Over the past several months Brooklyn’s Semi Precious Weapons have burgeoned beyond buzz-worthy, achieving multiple milestones in the dreams of rising rock bands: the nationwide release of their album We Love You, a CMJ showcase with Perez Hilton, tours throughout the U.S., a track available for download on Rock Band 2, a music video on MTV and a “coaching” spot on the station’s Made, the launch of lead vocalist Justin Tranter’s new jewelry line Fame, and recently, a feature and live performance on Rolling Stone’s “On the Breaking.” So, what else is left, other than to experience the exponential rise of these “fab four?” It seemed like a fitting time to pause a moment and dig beyond the eyeliner, diamonds, gorgeousness, and “filth,” and the usual press about how SPW came to be and who influenced them, to reveal some new reasons for fans to say, “We love you!” Besides, it is becoming a challenge to create synonyms for “garage glam” and to open articles creatively with song lyrics.
Front man and gem of the public eye, Justin Tranter was kind enough to chat at length about Semi Precious Weapons’ upcoming national “Hell on Heels” tour beginning in 2009 (January 13 to March 16) supported by Von Iva, Nico Vega, and Killola, his latest line of crystal-encrusted Braille jewelry, Fame, now available at Karmaloop.com, and to remind everyone that We Love You is available “EVERYWHERE!” (store wide and on iTunes). In addition to the ever-growing band news, Tranter enthusiastically provided entertaining but insightful answers to twenty curious questions, and happily agreed to help glean answers from his fellow Weapons. Cole Whittle (bass/vocals) promptly responded and organized his submissions and those of Stevy Pyne (guitar) and Dan Crean (drums) to fill in the remaining details of the Semi Precious Weapons profile. Think the “four C’s” are only for diamonds? SPW reflect charisma, creativity, cleverness, and character:
AAM/ Meijin Bruttomesso: If your band weren’t called Semi Precious Weapons, what would it be called?
Justin Tranter: PRECIOUS! Just Precious, but nobody would let me…
Cole Whittle: Beyonce Jam Railroad
Stevy Pyne: Justin and the Kindred Spirits
Dan Crean: The Caribbean Fuck Sluts
AAM: What has been the best achievement in your career so far?
JT: Probably being in Star Magazine and inspiring the teens to be even freakier… “freaky use.”
CW: Highlights of my career… being molested by Kate Moss and seeing our video on MTV.
SP: Playing with Boyz II Men.
DC: Successfully never paying a full month’s rent.
AAM: What would the perfect show be like?
JT: Opening for Courtney Love and Stevie Nicks; they would be doing a duet together at Madison Square Garden.
CW: My perfect show would be at Le Fleche D'or in Paris playing to Dolly Parton and John Coltrane.
SP: I’m thinking Mankato, Minnesota, for sure, with The Drama Club.
DC: My dream gig involves Stevy and one of his huge noise inventions and 2,000 Hemingway fanatics.
AAM: If you could have someone substitute for you, who would it be?
JT: Oooh, that’s a good one. Rhianna. For sure.
CW: Aston "Family Man" Barrett or Michelle Peck would replace me nicely.
SP: Beyonce. Justin would be happy.
DC: Unfortunately no one could replace my level of musical greed in SPW.
AAM: What kinds of things are essential when you’re on the road touring or getting ready for a show? (for example, food, rituals, good luck charm, driving music, etc.)
JT: This last tour, we listened to that Beyonce song “Radio;” it’s amazing. We’d request it at all the clubs; and it was really funny because when you’re in a dirty rock club and you ask, “Can you play ‘Radio’ by Beyonce?!”, they look at you like you’re crazy. Open containers of booze in the van are also very important!
CW: Whiskey, my camera, Justin, Dan, Stevy, Shaun, and Colleen are my road essentials.
SP: I usually get up a couple hours before everyone else and enjoy that nice continental breakfast in the hotel…a time of reflection.
DC: On the road, I enjoy sleeping with my body contorted in such a way that everyone else's comfort is compromised.
AAM: What is something we don’t know about you that we should?
JT: I can sight read choral arrangements. Hmmm… what else? Oooh! I have a brother that I haven’t spoken to in 15 years. I am the youngest of four, and he’s the oldest, and we don’t speak. Loving Jesus is cool, but he loves Jesus a little too much.
CW: I have an unhealthy obsession with MMA [Mixed Martial Arts].
SP: I circuit bend electronics, build instruments, and play underground noise shows.
DC: I was a fat youth, and I have read thousands of books.
AAM: What’s the weirdest/scariest fan encounter you’ve had?
JT: I love my fans! No one’s really creepy. I don’t want to mention the creepy ones because they will read this. I don’t want to hurt their feelings. I want them to feel loved even though they’re weird and creepy. Can that be my answer?
CW: In Toronto we had to play spy games to get away from this one bitch. We were running in and out of the club's backdoors and hiding behind dumpsters, which is hard when you are rollin’ 8 deep.
SP: Having to run from a cracked-out lady in Toronto. [Confirming Whittle’s experience]
DC: Weird fans…
AAM: What’s the best rumor you’ve heard about yourself?
