PAUL: “Hey Dustin, can you give the good old folks in the UK a quick history of the band and let us know who you sound like?”
DUSTIN: “We were just 5 bored kids in a small town with jack shit to do…and then jack left town. So we decided to get together and write some songs…i guess it worked out. Started playing shows… got a following. Everything has been Peaches and Herb ever since. We sound like Slayer if they got divorced and started writing songs about stuff like their feelings. Or like Bad Religion, if they got pissed off, quit music for good, and gave us their instruments. Some say we sound like Strung-Out
with the singer from Longfellow. BOW is Dustin G-vocals, Alex-Drums, Mike- bass/backups, Erik-Guitar, Brett-loud guitar.
PAUL: “You come from the same area as bands like Whippersnapper and Bigwig. What is the local scene like and how much of an influence have those guys been on you?”
DUSTIN: “The local scene in Atlanta isn’t huge, but its decent. I love all the bands from around here. I really dig that we don’t have a
“specified” sound like in some areas. All our bands are different. Whippersnapper was a huge influence on us…they are really great guys. Aside from that we have lots of great underground Talent around here… Like No Cigar, those guys rock my socks…you should check them out too.”
PAUL: “Who came up with the name ‘Better Off Worse‘?”
DUSTIN: “I am not really sure…I was the last member to join BOW, but i think it was alex(drummer) and Erick (Geetar) because they were tired of the name Jet Lag.”
PAUL: “Aside from the local bands, which bands both past and present have influenced the BOW sound?”
DUSTIN: “Jeez, there are so many…Ten Foot Pole, Slayer,Nofx, Bigwig, Whippersnapper, Douglas, Mock Orange, Bon Jovi… and so on and so forth.”
PAUL: “You just let Punktastic put up an exclusive track off your new record for MP3, what can we expect from the new CD? Is there a name/release date for it yet?”
DUSTIN: “Man… The new CD will rip. Our Music’s pretty complex as it is, but the new stuff is at a whole new level. Alex ( drummer ) and
Brett (guitar) write most of the music and do a damn fine job at it. I think of our songs now as like actual pieces of music…they just blow me away. Most of the guitar on the new stuff is totally different…like each guitar plays something totally different thru the whole song…its weird but it works. As for Titles i am not sure , i was thinking “Getting Away With Murder…” but we will see… The new record should be out in a few months.”
PAUL: “On the subject of MP3’s, how important do you think the Internet is for young and unsigned bands nowadays?”
DUSTIN: “Internet= the shit. It’s a great tool for bands these days. It’s a rad way to let people all over the world hear your jams…which for some small bands wouldn’t be possible because in music money is a definite issue.”
PAUL: “What has been the most memorable show that you guys have played and why was it so damn good?”
DUSTIN: “Well there are 2: Warped Tour 2000 because i was like holy shit… I’M playing on the warped tour, and it was our first outta state show…we had a blast. 2nd was at Under the Couch on the GA Tech campus w/ Reach The Sky and The Stryder(Equal Vision)…It was the first i had ever
seen The Stryder and they just blew me way…great guys too. Word up Pete, John and Scotty.”
PAUL: “If you could put together the best bill in the world, yourselves and three other bands, which others would play and where would the gig be
held?”
DUSTIN: “Better Off Worse featuring Slayer, Grade and Bigwig at Bretts wedding.”
PAUL: “What was the last thing that made you cry?”
DUSTIN: “When I lost every cd I had ever owned on a trip to Universal Studios.”
PAUL: “What was the last lie that you told and why did you do it?”
DUSTIN: “No Officer, there is nothing in the car I swear!”
PAUL: “If you weren’t in a band right now what would you be doing?”
DUSTIN: “Probably working at some fast food place dreaming about being in a band. I have always wanted to do this and truly love it.”
PAUL: “Fearless Records are just about to release ‘Punk Goes Pop’. It’s a compilation where a load of cool bands cover pop songs. If you were
asked to be part of it, which pop song would you cover and why?”
DUSTIN: “FEARLESS RECORDS! Quite possibly the best record label of all time. (BLOUNT-R.I.P.) Um.. I don’t really know. We have been talking about the Gin Blossoms ‘Hey Jealousy’ for a while…so i think we would do that one.”
PAUL: “Finally, if you had three wishes what would you wish for?”
DUSTIN: “1.To be on Fearless Records.
2.To be on Fat Wreck Chords.
3. To be on Fearless Records again.”
PAUL: “Thanks a lot dude.”
DUSTIN: “Thanks Paul and Dan, we love you. Clear a path motherfucker, I’M going home! Thanks for reading.”