First off i would like to thank Steven and IWABO for taking the time out to do this interview with Worldwidetakeoverzine while on tour.
How did the band come to be named I wrestled a bear once and is there any special meaning behind the band being named this?
It's a quote from the psychotic actor Gary Busey when he had a TV show on comedy central! It doesn't mean anything and it just sounded like a completely ridiculous band name, so we went with it!
how long has the band been signed with Century Media Records and how have they treated you so far ?
We signed to Century Media in June and couldn't be happier. Soooo many labels out there want bands to change their sound, appearance, lyrics, etc etc etc and CM just want us to be us and do whatever the fuck we want. Everyone we have met at the label is amazing and we truly couldn't be happier!
for someone who has never seen IWABO and is planning on attending a show what can they expect to see ?
Lots of crazy shit... lots of movement... lots of fun. If people want to hear the album they can listen to it at home... people pay money to come to a show and have fun, and we try to remember that. Also we are complete spazzes and break shit and flip out pretty much constantly.
who are some of the bands main musical influences?
Nothing really in particular... stuff ranging from Radiohead to Necrophagist and everything in between. We all have really eclectic taste and appreciate all types of music that are talented and interesting.
are any members in side projects other than IWABO?
Nope... just IWABO!
how long has the band been together?
A year and a half-ish... But this band was basically formed by the merging of two other bands that had been around for four years or more. We've only been IWABO for a short time, but we've been busting ass and touring and hating life in other bands to lead up to this one!
how many cds eps 7 inches split cds and demos has the band currently released?
Currently just the one EP and then the new demo for "Tastes Like Kevin Bacon."
what do you base your lyrics on when writing new material?
Krysta bases most of her lyrics on weird abstract stuff and lots of it seems to center around politics, beliefs, religion, blah blah... all sorts of stuff aside from the normal "OMG YOU BROKE MY HEART AND I WANNA CRY AND CUT MYSELF" bullshit.
what are your views on fighting at shows?
It is fucking STUPID. Music is supposed to be a way to have fun and release from the bullshit of life. People who come to shows just to show off how fucking tough they are need to get real. Just because you and 20 of your friends can kick the shit out of 2 people in the pit doesn't mean that you're cool. of course dancing/moshing/getting crazy is fun, but some people cross the line to just being idiots who come to shows for the sole purpose of starting fights... and that shit is what gets venues shut down and ruins 'the scene' or whatever you want to call it.
is there a large and thriving scene in the Shrevesport area as well as throughout Louisiana?
FUCK NO! There is virtually nothing going on here at all! We have some friends in bands that are doing cool stuff for sure, but as for a "scene" there isn't really much happening and VERRRRYYY few all ages venues in the state.
is this the original lineup and if not what is the current lineup?
Nope.. we have had a few changes, but I think we are good to go now... wooo! Some people just don't want to be on tour all the time ya knowwww? Also, we've lost a member or two due to johnny law putting them on probation and not letting them leave the state haha
in the song Ulrich Firelord who thought of all the samples to include in the song especially the Inspector Gadget theme?
I had been joking about making a heavy riff out of inspector gadget for a while, and then just recorded it and went with it. Honestly we never thought the band would get this big and it would just be a stupid project that we would have fun with for as long as possible. Buttt... shit happens I guess!
if you could have anyone do guest vocals on your next recording who would it be and why?
Mike Patton.... because he is God. or Bjork. or I'm sure Krysta would say Thom Yorke. Obviously all 3 of those vocalists would think we suck shit and laugh at us though I'm sure...
what are the reactions of the newer fans who have never seen IWABO and find out that Krysta is the vocalist?
They normally don't believe she can really pull off such a diverse range until they see us play live... and then they're normally pretty frightened or excited or confused!
in only one sentence describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before ?
electro-metal-jazz-grind-triphop-dance-rock.... shit?
when the band is on tour in the van what is usually playing in the cd player?
80s pop, dance music, rap, indie rock... anything besides metal really! we get tired of heavy shit being on tour and hearing heavy bands every night. Of course we still love heavy music, we just definitely like a break from it when driving every day. I think every "metal" band on tour will agree.
how were you first exposed to the scene and what made you say i want to be in an band?
