TAT interview
by Amber Hartman – 2008
What does TAT stand for?
It doesn’t really stand for anything. It’s an English term. The root of all tat, meaning your music is rubbish. It stands for “Tall American Tourist.” There’s not dots in between so it’s just a word.
Where are you guys originally from?
London, England…oh you mean where our parents were born and shagged? I don’t want to know that. I was conceived in a shoebox in Yemin and I was born in Cambridge.
How long has TAT been together?
4 years.
Can you describe your sound?
Uh, well, we’ve heard a lot that we sound like a cross between Joan Jett and The Clash.
How has your experience been on Warped Tour so far?
Good. We had a little bit of a taste of in back in 2006. But only like 5 shows back then. We’re more prepared this time, so we know what to expect. It’s definitely the most random tour I think any band will experience, there’s really nothing like it. There’s no tour in any country that resembles Warped Tour….it’s a traveling circus for two months, especially the blistering heat. You have to come up with marketing strategies just to get through the day, so we’ve learned a lot and the crowds have been amazing and we’re thrilled.
What’s been your favorite city so far?
Scranton, NJ. Miami was fun.
Do you have any crazy groupie stories?
We have a couple. Um, we have this…I wouldn’t say crazy groupie fan…but the first fan that springs to mind is a girl…she’s wicked and her names Natalia…she’s brilliant. She was like 14 and took her mom on a bus for 15 hours from Poland to England to come say “Happy Birthday,” to Nick and I ‘cause it was our birthdays, we weren’t even playing a show. She built us websites, and it’s just amazing…she’s just grown up with us as a band for the last three years and I find that really wicked. I mean the crazy fan stories are like creepy and I’d like to forget.
What’s next for you guys after Warped Tour?
In a couple day we’re basically taking a break from Warped Tour and doing six shows with Alice Cooper. Then we’re coming back for the last few shows with Warped. Then we’re back on tour with MXPX and our album comes out on October 28th, so we’re just prepping for that.
Are you planning a tour to promote your new album?
Yeah. Later this year.
Who is your favorite band on Warped Tour?
Shanti. She’s amazing.
