PAUL: “Hey. How would you describe Nerf Herder to anyone who has been daft enough to not have become initiated with the band?”
PARRY: “We are an Adam Ant tribute band. We wear pirate suits and everything.”
PAUL: “How (if at all) has the band changed since the last full length album, ‘How To Meet Girls’ was released?”
PARRY: “We are much older and grumpier. Also, even though we’ve played many shows over that time we have become much worse musicians. However, ‘American Cheese’ is a much more rocking CD than the last. I’m not sure why.”
PAUL: “How did the recording process of the new record go? Had you decided that there would be no radical changes in the sound, going with the adage ‘if it ain’t broke why fix it?'”
PARRY: “‘American Cheese’ is a somewhat experimental record. ‘How To Meet Girls’ was very expensive, with what seemed like millions of takes for each song. Every note was picked apart and re-recorded. I felt like a lab rat when I was doing my vocals. As an experiment, on our new CD we recorded lots of songs real fast with little or no preparation. I was drunk much of the time. This CD was a lot cheaper to do. Some inexpensive Squier guitars were employed. The first song ‘Welcome
To My World’ is actually the same drum track as our old song ‘Down On Haley’ from our first record. I just wrote new music over it. Most takes were first or second time. That’s why the whole thing is so rocking. Our next CD will be even cheaper and more half-assed, and therefore, a total masterpiece.”
PAUL: “Why should we all go out and buy ‘American Cheese’ after reading this interview?”
PARRY: “All I can say is, you’re either “down”, or you’re a “clown”. (I’m not sure what that means).”
PAUL: “Did you ever think the Buffy theme would ever have been so big when you first went and recorded it for the show?”
PARRY: “No. It is still shocking to me. It is perhaps the single most lucky thing that has ever occured in Nerf Herder‘s existance. The company we had just signed to, Arista, was totally against it. They thought it would be an embarrassment to them. They argued that our name should be smaller in the credits. Look whose laughing now!”
PAUL: “What expectations do you have for the new record? Are any targets set in terms of feedback or even sales before the cd is released?”
PARRY: “I expect it will get terrible reviews and mediocre sales, just like the Velvet Underground’s debut album. Then, thirty years later, it will be celebrated as a landmark genius masterwork, and I will be hanging out with a really old Lou Reed. Or so I hope.”
PAUL: “What did you think when ‘Van Halen’ exploded all over the radio? Did you ever get any feedback from the band whether they liked the song or not?”
PARRY: “Sammy Hagar really hated the song, and us. The Van Halen brothers liked it, although we never actually got to meet them. David Lee Roth was suspiciously quiet about the whole thing.”
PAUL: “Same question about Courtney Love… what did she think about ‘Courtney’? And would you really want her to sit on your face? I mean she’s been about a bit dude…”
PARRY: “Sure, I’d let her sit on my face, although I might ask her to keep her pants on. I heard she thought the song was “weird”, which it is. At least she didn’t murder us.”
PAUL: “Any chance of playing a full UK tour anytime soon? I know there’s the London gig, but for us folk up North we can’t always make it down there…(hint, hint…)”
PARRY: “We will be touring all over your country. Our goal is to eat at every Little Chef.”
PAUL: “What did you think to Star Wars Episode II?”
PARRY: “I thought it was great. I could have done with less romance on the grassy field, and more fighting, more explosions, and more of Natalie Portman in that tight white space suit thing.”
PAUL: “We also asked some of our regular readers what questions they wanted to ask you and here are a few of them: What is your favourite brand of American Cheese?”
PARRY: “Kraft. I just leave the plastic wrapper on. It’s delicious.”
PAUL: “How do you actually meet girls?”
PARRY: “Meeting them is easy. You can do that anywhere. It’s having sex with them that’s the problem. I’m still working on that. Give me a few months.”
PAUL: “Have you noticed any Goths turning up to Nerf Herder shows because of the Buffy theme?”
PARRY: “Oh yes. Some have even worn plastic fangs. I like Goths, they are generally really nice people.”
PAUL: “Finally, what are you going to do the second after you stop answering my stupid questions?”
PARRY: “If I told you, I would have to kill you.”