Off Target

Posted Sep 21, 2007, by Meesh!.


How did you get the idea for your band name?
The band name was honestly just a spur of the moment kind of thing. We had narrowed it down to a few names and that's the one we liked best.
-Whats your myspace link or any other link you want to give us?
Our myspace link is myspace.com/offtarget1.
-Who are you and where are you all from?
I'm Rob Woods, I play guitar and sing. Our drummer, Patrick LaBeau sings in a few songs. Michael Luethold plays bass, Tony Miller plays trombone, Jeremy Woods plays tenor and alto sax, Dre ramos plays alto and bari sax, and Sean Collins plays trumpet.
-How was your band formed?
Tony and I started the band a while ago, with me on bass, and Tony on guitar. We picked up members and changed positions countless times until we got to our current lineup.
-What band has influenced you the most?
Less Than Jake was our biggest influence at the start, but we have many other influences as well.
-What do you try to have people get out of your music?
Honestly, we all love ska and just want to share it with other people wether they like it or not. I guess to be blunt, we want them to have fun.
-What inspries your lyrics? What are they all about?
Being the primary lyric writer, I guess I can say most of the lyrics just come from problems I'm having or whatever I'm thinking about at the time. I'm really just trying to get my views and my message across.
-What makes you different from other bands out there?
Well, being a ska band sets us apart from the crowd by itself. But otherwise we're all just really fun loving. We like to keep people entertained, I hate going to a show where the band just plays non stop. Stage banter and jokes are a must with us.
-Have a CD out?
Not at the moment, but we are looking for somewhere to record so more people can hear us.
-If you could give advice to a starting band or musician, what would you say?
Just keep being yourself. Don't change your genre or your sound because of other people. Just play what you like to play, people respect that.
-What do you guys like to do on the road?
We honestly don't change much from who we are when we're on the road. We're all great friends, so we hang out on the road just like we would if we were at home.
-Got any crazy or wild stories youd like to share?
Haha there's been a lot. But one in particular our first show at Whiskey A Go Go, we had just gotten to the song in our set without honrs. Our sax player, Dre, ran down the stairs to pit with all of our fans and fell on his butt. Humiliated he moved to the edge of the pit and watched. Hahaha That killed me.
-Do you have any upcoming shows?
Not right now, we're taking a month or two break to learn new songs. But as soon as we know, they'll be posted on our myspace. So you can check them out there.
-What do you think about UFOs?
Haha we're split as a band. Some of us are believers, and some aren't. Personally, aliens scare me.
-Describe your band in one word?
Crazy.
-What were some of your favorite bands growing up?
The third wave of ska is what we thrived on as aband. Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, the Mighty MightyBosstones, Streetlight Manifesto, etc. We really listen to lots of things, but ska has always been a vice of ours.
-What do you think is in store for Off Target?
Well right now, we're not expecting a lot. But we're really looking forward to something big. And if that doesn't work out, then that's cool. Playing music is a good enough reward for us.
-What do you think of Big Smile Magazine?
I think it's a really great online magazine. I go on a lot and read about all kinds of bands. It's a fun way to pass the time and learn about new and upcoming stuff.
-Anything else you want to say to fans or anyone reading this interview?
We just want to say we love you guys and thanks for all the support we've been given. It's been a great experience and hopefully it'll be an even greater one in the times to come. Thanks so much.