Welcome to the SIFF Battle of the Bands. Thanks for taking the time to do an interview for Rising Stars. I just finished reading your bios. You guys are weird. I like that. So many things I want to ask but Siren (Toxic Dream's keyboardist and vocalist) told me it was bad form to ask about Nico's uvula and for clarification on the dating status of Declan and Jenna. So, I guess it's on to the music questions. Nico: Woah! Wait a second. I have no problem talking about my uvula-well, ack thereof. Declan: Bro, didn’t he just say that it was unprofessional? Geo: You just don’t want to admit that you aren’t man enough to ask out Jenna. Declan: What?! You’re one to talk, you cat-loving asexual! Nico: Anyway, I needed to be put under so doctors could stitch up this cut inside my esophagusJenna: How did that happen? Nico: I swallowed a thumb tack. And so when I woke up, I had no uvula. At least they let me touch it. It was squishy. I gave it a proper funeral. Declan sang taps. Declan: He forced me. Moving on.
First off, what attracted you to SIFF and the Battle of the Bands? Declan: Well, to be honest, I have no idea. I guess it’s because we thought that this would be a good way to get our name out there. Geo is like our techie personGeo: Yeah, there is this thing called the internet… Declan: ...and she has been following SIFF for, I don’t know, a while or so. We totally love the way you guys do stuff here, and we thought we were ready to join in on the fun. Geo: And whoop some serious [expletive] with my epic solos. Jenna: Calm down, Geo. We just started.
Now, I have to ask, what makes you define yourself as an alternative rock/punk band. Alternative is usually reserved for bands like The Smiths, Depeche Mode and Bjork. Geo: Well, we’re not really alternative, at least, well, like those bands. We’re kinda pushing for like, the definition of alternative, you know, pushing away from mainstream rock and punk, like Asking Alexandria, My Chemical Romance, orNico: -BOTDF-
Declan: [expletive] Oh yeah, yuck. Soo not them. Kinda like Hollywood Undead or Linkin Park, where we’re punk, but not punk, like with different styles and stuff. We just kinda wanted to be different, you know? Because I’d say that we’re pretty different. Geo: Wow, you totally [expletive] interrupted my flow.
How did you come up with the name Outbreak Legion? Is this some sort of zombie reference? Geo: Zombies. Yeeeessss. Blood and gore are my thang. Nico: Well yeah. Me and DeclanJenna: Declan and I Nico: Whatever. We wanted the band to be named Outbreak something-or-other because we love Doctor Who and there is this fanon thing called "Enigma of the Dead" that uses the word. Geo: Nerd. Nico: Shut up. Declan: It is about Zombies. Nico: Then Jenna shows up with this book called “Howling Legion” and we were like “Hey! That’s a good word.” And so, da Da DA! Outbreak Legion was born. Geo: Well, not born. More like grown up. Nico: Not at that stage, it wasn’t.
What made each of you decide to get involved in music? Who are your influences? Do any of you have any sort of formal music background? Jenna: Well, my moms were both musicians, and so they wanted me to take an instrument once I started school. They let me pick which one. I had always been in love with this CD called “Songs Without Words” that features solo piano tracks, so I chose the piano. I really love Helen Jane Long. Geo: No [expletive], Sherlock. You have posters of her albums. Nico: They make those? Declan: Same-ish kind of thing for me. I started my singing career like everyone else, in the shower, and since I wasn’t into sportsGeo: He’s stupid that way. Declan: …I started taking singing lessons. I can also play a little bit of the violin. I would say my influence is definitely Jared Leto, but I’m not nearly that good.
Geo: My anger management therapist suggested taking drum lessons to release my feelings. I once stabbed myself with a drumstick. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the ice cream kind. Nico: I really really like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden. What’s more metal than playing the guitar? Geo: A lot of things, actually. Nico: Shut up!
You all have very different backgrounds, with the exception of Declan and Nico obviously. Are there personality conflicts because of this? How do you all work together? I mean, does it reflect in your music? Geo: Well, I’d say that we get along just fine. I mean, despite our different origins, we’re all weirdos except for Jenna, but she’s tolerant of weirdness, and weirdos tend to congregate anyway. I like the band enough to not go all psycho on them, so they aren’t afraid to confront me, most of the time. Nico: Just as long as we don’t steal her food. Geo: I love food. Declan: In all seriousness, I think the fact that we are all so in love with music is really what gets us to work together so well, even though, well, as you put it, our personality conflicts do reflect in our music.
