Give us a brief history of the band (when did you start, line up...) Travis: We formed in late 2000, Jim and I were the original members, Austin came in next to replace our original rhythm guitarist, then more recently we added a new drummer and bass player. Nothing too spectacular, played a lot of shows in St. Pete, started opening for touring bands, mainly punk bands being as that's all that come through here, Casualties, Lower Class Brats, Unseen, we always get a good reaction, but probably don't have much in common with the crowd. Jim: When we started, we were real into punk but also real jaded by the lack of any real meaningful political debate. We wouldn't have started this band if we felt there was nothing lacking in the punk/skinhead scene. What happened is that we got sick of going to shows and hearing the same old left wing bitch and moan dominating the politics and the kids' unquestioning minds. Sometimes they (the kids) wouldn't understand what they were saying, but agreeing anyways. It was a really one-sided argument. So we started Nation of Suspects just to give the kids and the scene a different perspective that they are not used to and to expand the boundaries of punk and Oi! musically. Nowadays, you come to St. Pete, you will meet a lot of Punks that wear their flags the right side up. The only way they used to get any kind of right wing ideal was from Nazi bands, which is a bad representation. A lot of left wingers don't like our politics but aren't too quick to attack us because they find it « refreshing » to get a different side of politics. What are your main influences? And is there a band in particular that had / has an impact on your music? Travis: It differs quite a bit from band mate to band mate, my musical and lyrical influences are quite different, our older material aside I try to write songs based on American conservative ideas and values, skinhead subculture, I don't know, samurai's maybe? But, my musical influences range from the Anti-Heros to Judge. Jim: Musically for me, I would have to say GWAR was my biggest influence. Yeah, they can be cheesy but their uncommon arrangements and not knowing what would come next interested me. I like to stay away from the verse, chorus, verse, chorus combo. But GWAR is the band that made me want to pick up a guitar. Talking about your music, how would you describe your sound? Travis: Meatloaf meets… I couldn't think of anything funny, it's just hardcore I guess. This is the wrong question to ask the no talent hack/ vocalist. Jim: I don't know how to describe us. I guess hardcore but not in the cheesy and overplayed way. How did you discover the Oi / skinhead scene? Travis: I was born with my boots on, duh! Jim: I did my time as a bald punk first. Here in the Tampa Bay area, we had a nasty White Power problem that needed fixing. It wasn't so much for their beliefs, because being an American Patriot I can't deny someone their ideas, but because they beat people who didn't deserve it, intimidated the kids at the shows, and kept the good bands from coming to our town because of the reputation they made. So long story short I was chosen by the elder skins and accepted to follow the skinhead duties. Over years of tension and aggression, we no longer have that problem. Where are you from exactly? How's the scene in your town & state? Travis: St. Petersburg, Florida. The scene in this town and this state is terrible, no dedication and no camaraderie, but there is plenty of drama and shit talking if you're into that. Jim: On the bright side, if a good band came here they can expect one hell of a show and a good turnout - not Britney Spears good, but good enough. I booked a show for the Boils here and I think they had a pretty good time. What do you think of the Oi / skinhead scene in the USA? Travis: Honestly, I haven't travelled much farther than Atlanta, it seems nice there, people dedicated to the skinhead subculture at many different levels, Chris Nutter put us on the Spring Broke line-up without hearing us, so we give him many thanks, but I don't live there so what do I know. Every scene in America is different what may be acceptable in one city is blasphemous in another, but with the advent of people who are trying to turn the skinhead way of life into South Central L.A. gang life, what do you expect? There seem to be a few "evil right wing" bands popping up around the U.S., so that's good, but if the scene is anything like it is here around the nation it can go straight to hell. Jim: In Florida, we have about 4 or 5 different regional groups of Sharps and Trads that do not share the same political ideas, but when needed can work together to accomplish a common objective. As far as white power here, they are all either rednecks or jock rockers with the occasional street punk, only the fresh cut white power kids dress like Skinheads and they are usually weeded out fast. What about the rest of the world? Are you in touch with a lot of people outside the US? Travis:I know absolutely nobody outside the U.S., and if they don't shower or shave regularly, I don't want to fucking know them. Jim: Besides pissing off the occasional French and Italian by discussing their WWII records on Skinheads.net, I don't have much contact with anyone outside North America. Have you already released something (demo, EP...)? If not, any plans? In touch with some labels & would you like to work with a label in particular? Travis: We recorded 10 songs on our own and have yet to do anything besides burn CD's with them. I would like to start my own label that promoted only pro American bands, but hey, big dreams, small wallet. Jim: Any labels that might be interested, our 10 songs are good quality (might need a little re-mixing) so you won't have to pay for that. We constantly get asked when we will release something, but we lack the funds. We are pretty much willing to work with anybody. What about gigs? How many if you can tell us? Are they mainly local gigs or have you ever played throughout the States? Travis: Mainly in St. Pete, we played Deland twice, and Brandon twice, both close to St. Pete. We played Atlanta, for Spring Broke, I'd play anywhere in the world that isn't: A) governed my Islamic fundamentalist or B) anywhere I wouldn't get kidnapped, and have my head cut off. Is it easy to find venues in your area? Travis: Negative. They slap a 98 Rock banner behind the stage and suddenly think they're special, and can ask for promo packs, sorry were to busy rockin' to make promo packs. The day I send some club a promo pack, it's going