I had the chance to catch up with Chicago rockers Ship Captain Crew this past week and ask them a few questions. Having released their debut EP “House of Mercury” this past summer, these guys have a solid and building sound. Combining melodic, punk-infused breakdowns with pop-punk hooks, they refuse to conform to any one sterotype as they forge their own sound. The EP was produced by Seth Henderson (Real Friends, Knuckle Puck, Forever Came Calling) at ABC Studios in Crown Point, Indiana.
Ship Captain Crew’s latest EP “House of Mercury” is available on their Bandcamp (http://shipcaptaincrew.bandcamp.com/) for “name your price”.
Your music video for “Notebooks” is a nice collection of live, studio and on-the-road footage. Do you film a lot in general, or was it all collected for the purpose of this video?
We try to film everything we do together as a band. We started with the intention of making a music video, but it’s also nice to have a record of our experiences. We also want to share that experience with our fans and make them feel what it’s like being a part of Ship Captain Crew.
Where did your name “Ship Captain Crew” develop from?
It actually has nothing to do with the sea, it’s a dice game. Mike’s cousin Earl would always throw St. Patrick’s Day parties for the Southside Irish parade off Western Ave in Chicago. At the parties they would play the game and regardless if they won or lost they would make friends and it stuck in the back of Mike’s head. The band had our first show booked in Monee, IL at the Lighthouse and needed a name. The rest is history.
You released your EP “House of Mercury” this past August, which was a great listen. Have you been happy with the response you’ve received?
People have been very enthusiastic and have embraced the dynamic sound we are trying to bring to pop-punk. So we are very thankful for that.
What are your favorite songs to play live?
The new ones, haha. The ones we’re not quite sure about. The songs we finished writing the night before. The cover songs we learned the lyrics to right before our set. Sometimes a fantastic accident occurs and you catch yourselves and the audience off guard. . Not just seeing the songs off the album played live, but some shit that makes them flinch or laugh or leaves their jaw on the floor. I think that’s what people remember.
I heard you have plans for a new EP titled “The Ocean Floor” for this spring – can you give us a little scoop on what to expect?
We feel like we pushed the boundaries of pop punk a little on the last EP, so we’re seeing which directions that can takes us. Jumpy songs, country songs, love songs, sad songs, we try to write without any worry of placating a specific genre.
It’s January and still time for making (and breaking) New Year’s resolutions! Three goals for Ship Captain Crew this year?
- Tour
- Write more music
- Get jacked & tan
So far, successful.
You formed in 2010, so are just coming up on your 5-year band anniversary (congrats!) — any advice for other bands on how to keep things solid, sane and together in a band, especially when the going gets rough?
Our motto has always been “Run it like a business, live it like a dream”. You do have to take things seriously, work really hard on your songs, and practice your fucking ass off. But try not to forget that it should be fun; we have the best job in the world. If you want to use your ego to gain success, get a suit and tie and make somebody some money. If you want to create something that reaches people all over the world, you have to work together as a group to be greater than the sum of your parts.
Finally, to leave you on a fun note -If you had the chance to play a show with any band (past or present) who would it be?
Taylor Swift, The Gaslight Anthem or Death Grips.
http://www.shipcaptaincrew.bandcamp.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shipcaptaincrew
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shipcapncrewil
