In these times, mainstream music has become such blatant product that when you scan your radio dial, you pretty much know what the next song is going to sound like cause the formats are so narrow.

When you go to some corporate CD outlet, the rock section is often broken down so precisely, it harkens back to deciding whether you want Duracell or Energizer batteries. Within this context, one is practically knocked off their feet upon first hearing Petland, a band so unique you hear a virtual explosion of influences from all eras, yet their songs fit together in arrangements that can only be decribed as natural and instinctive.

There is a musical depth to these songs that is overwhelming, but when you're listening, and I have listened to their songs many many times, it's somehow still just rock and roll and just hearing these musical hooks is downright inspiring when you're used to being forcefed that other garbage on Clear Channel.

This is music ahead of its time. Oh yes, Petland songs are clearly better than anything you might stumble onto on MTV. Their amazing melting-pot-of-rock essence is probably too sophisticated for the idiotic label heads and FM radio programmers that have made present-day rock music laughably bad with endless soundalike songs. But at IAC, Petland's first 2 songs on the KIAC Big 50, My GI Joe Has a Flamethrower and Can I Keep You? made it all the way to #1, and surely any party playing their one-of-a-kind choons will be a rockin' party, guaranteed. Anyway, I recently had a chance to ask Eric of Petland a few questions about this exceptional indie band ..

IAC: ok, we'll start with a basic one. Petland's music is I think one-of-a-kind cause it has many competing elements within, yet it still has this cohesiveness to it. So, listening to your songs and looking at some of the band photos, I was wondering how all of you got together ?

Eric: we write together in the studio, so alot of the songs form as they go. We all have very similar tastes but I push for more "pop" and Mike and Paul push for weirdness...we let whatever happen.

IAC: I was reading the description of your last CD Miss Roboto. I could fall in love with a robot girl myself. heh Following the narrative in the article, it says the gizmo's pre-programmed humanoid brain becomes twisted by the evils of civilization and kills him. So.. what are the evils of civilization as you see it ? And does any of this story come from actual bad relationships ? :D

Eric: we're not an anti-civilization band. Miss roboto uses the robot thing as a backdrop, but most of the songs are about relationships and touch on some personal ones. Alot of the female robot personification is derived/projected on Andrea who looks great in a robot costume.

IAC: ok, I can't help but wonder if some of your influences might be songs from the psychedelic hippie era, because I think your music would've been huge in 1967. Are you fans of that era of music or do you, like many other modern rockers, see the artists of that time as ancient forefathers ?

Eric: we love all good music with a heavy grounding in classics like beatles moving into pink floyd, led zeppelin. I went through a heavy duty prog rock phase including Yes, genesis and others. We all had heavy 80's influence...I was into the brit stuff like OMD, Paul more into rock. Mike and I were into early 90's manchester beat brit...I went thru a techno phase....everyone loves Catherine wheel and MBV. I wan't too into grunge and hate man-rock Creed, incubus type of stuff. not too much into the new punk with whiny voice stuff either. I love alot of the current indie/college stuff coming out right now....

IAC: Your song Rubber has the line in it "That was close and that was really weird, but I wasn't scared" Care to share what was close and what was really weird ? :)

Eric: its about car accidents and sex...things I think about most of the time.

IAC: What's your take on the music industry ? Do you feel any frustration with the fact that your music is so good, yet there's so much lame crap played on radio, and if this was a righteous world, it really should be you and some of your indie peers getting the airplay ?

Eric: yea...what you said...I would listen to the radio if it was good. I love the indie stuff on xms sattelite radio (I don't have it though).

IAC: Do you believe in UFOs, have you had any strange experiences in that realm ?

Eric: yes and yes.

IAC: Did you really have GI Joes ? Any other memorable toys that come to mind from your youth ?

Eric: I didn't have GI joes, but had adventure people....some of us had star wars stuff...I played with fireworks and blowing things up...

Petland