attached with a rider, if you act like the shit, you better treat me like a fucking rock star. Jim: There used to be this great venue called the Venom. It was an industrial techno club, but once they saw the kind of crowds we drew, then they fully supported us with shows and even the occasional bouncer jobs - nothing's more fun then turning a blind eye to the punks drinking in the parking lot and then being a total dick to the techno kids. But like all good things, they went out of business. Will you be interested in playing outside the US? Which part of the world? Travis: Let's see, off the top of my head, how about, the U.K., Norway, Sweden, Japan, maybe France and Germany, if I had time to go see the sites, I'd probably quit halfway through the tour to go visit all the WWII sites. Jim: I am willing to play anywhere as long as we've got a translator. The countries I would like to visit the most would be Switzerland and Ireland - Sweden too. Talking about politics, who do you think will win the next elections? Kerry or GW Bush? Give us your opinion on each candidate. Travis: I'll tell you November 4th. Jim: My money's on Bush. After being subjected to 8 years of Clinton and his refusal to do anything except for lobbing a few missiles at al Quada and Iraq, Bush is exactly what America has been craving whether we knew it or not. The voters already know everything about Bush, so he really needs just a continued improvement in Iraq and the War on Terror, which is happening, and continue with a good economy. I'm real interested in what will come in his next term. Iran's change in attitude and a better economic relationship with Russia is what I would like to see in the international spectrum. Kerry on the other hand, I don't feel that he would single handedly cause the fall of the U.S., but I really don't want to return to the P.C. Love Fest that Clinton helped create. Honestly, we don't need a Democrat in the office, what is happening in the is much too important. Kerry and Bush pretty much agree on what our problems are, and more or less on how to solve them. But where as Kerry goes for the « more government is better government » approach to solving the problems, Bush takes a smarter more economic role that doesn't involve more Government oversight or agencies in areas such as health care, education, and easing unemployment due to job outsourcing. What do you think of the situation between the US & Europe (especially France)? Situation caused by the second war in Iraq. Travis: I could care less about America's reputation worldwide, the French have hated us since World War II, read some G.I. accounts from that era, they all say the same thing, you couldn't trust the Italians, and the French didn't like them and weren't grateful for being liberated. I have little respect for the French people, how many mistresses does their President have? There is a book I want to read though, by a French author, called Anti- Americanism, about the overwhelming sentiment in his country and the world, and why it's stupid. Until then, Boycott France! Jim: In the U.S., the left would like us to believe that Franco-American tensions are a new phenomenon caused by Bush, and in fact I would be less worried if that were true. But unfortunately it is more serious than that. During the U.N. weapons inspections of Iraq in the nineties France, along with Germany and Russia, made it impossible to reach a conclusion on the state of Saddam's WMD program by siding with Saddam over disputes and pushing diplomacy instead of allowing the weapon inspectors to do their job. Now that we have invaded Iraq, we have been finding evidence of France, Germany, Russia, and even the U.N. being on Saddam's bribe list - coincidently the same countries and organization that were against the invasion. We are fighting a war that could have been prevented, so I stand by President Bush's tough stance against Chirac. Hopefully, after all the facts come out, our relationship will improve by French concession. But the French government will most likely always be bastards to us on everything because of their designs to turn the EU into a superpower that would rival the U.S. Give us a top ten of your favorite bands. Travis: These are my ten favourites, they aren't ranked best to worst. American: Negative Approach, Anti Heros, Judge, Slapshot, Stars and Stripes, the Templars, the Misfits, Warzone, Slayer, Metallica. European: Condemned 84, Close Shave, Vanilla Muffins, Cock Sparrer, Ultimo Asalto, 4-Skins, Ultima Thule, Oxymoron, Discipline, Skrewdriver. Jim: Misfits, Templars, Southern Riot, Lower Class Brats, Stars and Stripes, No Holds Barred, Another Round, the Troubles, GWAR, and Terminus City. Foreign: (Spelling errors) Lager Lads, Die Lokalamatadore, Loikamie, Crop #1, Condemned 84, Vanilla Muffins, Ultima Thule, Judge Dread , and now I'm drawing a blank… If you have to keep only five records of your collection, tell us which ones? Travis: I don't have anything spectacular, if there was a fire or something I'd probably save my gun first. Jim: Conflict's "Ungovernable Force" - Hippy politics aside, this is one great album. Condemned 84 "Live and Loud" - The best thing about this album is the additional lead guitar licks that you don't get on their studio albums. Ultima Thule 45 on Steve Priest's Fan Club - The songs aren't that great, but its worth some money. Judge Dread "Live and Lewd" Billy Bragg "Peel Sessions" - I bought that shit for my lady, she would kill me if I didn't save it. Future plans for the Nation of Suspects: Travis: I'd say world domination, but the rest of the world isn't worth conquering, so American domination. Jim: Maybe building a Nation of Suspects orphanage, for all the bastard kids of Travis' that will scatter across the U.S. Something to add? Final words. Travis: Yeah, don't be a bitch. Buy our records. Join the right wing conspiracy, and take America back. Racial and ultra liberal politics have no place in the American skinhead scene, they both seek to destroy the American way of living, they are both internationalist, and both socialist. Stop supporting extremist politics, America is the land of the free, not the land of Hitler or Marx. American soldiers didn't die on French beaches so you could corrupt our country from the inside 60 years later, they didn't die for racists, they didn't die for the communists, they died to preserve freedom from tyranny. Jim: Also, don't give any of those squatter punks anything but a kick in the head - unless they are wearing one of our shirts. www.nationofsuspects.com