[fight me by the code]

Interview with all five members of Fight me by the code. Conducted by DJ through email.

Name, age and position in Fight Me By The Code?

CHRIS: Chris Drews / 27 / guitarist
STEVE: Sobeck / 25 / drums
ALF: Alf Kooser / 24 / guitarist
MATT: Matt Hyatt / 19 / vocals
ANDREW: Andrew Hnatko / 21 / bass

How did FMBTC get together?

CHRIS: I have known Alf all my life. We have been talking about doing this for over 4 years, Its just with work, school and Alf being in another band we never had time to do it. In January of this year It felt like the time was right to do it and it just took off. We had a singer and drummer within 2 weeks. I knew Matt (vocals) from work and Steve (drums) we found by posting on a local message board. The bassist position was not filled until April when Andrew seen a post I put up on (again) on a message board.
MATT: We all worked in the steel mills together back in 30s.
STEVE: fate
ANDREW: I was the last one to join, so you have to ask someone else....

Who came up with the name Fight Me By The Code, and what's it meaning?

CHRIS: Alf and I were watching Deathsport, some terrible movie from 1978. In the movie they keep talking about fighting by some code. Alf was like, "If we ever start a band, lets name it fight me by the code!"
MATT: I'll leave this one up to Chris and Alf.
STEVE: Alf, he got it from the movie Deathsport
ANDREW: The name was around before I joined, so....

Where are each of you from?

ALF: Hopwood, PA
CHRIS: Hopwood, PA
MATT: Greensburg beotch!
STEVE: Pittsburgh, PA
ANDREW: Rockaway, New Jersey

So what did ya think of your 1st show? Where you guys nervous at all?

ALF: I though it was a good show but I was nervous about what my close friends thought of the band.
CHRIS: I wasn't nervous, I love playing out. It seemed like people liked it allot, so that felt great!
MATT: I think the first show went pretty well besides the crappy sound levels and me breaking the microphone. I was pretty nervous seeing as how this is pretty much the first band I've been in.
STEVE: I was actually very surprised ppl dug it as much as they did. I was nervous. Its hard to tell how some ppl are going to take a new band.
ANDREW: I thought it went pretty good, aside from the shitty sound. The crowd got into it allot, so that was cool. I can't speak for everyone else, but yeah I was kinda nervous. But everything went pretty smooth...

How many songs do you have so far? Will there be a demo soon?

CHRIS: We have 7 songs that we know as a band with a good bit in the works. We are going to play some shows for a bit before we enter a studio.
MATT: We're working on our 8th song right now. there will be an lp out on virgin records next month.
STEVE: 7 1/2, I hope there will be a demo in the near future.
ANDREW: Well we got seven songs now, with more coming...We are releasing a box set sometime in august I think...

What style of metal would you consider FMBTC?



ALF: All-Metal
CHRIS: TR00 and total KVLT
MATT: living in the woods metal
STEVE: You really can't label us, we all bring something different to the table for each to build on. However call us anything but nu-metal. Maybe metalcore? That term is generic enough.
ANDREW: Copper or Tin maybe, I don't know...

Who are some of your main influences?

ALF: devo and dark funeral
CHRIS: Anything from the heart...
MATT: Personally, From Autumn to Ashes, Dillenger Escape Plan, and all the ladies out there.
STEVE: Iron Maiden, Dillinger Escape Plan, Carcass, In Flames, too many more to list...................
ANDREW: I mostly listen to older metal stuff like old metallica and megadeth and that kind of stuff...That's pretty much what got me into playing bass I guess...

What band got you into metal?

ALF: judas priest and/or iron maiden
CHRIS: Iron Maiden
MATT: Cradle of Filth for me
STEVE: I would have to say Iron Maiden
ANDREW: Fight me by the Code

Top 5 bands?

ALF: devo, yo la tengo, iron maiden, aphex twin, dark funeral
CHRIS: Burnt by the sun, Iron Maiden, Catherine Wheel, Afghan Whigs, PG.99
MATT: From Autumn to Ashes, Dillenger Escape Plan, Cradle of Filth, A Long Winter, Shadows Fall
STEVE: (at the moment these are my favorites, it changes daily) Dysrhythmia , Suffocation, Virulence, Laurelei, Codeseven
ANDREW: FIGHT ME BY THE CODE, metallica, megadeth, tool,FIGHT ME BY THE CODE

Top 5 cds?

ALF: yo la tengo - I can feel the heart beating as one / dark funeral - vobiscum satanas / iron maiden - piece of mind / sleater-kinney - all hands on the bad one / devo - hardcore volume 2
CHRIS: PG.99 - Document 5 / Catherine Wheel - Chrome / Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast / Cradle of Filth - Cruelty and the Beast / Tiamat - Deeper Kind of Slumber
MATT: Can't think...
STEVE: Codeseven: Division of Labor / In Flames: Clayman / Spitfire: The Slideshow Whiplash / Neurosis: Times of Grace / The Ultimate Warriors: Wrestling is Our Gimmic

Top 5 movies?

ALF: Heat, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Happiness, Puppet Masters (all), PI
CHRIS: American History X, Fight Club, Shawshank Redemption, The Big Lebowski, The Matrix
MATT: The Crow, Office Space, 13 Ghosts, Fight Club, Predator
STEVE: Spiderman, Evil Dead Trilogy, Redneck Zombies, Pigs, Gummo
ANDREW: The Crow, Gladiator, Back to the Future, Pet Cemetery, Star Wars-Empire Strikes back...

Favorite TV show?

ALF: adult swim
CHRIS: Andy Dick / Insomniac / Seinfeld re-runs
MATT: Insomniac (Dave Attell has the best job in the world)
STEVE: Dave Attel's Insomniac
ANDREW: The Sopranos

Favorite Websites?

ALF: IIIIIIIIIII
CHRIS: relapse board, ebay, bushmado (insert toungue)
MATT: Bushmado
STEVE: Instrife, Pa Hardcore, BYOFL, Bushmado............
ANDREW: www.fightmebythecode.com

This question is for Alf and Drews, where did ya get your ink done at?

CHRIS: We both got our tattoo work done at Body Works by Jarrod Russel. He is the fuckin' man!

What other types of music do you enjoy?

ALF: I don't like new country, and almost all rap/hip hop
CHRIS: Jazz, Trance and lighter stuff like The Police etc.
MATT: Classic Rock (AC/DC is one of my favorite bands)
STEVE: It would be easier to ask what kinds of music I don't like: Country except Johnny Cash & Buck Shot Satan & the 666 Shooters
ANDREW: well, some classic rock is alright, but I really don't listen to listen to much other than metal...

If you could tour with any 2 bands who would you pick and why?

ALF: CODC and Iron Maiden
CHRIS: Burnt by the Sun cause they kill live and Iron Maiden because its fucking maiden!!
MATT: Dillinger Escape Plan because of their awesome live shows and huge lead singer and Cradle of Filth just because they are they kill live
STEVE: This is a tough one, some many great bands. I would have to say DEP & Pungent Stench. DEP would keep me technically amused, while Pungent Stench would just be awesome to hang out with.
ANDREW: Well, Metallica, just because they are my all time favorite, and Shakira, just because...

Anything you'd like to add?

ALF: I just wanted to say sorry for not moving
CHRIS: Thanks to DJ for setting this up. Music=Life love, Chris
MATT: One time I saw this old beggar with a sign that read "will show my tits for money" and it was a dude too, not female. Weird
STEVE: Music is a great force. Its not a competition. Its meant to make you move. Hopefully [fmbtc] will do just that.............
ANDREW: no
Fight Me By The Code site
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