First off who are we speaking to and what do you do in the band?
My name is Matt Mehana and I sing/scream for 'I set my friends on fire'
Who else is in the band and what do they do?
We have a drummer named Chris Lent and a guitar player named Joe Nelson. We're touring Warped tour with another guitar player named Andrew Tapley.
Tell us a bit about how the history I Set My Friends on Fire... how did the band form?
I started the band with my friend Nabil. We thought it would be fun to make a hardcore version of 'Soldier Boy'. We threw it up on myspace and it got a ton of views. Shortly after, Epitaph records got in touch with us and the rest is history.
It seems that your material is pretty varied in terms of style and sound, what inspires you when you write and which bands and music styles do you enjoy listening to/are you influenced by most?
I don't listen to only one type of music so I think it would be crazy to only write with one type of music in mind. We like everything from Mew, to Huey Lewis and the News to Django Reinhardt.
What's the best thing about being in I Set My Friends on Fire?
Getting to play music in front of people who want to listen.
How is Warped going? Any funny stories from the tour so far?
Warped tour has been killer. So many good bands and so many good people. So today I asked dudes in the crowd to show me their dicks. I saw a ton of penises. It was funny.
What's keeping you going on tour - what do you have to have on tour to keep you sane?!
Pot, Xbox and Chris Tucker movies.
Which other bands have you been checking out on Warped?
Larry and his flask, Bad Rabbits, And Dance Gavin Dance are some of my favorites.
Favourite city so far on Warped?
Boston went pretty nuts....
You're gonna be in the UK this September with A Skylit Drive, have you toured the UK before? What are you expecting from the UK section of the Europe tour?
Very excited to go to Europe! We haven't been there yet but are hoping for everyone to go absolutely nuts.
And where else on the Europe tour are you looking forward to visiting?
French women are pretty foxy so Paris is high on my list.
What's the reception been like for your recent release 'Astral Rejection'?
I think most people think it's a little weird. Which it is. But we're experimenting and growing. I promise we will never put out the same album twice.
