Interview: Fueled By Ignorance

Fueled By Ignorance Questions Answered By Adrian Castley (Guitars). 08/14/00 Interviewed by wookubus

Related Links: Official Website

PRP: Alright, the basic question, how'd you guys get started?
Adrian: In the fall of 1994, I really wanted to start playing live after playing guitar in my basement for so many years. I knew that Simon was looking to start doing vocals for a band, so I introduced myself to him in a Mcdonalds. He found our original bass player and drummer and came up with the name of Fueled By Ignorance and we took it from there. We were an official band in January of 1995 and I believe we played our first show on March 8th of 1995.

PRP: You guys have come from relatively small towns and made quite a presence, how hard is it to gain recognition in the smaller markets?
Adrian: Although large towns have more people to attract to your music, smaller towns can spread the word faster and are in general more supportive and dedicated to the bands they like. Being big in a pile of small towns is better than being big in one large city, in my opinion.

PRP: Your first release "Tears" was quite popular through the internet, was there a lot of out of country sales?
Adrian: Yes, there was a lot of out of country sales, mostly to the U.S.

PRP: I am now a panda, do you like turkey?
Adrian: Only with gravy.

PRP: Ok, I'm not a panda anymore, I believe you guys relocated to Vancouver, B.C. for awhile but have since moved back to Prince George, any reason for this?
Adrian: In 1998 we were in Vancouver for approximately 6 months. I was the reason for moving back to Prince George. The music scene in Vancouver was nowhere near what we thought it would be. Shows were hard to get, and same with jobs. We had a replacement drummer at the time who just couldn't fill Shawn's shoes. Also, I was not a big fan of living in Vancouver. We lived in Victoria last year while Shawn went to film school. We came back to Prince George again this year because it just makes sense. Unless you are living in L.A., it really doesn't matter where you live. If you have the proper management, you tour regularly, and you are networking on the internet, we feel you can make it anywhere.

PRP: While the first album was titled "Tears", the second is titled "Widow", both titles contain a dark energy to them, any continual theme?
Adrian: "Tears" was named for the memory of our bass player, Todd Wickstrom, who died in an automobile accident in March of 1998, just before the album was released. "Widow" is about some incidents that happened after his death that really pissed us off. I don't care to comment on those incidents but yes, I would say the two album titles are continual.

PRP: How is the scene in Prince George?
Adrian: We still get good turnouts here but I noticed that lots of the newer bands just aren't getting the kind of support they need and deserve. We always play with at least one local band everytime we do a show here.

PRP: Do happymeals make you happy?
Adrian: No, but $1.49 Mcchicken Mondays do.

PRP: How important is the american market to you guys?
Adrian: The American market is the most important market in the world to us. Don't get me wrong, we love Canada, but if you can break into the U.S., you can break into every country. The U.S. is also the hardest market to break into.

PRP: You've toured quite extensively throughout the westcoast of Canada and hit America a few times as well, how do you manage to put together tours such as this when most bands can barely afford to make a cd?
Adrian: Believe me, we are not rolling in money by any means. Our tours are low-paying, usually to smaller crowds, and are mostly hooked up by other bands. This has to be done though until we are known enough in different areas to headline.

PRP: The new material suggests an almost hardcore overtone, is there anything that influenced the new direction of your guys sound this time around?
Adrian: We did want to add a bit of a hardcore feel to this album by adding a few breakdowns to it but I don't really consider us a hardcore band.

PRP: If a flea farts on your dogs back, can your dog smell it?
Adrian: Depends on which way the wind is blowing.

PRP: Are there any Canadian bands that you guys really respect and would like to emulate?
Adrian: I respect The Smalls' dedication to their music and the success they've had in western Canada. I also really dig the new Breach Of Trust album. Slick 60 from Vancouver and Explosive Rage Disorder from Victoria are also really good bands.

PRP: Are you brave enough to eat a Fillet O Fish at Mcdonalds?
Adrian: God no.

PRP: What cd's would you say the band is enjoying the most lately?
Adrian: I'm really into the new Incubus cd as well as A Perfect Circle.

PRP: A lot of the production on the new cd was handled by the band, did this make the recording process more daunting?
Adrian: No, not at all. It was pretty much the same thing that Simon and I did the first time, only we didn't get credit for it on "Tears". There are a lot of things I am not happy with regarding the mixing on "Widow". Some of Simon's screams were meant to be more in the background instead of so up front (some reviews call them "animal noises"). Also it has a really tinny, high treble sound to it. The whole cd was done in 2 and 1/2 days though. We had only intended it to be a demo for labels but the demand was so high for us to release new material, and we felt it wasn't that bad, so we released it.

PRP: For reasons unknown to the public, you guys were kicked off mp3.com, any story behind that? and how do you feel about mp3's in general?
Adrian: There is a really big story behind that, and a press release will be available on our website soon. As far as my opinion on mp3's go, I couldn't be happier about them. It is a quick and effective way for people all over the world to hear our music.

PRP: Pokemon vs. Digimon, who would win?
Adrian: Robocop.

PRP: Ever watched your household pet lick its own asshole?
Adrian: Through a video camera.

PRP: With "Tears" being a bit more straightforward and "Widow" being expressive and a bit heavier, where would you say your guys music is headed?
Adrian: We really focus on our songwriting. Our new material is just as strong as any band out there (once again in my opinion). We are still very heavy but our songs have mellowed out a bit and flow together more smoothly.

PRP: What can we expect from you guys in the near future?
Adrian: Lots of touring. Hopefully a new cd in 2001. Hopefully a record deal. we have paid a lot of dues so things are bound to start coming together for us.

PRP: That's about it, any shoutouts or shameless self promotion?
Adrian: Our official website is http://www.fueledbyignorance.net
Please vote for us on farmclub.com and amp3.com
You can also hear our mp3's at iuma.com
Thanks wookubus!