Primer 55
Questions Answered By Bobby Burns (Guitar).
date unknown
Interviewed by wookubus
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Related Links:
Official Website
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PRP: The basic question first, how did you guys get started?
jake: Well, back in January of 98, I met these guys via an ad at the local
drum shop. So, to make a long story short, I bought some new drum sticks
(because I hadn't played in awhile) and set up my kit, and they plugged in
some guitar/PA stuff...and we rocked! Kind of....
PRP: Let's start with the basic question, how did the band get together?
Bobby: I started the band with J-sin about 3 years ago..His band used to open for my old band which is how we met, and he came up to me at a show one night and handed me a 4 track demo that he'd done and it just fuckin blew me away!!! We started writing the very next day, the first song we wrote was
"Loose"...We just clicked and it's been nothin' but good since...
PRP: Where did the name Primer 55 come from?
Bobby: I'll never tell!!!!!!!!
PRP: Memphis isn't exactly known for heavy music, was it hard breaking through and getting noticed?
Bobby: We actually developed a following really fast.. We were the first band to come out with this style of music down there, and the kids all connected with us...
PRP: Which member of the band is most likely to not drop the Chalupa?
Bobby: J-sin would eat it before anybody could say anything!!!!!!!!
PRP: You guys have guest appearances by Incubus's
DJ Kilmore and (hed)pe's M.C.U.D. on your debut album, how did you guys manage to score such coveted slots for being relatively unknown?
Bobby: Actually, it was pretty fuckin' easy!! I just sent the songs to them and asked if they'd be interested in jammin' on the shit and they said YES!!! I love both of those bands and they were the first people to come to mind out of anyone I could have asked...
PRP: The music is very heavy yet very mechanical feeling, how does the band go about songwriting?
Bobby: I usually come up with some music, and J-sin and I will just set down and slug the shit out..We start all of our songs out in a VERY raw form and take it from there...
PRP: Will the claymation California Raisins ever make a comeback, and if they did would you take them on tour?
Bobby: The Cali raisins fuckin' kick phat ass man!!!!! Hell yes we'd take em' on tour with us!!! Anybody who wouldn't take them out is only afraid of getting upstaged by them! We'll take em' on anyday!!
PRP: Island/Def Jam isn't exactly known for a roster of heavier acts but seem to be starting to take notice with the signing of you guys and
Full Devil Jacket and Relative Ash recently, do you feel comfortable with the label?
Bobby: So far so good... They really treat us well and with FDJ being signed as well only makes it feel more like home because they're from Memphis also...
Island/DefJam recently signed ANOTHER band from Memphis called Saliva, really good friends of ours... It's gonna be known soon as the label with all the bands from Memphis.. We were signed first, then FDJ, and now Saliva...But it's all good that M-town is getting some exposure now...
PRP: The track "The Big Fuck You" has been said to be a shout out of sorts to all the people who doubted and pissed you guys off, was this directly related to the local scene or just a general life statement?
Bobby: BOTH!!!! anyone who doubted us or talked shit about us can FUCK OFF!!!! plain and simple...There are so many people in the world who have nothing better to do than talk bullshit behind your back of course, they don't have the nuts to say anything to your face for fear of getting their teeth knocked out!!!
PRP: If you could be any Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, which one would you be and why?
Bobby: You should be asking our drummer Josh this question. I'd wanna be the cool one!!!
PRP: Are there any bands you could list as a general influence for the band as a whole?
Bobby: I'm not sure that I can say that we're influenced by any one band.. Although we are influenced by many different types of music: be it rap, reggae, funk, punk, or just plain metal!!!
PRP: Although uncredited you played most of the instruments on the bands first demo CD which featured different versions of a few of the songs on the new album, was the addition of others ideas the reason for re-working the tracks? or was it just the way things were meant to be?
Bobby: I played all the instruments on the new record as well, the reason some songs sound different now is because we had alot more time in the studio, and I co-produced.. at the time right before we started making the record we were going through line up changes,
Josh and Jr. came in while we were going through the recording process but it was just too late... This is the right mix for P55, and I look forward to making the next record with every one...
PRP: Crunchy peanut butter or smooth?
Bobby: Smooth.
