The Revolvers
Interview by Emily
January, 2000

Mike Alexander - guitar
Matt Anderson - drums
Justin Petosa - vocals
Chris Wagner - bass/vocals

Interview with Chris Wagner

How would you describe your sound?
Somewhat punk in that punk was an attempt to get back to what "Rock 'n Roll" originally meant: simple, well-written songs driven by attitude and the desire to move people, both figuratively and literally

How has your sound changed since the first practice?
Less punk, more rock.

If I were to go to your house and look in your CD changer, what would I find?
Eric Mathews "The Lateness Of The Hour"
Hot Water Music/Leatherface split
Replacements "All Shook Down"
Jawbreaker "Dear You"
Jason Falkner "Author Unknown"
The Smiths "Best of...,Vol. 1"

Are these the bands that you are influenced by?
Personally, yes; each member of the band has their own set, and while some do overlap, there is a staggering degree of disagreement as well.

Are you more influenced by bands you grew up listening to, or bands that you have started listening to recently?
I would say it's an even mix.

Are the musical influences of your band members similar?
As above, we share some basic faves: All/Descendents, Dag Nasty, Fugazi, Social Distortion, Husker Du... mainly 80's punk; however, Matt is also into a lot of noisecore acts like Dillinger Escape Plan; Justin and Mike are huge country and Bruce Springsteen fans; and I've been listening to a lot more pop-oriented, singer-songwriter stuff lately. We have a lot of civilized arguments (and the occasional not-so-civilized one) about this subject.

What has been the most fun show you have played recently?
Personally: the Pirate House in Lawrence, right when we got back from tour. We played with Atom and his Package; it was amazing.

How close are you guys outside the band? Do you know what each other's middle names are? Mother's names? Underwear size?
Mike doesn't like me talking about my relationship with his mother.

How have your experiences playing in other bands compared to playing with the Revolvers?
There really isn't any comparison, because I'd never been in a touring band before the Revolvers. I suppose the dedication is at a higher level, because of what we've all been through together; the sheer fact that we're all still together could be considered an indicator of our shared belief in what we're doing, I guess.

Any desire to get back out on the road soon?
In spite of our past experiences, yes I do think everyone wants to continue touring because what makes up for all the crap one has to wade through in order to tour is the interaction with people from all over, people you wouldn't normally get to meet who overwhelmingly prove to be some of the finest people you ever meet. That and the escape from our jobs.

If you could invite any other band out on the road with you, who would it be?
The Get Up Kids; we like to try to help out up-and-coming locals any way we can, and we think they could really do something, given enough time and hard work. We also like the kids from Annie On My Mind a lot.

What are your goals for the band in the next year or so?
To own a van of our own, that won't explode. To record another album without a nervous breakdown involved. And last but not least - to tour and bat at least .750 in shows booked AND played.