Eric Brace (By Mark Finkenstaedt/TWP)

Wondering where to go to salsa? How and why the club Decades turned into Zones and back to Decades? Who was that drummer for the band that thrashed at the Black Cat last Friday night? Just ask Eric, our resident Nightwatchman.

On Friday, October 1, at 3 p.m. EDT, Eric's special guest is Todd Watts, the leader/singer/guitarist for emmet swimming, one of the Washington area's most popular bands. From its beginnings nearly 10 years ago in Fairfax, emmet swimming has built a devoted following by playing steadily up and down the east coast and around the country.

After it sold thousands of its debut on its own record label, Screaming Goddess, emmet swimming was signed to Epic, part of the huge Sony family. Two records later, the band felt it wasn't getting the attention it deserved and, after pulling some legal strings, was released from its contract. Earlier this year, emmet swimming recorded a show at the 9:30 club and has just released it on Screaming Goddess, "Ear Plugs 50 cents."

Check in with the band, find out about the craziness of major label deals, about building regional followings, about life in a melodic rock band during a time of funky hip-hop, teen dance bands and techno DJs.

Eric Brace: Dear Folks, thanks so much for logging on and checking in with me and my guest Todd Watts... Todd is the lead singer and frontguy of the popular local band emmet swimming adn they've got a new live Cd out on their own label, Screaming goddess... check it out.. ask todd about his life on a major label and his plans for the future.. .. eric

Chantilly, VA: Todd -

What direction do you see the band going?

Todd Watts: Today the band heads south and plays in beautiful downtown Fred Vegas VA.
But on a more serious note. We will continue working on a new studio album while touring 3-4 days a week on the East Coast and Mid West

McLean, VA: Any mishaps w- Ed earlier in the week?

Todd Watts: Ed has been feeling his oats now that the crisp fall air has arrived. He has taken on a recent proclivity for running off and eating fresh goose droppings. It is disgusting.

Brundidge, Alabama: What thoughts could you share w- me on thimbles?

Todd Watts: I know who you are and shouldn't you be busy earning a living.

Cleveland, Ohio: Todd, what was your first "Rock 'N Roll experience"? That is, the first time you heard your song on the radio, the first time some girl threw her bra onstage, first record deal negotiations, the first time you opened for somebody and thought, "Man, they're so much better than me." What was the first time you really felt like Rock was your profession?

Todd Watts: I can't really think of one, and I'm not sure there could be one. As a group we've never really gone for the whole rock and roll lifestyle thing, and don't much think of ourselves as rock stars. We're just a compilation of dorks who really love to make music together.

Chicago IL: Did you really lose a purple matchbox car when you were 9? Did you know the car on the cover of Wake is a hotwheels and not a matchbox? :-

Bill

Todd Watts: The purple matchbox car was a sophmoric attempt at metaphor. Are you really serious. Is that a Hot Wheel? We need to consult the photographer David Amoroso. Maybe we've all been cheated.

Pittsburgh, PA: Hello,
I'm writing to find out when advance tickets go on sale for the upcoming Emmet Swimming-Last Train Home concert and fireworks spectacle at Three Rivers Stadium downtown. I want to get tickets early because I hate sitting in the nosebleed seats for stadium shows. thank you,
Franco

Todd Watts: Tomorrow

Washington, D.C.: Todd, what was the most disappointing discovery your band made after signing with the major label? Seems like bands are always dissin life at major labels left and right...

Todd Watts: Probably that signing with a major label is nothing larger than signing with a major label. Does that make any sense? Every band dreams about doing this, and the cold reality is that signing with them doesn't actually take you anywhere. It's just a new beginning.
The typical major label experience is probably just like ours, or perhaps even worse than ours. It was if nothing else intersesting, and we learned alot about the music business from it.

Arlington, VA: Todd - What changes can the fan-base expect in terms of local and national visibility now that the band is off of Epic?

Todd Watts: We aren't sure.
We will probably look for a new label for the next album. But we really want to find a home where we can really feel like it's our home. Whether that's a huge label or a tiny one, I think that's what we want.

