13 QUESTIONS WITH KEITH BUCKLEY OF EVERY TIME I DIE

Westen New York's EVERY TIME I DIE is one of the brand new acts featured on this year's OZZFEST bill, a slot that can work wonders for the right band (just ask LIMP BIZKIT), or can draw unwanted attention to you if your album isn't selling well, and expedite the label's decision to dump your ass (just ask the guys in DEPSWA, who got bumped off the second stage last year).

Since we're about as familiar with EVERY TIME I DIE as we are with testicular cancer, we asked for help from young Lisa from Paragon Music Magazine. Actually, Lisa was the one who initially got offered the interview, and we just supplied horrific questions (a few she refused to read...which means they REALLY must have been lousy!). Lisa got on the phone with ETID singer Keith Buckley (who kind of has an Ashton Kutcher look going on)...evidently just after he woke up...which you will tell from the wildly enthusiastic answers he gives to Lisa.

Hit it, Scooter pie.

Paragon Lisa: How does it feel to be on the Ozzfest bill this year? Is this going to be your first major tour or festival?

Keith Buckley: Yea, it’s good. This is the first year there aren’t a bunch of douchbags on the lineup. It has pretty good metal bands, so I’m excited. It’s our first major tour. (Yeah. we can tell you're excited. Start handing out the party hats and rum shots)

PL: In addition to your most recent CD release, you have a DVD out that basically gives a glimpse into what it’s like when the band’s hanging out at home, doing typical “punk” stuff. In addition, I hear your shows can get intensely crazy. Using your music as your main platform, and forgetting about the shows and your behaviors on the DVD, what kind of message are you trying to convey to your audience?

KB: No, not at all. Just out to have fun. ::laughs::

PL: Do you think that putting out a video showing the band acting as if they’re on an episode of MTV’s Jackass show is a good move when it comes to trying to convince critics outside of the punk/hardcore scene that you are serious musicians?

KB: I don’t really think that’s one of our goals. I think that we’ve been playing for six years, and if they can’t tell that we’re serious by now….::laughs::….so it’s not really something we’re set out to do right now. We just play shows and it speaks for itself.

PL: Your CD booklet includes some lesbian photography, over which short phrases are written. Firstly, what’s with the lesbianism? Anything in particular behind it?

KB: There was probably a lot of booze behind it that night. ::laughs:: It really wasn’t intended to be the cover of the album, it was just all of us hanging out, taking pictures to see what happens, and that picture was taken and we definitely didn’t plan for it to be the cover but I think it kinda spoke for itself, and it says a lot, and it kinda seemed appropriate to be the cover. It’s not like we’re trying to convey anything, it’s just a good picture, a bold statement.

PL: During a time in which politicians and American citizens find themselves debating over whether or not gay marriage is justifiable, and a time during which the media seems to easily get away with lesbianism while at the same time leaders condemn it, what are your thoughts and stance on the topic, especially since you did play around with it in an artistic form?

KB: It’s just sad that it’s taken this long for something so basic, for an emotion that’s been around for so long and is so strong. I think it’s unfortunate that it’s taken this long. But, I’m for it.

PL: What is your inspiration behind your lyrics, but more importantly, is there a meaning within them that you want other people to see, or an emotion you’re trying to convey?

KB: I just want people to be able to pick my lyrics out of a crowd. All these other bands write lyrics like football coaches, trying to get people amped up and stuff. Really I write just to write. I just basically want people to be able to recognize my lyrics from all the others as something original that hasn’t been done before.

PL: I read your lyrics and I don’t really understand what your stance is on women and relationships, drugs, violence, and God. You mention a lot of these issues in your lyrics. Maybe it’s me not looking into your lyrics enough. Are you pro-violence? Are you anti-religious?

KB: I just think that all those things sort of come into play when you’re in the position that we’re in. I just think that everything that I’ve written about sort of has had a big part in my life and I think that it’s not so much that I’m pro or against anything, I just think that it is what it is and I approach it with some sort of distance and a lot of care. I don’t really want to take a stance. I want people to know that it’s there and it is something that influences us and I can still sort of view it as an outsider. I try to write from an objective standpoint. A lot of it is tongue-in-cheek, a lot of it’s sort of like what people expect. People expect these things to be an influence on us, but it really isn’t. Drugs and violence and stuff like that. A lot people expect that, but it’s not so much the case. I also include it because I think it’s unfortunately a misconception that a lot of people have about us and bands in general.

PL: So you’re trying to write what would normally be expected….

KB: Right, but sort of poke fun at it at the same time.

