Congratulations on the "Song of the Year" nomination for "Blood on the Door", how did you feel about the outcome (Ultimate Fakebook won)?

Shaun: I'm very happy they won, it didn't matter who won, I'd be happy for them. They've a lot of enthusiasum which is a nice thing to see. I thought it kind of sad that it takes a "competition" to bring all of the local bands together.
Brent: All in all everything worked out pretty good, the best band won the best song and album, which is the way it should be.

In the KLAMMIES program, it describes your music as "goth influenced". How do you feel about that?

Shaun: In my opinion, I find it amazing that writers, critics, etc. would do that to a band. All it does is close doors to potential listeners. If one person thinks you sound like Yanni and prints it, there will be no doubt that some readers would lose interest before even hearing you. Stereotypes in the media are just poor signs of insecurity. (See Shaun's column, for more on this phenomenon)
Brent: Many people hear music that's not happy and call it gothic or goth influenced, but would you call the 25th symphony of mozart gothic? Or tear in my beer by Hank Williams gothic? Just because something doesn't make you jump for joy doesn't make it gothic. We work on other emotions other than joy; ie contemplation, anticipation, and release, elation, fury it's as it always is, if you don't play dumbed up bar rock, people try to put you in a category that they think you fit in.

Who are some local bands or musicians that you admire or feel should be recognized?

Shaun: Definitely Grovel and Nasa's Little Secret, two incredible bands that are so devoted to music for the sake of music. Probably the most egoless people I've met in this town. They're beautiful and it shows in their music.
Brent: Well some of the best local bands around are getting recognized like Be-non, Shiner, and Panel Donor, but then there are bands that play just as well as those guys that most people don't even know about because they don't have a single on the local radio station, or they aren't popular in the college scene because they don't hang out with the in crowd. Hopefully some of the alliances that we've helped forge and some free shows out in the parks of Johnson and Douglas County will help the exposure of the current line up of truly underground bands, guys like Grovel, Nasa's Little Secret, and Creed, these guys are gonna be the Panel Donor and Shiner of the next generation of hip underground rockers. And you have to start somewhere, fortunately for us we've been playing the local scene for 3 years now and we're getting an audience of ecletic people who don't want to hear the same old crap that they hear on the radio and that's where underground music comes from and that's the niche we've got into along with the other bands, Grovel, NLS, and Creed.

Where do you feel the Black Water will be around next year's KLAMMIES?

Shaun: Hopefully on tour and not able to attend!
Brent: Well of course we'd love to do another album this year, we really lucked into the one last year and then of course in order to even be nominated for a klammie you have to impress upon someone with that release that it's worthy. We have grown so much as a band that any future releases by us would be even more thoughtful and eclectic than "Train, Man Drunk" which a lot of people still don't get, so I guess the answer is we'll just have to see.

Again, congrats on the nomination. Is there anything else you'd like to add before you head off to the party?

Shaun: The Zone should get an award for excellence!!!