Agnes: Interviewing from Augusta
Posted Sep 18, 2007, by Cristal <3.
Big Smile Magazine: Alright, lets start off by introducing yourselves and what part you take in the band.
Michael: Me first!
Taylor: Haha
Evan: Evan Grantski, Drums
Michael: I'm Michael, I play bass. I said ME
Taylor: Taylor Beatty, Vocals
Big Smile Magazine: Hello Evan, Michael, and Taylor
Michael: Hi
Taylor: Helloooo
Michael: He likes boys in the band
Evan: I love how your name is pink
Michael: Wait...is this an Alcoholic Anonymous...?
Evan: Haha. No. Shut up!
Michael: Sorry
Evan: Haha
Big Smile Magazine: No, it's group therapy but only for you Michael
Michael: Alright. We strive to be like Dave Matthews band and only them
Evan: Hahaha. Shut up!
Taylor: Michael...
Michael: Sorry. I strive to be like Dave Matthews band
Big Smile Magazine: So lets get on with the questions
Michael: Alright, time to get serious
Taylor: Fire away
Big Smile Magazine: How'd you come up with the band name Agnes?
Evan: Oh jeez, not this one again haha
Taylor: Well, me and our old bassist were walking down the street one day WAY before there was a band, and we were just thinking of cool band names. Agnes seemed cool at the time.
Michael: No one tells me anything. I heard that was Dave Matthew's mom's name though. A likely story.
Big Smile Magazine: What were a few other band names you were thinking of before you decided on this one?
Michael: Incubus, but it was taken.
Big Smile Magazine: Hahaha
Taylor: We were Escape Krypton at one time. Honestly.
Evan: Yeah, yeah.
Michael: We're awesome
Taylor: But other than that, we could only come up with generic emo sounding band names.
Evan: Agnes seemed best. Original
Taylor: Yeah
Michael: Yeah, I remember Slice Of Wrist. Not our prime.
Evan: Haha
Big Smile Magazine: Haha. Well I guess it's good that you stuck with Agnes
Taylor: Indeed haha.
Michael: I'll drink to that!
Big Smile Magazine: So as a band, do you believe you came up with the sound you were looking for?
Michael: I'll let the boys answer this one...
Evan: Haha. Well...
Taylor: Evan's got it
Evan: Honestly, yes. We're always seeked change in one way or another but, we stuck with what we have always wanted.
Michael: I enjoy rocking the bass no matter what I'm playing
Taylor: We just kind of play what we like
Michael: We play what we write a lot of the time
Evan: We usually don't let anything stop us
Michael: Except for stop signs and red lights
Taylor: Whether we're liking Hardcore, Pop Punk, whatever at the time
Evan: Or even a little bit of like Ambient stuff haha
Michael: Atleast 60% of the time
Evan: Atleast like 0% of the time DMB
Big Smile Magazine: So do you listen to the same type of music that you play or do you expand it?
Michael: I don't, generally.
Evan: I listen to all sorts of different stuff
Michael: Yeah, same here
Taylor: Me too
Michael: But mostly Dave Matthews Band and Incubus
Evan: I like to think I have the broadest range of taste
Michael: I like to think Dave Matthews Band is the best band ever...
Taylor: I just like playing harder stuff, but I listen to all ends of the spectrum
Michael: Yeah. Our scene digs the harder stuff so I dont mind if it excites the children of Augusta, then I'm totally down
Big Smile Magazine: Smart guys
Taylor: Haha thanks
Michael: I didn't do a very good job in school but I'll accept that. I like Sour Patch Kids
Big Smile Magazine: Since we're in this area of different styles of music, which bands have been the biggest influence either on the band or in yourself as a musician? What kicked start you to pick up the instruments you now play today?
