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A Quickie With Rob Heiner of A Day At The Fair

By: Music Staff

Friday September 16, 2005

Self admittingly loves bitch slaps, takin naps, and rockin the St. Louis cap.
Hard-driving punk rockers A Day At The Fair ran out of the gate just last year with the EP The Prelude. This year they have signed up with Rushmore Records and have released their first full-length, The Rocking Chair Years.

The band have just started a tour that will stretch, for the time being, into the beginning of December. Check them out at a venue near you.

Guitarist Rob Heiner and Static had a little e-mail exchange awhile back and it goes like this:

Static: What's the last song that flat-out scared you?

Rob Heiner: "Quote/Unquote" by Mr. Bungle. It was the first time I had ever heard anything like that, and I woke up at 6 in the morning and the driver was rocking out to it. I love it now though.

Coke or Pepsi?

Coke, don't even bring up that Pepsi shit. Coke goes with Italian food, Pepsi is too sweet for that, so anyone you see drinking Pepsi with their pizza, they don't know shit about anything.

What song are you most proud of on this album? Why?

I'm probably most proud of "And My Name's Dignan So What?," "The Lost and The Lucky," "Erasing Wilkes," and "Everything I've Ever Wanted," because a year and a half ago I don't think we could have written those songs. I think they push our sound a lot further.

What artists have you discovered in the last 6-12 months and how has their work influenced yours?

The bands that we've discovered in that time are Say Anything, I Can Make A Mess...., Self Against City, but I don't think we're really a band who takes a whole lot from our influences. We kinda just do it. I don't really know how to explain it. But there's definitely never any mention of other bands when we're writing songs.

What can fans expect to get at one of your concerts that they couldn't necessarily get on your album?

Todd being a maniac. Me trying to be funny. Chris accidentally unplugging himself. And Steve throwing in all sorts of drum shit that isn't on the record, because he's Steve.

Who/what were some motivators for getting you into the industry?

As strange as it sounds, Bon Jovi, Poison, Motley Crue, Guns N Roses, all those bands we grew up on.

What direction do you feel you're headed in artistically? What's next?

The next record will probably be a lot like The Empire Strikes Back was to Star Wars. Little more of a downer, but more serious, and definitely a lot more story. Just more about life I guess. And then the record after that will come full circle somehow, lots of redemption, and goodness, and all that, and then we'll all move our merry asses to California to go back to the real world. But we'll work shitty jobs where it's sunny at least.

Michael Jackson - pedophile or misunderstood eccentric?

Oh yeah, Thriller did that shit.

What would you like to come back as in a later life?

A professional skateboarder.

What was your first live performance like?

Our first show was on the Warped Tour 2002 in Montreal on the Drive-Thru Stage, and we all collectively shit our pants.

Whose phone number would you most like?

John Cusack, I think we could be homies.

As a kid, like 5-12 years old, what music did you listen to?

5-7 Pat Benatar and Olivia Newton John, 8-10 Poison, Motley Crue, Def Leopard, 10-12 Dr. Dre, Wu Tang Clan, Snoop Dogg.

Who influenced (or dictated) what music you listened to when you were growing up (DJ, parents, siblings, classmates, captors, etc)?

I had an older sister who had Dead Kennedys, Butthole Surfers, Bad Brains, and Black Flag records. So that helped. And of course being a slave to MTV and whatever they shoved down the public's throat at the time.

What periodicals, if any, do you subscribe to?

We have a couple magazine racks on our RV filled with AP, FHM, Maxim, Stuff, that's about it, but we don't subscribe, we just pick 'em up since we're not home enough to get our mail.

Name something non-musical (e.g. book, person, building, animal) that has inspired or influenced you.

I love almost every book that Chuck Palahniuk has written. Chris makes fun of it, but Steve's starting to get into it.

Do you download music without paying for it?

I'll download something to see if I like it before I buy it. I think everyone does that. If I like it I buy it. If I don't like it I don't. I'm not above downloading music just because I'm in a band. I think downloading and the internet in general have helped almost every band in the world out to no end. There's no way we could reach some of these places without years of touring. Now when we do get there, they're already singing the words, and they buy shirts AND cds. But it does hurt independent labels, so for the tons of people who love a band and don't buy their record, that could potentially be another band that's not getting signed because the label can't afford it. And that band that's not getting signed could have turned out to be your favorite band ever. Bummer huh?

Can you read music? If yes, do you write your songs using musical notation?

I can, but it takes a long time and I have to write the note letters above the notes. I think everyone in our band can do that, but we've never written a song that way.

Do you read music criticism? Who are some of your preferred critics, if any?

I read our bad reviews, I think they're hysterical. Everyone's a critic in their own way. I say things suck all the time. But for someone who's job it is to sit down and essentially talk shit half the time, doesn't bother me in the least. It's like half the time what's written isn't even really about you, it's them trying to make it about themselves, and when you read between the lines what it really says is, "Look how clever/witty/jaded I am." Those who can, do, those who can't, criticize. Meanwhile we'll be on tour having the time of our lives. I'll take that over sitting behind a computer screen any day.

Name a canonical, respected, revered artist whom you think is wildly overrated.

I'll give ya a top 5 most overrated bands of all time The Doors, Led Zepplin, Aerosmith, Grateful Dead, and Nirvana.

What one thing must you have on tour with you...?

My Ipod.

Favorite beverage...?

Arizona Green Tea or Miller Lite.

Got any pets...?

I have a dog that hates everyone in the world and won't die.

What other artists are you currently listening to...?

Brand New, Quicksand, The Replacements, Jets To Brazil, Ben Folds.

Who would you like a chance to collaborate / tour with...?

Collaborate, Ludacris. Tour with Early November, they're the coolest most down to earth guys you could ever meet, and they frickin' rock.

What's the most truly subversive piece of music you know?

According to the definition of subversive on dictionary.com, I'd say "You're Gonna Die For Your Government" by Anti-Flag.

Prior to becoming a full-time musician, what did you do for a living?

We did every bullshit job you can imagine, pool guy, cable guy, carpenter, ski lift attendant, sandwich maker, garbage man, hot tar roofer, waiter, pizza delivery, etc.