(OK, normal time over. I get to ask my stupid shit now - SC)

Steve C: The message board on your website went down the other day. How will you go about consoling the legions of introverted E.T.I.D. message board lurkers who could potentially take a dive out a 20th story window at any given moment?

KB: It’s really harsh though, the longer that it’s down, the more concern we get for the people. We’re pulling for them and hoping they can wait it out. I don’t really know what to do.

SC: Last year, two bands who were playing the second stage of Ozzfest had their tour support yanked and subsequently lost their record deals after only selling 10,000 copies of their CDs while on tour.  What kind of chance do you think you guys have of making it through the entire tour?

KB: Probably little to none. ::laughs:: But who cares, it’ll be an experience. (Damn. At least the boy is honest)

PL: Why do you think that?

KB: I don’t know. I just think it’s odd for us to be on a tour of this caliber. Like I said, we’ve been around for years. But to be on a tour of this caliber is kind of out of our nature. It’s the most professional thing we’ve ever had to deal with, so hopefully we’ll handle it well.

SC: As a guy who makes his living expressing himself creatively, how do you feel about the government’s current stance on indecency?  Do you want some government official telling you how to express yourself…especially to paying customers who WANT to see your show?

KB: I don’t think anybody would be able to say they want anyone monitoring it. I guess if you do have limitations, it’s more fun too, to find different ways around it. There’s the whole punk/rock ideal that rules are meant to be broken, and a lot of people get a kick out of doing what is not expected. I’d like to say I can express myself how ever I want to and not be censored, but if I was censored for it, then I’d just try to work with it, try to work my way around it. A lot of the things I write are sort of like throwing jabs at everything in general anyway, so a lot of people haven’t picked up on what I’m poking fun at. So I’m sure it’d just be more inspiration to make fun of it all.

SC: I read in a journal entry on your official website that you guys had an unpleasant run-in with some security guards at a club in Lancaster, PA.   How often do you see security guards at your shows thumping on your fans?  Isn’t it possible that some kids just need a good ass whoopin’?  You know, some kids misbehave…

KB: Oh yea, some kids need a good ass whoopin’. I totally agree, but not when they’re 14 years old and choking because they can’t breathe because of all the smoke in the room, and these guys are just animals. Fortunately it’s the only run-in that we had with security guards, but these guys are monsters. They were just throwing kids down stairs and being pricks. Hopefully we’ll never play there again and never have to deal with those guys. It was unbelievable what we saw. (As a former nightclub security guard, I can assure you that people never get thrown down stairs...it's more of a 'you-tripped-you-silly-goose-and-broke-your-leg-in-three-places' kind of thing)

SC: Being on a tour bus for months at a time can be grueling and well…kinda lonely.  What kind of smut do the members of E.T.I.D. flog their bishops to?   Any particular fetish video that’s more present than another?

KB: No, the thing is that we were just in Europe and when you’re in Europe you’re diving in the smut and sorta partaking in the debauchery just for the novelty of it all. There’s just so many different porn magazines over there, and it’s absurd the themes they have and the catch-phrases they come up with for selling these magazines, it’s incredible. It’s really hard to try and become emotionally attached to any type of smut over there because it’s all really disgusting. ::laughs::

SC: With all of the record company consolidation, corporate monopolies that exist in the music business, and radio ignoring a lot of new rock acts, if you knew THEN what you know NOW about the biz… would you have still tried to make a career out of it?

KB: Yea, absolutely, definitely, because I didn’t know anything about it, and I’ve come this far. I think if I did know about it, we’d probably be a little further along. It probably would’ve helped me a lot.

PL: What about now?  God forbid, if E.T.I.D. kicks the bucket, would you try for another deal?

KB: I would probably quit. I think that would be proof enough that maybe I wasn’t intended for it. (That's the spirit! If at first you don't succeed, hang it up and call it a day!)

PL: Any last words for our readers? You can plug away….

KB: No, absolutely not. ::laughs:: (Way to promote, sleepyhead)

PL: Nothing at all, nothing you want to say to your fans?

KB: Nope. ::laughs::

(Wow, I don't know about you... but my ass hairs are definitely standing up on end after reading that. Man, talk about a thrill a minute! Keith perked up a little toward the end there, but for the most part, I've seen more life in a three day old dog turd. We'd like to thank Keith for staying awake long enough to answer all the questions, and for not snoring during the interview)

Of course, thanks to the lovely Lisa from Paragon Music Magazine for waking Keith's ass up.

Check out the Every Time I Die website... while they still have one. Just in case they split up, you know?