Abhor: So first the particulars, state your name and what you do in the band.
The Aeffect: My name's aaorn, aaron on good spelling days. I sing mostly, play guitar here and there. I get lots of cuts, scrapes and bruises in the process.

Abhor: How did Cmj go? Who did you guys play with/any new plans come out of it?
The Aeffect: Cmj was incredible. I wasn't ready for how awesome it really was. I have no idea who we played with. Some emo band who had just opened for Dashboard Confessional, an Alt-rock band of Nu metal guys playing Country from Atlanta and a really cool electronic band from Germany that too few people payed any attention to. It was at cbgb's though,and its always been a dream of mine to go there just to go there to see a show or whatever. I never ever expected to actually play there.

Abhor: So although it's a pretty bland question...How did you guys get together? Was it hard in a sense to find other bandmates who had a likeminded interest in this type of music?
The Aeffect: I met steve back in grammar school. We were just wee tots and had a passion for music. Bradley came along not many years later after inheriting an old raggety electric drumset. I cant speak for bradley but I know that steve and I share a fond love of the pet shop boys.

Abhor: Who doesn't! Do you guys find it hard not to get tagged along with the two major socially acceptable indie groups with synthesisers (the faint and reggie and the full effect)?
The Aeffect- Yeah its hard to not get tagged along with other keyboard based bands, but I see them as being completely different than us in every way I can think of. I think in a perfect world our bands would all complement each other to form some sort of voltron-esque band.

Abhor: When trying to premote yourself how do you guys label yourselves?
The Aeffect: We're a rock band, plain and simple. Lots of keyboardy stuff and programming in a rock band. I think thats the difference. I wouldn't necessarily put us into a whole seperate genre for using a good amount of keyboards though. I mean devo was a punk rock band and then they were a new wave band... so which one is it?

Abhor:. So I know you guys must get this all the time, but I dont even know the full story. What exactly happened on this years warped tour between you guys and Good Charlotte?
The Aeffect: Ahhhh. Pass please.
Abhor: well with that said, do you feel the decision to kick you guys off the tour was just?
The Aeffect: sure.

Abhor: What's your current opinion of the state of music and where does the aeffect fit in?
The Aeffect: Music is pretty stale at this point. I've been ready for something new to hit for about the last 10 years. I'd call grunge an "explosion" and maybe the pop / nu-metal thing going on (fading out) could be referred to as a "sales boom"? There's always a good band popping up here and there, but I much prefer things on a grander scale for maximum social impact. I am still trying to figure out why Punk / New Wave / Grunge were so close together and then there has been barely anything interesting since. The Used are pretty interesting. Who knows? Maybe we're at the start of something.I'd say we probably dont really fit in. I know that we dont fit in here in gainesville, but at the same time that has never stopped nor bothered us.

Abhor: Besides the whole aformentioned debacle...how was warped tour? What was it like? How were the crowds? How hard is it on a less established band?
The Aeffect: (Steve, the bands keyboardist answers this one via telephone) It's like heaven and hell at the same time. It's not our crowd and that's hell, but at the same time we get to play to kids and open their minds. It's super hard work and it means playing and selling merch all day and driving all night and that doesn't leave much time for rest or leisure. Since aaron stayed up and drove every night that didnt leave much time for sleeping or getting away from people.

Abhor: What are some records that you have picked up recently and really liked?
The Aeffect:The new Mercury Rev and the latest Grandaddy are the last couple records I bought. Both are very enjoyable... I saw the Walkmen play in nyc and they were spectactular. I also heard some of the newest Kings of Convenience and I am itching to pick that one up.

Abhor: Not to urge you to talk shit, but have their been any records that have dissapointed you recently?
The Aeffect: Well not to be a weirdo, but I always expect the worst from a record so it's hard to get disappointed. I rarely buy a cd unless I've heard it and already like it. Was that a good dodge?
Abhor: That was rather crafty, yes.
The Aeffect: It is true though. I mean you know I work at a label (Fueled by Ramen) and all that good stuff and we get so many demos as it is, that I'm at a point where i just expect to dislike whatever is on a cd. It also makes the stuff I do like sound that much better.
Abhor: I come into contact with what I'm sure is a lot less music, but most of the time I feel the exact same way. When I hear something I find extraordinary it really strikes me.
The Aeffect: Yeah you understand. You have to do reviews which is even worse. When I dont like a band, I just throw the cd away and thats the end of it. You have to essentially write them a letter telling them how bad it was.

Abhor: From being in a band AND working at a label...How big of a dirty word has the "e" word become and do you find it's despise justified?
The Aeffect: I like elephants just fine, thank you.
Abhor: (laughs)
The Aeffect: Although I do think it is wrong to kill them for ivory, I will say that. Right... well emo, I dont know. Emo is a pretty old word. I dont think it became dirty until mineral so i pretty much blame it on them... no I dont know I dont give thought to that kind of thing much. Either i like a band or i don't, it's too much work to despise an entire genre assuming that emo is indeed a genre. I think of it more as a marketing term; they're just rock bands in sweaters to me.
Abhor: Have you ever read anywhere as your band being tagged as emo?
The Aeffect: nah i dont think i've seen that. One website said the album cover was emo and another site said they liked the girl's voice singing backups (me). But other than that….

