Chester Bay

Marc Greely [Drums]

1. Message? I think the message is fun.  Having a great time with people you care about.  Our shows are high energy; we want to have fun just as much as the crowd does.

2. Method at the time of writing a song? The song writing process usually starts with Jake coming up with a chord progression and melody.  He’ll record a rough version on his computer and send it to us to hear.   Then we’ll come together at rehearsal and add or subtract parts and lyrics. 

3. Music Influences? I definitely come from more of a punk rock background.  My influences are bands like Jimmy Eat World, NoFX, Motion City Soundtrack, Sugarcult, Blink 182, New Found Glory and the Marvelous 3.

4. Future plans? I would like to see us record a live album and also I’d like to see our CD in every music retail store in the country.

5. Funniest Prank? No pranks, but I when we’re on stage I always try to yell weird stuff to make the other guys laugh while they’re playing, Mike does the same to me, he’ll turn around and make weird faces, sometimes I laugh so hard I can barely play!

6. Who would you send if you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere and who would you guys eat if there's no food while waiting?  If we were stranded I’d probably call Jake and Cory’s mom Jodi.  She is pretty much the band mom, she takes care of everyone that we don’t get done.  I think I would eat Goeff, just because he’s the kind of guy who would want everyone else to survive, ironically he is also the skinniest.

7. Country would love to play? I would like to play Australia, they speak English and it’s just about as far away from Minnesota that you can get, and it’s warm.

8. Band to share stage with? I’d love to play with Jimmy Eat World, No Doubt, Dave Matthews Band, the Spin Doctors, Vertical Horizon and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

9. Ok with the direction the band is going? I think the band is moving in the right direction, we often get off track but I think with the right guidance we’ll be unstoppable.

Mike Salow [Lead Guitar]

1. Message? I think the message are music transmits is to have a good time, the vibe and lyrics within our songs promote the idea of making the best out of life and to have as much fun as possible.

2. Method at the time of writing a song? Jake and/or Corey come in to practice with a chord progression and a melody, with or without lyrics, then Geoff, Marc, and I put in our 2 cents worth, whether it is a bridge idea or a riff to go over the verses. I would say we all collaborate on the arranging portion of the song, deciding where each verse and chorus will take place, and what the vibe will be (reggae, ska, bluesy, etc).

3. Music Influences? My influences range from jazz to metal. I listen to a lot of solo guitarists like,

Allan Holdsworth, Greg Howe, Guthrie Govan, Frank Gambale, Scott Henderson, Paul Gilbert, etc...  Some of my favorite’s bands are, Chick Corea Elektric Band, Between the Buried and Me, Killswitch Engage, Opeth, Meshuggah, Necrophagist, etc...I've been listening to a lot of VItal Information and Planet X lately.

4. Future plans? Hopefully some touring, playing some big upcoming festivals would be great too.

5. Funniest Prank? Not very many pranks, but one time Corey woke up drunk in the middle of the night and started peeing on the door of our hotel room. :) Lol

6. Who would you send if you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere and who would you guys eat if there's no food while waiting? I would send Marc for help because and he's the fastest runner. And I would eat Geoff first cause he has the least hair to dig through.

7. Country would love to play? I would send Marc for help because and he's the fastest runner. And I would eat Geoff first cause he has the least hair to dig through.

8. Band to share stage with? Sublime with Rome would be great; I think a lot of our influences come from the original Sublime.

Also U2, because you know that crowd would be massive :)

9. Ok with the direction the band is going? I feel the band is progressing in the right direction, where we're at right now as a band; the only way to go is forward.

Geoff Matson [Saxophone]

1. Message? Let go, you're only alive now.

2. Method at the time of writing a song? I have a emotion to get out and I find some sounds that nurture it, then I freestyle lyrics and keep

What is natural?

3. Music Influences? Jazz, hip hop, indie

4. Future plans? Playing music full time; quitting our day jobs.

5. Funniest Prank? Probably peeing or farting on stuff

6. Who would you send if you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere and who would you guys eat if there's no food while waiting? Send Geoff, he most resembles a Kenyan long distance runner, eat Cory,

7. Country would love to play? Japan

8. Band to share stage with? Dave Matthews band

9. Ok with the direction the band is going? Yeah, movement is good

Jake Bosben [Lead Vocals, Guitar]

1. Message? A sense of relation to all aspects of life. Heartbreak, joy, energy, relaxation, partying, dancing, friendship, discontent and love.

2. Method at the time of writing a song? Each song relates to a different time, place, scenario, and set of emotions in my life. Sit down, pick up my guitar, and sing and play what i feel at the time.  Write the words and play the chords. Record it and continue to edit and advance it.

3. Music Influences? Dispatch, Phish, James Taylor, Blues Traveler

4. Future plans? Continue writing and playing our music with people all over the nation

5. Funniest Prank? Marc's impromptu Screamo version of Brown Eyed Girl

6. Who would you send if you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere and who would you guys eat if there's no food while waiting? Send Geoff, Eat Cory

7. Country would love to play? England or Netherlands (Namely Amsterdam)

8. Band to share stage with? Blues Traveler, OAR, Zac Brown Band, Dave Matthews Band

Yes, it’s great that we have a type of music that appeals to a wide demographic, but we can still showcase our instrumental abilities, especially live.

Cory Bosben [Bass, Backing Vocals]

1. Message? I would say the message has a lot to do with living your life to the fullest, taking chances, and making sure to have a great time. It also contains a lot of our personal life experiences and lessons we have learned along the way.

2. Method at the time of writing a song? It varies. Sometimes we start with a chord progression and build around that. Sometimes we start with lyrics and portray the feel of the lyrics through the chords and melodies. Everything starts small and builds eventually into something more complex.

3. Music Influences? My musical influences are, among others - sublime, blues traveler, the grateful dead, the Beatles, bob Marley, dispatch, Dave Matthews’s band, and a lot of classic rock.

4. Future plans? We plan on touring, especially heavily in the Midwest, and playing as many shows as we possibly can. Also, writing more song for a new album, hopefully in about in a year.

5. Funniest Prank? Nothing really sticks out but when we're all together it is basically non-stop joking around.

6. Who would you send if you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere and who would you guys eat if there's no food while waiting? Well, I suppose we would probably send mike because of his endurance. I would probably rather find bugs to eat than try and eat one of those guys.

7. Country would love to play? Australia. I just feel like they would dig our style of music down there.

8. Band to share stage with? As of right now I would love to share the stage with the Zac brown band. The vibe of the concert would definitely be great. Also, it would be an honor to do a show with dispatch, and it would be amazing to see them reunited.

9. Ok with the direction the band is going? Absolutely. We’ve been working hard to develop our sound and promote ourselves. i truly believe we have a good base and are ready to expand.

Check out more: http://www.myspace.com/chesterbay