DarkMedia Interviews Drive A’s Jason Nott:
If you’re the kind of person who’s satisfied with the status quo, and don’t want to be inspired to live outside the box, then Drive A isn’t the band for you. Armed with a raw, unforgettable sound, Drive A plays the kind of music that takes up residence inside your head — and shakes things up. And don’t let their youth fool you! They fully understand the music legacy they’re not only representing, but reinventing. Having played over 200 live shows, touring with some of the biggest names in the business today, from HIM to The Used, and finding themselves featured on MTV.com’s coveted “Buzzworthy Video Premieres”, this is a band on the rise.
DarkMedia had the opportunity to sit down with guitarist and vocalist Jason Nott to discuss how he feels about touring with the bands he grew up with, what it means to be a real punk band, and his own experience with what’s been called the “bullying epidemic”.
Drive A began while you were all teenagers. How difficult was it for you to be in the music industry at such a young age?
There’s definitely been quite a few struggles being so young. Bruno, the lead singer, and I started the band when I was 16 and he was only 13. Right away we were judged for that but I think there were a few people that saw more than just some teenage kids playing rock ‘n’ roll. I don’t regret being so young and being in a band, we have a head start on everyone!
You did two tours with The Used, and have received amazing support from its lead singer and songwriter, Bert McCracken. How was that experience and how do you think it affected, or is still affecting, your music career?
I grew up listening to The Used, they’ve been one of my favorite bands since I was 12. So being able to watch such an amazing band on stage for an hour and a half every night was surreal. It’s inspiring to see a successful band like The Used still care about their live show and still “bring it” every night. They definitely gave us our first push and helped us start to develop a fan base.
Since Drive A began, you’ve toured with bands like Simple Plan, Papa Roach, HIM and, soon, Black Veil Brides. Which bands would you like the opportunity to tour with in the future?
There are so many… Green Day, Billy Talent, and My Chemical Romance are all bands I would love to tour with. We’ve been lucky enough to get on so many great tours, I imagine one of those could happen one day… or so I hope.
With so much “poppy” pop, auto-tune and electronic music topping the charts, what do you attribute your rise in success as a punk band?
I think that real music fans still exist, there’s so much watered down shit nowadays and it’s hard to find someone still playing real music. We aren’t a huge band yet but the fans we have now are super dedicated, we may change from time to time, and experiment with new styles, but our fans know that we’ll always be the same people playing great songs with the same intensity.
After the Black Veil Brides and Aiden tour, you’ll be on a headlining tour. Once all the touring is over, what are your plans as a band and individually?
Well, sadly, the BVB tour was cancelled, but we’re still really excited about our first headlining tour. We plan to rest over the holidays and then start writing a new album mid-January. We’ve actually already started writing.
We all have “guilty pleasure” bands & musicians that we listen to. Who are yours?
I love LMFAO, no one would ever expect that, haha. A group like that could easily be placed in the “watered down shit” category but I don’t care. It’s just fun and I don’t take them too seriously but I think they’re great.
Besides music, did you ever aspire to be a part of any other profession?
I grew up making short films with my friends and writing scripts, I would love to do something with film one day. I love music more than anything but I think film is a completely different way of expressing yourself.
Besides guitar, what other instruments do you play? What age did you learn to play? Was music always a big part of your life?
I play drums, bass, saxaphone, and bit of piano. I started on guitar when I was 9 and naturally picked up the other instruments over the years. Music has been a huge part of my life ever since I can remember. I have a picture of me when I was 2 wearing headphones and pretending to sing into a microphone.
How have you evolved musically, and personally, from when you first toured to now?
We’ve become a much better band, better musicians and songwriters, that happens from being on the road for almost three years straight. A live show is worth 100 garage rehearsals at home. I’ve definitely noticed a change in friendships and relationships — it’s hard to keep up with everyone. I left home when I was 17 and still in high school, now I’m 21 and I’m hearing about friends moving away, getting jobs, and even getting married. I chose this life, they chose that life. You can’t stay friends forever.
Those who like it Dark would love to know if you’ve ever had any paranormal experiences/encounters.
When I was growing up, my father would tell me stories about his childhood and living in an orphanage. He grew up in England, he used to see the ghost of a nun that would haunt his orphanage. I became fascinated with ghosts after hearing stories like that. Now whenever I’m on tour I look up haunted places in the city I’m in. I’ve had uncomfortable experiences from exploring, but I don’t know how much contact I’ve ever had with ghosts. Doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop trying though! I invite anyone to explore with me.
What is your favorite horror movie?
The Shining got me into horror movies, I saw it at a very young age. I had to watch it while my parents were asleep so they wouldn’t catch me.
Bullying has been so prominent in the media lately. What advice can you give to your younger fans for staying strong while still maintaining their individuality?
I get messages from people all the time asking the same thing. I was bullied as a kid. I was made fun of for the way I dress, called “fag” more times than I can count — just because of how I looked. No matter how bad things got music was always there; I learned to channel my negative feelings into good feelings from listening to my favorite bands and of course writing new songs. I think that everyone needs a hobby or some sort of escape from the outside world, and music is my escape.
Another thing everyone learns eventually is that when high school is over it’s over! Nothing carries over. It might seem terrible at the time, but things change real quick when it ends. Every bully is gone and will most likely go on to be nothing, they’re lowlifes.
What country haven’t you toured that you would like to?
Japan, I love the culture and of course the food!
Please give us three words that describe Drive A as a whole. Bruno, Taylor and you individually?
We are rad.
Can you tell us a secret that may shock your fans?
We don’t have many secrets but there is one that I’m thinking of currently that I can’t actually say but when we do say it, it’s going to be a huge shock to everyone. Is that a shocking enough answer for you?
Drive A and Jason Nott are Featured Members of DarkMediaCity, a free social network for those who like it Dark. Whether it be literature or film, music or art, horror or sci-fi, paranormal romance or paranormal investigation, we’ve got something for you. www.DarkMediaCity.com
Exclusive Giveaway from DarkMedia! From now until December 15, 2011, RSVP “yes” here and you could win a SIGNED copy of their album, “The World in Shambles”.
Many thanks to our contributing music interviewers, Annie & Kelly.
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