FEATURED INTERVIEWS 07                             

Strung Out

After 11 successful world tours and 8 albums under their belt, Strung Out is one of the hardest working and consistent bands out on the circuit. Their new album, "Blackhawks Over Los Angeles," takes the band to new creative heights and helps garner more commercial success for the band. Let's talk to Jake and see what the band is up to....

By: Gian Erguiza



Gian: Hey Jake! Hope you're doing good man....thanks for taking time out to do this Interview!

Jake: Thanks Gian! Glad ta do it!

Gian: Your new album, “Blackhawks Over Los Angeles” is absolutely great! Do you guys feel that this is your best work so far?

Jake: Thanks so much! I feel it's some of our best stuff ever, musically and lyricly. it all came together really smoothly, and we put all the songs together in maybe 2 months.

Gian: How hard was it to decide which songs were going to end up on the "Blackhawks Over Los Angeles" album? Did you guys end up cutting a few?

Jake: We recorded 14 songs and decided to put 12 on the album and use the other two as bonus tracks. Basically, the album was too long, over 5o minutes so we decided to streamline it a bit.. Wasn't to hard of a choice, certian songs worked better together.

Gian: How excited are you guys to be hitting the road this summer?

Jake: Very!! It's our first time back to England in over 4 years and over 2 for Europe! We get so many emails from over there, I'm really looking forward to it! I think we're going to Australia in Nov with a VERY special guest, should be a blast!!

Gian: What has been, probably, the most important thing that you guys have learned from being on the road, playing shows and making music all these years?

Jake: Just to love what you do, to love this opportunity we have! I've seen so many bands get all this attention, then break up a year later! I feel as long as I'm out on the road, liveing the dream I've always had I'm winning! It's not for everybody I guess, but to me its everything!

Gian: You guys have to have a favorite song on the new album. Which one is it and why?

Jake: Haha thats always a tough one.. Letter home because it's written from the point of view of a soldier who is in combat, right now. Our country has put thousands of good kids in an awfull, unwinnable situation with no end in sight,LH is their song.

Gian: If someone was to ask you guys the question, "What is the meaning of Life?" What would you guys say?

Jake: To be a positive, to keep this potentially boring world a little exciting.

Gian: You guys are one of the only bands on this planet that seem to stay consistent in bringing good music to the forefront, continually reinventing yourselves and never letting your fans down. What do you guys think is the biggest contributing factor that keeps Strung Out better and above the rest?

Jake: Haha well thanks! I really have no clue, just that we work well together and feed off each others ideas! We come from 5 different directions and backgrounds, we just try to impress each other a little..

Gian: In a live setting, how do you guys decide which songs are going to be played for the night?

Jake: My vote is always for the songs I feel get the best reaction, or are best known. when I'm on stage I'm playing for the fans, what they want to hear! I mean, their the ones buying tickets!! I have no ego about playing my songs or robs songs or anything, if it was up to me I'd take all requests!!

Gian: That is really cool that you guys decided to have your record release at "Skatelab" in Simi Valley. How did this come about and how did it go?

Jake: We'll Simi is our old home town, so it was great to have it local so all our friends and fams could come out to it! We probably would have had 5x more people if we had held it in Australia or Toronto or sumthin', but it was a blast! Our Buddy Scott opened the park about 10 years ago and I've always wanted to play there, at least we got to party instead! It went great, got to acully talk with some fans for a bit and we did 2 acoustic songs.

Gian: Strung Out loves ___________.

Jake: Go karts!

Gian: Any additional comments?

Jake: Just thanks to everyone whos stuck with us and can still grow with us, we love you!

Gian: Thanks Jake!

Strung Out will be on tour in Europe from June to July and will be heading down to the U.S. in August. In the meantime, make sure you guys pick up a copy of "Blackhawks Over Los Angeles," It is sure fire!