Cleveland, Ohio: What's the status of new record deal negotiations? Are you close to one that allows you guys to retain the control and support you felt you lacked before? Or have you decided to stick it out on your own?

Todd Watts: I guess this is similar to the last one. We are going to demo some of our new songs this fall and then we will begin the search for a new label.

Chantilly, VA: Hi Todd.
I was In the Video for 'Arlington' and was wondering what the hell happened to it?

Todd Watts: Look at MTV. Do you see any bands like us on their channel. That's what happened to the Video. Thanks for taking part in it. I thought it was a great video.

Washington, DC: Hey Todd, love the big night album. i know you guys are were formed in fairfax -gmu?- but that you yourself are from kentucky or tennessee or something like that. how the hell did you get here?

Todd Watts: I was very lucky to get out of my small town in Kentucky before mating with one of my cousins. (apologies to my cousins)
Actually my entire family lives around Louisville. I went to GMU to be on their debate team. I moved back to KY for a while then came back to start emmet.

Alexandria, VA: Hey Todd,
I really like Emmet Swimming's music a lot! a friend turned me onto it, and i liked it immediately. I was wondering why I like it so much. I figured I and all the guys of your band grew up listening to the same type of music in high school - jangly guitar rock -the replacements, r.e.m., hfs type music- from the mid to late 80s. am i right?

Todd Watts: Sort of.
Erik and I had similar tastes which definitely ran toward 80's alternative rock. But everyone in the band has very strange tastes that drive the rest of us crazy. Erik loves Joe Satriani who makes me feel like someone is scratching the chalkboard. I love putting on old country songs like Hank SR. and Patsy Cline. They all hate that. Luke love putting on the Rev. Al Green, which I love but Erik hates. We use music as a form of taunting.

Washington, D.C.: Hi Eric!
Hi Todd.
Todd, I was at the 9:30 show this year when you guys recorded part of "Earplugs 50 Cents." I was screaming really loudly. But when I listened to the CD I couldn't hear myself at all, but rather other people screaming. Please explain the discrepancy.

Todd Watts: You have a girly voice.

Springfield, Virginia: Hey Todd! I'll be moving to California next year and I'm really going to miss emmet concerts. Are there any plans for you guys to head out west in the future?

Todd Watts: No.
It is a huge country and we can't stand the part west of the Mississippi. But seriously when you support yourself financially through playing music. You sometimes have to make tough choices. It's toughing playing your way to L.A. earning $100 a night and all the Bud you can drink in Lincoln NE.

South Riding, VA: Hey there,
How did the VMI show go?

Todd Watts: It was a stange and lovely experience. It was very similar to playing a high school prom in the 1950's only no one spiked the punch bowl.

Chantilly, Va: Who owns the rights to Arlington and BNWY?

Todd Watts: EPIC RECORDS. God Love Them.

Fredericksburg va: does screaming goddess havea marketing arm? Like, do radio stations around the country, and retailers know about it? do you hire independent promoters or do you get on the phone yourself, and stuff envelopes yourself, and buy the stamps? Just curious about teh nuts and bolts...

Todd Watts: Screaming Goddess's marketing arm is the same as the rest of it's body. Our manager Alan Stewart. There was really no plan to go to radio with the live album. We really put it out as something for our fans.

Cincinnati, Ohio: I was turned onto you guys by a friend in DC who took me to a concert. Bought all the albums I could find before my return home from the weekend. My question is this: does Luke ever move-talk-blink? Everybody else looks so happy and active on stage and he looks kind of... well, bored.

Todd Watts: Luke is an alien. Don't bother him while he is on stage.

McLean, VA: When will you ever play Angel again? I asked for you to play it when I saw you at Tower Records, but still haven't heard it. If you promise to play it at FredVegas, I will drive down there!

Todd Watts: I promise we will. So come down.
Actually that's one that Derrick hasn't learned yet, and the drumming on that song is amazingly complex.

Alexandria (orig. Fairfax): Thanks for being on the chat today!

