[Interview] Runner Runner #2

Hit the jump to see another interview with Runner Runner.

Me: My first question is, when your CD comes out in December, do you guys plan on having a full US tour after it?

Nick: Yes. After the release we were going to be on tour like crazy. We are not sure exactly when it’s going to start because of the holidays, but we will be touring a bunch in December and we will be right back on the road in January, after the New Years. So were still getting all the dates worked out now, but expect to see us on the road coming to see you this winter. Very excited.

Me: Do you guys plan to go overseas anytime soon, or are you sticking to the United States right now?

Nick: You know, that’s a good question. Uh.. We can’t wait to go overseas we’ve been in japan before and it was great. I’ve never been to Europe or Australia… But we also have so much love here. I feel like we have a lot of work to do here before we can get over seas. So hopefully sometime next year but most likely later in the year because we really wanna hit the US hard and play lots of shows and let everyone here know about our album first, before we take it elsewhere, take it worldwide.

Me: Do you guys have a favorite venue to play at or a city?

Nick: My favorite venue.. I have a few of them actually. Love the 9:30 club in Washington DC, that place is awesome.

Me: Yea it is

Nick: I love the Welter in Los Angeles. I love.. Man, this is a great question. Most House of Blue’s are pretty great and I really like Metro in Chicago

Me: Do you have any interesting tour stories you have to share?

Nick: Interesting tour stories, man, every day is a story. Let’s see, we had a crazy experience on the Secondhand Serenade tour in Boston. Where after the show we were all parked in the back of the venue and it was downtown Boston and there was a strip of clubs, like night clubs, right there… So come 2AM when all the clubs are getting out there was a bunch of just drunk meathead dudes walking around on the street. And we were all walking around partying with Secondhand Serenade, love those guys, on their bus and for some reason or another each of us left their bus left their bus for whatever reason moments before these drunk meathead dudes walked up to their bus and started picking a fight with the guys that were standing outside. They then proceeded to beat those guys up and then go on the bus and beat up the rest of the band. The whole band and crew got beat up by a bunch of drunk meathead local Boston guys and I felt so bad for them because they had black eyes, bruises, and stiches. Not only did we avoid getting in the fight by minutes, but those guys were such troopers sticking it out and making it to the next show and playing with black eyes and being like “yo man we got in a fight last night but you should see the other guy” even though the other guy probably didn’t get a scratch on him. They were just like, you know how drunk jerks can be, so we avoided that, luckily Runner Runner did and I gotta give props to Secondhand Serenade for being good sports about it and you know, not cancelling any shows. What a crazy experience. I still have all the love in the world for Boston because that could have happened anywhere, but it was definitely an interest tour story to say the least

Me: Do you have any personal favorite concerts you have been to, whether you were playing in it, or an audience member?

Nick: That’s a great question. My personal favorite concert would be, the first concert I ever went to which was The Rolling Stones and Counting Crows opened. It was at RFK stadium in Washington DC. That was amazing. When I was at that show I just had a feeling that I wanted to play in an arena, and I wanted to play in a band that drew that many people and had that many fans. Then from there the last couple years we played Christmas Shows, All Time Low in Baltimore at Rams Head Live, that’s always been an awesome show. We are really good friends with those guys so that’s been great. We have been playing a lot of radio shows recently and that’s really fun. We did one with The Ready Set and Hot Chelle Rae. It’s cool to play with different artists sometimes, it’s really awesome.

Me: You mentioned your radio shows, how have those, as well as your recent TV appearances affected the band?

Nick: Playing radio shows and playing on TV is a tremendous help for the band. We love the radio, we love the TV and pop music. We love the chance for people to hear us. Anyway we can do that we are excited about. I think having a song on the radio isn’t only a dream come true for me and the rest of the guys, I also think it’s a great way to get your music out there. I’ve found some of my favorite bands on the radio like Third Eye Blind and The Goo Goo Dolls and The Killers, so it’s really cool for us to have that opportunity. Also to play on Letterman was such a surreal experience, Sullivan theatre in New York City is such a famous stage. The Beatles have played on that stage, James Brown, Bob Dylan, it was an honor to share the stages with some of the great acts we grew up listening to. What an awesome experience and I hope that it gives us more exposure and the chance for people to see us like that. We are fired up!

