Out of Step's Interview with Eben D'amico

Saves the Day Interview

Interview by zack & mike fagan

Pics by dave collado

This interview was conducted May 13, 2000, 2:00 am in Queens, NY while bassist Eben D'Amico was hanging out with Mike, Zack, Turner, the Chimp and some friends. Saves the Day had just gotten back from their tour with H2O. This was taped over an old Mudsharks demo that I acquired when I used to work at CMJ as an intern. Eben was quite drunk and picked up the recorder every time he spoke. I finally got around to transcribing the interview over the past few weeks.

Zack: Let's start with the official question, how was the tour?

Eben: The tour was excellent, we had a great time, good shows, good people, good fun.

Zack: Do this like it's a real interview.

Eben: I'm trying to.

Mike: Let's put this out of sight (talking about the tape recorder on the table).

Zack: No, it should be here so we can record it! Okay, I just saw the video for Shoulder to the Wheel, what the hell is going on in that video? Chris and Dave pull up to the same house 5 times? What's up with that?

Eben: Well, it supposed to be kind of like goofy, you know. It supposed to be like kind of cartoonish, it's supposed to be kind of out there and not make very much sense. I don't know, we did it in one day, you know. It's fun, you know. It's good times.

Zack: Who is that red head on the CD making out with Dave, can I get her phone number?

Eben: That is Taryn, she has a boyfriend.

Zack: In the song "Shoulder to the Wheel," the lyrics go "17 miles an hour...." Why do you guys drive so slow?

Eben: It's 70 miles an hour, you retard.

Zack: Tell me about that time you started puking after a show. Was that from all the cocaine you did.

Eben: No, I wasn't doing cocaine that night. I was just really sick that night so I started puking after the show, then I got in the van and went to sleep.

Zack: Were the fans scooping up the puke and selling it on ebay?

Eben: The fans didn't know about my puke, my puke looked like diarrhea cause all I had eaten that day was a bagel which I ate very early in the morning. No, the fans did not know about the puke, leave me alone.

Zack: How did you get the name "soy boy"?

Eben: Um, I don't know anything about that.

Zack: You dick! (while laughing cause eben had avoided our question)

Mike: So, you are denying that you fell into a barrel of soy sauce behind a Chinese restaurant?

Eben: ...

Zack: If you could have diner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?

Eben: If I could have diner with anyone alive or dead...Abraham Lincoln (screaming into the recorder) cause he's a great guy!

Zack: You're the most recent addition to the band, how did you hook up with them?

Eben: I "hooked up" with them cause they knew me from my old band, Yearly, and you know, they gave me a call because I, you know, word of my skills has spread far and wide. They gave me a call and said we needed a new bass player, come try out and I did. And the rest is history.

Zack: Did you originally play guitar and sing in your other bands?

Eben: Absolutely not.

Zack: You are telling me you never played guitar in a band?

Eben: no comment (blows his nose into the recorder and Zack laughs)

Zack: When people think of Saves the Day, they think of New Jersey, but you aren't from Jersey, where the hell are you from?

Eben: I originally come from a town called Summerville, MA, in which I lived until I was age 3. I now reside in Seacliff, NY, Long Island, in Nassau County, mind you. There you go.

Zack: Speaking....

Eben: Wait, I'm just going to reset this counter. (Eben reaches over and hits the reset button on the counter for whatever reason.) Whoops...

Zack: Did that fuck up the tape? Speaking of Sea Cliff, do you live next to tractor boy?

Eben: Tractor Boy? What's that all about?

Zack: You know tractor boy...

Eben: (screaming into recorder) What's that all about? Get this away from me, it disgusts me (as he puts the recorder down)

Zack: What were you doing before Saves the Day?

Eben: I was a part time health food store clerk, a part time CVS...um...what do you call those things you put the money in?

Zack: cashier?

Eben: Ca-cash-cashier, um, cash register jockey, as it were, part time rocker, in the band Yearly, part time student, and part time undercover lover.

Zack: (Giggles like a little girl at Eben's response) There's some talk about the bands you've been in the past, what is that all about?