JT: I’ve heard some really good ones. Let me think. I want to get the best one. Oh! Oh! Oh! Someone actually believed that I have a 'Ken Crotch,' that I don’t have any genitalia…that I had them removed…that was a pretty awesome rumor!
CW: I have been called a creep a couple times this year, which is a term that no one has said since my twenties. Apparently my behavior has brought it back, which is huge for me.
SP: That I wear wigs…
DC: It is rumored that I text women twenty-one hours of the day at a speed greater than light. I can’t confirm or deny.
AAM: If you had a super power, other than your obvious “magnetism,” what would it be?
JT: I would like to be able to shoot diamonds out of my hands. It would be really glamorous, but it would also be really violent since diamonds are both sharp and strong!
CW: I would kill to have nipple-ray vision as a superpower.
SP: I wanna shoot wigs out of my eyes.
DC: A superpower that allows me to never have to answer the question, "Where were you last night?"
AAM: What is your best feature?
JT: It’s a big TIE between my face and my ass!
CW: I enjoy my own eyes.
SP: My wigs.
DC: My best feature is my grin on my little league baseball card. It hasn't been seen since.
AAM: What would you do with 10 million dollars?
JT: I would buy my parents a house, buy myself a house, save two million, and the other five million, I’d spend on trying to get more famous.
CW: With ten million, I would live near water, have many kids, and help many, many, many strangers.
SP: Pay my rent! What did you think?!
DC: Sleep under a cash blanket on a bed of vintage gear.
AAM: If you had another career in addition to music what would it be?
JT: I would really love to be a manager, actually. I love to manage other artists!
CW: Without music, I would be a fighter or a trainer.
SP: Filmmaker.
DC: College professor or adult film star.
AAM: If you were stuck on a desert island with another person, who would it be?
JT: Platinum Ann.
CW: I would love to be trapped on a desert island with Justin's mom.
SP: Tim Horton.
DC: A mannequin made of tofu modeled after Molly Ringwald.
AAM: What is your strangest habit?
JT: I chew my knuckle. I’ve been chewing my right hand’s pointer finger knuckle since third grade. There’s a big callus there, and it’s disgusting! In a lot of photos, I’ll hide that finger under my middle finger.
CW: My strangest habit is putting deodorant on my neck, and an occasional tit head butt.
SP: When I see a digital clock that reads 3:33, I have to point at it and smile until it changes to 3:34.
DC: Stealing things from my best friends while they are asleep or occupied. It’s my passion.
AAM: Boxers of briefs? Or?
JT: Dance belt! Especially if I’m going out in pantyhose.
CW: I like a healthy mix of undies, like changing uniforms at home and away games.
SP: In between boxers and briefs. I don’t know what you call them, boxer briefs?
DC: Anything that allows the top of my stuff to always be exposed. SPW calls it "ween topping.”
AAM: Guitar Hero or Rock Band?
JT: Duh! Rock Band because it has “Magnetic Baby!”
CW: Rock Band because they have SPW!
SP: Guitar [Hero]... PERIOD.
DC: “Magnetic Baby” is on Rock Band 2... boom.
AAM: MTV or VH1?
JT: It’s tough because MTV has Made with me, but VH1 has Megan from Rock of Love, and I think Megan is one of the best TV personalities in history. Well, she and New York are tied! But I guess I’ll go with VH1, strictly because of Megan from Rock of Love!
CW: MTV because they have SPW!
SP: I don’t have cable now; I liked MTV back in the day when they actually had music videos.
DC: MTV Headbangers Ball was my guidance counselor.
AAM: CD’s or vinyl?
JT: CD’s, for sure. I still have a Discman….
CW: Vinyl sounds grand.
SP: Gram vinyl is the preferred format; vinyl is more archival and sounds better to me.
DC: Vinyl.
AAM: Facebook or Myspace?
JT: Facebook seems like it’s taking over, but I’m going to say Myspace because it’s the original. Stick with the classic.
CW: MySpace is my occupation.
SP: I prefer Wigs.com.
DC: I do some good work on “the spooce” (Myspace).
AAM: What’s the best thing about being in Semi Precious Weapons?
JT: Writing songs with my band members. We’ve written some new ones in the last few weeks that are just MIND-BLOWING.
CW: The best thing about being in SPW is causing musical and social trouble with my best friends in landscapes ranging from the exotic to the desolate.
SP: Playing with my friends every night.
DC: Just look at what we do every night: Whatever the fuck we want. That is my answer.
Gunning for more Semi Precious Weapons? Please visit SemiPreciousweapons.com and myspace.com/semipreciousweapons for everything you can possibly think of: upcoming “Hell on Heels” tour dates, photos, videos, ringtones, wallpapers, and links to SPW merchandise, Fetty jewelry, YouTube channel, and Twitter. Be sure to mark your calendar for the “Hell on Heels” tour date in your city, and stop by your local music vendor or iTunes to purchase We Love You. The MTV episode of Made is still airing: check your local listings. “Boom!”
Justin Tranter (lead vocals)
Cole Whittle (bass/vocals)
Dan Crean (drums)
Stevy Pyne (guitar)