Nico: Well duh! We have downer songs like “Long Way Gone” and then really crazy ones like “Ha Ha Ha”. Declan: Don’t forget “Copy N’ Paste”. That song was weirder than, well, I don’t know, blue cheese. Jenna: Weirder than moldy, antibiotic cheese? I can see that. You have stated that it's just not about the music but the message behind it. Elaborate on this because this is where a lot of music segregation happens. Declan: I mean sure, we do like to put a lot of work into our music. We aren’t like those bands that, well, have three minutes of the repeated electronic mush and only one minute of actual singing. We got the whole “message” thingamajig from Jenna, and it kinda stuck. Jenna: When I was little I just sat and listened to music and thought about what was going on, what the composer was thinking about when he wrote the piece. This is the kind of thing we’re going for. To make listeners see a kind of story within the lyrics and melody. Nico: Like soundtrack, but with words. Geo: Exactly. What he said. Jenna: Soundtrack can have words. Haven’t you ever seen Lord of the Rings? Declan: It’s in both elvish and sung by Enya. Those are not words.
Let's talk a bit about Broken Places, your CD. What was the inspiration for it? Did one person primarily write everything or did everyone have input? Geo: We got the inspiration from the [expletive] world around us, ya know? Because it isn’t just like, the ghettos or whatever that’s broken. Sometimes society in general needs some rehab. It’s hard to go somewhere without finding something that needs to be fixed, especially when you break almost everything you come in contact with.
Declan: Wow. That was deep for you, Geo. Geo: Shut up, you [expletive] dog-loving Nazi. I kill you! Jenna: Please Don’t. Nico: Well, Newt, I’d say “Broken Places” was definitely a collaboration between all of us. Jenna wrote most of the melody since she’s the most experienced with music, and Declan wrote the lyrics since he’s a pretty good poet. Geo came up with her own stuff. And I was on the cheering squad. Very good support for everyone. Rest of Band: [bursts out laughing] Nico: What? Jenna: I didn’t know you could support people while watching marathons of Blue Exorcist and Ghost Hunt. Nico: I have talent! Geo: Yeah, you should hear his armpit fart symphonies. Nico: I’m done.
What are your plans for Outbreak Legion in 5
the future? Where do you see years? 10 years?
Declan: I mean those bands that goes
hopefully we won’t be one of down the gutter. At least, I don’t see us doing that. We’re like each others’ family. Nico: In five years, we’ll definitely still be around. We won’t be doing as much music, maybe, but we’ll still have at least ten Top 10 Billboard Hits per month. We’ll probably be doing like ads,
or promotions, or charity ballsGeo: Balls, gross. Ignore him. Declan: You are just going to forget that he suggested we’ll be making ten hits per month!?! Jenna: I’ll take over. In ten years I’d like to be away from the social scene. It’s not really my thing anyway, and to do it for what, ten more years? Oh mon dieu, non. Maybe have familiesNico: Did you hear that, Declan? Declan: I know where you live. Nico: Well, I kinda thought we would own the music industry by then. Geo: Wow. Coming from a guy who can’t even organize his underwear drawer.
Declan: I guess it’s pretty obvious we have no idea what we’ll be doing, only that we’ll still be together. If you weren't making music, what would you be doing? Declan: Ooh, that’s a hard one. I don’t know. I’ve always kind of wanted to own a coffee shop, so I guess I would be making mochas and cappuccinos. Jenna: But you hate coffee. Declan: I’m in love with the smell. Geo: Not the only thing you’re in love with. Declan: Enough with that, erm, subject! Nico: Ha. Jenna: [sighs] I would be a journalist. Writing is tellement amusant. The world needs more stories about phenomenons of nature. Geo: Yeah! like how Nico somehow attracts female fans. Nico: Well, duh. I am definitely cut out for being America’s Next Top Model. Or a magician. Declan: That was an insult, Nico. Geo: Well, I would dress up like a superhero and save distressed felines everywhere with my epic street-fighting skills. I am an avid street-fighter, you know. What advice would you give to any up and coming band? Declan: I think I better answer this one, since I have the most experience with band stuff. I’d say that the number one most important piece of advice that I can give is not to be optimistic. Don’t see your chances of making it big as small. See them as being much larger than anyone who wants to make it big in ballet or tango or whatever. Don’t give up either. Everyone goes through rough times. Try to bring some humor into the situation. Keep working hard. Frodo and Sam didn’t give up on Mount Doom, and the Doctor didn’t accept his fate at Trenzalore. I mean, Sherlock even faked his own death to overcome Moriarty. What I’m trying to say is, if you give up, how could you possibly achieve greatness?
