Few punk bands have had the longevity of Stretch Arm Strong. This summer they blew the doors off at Warped Tour and coming soon is the big Fall Out 2006 concert at Capital City Stadium. I got a chance to talk with frontman Chris McLane.
Check out the official site for Stretch Arm Strong
Daniel Robert Epstein: Hey Chris, what are you up to?
Chris McLane: Not too much, man, my daughter got out of school early today so she and I went and did some grocery shopping. Then we went back to the house to just chill. Im trying to get some stuff done before we leave again.
DRE: How old is your daughter?
CM: Shes five. People always say What do you guys do when youre off tour? and I say, Man Im a dad and I try to handle things around the house. My wifes a schoolteacher so while Im home I try to pick back up and do my part so I dont feel like a complete bum.
DRE: Do you go to PTA meetings?
CM: My daughter just started kindergarten and my wife teaches first grade so shell be at the same school as my wife which will be good. When Im home I take her to school and then pick her up and then run her around and all that stuff. I just try to be a normal dude when Im home, man.
DRE: Do you have many tattoos or piercings?
CM: I got tattoos. I used to have my ears pierced but I took them out after kids at concerts would accidentally rip them out. Or Id fall asleep on the hotel floor and wake up with my head attached to the floor. So I went down to small plugs and then I lost them. I was like, Man these earrings are way too expensive to keep losing. So I was like, Ah, Ill just invest my money in tattoos.
DRE: I didnt realize that people in bands get their earrings ripped out that often.
CM: Yeah, it certainly doesnt sound very rock and roll but its the truth. Instead of buying more earrings and piercings I just started getting into tattoos more. So thats either good or bad depending on how you look at it. I got my chest done and both my arms and the inside of my arms. But I guess what I have is fairly in the grand scheme of things.
DRE: I always wonder about guys like yourself who look the way you when you go to your kids school and pick them up.
CM: Yeah, its funny man. We were out front of my house the other day and my daughter had this little scooter and Im on my skateboard. This guy pulls up in a Lexus or a Jaguar and says to me Excuse me son, is your mom home? Im like, I dont know man, I can call her. Shes at work right now. I can find out. Then he goes Oh, this is your place? Im like, Yeah dude, this is my place. Ive lived here eight years. I figure its a compliment.
DRE: So is the band touring now?
CM: We just got home from Europe about five days ago. Soon we are going to be touring with Sick of It All.
DRE: That should be awesome.
CM: Dude, Im psyched man. I didnt necessarily grow up on the band but Ive been a fan of the band for a long time so I cant wait. We toured with them briefly in Europe last summer so Im real psyched to actually get to do a real tour with them. I think their new record is awesome even though some reviewers dont like it as much.
DRE: Youve been touring with some great bands.
CM: Yeah weve done some really good tours in the past couple months. We did a Suicide Machines tour back in November. Strung Out in October, went right into a Story of the Year in the States in December. January we headlined in the UK on our own.
DRE: How is the band getting along?
CM: Good man. I was just reading the new Revolver about these bands and their inner turmoil with people hating each other and they dont want to tour anymore. We just dont have that, maybe its because were older dudes or maybe its because weve been at it for a while or maybe its because we dont have any addicts in our band. I dont say that lightly because were friendly with a lot of bands who have those problems. But fortunately we just dont have that problem and weve been at it long enough where if somebodys acting out of line or doing something thats just not cool we know each other well enough that we keep each other in check.
DRE: I read that you and David [Sease] are active vegetarians.
CM: Yeah David and I are active in that we definitely support animal rights, all over the world. We got nominated for 1996s sexiest vegetarian or something silly like that. We support PETA and what theyre doing. We support a lot of groups that are looking out for the well being of animals. Besides us our band actually is made up of meat eaters, which some people find just completely offensive or contradictory, but for David and I, its just a personal choice.
DRE: Is difficult doing it on the road?
CM: Not anymore man. For a while I was a Taco Bell and French fry vegetarian. I was vegan for a while and then in Japan I was unable to keep up my veganism after Japan but I dont find it difficult anymore. Even Wendys sells salads.
DRE: What do you know about SuicideGirls?
CM: I work at a club in Columbia, South Carolina when Im home and the SuicideGirls tour actually stopped there in so I worked one of the shows.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Check out the official site for Stretch Arm Strong
Daniel Robert Epstein: Hey Chris, what are you up to?
