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Banner Pilot
Diatribe: How did you guys come up with Banner Pilot…is there a story behind the name?
Nick: We searched for months and were only coming up with really bad emo-sounding names. Nate had a list of old military slang and we found “Banner Tail” and then stumbled upon a bastardized children’s story of the same name about a crazy strung-out squirrel that terrorized a forest. We modified it to Banner Pilot which looked good written, sounded ok, didn’t mean much to most people and had only three hundred hits on Google. Success!
Diatribe: Strung out squirrels? Sick! Alright, I’m a fairly new Banner Pilot fan, so can I get some band history? How the band started and whatnot? Inquiring minds want to know.
Nate: Well, I had been writing song ideas for awhile using a drum program called "PC Drummer", and then Nick and I would come up with vocal ideas over what I had recorded. We did that for a few months, and released a demo, but I wouldn't say we were an actual band until Danny took over as a "Real Drummer", Mike started playing second guitar, we got a practice space, etc. We played our first show in late 2005, released an EP called “Pass the Poison” in spring 2006, and now we're working on a full length for Go Kart that'll probably come out this fall.
Diatribe: Are you actually recording songs for the album right now, or still in the writing process? Any initial information you can give us on the album?
Nick: Still in the writing process, but we’re getting close…since all the shows we’ve been playing seem to fall on our practice day, we’re holding off on any more until the record’s done – if Jawbreaker reunites and we’re offered an opening slot we’ll make an exception though. As far as the LP, it’s going to be twelve tracks of blistering punk rock. People who have heard the demo will recognize three of the tracks as new and improved – now with real drums!
Diatribe: Jawbreaker fans, huh? Nice. Alright then: favorite Jawbreaker album? Mine’s “24 Hour Revenge Therapy”, a pretty standard answer, I know…but what can you do?
Nate: Well, it's a standard answer for a reason—that's by far their best record. Also worth seeking out is their demo… the song ‘World of Shit’ has some amazing vocals.
Diatribe: What's the punk rock scene like in Minneapolis? And, what are some other 'up and comers' from the area that we should be on the lookout for?
Nate: It's had its up and downs over the years. Downs being periods where there aren't any house shows, or where there's a glut of screamo/emo bands, or whatever, but I think it's pretty solid right now. Good local bands are Off With Their Heads, Pretty Boy Thorson and the Falling Angels, Gena, Baby Guts, Sundowners, 24 Reasons Why, the Straight As, and a bunch more.
Diatribe: Besides "Pass the Poison", do you have any other releases?
Nate: Yeah, a split 7” with the Monikers that just came out on Kiss of Death Records, a track on a new J Church/Cringer Lance Hahn Benefit CD, and a handful of compilations that have previously released songs on them.
Diatribe: I understand that you guys recently signed with Go Kart Records…how did you get hooked up with those guys and how are they treating you?
Nate: It was pretty simple-- Greg heard the band and wrote us, basically. They're treating us like shit. Yesterday our limo was late and it looked like the mound of coke in the back seat was less fluffy looking than what our contract stipulates. Just kidding. Yeah, so far so good—Greg has been really easy to work with and we're all excited to get the album out.
Nick: Check the quality of your demo recordings against other bands’ released tracks before you start passing them around. Way back Nate and I gave out some CD’s that sounded like they were recorded with a cheap tape recorder, played back and captured on an even cheaper tape recorder. We thought they sounded great but no one called… what the fuck?
Diatribe: What celebrity would you like to fight and why?
Nate: Well, I've never been in a fight before so I guess I'd pick someone old and weak so I'd have a better chance of winning. So, I dunno, some old celebrity from the 1950s in a hospital bed or something.
Nate: Yeah, I do three different zines—Pick Your Poison (random stories), You Idiot (goofy researched topics: Hulk Hogan's rap album, people who burn Harry Potter books for being satanic, anti-drug video games, etc.) and Whiskey Plus (like You Idiot, but all the topics relate to music). You can check out any of them at pickyourpoison.net
Diatribe: Are you guys doing any extensive touring right now, or just playing a few shows here and there?
