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02.01.06
Orange County-based Take the Crown bills itself as Post-Hardcore/Rock/Pop Punk, but that label doesn’t really cover them. They have a more melodic undercurrent, helped along by the presence of keyboards and the singer’s expressive voice. They look like a hardcore band as they jump and thrash their way across the stage, though, and they look like they’re having the time of their lives as they work the crowd. They’ve just put out a self-produced EP (with the help of their friend Chris Sorensen from Saosin) but already a good portion of the crowd sings along with them and wears their t-shirts. TTC is the kind of band that inspires a loyal following. Even in a tiny club like Chain Reaction you can feel the energy, the give and take with the crowd. The crowd seems thickest on the keyboard side of the stage, where Ryan Wilson attracts screaming fangirls who call out his name during the show. Singer Beau Bokan is also charismatic, working the crowd into a frenzy and singing perfectly (even when stricken by strep, as on the first night I caught their show). Nick Coffey’s and Tony Gonzalez’ guitar work is masterful, not at all swallowed by the rest of the instruments as can happen in the genre. James Campbell’s basslines are compelling and driven. They all work together like the best friends they are. James and Nick took the time to answer some questions after a recent gig.
Can you give me a quick history of the band?
Nick: We’ve been going about a year now. We got together a little before that, and we’ve had some lineup changes, but we’ve been taking it seriously for a little under a year now.
How did you come up with the band’s name?
Nick: We have a couple different meanings behind it. We look at it as being on top. A crown goes on top of your head, and we have a dream of being on top, so we might as well go with it.
Why did you start a band? Do you all see the band as the ultimate goal in your lives or is it just fun for you?
James: I wanted to start doing heroin, so.. (laughs)
Nick: This was the next best thing to doing heroin…We would all go to shows, and then we all started picking up instruments, and started playing, and said let’s give it a shot. We started getting serious about it, started writing songs, and it’s a goal that we all have in mind now.
What is your songwriting process like?
James: It’s kind of all over the place... he (Nick) comes up with a bunch of riffs, he’ll show it to us, we’ll tear it apart, we’ll say this is what we want to do with it, he’ll tear that apart, we’ll rewrite everything… it’s kind of a long process, but we get good results.
When's the EP coming out, and how can we get it?
Nick: The EP is actually finished, it’s being pressed now…it will be ready Jan 17th...
James: Through Smartpunk.com (http://www.smartpunk.com/index.php?mainFrame=http://www.smartpunk.com/product.php?item_id=16770) , and hottopic.com. We want to try and get it into stores such as Tower and stuff, but that won’t be right away.
What have you done to promote the band?
Nick: Myspace is a good resource, and networking, going out to shows, just talking to people, meeting people, making friends, making connections, word of mouth…
Three bands you would like to tour with?
James : Coldplay… (laughs)
Nick: I personally would like to tour with Thrice. We all come from different areas... a few of the guys in the band would love to tour with blink182.
James: (laughs) But they’re dead.. AFI?
Nick: AFI would be good… they’re awesome guys.
When you get huge and are headlining a show, who would you like to have warm up your audience?
Nick: Definitely friends’ bands, that’s what this whole thing is… a lot of our friend’s bands are helping us out by putting us in their shows. 18 Visions are really good friends of ours, are helping us with this show (18 Visions was headlining this show). It makes for a funner show, so you’re hanging out with people you know instead of complete strangers.
Do you ever do covers? What song would you enjoy covering and why?
James: We haven’t done one yet, but we talk about it all the time... we talk about doing different songs all the time.
Nick: It would be cool to redo some sort of an 80’s song... Put our own twist on it.
Do you parents like your music? Do they come to shows?
Nick: They don’t come all the time. Ryan’s parents come quite a bit, my parents have come to quite a few shows... Everyone’s parents have come at some point, but not all the time. Our parents don’t want to sit in a packed house with a bunch of jumping screaming kids. But they like the music... everyone likes the way the music is going.
James: They all have faith in us… when I signed up for school some time ago, my dad was all, what the hell are you doing in school, you should do music or something. You don’t hear that often.
Do you guys hang out together outside of the band? Are you all good friends?
Nick: Best friends in and out of the band.
What would you call your major musical influences?
Nick: Everyone in the band has their own influences…
James: I never listened to this genre before I joined the band, now I’m starting to listen to things like Jimmy Eat World. Before I was into NIN, Ben Folds 5... We listen to all sorts of stuff.
What kind of music do you listen to for your own enjoyment? Do you ever worry it will influence your own music?
Nick: I’d like to think that it does, actually. Lately we’ve been listening to mellower stuff, like Bjork, Explosions in the Sky... We still do sometimes listen to heavier stuff, edgier stuff...
James: If we only listen to our genre, we’ll sound just like every other band out there. You have to keep an open mind when you’re in a band, otherwise you’re not going to go anywhere.
How many tattoos do you think you all have, put together?
Nick: Collectively? I have one, Beau has one...
James: I couldn’t count Ryan’s...
Nick: Me, beau and Ryan, so collectively, 15 maybe...
Did you guys teach yourself to play or have you been taught?
Nick: I’ve had a few lessons, but for the most part I’m self taught.
James: I took lessons for 2 weeks, then decided not to. I was in high school marching band. I played percussion, that helped a lot on bass...
Take the Crown is a hard working band, and they have quite a few shows lined up, including opening for Tiger Army in a sold out House of Blues show 2/2/06. Their fans voted them into a slot at this year’s LA Taste of Chaos show on March 30th.
Since the interview, I’ve caught their show twice more, and bought the CD. They keep getting better, and more confident. When they opened for Tiger Army, it was a tough crowd because their genre was quiet different from the headliner. The crowd was none too receptive, but the guys kept going, not giving up in the face of even flying beer.
All in all, Take The Crown are hot, talented and a nice bunch of guys. Here’s hoping they make their dreams come true. Go friend them, buy their EP, and pimp them to your friends!
http://www.myspace.com/takethecrown