Taylor: I'll always say Blink 182 and most of the band will too
Michael: Brandon Boyd of Incubus straight up. Made me love music
Evan: Incubus, Brand New
Michael: And of course Dave Matthews Band
Evan: Haha ummm honestly, also a lot of A Day To Remember and Chiodos
Big Smile Magazine: Two very good bands
Taylor: Yeah
Michael: We like good music
Big Smile Magazine: Sour Patch Kids are gross FYI
Michael: I quit
Big Smile Magazine: Haha
Taylor: Stuff that got me into harder stuff were bands like From Autumn To Ashes, stuff like that
Michael: Poison The Well for me
Taylor: I said stuff too much
Michael: I say everything too much
Evan: Definitley FATA and Poison The Well both for me
Taylor: Yeah, Poison The Well deff
Big Smile Magazine: When I got contact of you guys I believe you said the music you have right now is on your myspace page and if I remember correctly, no demo or CD right?
Michael: Not yet. In the works
Evan: Right
Michael: Soon, very soon
Taylor: yea, we're actually going back to ledbelly studios this next month to finish it up
Michael: it will bring tears to your eyes... that's all i'm going to say
Big Smile Magazine: When should fans be ready to get their hands on those?
Taylor: id say early winter
Evan: probably spring time
Taylor: hmm..
Michael: i'm gonna go with fall
Big Smile Magazine: haha
Michael: just to mix it up
Taylor: mid winter?
Evan: haha. I don't want to give any hopes up, so I say Spring
Michael: evan's pretty negative
Evan: its always the more productive time. It's true
Big Smile Magazine: aww emo
Michael: haha. Slice of wrist,he came up with the name for obvious reasons
Taylor: sometime when the weather isnt hot
Evan: haha
Big Smile Magazine: awww be nice
Evan: we hate hot weather
Michael: i hate weather
Big Smile Magazine: awesome
Michael: i prefer climate controlled houses
Big Smile Magazine: Do you have any titles for this CD or still in the works?
Michael: morning view
Evan: haha
Taylor: we've got some ideas floating around but we'll keep it a surprise
Evan: None we really want to release quite yet
Big Smile Magazine: Alright, awesome. Looking forward to the surprise.
Taylor: Ohh, factoid: we have a music video in the works
Big Smile Magazine: Oh, and which song will this be?
Evan: Factoid...
Taylor: Probably "Before Spring Break" but it's not set in stone
Michael: It's like a robot full of facts
Evan: Hahaha
Taylor: Duhh Evan
Big Smile Magazine: Haha
Evan: No I was laughing at it
Big Smile Magazine: Do you have a director for this music video?
Evan: Yeah
Michael: We have a conductor
Evan: We have like 2, kind of, haha. We haven't picked one yet.
Taylor: Chase Kleist and Steven Karlson. Collaboation.
Evan: Carlson
Taylor: Yea, that one
Michael: May I throw in...sports knight? I quit
Taylor: No. Haha
Michael: You guys hate me
Evan: Haha we do. You're out
Big Smile Magazine: Haha. Show your boy some lovin' guys
Michael: they kick me out all the time
Taylor: I already did, but he didn't want to cuddle
Evan: God I wish there was a STICKemoticon
Taylor: So I'm mad at him right now
Michael: Oh I cuddle, I cuddle real good
Taylor: Not with me
Evan: Your dog doesn't count
Michael: You didn't ask, you just assumed it was okay. Evan, shut up
Big Smile Magazine: Alright, lets get back to the interview boys
Evan: Sorry, haha
Taylor: Sorry
Michael: What you do outside of AIM chat interviews doesn't count ahem
Big Smile Magazine: Are you currently touring around your area or plan on to?
Evan: We plan to
Michael: We've been opening for Dave Matthews Band, a lot. Okay, no more DMB, sorry.
Taylor: We're planning a pretty big East Coast tour this summer
Evan: IF all works according
Taylor: But until then, we'll be playing regionally
Michael: <>< I made a fish
Big Smile Magazine: How special...
Evan: We're actually taking a break right now for writing and stuff
Big Smile Magazine: Do you have any bands that you're going to plan on playing with for this East Coast tour?
Taylor: Maybe a Boston band called When Girls Kiss Girls
Michael: Estrela
Evan: Psh! haha
Taylor: The first one
Big Smile Magazine: Have you guys ever thought of doing a West Coast tour, maybe through a state called California?
