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Simon Says is...
Matt Franks - Vocals (age 22)
Zac Diebels - Guitar (age 22)
Michael Arrieta - Bass (age 19)
Mike Johnston - Drums (age "older than moses")
Okay kids, here is today's lesson: A typically blazing, energized, thrash-'n-puree live
show by Simon Says is about a million light years (and decibels) removed from Romper Room.
Granted, the four group members are astonishingly young, but those cute little faces take
on a downright steely expression as they plunge head-first into the maelstrom of punishing
guitars and crushing rhythms. Even more mischievous, the Sacramento, CA natives inject pop
melodies into their brisk salvos and invite audiences to join in the adrenaline-packed
game.
"You can lay your feelings on the table," says vocalist Matt Franks, "as
long as you also leave some room for the listener to find things for themselves. It draws
them closer to the music and allows them to make it their own." "We have strong
feelings about music and life in general," adds guitarist Zac Diebels, "When
we're asked, we'll give an honest answer, but we're not going around spouting off as if it
were our sacred duty."
Jump Start, the group's Hollywood Records debut, captures Simon Says' knack for writing
memorable, hard-hitting songs full of bright melodies and stormy lyrical themes.
Grammy award winning producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day) and Mark Needham (Cake) encouraged
the group to strike a fine balance between aggression and introspection throughout the 12
songs on Jump Start. Whether going for the psyche-out ("Nucleus," "Trip
Wire") or the full body slam ("Sever," "Slider," "Ship
Jumper,"), Simon Says relies on both mind and muscle to express themselves.
"Life Jacket" opens with Diebels' laser-like guitar riff as Michael Arrieta and
Mike Johnston rev up the rhythmic engine. Franks completes the picture with his searching,
soaring vocals. "The song is about being spontaneous," he explains;
"picking yourself up and going somewhere, anywhere. No need to have a battle plan
mapped out; you don't always have to worry about the unknown."
"The theme for the record," says Franks, "is 'deal with your problems and
move on.' Even when things are a bit intense -- and we get pretty pissed off at times --
we try to keep looking ahead." Perhaps more than any other song, the standout
"On My Way" reflects that stance: "It's specifically about going back to an
old neighborhood," says Franks, "and making amends to old friends, dealing with
old regrets, and moving on with life."
Underscoring a sense of adventurism, much of Jump Start was written immediately prior to
recording sessions. "There were six weeks from the time we stopped playing live until
we went into the studio," says Franks, "and during that time we wrote the
majority of the songs." "We could have easily stuck to older material on the
album," adds Diebels, "but we took advantage of that opportunity to focus on
writing."
A telling incident occurred on the first day of recording. "We walked into the
studio," laughs Franks; "all the lights were off, and candles are lit
everywhere. We thought, 'what the hell is this?' So just for a joke we put all the candles
together in the shape of a pentagram." "The people at the studio," adds
Diebels, "were expecting some artistes. They're used to these vibey, aura,
patchouli-oil-and-latte-drinking bands. That's not what we're about. We're energetic kids.
We want bubble gum and soda and porno."
That feisty, no-bullshit attitude fuels the group's live show. "We don't really need
lots of lights and stuff," Franks says matter-of-factly. "We just jump around
and feel the music and the audience's energy." "Hey, we'll be jumping around
even if we're just playing for a bartender and nobody else," laughs Diebels.
"But when a crowd is there jumping and sweating, it really kicks up our energy
level."
Although they don't like to make a big deal out of it, the band members admit that their
energy is partly due to an unpolluted sense of focus. "None of us smoke or do any
drugs," says Diebels, "although Matt and I will occasionally have a beer. We
also have a band rule that on the day of a show, none of us do any drinking at all. We've
seen it affect too many other musicians in a negative way."
"But sex is okay," Franks adds with a laugh. "Seriously though, we live our
lives the way we feel is best for us, but we're not making judgments or preaching to other
people about how they should live their lives."
That approach has distinguished Franks, Diebels, and Johnston since they first began
making music together as Simon Says in 1993. "We were juniors in high school,"
says Franks. "We were barely 16. When Mike Arrieta joined us on bass a couple of
years later, our sound really took shape." The group's two previous D.I.Y. albums
helped build a solid regional fan base. 1995's Little Boy sold over 5,000 copies, and
1997's Perfect Example immediately sold out its limited-edition run. Now Jump Start will
introduce audiences nationwide to Simon Says -- a band that's heavy on guitars, but easy
on the attitude.
"We're not so self-serious that we need to force ourselves down people's
throats," says Diebels. "We're fucking lucky is what we are. Lucky to have some
talent and to have people who want to hear our music."
(courtesy of loudside of the web)
