Cheesy Snacks – Interview – Thanks for Asking!

Cheesy Snacks – Interview – Thanks for Asking! – by Liam Sweeny.

RRX: Every comic book hero has an origin story. What is the origin story for the band? (points if you tell it like a comic book origin.)

PH: This project emerged from a vat of nuclear waste coated in cheese dust. The band has gone through nuclear fusion, fission, and then fusion again and again until we have now reached V16. This 16th edition of your favorite dairy based edible consists of Evan Crawley (drums), Avery Budnick (bass) Tori Christie (Vox, Synth, Percussion), Joe Taurone (when he can) and Perch Hapland (me, myself & I). I was bit by a rare cheese-fly that altered my face so a new character, and name, had to be chosen. After my name was changed I noticed that I developed a new power… the ability to write songs.

With that I usually bring some sort of melody, riff, or a fully fleshed out demo and then let the team just get after it. The best part about this newest edition of the project is everyone’s willingness to collaborate. Everyone is incredibly talented and I trust everyone’s ear which makes rehearsals so much fun. Even if we are in the weeds with a new tune I know that once it clicks everyone is going to express their own flavor on the tune.

RRX: Different people in the band will like different songs. A drummer’s favorite song on the release will be different than the guitar player’s. What are each of your favorite songs from your most recent album?

PH: Since the last few records have been a totally unhinged process and there hasn’t been a steady band recording them all we are gonna play a quick game of everyone’s favorite song to play live.

AB: “Stress Fracture… 6,7,8 it bangs.”

EC: “Stress Fracture” or “One Angry Hippo.” Stress Fracture cause its fun to play and gets the crowd going. One Angry Hippo because I love how dynamic it is. The energy in the end when everything builds is so cool.

TC: I selfishly love playing Hollow Colo the best, but if we are talking about the songs we’ve played recently then definitely Stress Fracture or Breadknot.

SW: No clue, but at this point probably the new ones because I’ve been having a lot of fun working them with the band. They are gonna be recorded this winter and out next year at some point.

RRX: Let’s talk about your next project, your next few. Just not the ones you’re working on now. The ones you have your eyes on for the future. What’s coming to us?

PH: Many many records. Hopefully a radio hit. Maybe a song that charts the Spotify charts? Who knows! There are two records almost fully written at the point of typing this interview out. One is full of material we, as a band, have been playing for the last six months or so. There are a couple other tunes to be thrown in the mix, but the foundation is ever present. Additionally I’ve been writing about a song a week all year so I have an excess of tunes that will construct the themes of future projects. There might be a couple EPs, a bunch of singles or just a few more records.

RRX: What instrument would you add to the band if you could? Is there anything you are trying to do musically that would be helped with one or more additional players?

PH: The entity of this band has been burdened by the constant lineup change. One day the name shall become sentient and tell me off, but while I’m still in control there are a ton of variations on the docket.

A folk version of the current lineup is in the works, but at some point I would love to bring some of my music to a small chamber group, or an orchestra, or ideally get some horns on some stuff I’m currently writing. I think the possibilities are endless and I want to keep all my avenues open.

RRX: Tell me about your most recent song, album, or video (you pick.) Tell me a story about what went into making it. Not a process, but a cool story that took place within the process.

PH: The last record, The Way to Saturn, came out of a pretty wild time in my young adult life. I just finished crossing the country on a bicycle with my friend and it left me with this feeling of constant longing. I took that feeling and went down to New Jersey for about a week to record in my buddies apartment. After that I went up to Maine to record in another friend’s studio for about a week. This all came about because I was on my way to move to Tennessee, but due to a lot of quick succession events I couldn’t quite make it work. So… I just stayed out on the road and continued writing and recording. The process was a proof to myself that I could do it all on my own.

RRX: Playing out is tricky because you never know what’s going to happen when you get there. Sometimes everything goes wrong. What was your worst show like?