TT the Bears, June 2006 
continued from page 1

PS: How do you measure your success as a band?
Conan: Well I have report cards that I have people fill out after a show. We give out report cards and you can grade our performance.

PS: Can you assign any extreme labels to band members?
Conan: Nicole is a big journal gal!
Andy: Nicole draws weird pictures in the car coming back from NYC. Like, elephants and stuff. We’re like, you’re such a dork! So me and Steve drew dicks and stuff on it. You can’t draw rainbows, you need a fuckin’ dick on this page! She’s like, “What the hell is WRONG with you?
Steve: Conan is the comedian, James is the jerk.
Andy: (grabs recorder and hunches over it, whispering) James is a complete dick.
James: Steve is a Mama’s boy
Steve: I'm not a Mama’s boy!

PS: How would you define your sound?
Andy: Like, pop rock, but like maybe if this guy gets a little too drunk he might punch someone…all the sudden a light goes off and he’s angry? It's like that.

Baker's pop-rock comes with an element of danger. The five members put on an engaging performance, interacting with each other and the audience with obvious glee. They launch into a story about the time Steve whipped an egg-shaker at his own grandmother. How rock 'n roll!

"I normally throw shakers into the crowd..." Steve starts to explain.

"I said, DUDE! Throw the shaker to a hot chick!!" Andy interjects. Steve looks a bit pained at the memory, but continues on.

"I saw my grandmother going [makes shaking gesture] and the maraca was going [enthusiastic shaking gesture]!!! And I hit her right in the face." The band is silent for a moment.

"The song was at a pause when it happened, and Steve got up from behind the drum set and walked up to the microphone and was like, 'Sorry Grandma!'" James says. I laugh. It can't be helped, the interaction between band members is reminiscent of a group of old college buddies recounting the crazy stories that bonded them so close together.

"We were SO CLOSE to being cool, then Steve had to apologise."

The band counts performances at UMass Amherst among their most enjoyable. "Andy's brother goes to UMass Amherst and lives in a big house. We play his basement every few months." James says. "There were songs we don't have recorded and they were singing all the words...everyone was dancing." Conan explains it further. "They knew the words because we printed them on a giant board and had this kid hold them up." Bright, melodic and well-composed, Baker offers a feast of delicious pop-rock that is as danceable as it is catchy. In fact, their music is rumoured to be so sexual, audience members are frequently inspired to take off their clothes during the set. However, not naked fans, nor power outages can distract this band from their purpose. When the power went out at New York's Knitting Factory, the band carried on with their set a capella. Stripped of electric instruments, the members sang their parts to keep the rock alive.

Baker is currently working on their full-length debut and playing as many shows as possible. In the mean time, satisfy your sweets cravings with their debut EP "Happy Birthday", available for purchase at www.bakertheband.com.

PS: Would you sell your soul to the devil for the perfect song?
Andy: I sold my soul to the devil for like, a PBR. Sell my soul to the devil for the perfect song? Fuck yeah.