Me: What got you into writing and recording music?

Nick: What got me into writing and recording music? Honestly, I’ve always been a huge music fan. I’ve always loved the guitar and the way great songs make you feel. When I was 16 years old my best friend passed away from a freak accident. He was so inspiring to me because before he passed away, he loved music. He had an extreme passion for it. For his age he was already writing songs, booking shows, putting together bands. He was recording, he bought recording equipment, he could play many instruments. You could just tell he had a life set out for him, he was like “I am going to be in the music world for the rest of my life” and I just admired that drive so much. I couldn’t believe that someone for being so young had so many goals and dreams and aspirations. When he passed away I think the only thing that got me through it was music. Hearing songs that really affected me and touched me and helped me get over the loss of such a close friend. All these songs that helped me mourn his death and come to terms with the way life can be. After that, I finally realized that music was the heal of my soul from such a loss I realized that all his goals became mine and now I wanted to write songs and play music and help people in such a way that I was helped. If we can write a song that helps someone get over the loss of a family member or friend, that’s like the ultimate for me. That’s the best accomplishment and the best feeling. If I can write something that helps someone get over something tough in their life, then I think that is what a great song is all about.

Me: You’re recent acoustic album, do you ever think you will release that in a physical version?

Nick: That’s a good question. I hope so, I am going to make a call and be like “Yo, let’s make this a physical version”. I think it will be, but right now it’s all digitally. I would like it to be a physical copy because, hey the more the merrier. The more music you have out there the better whether its digital or an actual CD. I think it would be a cool package, buy a CD for a low price and get both, the acoustic CD and a full record. So I’m not sure the answer of that, but you have sparked my curiosity and now I want to look into that, call up the label and be like “yo guys, my boys at Rewritethescene.com said it would be good idea so let’s hook it up!”

Me: Alright, I have one last question and then we are done.

Nick: Aw man! Come on! Let’s keep going!

Me:  Alright, do you personally prefer writing and recording or touring?

Nick: What a great question. I am very torn on that. I. Love. Writing. I am such a passionate song writer. I’m working on music all day, whether imp at home or on the road. And of course being at a studio recording the ideas is a great feeling, but I think going on tour is a great thing too because you want to connect with people and play them your songs in person. It’s a great way to get out there, and promote your music and your band. Touring is a great thing. So I say both are equally as important, but you know, when I’m 50 years old I’m not sure if I will be touring as much as I am now, but I will definitely be writing. So I think song writing ranks first in my book, but touring is a very close second.

Me: What is your guitar set up like?

Nick: I have a Fender Telecaster, and I’m saving up for a Gibson Les Paul, and I play it through a Marshall GTM 2000, the 50 watt version so you can run it a little hotter, and I have Mesa Boogie Cabinet and a pedal board with some various effects, such as one with a volume pedal, delay, compression pedal, and a noise suppressor. I like to run my set up wireless so I can get all over the stage. Sometimes it’s fun to walk into the middle of the crowd during a song, it depends on the stage set up.

Me: This is a personal question now, but in high school what were your favorite classes to take?

Nick: My high school classes… I went to a college for engineering so I was definitely really into science and math. My best subjects were chemistry and its nice when you have chemistry with girls too, I love that. Chemistry and I really liked trigonometry, and I also took a writing class I took called theory of knowledge, where we basically took quotes from ancient philosophers and basically had to write a 2000 word essay explaining what these quotes meant. Citing different references and bringing up counter points and stuff like that. So I say, chemistry, math, and creative writing.

Me: Do you have any favorite quotes from this writing class?

Nick: Actually yes. There was a Japanese proverb that I enjoyed. It said “Vision without action is a daydream. And action without vision is a nightmare”. I really like that quote because you gotta have both. You gotta have vision and action.

Me: Alright, and that is my last question. Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions!

Nick: No problem Joe!

Tags: Interview Runner Runner