Flicker
Questions Answered By
Jared Pane (vocals)
10/07/00
Interviewed by Pedro
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Related Links:
Official Website
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PRP: Are you ready to start?
Jared: Hehehehe, yep.
PRP: Cool. I have some questions and will think on the others as we speak. I want to previously apologize for my english, just correct me if there are many mistakes. Are any of the other members there with you? Just wondering?
Jared: Yeah. Our bassist and our drummer.
PRP: Cool. Let's start, then. How was Flicker formed, and for how long have you been playing music together?
Jared: Flicker started off with me. I e-mailed a bunch of people online, and only one person wrote back, and that was Shaun, our guitarist. We started writting songs in late February of 2000, and we picked up our bassist Steve. We tried out many drummers, but none seemed to fit in until we found Bill, which we have now. We picked him up in July. I stopped playing guitar and focused on singing, and we picked up Scott, our other guitarist. We have been a COMPLETE band since July and nothing is going to change. The people who we have now is Flicker.
PRP: Sounds cool. Are any of the band members in side projects?
Jared: No. Everyone in this band is solely FLICKER. Music is our life, and we don't want to have to worry about anything else besides FLICKER.
PRP: Flicker......what does the band's name mean to you guys? Any hidden meanings behind it?
Jared: Hmm.... FLICKER is pretty much the start before a fire. A place to start before everything goes off. That is how we came up with the name. Also, we wanted something to represent us in a fashion as to where I want people to know we aren't some "regular" band. Plus, chicks dig it. j/k
PRP: Cool meaning. What exactly would be a "regular band"? What would put you apart of the "regular" category, in your opinion?
Jared: A regular band is a band that doesn't work, and doesn't care about the music they play or what they are feeling when they write the music. We work hard for everything we do. We strive to make the BEST music possible, and that separates us from a "regular" band. We actually care about our fans, and the music we make.
PRP: That's great. How much strain on your personal life has the band brought upon you?
Jared: This is our life. Every minute of free time we have is spent playing music, either together or by ourselves. There is strain in promoting our band, because there is sooo much stuff I would like to do, but can't because we don't have the resources to do so. I think that frustrates us a little, but other than that, strain on our personal life is very minimal.
PRP: What each one of you do apart of making music? Do you have day jobs, or you all focus every minute of your day on music?
Jared: Our bassist is a lazy ass. Actually, he is only 16, so he doesn't have a job. I work 1 job while going to school. Shaun, our guitarist, works one job. Scott, our other guitarist, work, and so does Bill. We would love to concentrate every minute of the day to music, but that isn't plausible. Because Steve has more time on his hands, he writes more music than the rest of us. He write a LOT compared to the rest of us, but we work as a band. We work together to make everything sound good, and put our own personal sound into each song. But I know if I had more time I would be writing a lot more than what I do already and I think that goes for the rest of the band as well.
PRP: You have only released one demo so far, called "Pushing The Airwaves". How much do you think you've evolved since that demo's release?
Jared: Ohh shit, funny you should mention that. We were just talking about that 20 seconds ago. We have evolved very much since then. We have become WAY WAY WAY more tighter as a band. Our music style as well. We have the same style, but more harder, darker, and very much more melodic, with more catchy hooks, more so than our demo. We have probably doubled even tripled in talent since our demo. Our songs have so much more emotion and feeling in them than the last demo, and we are proud of our songs.
PRP: How would you describe the music you play for someone who have never listened it?
Jared: UNIQUE. Hard and melodic music. Music with feeling, and emotion. Our music is very catchy, very heart-felt music, both, in lyrics and in music. We try to paint a picture of everyday life. Troubles, trials, and everything people go through, throughout their lives, and we try to make people feel it through our music. We want people to relate to our music, and put it in their daily lives. That is how I would explain it. Just be ready for feelings and thoughts that you would never expect to come out.
PRP: Pretty cool. Besides helping you get the band together, how much do you think that Internet has helped Flicker so far? Would you say that virtual promotion is just as important as real life promotion?
Jared: Oh hell, yes! Any promotion is good promotion, no matter where or when it is. There is a whole new world of kids and grown-ups out there that we would have never been able to get in touch with. The internet has helped us out a lot. It helps us to spread ourselves to a lot of people, and that is something we would have never been able to do with out the internet.
PRP: When can we expect a new album from you, and what can we expect of it?
Jared: Our new album should be out pretty soon, around December or January. You can expect pretty much the same FLICKER, except harder, more melodic, dark. This new album will also be layed out very well. We are taking our time on this thing. It will only be a 5 song EP, but the songs' quality will be great.
PRP: Does the fact that you guys are from Sacramento, CA, home of so many good emotional bands now a days, put any kind of pressure on your shoulders?
Jared: Yeah. There is a lot of competition in Sacramento. We don't let that bring us down at all. It makes us strive to become better than them, and makes us work 10,000,000 time harder than normal. Other than that, no pressure what so ever.
PRP: So you're saying that Sacramento's musical scene isn't as perfect as lots of people think it is?
Jared: The scene is very much filled with musical talent, but it is pretty much a bunch of bands here trying to make music, trying to be the next "big band", but we don't let that bother us. We do our own thing, and we worry about ourselves.
PRP: Cool. What is the most negative / optimistic thing the band has been through to date?
