Flagship Interview

Answers by Matthew Padgett
(Guitarist for Flagship)


1. First off, we know you are touring the east coast so, how's the tour going?

The tour is great. We love being on the road. There are always ups and downs, but every tour has gotten us closer to where we want to be. It's not only a good way to grow our fan base, but it's how we connect with our fans. For me, touring is why I'm in music. We get to see new places, meet new people, do what we love every night, and expand our influence. I feel more at home when I'm on the road than when I am in Charlotte.

2.What's the band going to do after tour? Work on new music? Another tour?

The current plan is to spend a week in Boone, NC, writing new material for the LP. We then have plans to start recording the full-length sometime in August in Athens, GA. I'm sure there will be more touring before the year's end.

3. Judging from your videos on your blog at www.flagshipmusic.com , you guys look like funny and cool guys to hangout with. Do you play jokes or pranks on each other?

We are always joking and having a good time, but I don't know if we prank each other so much. We respect each other a lot and try to keep a positive atmosphere in the group. I think we may enjoy playing pranks on strangers a little more...

4. Who are the bands that inspire you? Would you want to tour with them?

We all love different music, but some of our collective inspirations would be Radiohead, Sigur Ros, U2... Robyn? If it were up to me, we would tour with all of them.

5. Which bands do you hope to collaborate with? If any.

I have never thought about it, and we have never discussed it... but I'm sure if Thom Yorke called, we would all jump at the opportunity. I also think a Skrillex remix of a Blackbush song could be great!

6. My favorite song from Blackbush is, "The Knife", which song is your favorite?

My favorite song to hear on the EP is "The Knife", but my favorite song to play live is "The Fool". There is a lot of emotion on stage when we play it, and the crowd responds well to it.

7. What other bands/artist are you currently into?

This past month or so, I have been listening to Beach House, Washed Out, Radiohead, Gorillaz, and Randy Newman. This list is constantly changing though. In fact, Beach House is a new addition. I just started listening to them on this tour.

8. I know a lot of bands pray, yell a chant, or do a weird dance before their shows. Do you guys do any rituals before the show?

We sure do. Our tour manager, Daniel Frazier (or "The Rev" as some like to call him) prays over us, and then we count to three and chant something new every show. The chants can be anything from "Bill Murray saves!" to something a little too inappropriate for this interview.

9. What do you do for fun when your not with the band?

It's rare that I am not with the band. We are always working on music or touring. Even when we aren't, we are all best friends, and I actually live with two of the members. However, those few moments I am away from them, I like to spend with my girlfriend. We like outdoor activities and traveling together, but a lot of times we end up just chilling out in Charlotte.

10. What was your most memorable moment on tour?

We have so many great moments on tour, but the most memorable moment for me wasn't so great. It was when my pedalboard and amplifier fell out of the trailer and were lost for good. We are still working on replacing them, but I think it's going to provide a great opportunity to improve my sound... so maybe it was a good thing after all... You can check out Flagship out at www.FlagShipMusic.com