anderswolleck

The Transplants were originally set up as a musical experiment between friends, Rob Aston, Tim Armstrong and Travis Barker. But with their trip hip-hoppy and rock sound they soon garnered a following. The latest album, Haunted Cities, was originally going to be Astons solo album but after The Transplants was dropped from Warner Bros records those songs made it onto this.

Check out the official site for The Transplants

Daniel Robert Epstein: Hey Rob, what are you up today?

Rob Aston: Today were in fucking Kansas and its like the fourth or fifth day of Warped Tour.

DRE: Hows that going?

RA: Its been a good time, for sure.

DRE: I heard that someones really counting on the Warped Tour to be good for the band and is really important for the album. What do you think?

RA: I hope so. I mean, it puts you in the places where people buy albums. A lot of kids come out to the shows everyday and stuff. Its not everyday that were in Bonner Springs, Kansas. The record just came out and we can push it out here and promote it so its definitely a cool thing.

DRE: Whos touring with you?

RA: Everyones out here. Me, Matt, Travis, Ultimate Ronnie, Craigleg, and Kevin and Paul and theyre keyboarding, DJ. Also all of our crew too, all the guys who are working for us are basically our family.

DRE: What was the inspiration for Haunted Cities?

RA: Haunted Cities is actually a song that didnt make the record. But the name itself creates a good visual and creates a good tone for the record. The record itself kind of a little more of the negative side of things. Haunted Cities just refers to all cities whether its LA or some shit over in fucking Baghdad.

DRE: Is it negative because of what happened with Warner Bros?

RA: Oh, fuck all that. I didnt lose sleep over that. To tell you the truth, getting dropped was one of the best things that ever happened to me. At first I was bummed. But it was actually a blessing in disguise because we ended up using six of those songs for Haunted Cities so I aint mad at nobody. Everything happens for a reason.

DRE: Was it tough to turn those songs into Transplant songs?

RA: No not at all. Some of them it would just be a thing where Tim would come in and do a verse for a couple of songs or Travis would just do drums better than how they were originally. It was hard to let go because I wanted those songs for my solo record but Im a team player so anything i can do to get us out there and one step ahead, Im not going to be selfish and wait for my shit to come out.

DRE: There are a lot of hip hop people on this album.

RA: Yeah, for sure. Its all our family, all the homies, Boo-Yaa Tribe, Sen Dog, B-Real, Cypress, Rakaa from Dilated Peoples and Paul Walls from Swisher House. But it makes sense for us because we do all kinds of crazy shit. Paul Walls is doing a hip-hop remix of the album. I like that version better than the original version, but thats me, I like all my music slowed down,

DRE: Did everyone record separately?

RA: No one had a problem to come join us because thats all family. I would just call them and say, come on in. Everyone just came through and we did it on the spot. Its cool for us to work with dudes like that because weve all listened to them forever. I grew up listening to Cypress Hill and Boo-Yaa. So for me to be able to work with them on the record, it pushes me to step my game up and take it to the next level because theyre all so good with what they do.

DRE: How is it working with Atlantic Records?

RA: So far its been cool. Theyve been really supportive, pushing the record and they believe in us, so thats nice. Its nice to be on a label where they dont fucking push you to the side and say, Oh well figure them out later. Theyre actually honest with us.

DRE: Did Warner Bros tell you why they dropped you?

RA: Oh they claimed they didnt understand it and didnt get it but it seems kind of funny to me since our second single happens to be one of those songs that was on my original record. I guess someone feels like an idiot over there.

DRE: How was it having Neil Pogue produce the album?

RA: Neil Pogue is like great. He brought out sounds and stuff when he was mixing the record that I forgot we even had in there. Hes great at bringing those sounds out and hes so real good with the heavy stuff with the bass. This time around it was a lot of fun making the fucking record.

DRE: Do you watch Meet The Barkers?

RA: I watch it once in a while when it comes on. I try not to watch too much TV though.

DRE: Do you now want your own reality show?

RA: Nah, not really [laughs]. I dont even know if we can have that. I aint really trying to incriminate myself or any of my friends [laughs].

DRE: So itd be X rated?

RA: I dont know if itd be X rated, but thered just be some goings on that would be frowned upon by certain people like law enforcement. [laughs]

DRE: I saw that you have a contest on the Transplants website where people can win a low ride bicycle.

RA: I dont know about it. I dont even got a computer so I havent even gone to the website.

DRE: You dont have a computer?

RA: [laughs] What am I going to do with a computer? Im probably the only person I know that dont have one.

DRE: How do you look at porn?

RA: Magazines and DVDs.

DRE: Have you hung out with AFI since you stopped being a roadie for them?

RA: Yeah, for sure. Theyre proud of me for sure. Theyre actually in LA right now working on a new record.

DRE: I read that you never really expected The Transplants to turn into a real band.

RA: I never did because originally it wasnt going to be a band. Tim got approved to do some work for a studio and he would learn how to run it and one day he just threw in a CD with some tracks on it and it didnt have vocals and he asked me if I could write lyrics to it. I knew that those situations dont come fucking everyday so I wasnt trying to fuck off a good opportunity. Besides the fact that me and Tim are homies, I grew up listening to Operation Ivy and Rancid so for me to be asked by Tim Armstrong to write lyrics and work with him was crazy. Then we got a little more serious with it, we got a little better at it and we decided, Okay lets get a drummer. Then well put out a record out and see what happens so here we are now. Ive got no complaints.

DRE: Whats been your biggest surprise so far in the music industry?

RA: I was lucky because I had worked for bands prior to this I had the opportunity to see some of the stuff that happens basically firsthand, both the good and the bad. I guess the thing that is always shocking is the number of fucking scumbags that are in the music business, whether its other bands or whether its label people or radio people or TV or magazines or this or that. Theres just so many fucking scumbag motherfuckers out there who just want a piece of you and want to get in your pockets and want to fucking cut you loose.

DRE: Who is trying to screw you over right now?

RA: I watch my back very carefully out here especially when it comes to the business end of things. But we got a good team, we got a good manager, and we got a great booking agent so its all good. You just got to watch yourself because you never know. Theres always going to be someone who is fucking going to try to get over on you some way.

DRE: When did you first start playing music?

RA: This is the first band Ive ever been in to tell you the truth.

DRE: Really?

RA: Yeah Ive never done nothing. Ive never rapped, never wrote nothing, so yeah. I first started in 2000.

DRE: Are you going to do a total rap album at some point?

RA: Im still going to do a solo record after this record has done its course and itll probably be more of a hip hop record.

by Daniel Robert Epstein

SG Username: AndersWolleck