Interview with Amber Pacific bass player Greg. 

Interview and photo by Michael Mason.

FOON: So this is the opening day of Vans Warped Tour 2005, what stages are you on and how long are you on the tour? 

Greg: This tour we’re on the Volcom stage and the Smartpunk stage but most of the tour we have an acoustic set at our merchandise tent. 

FOON: What is the band doing after Warped? 

Greg: Right now, it looks like we’re going to go out on tour with Sherwood and The Track Record on the east coast a few other bands might join us; but we don’t know just yet. 

FOON: The new CD came out, what’s it called? 

Greg: It’s called The Possibility and the Promise. 

FOON: What’s your favorite song off it? 

Greg: Live would probably be “For What It’s Worth,” then in general, “Save Me From Me.” 

FOON: Why did you pick those songs? 

Greg: “For What It’s Worth” is just fun to go crazy live to; and “Save Me from Me” was the first song I wrote for the band, its kind of sentimental to me I guess… 

FOON: Who writes the lyrics? 

Greg: Will and I write them. Will is our lead guitarist and backup vocalist. 

FOON: Where did the inspiration come from for “The Right to Write Me Off?” 

Greg: Well, I didn’t write that one; but it’s about Justin and his girlfriend and the whole having to leave for tour thing. 

FOON: You’re on punk goes 80’s? 

Greg: Yea, we covered The Buggles “Video Killed the Radio Star.” 

FOON: Why did you pick that song; and how did you get it to work?

Greg: We couldn’t think of a song; and that’s the first that came to mind.  Then we figured out the chord progression we wanted and went from there. 

FOON: Why did you pick the band name Amber Pacific? 

Greg: I came up with a list of like 50 names because we had to change our name from Follow Through, or we’d get sued; and Amber was in one name and Pacific was in another, Will was like I like those two words and so I said lets just put them together and call it Amber Pacific. So that’s how we got that. 

FOON: What’s the deal behind Dango (drums)? Isn’t he from Nashville or something? 

Greg: Yea he’s from Nashville.  He has a college degree in drumming; and he was a drummer for hire down there.  We don’t really know exactly how we came across him, but we did; and he came and tried out and joined the band. 

FOON: So what’s the short version of how Amber Pacific came to be at Warped Tour here today? 

Greg: Short version is a bunch of friends played together in high school.  We recorded an EP and it sounded good.  That got us signed to Hopeless Records. Hopeless got us on the tour last year, and after we did it last year we had to do it this year.  It’s just so much fun there’s so many kids; and it’s just a great experience so we told Hopeless and Vans we wanted to do it again this year.  They weren’t able to get us on a stage the entire time but; we really wanted on the whole time, so we asked if we could sell stuff and play acoustic when we don’t have a stage and that’s how we got in here this year. 

FOON: So what’s your favorite thing about being famous or semi-famous? 

Greg: I wouldn’t say I’m famous or even semi-famous, but we get free stuff every now and then.  Which is cool, I mean, I like free stuff.  Who doesn’t? 

FOON: What kind of music would you say you play? 

Greg: I have no idea. It’s kind of a harder pop punk. We, as a band, never have a good answer for that. 

FOON: What happens if or when the band blows up? Like if MTV throws you a deal or something? 

Greg: We go with it… we’re going to ride this thing wherever it takes us. We’ll always be as nice as we can to fans as long as they don’t like steal our stuff. We’re just going to live life and have fun with this. 

FOON: Ok here is some random shit I came up with around 2 A.M. yesterday. 

Greg: Random is good. 

FOON: What’s your favorite band? 

Greg: I would probably say Green Day, Less Than Jake, and Rancid. So I have three. 

FOON: What’s your favorite cowboy ever (like Billy the Kid or whoever)? 

Greg: I’ll go with Billy the Kid, because I don’t really have a favorite cowboy… (Laughs) 

FOON: If you died today, what would you wish you had done that you didn’t? 

Greg: I’d get married. That’d definitely be it. 

FOON: Was there someone you didn’t marry because of touring or something? 

Greg: Um… Well… I don’t know… 

FOON: What’s your dream job? And this doesn’t count… 

Greg: I’m doing it right now… but… to win the lottery and sit at home since I can’t say what I’m already doing. 

FOON: If the band all fell apart today, what would you be doing? 

Greg: Going back to college, that’d be it. I have no idea what I’d major in, or anything like that, I’d just be in college. 

FOON: Anything interesting you’d care to share? 

 of interesting...Greg: Just thanks to everyone who’s supported us. I don’t have any interesting stories because we’re really boring… but, we did hit a bird on the way here and we haven’t cleaned the window yet, so there’s bird guts everywhere… that’s kind of interesting.

Visit our message board!