INTERVIEW: Take One Car

If there’s one thing I as a listener appreciate from my bands it’s humility, drive, and a sense of humor. And as desirable as these qualities are, they’ve also become a rarity (Kanye West anyone?). It wasn’t until recently that I was in touch with these BAMFs from New York (specifically their guitarist Pete) and lemme tell ya, they definitely possess all those qualities. I sat down with him and their lead singer Tyler last Thursday for an MSN-style interview to see what exactly these guys are all about. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the impossible-to-categorize, Take One Car!

Juno says:

First off, what's the story behind the name Take One Car?

Take One Car says:

The name came from a car accident. Our first bassist and drummer were involved in a car accident back in 2006. They were following one another to practice. A cat ran out in front our bassist, he stepped on the brakes and our drummer crashed into him from behind. So initially the name was kind of a joke, saying "take one car to practice instead of two." It kind of just stuck. (By the way Tyler is here too answering questions, I don’t know if I mentioned that)

Juno says:

(The more the merrier!) Speaking of the other members, how did you guys meet?

Take One Car says:

Through friends, family and the internet. Craigslist helped us out quite a bit in finding members. Tyler and Branden are cousins, I had originally met Tyler because of an ad for a guitar player he posted a few years ago and Brittany responded to an ad we had posted about looking for a drummer.

Juno says:

How long have all of you been playing your instruments?

Take One Car says:

Tyler has been singing and playing since he was a teenager, Branden started playing guitar about 3 years ago and ended up picking up bass, I started playing guitar when I was a little kid and Brittany started drums around the same time.

Juno says:

So what made you specifically decide that making music was what you wanted to do?

Take One Car says:

I think each one of us has yet to find anything else that makes us as happy, so it seemed like a pretty logical thing to do.

Juno says:

So "music or gtfo" as the internet saying goes, basically?

Take One Car says:

Exactly, we all dedicate our lives to playing our instruments, and playing in our band

Juno says:

Well your dedication is definitely paying off. I just looked at your MySpace and you're pretty booked in these next few months. What's the best part of playing live? Perhaps "most rewarding" is a better way of phrasing it.

Take One Car says:

The most rewarding thing is having the opportunity to share what we have created in a live setting. Few people ever get to see an artist create a piece of art, but it is different with live music. Yes, it has already been practiced, but there is that wild and untamed aspect to it. You never really know how it will turn out. It is that uncertainty that makes it so exciting and rewarding.

Juno says:

What's the strangest thing that's happened to you guys at a show?

Take One Car says:

I (Pete) dislocated my knee while playing at a show in Peekskill, NY. I had to be taken away by ambulance to the nearest hospital. It was awful, but we were lucky enough to have caught the whole thing on camera. I am sure you can find it on the internet somewhere haha.

Juno says:

That's a show they'll never forget! So what about before the show itself? Some performers have special "rituals" they do to ensure a great show. What about you?

Take One Car says:

We don't really have any specific rituals. We kind of collect ourselves in our own ways and focus on playing a good show.

Juno says:

Alright. Now let's talk about the music itself. What genre(s) do you consider yourselves?

Take One Car says:

I think that's the hardest question we get. We've been called everything from anger jazz to post hardcore. We like to consider ourselves an experimental band. We never really felt comfortable with any title that has come our way. It's a constraint we'd like to avoid

Juno says:

Labels are for soup cans, so I've heard. Who would you consider your biggest influences?

Take One Car says:

Well I think that has a lot to do with our indifference to being labeled. Each one of us comes from such a diverse background that it would be hard to nail down any one influence. We get compared to bands like At The Drive In, Bear Vs Shark and mewithoutYou pretty often, although none of them were a primary influence in our music...We never planned to sound like anyone. We started playing, and this sound is just what came out.

Juno says:

Is there a primary songwriter, or do you all collaborate lyrically?

Take One Car says:

We leave the lyrics to Tyler being he's the singer. As for the music, it is mostly ideas that are brought to the table at practice. One of us may write just a riff or a complete song, but it isn't until we all get together that anything really begins to take shape.