Do you think bands have a responsibility towards making sure fans aren't harassed and hurt at shows? I ask because at my last ES show a couple of years ago at Planet Nova, my friend and I -we're both small girls- had to leave after two songs because we were in the front row and several GMU student-types kept punching us in the back of the head and roughing us up quite a bit in their efforts to "mosh."

It would have been one thing if we were at a GWAR show. But we didn't expect to have to fight people at an ES show, and we shouldn't have to. I personally feel you guys could have done SOMETHING. I've seen Soul Coughing several times and they're VERY GOOD about stopping the show and reprimanding somebody who's out of hand.

What we experienced wasn't close to what happened to several women at the last Woodstock, but the gleeful pounding we both took simply because we were in the front row was a bit disturbing. We haven't gone back to see you guys since.

Thanks for your response.

Todd Watts: yes,
We finally took a no moshing stance shortly after you saw us. We finally forbade it at the 9:30. If people want to mosh they should go to a Helmet show or something. Moshing to mellow songs was an idiotic early 90's ritual that frankly sucked. Remember the Cranberries Concert downtown.

Cleveland, Ohio: How's the new studio album coming along? Do you have an expected release date? Hints about the music's new direction?

Todd Watts: No expected release date since we haven't made it yet. But so far it's surprisingly poppy. Which is good because we usually have the hardest time writing the less emotional pop songs that we write.

Chantilly, VA: Are you going to re-release the origional Wake album?

Todd Watts: Epic also owns the rights to Wake. I am proud to announce that Eric has assured me Sony does not own the Washington Post. Yet...

Fayetteville, NC: Hey Todd - is the band working on anymore covers? Any chance of Hungry Like The Wolf being released on an upcoming album?

- Krista

Todd Watts: Hungry like the wolf will hopefully not be on our upcoming record. We just learned a Replacements song. "Hardly Wait"

Arlington, VA: Todd, do you guys still do that loungy cover of Anarchy in the UK anymore? I thought that was brilliant.

Todd Watts: No, but thanks for reminding me about that one. Maybe tonight.

Minneapolis, MN: Todd:

It's John, out here in Mpls, now. When are you going to make it further than Chicago, again? We would love to see you in the Twin Cities.

Todd Watts: We might make Minneapolis. It's not far from Chicago. St. Louis and Wisconsin are also possibilities.

Antioch IL: Hey Todd! I have noticed that when you guys come out to the midwest, you play the same few venues then head back east. I was wondering if you guys have ever considered coming back to WI. I would love to see an emmet appearance in Milwaukee. I have even found the perfect venue and passed the info on to SG management. Is there anything else I can do to entice you guys to stay a little longer in the midwest? More cookies perhaps?

All my best-
Gina

Todd Watts: Gina,
You'll have to keep flying to North Carolina to see us. And thanks for the cookies. Sarah deserves a thank for cookies also.

Charlottesville, Virginia: Hey Todd! I've been a big fan of the band for several years now, ever since Wake came out. I was wondering how you would say that your songwriting has progressed over the years. Are you consciously trying to deliver a message with your music, or do you mainly write songs based on whatever emotions and ideas you have at the time? Do you think that there has been any big shift over the years in what you're trying to say with your music?

Todd Watts: I think that as I've grown older I've become a little less angsty. I think musically I'm more concerned with melody and simplicity than I used to be. I also try not to bellow as much as I used to. Especially on recordings.

Roanoke, VA: Is there any recordings -legal ones- that you have of Angel of the Morning? I remember the first time I heard you play that at Blacksburg with my now fiancee and it has a become our mission to hear you sing that song again.

Todd Watts: Wow,
All this Angel of the Morning hype. Maybe we'll have to bring it out of the moth balls.

Centreville Va.: I used to listen to you guys at TT's in f'fax and loved the intimacy. Do you miss it or is the 9:30 club as small as you want to play in.

