We're
proud to bring you this interview with Boston Massachusetts' own Daniel
Striped Tiger. We talked with the band about a number of topics including
their dedication to their music and their ethics, their strong relationship
with Cleanplate records, what it's like to be involved in that strong
Massachusetts DIY community and much more including a look back and
their 2008 European tour with Sinaloa as well as what the future holds
for the band!
Defense Mechanism from Capital Cities
1.Please introduce Daniel Striped Tiger and how you decided
to get together and make music together?
Well, we started the band during our senior year of high school. We
had all been in different bands with other people who were seniors
the prior year and so they went off to college. So, for something
fun to do since no one else was around, we came together to form dst.
2. Could you please talk about your
involvement with the DIY punk community, how you got involved in it
and how it affects your lives (putting out your music, going on tours
and playing shows, etc)
DIY has always been a central theme in our band and everything we
whether it is releasing a record or planning our own tours or what
have you. The people whom we know and have been involved with in this
community are some of the most incredible and honest artists I know.
It is a community that continuously supports and helps each other
out on so many levels. DIY is a mean and and end in itself.
3. You have a split 7" coming
out soon with Teenage Cool Kids. It's a split release as far as record
labels are concerned as well as duties are split between Protagonist
and Clean Plate. I'd like to touch on the relationship you have with
Clean Plate; they released your Captain Cities record a few years
ago, as well as your split 7" with Sinaloa, and the Live At Dead
Air 11". How did the relationship with the label come about and
what makes you stick with them throughout the years?
Our relationship with Cleanplate has been present since the formation
of the band. Will does a great job with the label and we find that
we both have the same ethics and morals regarding music and DIY. Clean
plate does things on their own terms and never sacrifice quality for
anything. We have also recorded everthing of ours with Will at Dead
air Studios, so we've grown very close with him over the years and
trust each other very much in the process of creating a record.
4. Could you comment on the DIY scene
in your home of Boston and Massachusetts as a whole as you've obviously
spent a fair amount of time in Amherst as well. From the outside looking
in it seems like fairly tight-knit punk community; would you say this
perception is accurate? What have your experiences been?
Yeah, you're feeling is correct. Everyone is very involved here in
mass, and both scenes interact a great deal together. There are constantly
new bands forming between people from boston and amherst as well as
a slew of new releases coming out every couple of months from these
bands. Everyone s really supportive of each other and make a great
effort for our diy scenes to stay alive whether it be setting up a
show, letting people play their house or have touring bands crash
here, or forming a band. We all love it and find it to be quite inspiring.
5. In 2008 you decided to go to Europe
with Sinaloa and subsequently released a split 7" with them.
Could you talk about your experiences touring Europe? How did it all
come together and do you have any stories from the tour you'd like
to share?
Our relationship with the guys in Sinaloa began while we were starting
our band. We had always asked them to play shows that we were setting
up or playing because we really admired their music. Over the course
of time I guess we both realized that we had the same values and motives
within punk rock, and so it made sense to do a record together. When
they asked if we would come along to EUrope with them it was a no
brainer, really. It was a great time and the Europeans treated us
like kings. All I heard before leaving was that we would be treated
like royalty, no matter what band you are in. THat was quite true.
Each morning they would cook us breakfast and assure that we had a
nice place to crash for the evening. THey would often cook us dinner
as well. None of spent more than maybe $75 the whole two weeks we
were there because they would fill us up for each meal, haha.
6. Wow, that's really cool. This
might be putting you on the spot but I'll do it anyway; favourite
meal from that tour:
Haha, favorite meal.... well, i'm not sure of a specific meal, but
in general everything is much fresher as far as veggies go. there
is a definite difference between the quality of food there versus
in the states. I felt the same way (maybe even more so) when we traveled
to Australia.
7. You've toured throughout the world,
put out numerous records, and made a ton of friends in the process.
What future plans and goals do you have moving forward?
Well, while I write this, some of us are currently living in California
and New York (indefinitely), so touring has taken a back seat for
the past few months. We just recorded a new LP with ten new songs
over the holidays. That should be seeing a release this year during
late spring. Once it is released you can probably expect some touring
to follow.
8. Thanks again for the interview,
do you have any final words?
Thanks for getting in touch to do the intereview and showing interest
in our band. Things like your zine and the time you put into it are
why DIY can exist. Thanks, again.
