Avenpitch interview with Rift Magazine:

The following is an interview with Avenpitch taken from RockWatch.

RANDOM QUESTIONS WITH AVENPITCH
By Zinthra at RockWatch

Avenpitch: Todd Millenacker-David Miller-Darren Siaw-Paul Hudalla

Zin: Tell me a little about the band, your names, what you do, how old you where when you discovered the meaning of the universes?

Todd Millenacker: Avenpitch is an "electropunk" band. We play what some would call music; others would probably call it noise. Either way, it's an expression of sorts and we have fun doing it. As for the universe, I think I discovered its meaning shortly after birth. Sadly, I have since forgotten, but I must admit it was pretty sweet and I definitely felt a lot more comfortable with the world at the time.

David Miller: The band is more than just a band, it is a computer-age superstructure; it is an electronic life-form that has grafted itself onto us and utilizes us in a manner that provides entertainment to the masses. No fear my friends, this is a benevolent life-form. My name is David and I play keyboards when I'm not racing around the world in a hot air balloon.

Darren Siaw: I'm Darren. I play the guitar. I'm 25. The meaning of the universe has yet to be revealed to me.

Paul Hudalla: I'm Paul on drums. I actually wasn't really into finding the meaning of the universes until recently. The meaning of this universe was quite easy to find since I am in this universe all I had to do was look around for the meaning. I found it hidden under a rock outside my back door. There was a waterbug there that whispered it to me but swore me to secrecy. The other universes have been a bit more difficult to find the meaning to as my satellites will not be arriving to them for another several million years.

Zin: How did your band take form?

David: First as a single cell in Todd's microscope, then it grew to encompass the four of us.

Zin: What are your ultimate goals with Avenpitch?

David: "Ultimate goal" sounds a little nefarious, doesn't it?

Todd: I want to see how far we can get both commercially and artistically doing things exactly how we want to do them. The way I see it, there's no reason for any of us to do this if we can't do things the way we want. If we were concerned about money, we'd be better off mowing lawns or getting a part-time job - basically we just want to continue pursuing our own slightly skewed vision of rock.

Darren: Keep this beast going for as long as possible and tour wherever people will give us a chance to play.

Paul: Number one goal for anything: FUN (this relates to the first question pretty directly - but don't tell the bug I said that).

Zin: Have you been working on any new material lately?

Todd: Quite a bit. Right now just random songs, snippets, and ideas with no definitive direction. This fall we're gonna sit down and really focus on what we want to do both musically and lyrically for the next album. We're looking at a January or February 2005 release.

Zin: What do you like to see your fans doing when you play a show?

David: Enjoy themselves. I was going to say pleasure themselves, but I have yet to see that.

Zin: Do you like it when people request you to play covers?

David: I don't think anyone has. I would invite them to. Of course, with backing tracks and such, unless it is either The The's "This Is The Day" or Berlin's "The Metro" they're not going to hear it, but it would be fun.

Todd: At our last show a friend yelled for "Free Bird". Much to his surprise I started playing it. I quickly stopped when I realized I was in fact playing "Free Bird" and a few lighters went up.

Darren: Only if we can do it justice.

Zin: What is some of your favorite food?

Todd: I've got a Don Pablo's obsession that's pretty serious.

David: I had a tuna fillet at Nick & Tony's lately that was really good. Otherwise I like Indian.

Darren: Chipotle and Uncle Franky's on Broadway/Central.

Paul: Anything at Hard Times cafe - especially the French Press.

Zin: What point where you trying to get accosted when you wrote "Phony smiles and fake hellos, Only reveal what we already know, That we're just two perfect people living two perfect lives, Lying and trying to be anything tonight"?

Todd: I wrote "Hacienda" while reading a book about New Order, Factory records, and the Hacienda nightclub that was owned by New Order in the mid-80s. In short, I was just trying to capture the hedonistic attitude of the time.

Zin: Has any music been influencing you lately?

Todd: I just picked up the latest Outkast CD to see what all the fuss is about - ya know it being the "Album of the Year" and all that. It's decent, but not mind blowing - at least not to me. Couple great songs, but lots of filler… Every year I seem to find a new obsession, where I buy all an artist's CDs and read every interview, article, and review I can track down. Last year I became obsessed with Weezer. The year before that it was The The and the year before that it was New Order. Really, I haven't found my artist of the year. But it usually happens in the summer, so I'm sure someone will turn up.

Darren: I'm constantly driven by U2 and Guns N' Roses. I've been digging deep into older stuff like the Doors and the Stones lately too.

Paul: Tough question to answer as too many bands come to mind. I would say recently the New Pornographers and Modest Mouse have been getting the most spins.

David: Yes. Blitzen. Michael Nyman. Goldfrapp. The Purple Gang. Nirvana (the original UK band, I'm listening to them now). Magnetic Fields. Iggy Pop.

Zin: Have any movies been bothering you lately when you sleep at night?

David: Don't watch many movies lately. The last one I saw was "Big Fish". That hasn't been bothering me at night, should it be?

Darren: I saw Gothika last week and it scared the shit outta me for an hour before I passed out.

Zin: Has the devil been influencing you lately?

Todd: I don't believe in the devil - so no.

David: Strange you should mention that. Yes. Though I don't take as grim a view of the devil as some do. The Process Church says: CHRIST said, Love your enemies. CHRIST'S Enemy was SATAN and SATAN'S Enemy was CHRIST. Through Love enmity is destroyed, Through Love saint and sinner destroy the enmity between them. Through Love CHRIST and SATAN have destroyed their enmity and come together for the End, CHRIST to Judge, SATAN to execute the Judgement. The Judgement is WISDOM; the execution of the Judgement is LOVE. I think that's pretty right-on. Love your enemies, little kitties, and it'll all be cool.

Paul: I've been influencing the devil - he's kind of been my underling - man, those kids grow up so fast these days! And his popularity is soaring while nobody knows who I am. Guess I taught him well.

Zin: Do you prefer Minneapolis over Saint Paul?

Paul: I'm going to abandon my East Side roots here and say, yes.

David: Yes, but that's because I spend more time there, it might be otherwise if I spent more time in St. Paul.

Darren: I'm scared of taking buses late at night in St. Paul, feels too far away from home in Minneapolis.

Zin: Are you planning any tours for the summer time?

Todd: This summer were just doing sporadic shows all over - kinda winding down to get in the "recording" mode. We will tour in spring of 2005.

Zin: What do you think of David Bowie?

Todd: Great musician, even better businessman. I go through phases where I listen to nothing but Bowie for a month at a time. Sadly his newest album, Reality, is horrible - although the one before it, Heathen, was excellent. He's really hit or miss. I'm sure the next one will be great again.

David: Not a big fan, but I liked the albums he produced for Iggy Pop, they're great. Also liked some of the albums he did with Eno in the 70s and that "Sun Machine is coming down" track is pretty cool.

Paul: Good.

Darren: Still yet to form an opinion, I just borrowed some his stuff from the library.

Zin: Is there anything that an interviewer never asks you that you wish they would?

David: "What is your favorite childhood memory?" would be good. Or how about "why did you hit that guy last night?" Imagine the answers you'd get!

Todd: No. I'm completely happy with every question I've ever been asked. Thank you.