Jared: Jealous bands have been the most negative on us. Bands that talk shit about us and put us down for being such young musicians. It is hard to get respect, and that angers me. Optimistic thing is all the fan support we have received, and respect from people other than the bands. They remind us why we play music everyday, and I think that is a strong catalyst for us.
PRP: How old are you guys? Just so I can have a notion......
Jared: Bill - 22, Jared - 20, Shaun - 19, Scott - 19, Steve - 16.
PRP: Ok, hehehehe. What about influences? Have a specific band inspired you more than the others?
Jared: We have so many influences, but we can't pinpoint one. We just write music to what we would rockout to. Everyone of our band members listens to different music, so we can't put our finger on it.
PRP: Ok, but you can answer for yourself, right? So what would be your biggest inspiration as far as singing goes?
Jared: As far as singing goes, melodic music inspires me. Jimmy Eat World, Failure, Hum... and then I have a lot of harder influences like Training For Utopia, Focal Point, Zao, Machine Head. I listen to a broad style of music...
PRP: Hmmm.....what's the song writing process like?
Jared: Mostly, this is how it goes: Steve brings a skeletal portion of a song into practice. It get filtered through everybody, by everyone adding their own style, and then I add my vocals. I add my vocals at the very end.
PRP: Cool. Are you already being able to earn some money with the band?
Jared: Well, we earn money from CD sales and merchandise, and what we get paid for playing shows, but it all goes back to the band for equipment and more merchandise. We don't make any money for personal gain at all. It all gets filtered back through the band.
PRP: Ok, cool. Would you consider your music original? Do you think it's still possible to be original now a days?
Jared: I don't think you can really be original now-a-days, because everyone kinda shares styles from what they were brought up on to what they listen to. But I think we are unique. There is something about our music that we can't put our finger on. Our style has been done before, but for some reason people keep coming to us, and saying "hey you guys are really 'unique'", but there is just that "something" that makes us the way we are, and I don't think we will ever find out what it is. It is something that just makes us different.
PRP: What are your views on the "sell out" issues? What would you call "selling out?" Do you think bands are wrongly accused of it just because they get famous and they are liked by everyone?
Jared: Selling out = doing something you don't want to do. I think some bands are wrongly accused of it, but if it is what they LIKE and WANT to do, then they haven't sold out yet. When you start doing things you don't want to do, all for money or fame, that is when you sell out!
PRP: Ok, so what you're saying is that no one can judge if a band sold out except for the band themselves?
Jared: Kids are smart. They know when your doing something you don't want to do, so I think a band knows when they have sold out. Other people can judge you if they know you are doing what you don't want to.
PRP: Well, you just said that some bands are wrongly accused of it.
Jared: Yeah, some bands are. But the kids that accuse them of it, it's their opinion. Even if it isn't true.
PRP: Ok. Have you had any bad experiences with record labels or management groups?
Jared: Nope.. none so far.
PRP: What's in the horizon for Flicker?
Jared: Hmm... what's on the horizon?? Hmm, we are just going to keep playing music, and stay true to ourselves. That is everything we plan on doing.
PRP: Do you think you're all in perfect condition, not only physically, but especially mentally, to sign a record deal with a major label and tour the world? Are ALL of you ready for fame and pressure?
Jared: Yeah. Bring it on. There is never a better time than now. We're hungry, and we are not worried about it. We have grown together so well. We are ready to take it to the next step, and that is our whole goal.
PRP: Haha, cool. Here are some quick ones, are you ready?
Jared: Ok...
PRP: All-time favorite band?
Jared: Jared - Jimmy Eat World, Bill - 311, Shaun - Mötley Crue, Scott - Radiohead, Steve - Zao. A great combo! We are serious.
PRP: Shit, they're all WAY different. I like that. A line up of a tour you'd like to be in?
Jared: Taproot, Orgy, Cold and FLICKER. Wait.... KISS!! j/k
PRP: Producer who you'd like to produce your next album?
Jared: Terry Date or Ross Robinson. They produce incredible music.
PRP: Sounds good. Musician who you'd like to make a guest appearence in your next album?
Jared: Hmm... good question. Gosh... hmm... Jay from Orgy. There you go.
PRP: Dope, hehehehe. I never expected you to give me that answer, honestly. As sad as it may sound, would you agree with me when I say that a band's looks are very important for them to get a deal today?
Jared: You know, I agree with you. It sucks to say, but in today's world, looks DO sell, and a record company has to look at that when they are intersted in a band. It sucks, because people categorize people.
PRP: Do you think Flicker has the looks that takes to get a deal?
Jared: Yeah, I do... and I am confident in that.
PRP: Great, man! I wanted to hear that confidence in your answer! If you were an A&R for a major label, which band would you sign right now, besides, of course, FLICKER.
Jared: There's a lot of great bands out there that go unheard, but I would have to say Dredg.
PRP: Holy shit, you have my total respect with that answer. We couldn't close the interview with a better end, hehehehe. Anything you wanna say to wrap it up? Any "shout outs", "thanks" or "fuck you"'s?
Jared: Just like to say thanks to everyone that gives us support and helps us. Fans, friends, etc... And fuck you's, you KNOW who you are, and I hate you. A remark for the fucks you's: "I hate you, and always remember that."
PRP: Okeydokey. I'd like to thank you very much for taking 2 hours of your busy schedule to do this interview.
Jared: Pedro, you have been a great help, and I respect you for it. We are very grateful for this. Well, I am off to band practice...
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