Interview With 'Eat Sleep Catapult'

Firstly, introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about the band and how you came to be?

Jacob: Hi, my name is Jacob and I play guitar.

Rease: Hello I’m Rease and I’m the vocalist.

Scott: I’m Scott and I’m the drummer! I’m originally from New Jersey and have been playing my drums since the age of 7.

Tyler: Hi I’m Tyler and I play bass.

Dan: Dan, and I get in the way. (smirk) Actually, I also play guitar.

The band came to be by chance, thanks to a Craigslist ad posted by Rease. He put the ad out after splitting with a band that had different views on a polarizing subject. Scott got his start in a Jazz trio until 2015 when he took a hiatus from drums. Following a fateful concert with a friend, he was talked back into playing again 2 years later. Jacob had little experience prior to this project but likes to play Pop-Punk and has a solid “lick library”, so he decided to pick up the guitar. Dan originally joined the band as a bassist. The original second guitar player had to move to Virginia, so Dan stepped up to the six string. Before, Tyler worked a soul sucking job at wal-mart and chose to follow his passion playing bass in a Punk band, instead of playing Classic rock.

What were you all up too prior to the band, was this always the chosen path or did you have other dreams and aspirations?

Tyler: I wanted to be a comedian. You can connect with people on such an intimate level and make people happy (with a lot less gear).

Rease: I’ve been in bands so long I can’t remember. Kinda always wanted to be in a band. I’m a maintenance technician currently.

Scott: I’m currently a supply chain manager at Purina! The dream one day is to get the music paying as much but for now, someone’s gotta pay for these band expenses!

Jacob: At the age of four I wanted to be a race car driver!

Dan: I’ve been playing music and touring nationally for the last 7-8 years. Before that, I was gonna study chiropractic and follow in my belated fathers footsteps.

Tell us about your latest EP and why our readers should check it out.

Our debut EP, 'Little Did You Know…' was a blast to write and record and I think many of our listeners will really enjoy it. While we are classified as a Pop Punk band, the music from this EP is very eclectic. We took a lot of ideas and themes from previous projects and molded them into a style that was unique to us. We also had a few songs in which we wrote as a band from start to finish. A lot of credit has to go to Rease, who really quarterbacked the songwriting process and made the vision of what this band is today into reality. We then fine-tuned the tracks even more, once we went to Reach Audio in Springfield MO and worked with the EP’s producer, Kevin Gates. There is not enough credit that can go to that man, who really took those songs and elevated to the point that you can experience on the EP. But really, I think no matter who listens to this EP, there is something for everyone. Our single, 'Buspirone', will appeal to the hardcore fans of the Pop Punk genre, with its fast-paced, never-take-your-foot-off-the-gas-pedal style but for a more head bobbing, sing-along-in-your-car Rock sound, 'Bridges' and 'I Can't' are there.

Have you ever come face to face with someone within the music scene who has left you awestruck and why?

Dan: Oh yeah, this one time I met the lead singer of The Agonist because my school had won a chance to be on MTV’s “Made”. I figured she’d be a pretty cool cat but to honest she was pretty cold. One time while doing a dress rehearsal for the shooting of the show I ended up opening a door that she was also, unfortunately, opening. I won the fight since the hinge was on her side and I practically plowed this chick with a door. Definitely deserved to get chewed out but JEEZ was she angry. I was awestruck that I had learned that day to not meet your heroes.

Jacob: This has happened to me on more than one occasion for sure. But the first instance I remember was meeting Tim McIlrath from Rise Against at a vinyl shop in St. Louis when I was in High School. Mind you Rise Against was my middle school/high school band so this was like meeting your idol and everything that’s made you who you are. Luckily enough he had a smile on his face and was super cordial to share a few minutes of conversation with me.

If we were to head out to one of your live shows what can ourselves and others expect?

If you got there before we started you'd probably see us making fun of each other and talking about something you probably shouldn't put in a Webzine. Onstage, we move around a lot, like a lot, and try to make everyone feel comfortable with doing the same. We have only had 2 shows to date, so our live performance is still evolving. We are still learning to gel as a band in a live setting but I think if you come check us out you’ll be in store for a fun time that will make you want to come out for another performance in the future. We aim for a good balance of musicianship and showmanship and with each performance, we are seeing significant improvement in that. There is also a 50% chance you will see one of us in a kimono, if that is any incentive.

If you had one artist/band that you could go on tour with tomorrow who would it be and why?

Rease: Normally I would say Blink-182, but seeing as Tom DeLonge isn’t in the band anymore, it’s just not as special to me. I miss his quirky attitude and mediocre vocals. So since they are out of the question I would have to say Taking Back Sunday, because who the hell doesn’t like Taking Back Sunday, am I right?

Scott: Foo Fighters.

Jacob: Silverstein or The Amity Affliction.

Tyler: I'd like to tour with Bowling For Soup. They have great energy and don't take themselves super seriously, I think that's really important. I believe we'd fit right in. Also, maybe Tyler the Creator. His music, show, and crowd are the weirdest I've ever seen and it'd be a dope thing to be apart of.

Dan: The Aquabats or Fugazi. Those guys embody the DIY spirit and I’m sure there would be so much to learn from them. If I had an international choice, The Wombats and The Pillows (Japan) also fit the bill.

You can spend an hour with a musical icon living or dead, who would you pick, why and what would you speak about?

Dan: The leader of the Illuminati. He controls everything and might throw us a bone.

Jacob: Many would say Hendrix right? Believe me I want to as a guitarist and musician, but I think honestly it would be quite interesting to spend some time with Liam Gallagher formerly of Oasis. I always loved the band’s eccentric attitude. I bet that man has enough stories to tell of their tours of the world to write almost 5 different biographies!

And finally and most importantly is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?

Only if The Rock can undo the role where he was a tooth fairy.

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