixing it up. The Polish families that have been there for a long time just go about there biz and the new people that move to the neighborhood do there thing. The white art school kids are not going to the Polish discotech and the Polish people are not going out to brunch with a DJ blasting KRAFTWERK.
Andrew:
Good food.
What local artists would you recommend to our readers?
Andrew:
James Paradise, Dave Curran, Andrew Schneider.
Jim:
Where can we see you live this year?
Andrew:
This year has been crazy hectic so far. Jimmy has been opening his screen printing shop, I have been relocating (re-building) my recording Studio Translator Audio in Brooklyn and Dave has been furiously promoting the new UNSANE record with endless touring … We are planning on writing a new record this summer and hopefully jumping in a van this fall again. We hope to make it your way by early next year.
What are you hyped for right now? I mean everything. The music, books, your band, the world around you.
Andrew:
I recorded a band from Chicago last year at Electrical Audio called ELECTRIC HAWK. Great band. I am on an OLD MAN GLOOM kick after seeing their recent tour. Right now I am reading ‘Bury Me Standing’ about the history of Gypsies.
Jim:
I’m actually psyched on gardening. I’ve been growing vegetables, herbs and working on a mushroom garden. I have always been a little into gardening but lately ive been extra jazzed about it. The food being grown in the USA. is frightening. The GMO crops are everywhere and in everything. Its best to grow what you can and buy organic at local food coop. Oh, and Satan.
Andrew:
That is amazing, we have been doing the same thing. Kale from our back yard every night!
[laughs] Nice, I am about to visit my parents this weekend, I’m sure I will dig the ground in their ground after you encouraged me to do so. [smiles]
Thanks! Good luck with the band. Any final words of wisdom?
Jim:
Just thank you!
Andrew:
Thanks for taking some time out to talk with us.
