Q&A with Portland's THROW!
Throw is one of my favorite bands to go see. And lucky me I get to see them whenever I want because we happen to live in the same beautiful city. They just came out with a new music video for their song “I Guess We’re Not Splitting Utilities Anymore” so I took the opportunity to nerd out on them and ask them some questions.
What’s the lyrical theme behind this song and where did you get the idea of singing in the van?
Jake - Well I started writing the song about how my fiancé and I split after 11 years and then Mike helped me really hammer out the lyrics.
Mike – It’s a post break-up song about moving out, taken from real life experiences - including a gnarly sunburn Jake got at the Dog Beach in San Diego. It was Ryan's idea to do the singing in different positions for the video and Trevor did most of the filming.
When are your next shows and are you touring again soon?
Mike - We're playing with Jerk!, Never Better, and Friday Night Saints at the Twilight on 2/20. On 3/4 we're playing with The Cryptics, GFL, and Secnd Best at the Twilight. We're lucky enough to be playing La Escalera Fest in San Diego in early April. We’re working on a tour in August. Also Todd Fest.
Jake- We’re also playing with some friends from Seattle on 4/3 and then some different friends from Seattle on 4/4 before we head down to play La Escalara Fest. We’re playing Glam Rock on Pride weekend.
Any fun tour stories?
Jake - Kidnapping Jonny from Se Vende was pretty cool. He toured our last half with us and played acoustic sets. That guy is a blast!
Mike - Playing Tijuana was amazing, we played with some great bands and ate some great hotdogs. We also got a chance to get interviewed on 91x in San Diego with Se Vende. One of my favorite shows was Boise, we played an all ages show in a vegan cafe and a lot of people came out, we also got a bunch of pizza off a dumpster afterwards. Jonny’s wife gave me a really good haircut, one of their cats sat on my lap the whole time.
Ryan- This one time we got rear ended in Anaheim and the dude just turned off and got in the drive thru line at Chick fil a like nothing happened. Then Jake got our van stuck in a parking garage.
What’s your favorite Portland venue?
Jake - I like playing Twilight quite a bit. I’d like to play places like Kelly’s Olympian more often too!
Mike - Gil's (RIP) or my basement. I like small rooms with no stage.
Ryan- I really like playing in mikes basement!
Are you guys working on new material?
Jake - Yes! We’re going to start recording a new album soon!
Mike - We are in the process of writing enough songs for a full length right now. We've played one live and plan on playing a second one for the first time this Thursday (2/20) at the Twilight with Jerk!
You guys used to be a four piece right?
Ryan- Yeah, we kinda still are...sometimes. It's complicated. We were a 5 piece for a few minutes on tour.
Mike - Throw was originally just Trevor and Ryan. Jake and I joined later. Trevor moved to Ohio and Throw has been a three piece ever since. Trevor did come back for our Bridge City Sessions and our Stay Sad Tour in July. We hope to have him back on the next tour.
Jake- Yeah but then Trevor divorced us and moved away.
Favorite records?
Jake - Every shitty pop punk record that exists.
Mike – Win Us Over by ASG, Fambly 42 by Toys That Kill, everything that Shang-A-Lang put out. Big Lizard In My Backyard is a staple. Albert Square and Hard Girls did a split like 6 years ago that I could listen to on repeat forever.
Ryan- King of the Road by Fu Manchu is the most perfect record ever written. I've also been really into the first Dire Straits record lately.
Shout outs to other bands! Who should we all be checking out?
Mike - Se Vende, Mangy, Ghost Ring, Titty Babies, FCON. I've been listening to Regulars by Dead Bars and Songs in the Key of Bummer by Kids On Fire lately.
Jake - Despero, Mable’s Marbles, Creature Party, Dead Bars, the M Section, Triple Lutz, GFL, Old Cross, Burn Burn Burn, lots more
Ryan- I've been really digging the new record from Utility from Portland. Super heavy two piece! Also shout out to Severely Dehydrated, Chris Cross Band, Never Better: Portland's number one Fools Rush cover band, Slutty Mennonites, Gas Frank Laundry, Friday Inquisition, and The Imbibed as well as a ton of other good ass homies I can't think of clever ways to mispronounce
Check out Throw @ Twilight this Thursday with Never Better, Friday Night Saints and Jerk!
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