Geo: That was some epic fandom stuff there. Tumblr would be proud. Nico: I have some advice. Don’t steal our style. Or you will go down. We’ll set Geo on you. Jenna: Avoir peur. Soyez très peur. Geo: What? Now for some random questions from the SIFF fans out there. Favorite video game? Geo: Ooh! Thanks for asking! Assassins’ Creed II. Those [expletive] Templars never knew what hit them. Multiple times. Declan: Really? I thought it would be something more violent. Geo: It can be, once you would add the right mods. Declan: I personally like Lego Star Wars II: The Complete Saga. Nothing is more satisfying than running around the galaxy collecting metallic round bricks. Jenna: I hope that was sarcasm. Nico: Final Fantasy XIII. The girls in it are soo hot. I mean, if fictional characters were real, Lightning would be numero uno on my list, if you know what I mean. Geo: Only you. Jenna: Wii Play. It’s the only game I’ve played more than once. Geo: Pacifist. Jenna: Amant de chat. Geo: Yeah? Well, baguette. How would you react if you found fan fiction about the band on the internet?
Declan: Definitely depends on the fan fiction. Nico: Yeah, no yaoi. Declan: Oh my gosh, you had to go there. Nonononononono! Not that. Moving on. Jenna: What is fan fiction? Geo: Get a life. Oh wait, no. Get no life.
Justin Bieber or Aaron Carter? Jenna: Hmmm. Aaron Carter, I guess. I mean, at least he checked into rehab and tried to become a better person. Justin Bieber, he started out as okay, but he turned into a complete jerk. If he cleans up his act I would support him more. Declan: I’m glad you could answer that. I live under a rock.
Geo: Justin Bieber is a [expletive]. He acts like such a thug and he hasn’t even hit puberty yet. I could easily take him down and rip out his puny vocal chords out through his feminine neck. Whoever the other dude is, I support him all the way. Nico: Tell me how you really feel, Geo.
Favorite children's breakfast cereal? Geo: I’M COCO FOR COCOA PUFFS! COCO FOR COCOA PUFFS! Jenna: Oh my. Geo, you should ask people before you break something. Nico: We should probably move on.
What was the last concert you went to? Declan: Panic! At the Disco. [starts to sing] Haven’t you people ever heard of closing the… Nico: Yeah yeah, we get it, you can sing. I went to see Kamelot’s “Silverthorn” Tour. Geo went with me. I thought Tommy Karevik was amazing. It’s funny how he looks just like Roy, too. I mean, they even sound similar. It’s definitely a conspiracy. Geo: So is your hair. Nico: That doesn’t even make sense!
One last question, this is something I am trying to get an answer to...can any of you tell me three differences between N'Sync and the Backstreet Boys? Declan: Like I said, Newt, I live under a rock. Geo: Who? Who do you think I am, an ugg-wearing-white-iPhone preteen? I don’t [expletive] listen to those ugh, things! Nico: The only thing I can think of is that N’Sync pretty much gave the world Justin Timberlake as an artist, and that the Backstreet boys didn’t produce any one stand-alone artist from their group. Does that even make sense? Whatever. I don’t listen to them either. Jenna: Then why were you listening to “I want it that way” the other day? Nico: It was on Pandora! I couldn’t skip any more songs! I didn’t mean to listen to it! My ears were bleeding the entire time! Declan: Wow, bro.
It has been totally punk rock having you guys here! Good luck in the Battle of the Bands! Declan: Thanks for having us, Newt. Geo: Yeah, it’s been fun. Sorry about the furniture. I just really like Cocoa Puffs. Jenna: I’m pretty sure he knows that by now. Geo: Go eat snails, you french fry. Declan: Yes world, this is what we deal with every day. Nico: Can I have the last word? Okay, here it is: uvula.