My American Heart
Larry (vox) Jesse (guitar/vox) Steven (drums) Dustin (bass)
I was fortunate enough to sit down with Dustin from My American Heart during their show at Chain Reaction, Anaheim on December 1, 2006 and ask him a few questions. What girl wouldn't want to sit down with this boy...?
Ashlei: How did you meet the rest of the band, being that you are from Pittsburgh?
Dustin: I played with another band (Transition) and had played with Jesse before. I tried out for My American Heart for Warped Tour 2005, and after that I just stayed with the band.
Ashlei: What is your most interesting memory from Warped Tour? Bamboozle? - favorite band you saw during those shows?
Dustin: I don't remember much about Warped Tour. Most nights I honestly did not remember anything of the day before when I woke up the next morning. My favorite memory was meeting Billy Idol. He is the most ripped old guy I have ever met in my life. That man has "muscles galore".
My most interesting memory of Bamboozle was when I spilled a bottle of wine [yes, red wine] all down my shirt. I had to do a signing right after that for like 200 kids and they kept saying "you have stuff on your shirt". I claimed it was blood or sometimes fruit juice.
Ashlei: What was it like working with Shane Drake for "The Process"? [being that Dustin was not involved in that video, Jesse stepped in to answer the question]
Jesse: "He's a badass!" He works with really good bands. We like him! We had our own ideas of how we wanted the video, but then he added his own ideas to mix with ours and it was "really cool". He would come in yelling at us, which was great-it really "pumped us up".
Ashlei: What's the craziest thing a fan has ever done?
Dustin/Jesse: Get a tattoo with lyrics or our name on them. That's crazy. It's like on you for the rest of your life, I mean like "damn!"
Also, a fan once bought a shirt off Larry for $60.00 just because he wore it.
Ashlei: What's your favorite venue to play at?
Dustin: Right here [smiles]-Chain Reaction. It has the best kids. It's hardcore here-reminds me of real rock shows. And also NorVa in Virginia. They have hot tubs, basketball courts, basically "anything I want!"
Ashlei: What band had the biggest influence on you when starting out?
Dustin: Jimmy Eat World, and of course Punchline. Punchline is from Pittsburgh just like me, so when starting out they had a huge influence on me. They are so amazing.
Ashlei: What was your favorite band as a child? Guilty pleasure?
Dustin: Marilyn Manson. Funny story-Spice Girls was actually the 1st concert I ever went to, and Marilyn Manson my 2nd.
Was Spice Girls your guilty pleasure?
No, I was definitely was proud of that. I don't have a guilty pleasure, I mean, "Why feel guilty about liking a band?" If I like them, there is no reason to feel guilty about it.
Ashlei: Many of the band boys are video game fanatics, are you guys the same? Any good stories of playing with others?
Dustin: We have NBA Jam Battles with the band we are on tour with now, Pistolita. I'm not really a part of it, I don't really know how to play, but they get very intense!
What about guitar hero?
I've only played it once or twice, but Steven's a pro!
Ashlei: What is the one materialistic item you can't live without?
Dustin: My wallet-telephone-laptop. [actually during the interview Dustin was worried that he had lost his laptop because it was no where to be found. Luckily, after some searching it was indeed found]
Ashlei: Was it weird going back home for graduation?
Dustin: Very weird! I missed my whole senior year. It was very unexpected, no one knew where I was, some people thought I dropped out. I tried to know as many people as possible while in high school (and I went to a big school, so of course I didn't know everyone, but I knew a lot of people), so when I left, I couldn't call everyone and tell them that I was leaving. Of course some people knew, but most didn't. I did packets while on the road and sent them back to my school when I finished all throughout the year. When I came back for graduation everyone was excited to see me again, since I did something "fairly different", but the reactions weren't that big-and some people were just like "where the hell have you been all year?"
Ashlei: What is the whole thing with bananas-why haven't you ever had one?
Dustin: No reason. I saw Steven eating one on the road one day, and I was like "you know, I've never had a banana before". He offered me one, but I decided I might as well keep the tradition going. I was once offered $100 to eat a banana, but I turned it down for fun. I will have one some day "when the price is right". It's funny because I think I would actually really like bananas if I ever tried one. I mean I like banana candy and all, and I hear that real bananas are even better. ..Some day!
Ashlei: What are the piercing/tattoos that you have besides the obvious lip piercing?
Dustin: I also have my nipples pierced and three tattoos: a Jimmy Eat World lyric ["For Me, This Is Heaven"] right above my crotch, and then two girls, one on each of my sides-they are both beautiful girls, only ones an angel, and one isn't [not a devil though].
Which one hurt the most?
The one on the right side [the angel] and it is still unfinished. I got that one done while on Warped Tour and they started it at like 2 and we had to go on at 5. When it was time to go on, he still wasn't finished with the tattoo, so he had to saran wrap me up so I could go on stage- [continues by explaining the process of a tattoo-] while on stage my skin became very tender as it started to heal over, so he was not able to finish the tattoo.
Are you planning on getting it finished?
Yeah, when I go home in a week, I'm going to get it done!
Which piercing hurt the most?
My right nipple. They say that your dominant side hurts the worst. I originally only had the left one done, and then I was looking in the mirror and decided that it didn't hurt that much, so I might as well get the right one done too [which hurt a lot more]. My lip piercing was nothing, I hardly even felt it. I had my ears pierced too before-not sure if they are closed up since I haven't had earrings in for a while, but I doubt they closed.
Ashlei: Do you have any plans to go to college at this point?
Dustin: No, none currently. I'm just going to see where this takes me for now.
Ashlei: What is your favorite store to shop at?
Dustin: Audio Shoe Store, Diesel, oh and American Apparel obviously-
Ashlei: Is there any jewelry item that you wear everyday?
Dustin: Not really. Oh well, I have a wristband that's been on me since Bamboozle, which was like a month and half ago [its one of those sturdy plastic ones], but that's about it!
Ashlei: What is your worst habit?
Dustin: I'm a nail biter- and- yeah-
Ashlei: What do you miss most about home?
Dustin: My mom, dad, and dog.
What type of dog is it?
A pug. I've had her since 1st grade, she is my love. Her name is Sissy, but I call her baby girl or gorgeous. People seem to get pugs now because it's a trend but I've had my girl forever. When I got her, it was the first time I had ever seen a pug in my life.