Juno says:

Well this one's for Tyler then. Where does the inspiration for the lyrics come from?

Take One Car says:

I don't think it really comes from any specific place. It could be anything. Sometimes I'll find a word I like and turn out an entire song from that. Some lyrics have come from my experiences, and others from a feeling I would like to convey. Occasionally I will be driving, something will hit me and I will write it down. My inspiration is often something I wait for rather than hunt down.

Juno says:

So music is a very personal thing for you guys. Speaking of personal, here's my favorite question to ask. If I were to steal both of your iPods/MP3 players, would I find anything embarrassing (like Hollaback Girl or Oops! I Did It Again)?

Take One Car says:

Hahaha, actually I (Pete) have 'Hollaback Girl' on mine. I'm in love with the drum beat and the hook. You could find pretty much anything you want on Brittany's and you would get a good dose of country on Tyler’s.

Juno says:

Not gonna lie, I have a fair amount of Gwen and Britney on mine as well, haha. So where do you ideally see yourselves in five years?

Take One Car says:

In 5 years I see us on our 3rd or 4th album, hopefully with some pretty awesome tours under our belt. Our goal is to keep taking our music and our band to the next level. We thrive off being busy and pushing ourselves so we will no doubt continue in that form.

Juno says:

What's the biggest obstacle you've faced as a band?

Take One Car says:

You name it, we've had it happen. Losing members, vans breaking down on tour in the middle of the night, being able to finance ourselves, injuries, bad people, etc. Pretty much all the things bands hope they never have to deal with.

Juno says:

And overcoming those challenges just makes the whole thing even more worth it, right?

Take One Car says:

Absolutely. We've been to the brink where most normal people would call it quits. But our love for writing music and playing music is what has kept this band alive and moving through all of those tough times...After all that we've been through together, there doesn't seem to be much that we couldn't survive. Each hardship has made us so much more appreciative of what we have.

Juno says:

So what do you think sets you apart from other bands on the local scene?

Take One Car says:

Dedication, and the ability to stay together. We've been witness to a lot of great bands who either fell apart or called it quits.

Juno says:

What's the best advice you can give to bands or singers who want to take on the local scene as well?

Take One Car says:

Good luck and keep at it. You always have to remember that results and accomplishments don't happen overnight. It can't just be a hobby if you're looking to take it somewhere

Juno says:

Everyone who wants to make it has at least one person who doesn't believe they'll be anything. What do you have to say to those who never believed in you?

Take One Car says:

F*** off. Honestly...we have all had that person, or those people who have put us down, told us it wasn't worth it, or tried to screw us over. We won't hear it.

Juno says:

Well put. Well before we wrap this up, one final question. Currently what are your big plans for the band? A new CD, big tour coming up, etc?

Take One Car says:

We will be going on tour for the month of July. We're still finalizing the route, but it looks like we will be hitting quite a bit of the south and mid-west before we make our way home. We plan to begin recording our next album sometime in early fall. Of course, there will be plenty of weekend shows to look forward to as well.

Juno says:

Well I wish you nothing but the best in your upcoming shows Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to me today!

Take One Car says:

Thanks a lot, Juno, we really appreciate getting to talk to you!

Juno says:

I'll be sure to let you know when this gets posted. Tweet ya later! (For the record that didn't sound as lame in my head)

Take One Car says:

Awesome, we can’t wait to see it. And don't worry, it didn't sound lame at all! Stay in tweet!

See, now that was lame.

Not gonna lie, the “f*** off” did shock me at first (a lot of their prior answers had a Zen vibe to them) but I can understand where they’re coming from. They’ve got better things to do than listen to the haters. Though, with talent like theirs, I find it hard to believe that they could even have haters (lest of course they be jealous fools!). But if you don’t believe me, give their music a whirl. You just might find your face melting.

http://www.myspace.com/takeonecar

Enjoy, music lovers!

~Juno

P.s.- As soon as my WinZip arrives in the mail I’ll be reviewing their CD as well, so be on the lookout for it!