Showbread

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The name of the band Showbread, is interesting to say the least and sounds as if there is a story behind it. Where did the name come from and what is the story?

it's a reference to an analogy Jesus made about traditionalism getting in the way of doing the right thing. we started as a worship band in a southern baptist church and got kicked out when we got into punk rock.

Your lyrics are infused with heavy detail and raw emotion. What is it that normally gives you inspiration when writing lyrics and is there a concept behind the writing of The Fear of God?

our major overarching "theme" is always our faith. that isn't to say we shy away from all sorts of topics, sometimes very dark and very honest in an almost uncomfortable way... but my lyrical inspiration comes from our belief in Jesus. The Fear Of God runs with an idea about embracing a self-effacing mentality that most people would consider insane and sort of celebrating this idea of "madness".

You just released The Fear of God, how has the reactions been thus far? What can fans expect when they pick up a copy?

it always varies but for the most part i think the people who care really enjoy it. we've always been sort of "under the umbrella" of our first record No Sir, Nihilism Is Not Practical and having to deal with a fan base who believes that's our best album when we as a band firmly believe our records have gotten better each time. when Nihilism came out, people thought it wasn't good enough, now they say "Oh, it'll never be as good as Nihilism." it's just the problem of existing in a world of music that we never meant to be a part of... some person hates our new record but they love (insert scene band here), and we think "Well of course you wouldn't like it..." i don't bother entertaining opinions of people who want to insult the record and i don't read reviews anymore. i really appreciate when people love our albums, but in the end i love everything we do no matter what and believe in it 100% so it makes no difference to me if the whole world hated it, i would still know it rules.

When it came to releasing The Fear of God how did that whole package come together? What was the recording process like, how long did you have, was their any pressure on you?

we had a new lineup together to write the record and were set to go when our drummer quit and we were left not knowing if we'd be able to record. it was annoying. four of us sat around a table with computers and guitars and worked on these songs i had written with no drummer. we were worried it wouldn't work until we had our friend Jordan from the band Tyler Read come out to record with us. once we started rehearsing like a real band we knew we were about to make our best album. there was no stress, no arguments, no pressure. working with Sylvia and Rich (who produced and mixed our first two records) is always a creative dream and this time around was the best yet.

Who did the artwork and title for the album, when you look on the final project, is there anything you wish you could have done differently?

ryan clark (invisible creature) designed the artwork based on some loose ideas i gave him explaining what it was "about"... he was great to work with and was totally willing to rework certain things to get it just right. i came up with the name of the record based on the question: which is scarier, believing in something or believing in nothing? there is nothing i would change about it, but i do wish we had our drummer drew and synth player garret in the picture (they weren't around when we did the photo shoot...)

Many of your songs are so hard and intense that I am sure they translate well into a live setting taking on a whole new life in front of a live audience. How does it make you feel when the emotion and power that you envisioned in the recording studio, come to life while playing in front of a crowd?

close to God.

Different groups have unique ways of writing their songs. How do you guys go about writing your music? Is it a collective effort or is it more the efforts of one particular member of the band?

i write the songs and then bring them to the band to round out. sometimes we really rework it a lot and sometimes we leave it the way it is. this method works well for us.

What are the upcoming plans for Showbread?

we're going to change everything... again.

How has MYSPACE and the internet impacted your band and do you think downloading helps or hinders the artists?

i suppose it's good and bad. in my personal opinion the quality of music continues to decline and the internet opens up more and more room to more bad music... but i'm not a fan of music the way a lot of people are, i don't look for new music or follow bands or go to shows or read music magazines, etc. unless it's one of the four bands i like. downloading seems like a good thing in theory but it seems to only make music less tangible and makes people care less. kids just steal whatever they want, listen to two seconds of it and then move on depending on what trend is happening at the time. bands can't sell records which makes labels not care to promote them which makes them less and less present.

What is the toughest lesson you ever learned in the studio and on the stage?

studio: staying up all night means your voice will suck the next day. stage: teeth break easily.

What bands would you like to tour with and who has been your favorite to tour with this far? Any particular reason?

i want to tour with Nine Inch Nails if they return to touring. I liked touring with Roper because i like the band.

Describe Showbread in three words.

ignoring the world.

If you had a chance to go back in time, where, what, and why?

i'm happy where i am, but if i had to choose i suppose i'd take Showbread back to the early 90's when music was good and when people would appreciate it.

How do you think the recession is affecting musicians like yourself? Is it at all?

i'm not sure if it is or isn't... people blame everything on it but i'm not sure. if no one comes to a show they say "Oh, it's the recession," but it might just be that it's a weeknight.

Every band has its musical influences. What are some of the other bands and artists that have greatly influenced you guys and your music?

refused, nine inch nails, nirvana, flaming lips

All of that passion that you play with must be tough on you physically. How do you prepare for the physical demands of a tour?

we don't... we let tour beat us into shape.

Anything else you'd like to add?

fries.