Popular Underground Magazine got a chance to chat with Every Time I Die vocalist, Keith Buckley at the end of July during the Chicago Warped Tour stop. Talking face to face with Buckley is a complete opposite of his composure while he's belting out screams for the Buffalo, New York based band. He's calm, collected and soft spoken. Every Time I Die's music, however is not. It's loud, chaotic and simply put; amazing. Rounded out by Andrew Williams and Jordan Buckley on guitar and Michael Novak on drums, ETID don't hold anything back. They're currently still riding their most recent release Gutter Phenomenon and are set to release their DVD Shit Happens on October 31, 2006.
Popular Underground Magazine (PUM): How has Warped Tour been so far?
Keith Buckley (KB): It's the best way for a band to spend the summer. As we get more and more involved, the crowd is getting bigger. It just feels better. I almost wish it would go on a little longer so we could capitalize on it more.
PUM: Have you been on from the beginning?
KB: Yeah, the whole thing.
PUM:PUM: Are there any bands that you look up to on this tour?
KB:KB: Underoath, before they quit the tour. They are a real inspiration to watch and they're great people. Unfortunately, they're not on the tour anymore.
PUM:PUM: Yeah, I heard about that.
KB:KB: Yeah, I hope everything works out for them.
PUM:PUM: What do you do in your free time, like when you're not on stage and doing tour stuff?
KB:KB: Unfortunately, drinking and playing video games.
PUM:PUM: So what is your favorite drink and your favorite video game?
KB:KB: Favorite drink lately has been gin and tonic [and it] has been treating me pretty well because it has been so hot out. And as far as video games go, I was playing a lot of MLB 2006 and I got into Gran Turismo™ 4. That's like being a real race car driver. You've gotta like study it.
PUM:PUM: I've always had a hard time with that game.
KB:KB: Yeah, and I shouldn't drink and drive, but I guess I do.
PUM:PUM: How has the feedback been with Gutter Phenomenon?
KB:KB: It's been mixed. Some people say that it doesn't sound like it should or didn't sound like our last record. I don't know, I think that controversy has kind of helped give it some legs. People might be curious to find out for themselves. It's cool because it's not one of those records that people are just going to read a good review and buy automatically and be disappointed. They're reading reviews that say, "it's not as good as the last one," which everybody says about anything. And then people are like, "alright, I'm going to decide for myself" and [they] pick it up and then actually like it.
PUM:PUM: Are you happy with it?
KB:KB: Oh, very. Definitely, but I can't wait to write another one.
PUM:PUM: Do you have a time frame for that? I mean, you just did the re-issue.
KB:KB: I'm hoping we'll have enough material by January, hit the studio by February and it would be on the street after that.
PUM:PUM: Any crazy party stuff going on during the tour?
KB:KB: Well, they have the bar-b-que's, which is pretty sweet. The Living End is doing one tonight. I don't know, not so many crazy party stories. There was this one girl on the bus and she was like squishing beer cans in her boobs.
PUM:PUM: That's pretty unique. There was a girl during your set, crowd surfing with a skirt on. When she got down she went running around showing people that she didn't have any underwear on. That's like wrong isn't it? I was standing there like, "what the fuck?"
KB:KB: It is wrong for a lot of different reasons, but it is also I guess expected.
PUM:PUM: What are your goals as a band? What do you hope to achieve?
KB:KB: Watching girls who squish beer cans in their boobs. I want to hang out with guys that won't abuse me and make fun of me and well, get attention.
PUM:PUM: So that's really the reason for being in the band?
KB:KB: Yeah, pretty much, that's what I'm gearing for. I'm just trying to make friends and hang out with famous people.
PUM:PUM: What would you be doing if you weren't in a band?
KB:KB: I would like to be a journalist and follow bands around.
PUM:PUM: Did you go to college or anything?
KB:KB: Well, I enjoy writing a lot. And being a musician, I'm in with the bands and the friends I've made, I think I would be able to do that.
By: Adam Karol - Senior Editor / Founder