| Viva Voce Interview |
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 What do you mean you've never heard of Viva Voce?
Well, read on to find out more then check out the Viva Voce Official Site...
http://www.vivavoce.com to get more information on this
three piece from Alabama, USA.
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Viva Voce are: Anita, Mark, Kevin
Describe your sound
Kevin: Sitting on a park bench and
forgetting where you are.
How long have you been playing together and is
this the 1st band you've been in?
Kevin: We've been playing together for
about 3 years. Before that we were in local bands that
always wound up playing together.
Where/How did you all meet?
Kevin: I met Mark at a local bookstore
looking through the music. I asked him to come back to my
house and record some stuff on a 4-track to some songs I'd
written, we've been playing together in some capacity
ever since. Mark and Anita met through mutual friends. I
first met Anita at a Prayer Chain concert (incredible
band by the way). Our bands always seemed to be playing
the same shows after that. Coincedence? It was the
beginning of a great relationship that would lead to
playing music together, and lasting friendship. We got
married about 2.5 years ago and have been playing
together even before then.
What made you pick up your instruments?
Kevin: There was a teacher at my school
who played the drums and all the kids thought he was the
coolest. Sounds silly, but I've been playing drums ever
since. Eventually boredom made me dabble with guitar,
mandolin, and other stuff.
Anita: I grew up in a musical family and
it just came naturally to rock once I hit 13.
Mark: I saw Kiss in the 4th grade and it
looked like fun to be in a rock band... explosions, fire,
lasers, make-up and loud guitars.
What are you currently listening to?
Kevin: Soul-Junk, Bede, The Danes, Mogwai,
Built To Spill, some older Pixies.
Anita: The Danes, Pop Unknown, Cat Power,
Yo La Tengo.
Mark: The Verve, Spiritualized, The Verve, Radiohead, The Verve and
Bede.
Who have you supported or been supported by
recently?
Kevin: We've supported Sunny Day Real
Estate a while back. We also shared the stage with Luxury
and Mike Knott recently. One band and musician that we
completely respect and admire. We've been supported by
too many bands to name. There have been an outstanding few that we've grown to know
fairly well. One of them, a great band from the Portland,
Oregon area, Bede, is definitely one of our favorites.
If you could be part of any era in music which
would you choose?
Kevin: The baroque period.
Anita: The future.
Mark: I would choose the future because I think it would be exciting to see where popular music is
going in say 50-100 years from now.
Have you ever hurt yourselves on-stage?
Kevin: I hurt myself everytime I'm on
stage. There is always some blood-shed at a Viva show. I
did almost have my eye gouged out by a band members bass
in another band. Don't let anyone tell you rock music isn't
a dangerous thing.
Anita: Sure... you know, the near death by
electrocution happens occasionally.
Mark: Yes... I was in another band before
Viva and Iwas playing guitar laying down on stage when my
head was stomped on by another band member... ouch!
Whats the best live band you've seen?
Kevin: I saw R.E.M when i was in junior-high
and was blown away. I don't know, it's impossible to pick
a "best".
Anita: Sunny Day Real Estate is probably
the best I've seen so far.
Mark: I've seen quite a few but I will
probably name the Prayer Chain as the best.
Upcoming bands to watch out for?
Kevin: Soul-Junk, Bede, The Danes, Pop
Unknown, Godspeed You Black Emporer.
Anita: The Danes, Pop Unknown.
Mark: Definitely Bede, also Kent, Travis,
and The Autumns.
What were your first jobs and would you return to
them?
Kevin: I used to work in a department
store. I didn't like it much, but return to it? I don't
know. What does it pay?
Anita: I used to work for a guitar shop.
No, I'd never go back. The guitar "jamming" is
unbearable.
Mark: No way man... I used to cut yards
for cash and loathed it.
Any chance of touring the UK/Europe sometime soon?
Kevin: Hook us up with some promoters/contacts
and we're on our way. I know that we'd all love to play
Europe. It's just a matter of time and finances and
hopefully we'll be able to work it out in the next year
or so.
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Interviewed by
David Majors and Gordon Peppard
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