Split Habit

How did Split Habit come to be?

I met Chris in the bathroom in high school where we used to go to smoke. Chris always had drumsticks with him and he was a skater so I thought he was cool. He was the drummer of the punk band Dischord and I was in metal band that quickly disbanded. I stole him from the Dischord and we started writing and recording together. I met Frankie through some mutual drinking buddies.

How, if it did at all, did being in Chicago influence your music?

To start: the Smoking Popes are one of my all time favorite bands and inspirations. We aspired to achieve local success like the popes. Chicago is a great city, very underrated. It has produced some of the greatest bands in the world. We always looked up to bands like the Blue Meanies, Smoking Popes, Alkaline Trio, etc. The city of Chicago is responsible for our influences and part of our sound. Thanks god we don’t live in boofoo Iowa, because then I would still be playing metal in some corn field.

What bands influenced Split Habit, and what drew you to the type of music you play?

Ever since I was a kid I loved music. My parents would play the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, and Doors records all the time. I loved music time in my household. Then I was six and my parents bought me my first 45' We built this city on rock n roll by Jefferson Starship. I played that record until it didn’t work anymore. Shortly after I was introduced to Michael Jackson, Van Halen, and Hall & Oates. I would never be the same. In high school I got turned onto metal. I worshipped AC/DC, Sepultura, Helmet and Metallica. I ditched the metal for punk, NOFX, Green Day, Dead Kennedy's, and stuff like that. We all have a lot of musical influences, so this question is quite impossible. I say we are a mix between Green Day, The smoking popes, and The Beatles.

What are your current favorite bands?

Right now I have been listening to Living End, Ryans Hope, and T.I I actually don’t listen to much music anymore, the industry is just so flash in the pan and saturated. Its hard to get attached to any new artist these days due to the turnover rate Major Labels have been up to

You describe yourself online as punk, rock, pop punk, and finally apocalypse pop. Could you elaborate on these labels? How would you describe your sound?

We're not really punk, we just have punk roots. We're not pop punk because we don’t play that silly gallop beat. We used those labels to try and fit in with the current craze. We re a rock band, straight up. We're a three piece that can sound just like a 4 piece band but tighter. We don’t use effects and all that crap. We are just straight up rock trio, period.

What were the early days of Split Habit like? Lots of touring/shows or shutting yourself away in a practice room?

The early days were just playing as many shows as possible. We would play anywhere, anytime, for free. Luckily, Allister (Drive Thru records) saw us play once and brought us on our first tour. After that we learned a lot about running a band from them. We rehearsed twice a week and played every weekend. To this day not much has changed.

What was recording your 2002 EP "Biting My Lip" like?

It was exciting to record that EP, because it was at SOLID SOUND studios where the smoking popes recorded most of their catalog. Its like idolizing Mickey Mantle and then hitting one out of the park at Yankee stadium. At that point we had 5 songs we thought we great so we laid them down in a day and mixed in a day. It was very grueling but we thought it was a good representation of what we were doing at the time. Joe Dililo engineered and he was very good to us, considering we had never really recorded at a good studio.

How would you describe that style of sound and playing to your newer album "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is"? Has it changed between recordings?

Yeah, every band will tell you that their latest record is their greatest. Put your money....was the experience of a lifetime. We wrote and recorded that album at my house then turned it in to our producer Sean O’Keefe. He revamped a few things and polished us up. Sean is a great guy, talented producer, and a lot of fun. It was no problem to be locked up in a studio for a month with him. I don’t think our style changed as much as the content was better and more produced. Its like Biting my Lip on steroids.

What was recording ""Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is" like?

Recording the album was a month long commitment. We tracked the drums in 3 days in Madison Wisconsin at Butch Vigs studio smart. (Garbage was there tracking there latest album) After the drums were finished we tracked all the instruments @ Rosebud Studio (RIP). I was in college so I would go to class, drive to the studio record all night, crash on the couch and then drive to school and repeat that schedule for 3 weeks. I didn’t go home for along time. We had limited time and funds but we came through unscathed.

How would you describe the Chicago music scene nowadays?

The Chicago scene is booming. Every good band we came up with is doing well: Spital Field, Alkaline Trio, Lawrence Arms, Fallout Boy, Lucky Boy Confusion, etc. All the band help each other out but we're all still competitive.

Are you close with any other bands?

We're close with a few really great bands: Allister, Ryan's Hope, and Army of Freshmen.

What does Split Habit have in store for us in the near future?

We are recording a new album this summer, doing warped tour dates, and have several songs lined up for TV shows, and out album will be released in Japan soon. We just plan to rock.

What hopes or goals do you have for Split Habit overall? Where do you see Split Habit in 5 years or so?

To tell you the truth I have reached all my goals for the band. We have traveled internationally, Won the warped tour battle of the bands, played a number of warped tour dates over the last 4 years, recorded an amazing record, signed to an indie label, met thousands of great people, played with the greatest bands ever, and had a great time doing it. If I die tomorrow, I would have no regrets.

Why did you get into music? Why start a band?

I have always loved music, played piano at age 6, drums at age 10, guitar by 14, and now I sing. I wanted to start a band to rock and have a good time. I wanted to create something people could enjoy.

Can you see yourself doing this 20, 30, 40 years from now?

No, I will probably be golfing or entering the World Series of Poker by that point.

What has been your best/worst/favorite/funniest moment with Split Habit?

I would have to say signing to Double Zero records (Mike Felumlee ex ALK3, Smoking popes owned) would be my best/worst/favorite/funniest all wrapped into one.

Has it all been worth it up until now?

Yes, it sure has, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

(All Answered by Travis Brown of Split Habit, 6-05-06)

More information can be found at http://www.myspace.com/splithabit

(Published at ComfortComes.com)