Abhor: I saw recently that you guys are linked from the Jimmy Eat World website, cited as one of the guys favorite acts. If the opperunity arose would you consider taking a big tour like Jimmy Eat World?
The Aeffect: Sure, I'd want to tour with Jimmy Eat World. The band has put in a lot of hard work over the years and they deserve to be where they're at. I think it would be a fun tour and I think their core fans would understand us a little better than the crowd at this years warped tour
Abhor: Really? Were the crowds at the shows that perplexed?
The Aeffect: Yeah for sure. I mean it seems a very very small percent of people at Warped are there to learn about new music. They all want to see Nofx, Bad Religion and all the smaller Nofx and Bad Religion cover bands on the other stages. Trying to see it from their perspective... if I was 14 and my favorite style of music was really fast pop punk, I'd be turned off too.

Abhor: What are your general hopes for the band?...Where do you guys want to see yourself in the next couple of years?
The Aeffect: My only hopes are to visit places and people and release quality records. if we are still doing that in the next couple of years I will be happy as can be.
Abhor: did you guys see that one of the tool djs was wearing your t-shirt on more than one occasion?
The Aeffect: The band Tool?
Abhor: (laughs) No! One of the vjs on Mtv.
The Aeffect: Oh ok. I was about to cream myself…Yeah one of the Mtv vj's, Jim Shearer, came over to us at warped and caught our set. I think he dug it and he asked us for a tee shirt. Then he interviewed new found glory in it. Apparently he has worn it since and also emailed us back and forth. he has been very supportive of the band and it helps a lot. I think that speaks volumes on the vj. He's still supporting underground music and he doesnt know us or anything really. A genuine dude-a-bro who gives a fuck.

Abhor: That's a new one, I like that. You mentioned earlier that the gainsville scene isn't necessarily breeding bands like you guys...has that made things harder in the beginning?
The Aeffect: Yes, for sure. Gainesville is definitely a punk rock town. We're playing stuff that people here aren't used to hearing. If you think of the other bands that are big that are from gainesville: Less than Jake, Hot Water Music, As Friends Rust, Against Me, Discount, Gunmoll, Radon, etc. Our band was definitely meant to form in chicago or new york city. i dont know what happened to us. Over the last few years we have started building a following here but its a weird following. It's pulling from all the different music scenes... some of the punk kids here, some hardcore kids there, a few indie-rock kids over there etc etc

Abhor: If you could play on a dream bill with any bands(alive or dead) who would it be?
The Aeffect: Oh geez, how many bands is this bill?
Abhor: Let's say 3 or 4
The Aeffect: Not that this bill makes any sense but Nirvana, the Beach Boys, Lionel Richie and the Zombies.
Abhor: I like the wild card of Lionel Richie.
The Aeffect: Oh, hes a wild one alright.

Abhor: Define the word rock and roll or even still, punk rock and what that even means these days.
The Aeffect: Rock and Roll is just another kind of music. Punk rock is rock associated with the Punk movement. to me Punk means stickin' to yer guns. Not conforming, and doing what you want to do because you want to do it and you believe that it is right and just. punk is NOT something you buy at the mall!!!

Abhor: Do you feel that certain labels (cough:drive thru:cough) has watered down the genre in the past couple of years...just making it different type of pop music which is just as easily accesible to the mainstream but just covered up in supposed street cred? (phew)
The Aeffect: It's possible that this is happening, but it's just as important to point the finger at the bands that are letting this happen to themselves. Ignorance is no exception. there are all sorts of bands that will sit there and whine and complain about the atrocities that they have incurred due to Label X... What did these fools sign? What did they agree to? If the label is able to hold them to something they do not like, then the band has already compromised themselves and their music by signing such a contract... all in the name of fame, money and sex.

Abhor: A very valid good point.Was there anything that has inspired you over the years (musical or not) to keep on going? follow up question, do you feel that kids these days have very little respect/homage to music in the past?
The Aeffect: Yeah theres been a lot of tiny events here and there that have kept me going or inspired me. It would be too much to go through them all. Various topics of events include overcoming hardship, proving people wrong, and helping others/being helped. And I dont think its that kids disrespect the music of the past, perhaps they just havent been exposed to it or don't recognize that without band x, band y could never have existed as it did.

Abhor: So what are your future plans for the band? Would u guys want to go to a major or any certain label?
The Aeffect: We're sitting on a ton of songs right now. Trying to figure out what to do with them... when and where. I think we'll do a small ep or something and then come out with our first full length in 2003. I am down with any label that is supportive of the band, does not want us to compromise our music or beliefs and are good people. major, indie, whatever.
Abhor: Any label that you think would be a good fit?
The Aeffect: There are a few, but it's bad luck to name names before things happen. I think it is safe to say that our next release(s) will appear on an indie but that is all I can really predict. I guess i can rule out drive thru (laughs)
Abhor: Thank the lord. Give me a closing comment for the kids and you're off the hook.
The Aeffect: Thanks everyone who has believed in us and supported us thus far. We really are grateful for everything. I cant wait to get back out on the road and meet a lot more of you fine folks. If there's anything new to be found out about us like tours or new songs/releases, it will be at our website www.theaeffect.com and we send out news demos and cool shit to our mailing list before it goes public.