Michael: Where's that? Mexico?
Evan: Haha
Taylor: haha well...
Evan: Yeah we'd love to
Michael: If you fund it
Evan: haha
Taylor: We honestly just haven't had the money yet
Michael: Fund that and a new tattoo for me
Evan: Get your zine to fund it and hell we'll do it!
Michael: Mainly the tattoo
Big Smile Magazine: Haha, I'll see what I could do
Evan: Haha
Taylor: This summer tour will be our first major one, but we promise we'll be in California soon
Michael: I have to go call a female because I love females
Big Smile Magazine: Ha alright thanks for sticking around for some of the interview
Michael: Put my funny moments in there and not the unfunny ones. Make me look awesome.
Big Smile Magazine: We'll see...
Taylor: Oh boy
Evan: Haha bass players are always weird...yeah
Big Smile Magazine: I have to agree on that note. So I have to ask this because the answers you could get form this question are infinite. If you could open up for any musician or musicians, who would it be?
Taylor: Humm as of right now, I'd say Underoath or somebody huge like that in the screamo scene.
Evan: Brand New, Escape Krypton. yeah, as me personally, I'd also love the Easrly November because they are no longer.
Taylor: Before they broke up.
Even: No, after ha. So it would be that amazing
Big Smile Magazine: Good choices
Evan: Thanks
Taylor: We've already had the immense pleasure of opening for A Day to Remember, Horse The Band and Inked In Blood.
Evan: And Forever The Sickest Kids
Taylor: Them too
Evan: They are all on big lables
Big Smile Magazine: Out of all your shows and opening for bands such as those (ADTR/Embrace The Day, ETC), which one would you say was the best?
Taylor: Deff ADTR
Evan: Oh! Easy! It was ADRT, HOrse The Band, My Children My Bride, Blessed By A broken Heart and A Skylit Drive. You can't beat it haha.
Taylor; Lovely day
Evan: 400-500 kids or even more maybe. Packed in a tiny venue
Taylor: Which is big for the little venus we were in. Yeah
Big Smile Magazine: Wow! Nice. I'm jealous
Taylor: Shucks
Evan: It ended up getting shut down because there were too many people
Big Smile Magazine: That's always a sign that it was a good show
Evan: Haha. We possibly had the most people at the show watching us ebcause of when we played and everything
Taylor: Yeah, it was a good time to play after us and HOrse The Band, they started limiting people
Big Smile Magazine: Did this show expand how many fans you have this day?
Evan: Maybe. I mean I'd have to hope so haha
Taylor: Yeah, there were a lot of people froma ll over Georgia and South Carolina, so I'd say it did
Big Smile Magazine: Good exposure
Evan: Most definitely
Big Smile Magazine: Since we're on the topic of "fans", whats the most dedicated thing a fan has done for you or proved how big of a fan of Agnes they are?
Evan: Set up my drums while I wasn't there haha. For me anyway
Taylor: Probably Zack Chandles from New York making all those fan art thigs for us
Evan: We do love him. He actually like, grafitied our name in the bathrooms up there and got us quite possibly a lot of fans
Taylor: He's a sweetie pie
Big Smile Magazine: Well props to Zack!
Taylor: Props indeed
Big Smile Magazine: So is there anything you'd change about Agnes Both addition and subtraction?
Taylor: Humm I'd add some money because we're poor
Evan: Ha, sponsors, love, food, sponsors, and more fans. we can't get enough of fans
Big Smile Magazine: Well I will do my best in doing a few of those things for you guys
Taylor: I hope it's food
Evan: Or love
Taylor: Same thing
Big Smile Magazine: Haha! Well this is the last question to this amazing interview, which I thank you from Big Smile Magazine, if you could say anything you want to promote Agnes, what would you say?
Taylor: Give us a listen, we may just change your life
Evan: Ha I can't top that
Big Smile Magazine: Well seriously keep up the good work and keep your heads on straight, hopefully we'll be seeing you on the West Coast soon enough and we'll be waiting for your CD and also music video
Taylor: Thank you sooo much!
Evan: Yes thank you