Chris McLane: Not too much, man, my daughter got out of school early today so she and I went and did some grocery shopping. Then we went back to the house to just chill. Im trying to get some stuff done before we leave again.
DRE: How old is your daughter?
CM: Shes five. People always say What do you guys do when youre off tour? and I say, Man Im a dad and I try to handle things around the house. My wifes a schoolteacher so while Im home I try to pick back up and do my part so I dont feel like a complete bum.
DRE: Do you go to PTA meetings?
CM: My daughter just started kindergarten and my wife teaches first grade so shell be at the same school as my wife which will be good. When Im home I take her to school and then pick her up and then run her around and all that stuff. I just try to be a normal dude when Im home, man.
DRE: Do you have many tattoos or piercings?
CM: I got tattoos. I used to have my ears pierced but I took them out after kids at concerts would accidentally rip them out. Or Id fall asleep on the hotel floor and wake up with my head attached to the floor. So I went down to small plugs and then I lost them. I was like, Man these earrings are way too expensive to keep losing. So I was like, Ah, Ill just invest my money in tattoos.
DRE: I didnt realize that people in bands get their earrings ripped out that often.
CM: Yeah, it certainly doesnt sound very rock and roll but its the truth. Instead of buying more earrings and piercings I just started getting into tattoos more. So thats either good or bad depending on how you look at it. I got my chest done and both my arms and the inside of my arms. But I guess what I have is fairly in the grand scheme of things.
DRE: I always wonder about guys like yourself who look the way you when you go to your kids school and pick them up.
CM: Yeah, its funny man. We were out front of my house the other day and my daughter had this little scooter and Im on my skateboard. This guy pulls up in a Lexus or a Jaguar and says to me Excuse me son, is your mom home? Im like, I dont know man, I can call her. Shes at work right now. I can find out. Then he goes Oh, this is your place? Im like, Yeah dude, this is my place. Ive lived here eight years. I figure its a compliment.
DRE: So is the band touring now?
CM: We just got home from Europe about five days ago. Soon we are going to be touring with Sick of It All.
DRE: That should be awesome.
CM: Dude, Im psyched man. I didnt necessarily grow up on the band but Ive been a fan of the band for a long time so I cant wait. We toured with them briefly in Europe last summer so Im real psyched to actually get to do a real tour with them. I think their new record is awesome even though some reviewers dont like it as much.
DRE: Youve been touring with some great bands.
CM: Yeah weve done some really good tours in the past couple months. We did a Suicide Machines tour back in November. Strung Out in October, went right into a Story of the Year in the States in December. January we headlined in the UK on our own.
DRE: How is the band getting along?
CM: Good man. I was just reading the new Revolver about these bands and their inner turmoil with people hating each other and they dont want to tour anymore. We just dont have that, maybe its because were older dudes or maybe its because weve been at it for a while or maybe its because we dont have any addicts in our band. I dont say that lightly because were friendly with a lot of bands who have those problems. But fortunately we just dont have that problem and weve been at it long enough where if somebodys acting out of line or doing something thats just not cool we know each other well enough that we keep each other in check.
DRE: I read that you and David [Sease] are active vegetarians.
CM: Yeah David and I are active in that we definitely support animal rights, all over the world. We got nominated for 1996s sexiest vegetarian or something silly like that. We support PETA and what theyre doing. We support a lot of groups that are looking out for the well being of animals. Besides us our band actually is made up of meat eaters, which some people find just completely offensive or contradictory, but for David and I, its just a personal choice.
DRE: Is difficult doing it on the road?
CM: Not anymore man. For a while I was a Taco Bell and French fry vegetarian. I was vegan for a while and then in Japan I was unable to keep up my veganism after Japan but I dont find it difficult anymore. Even Wendys sells salads.
DRE: What do you know about SuicideGirls?
CM: I work at a club in Columbia, South Carolina when Im home and the SuicideGirls tour actually stopped there in so I worked one of the shows.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
courtneyriot:
Few punk bands have had the longevity of Stretch Arm Strong. This summer they blew the doors off at Warped Tour and coming soon is the big Fall Out 2006 concert at Capital City Stadium. I got a chance to talk with frontman Chris McLane...
venenumliscens:
Stretch Arm Strong is one of the best hardcore/punk bands ever!!!! I fucking love these guys, even better yet to hear how real they can be.
