"We don't dream of making millions of dollars but simply being comfortable."

 

According to their bio, this five-piece collective from St. Louis spawned in the summer of '98. A group of friends decided to get together to make the kind of music they wanted to make which contained "no rules"; a mix of metal/hardcore fused with emo, groovecore, punk, and other elements. In this interview guitarist Shawn Keith answers correspondent Maggie Solum's questions about the band's new album, They Live, the themes surrounding their music, the album cover and more.

 

Q: Thanks for sparing your time! Please introduce yourself.
A: Shawn Keith and I play guitar for Calico System.

Q: They Live, your debut album on Eulogy Records how did you form and how did you get signed? And what's the origin of your name?
A: We formed like any band. Friends that shared the same interest in music. The name is simple really. Calico meaning different (different people with different backgrounds) and system is the band. The Calico System.

A friend of ours from then band THIS DAY FORWARD who now plays for CIRCA SURVIVE passed along our demo EP (Love Will Kill All) to label owner John Wylie.  It just clicked.  We felt that at that point of time in our career that it was the right move to put it out with a strong up and coming indie label.

Q: Are you close with the other bands on Eulogy?
A: We have toured with some of the bands on the label but we are most friends with EVERGREEN TERRACE.  they have taken us out 3 times in the past and all three tours were simply amazing.

Q: What was the writing process for They Live?
A: We went out it a little different. Our guitar player Rick wrote most of the riffs for the record and basically structured most of it. It came together really easy and really fast. We are happy with the outcome.

Q: What is the general reaction you've gotten since the release of the album?
A: The crowds have gotten a lot bigger and the merch numbers have jumped way up prior to even playing the show.  You can tell that people are into it and are coming to the show to see us play live. I think most of the reaction is just the kids that come up to us and tell us how much they love the record.  We wanted to write a fun upbeat record and everyone that's coming to the shows are able to just have a good time with us.  That is all we ever wanted.

Q: The dreaded, always-repetitive question - what influences the group musically? What do you guys listen to a lot of?
A: I am a weirdo... I listen to bands like NOFX, STRUNG OUT and LAGWAGON. haha... basically the entire FAT WRECK CHORDS catalog is my soundtrack... everyone listens to a lot of different things.  Our iPod in the van is loaded up with stuff from METALLICA to BJORK.

Q: What are the general themes your discuss in your lyrics?
A: Love, death and everything in between.  I think you can relate to almost anything on that record and that's what we wanted.

Q: What was your favorite track to write and what is your favorite track to play live?
A: They live came together so great. I mean we seriously wrote that song in 5 minutes and we just stopped and looked at each other with a smile.  It is by no means the most technical or diverse song on the record but its one of the songs that I love to play.

Q: What was the idea for the cover art? Did it come out as you wanted it to?
A: We actually went through about a dozen different ideas and this was the last thing we came up with and we just really liked it.  It is kind of mysterious in the fact that you wonder what is going on.  We like to leave people with that thought as they read through the lyrics while looking at the artwork and listening to the record.

Q: What is the local and indie scene like in St. Louis? Is there a lot of support or do you have to climb ladders?
A: The support is good. I mean you will always have those kids in the scene that will always be against you if your doing well. That how it is everywhere you go. The power of the message boards!  We love being from ST
LOUIS and we love playing there. We always pull a good crowd and the shows are always fun. We are really happy that we get to come home from tour and be able to have a great time in our home town.

Q: Describe your sound in three words.
A: Helloween, Pantera, Kenny Rogers (not three words, but 3 things)

Q: What is the goal of the band? What would you like to achieve?
A: We just want to say at the end of the day that we did everything we wanted to. At this point we have plans to go to Europe and plans to tour other countries.  I think we just want to be able to go on tour and have people at
the shows and people that are coming to the shows that get it.  We don't dream of making millions of dollars but simply being comfortable.

Q: If you could be asked any question in an interview that you haven't been asked yet, what would that be?
A: boxers or briefs?

Q: Pretend I asked you that question. How would you answer?
A: Briefs.

 

Q: If you could commission a band to cover a Calico System song, who would do it and which song would they cover?
A: I would love to hear HASTE THE DAY cover our song "LOVE WILL KILL ALL".

Q: What are your plans for 2006 so far?
A: We are going out w/SCARLET, FIGHT PARIS and THE ESOTERIC in Jan/Feb.  Then plans of going to EUROPE w/ THE HURT PROCESS and SILENT DRIVE in Mar/April.

Q: Thank you again for sparing a moment. Anything else you would like to
add?
A: Go buy the record THEY LIVE!