Eben: I was in a few bands in the past. Next question!

Zack: Did you go to school?

Eben: I attended high school.

Zack: You didn't try college?

Eben: I tried college but it didn't take, so I didn't stick with it.

Zack: Does Saves the Day drink or do Drugs or are they a straight edge band?

Eben: Saves the Day is definitely not a straight edge band, but we're definitely not poisonous as far as substance abuse goes. But we have nothing excessive.

Zack: Next question...put on the glasses...

Eben: Good idea!

(Zack giggles like a young boy being touched)

Zack: Serious question, I've only been listening to Saves the Day since you joined the band, am I therefore a loser?

Eben: no dude, you are just riding the nuts, that's all. Let it live.

Zack: How big is your penis?

(Turner who has been sitting beside Eben finally chimes in)

Turner: Small

Eben: Big enough

Zack: That is going in the interview

Eben: Big Enough, leave me alone!

Zack: I hope the tape is rolling. I hear that Saves the Day has a heroin problem, is there any truth to that?

Eben: A few members have had a pretty big problem with the needle...I'm just kidding, nobody has a heroin problem. (Eben throws the recorder back onto the table)

Zack: Quit throwing it around dude! What do you think of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater?

Eben: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater's a fucking great game, I will take anyone in that shit?

Turner: Tell them that I rule.

Eben: Turner is very good at Tony Hawk's Pro Skater as well, she can beat my little brother, Gable, who can fucking whip my ass real bad.

Zack: What do you think of the Stryder?

Eben: The Stryder, I wish them the best of luck. More power to them. MORE POWER TO THEM! I'm a New York woman! (making a reference to the Stryder song).

Mike: Why don't you sing us the parody of the song you made?

Eben: Next question!

Zack: Why don't you make any attempt to call any of your friends?

Eben: Shut up, next question!

Zack: Why do you hit your girlfriend?

(laughter from everyone)

Eben: Because she talks back too much...(uncomfortable silence)...just kidding, I don't hit my girlfriend, I don't hit her, I don't hit her ever. (Eben breaks into song) "I'm a special lover man, I'm a lover man." Next question!

Zack: What do you think of Out of Step dot net?

Eben: It's pretty gay! Just kidding, more power to you. Rock over London, rock on Chicago, Coke is it!

Zack: You were once in a book about learning disabled children. Would you like to tell us about that?

Eben: Well, I was once in a book about learning disabled children. Next question.

Zack: On the new CD notes, it says that Chris walks in at the wrong time. I don't get it, what was so wrong about it?

Eben: Cause the pizza guy was coming in at the wrong time, every body wanted the pizza, nobody cared about him. He was trying to make a grand entrance into the party but everybody was a lot more concerned with the pizza cause everyone was hungry, so there you go. You know, I hope I did a good job answering your question there buddy. Way to go, get this away from me, your filthy. (talking to recorder)

Turner: He loves making a scene.

Zack: I know, this is going to be a great interview. A lot of think that the guys from Saves the Day are players, what's your relationship with your girlfriend like?

Eben: My relationship with my girlfriend is very special. I take her out, I wine her, I dine her, we dance until the break of dawn. I'm a lover man, next question! Let me reset the counter again (reaches over and resets counter).

(Zack ponders whether he should read the next question or not)

Zack: What do you think of the tour journal?

Eben: It's very excellent, put on the glasses, that's a great idea!

Zack: Do you eat the leather cheerios?

Eben: When I'm permitted to.

(Eben coughs into recorder)

Turner: How rude is he!

Zack: Who is your favorite pro wrestler of all time?

Eben: Oh, what the fuck is his name?

Chimp: Hacksaw Jim Duggan!

Eben: No, no, no...oh, no, there was one dude. The blue blazer, that's my favorite pro wrestler.

Zack: He's dead.

Eben: He's my favorite wrestler!

Zack: He's that guy who died on the ring, did you know that?

Turner: Say Andre the Giant.

Eben: The Blue Blazer is my favorite wrestler, fuck off. FUCK OFF!

