I am a Protest The Hero... AMA

First off, you guys give me a raging-semi.

Secondly,

1. Who primarily writes the music? Is it a collaborative effort or does one person usually take charge?

2. Which album are you guys most proud of?

3. Can you guys please send me nude pictures and a locket of all of your hair? You know, for science?

1. Pics or GTFO.
2. Truke is the main riff-writer, but we all write our own parts in the end of course.
3. I feel each album represents a different time period of our lives, so it's hard to pick favorites. Choady says Scurrilous.
4. There's enough nude pics of us floating around the internet if you can find em (http://isanyoneup.com). You can literally buy Tim's beard hair.

Choady doesn't want his DNA being released for fear of people finding out he was genetically manipulated... by his Uncle...

Do you wanna see the galaxy?

T: I'm hoping in my lifetime that traveling outside of our planet Earth will become affordable. In the meantime, I'll rely on curiosity (;)) and Google.

Are you upset that only person wants to have a pizza party with you?

Tim: I'm a little upset but know people are seriously missing out. I've been honing my skills on making homemade people over the last couple years and they're pretty tasty. Not to mention there will be homemade wine a flowin' and lots of treats. I understand that people have yet to taste my pies so may be skeptical.

Til tim makes homemade people. And theyre pretty tasty.

Tim: Fuck.

Speaking of fuck, in pittsburgh last winter, choady said he was gonna fuck me, but never followed through. Is this the correct place to file my grievance?

EDIT: i am a straight male. Im just supremely disappointed, cause who doesnt want the choade?

C: Well, you know what, I tell a lotta fellas I'm gonna fuck em, and only follow through like, 30% of the time. So tough luck.

1) How are you guys one of the few bands that has not had a fallout with other members and had to replace people even after 10+ years?

2) I have been a fan for many years now, since the Kezia days. How is it that you keep consistently changing your style while staying true to being protest the hero? Every album is SOOOO different from each other and still so good. I find it amazing the talent you gentlemen have and I appreciate the effort you put into each venture you do.

3) Did you use the riff from all bodies from BTBAM in Palms Read on fortress? In the booklet it says. “Sorry to anyone’s riff’s who it sounds like we stole” or something like that. If so, what other riff’s were used on the album that I didn’t catch?

4) Why is it that you guys have not done cover songs? If I had a spare $2500 laying around I would absolutely have donated to the cover song prize.

5) What is your drink of choice?

1. C: We started as friends and that's how we'll end it. Even if a member decided to leave, there would never be any bad blood. We all know that, and that's how we kinda keep our heads straight.
2. C: Thanks for the compliment. There's so many years between each release, we've had time to change as people, and obviously the music changes with that, but we'll always be the same people at our core, which is how Protest sounds like Protest, I guess. Baby sings Protest so good.
3. T: In the past, we've had riffs that we've noticed after the fact sound similar to something. We never intentionally try to take something from another band. This one in particular I haven't heard.
4. C: If Cam and I had our way, you would have entire Taylor Swift catalogues of PTH cover songs. T: We have a hard enough time getting 10 songs together to record in the studio. Seems more worthwhile to create original music than to do covers. At the same time, we have a hard time agreeing on one song when we've a-broached the subject.
5. C: Moosehead & Glenfiddich T: Red wine

I’ve always wondered, what influenced the change in your sound from the Calculated Use EP to Kezia? I only ask because Kezia seems vastly more mature but was only a, relatively, short time later.

And completely unrelated, I named my dog, Rody, after you. But he’s very handsome and has a proportionally large wiener so that’s flattering for you, right?!

Proof: http://i.imgur.com/v0uS1vV.jpg

C: The biggest change was obviously puberty, but it seemed as though with the EP we were just on the cusp of something bigger. With Kezia we sort of realized what 'bigger' was. We wrote it in my parents basement... but I can't actually define the motivations behind such a large change.

That's wiener is probably WAY bigger than mine, and he's obviously much more handsome than I am.

K, question for YOU fucks.

How much does Tim look like Morgan Spurlock?

Who would win in a fight between Arif with no hands and Luke with no legs?

Arif. He's a wiley spritely little fuck.

He's got quick little legs and with them he'd beat Luke's brains in; not to mention the rage in his Iranian blood.

Will Jadea Kelly be on the next album?

C: I spoke to her very recently and told her I don't wanna do another record without her again, so you can bet your balls she will be.

Tim! I forget if it was 2007 or 2008, (This was Warped Tour San Antonio) but I was walking with my friend trying to find a way to microwave and eat my food, and you invited me to your bus which had a microwave and you introduced me to everyone on the bus. I have the pics at home to prove it, and after all these years, I still remember it being one of the most glorious memories I have. If you're ever in Ohio, I would really like to re-pay your kindness. You even let my friend and I stay on the bus when you had to go leave to play! Thank you thank you thank you. You were also kind enough to let my friends and I get a few pics with you. So awesome!

T: It would've been 2008, and it was no problem. In general, I know the wrath that is Warped Tour, so anyway I can help a friend/fan out, I'd be more than happy to. Don't feel like you have to repay anything, just pay it forward.

