'Let The Infestation Begin!'

I recently was lucky enough to sit down and chat with Brad Stenz and taking it from the top, first asked him to explain more about his relationship with A&R veteran, Todd Sullivan. And how it led to them becoming his first signing to his new record label? "Todd was instrumental in helping MOTH make our Virgin release Provisions Fiction and Gear a reality. I had many of the same interests in music as Sullivan and everyone in MOTH became fast friends with him. After we left Virgin we stayed in contact. I would send him my new song demos to get his opinion. After I recorded and released Drop Deaf (independently) Todd's idea of starting a label and recording a new MOTH record began to materialize."

From inception, and with this album now being your fifth, what is it gonna take before Moth finally takes the world by storm?! "MOTH already is taking the world by storm! From inception to infestation is more like it."

OK, so come on ... where did the band's name originate, and what else could it so easily have been? "We used to be called Bug and when it finally came time to put it on a flyer we didn't have the bug guts so MOTH was the quickest way around our fright of flight. That was all it took, it was simple and we liked it. We never looked back."

Your album title is wonderful, but in your own minds, what does it relate to? "Well it is the title of one of the albums tracks as well. There really is no hidden meaning behind this one. Things can get bad, weird, or out of control but as long as you have that special someone or something along the way, you can always "rise above"."

Is it true that once the dust had settled from the "bomb" known Carey's Glitter that Virgin Records (now having lost millions) had to restructure the label ... dropping bands like yourself in the so-unfair process? "Absolutely! It is a very common story. It was a hard pill to swallow and even harder to pass but once that chapter was flushed down the drain a new light on a different porch started calling us. We couldn't be happier. Music is fun again. I'm not sure what I'd say to Mariah if I met her though!"

Why was the need for a new Moth line-up back in the Spring of 2004 required? "Well, over the years some of the names have changed. It has definately kept thing interesting. We recorded our Virgin record with drummer Josh Freeze and bassist Tommy Stinson, we toured with drummer Atom Willard who left MOTH to play with Offspring and bassist Ted Lazinski chose to stay in LA when MOTH returned to Cincinnati. We re-worked somethings, fine tuned somethings. Eli White is now playing bass. By the time our guitarist "The Billionaire" came on board (spring 04) Kevin Hogle had already been drumming for MOTH for over a year. MOTH is better than I can ever remember!!"

For fun, and taking the titles of a few of your album tracks, please let us know:

'Helpless' - When was the last time you felt completely helpless in life ... and why? "I feel helpless right now ... I can't recall a time!"

'Girl On Girl' - Fact or Fantasy?! "Factasy!"

'Immune To Gravity' - If you were indeed immune to gravity, what would you miss most down here on Earth?! "MOTH, of course!"

What '80s (and possibly cheesy!) song would you love to cover today if asked ... and why?! "Something by Cheap Trick probably. It's just good pop rock that is a blast to sing along with."

Lastly, I like Penguins ... do you?! "My wife cried during 'March Of The Penguins.' It made me realize how much I like those buggers!"

Interviewed by Russell A. Trunk

www.Moth.com

If you would like to win an AUTOGRAPHED copy of MOTH's brand new CD, just answer this easy question: In music, people that follow the band MOTH are called 'Fans.' But, what are the people who study moths (the insects) called ... and please spell it correctly!?