PRP: Do any of the members in the band pack a jar of Vaseline with them on the road?
Bobby: I never leave home without it, you never know when your going to feel the urge to pull one off!!! Trouble is,
J-sin, Jr. and Josh are always using mine without asking!!!!!!!
PRP: You guys have been able to open for some national bands like
Biohazard and Slipknot, how was the general crowd response to a relatively unknown band such as Primer 55?
Bobby: Fuckin' great!!!! The kids know who bring the shit real and they can tell when some body's faking it!!! And that's a fuckin' beautiful thing and I wouldn't have it any other way...
PRP: "Loose" was featured on the WCW Mayhem CD as well as used as entrance music for Creative Control in the
WCW, was this just a label thing or does the band enjoy wrestling?
Bobby: I think I'm the only one in the band who just can't watch it!!! I've tried to, but I can't...
PRP: One thing that stands out about the band is the dedication to the fans i.e. letting fans up on stage to sing at shows and the rest, do you find it sad that most bands have come to shun this? and how do you guys feel about hanging out with the fans?
Bobby: We're so not about the whole rockstar bullshit!!! I don't understand it.. We are no better than any of the people who came to see us play!!!! And we never will!!! We ALWAYS hang out with the fans, we don't turn down autographs or anything like I've seen other bands do before...The bands who kick this whole rock star thing must have forgotten where they came from, because we ALL come from the same place...The bottom...
PRP: Have you ever cupped your hand, farted into it and stuck it in someone else's face?
Bobby: I do it to my girlfriend and the rest of the band all the time, who doesn't?
PRP: How do you feel about the general state of "Heavy Music" that is taking over the airwaves lately, aka
Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock?
Bobby: As long as nobody comes to our shows with a Backstreet Boys t-shit on I'm cool with it
PRP: How long did it take to record the album "Introduction To Mayhem" and where was it done?
Bobby: It took about a month to record, and we did it in New York.
PRP: Has living in Memphis which is pretty well the all American cowboy/hick town which is associated with country music changed your perspective on life for example the heavy racism and prejudice against those who are different?
Bobby: I was raised NOT to judge people, and to accept them for who they are... Fuck racism, that's all a bunch of red neck bullshit man...If you were raised like I was, which was not beating the bible, Memphis would bother you... I love that place and hate it all in the same breath... I feel sorry for some of those close minded hillbilly bitches!
PRP: Ever considered pissing in a pickle jar and leaving it the fridge for an unsuspecting band member?
Bobby: I will now thanks!!!!
PRP: Does J-Sin get all the groupies?
Bobby: Of course, he's sooooo sexy!!!!!
PRP: Although the music is heavy there's a solid hip hop feel to it, through the almost looping instrument parts and the agitated raps of
J-Sin, with the obvious hip hop influence, how do you feel about straight hip hop bands working with crossover and metal bands recently (i.e.
Method Man & Limp Bizkit, Run DMC & Kid Rock)?
Bobby: I think it's great, the best thing that could have happened to music... I think everybody should come together and make music...
PRP: You guys are now a member of the infamous Streetwise promotion team, do you feel this brings you closer to the fans and helps get the word across more?
Bobby: Those people are the absolute bomb! We want to get as close to the fans as possible without going to jail...HEHE.
PRP: What did the worst fart you've ever had in your life smell like?
Bobby: shit?
PRP: How do you guys feel about Internet promotion in general?
Bobby: It fuckin' rocks!!! A very good way to spread the word.. We support it 100%
PRP: How many sperm would you estimate have met their doom on a piece of Kleenex?
Bobby: I can't count that high...
PRP: What's coming up from Primer 55 and what are your guys goals for the future?
Bobby: We're getting ready to go out on the road with
Machine Head starting Jan. 25 in Austin, TX.. and I cannot fuckin' wait!!! Our album hits the streets on Jan 25 as well.. as for the future, we're just gonna be out on the road, playing for as many people as we can and spreading the word of P55!!!
PRP: Well that's about it, any shoutouts?
Bobby: Visit our website, come see us play, check out
"Introduction to Mayhem" on Jan. 25!!! and hit up the PRP everyday!!!!!peace...
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