For me it was listening to Nirvana when I was really young that made me want to play music, and then when I saw the deftones live on their Adrenaline tour I remember saying to myself that that was what I wanted to do with my life... live in a van with my friends and jump off speakers n shittttt.
when on tour and driving from city to city what is some of the weirdest shit you have seen happen or pass by?
We saw a camel one time in Texas that still blows all of our fucking minds haha... and as for gruesome shit... we saw a motorcycle wreck where the guy was ripped in half and blood n shit was splattered everywhere.. umm... all sorts of random crazy and funny shit happens on the road! get a band, buy a van, and go see some shit!
where do you see the band in 3 years from now?
hopefully just growing and evolving into something better and crazier.. and on tour still for sure.
who are some of the up and coming bands from the Shrevesport area as well as throughout Louisiana that we should be on the lookout for?
We have so many friends bands that if I try to name drop everyone I know I'm going to fuck it up... so just check our top friends shit on myspace haha
How can the readers from around the world contact you about ordering merchandise?
A link is on our myspace... or you can just go to www. merchnow. com and click on our store! our stuff is also all over other online stores... shouldn't be tooo hard to find hopefully! and the CD is on all big online stores and iTunes n sshhiiaaattttt
What is your most memorable show and why?
Impossible to say really... we have met so many fucking amazing people and played so many insane shows... Can't really say just one!!
what are your views on kids who talk shit on the internet about going to a show and getting hit and then crying online for a week about it?
They need to realize that if you come to a show and hang out near the front, shit happens and it's all part of heavy music. crying is fucking stupid and has never helped anyone... and whining on the internet is the dumbest shit EVVVERRR! fuck the internet haha. Like I said earlier though, sometimes "hate mosh" douches do dumb shit though that I can understand why people get pissed off.
what is your favorite city and country to play shows in and also your least favorite and why?
Favorite is anywhere we've never played before! We want to keep seeing new places and meeting new people! Least favorite is hard to say... we really don't have a least favorite place yet I guess... but I can say we're DEFINITELY stoked on the prospect of heading to Europe in 2009!!
Who are some of the bands that you enjoy touring with?
So far every band we've gone out with has been awesome. We really just want to be around anyone with a sense of humor who doesn't take things too seriously... The only bands/people we can't stand are the people who think everything has to be serious constantly and they have to keep up some image or persona or whateverrrrr... fuck being cool.. we just want to be sincere and have fun. We take the music seriously, but we definitely go out of our way to let people know that we aren't assholes and we want to meet them and have a good time.
What advice can you give to some of the newer bands starting out that maybe having a tough time and thinking about giving up?
If you're thinking about giving up, then being in a band is definitely not for you! Even after you "get signed" and "make it" or whatever, there is still tons of hard work to do.. BUTTT i wouldn't trade it for the world and living in a van makes me happy. As for tips; just go on tour and try to meet as many people as possible! And the internet basically makes it a level playing field for everyone, so make sure you embrace technology and use it to your advantage. ALLTHOUGGHH... there is definitely something to be said for keeping your myspace legitimate. Everyone can tell if you're faking plays, using friend adding software, and anything like that... and it just makes you look stupid. So yeah! Write interesting music, be nice to people, live in a van for a while, and do the damn thing!
where else besides myspace can the readers go to to findout about upcoming shows and other band related information?
Myspace is really all you need anymore haha... we don't have another website! Our myspace has music videos, music, tour dates, merch, and tons of other stuff.
where do you think you would be right now had you not been exposed to the hxc metal scene?
Nooo clueee... probably playing in a jazz band and actually making some money maybe?? hahaha
what is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to the band when playing a set?
At our label showcase show in Los Angeles, Krysta fell off stage and ripped her pants... that was pretty awesome! We have no shame though, so nothing is really embarrassing.
what is the worst injury that any of the band has had happen when playing show?
Nothing too insane.. A few cuts that definitely could have used medical attention, but we don't have medical insurance.. wooo! Just people getting hit with other people's instruments, or hitting their head on stuff.
Do you have any upcoming shows that you would like to tell the readers about?
We're on tour until Mid-October! And then we finish writing/recording the new full length... and then tour for all of 2009! Check our myspace for info, because we plan on playing everywhere in the fucking world with electricity before this is all said and done!
Is there anything else that you would like to add that i may have forgotten to ask that the readers should know about?
Nope! Just thanks for taking the time to interview us, and thanks to anyone who is reading this and supports us in any way! We love all of you and truly do appreciate the support!
