Written by: Jo Ann B. Duggins

We had just moved to New York and we were about a week or so in. My husband had to go and meet Producer, Tim O'Heir in the city. When we arrived there were three guys there doing some recording of their own. We all got to talking and they were really nice guys. I know that sounds a bit cheesy, but that's what they were...no rock star attitude, no real edge, just really nice guys recording an album. During the course of the conversation I asked what their name was and they responded with "they had none".

A few weeks ago we got a package from Tim O'Heir with the final recording from the no name band. I haven't stopped listening to it since. Tim has an uncanny way of producing, not just candy, but a myriad of sounds that echos so thick, you can't help but get lost in it. I want to say this album reminds me of so many bands and it does, but without being too derivative. It's a very textural album full of subtle sounds combined with big choruses. James' vocals puts you in his story or at least you want to be there! I cannot say enough nice things about this record. It's simply a gorgeous piece of work. I love it and it's something you should give a listen to when it comes out on Doghouse in April because times are changin' my friends and I'm happy that there is a band out there who are willing to be true artists making true music that is their own.

How long have you guys been together and how long have you been playing individually?

A: I have been playing with these fools for about 2 and a half months and individually for about 10 years.

B: Nate and I played together in a band in high school, which would account for about including this band 5 or so years of playing together. This band has been playing in it's current incarnation for about a year and a half now. Individually, Ii've been playing for about 17 years, either piano,
guitar or bass.

J: I think we've been together for about 2 years?? I've been playing music individually for 11 or 12 years.

N: We've always kind of known each other through going to shows in the Bay Area and bands we played in when we were younger and more impressionable/less jaded....but, James and I were in a band for a couple years called Short Round, we toured, released an album on Asian Man Records
and watched much of our hard work explode one 4th of July as our van and most of our possessions burned to the ground, That band later fizzled and since James had always been a songwriter and since we'd played together for so long and were quite comfortable with /working/writing/playing together we started playing some of the songs James had recorded pretty much by himself later that year I think it was ..2003

P: I've been playing music for as long as I can remember.

Who's Jackie B?

J: Jackie B. is one of my best friends that i used to live with in treacherous East Oakland.

What was it like working with Tim O'Heir?

A: I Actually Joined the band after the record had been finished.

B: Absolutely wonderful, He was basically like a father to us "wayward boys" while living in New York. He made sure we were fed, and heathly, kept us from killing one another, and even brought his androgynous Chihuahua in for company. He did a fantastic job on the whole record and we couldn't be happier with the results. He's the kinda guy you could spend 10 intensive hours in the studio with and still want to have a beer with afterwards and spend another 6 hours with before you went to bed and started all over again.

J: Working with Tim was a great experience. I think we all learned alot, and also just had a great time making the record with him. Good times were had by all.

N: Amazing, that guy has got it together... halfway through the record I remember finding out about all these records/artists he had worked on/with that influenced me personally (J Hatfield, Lou Barlow/Kids soundtrack, Morphine) and of course we are fans of a lot of his recent projects: Hot Rod, Jealous Sound, Say Anything. His approach to everything recording-wise is really easy to understand and simplistic....very straight forward-no-bullshit type of guy.

P: X-lint!

When I met you guys you had no name...why'd you guys decide on Push to Talk?

J: When you met us we had decided to ditch the name Push To Talk in search of a better name. We never found a better name so we decided to go back to our old name, which I don't think any of us are very fond of. Oh well...it's just a name, right??

N: I was reading a ham radio magazine at my girlfriend's house (her father is way into that stuff and has a huge antenna coming out of their roof) and saw the phrase. I think at the time we needed a name other than what our friends were making fun/calling us (the JLE) so we told the promoter our name was Push to Talk just so they had something to put on the marquee and it's the best thing we have come up with so far, (we had a stint as 1984, but that was more of an inside joke gone awry).

P: Because it's the best name ever.

What's the general theme of the album?

J: I think the general theme of the album would have to be coming of age kinda deal. Analyzing the close relationships in my life, and as to why I have no relationship with some who were once close to me. Are they crazy, or am I?

What bands would you like to tour with and who influences you most?

J: I would love to go out with bands like The Police, Coldplay, Wilco, Doves, etc. I think we would be honored to go out with anyone who asked. We are all very eager to get out and earn our keep, and maybe a warm place in your heart. As far as my personal influences are concerned I'd have to say, The Beatles, The Police, Tower of Power, Spoon, Coldplay, The Smiths, The Weddding Present, and on and on and on. I'm inspired by the people I choose to surround myself with.

N: At this point, in terms of tours...I am more than comfortable whoring ourselves out to anyone that will give us a place to play every night, get us food and possibly a semi-interest(ed)ing crowd that may or may not throw shit at us... influences are a very broad topic that I'm not going to try an tackle. I will say that everyone in this band listens to/play(ed)s just about everything in the musical spectrum from pop to hardcore, punk to jazz, hip-hop to country...we are not afraid to cross party lines, but it's all about the melody... and thats what connects it all together..

