EVERGREEN TERRACE
One of the breaking indie hxc bands in the USA at this moment is Evergreen Terrace. They just released their album "Losing All Hope Is Freedom", a great piece of melodic hardcore. We caught up with one of their guitar players, XJoshuaX. Interview installed in September 2001.

 

David: Okay, the obvious first question... Please tell us a little about the line-up and the history of the band. How long it exists, previous bands, how you guys hooked up etc.

Joshua: Andrew - vocals, Jason - bass, Craig - guitar/vocals, Chris- drums, Joshua (me) - guitar.
Well we first started in the last few weeks of December of 1999. At the time it was our drummer, singer, a different bass player, and one guitar player. In January 2000 I joined as second guitar. We played our first show after only being together for 5hrs. as "The Backpack Boys" cause we thought the band was a joke. Later we all became serious about it and started practicing consistently.
Previous bands, hmmm.....well some of us have been in thug rap groups, punk bands, ska bands (Jason...haha), emo bands, and a few hardcore bands. There are way to many to talk about.

David: What bands were the biggest influences on you ?

Joshua: If you mean for the band then I would say...Codeseven, U2, Weezer, Throwdown, Shai Hulud, and any 80's band that used keyboards.

David: Many people compare your sound with Strongarm, Shai Hulud and Poison The Well. Is it a coincidence that all these bands come from Florida as well ?

Joshua: No... it was planned.

David: That's what I thought, haha... It's a conspiracy. So where does the band's name come from ?

Joshua: It is the street the Simpson's live on.

David: Done any touring outside Florida so far ?

Joshua: Summer or '99 we toured for about a month in the mid-west. And the past summer we toured for a little over a month up and down the east coast, and a little of the northern east-west.

David: Why a U2 cover on your album and why "Sunday Bloody Sunday" in particular ?

Joshua: Um...we all just liked the song, not a real great story behind that, and uh we were bored.

David: You write X’es around your name. I assume you’re straight-edge then ? What about the (rest of the) band ?

Joshua: I am straight edge, but no one else in the band is.

David: The artwork of your cd is done by Davey Quiggle. It’s awesome. How did it come to him doing it ? And is there / what is the symbolic meaning of it ?

Joshua: Well we all thought that everything that he had done was awesome, so we e-mailed him and he gladly excepted. The whole cover was his idea, we really didnt give him any input and never saw anything untill it was finished. It was weird cause he had never heard our music but I think the cover goes along with it for some odd reason. You can make a symbolic meaning out of it if you want. When a person looks at it they would most likely see an angel pulling someone out of hell, that would go with the whole being "saved' by Jesus deal.

David: Do you mind if people call you a “christian band” ? What is the band’s view on spreading God’s word ?

Joshua: Actually we would rather not be called or labeled a christian band. Sometimes people will never even give you a chance if you are christian or even non-christian. We just want to rock out and have a good time. Now as far as our views on spreading God's word.....we don't preach on stage or anything like that. If people want to know what we personally believe then we will share it with them with no problem. We reach people better on a personal level.

David: What are the band’s dreams for the future ?

Joshua: Just want to rock it out like a masacus. Hopefully we will be touring a lot more, get out a new album, and go on tour with Metallica and Slipknot, ha.

David: Hehehe... speaking of those bands.... what does hardcore mean to you ?

Joshua: It means you have to wear running shoes, bandanas, and claim your area code.

David: From totally negative to totally positive: what’s the worst experience the band ever had until now, and what’s the best ?

Joshua: Good question. The worst experience ever was probably the Cornerstone 2001 festival. In the middle of our set the power went out for 5 hours (so we never got to finish), 3 people in the band were really really sick. We never knew where we were sleeping until it came time. No one had any money, clean clothes, or food. It was just crappy. Luckily we have good bumming skills and were able to get money for food, ha.
Best experience would possibly be the tour that we just did this summer. We were all really surprised on how good it turned out. Everything went smooth. The shows were good, met some awesome bands and kids, we didnt starve, and we never broke down!

David: Is it hard to get good shows in your area ?

Joshua: No, it is pretty easy. Sometimes there will be like 400 kids and then sometimes only 30, it is a really weird place I think.