Interview by Rachel Jablonski, Jake Masters, & Karen Anderson
Unless you're from Northern Virginia or Maryland or you frequent My Space in search of new bands (http://www.myspace.com/51peg) there is a good chance you haven't yet heard of 51 Peg. And even if you have, how much do you really know about the band? Information on the internet regarding 51 Peg is sparse and rather vague. So just who is this mysterious foursome and what should you know about their music?
Jake/Karen/Rachel: There isn’t a lot of informational background on 51 Peg found on the web. Can you tell us how you all met and got started? Why did you pick the band name that you did?
Carlo: Basically I had seen Jeff perform in one of his previous bands and when it came time to audition a singer in the band I was in, Jeff was on my short list of guys to track down. He came out and did great, but the other clowns in my band didn’t like his voice. I bailed on that band to jam with Jeff, Brian and Joe who is no longer in the band. When we decided to incorporate synth into the band we brought Jaime on board and here we are 5 years later. As far as the name 51 Peg it's the name of a star in the Pegasus constellation. Basically it is a sun which has planets orbiting it which many SETI researchers look to as a possible place where other life in this universe could exist.
Jake/Karen/Rachel: Your first release, Strange Appointments, was a phenomenal effort. Please give us some insight into that album as far as what direction you were pursuing, what was accomplished with the release, and where it may still be available for listening pleasure.
Brian: Strange
Appointments was actually a very slapped together fly by the seat of our
pants recording. We had barely gotten used to playing vdrums, keys, etc
and all of a sudden we are writing an album and recording in an amazing
studio. Probably all of that helped and hurt at the same time. Whatever
the vibe was, it can never be recreated. We recorded under much
duress and while it was great, I am not sure any of us would ever want
to go through that again! You can still buy Strange Appointments through
our website www.51peg.com or at any of our shows.
Jake/Karen/Rachel: ESC/CTRL is the latest album, great title. How did you decide on the name? Tell us about the album from your standpoint as musician. What do you hope to get across to the listener most?
Brian: Well, I hope people see that we are not a one trick pony. We are NOT just another goth band or industrial band or what have you. We are who we are, we're not trying to BE anything like most bands are. This is us. Diverse backgrounds, diverse interests, united by a common anger for shitty music. (laughs)
Jake/Karen/Rachel: There was a significant period of time between album releases. Was there a reason for this?
Brian: Money, bitches, quitters, liars, money, steak salads, greed, and I forgot money
Jake/Karen/Rachel: What does “knob turner” mean to you?
Carlo: Knobs who turn knobs and think they’re creating music.
Jake/Karen/Rachel: What inspires the lyrics on the new album?
Carlo: Getting kicked in the teeth over and over again and not giving up despite of it.
Jake/Karen/Rachel: In the song “Thin Victory” there’s a line that says God help you if I catch you hooking your machine to mine. What does it mean?
Carlo: Well that line can have several meanings I guess, but if you’ve ever had you car towed repeatedly you kind of get the idea.
Jake/Karen/Rachel: An interesting aspect of the band is that you have no bassist. How does this work and how do you compensate to produce the rich sound that you do?
Brian: We all take turns with the ASS.
Jake/Karen/Rachel: Can you share some guitar secrets such as tuning and effects?
Carlo: Guitars are tuned pretty low on this record, I think you would call it “drop A.” Hmmm guitar secrets… well if I told you my secrets they wouldn’t be secret now would they.
Jake/Karen/Rachel: What do you think of the name Donkey?
Brian: I think if followed by the word "punch" it can quite amusing.
Jake/Karen/Rachel: Are there any future endorsements on the horizon? Are you interested in joining a record label or do you prefer the control of being independent?
Brian: Unless somebody with drive and belief and, here's that word again, - money- comes along, I personally am content with being independent.
Jake/Karen/Rachel: What’s better tuna or the color yellow?
Carlo: Yellow tail tuna
Jake/Karen/Rachel: What’s coming up for 51 Peg?
Brian: Hopefully bigger and better things, hopefully another recording in the future, hopefully lots of hot groupies, but mainly a lot of knob turning in the meantime.
Jake/Karen/Rachel: Anything
else you would like to add?
Carlo: All things are linked
to metanoia therefore they can not be understood.