Arm The Pit - What Are You Like

ATP

For the record, who's answering the interview, what is your band's name? How did you come up with that name?

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

Peter here! And i am the bassist in WAYL (What Are You Like) The band name is a phrase our drummer Dan used a lot, and none of our friends here in Denmark believed that something so stupid could be a phrase that people actually used. So you can imagine us being very surprised when we found out that the expression was very popular in Ireland in the 1990's. So that's the name we chose for our band, since we didn’t have the imagination to think up something cooler.

ATP

So who's in the band and what's everyone's life story in 100 words more or less?

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

We are a very "down to basic" band consisting of the bear necessity’s! Drum, bass and guitar! Christian is our guitarist and the handsome one in the band. Dan is the drummer and is the quiet one in the band (unless he is drunk, then he is the loud and inappropriate one) Peter is the bassist and he is the beautiful and talented one... -Peter

ATP

In a nutshell, please describe your sound.

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

As before stated we are very down to the basics in our sound, it’s all about aggressive guitars, speeding drums and vocal harmonies and shouting. There is absolutely nothing new in our sound, and we aren’t trying to reinvent the soup bowl with our sound. We are just trying to let of smoke, and get people nice and sweaty in the audience.

ATP

Why did you each of you start playing music and was there a turning point from becoming the dream child that every mother and father hopes their child will become before discovering music? Why did music become a career choice for you?

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

I think we pretty all started of the same way, by listening to the same kind of bands when we were kids and wanted to do what they did. The only motivator was just to play live, and explore how much energy one could produce. So we all picked a instrument (independently of each other) and tried to figure out how they worked - something we are still trying by the way.

ATP

What instruments do you each play? How did you learn to play, self-taught or school?

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

Peter: Bass, vocals. Christian: Guitar, vocals. Dan: Drums Well I'm (Peter) am defiantly self-taught, I played the trumpet when I was a kid, but eventually sold it to by a bass stack. I think Christian and Dan have had classes in their instruments, but nobody can really tell...

ATP

What bands have influenced each of you?

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

We pretty much all like the same bands; at least the bands we agree are the building bricks of our sound. Bands like NOFX, Green Day, Bad Religion, Pennywise, No Use For A Name, Lagwagon and the old Blink are all really important to us.

ATP

What makes your band unique?

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

We are not into music for making the sound unique; we are just into trying to let people in the crowd let loose and raise hell. It's all about the energy and keeping the crowd entertained.

ATP

Do you write your own music? If not, who writes the music?

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

We write our own music.

ATP

What inspires the songs you write?

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

It could really be anything we come across. We have songs about all sorts of shit. But if I have to name a theme on our new album (coming soon) it would have to be growing up and facing all the bullshit choices you are presented with in this life.

ATP

How long does it take you to write a song that’s ready to record?

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

Not long at all... We have become very efficient, and the process has on some occasions only taken a few hours! - The first son we wrote as a band (Not The Bees) was written and learned in 3 hours while we were drunk.

ATP

How would you describe your local music scene? Likes, Dislikes. What would you change?

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

The only aspect of our local music scene we pretty much know of is the punk scene in Copenhagen (Denmark). The punk scene in Copenhagen is not big at all (punk is off Couse a broad expression, but I’m talking punk rock, skatepunk), I would guess we are about 10 bands (and that’s shooting high). This makes a special bond between the bands in this area, and everybody shows up at each others shows and support each other - This I find amazing.

ATP

What is your favorite local venue? Why?

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

In the olden days there was a fantastic sweaty little basement venue in the middle of town (Copenhagen) called "Lades Kælder". This to me was the best venue I have ever played - And they weren’t afraid to put up punk shows! - Sadly this venue were forced to shut down a few years back due to financial problems (maybe it was because of all those punk shows?) Now a days I would have to say UnderWerket! - It has a lot of the same qualities as Lades Kælder had, loud, dirty, sweaty and compacted!

ATP

What's the biggest problem you find when working with other bands, booking agents, promoters and venues when settting up a show or a tour?

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

We don't find any problems at all. There's nothing to it. As long as you keep on thying and getting your name out there... There's no problems, just fun.

ATP

How experienced are you on the stage, a virgin or whore?

WHAT ARE YOU LIKE

We must soon be stage whores! - We have been doing this for many years soon, both together and in other bands before we started WAYL in 2011.