Todd Watts: That's a tough question. The new 9:30 club is one of the greatest clubs in the nation. But there will always be a part of us that loves the little clubs. In fact we still play in Fairfax from time to time. We just try to keep it low key and call up our friends. So go to T.T.'s every day and look for us.

Ann Arbor, MI: Planning on playing "Sarah When the Wind Blows" any time soon? If you play it when you're in Michigan, I might make some more cookies...

By the way, you guys are the best!

Todd Watts: Sarah,
How are you? We've actually never played that song live before. It's hard sometimes to replicate a 40 piece orchestra with two guitars, a bass and drums.

McLean, VA: Since you are playing solo is this going to be a new trend for you? You guys are awesome...don't ever stop!

Todd Watts: I've been playing solo gigs every once in a while because my Mother used to force me to do things that terrified me when I was a child. It continues in me. Playing alone scares me because I don't have the band to fall back on.

Cleveland, Ohio: Angel, schmangel, bring back Johanna!

Todd Watts: Johannna,
You are truly a hard core veteran. I like that song alot. For those of you who don't know Johanna at the door is a song that never made an album, but somehow some copies of it leaked out. It is sung in my own terrible Spanish.

D.c.: What happened to Robert Shaw? Do you still keep in touch w- him? Is he playing with anyone now?

Todd Watts: I am the only one who hasn't run into Rob. From what I hear he is doing well. I don't know if he is playing with anyone or not. But I hope that he is. He is a very talented player.

Cleveland, Ohio: "I've been playing solo gigs every once in a while because my Mother used to force me to do things that terrified me when I was a child."

Sometimes you don't have a choice, like when drummers quit on the way to the show, eh?

Todd Watts: Yes sometimes life throws you curves. And you have to lean on your Mother's teaching. They are usually right. And when Mother's are wrong, scar tissue occurs.

Arlington, VA: Todd - Do you have a proclivity for any of the other local bands in the area? Or is it rare that y'all get enough of a break from playing that you actually get to listen to other bands?

Todd Watts: Yes,
There are a lot of great bands in our area. Two that we all really love are Smartbomb and Ebo. Everyone should pick up their albums.

Reston Va.: Do you always write your own songs? Is there any chance you would look at a song written by someone outside the band but not published in any way?

Todd Watts: Writing songs is really why we do what we do. We love playing live and recording, but it is creating music that really keeps us doing it. So probably not. We just like to make our own songs.

Charlotte, NC: Todd-
Hey, I'm interviewing you next weekend. My name's Caryn..and I'm really nervous. Hehe..

Can I sit in on the sound check if i'm there early enough? -its Jack Straws-

Todd Watts: Yes you can sit in on sound check. And you are right to be nervous. We are sometimes really hard on interviewers.

Chantilly, VA: Which of your albums is your favorite and why?

Todd Watts: I think that we are always in love with the next album that we are going to make. That's a cheesy rock star answer, but it's sort of true.
You like different albums for different reasons, and we've always tried to do things on albums that will make them memorable to us. I will always get excited when I hear Don Dixon's background vocals on "Birdman", and I love Peter Collin's speech on "Stealing from the Joneses."
I can still remember all of Marco Delmar's grat Ideas on the first 2 albums.

Herndon Va.: Where in the world is Fred Vegas...Did I miss something

Todd Watts: You've obviously never seen the bright lights of Fredricksburg VA. We are playing there tonight. Elvis will be opening up.

Alexandria, VA: Where do I get a copy of the Album now that emmet is not distributed by Sony-Epic?

Todd Watts: Yes, You can buy all of our albums and Schwag on our website. emmetswimming.com. Good work Buddha.

Todd Watts: Hey there folks.. so great of you to log on... I (eric) will be back for a local nightlife discussion in two weeks.. oct 15 at 3 pm... maybe a guest will be with me..maybe not.. we'll see.
Thanks to Todd Watts for coming and chatting.. keep your eyes open for the new emmet swimming Cd and their live shows..
If y'all have any other thoughts or questions about the local scene, feel free to send me an e-mail at nightwatch@washpost.com....
Carry on, then!
eb

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