JT Wiese got the opportunity to sit down and interview It Ends Here bassist Nick Stevens before his departure to Pittsburg, Penn. for college. Nick Consolo was on hand too and threw in a couple comments.
JW: What are your comments on your new cd with It Ends Here?
NS: I, uh, I really dig it. I really like the “lo-fi” sound…its not really that original, but I find it very pleasing. Its very different then the present musical environment, no machines to fix-up vocal fuck ups.
JW: What inspired you guys to create that lo-fi sound?
NS: I don’t think it was a conscious decision, it was restriction placed on us by the equipment. Regardless, its still sounds good.
JW: What were you mostly listening to during the making of the new album?
NS: Lots of QOTSA, lots of And You Will Know us by the Trail of Dead…lots of Minute Men, Zeppelin 3 in particular, uhh, lots of Misfits.
JW: How do you try to incorporate those bands in your music?
NS: In terms of tone, I like to think I’m a rip-off of Nick Oliveri and Geezer Butler, just because they’re my biggest influences. As far as performance, I take a little bit from everything. I mean, watching Iron Maiden jump around on amps and shit to just recently watching AFI spin around and get the crowd going.
JW: There’s been lots of talk in Tiffin that you guys don’t really fit in any categories. What are your thoughts on that? You yourself have said it before, how you always feel weird playing with punk and hardcore kids.
NS: It’s a blessing and a curse; I think its cool playing with a bunch of bands but at the same I feel like everyone hates us.
JW: What was Nick Consolo’s involvement in the new album?
NS: Nick helped us out a lot, he was the one turning all the knobs.
Nick C: All I did was provide the equipment.
NS: We’re just cave-men on guitars crying about women, Nick’s our Sam Philips on that computer right there.
NC: Then Baker would come over and fuck the whole computer up.
JW: What inspired you to play bass?
NS: Kiss and Motorhead. Iron Maiden.
JW: Alright, favorite bass solo of all time.
NS: Anesthesia-pulling teeth…Cliff Burton is amazing.
JW: What advice do you have for younger bass players out there?
NS: Don’t suck, don’t try and sound like me, Play with people who are better then you…
NC: Work out a deal with Nick Consolo to find him a girlfriend in return for his bass.
NS: Don’t be afraid to experiment, in life too, with dudes, ya know. Whatever tickles your butthole. Don’t try and play a fretless-bass if you know you can’t do it, synth-bass only works in the Cars, and know that Lemmy is the one true god of all.