Steve: I'd known Parry from hanging out in the Santa Barbara music scene. He wrote a music column in a local weekly newspaper and played in a band called The Decline of Paisley John Shaver. I'd go see him play and we quickly became close friends. After his band broke up, we talked about getting something started. It was around this time that I met Charlie. We had been brought together to jam with a mutual friend named Denny. After noticing what a great bass player Charlie was, I thought about stealing him from Denny. It was a couple weeks later when I ran into Charlie in the soup aisle at a grocery store. So, it's safe to say that Campbell's chicken noodle helped bring us together!!!

Question: Have you ever been in any previous bands before Nerf Herder?

Steve: In the late 80's I was in a glam band called Lost Kittenz. Yes, you read it correctly ~GLAM~. It's kinda funny how past members of this band went on to bigger and better things. Marko, who played bass, now runs My Records, which is the indie label we started out on. Other members went on to be in popular bands such as Summercamp, Silver Jet, and No Use For a Name. Some other bands I played in were Glitterbug, Cardboard Superstars, Jerkin Gerkins, One Human Minute and Whistlin' Cherries.

Question: When was your first gig?

Steve: My first ever gig was in 1985 with a heavy metal cover band called Melting Point. It was terrible! We played in a church right under a huge crucifix. Talk about blasphemy! Metallica in a place of worship?

Question: Who was your favorite band to tour with?

Steve: It's hard to say. The tours with Weezer and Bloodhound Gang were both incredible. I'm a huge Weezer fan. We had never toured before and didn't know what to expect. In the beginning, I was too star-struck to even speak to to the Weezer boys. Their fans loved us. It was exhilarating standing in the crowd watching Weezer every night and getting asked for autographs. By the time the tour with Bloodhound Gang started, we knew a little more about the aspects of being on the road. I felt much more comfortable and became great friends with all of them. We had tons of fun jumping onstage and acting moronic during each other's sets.

Question: How old were you when you first got into music?

Steve: I was probably about seven when I got my first KISS record. I started playing drums when I was 13.

Question: Who writes the songs?

Steve: Parry is the main songwriter, although Charlie and I contribute as well. Charlie will sometimes play a bass line that ends up becoming a song. I lend a hand with arrangements and lyrical topics...ie. Parry tends to write songs about my pathetic sex life!!!

Question: Which person in your opinion, was your biggest influence?

Steve: My biggest influence was Peter Criss. I remember as a kid, dressing up like him, listening to Kiss records and banging on pots and pans. My brother, David and I would put on Kiss makeup and have our own concerts in the living room. Ah, the memories!

Question: When is your next album coming out?

Steve: Early next year, hopefully.

Question: What does "Nerf Herder" mean?

Steve: It's a line from The Empire Strikes Back where Princess Leia calls Han Solo a "stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking Nerf Herder." According to the Star Wars encyclopedia, a "Nerf" is a small, futuristic animal raised as a food source.

Question: Any words of wisdom?

Steve: Words of wisdom....uh....I guess I'm not wise enough to think of any.....OK, eat all your veggies, stay in school, don't use AOL to meet your future spouse and send me all your PEZ dispensers!!!!!

INTERVIEW: Steve Wynn: Dream Syndicate Front Man Discusses Static Transmissions

INTERVIEW: Storm and The Balls: Storm and The Balls discuss re-mix, next record, and being in The Balls

[Issue Two // September-October 1997]