5 Minutes with the Snizz – Van Gross & The Gypsies
Q & A with Evan Gross

S: Describe your band in seventeen words or less.

Evan Gross: Indie-Folk-Rock. We sound like a mix of the Faces, Pixies and early Beatles.

S: When you hear your own music what do you like about it?

EG: The soul and the harmonies. We kind of sound like the open road on a couple of our tunes, and I really like that.

S: Is Rock n' Roll still fun?

EG: It is for us and I think it should be. It is called "playing" music, after all.

S: How much can you bench?

EG: One if I'm lying on it. A quarter of one if I'm sitting.

S: As a youngster, I cried onstage in front of an entire school district. Do you guys ever cry onstage?

EG: Only during two of our songs. And it's only three of us. Seth never cries.

S: Do you think this will be the year shag carpet makes a comeback?

EG: I think that the healing properties of shag carpet will finally be recognized by the scientific community, confirming what touring bands have known for decades. One friend of mine was healed of foot warts he'd been battling for five years.

S: I like to wear shirts that say "Snizz" on them. Should a band member wear his own band's T-shirts?

EG: Sounds dangerous to me. It's like buying one of those "Seattle" shirts down on Pike Place and then wearing it around town every day like a tourist. I guess if you want to be a "groupie" for your own band you could, but one of your band mates might mistake you for his girlfriend and try to make out with you.

S: Have you ever considered covering any Poison?

EG: Yes.

S: Can you believe that Nada Mucho has been begging me to write another set of these questions for like nine months?

EG: Follow your heart man. Or do what pays the bills. If you can do a little of both I think you've got a winning combination. Thanks Snizz!

S: Your band bears your name, kind of like "Neil Young and Crazy Horse" or "Jimmy and the Screamers." Is your songwriting process Democratic or Dictatorial?

EG: I typically write the songs and we arrange them as a band.

S: Speaking of Neil Young, you guys are playing our Neil & The Damage Done tribute on January 22 with a bunch of bands who are a little bit more popular than you guys so far. What are you going to do to set yourselves apart?

EG: We're really nervous but we're going to try not to try too hard. It's like being the little brother at your older brother's high-school party. If you talk too much or try to be "cool" and "impress people" then everyone will know you're the kid brother who doesn't fit in. Do you think doing something like playing with our shirts off would help?

S: Yes.



Van Gross & The Gypsies will "go skins" at NadaMucho.com’s Neil Young tribute on Thursday, January 22 at the Sunset Tavern in Ballard with At the Spine, Elder Mason, Spanish 4 100, Hazelwood Motel, Amateur Radio Operator, Herman Jolly, Joe Gould’s Secret, and the Harvest Moons.

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