Huntingtons
Cliffy and Mikey are all smiles.
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Interview with Mikey and Cliffy Huntington at Purple Door, 1999 in Lancaster PA.
Interview and photo by: Tom Bastian.
Tom:
So what's new with the band? Any tours coming up, new albums, new band members?
Mikey:
We toured all summer. Touring through October and again in November. New album just
came out, called Get Lost on Tooth and Nail Records(reviewed in the Decapolis Music
Reviews Section). Then the other new album doesn't come out until February. So it's not
going to make it out this year. But close.
Cliffy:
You can look for lots of touring next year too.
Tom:
Any tours set in stone yet?
Cliffy:
Well November hasn't been quiet booked. It's been routed. It will be Lugnut with us in
September, and One21 with us in November.
Tom:
So new members, don't you guys have some new members?
Mikey:
C Jay is a new guitarist, but he is coming up on a year. Then Davey is filling in for us until
November, maybe the end of the year. But Davey is not permanent. We've got a new guy
lined up but not definite because he hasn't even played with us yet.
Cliffy:
We kinda have to get the feel. Maybe next week we will sit down with him and run
through a couple songs. Kind of see if he is really good enough or not. That will kind of
give us an idea.
Tom:
In terms of festivals like this, what are your feelings on the current state of the average
Christian concert goer?
Mikey:
At festivals they seem to be pretty excited. At regular shows they sometimes don't seem
that excited. Festivals seem to make everybody a little more into it, seeing a bunch of
bands in one day.
Cliffy:
And they always bring the cash.
Tom:
Do you guys have any feelings on the Christians and the Arts? Or in music more
specifically.
Cliffy:
My feeling about Christians and the arts is that, just like non Christians in the Arts, you
better be good, or get out. Because if you suck at whatever you do, like talent wise, or
songwriting, or like painting or whatever, don't charge people for it.
Tom:
What about newer bands, like ones just starting out. What would be your advice to them?
Cliffy:
Practice, a lot.
Mikey:
Don't play shows until you are ready. Just practice before you start playing out and
making demos. That's all I got to say.
Tom:
What are you guys most proud about with the band?
Mikey:
Kind of that we have done it ourselves, we have had label help and support, but not to the
extreme that a lot of bands get. Everything we have kind of done so far we have pretty
much, well we don't have management or anything like that. We pretty much do it all
ourselves. We pretty much control it, pretty much.
Cliffy:
I'm pretty proud of the new record and the newest Ramones record we did and the live
album. Yea those three. I'm proud of those. And I'm proud that we actually have a van
and a trailer and touring and stuff like that, it's pretty cool. I'm proud that we all wear
black shirts. And I'm proud that we all wear jeans.
Mikey:
Next question.
Cliffy:
I'm just teasing with you man. I'm busting you on purpose man.
Tom:
I know, well what bands have you been most impressed with lately, in general?
Mikey:
Impressed with? The Calicoes for me. Because we had heard their CD and was not very
impressed and then we went on the road with them and I was very impressed, they are a
really good live band.
Cliffy:
I'm very impressed with a band called War Rocket Ajax. Amazing band, probably the best
new band of the year, of like unknown people. Because Arthur is really super good, but
they are all very well known people and they know how to do the band thing, and have
been doing it for a long time. But this band called War Rocket Ajax they are on this little
label from California, but the band is from Texas, and they are just awesome I just couldn't
believe how good they were. Very impressed with them. I like Zeke too.
Tom:
What do you guys think of Purple Door so far?
Cliffy: (two visual thumbs up)
Mikey: I like it.
Cliffy:
I knew I was going to like it. I'm just glad it is not hot. Very impressed with that its not
hot.
Mikey:
Very proud that it's not hot.
Cliffy:
Look at this, its the same kind of interview we did last time, at the radio station with you.
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