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| Note: Jon's (Far Right) shoes. Hippie. |
Jon: Dinosaurs & Thunder are not going extinct, but we are getting a shake up.
Rob: I am moving to Chicago late September/ early October. Dro is movin to Cali in the not too distant future. Jon and Jibs are stickin it out with a new guitarist, still lookin for a new drummer I think
You still have a bunch of pre-recorded material coming out right?
Rob: We have at least an album worth of songs that we recorded in Chicago and at home, very anxious to get it out there for everyone to hear. On top of that we have practically recorded every band practice and show we have played both ‘Dro and pre 'Dro line up. So there is a lot of stuff that we could release, jams different versions of songs and shit that didn’t quite cut it.
Jon: Yea, we have a shit ton of unreleased material. Most specifically we have about 7 or 8 songs we recorded in my basement and about 7 or 8 other songs/versions we recorded during sessions in Chicago. I think the material will likely be split into 2 EPs. We've been talking with a fresh Chicago label called Go Forth Records, so hopefully one of the records will be out by them. I'd like to put out the other one locally, maybe with Whale Trap if Miles is interested. As for other stuff created, we're most likely going to have yet another ep entitled "Leftovers for Dinner EP" as a slight nod to the title of our first album, the "Breakfast for Dinner EP"
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| Upcoming 'Free-Jam' EP (hippie) |
'Dro is relocating too Right? Jon, what’s the plan? You’re a 'go-nowhere' like me, what’s next for you and Josh? Totally new band? Continue D+T?
Jon: Yea Josh and I have mortgages so we'll be local for a while. As far as 'totally' new band goes, the answer is yes and no. We will be remaining as Dinosaurs and Thunder, but half of the personnel will be different. We decided to stay Dinosaurs and Thunder for a few reasons. First, we've spent a long time developing and promoting the idea and concept of Dinosaurs and Thunder and think we've put a bit too much into it to drop it now, when its finally actually starting to get recognition. Also, even though we will have a new songwriter in the mix, we're still going to play many of our older songs. Since we plan on still playing much of the existing Dinosaurs and Thunder material, we might as well continue using the name as well. As for the future, I've been writing new material with my buddy Dean (also from Android 18) for a few months and we already have about 7 new songs. Since I've known for a while of the upcoming departure of my mates, I've been on the hunt for a drummer for a considerable amount of months. It looks like we have some really strong possibilities that we'll be pursuing virtually right after the 19th (of July) Ultimately I hope for us to be playing out live again in September, but I also wanna be pretty solid when we do reemerge, so we'll see. I don't wanna rush it but at the same time I don't wanna fall off the map, which seems like it can happen pretty quickly around here.
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| Rob, working on getting fired from his 'jobby-job' |
Rob, you gonna do anything musically in Chicago? Join a band? Start a band?
Rob: Ya I have to keep playing music, it's such a big and important part of my life I can’t just give that up. So I'm gonna try to keep writing stuff on my own for one, I have a few friends in Chicago that are musicians, and possibly a few others moving up there too. Hopefully we can throw a band together, not sure what the sound will be like, perhaps some more synth and shit added. If not that then I'm gonna try to get board with Chicago diy and look for similar artist like me.
If you both had anything done differently, what would it have been? Any regrets?
Rob: man I dunno if I would really want to do anything different, I really like the way things played out. I kind of wish I would have started writing my own songs and singing a bit earlier. But again I like the way we all came together. Besides that I wish we could have been able to set up some sorta small tour with our friends.
Jon: I have mixed feelings about a couple things. I kinda wish we could have figured things out a little quicker. I'm really thankful for the music community we've been introduced to this year. I don't think a lot of people realize we've been around for 3 years. That's because we struggled to break through at any level for years. The only shows we could get were the worst fucking shows that no one ever wants to play. Bleak shows, where no one gets what you're doing, doesn't care and usually leaves before you're done with your first song. We were playing with and for people completely incompatible with what we were doing. In the same way, I wish we had gotten a full time drummer from the get-go. Having Dro join the band on drums really opened some musical doors for us, and what resulted was a more concise vision of what we wanted to do. At the same time, I'm really proud of our album 'Hoped Destinations' that we made before Dro. The whole desperate climb we've trudged really ended up being humbling and educational. It made us appreciate even the smallest accomplishment more.
