Amber Pacific is Matt Young (vocals), Will Nutter (guitar/vocals/keyboards), Greg Strong (bass), Dango (drums) and Rick Hanson (guitar). The peppy Seattle pop-punkers have recently released their third full-length, Truth In Sincerity, the first single from which is featured in the TMNT soundtrack. And as much as that really, officially makes them a super big deal, we still managed to squeeze them into our little Hot Seat for a good talking-to. Warning: contains nudity…
Q: Tell us about your craziest touring experience.
A: We’ve had quite a few good memories from the road, I’ll take it way back to our first national tour with a band from PA called Small Impact. We were in Tallahassee FL and just got done playing a show at Big Daddy’s in front of 5 kids at most. We decided to head out to a diner at FSU and this is where it gets interesting. After a nice meal with everyone, Matt decided to head to the restroom where, to his surprise, found an apron that was left behind by one of the workers. To make a long story short he came out of the bathroom with the apron on and needless to say that was about it, oh yea…he also had his socks and shoes on of course. He came straight out of the bathroom and it was business in the front and party in the back and I’ll never forget the look on peoples faces as he walked by, I beleive they applauded the effort to brighten everyones day.
Q: What type of college class would you’d most want to take and why?
A: I was lucky enough to snag two quarters of college under my belt before I left the University of Washington, out of those two quarters I was most interested in Archaeology, we got to go on a little excavation and watched Indiana Jones the first day of class, what could be better?
Q: What city in America is the most fun to visit and why?
A: I think Seattle is the best city to visit; one because it’s our hometown and what’s not to love about your hometown and two, you have the best of all worlds where you can have summer fun in the puget sound or surrounding lakes with a wakeboard or even an innner tube or you can head to the mountains for some winter snowboarding. On top of all that, if nothing floats your boat there’s three great sports team in the area and downtown Seattle has so much to offer. Never too hot and never too cold, just right!
Q: What’s some of the best advice you were ever given?
A: I think any advice from my parents is probably the best advice given to me, after all they have been there from the beginning and without them I’d never really have the chance to get advice from anyone else.
Q: What’s in heavy rotation in your MP3/CD player right now?
A: Currently I am running the new Sum 41 record which I think is amazing and I’ve also managed to take a listen to the new Starting Line record, Silverstein, and Yellowcard.
Q: The last good book you read or TV show you’re addicted to.
A: I’ve been spending a lot of time watching the Food Network and hanging out with Emeril like twice a day, that man knows how to cook right.
Q: What’s the first concert you ever saw - how was it?
A: My first concert was back in 2001 I think when I went to see Blink 182, New Found Glory, and Jimmy Eat World at the Gorge in WA. I was totally blown away by all the bands and to this day Blink 182 remains at the top of my list.
Q: What are three items you can’t live without on tour?
A: I need my electric shaver because without that my half asian beard would get out of control, my new blackberry pearl to keep in touch with everyone and of course the charger for it because without that it’d be pointless to have the item. If I could have four, I’d bring a PS2 as well.
Q: Who are your major musical influences?
A: Blink 182 is by far my biggest influence and then it becomes a huge umbrella of bands that I love.
Q: Any random messages or tips you’d like to give to mtvU watchers?
A: Please check out our new music video for Fall Back Into My Life, request it all the time if you can and then come to our shows to see us play it live because we would love to meet you!
