I was able to sit down with the guys of Recover at their past Chicago show and talk about the album and their stage performance. Watch out for these guys! They pack quite a punch!

Recover Interview

Question: Before Recover actually started, how long were you together?

Robert and Dan: It was a while, I guess five years. We were in seventh grade and were in various pop/punk green day bands and then we went through various lineups. Then we finally decided we were going to put all we had into it. For the last two years we have been doing Recover.

Question: Why the name Rodeo and Picasso?

Robert and Dan: Its from a story. I had a friend who went to Texas. When he was there we talked on the phone and I asked how it was. He said, "Oh, it was cool, I went to a rodeo, saw some Picassos." It sounded weird. I guess he was trying to make a joke but it made no sense. Everybody thought it had a hint of gay cowboys and I thought that was pretty funny. It just kind of came about in a weird round-a-bout sort of way.

Question: What music did you grow up listening to?

Robert and Dan: I'll tell you each music phase. I have mapped it out in my mind. First I listened to a lot of Buddy Holly, then I guess it moved up to the Beach Boys after that. Then, I liked Bruce Springsteen, and then I liked Guns and Roses, then all sorts of rock. Then I got into a lot of emo, whatever. Then hardcore the same way. Now I'm just into classic rock. There are good bands these days like Queens of the Stone Age. I love the Doves. Lots of good bands I like now. I gotta have a variety.

Question: What were your day jobs?

Robert and Dan: We all had various sandwich jobs. Dan worked at a nightclub at the door for a while. A place called the Impinata Parlor. They had latin nights and shit. He had a hook-up to work the door there. I had a job working at a sandwich shop that a lot of people from our scene worked at. Jim and Ross worked at arcades for a while. That's kind of cool.

Question: What do you do to try to pass the time on tour?

Robert and Dan: Lots of things. Hang out and listen to music. You have to drink and smoke on tour. We go to movies a lot. We are active dudes. We don't sound like it but Ross and Jimmy used to bring a little Razor scooter on tour and that was kind of funny. That kept him active. We have good times. We just saw Road to Peredition. It was cool, I guess...maybe not. (laughs)

Question: What other new stuff are you listening to?

Robert and Dan: Queens of the Stone Age, Doves, The Owls, new Jimmy Eat World, The Promise Ring. There are lots of good bands out there these days. You just have to look for them.

Question: How do you try to keep your energy up?

Robert and Dan: I drink a lot of water and a lot of beer. That's pretty much how I do it right now. As long as I'm into it. This tour has shown me that I am really into what I'm doing. It's pretty cool to get reminded that you are in music every night. To write a record and play music. That gives me energy every night. That and beer. Definitely beer.

Question: What covers did you play?

Robert and Dan: A lot of Green Day. This guy right here (points to guy sleeping next to us) was actually in the band with us. This is Ross's cousin. Right now he's our tour manager. He's sleeping. He played bass and sang in our very first band (Yellow 5). We did a cover of this little awesome band out of Austin Texas called The Teen Titans. We did some Rancid covers, Operation Ivy, Screeching Weasle, just tons.

Question: How did you decide on Fueled By Ramen?

Robert and Dan: We showed The Impossibles our demo and we gave it to everybody we could and I guess they got their hands on it and they passed it to John at Fueled By Ramen.

Question: How did this tour come about?

Robert and Dan: Various connections we have. People we know and like to work with just helped us out. It's been insane. This has been one of the biggest tour's we've done. The other band's and crew's are cool. It's so much fun. It's ultimately the band's choice and we showed them some demo's and they were really into it. Hopefully we will be able to tour with these band's again.

Question: What are your tour plans?

Robert and Dan: This is our last night on the tour and then we go straight to Virginia Beach for the Warped Tour, which we are doing seven or eight shows of in the east. Then we go home for a few weeks. After that it's off on tour with Midtown on a full U.S. tour.

Question: Are you working on any new stuff right now?

Robert and Dan: Definitely. We are writing new stuff right now.

Question: What was your first show/concert?

Robert and Dan: My first concert was The Allman Brothers at Austin City Limits.