8 August 2006 -

EXCLUSIVE Interview: Rock N Roll Soldiers
Chuck Norton, deadjournalist.com

What were you doing in 1997? Were you in school? Were you in middle school? What were you hobbies? Did you play in a rock band? Did the band stay together? Was your band's music featured on TV? Did the band tour North America?

If you answered "yes" to all of these questions, then there's a good chance you are a member of the Rock N Roll Soldiers. (If you answered yes and are in another band, e-mail me right now.)

Marty Larson-Xu (vocals, guitar), Oliver Brown (drums) and Evan Sernoffsky (bass) have been playing together since forming the Soldiers in middle school in 1997. Eight years later, the band found success with The Two EP's album and their single "Funny Little Feeling" was featured in several television shows as well as a performance-based commercial for Verizon Wireless.

In April 2006, the Eugene, Oregon-based band has released its second full-length album, So Many Musicians to Kill. After opening for acts ranging from the New Bomb Turks to Shooter Jennings, the Rock N Roll Soldiers will soon begin a national tour to support their new album.

For more information on The Rock N Roll Soldiers, visit their Web site: www.rnrsoldiers.com or their MySpace page at: www.myspace.com/rocknrollsoldiers.

DeadJournalist.com recently had the opportunity to have this exclusive interview with the Rock N Roll Soldier's lead vocalist Marty Larson-Xu.

Not many rock bands that formed at such and early age have found the success the Rock N Roll Soldiers have. What do you attribute to your success?

MLX: Well, I guess there is a certain amount of success that comes with time. Also, playing a lot of shows and recording as much as we can.

We are lucky to have great fans who support us.

What led you to start playing together? Who influenced you as musicians?

MLX: We started out in middle school because we wanted to be like our friend's older brother's band. We were influenced by Australian punk like Radio Birdman and the Saints as well as American bands like the Stooges and the MC5 and also the Japanese band Teengenerate. Later on we got in the Stones, Roky Erickson, and stuff like that.

Your music has been featured on television on the WB's One Tree Hill, Smallville and a national Verizon commercial. It has also been showcased on several video games. How have these forms of media affected your fan base?

MLX: We get a lot of younger girl fans now, which isn't a bad thing. The band recently released a new album.

How long did it take to record your new album?

MLX: Our new album was recorded over the last year, but it was delayed for awhile while we were on tour. Now we got it and it's a beast.

Has the band's sound evolved over the last few years?

MLX: Sound has definitely evolved. A few years ago we were doing more of a Stonesy thing, now we are doing more straightforward rock and punk stuff. We've also been listening to Cheap Trick a lot, so that's been an influence.

Does the band have plans to tour is support of the new album?

MLX: Yeah we definitely wanna hit the road ASAP - just gotta tie up some loose ends. Oliver has to find someone to take care of his collection of exotic lizards. Our tour manager Evan Scarola got some 39-year-old pregnant and she wants to have the kid. So once we deal with her we should be able to get out and start playing shows.

What is your favorite part of being on tour and performing live shows?

MLX: The best part is really after the show. Sleeping on floors and eating bagels with moldy cream cheese; drinking with our fans and playing 3-on-3 basketball with the other bands. We are the best.