The Automatic Automatic

In an interview with Buzznet, Frost from The Automatic Automatic talks with DJ Rossstar about cover songs, Warped Tour, the Monster video and more.




DJ Rossstar: I am sure it has been asked before, but why are you known as The Automatic Automatic in the US?



Frost: In the UK we are known as The Automatic, but we had to add on the second Automatic in the states for legal reasons.  There was a band from the US called Automatic around 20 years ago which is what prevented us from using our original name.  The name The Automatic came about when we started to focus on the band full time, while everyone else was going to University to study, get a job, get married and have children.  They were living normal, planned out lives and we didn't want to do the "automatic" thing that was exepected from us.



DJ Rossstar: Have you ever been to Warped Tour before, whether it be to play or watch?  Is there anything similar to it in the UK?



Frost: We have never played or been to a Warped Tour before but we are looking forward to it.  Some of my favorite bands, like Glassjaw, have played it and we know that it will be our hardest tour but we also know it's importance.  The only thing similiar to it in the UK is the Reading and Leeds Festival but that only travels through two cities.



DJ Rossstar: Has Kayne West come after you yet for money from your Golddigga cover?



Frost: There hasn't been an issue.  We got the go ahead to release the cover as a B-Side to the Raoul single.  A percentage goes to Kayne West and Ray Charles.  This was our first recorded cover song.  For years, we didn't want to record one but we finally did and we may record a Talking Heads cover next.



DJ Rossstar: Tells us about the Monster video? Who is the man/woman in the Bigfoot costume?



Frost: The man in the big foot costume is a tall man named Hableigh.  He is also a great dancer.  He was friends with the director of the video.  We all took turns trying on the head of the costume.  I tried smoke cigarettes through it's mouth.



DJ Rossstar: Was the Monster promoting you at Bamboozle Festival the same one from the video?



Frost: That monster was a gorilla, not Bigfoot.  I saw pictures.  We've only used that gorilla at Bamboozle to promote the band.  We've been lucky in the UK through articles/touring/Myspace to get our band out there without having to use the gorilla.



DJ Rossstar: Describe the band members in one word.



Frost: Rob - knowledgable, Iwan - sensible / unsensible, Pennie - spunky "manjuice, Frost - shy.