Zack: What is your favorite scene in the pornographic film known as Anal Blondes?

Eben: The "put on the glasses" scene...eww, I don't watch porno. I'm a good Christian schoolboy. Next question.

Zack: Are you embarrassed by Hogfat?

Eben: Absolutely not, man. Those were my roots, man. I'm not denying that shit. Everyone has a first band, I was 16 anyway, leave me alone. Besides, the rest of the guys in band were in a band called Sefler. Sefler? Come on, that doesn't even mean anything! And Ted was in Another Victim, which was a vegan straight edge band.

Chimp: Burgers!!!

Zack: Speaking of burgers, if not for Hogfat which burger king do you think you would you currently be working at?

Eben: Shut up!

Zack: There is a lot of talk about the STD guys being heartthrobs and whatnot, are you the ugly one in the band.

Eben: It is definitely a strong possibility, Bob. Wait, let me ask you a question? Zack, where did the nickname "Shirley" originate?

Zack: I don't know, it is a stupid nickname. Surely you can't be serious.

Eben: Zack, what do you think about politics.

Zack: I'm a leftist.

Eben: What do you think about the goosecake?

Zack: What the fuck is the "goosecake"?

Eben: What do you think about chips?

Zack: I like chips and drinks.

Eben: What do you like about chunks?

Zack: I like chunks. I especially like chips and salsa outside a Mephiskapheles show.

Eben: What do you think about learning chops?

Zack: Learning chops, yeah, I got all the chops I need to learn, man.

Eben: Great, there you have it folks.

Turner: Can I see the list of questions?

Zack: No! How many jobs have you been fired from?

Turner: And why!

Eben: I quit CVS, I was fired from Rising Tide. I worked in an outfit store for a while, I was a stock boy. I was asked to leave because I was hanging out with turner in Virginia for a weekend and she made me stay...she asked me to stay an extra day and I did. When I came back I found out I didn't have a job anymore. All right, there you go, you have my dirty little secrets.

Zack: You've been fired from more jobs than that, dude.

Eben: What other jobs did I get fired from?

Zack: You've been fired from like every job you've ever had.

Eben: No, Pudgies Chicken I quit. Remember Pudgies Chicken, I used to wear that shirt? I still have that shirt in my closet, dude. (while speaking very close to recorder) Pudgies Chicken is the best! Don't eat Pudgies chicken. The microphone is right here. I can talk right here you fucking pussy. Take this, get this out of my face!

Zack: What is the Saves the Day song entitled "Quit Playing Games with My Heart" about?

Eben: It's mostly about the government, it's mostly about politics, the government, the current political situation, the president and the way the lyricist feels about the president.

Zack (to Chimp): Get me a beer out of there (pointing to fridge)

Eben: Next question! (slamming recorder into Zack's lap)

Zack: Ow, you dick! What do you prefer, the WWF or the WCW?

Eben: I prefer the WWF, I'm a grassroots fan. That shit was around first, don't even try to tell me about that. "You take me out, I take you ....where you go...my friend"

Zack: Speaking of the WWF, can I get a hell yeah?

Eben: go...

Zack: Go? I asked for a "hell yeah", not a "go".

Eben: Hell Yeah!

Zack: You don't know Stone Cold, man?

Chimp: It's all about Hacksaw Jim Duggan!

Zack: Stone Cold.

Eben: Wait, I have an interview question.

Zack: Okay, go ahead.

Eben: This is a question for Zachary Peter Reibstein. Can I have a cigarette accompanied with a lit please? (Zack hands him a cigarette) Are you smoking 100's, dude? Wait, exempt this from the interview.

Turner: Eben, you really want to do that to your throat?

Eben: My throat has done enough damage to me than I want to do to myself. Anyway, let's get on with the interview.

Zack: Hold on, I'm going to lit up a fatty for this pimp daddy.

Turner: Eben's had three beers.

Zack: I know, he...

Eben: Too bad (mumbles). Wait, where am I supposed to ash?

Zack: Off the record, we aren't going to print anything like our stupid bullshit conversations.

