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Interview with Agent Sparks
By: Meagan Rockne
 Agent Sparks are a relatively little
known name. But two of the members might be more
familiar considering they were in a band called Audiovent.
Don't know that one either? Remember back in the late
nineties when there was that buzz about a band that
featured two of the younger siblings of one of the guys in
Incubus. Yup, that's Audiovent.
Since the late nineties, the band has changed gears and is
no longer being touted as the mini-Incubus, but rather as a
band entirely in their own right. I sat down with bassist Paul
Fried to talk about his previous band, his new band and
Teen Wolf.
NowOnTour: Would you be offended if I told you
that I had no idea who Audiovent was until I started my
research?
Paul Fried: No. That's funny. No. It's not like I'm Michael
Jackson or something.
What did you swear that you were going to do
differently with Agent Sparks?
You know, I just think letting yourself be who you are and
not being something your not. I feel like obviously in this
band, I'm having more fun, I'm more free. It's happy. It's
good times. Peace sign. Don't forget about that.
For Agent Sparks, who are the band that you look
to for inspiration and influence?
There are so many bands.
Okay name your top 3.
Can I do at least 10? Beatles, Nirvana, Radiohead, Bjork,
Queens of the Stone Age, who else? What other bands am I
really into right now? I don't know those are some good
bands. I think that's good, five's enough. I think it was five.
Four or five. Could be twelve.
Why did you decide to have a female vocalist? Was
it a conscious decision or happenstance?
You know, Ben started writing songs and then we started
writing music together. We saw Stephanie play and we both
loved her. Ben was singing songs and we thought it might be
something cool and something different. We wanted her to
be a part of what we were doing. Now, where it's at, the
blend of both voices and it's cool. I think its fun. We try and
have a good time.
When does the full length come
out?
The full length,, which is going to be called Red
Rover, comes out June 20th.
Anything you want to talk about with the
album?
I just think it's a special record. I don't think there's a record
that's come out like it recently. I think what we have to offer
in the music industry is a lot different from what's going on
or what's been going on. I think we bring. It's almost like 31
flavors ice cream. There's like 30 other flavors but we're like
the 31 flavor. We're just different.
With only an EP out, how has the crowd reaction
been?
I think it's being going really well. For me, if we can get
people to smile and to have a good time and whatever
emotion we invoke in them - whether they're angry or sad
or whatever kind of people. I think it's important for people
to enjoy themselves, whatever that is. Let it be.
Is there a song that you play specifically to get the
crowd going?
No, I don't really think about that. You know, when you're on
stage, you do your thing and you're kind of in your zone. I
think that's where it's kind of at.
It's quite the family affair with the band, has that
made things easier or more difficult?
If anything, it's made it easier. You know, having Michael
produce our record was awesome. He's my brother, you
know. He'll tell you what he thinks being that he's our older
brother, Ben and I. It's been really helpful.
Is it easier to take criticism from him being that it
was a family member?
Yeah, I think so. When you go into the studio, as a musician,
and you hire a producer, I think the best thing to do is allow
whatever ideas to come out; at least try them. Because if
they're not tried, then how do you know it's gonna be better
or worse. You've got to give it a chance. But then again, you
don't want to stumble and keep stumbling on things, you
want...for us, we recorded the EP and the full length in like
two and half weeks. That's pretty quick for most bands.
That's kind of the way you want to do it or else you start
getting bored. Music's supposed to be fun and you don't want
to get angry with your music, unless you're an angry
band.
Your bio says that you're in music to escape the 9
to 5 lifestyle, but if you had to what other job would you do?
That's a good question. I don't know. I did some radio work
here in town at The Edge a while ago. I think a DJ might be
cool. I've got that DJ voice - "103.9 The Edge." I would
probably talk about some really silly stuff. Maybe something
like that, maybe a professional dad. I don't know if I'd go
back and do real estate again. I mean, it's cool, it's fun.
Whatever piques you at the time.
Would you eat food that a fan
brought?
Yeah, I've eaten cookies before. I'm not supposed to eat
cookies, because I'm on a diet.
You're not afraid that somebody has put something
in them?
It depends who it is. I think that's gonna make a big
difference there.
Most bizarre question you've ever been
asked?
I was once in the Mojave Desert and I was talking to this
cactus for a while and this cactus asked me what I was doing
out in the desert and he asked me if I had a Milky Way, he
was really hungry. I told him I didn't have a Milky Way.
Instead I had a Snickers bar. So I gave him that.
Any last comments.
Please see our MySpace page, go to PureVolume, go to Tag
World. Just come check us out and buy our record I think it
will definitely be worth your while. And long live the
werewolf. Or even Teen Wolf.
I love Teen Wolf. One or
two?
They're both great but obviously One's better. You know,
Michael J. Fox over what's his name, Jason Bateman. Like
Jason Bateman was cool, but Michael J. Fox...
Who do you think should do it now, if they were to
make a third one?
I would love to do it. I would love to be in Teen Wolf
Three. And you know how they're all sport oriented.
The first one was basketball, the second one was boxing and
we should do something a little more intricate like sumo
wrestling or karate. Really push it. Or just fight like Rocky,
Superman, the Terminator, who else... The Rock against the
teen wolf. Maybe teen wolf should be in the WWF. That's a
great idea, right? That might work.
I don't - with him being a teen - there may be
rules, like child labor laws against that sort of
thing.
Maybe.
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