Interview with Crooked Ways!

-Alright first off, Who is Crooked Ways? How did you meet and did you guys know each other before? Any previous or other current bands some of the members are in?

CW: We all met here in Denver. We all went to most of the same shows and had mutual friends in the Denver scene. Alvino was in a band called Killing Kings and I was in a band called Rally The Fray. Andrew was in a band called The Atrocities and Zach did a small stint in a band called In The Crosshairs. Rally The Fray broke up a little after Alvino left Killing Kings. Me and Vino had always talked about doing a band together so we started jamming with a few other dudes and Crooked Ways was born out of that. We had some other members previously that either didn't work out or weren't able to make the time commitment. Me and Alvino are basically the only 2 original members of the band at this point.

-Awesome, What does CW have out right now?

CW: In 2007 we put out a 3 song? demo that we recorded in this metal head kids basement. In 2008 we self release a 7" called How To Break Heart and this past year Last Anthem Record released another 7" for us called Crimes Of Passion. Later on this year Last Anthem is gonna be repressing both of those 7"s as a double 7" with new artwork. We also recorded a live radio set but haven't decided if we're gonna make it into a release yet.

-How many tours have you guys done? If you can have a 'dream' tour who would you play and where would you tour?

CW: Our first tour was with another Denver band called Bankrobber who at the time we shared some members with. That went up to the northwest and down the west coast. Then we did a south west tour with a band from Salt Lake called Reviver. Then we did a summer tour through the midwest and across the western half of Canada with Ill Intent then back down the west coast with Reviver. We just got back from a two week tour through the midwest up into the northeast and back across the south with a band from AZ called Ready Resist. We should be back out this summer with a band called Life Won't Wait from Fargo ND.

In 1996 h2o did a tour with Mighty Mighty Bosstones and The Pietasters. If we could go back in time and open that for even a couple nights I would be the happiest dude ever. Since time travel isn't possible I think the band we'd most like to tour with is Crime In Stereo. That's the one band we can all pretty much agree on.

-Sounds like you have guys have been on the road a lot! Any funny stories you can recall from being on tour?

CW: On this last tour we decided to play a little game called "Gas Station White Elephant." The way this game was played was each person in the van drew names out of a hat. Whoever got your name had to buy you something from a gas station (complying with any dietary restrictions) and you had to consume all of it or eat until you puked. So Alvino ended up almost an entire box of saltine crackers, Zach had to eat a jar of french onion dip, Andrew had to drink a jar of salsa and our roadie Bryson had to eat a huge bag of BBQ chips. The end result of this was everyone puking outside a rest stop somewhere between Dayton OH and Buffalo NY. I have the video on my phone. It'll be on youtube at some point. Andrew and Bryson were the only 2 that actually finished what they were given.

-Epic... What can you say about your overall sound?

CW: Uhhhh its different I guess. I don't know. We just write stuff we like. Our sound has changed a lot from recording to recording so I don't even know if we have a definitive sound yet. We've been compared to a ton of different sounding bands so I guess our sound is in the ear of the beholder.

-Whats the main goal for CW in the long run?

CW: Write a solid full length, go over seas, get Dicky from Mighty Mighty Bosstones to do a guest spot, get sponsored by Chipotle and Dunkin Donuts.

-Haha, What do each of the members do when your not with the band?

CW: Andrew and I are in college and work part time. Robby teaches martial arts. Alvino graduated college a couple years ago and manages a pizza shop that has the best vegan pizza in the world and Zach is a hipster.

-Lol. What are your lyrics mostly based on?

CW: Mostly personal experiences. I try and steer clear of political issues and scene commentary. I slip a little of that stuff in from time to time but its mostly me getting stuff off my chest.

-Yeah I gotcha. I'm going to end this interview, it was real fun doing it do you have any last words? Shout-outs?

CW: Big shout out to Midwest Hard style. Nothing to Nothing, Fare Thee Well, Expire, Thieves. Check out Move Along and Sin Vida from Denver. Thanks dude. The Golden Age...R.I.P

Check them out at: myspace