Eben: You can print the funny shit.

Zack: Yeah, nothing like can I have a cigarette? Next one, have you ever had anal sex?

Eben: Next question.

Zack: Haha, perfect answer.

Mike: I'll take that as a yes!

Zack: Have you ever given the donkey punch?

Eben: Next question!

Zack: What about the dirty tonsils?

Eben: Hmmm, let me think about this, next question!

Zack: Cleveland steamer?

Eben: Possibly, next question!

Zack: The Bloodhound Gang, my sources tell me, make their groupies stick celery up their ass and then eat it. Do you guys practice any of that sort of stuff with your groupies?

Eben: No, but apparently Led Zeppelin put a blowfish in a 16 year old girl's vagina. We never do anything of that sort. We just tell our groupies, "thank you very much for coming to the show, we appreciate your fanship." We don't really have any groupies though, next question.

Zack: Do you rock over London and rock on Chicago?

Eben: Coke is it!

Zack: What?

Turner: You sound like a retard.

Zack: Does Saves the Day still support the vegan lifestyle?

Eben: Saves the Day supports the vegan lifestyle expect for me, motherfucker! Actually, to be specific, Saves the Day supports the barter system.

Zack: The what?

Eben: The barter system! If you have a block of cheese, we'll trade that for a mule if you want If you have a wagon wheel, we'll trade that for a few beat shells. If you have a bunch of wampum, we'll trade that for a new horse. The barter system, my friends, it's coming back into style. You'll see!

Zack: Do you have no legs?

Eben: I have no legs, I can't walk.

Zack: Why do people think that your band is a bunch of gays?

Eben: Because they be player hating on us!

Zack: Mike, I think we are at the end of the line right here. Do you have anymore question? Okay, last question, how do you feel about third world politics?

Eben: Let's see

Turner: Eben's too dumb to answer that.

Eben: I feel more strongly about that than I feel about most people I've come in contact with. In fact, I did read that book, yes.

Zack: Any interesting tour stories? Tell us about the accident.

Eben: We were in an accident.

Zack: What about it?

Eben: Our van crashed, one dude lost a tooth, one dude broke a collarbone.

Zack: How many car accidents have you been in while driving?

Eben: I crashed a car once, it was during the first two weeks of having my license. Another time, I got hit by a landscaping truck and I flipped over.

Zack: Yeah, where were you going when that happened?

Eben: I was going to meet Zack at a diner.

Turner: Eben, you are ashing all over.

Eben: What are you talking about?

Mike: Eben, you are being incon.

Eben: Where did I ash? What did I do wrong? I was going to meet Zack at a diner and I crashed.

Zack: I don't know, dude. Is that it, we should end it on a better question.

Mike: How about what are the future plans of Saves the Day?

Zack: Yeah, what are the future plans of Saves the Day?

Mike: And what is your outlook on life?

Eben: We are going on tour in august with Face to Face. It is going to be awesome, I'm psyched. In winter we are going to start recording our new record. It's going to be pretty good, it's going to be out on Vagrant Records.

Zack: What's it going to be called?

Eben: I have no idea.

Zack: Are you going to call it this record is for Zack?

Eben: maybe it'll be cool, I'm excited about it. We like to take our music to the highest musical plateau. It'll be good, I'm excited. Who knows what the future will hold for us. I'd like to make a few comments. I'd like to give a shout out to submarines, I'd like to give a shout out to school teachers, I'd like to give a shout out to all those crazy motherfuckers in other parts of the country, I ain't never been to. I'd like to give a shout out to all the homeless people on the streets who couldn't be here tonight.

Zack: Wait, here's one, we'll put this one in earlier. What do you think about all those girls out there that are obsessed with you? Like all the girls I've met who chew my ear when they find out I know you.

Eben: I'm glad that they like our music, thank you, goodnight. Goodnight Cleveland, goodnight Ohio, goodnight El Paso, Texas, goodnight friends. Go try the goosecake, try the chops, go buy some chips.

Zack: Okay, last question, are you drunk right now?

Eben: No!