B: As far as influences go, The Beatles and really anyone who can write a great melody and or a fantastic hook, lots of 60/70's San Francisco bands, thanks to my parents. In the short term I would love to tour with Ted Leo as I love his writing and they are excellent performers, Long term, U2 would be amazing as they are a huge influence and wonderful people as well as musicians.

How do you go about writing a song and what usually inspires that process?

J: I generally come up with a chord progression and then write a melody and then the lyrics. But sometimes I have a specific groove or feel that I wanna go for. In that case I will write the whole song based around a groove or drum beat. All based around a feeling. Hearing other people's songs, and the way they treat them really inspires me to take a crack at it myself. Sometimes I'll hear a song and I'll say "hey! I wish i had wrote that song!" Being inspired by a song or record will make me try to write song as good as, or better than the one which had inspired me in the first place.

N: a newspaper article, a book, a drunken evening/week, a friend's life/experience...anything that you feel like sharing with a group of people in a empty room..hah, it's like having a child.. you gotta think about what's best for it's development, make it intelligent...make it beautiful, make your song speak to everyone. I dunno I feel a little silly trying to talk about it cause I know I'm still developing/learning as a musician/songwriter...but I am lucky that I get to learn from my friends

B: I'm inspired by any event really, good or bad. I find I usually write around a progression that I like and then work a melody around it as it makes the most sense to me and i can keep things from getting muddled that way.

I heard that you guys were "schooled" musicians...if this is true how does that ease or change the way you go about constructing a song?

A: I have a degree in music...emphasis in ROCKING OUT. No, but really, I do have a degree in music. I can show it to you...no..really..it's no trouble at all.

B: I have had formal lessons and training starting with piano when i was 7 and continuing with guitar and bass untill I was about 18, and now I just wish I had the time to take lessons as you can always learn new stuff and improve your chops.

J: I know nothing about musical theory really. I never took any lessons. Our new drummer is a music major, and unfortunately he is not featured on the record. Brett and Peter have a bit of classical training, but Nate and I are the dummies when it comes to the "schooled side of things"

N: Peter, Arjun, and Brett have all taken lessons/school for various instruments...James and I are self taught....we've all got a lot of different ideas regarding parts/instrumentation basically because many of the people in this band are multi-instrumentalists...organizing those ideas can be quite difficult sometimes because we all want what's best for the overall feeling of the song

P: I find that having a solid grasp of music theory has been somewhat detrimental my musical creativity because it places limits on what is technically allowed.

How do you guys plan on making your mark in the music world? What does the future hold for Push to Talk?

A: Last I heard, world domination.

B: By getting naked and falling over. oh... I mean by playing our asses off every night and showing people what we have to bring as a live band. The future? Heroin addiction, trashing hotel rooms, crashing Ferrari's, and dying in a catastrophic plane crash.

J: What does the future hold for Push to Talk? I think we just plan on busting our asses. TOUR TOUR TOUR!!! As much as we can at least. And to keep on writing music that we like, and feel is honest and sincere.

N: Rock hard. rock long. The future Jo Ann? Hopefully lots of fun shows w/our friends and more songs

P: Tour and then tour and then tour.

You guys are on Doghouse. How do you feel being a part of that family?

A: I myself am honored to be on a label that has associated with some really great artists and am looking forward to somehow making a contribution with Push To Talk.

B: It really is a family feel. It's nice to be able to get on the phone and talk to anyone personally and just chat and hang out completely outside of business. You really feel like you're their number 1 and they will always go the extra mile to help you out.

J: Doghouse has been very good to us. We are honored to be given the opportunity to make records and go out and tour to support them. We love making music and are very thankful that someone believes in our music enough to want to put their name on it and slang it to the masses.

N: when we first started to get some label interest...one of the main reasons we went w with doghouse is that we actually owned records from the label and were fans of many of their releases (Get Up Kids, Husking Bee, Limbeck)

What super hero would you want to be most and why?

A: A very easy answer for a lot of people would be Spiderman ...since he is the coolest fricking super hero. BUT, if everyone answering this question puts Spiderman...I definitely would not want to be Spiderman. I mean, after all, if the world was full of Spidermen, Spiderman would lose his edge, huh? In this situation, I choose the super hero not many would pick... ANIMAL.

B: Powered Toast Man. He pretty much fuck'n owns. 'nuff said.

N: I dunno I haven't read any comic books for a while....Marv from the Frank Miller's "Sin City" comics is pretty bad ass...what a bad ass..more so than Chuck Norris

P: That one super hero who was a whole planet, cause no one would fuck with you!

There you have it...talkin' the talk with Push to Talk....they are pushing a lot more than talk. Look for their Self-Titled release on Doghouse in April. You will not be disappointed. For more info on Push to Talk visit them at

MySpace:www.myspace.com/pushtotalk

and at Doghouse: www.pushtotalkrock.com

New Album!
In Stores 4/26/06
on DOGHOUSE RECORDS

Make sure you get it because it'll blow your socks off!