Nick: We just got back from playing Insubordination Fest in Baltimore which was really fun. We plan on doing two weeks on the West Coast in early 2008 after the record is out…
Diatribe: An old friend of ours went to Insubordination Fest, said he had a blast. He got to speak with Ben Weasel and was obviously extremely stoked about that. Have you ever been on tour with a band or met members of bands where you almost had a ‘rock star moment’ and acted like a goofball? I know that’s not cool in punk rock, but I had a little moment like that with Russ Rankin of Good Riddance a few years ago.
Nate: Nothing I can think of, to be honest. The nearest thing I've had to a 'rock star moment' lately was when I drank this new drink called Rockstar 21 that's a mix between an energy drink and an alcoholic beverage. It was really gross!
Diatribe: You’re just punker than me. On the subject of touring, I’m sure you boys have had your fair share of nutty tour experiences…is there one particular incident that really stands out?
Nate: Breaking down in Warrensburg, Missouri for a week with Rivethead was pretty nutty. Nutty in a good way, though.
Diatribe: There isn’t a song on “Pass the Poison” that I’m not fond of, but my definite favorite is ‘Sun Belt Scars’. What was the influence behind the song?
Nick: Let me return the compliment by saying you have excellent taste in music. Lyrically, it’s about escaping from a harsh Midwest winter with a composite of the fucked up girls I’ve dated to a really serene place on the Oregon coast I used to go to a lot when I lived in Eugene. It’s this beautiful, isolated stretch of beach just north of Florence that you can access via what’s called the “Hobbit Trail”. I’d go there and just decompress and found it really comforting that no matter what kind of shit was going on in my life; nothing changed there - the waves kept rolling and the place didn’t change. I’m sensitive.
Diatribe: Yup, we know all about those harsh Midwest winters living in Ohio, and Ohio girls are reputed to be crazy…not all of them, mind you, but a good portion. Do you have a favorite song that you like to play? If so, why?
Nick: I always like playing the Buzzcocks cover because even the most jaded in the crowd usually get into it, but the rest of the band is bored to tears with it. Other than that, any tune where Mike sings and gives my poor vocal cords a break.
Nick: I’ve been playing the shit out of Ben Weasel’s new LP “These Ones are Bitter” and the Unlovables’ “Heartsickle”. The new Tegan & Sara record is also great, although we’re not supposed to know that until late July.
Diatribe: What album would your fans be surprised to find in your collection?
Nate: "I'll Take My Stand with the Man (Talkin' about Dubya)". A friend of mine works at a used CD store and knows that I occasionally write about weird albums in my zine, so sometimes when he comes across a gem he'll send a copy my way. This one is a pro-Bush CD single put out by a guy who can't sing and who rhymes the word "Dubya" with "vote sir". It's awesomely stupid.
Diatribe: If Banner Pilot had a motto or catchphrase, what would it be and why?
Nate: I think it would probably be "Butterburgers and Frozen Custard". That's actually the Culver's slogan, but we liked it so much we stole it.
Diatribe: I’m 27, and have been involved in the punk rock community about half my life and am just now beginning to experience 15-16 year old kids in the scene who are smarmy and jaded as fuck…do you come across those kinds of kids? Where do you think that comes from? And do they need more mentoring from the older kids or just a punch in the face?
Nate: I dunno, I don't really run into that a whole lot… out of the kids in that age group around here, the idiot-to-non-idiot ratio seems to be pretty similar to what it is with older folks. So I'm not sure. I suppose face punching would make more sense than mentoring, though.
Diatribe: Thanks for taking the time to do this with us. Care to leave us with a tidbit of knowledge in closing?
Nate: Hey, no problem—thanks for asking us! I will leave you with the following tidbit of knowledge: A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.
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