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| Jon seeking Hippie Advice |
Are you guys gonna cry at sets end? Smash a guitar?
Rob: Hmmm, it’s been a long ride for sure; Jon and I have been making music together since high school. With out Jon I probably wouldn’t be playing guitar now, and he introduced me to so much music. So I owe a lot to the guy. Having that been said, yeah its gonna be emotional for sure. I still can’t believe that this is really happening. Tears very well may be shed on stage haha as for guitar smashing.... I think we love our guitars too much to smash them...even though I have always wanted to go fuckin nuts like that.
Jon: I don't know. I'm a pretty sentimental and nostalgic guy. I don't really want to cry but I might. It's a waste to smash a guitar. Give it to a kid or something.
Do you both feel, in unison, or separately that an end of an era is approaching? Because with every door that closes, a brick is thrown thru a window to give you each new chances. Each 'scene year equals 3 'real' years... Do you consider yourselves 'veterans'?
Jon: It most definitely is an end of an era, both in our musical 'careers' and in our personal lives. Rob and I have played in 4 bands together and lived together for at least 4 years. We've been through alot. Now we're gonna be goin off on our own which definitely means a new era is approaching. It's hard to say that we're veterans since no one knows who we are (hahaha) but I do feel like we've put in our time, whether people realize it or not
Any last words? Last chance. The Meteor is close.
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| via Drunk Music Reviews |
Jon: I'm really proud of the momentum we always kept, and open creativity we have. It's bittersweet for this to happen now when I feel like we sound better than we ever have. But there's still a lot to be excited for. We still have a few albums worth of material to release over the upcoming months, and a lot of completely new songs to play. I'm just trying to stay positive. At the end of the day, I'm just gonna miss havin my buddy around. But I totally support what he's doing and I'm really excited for him. No matter what I'm never going to stop because I can't. It's all I know. I've been playing in bands since I was 16. It's who I am.
Rob: I am incredibly proud of how we have grown as musicians over the years. Every small victory and bits of exposure have been like scaling mountains. We have been working hard for so many years. I hate to see it end for me in this band. As for jibs and Jon, they both have so much talent and ambition I know they are gonna keep going strong and make some rad shit. The meteor is close. But they will smash that thing like a Christmas ornament. As for ‘Dro. That kid can make magic on any musical instrument he wants. So besides doin the law out on the west coast, I’m sure he will keep kickin out good tunes too. Last thing, anytime I find myself back in Cincy I will be totally down to jam and play with Jon and jibs. They are my brothers and always will be. It’s been a blast and a staple in my life! Cheers Shawn, see you on the 19th buddy.
You are sooo-crying Jon. Rob too. I will try to cry... Been working on it for years now... I only 'try cry' once, a Jeep was involved. That’s all I will say. Oh yeah, in the immortal words of The Big Lebowski "Strong men DO cry..."
Jon: (sends thumbs up emoticon)
Your ‘thumbs up’ emoticon is a hippie cop out. I bet you smoked hookahs in West Chester haven’t you?
Jon: Lol well I did grow up there… I prolly did lol
Cause ‘all the kids were doing it’ AND sticking pencils (eraser first) into other kids' assholes for dares. That wasn't you or Rob was it? I just recently had 3/4 of Homemade Drugs cleared of suspicion.
Jon: Rob and his brother used to play that game... Rob deserved it tho.
In the same way I overheard a plastic surgeon inform a patient of their terminal skin cancer then walk in the next room and counsel a lady about how big she wants her new tits to be… Was it a thick pencil Rob? Dry with no lube?
Note: No answer from Rob which shows ‘guilt” (According to Nancy grace on the TV)
Jon: It was a vibrantly colored Yikes! Swirl pencil of novelty size... wait when did the interview end?
.................. now
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