"Momentarily The Healthiest Adults aka Forever The Sickest Kids"

by Jenn Dohner for AMP Magazine

Yes boys and girls, I decided to use an antonym for my title. I also pulled my 3-7-11 move on "Forever The Sickest Kids" new CD. Are you familiar with my 3-7-11 process? Here's the deal, I am not going to school you in antonym's, but I will take the time to explain the " 3-7-11". Whenever I get a new CD, I only listen to tracks # 3, # 7 and #11. I honestly don't give a flying fart if the number 1 hit, is track number #4. These are the tracks I listen to. If I like them? I will give the whole CD a good listening. If I don't? You guessed it, I don't bother with it. If 3, 7, and 11 are crap, I assume the whole CD is.

I didn't have a lot of time to prepare for this interview. In fact, I received the CD, " Underdog Alma Mater" only one day before I was to interview the band ( and 1 month before it's release date). Not exactly a lot of time to prepare. I had heard of the band, but never listened to their music . I literally shoved their CD in my car and played it on the way to the show. So approximately 3 hours before I was to meet and interview the band, I was listening to their music for the first time. They passed my test and after approving of tracks 3,7 and 11, I listened to the rest of the CD, twice over. "Hey Brittany" and "Whoa Oh" were really catchy. Those happen to be tracks #1 and #2. The ones I would have obviously bypassed if I didn't like my tracks. However, my favorite is #11 "Coffee Break" . Although it's a slower song, I can totally relate to wanting to shut my phone off and boycott people so I can collect my thoughts.

Guitarist, Marc Stewart, says about the album, " Ultimately, when you hear the music, we want it to make you dance in your car while you're driving. We want it to be easy to sing along to, but so catchy you don't wanna stop." Despite heavy traffic and really bizarre weather, I WAS dancing in my car while white knuckling the steering wheel. I probably looked like a stiff robot trying to be-bop while fearing the semi next to me would lose control and squish me like an ant. (The weather was hail, snow and sunshine, all at once.)

If you're tired of the screamo, emo, joe schmoe, same old stuff you've heard for the past 5 years, give 'em a listen. Their live show is very high energy and the kids went apeshit over them.The album is upbeat and "feel good music" with the kind of songs that get stuck in your head, say like the vision of Verne Troyer drunk and pissing in a corner. Did I mention that Mini-Me crashed our interview? I'm serious, Verne Troyer decided to poke his very tiny head in on the interview. I was like, "WTF?!?!". Mini-Me at MY interview?". Verne Troyer is the smallest human being I have ever seen. I wanted to pick him up and cradle him like a baby, despite knowing he was older than me.

In summary, the band had me dancing on the freeway during a freak storm, and catching candid shots of Mini-Me. Despite not knowing their names at the time, I can guarantee I will never forget them now. I'm already curious to see what they'll do next. I know that right after they played, they left to go shoot their new video. I wonder if Verne is in it?

* Please note, I used my voice recorder but have NO idea who the hell responded to my questions. I do know that Jonathon, Austin, Marc and Caleb each contributed with answers. Unfortunately I am not on a voice recognition basis with them yet.*

Give me an example where you feel you went above and beyond the call and duty as a band.
FTSK-This tour for sure.We never sleep in. We have played high school shows and Hot Topic shows on our days off.We have a video shoot tomorrow. Sometimes we play 3 or 4 shows a day. On Warped Tour we were playing 3 shows a day, we had to get our own water and stuff. So definitely the past year has been working hard and never complaining about it. We know we have to do it if we want to succeed.

Jonathon...lead vocals

So do you think all this work had paid off?
FTSK-Definitely. We've had mass plays on myspace since this tour. I mean, if we were slackers, we wouldn't be doing anything and we wouldn't care. We're doing the best we can and working as hard as we can, before the album drops.

Austin...bass/vocals

So when is the album going to be released?
FTSK-April 29th.

Do you have any plans for the release?
FTSK-We're going back home to Connecticut .

Caleb...guitar/vocals

Is there anything you do for your fans that maybe other bands don't?
FTSK-Well, there's 6 of us, so we try and get out and mingle after every show we play. We communicate with them on myspace and take the time to respond. Sometimes we get some pretty deep messages, and we try to respond to them. We had a cell phone for awhile where they could call, and we would try and respond. Sometimes we would just randomly answer it and talk with them.

Marc...guitar

Do you think you can maintain that kind of contact with your fans if you become really big?
FTSK-It might be a lot harder to do it. But we will still try and do it, and we do the best we can to communicate with our fans.

Is there anyone who you feel has really helped you as a band?
FTSK-Our tour manager Robbi, and Marc's parents for supporting us during the beginning stages of the band. They fed us and let us crash at their house.

Kyle...drums

Does the band have a personal mission statement?
FTSK-Yup, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" and "It's gonna be a great day!"

Ok, this is a serious and very deep question, why is there fuzz on a tennis ball?
FTSK-Traction and for the pleasure of your hands.

What are your plans for the next year?
FTSK-Our album release and to tour the world.

Kent...Keyboards

How do you feel about taking "No", for an answer?
FTSK-If it pertains to the music, we stick to our style. But it when it comes to other stuff, if we need to do it to get ahead, we'll do it.

Ok, last question, what's been your most inspirational moment as a band?
FTSK-Getting signed, that was such a huge moment for us as a band. We were at an ice skating rink when it happened. It's like a weight has been lifted, we've made it to this point. And then hearing the whole record mastered, it was like wow. Especially after hearing so many bands that have had good albums come out, but don't make it. It feels good that we have met every deadline, and done everything that has been asked of us.

©Jennifer J Dohner