How would you classify your music?

J-ME : Aggressive hard-core.
JAY : Some people call it metal, some call it thrash, or crossover. Our roots are in punk/hard-core and our current style is an evolution of all of the past and present band members and their various backgrounds.

Do you all have day jobs and if so what do you do?

ANDY : I'm going to school for graphic design
J-ME : I reckon I kill people.
JAY : I'm a web site developer.
JOE : It depends on the month, I'm a pimp by night.

How did the band get together?

JAY : J-me and I started out jamming together in our basement doing Misfits covers. We started getting together with other people and started a political punk band called Conspiracy. Later we had an identity crisis and changed our name to Ripsnorter. We got sick of the direction we were going and started experimenting more and exploring more avenues.
J-ME : Yeah what Jay said.
ANDY : J-me asked if I wanted to be in a band, so I thought I'd better start to learn how to play guitar. He gave me a CD and said I had 3 weeks to learn it.
JOE : They needed someone who was actually able to play bass.

What are your musical backgrounds?

J-ME : Skin flute.
JAY : I started to play drums because that's the hardest position to fill. Besides playing the recorder in elementary school, that's it.
ANDY : I'd had a guitar for several years, but never took it too seriously until I met up with these guys.
JOE : What's a musical background?

What kind of music do you listen to when you're not playing?

JOE : Us.
ANDY : Mostly punk rock and death metal. Oh and redneck porch jams!
J-ME : Misfits, Bad Religion, Brian Setzer Orchestra.
JAY : Freedom Rock! Twisted fucking Sister! Nah, Misfits, Mid 80's hard-core, Undead, Conflict, Crucifix, and LARD! Lard totally kicks my ass.

What do you do to relax?

JOE : I drink cheap beer.
J-ME : I learn a new programming language, it puts me to sleep.
ANDY : Play a lot of video games, hang out with friends. Drink.
JAY : Sit on my ass.

If you had a chance to jam with any band, who would that be?

J-ME : Misfits or Danzig.
JAY : Yeah, what he said. Or Lard! Lard kicks my ass!
ANDY : Bad Religion or Penny-wise.
JOE : The Pixies.

What's the best thing that's ever happened to you?

ANDY : Playing my first show? I dunno.
JOE : Nothing good ever happens to me.
J-ME : They put Rystal in Return of the Jedi. (Jabba's new dancer for those of you who are novices in the world of Star Wars.)
JAY : They re-released the Star Wars Trilogy in theaters again.

What's the worst thing that's ever happened to you?

JOE : Nothing bad ever happens to me.
JAY : Mr. Even steven (referring to Joe)
ANDY : I met the Flaming Lips. (puke) They gave me a zit.
J-ME : I mixed Captain Morgan's and cider together…yaghhh

Who writes the songs?

JAY : J-me and I pretty much write everything. The other guys get their two cents in every once in awhile, but J-me and I have been through this whole band thing together from the beginning, so most of the material has come through us.
J-ME : Yeah, what he said

Where do you get your inspiration from?

J-ME : Thinking.
JAY : Movies, tv, the news
JOE : I don't have any inspiration.

Who thought of the bands name and how did you choose it?

J-ME : We found it in the dictionary.
JAY : An old band member and I found it when we were having our identity crisis. After no debate whatsoever, we changed our name.

Which are your personal favorite songs and why?

JAY : Hardware is a kickass song. It's kind of taking a new direction in our music.
J-ME : All the new shit kicks my ass.
ANDY : Box of Culture, because I hate television. Either that or Circle.
JOE : Return of the Living Dead. I like the riff the best. And it talks about eating brains.

Do you play many gigs and if so, where?

JAY : Every so often. Clubs we get to play in often close and soon there are no places to play. We try to put on a really good show whenever we get one.

What is your view of the music scene in the Minneapolis area?

ANDY : There's a strong punk scene here, and a lot of good bands, but there's a lot of attitude within the scene. There's also not many places for all-age shows unless you are playing in someone's basement.
JAY : It's kind of self-defeating and hypocritical how people treat "the scene." People are so caught up in attitude and cliques that it overshadows everything else.

What bands would you say have had the most influence on you?

JAY : The Misfits. I've been into them forever.
ANDY : Bad Religion. I can't get sick of them. I'm also way into the Misfits, Nausea, In Flames. Just tons of shit.
JOE : The Pixies, Sonic Youth, The Velvet Underground, The Beatles, and Mudhoney.
J-ME : The Misfits, Danzig is the only reason I play solos. NIN, and Brian Setzer Orchestra.

What are your plans for the future?

JAY : To drag this thing out as long as possible. Keep putting out really good music.
JOE : To win the powerball lottery.
ANDY : To play a lot more shows, record a lot more music, or fail miserably and play with computers all day instead.
J-ME : To be a decadent rock star, or be on Jerry Springer, whichever comes first.

Any last words or remarks?

J-ME : Do It Yourself.
JAY : Antidisestablishmentarianism.
ANDY : Jesus Christ! Put that in your pipe and smoke it! (referring to Jay's remark)
JOE: I never have any last remarks.

Contact Ripsnorter at :1797 Walnut Ln. St. Paul, MN 55122
WEBSITE : http://ripsnorter.com
E-MAIL : ripitup@plan-9.com