How did this year's warped tour compare to last year's warped tour?

Chris: I think this year we had a lot more experience-
Mike: -like how to handle it.
Chris: Yeah. I think last year was more of a learning experience, and this year was more...we knew what to expect.

What is the farthest someone has traveled to see you guys play?

Mike: Uhm. England, actually.
Chris: And Japan. We've had people from Japan [come to America to] see us play.

As an East Coast band, how do you like playing the West Coast dates?

Chris: I think the west coast is a lot different.
Mike: Yeah.
Chris: We have a lot of fun out here, though. Like both East and West coasts are our favorite places to play. The kids in the West Coast seem more... It's just different scenes, you know. It's not good or bad, just different. Both the scenes are very awesome, just so different.
Mike: Yeah, it just is...

So it's just different vibes?

Chris: Well, West Coast kids seem a little more up, a little more happy. Probably cause they have the nice weather.
Mike: That was wonderful!
Chris: The East Coast is a little more serious, musically.

What was the first band you ever saw live?

Chris: Fugazi, yes... He saw The Beach Boys!
Mike: Nah, it was Fleetwood Mac.
Chris: He caught one of the beach balls at the show.
Mike: Nah.
Chris: Ever since then he has become a huge fan of The Beach Boys. He loooves Brian Wilson.
Mike: I do. No, dude, Brian Wilson is awesome. [laughter]
Chris: Before crack or after?
Mike: Uh...during! [laugher]
Chris: Ah, during the crack phase. Before he lost his teeth or after?
Mike: During! It was while he was losing his teeth. [laughter]
Mike: Brian Wilson is awesome. "Smile" is a good record.

[Chris gets a phone call, retreats for a little bit]

When you played The Roxy in February, Joe said it was probably the last time Hidden In Plain View would play there. Was that due to how small it is?

Mike: Uh, probably yes.

I know Chain Reaction is pretty small, but do you forsee still playing small venues in the future?

Mike: We like to play smaller venues, but it really depends on like, trying to get as many kids as we can to the show. Like, we played the El Rey last night, so yeah...

I was there, you guys played really well!

Mike: Thanks!

Tonight sold out, last night sold out, so you are getting kids to your shows. Who exactly is headlining this tour? Tickets say Hidden In Plain View, yet The Academy Is also seems to be headlining?

Mike: It's a co-headlining tour. We switch off.

Halycon Daze was performed as an acoustic song last night; is that something that you've been doing for the whole tour?

Mike: It's been in the regular setlist on this tour. We rehearsed it before hand; we toyed with ideas of trying to recreate the song the way it was on the record, but there is just way too much production on it. We'd have to have a lot more samples and maybe guest musicians. So we figured, let's just strip it down to the way it was originally written.

Do you think there will be any more acoustic music in the future?

Mike: It's tough to say. It depends on what kind of tour it is, what kind of show we have, what all we have going for us...

For the "Punk Goes 80's" album, did you pick the song or was it given to you?

Mike: We chose that song, and when it came to actually recording it, we didn't really rehearse beforehand. We kinda just got together at Rob's studio. Rob has a studio in his house, so we recorded it all there. We kinda just set up everything and wrote every part as it came. We tried to just make it as 80's as possible, you know. We even threw in the little 80's metal beat.
Chris: We set up the room; we tried to like, get in the 80's mood. We set up the room like a little dojo from "Karate Kid" and like, Rob got in his underwear and started doing a karate demonstration and-
Mike:-Basically-
Chris: We recorded the song shortly after that. Basically.
Mike: Yeah, basically.

Basically. [laughter]

Chris: Mr. Miagi showed up, too.
Mike: He was awesome.
Chris: He brought some Japanese food.
Mike: He played the synth.
Chris: He brought the teriyaki.
Mike: Yeah, all the synth, he played all the synth on that song. [laughter]

What bands would you like to tour with that you have not already toured with?

Chris: Uhhhhhh...
Mike: Jimmy. Eat. World.
Chris: Yeah, I'd say them.
Mike: Can it be a band that broke up, and we're going to get them back with the power of our touring?

Sure.

Mike: All right, At The Drive In!
[At this point on my recording, I could hear someone shout "Alice Cooper!" and then a bunch of people laughing, but I don't remember it happening. It could have been another band member, or just some random person. We may never know.]
Chris: Ahhh dude, I had one the other day. I can't remember now!

Awe, you were fantasizing. [laughter]

Chris: I was thinking about some crazy, like fat boys reunion or something else crazy.

Awesome. Well, that's it. Thank you guys, I really appreciate your time. Both: Thank you very much.

Interview By: Candice