Hey fellas, holy shit I fangirled so hard when I heard you guys were doing this. Kezia is one of my favourite albums of all time, and I personally view it as the best of yours (So far, of course). This is me, the guy whose tit I made Tim sign at his guitar clinic: http://i.imgur.com/NgnLS.jpg

I have a few questions for you guys:

• Is it "AH-rif" or is it "AIR-rif"?

• I'm working my way up locally in my own progressive metal band, is there any advice you could give us in respect to staying true to ourselves? I know within your last record and the whole crowd-funded approach to the new one, conflicts obviously rose between you guys and your labels.

• Just how drunk IS Rody when he can sit up on stage and talk about his dick for 2 hours?

Lastly, I just want to thank you guys for being the honest musicians and people you are. I can't say I was surprised at how fast you reached your funding goal. Keep going strong! We're all waiting for the next one!

Tim: I just say it like RF.

Choady just said it aloud 3 times, and realized it's the sound a puppy makes.

Tim: Focus on writing music that you feel is true to your band. There are a lot of people in the music industry that can help you, but approach them in a guarded fashion. There are a lot of good people in the music industry, don't get me wrong, but you have to be willing to work for yourself before you can expect anyone else to work for you.

Choady: Just write the kind of music that you think is missing.

Choady: I. Have. NEVER. spoken about my dick for 2 hours on stage. These fuckers'll cut me off after 5 minutes. Also, I don't have to be that drunk to do it... but it helps.

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Stay posted.

Hey guys, huge fan, thanks for doing an AMA. A few quick questions:

-What are favourite/least favourite songs to perform? I think I remember Rody saying his least favourite is Turn Soonest but I'm not sure.

-For Luke/Tim: Have you been working on transcribing the music from the new album? If so, can we expect a guitar book release with the album or will there be a bit of a wait?

-Also for Luke/Tim: Of all your songs, which would you say is the hardest to play?

-I got a shirt from your bundle pack that you were doing a while ago which looks like an old homoerotic movie poster and has two shirtless guys embracing each other. What is the story behind this design? I can’t find it online anywhere so I assume it is somewhat of a rare print. Needless to say I found it hilarious when I got it.

Thanks guys, looking forward to the new album!

Rody: I'm not very fond of the songs of the songs we've played off of Kezia constantly. I'd be GLAD to play songs like Divine Suicide or She Who Merks the skin of gerds.

Tim: If all goes to plan we'll release the album and guitar book in tandem. No promises, but we ARE harassing Arif about including bass.

Hardest song is The Reign of Unending Terror is non-stop punishment.

Choady: As for the T-shirt... it's kind of funny. One of the characters looks like Arif, the other looks like a near and dear friend of ours. We're sick of heterosexism being shoved in everyones faces!

What’s the most difficult part/song to perform live from any of your albums?

For Tim: How do you approach writing rhythms for lead parts that are really complicated?

For Luke and Tim: What’s your favorite guitar lead/riff to play from any of your albums?

Rody: Probably the old stuff like Blindfolds Aside that I wrote before my balls dropped. That song is the worst part of my day any way.

Tim: I look at my options. If I feel that I have no chance of harmonizing Luke's part, I'll try to find complementary chords or an interesting rhythm that usually works with the rhythm section. One of my favorite songs to play live is probably Sex Tapes cause there's some kewl rockin' riffs.

Aw man, Blindfolds Aside is one of my favorite tracks from you guys too.

C: We've played that song a lot and we wrote it when we were quite young. My voice has changed and it has become increasingly difficult for me throughout the years, not to mention quite tedious. I still very much love the song but I AM tired of performing it.

1) What are you gents going to do with all the extra money you're raising, now that you're far beyond your original goal?

2) Scurrilous had very few screams compared to Fortress and Kezia. Will this be the case for your new album, as well?

3) Does Rody have any plans to make a country album? I'd buy it.

4) Not a question. I just want to say that you're by far my favorite band ever. Thanks for existing.

1. C: We have a video addressing that this week. As mentioned somewhere else, everything will be publicly accounted for.
2. C: This is something I'd like to address at a later date. Some people are going to be bummed, some will be elated... some won't give a shit.
3. C: I love country music, I'm always gonna continue writing country songs. Whether or not I'd make a full record, I don't know.
4. C: Well thank ya fella!

Hey guys. Protest the Hero has been my favorite band for a long time, and I wanted to tell you about how much I appreciate you music.

In High School I was really into both Kezia and Fortress, but hadn’t really discovered Scurrilous yet. When I got to college my friend showed it to me and I became obsessed. Every song was amazing and just completely blew me away. At the end of my first semester in school I met a girl who seemed really cool and like a lot of fun. One thing led to another, and we started dating. She was the first girl I ever slept with. This was obviously a big deal. In our relationship she was emotionally abusive and making fake suicide threats frequently. I spent Christmas Eve with my family talking my girlfriend out of jumping off of the roof. This was, understandably, a very trying time for me. It was during this time that I started listening to Hair Trigger non-stop. I know that this isn’t what that song is about, but the lyrics were almost 100% relevant. I would release all of my tension by listening to Hair Trigger and singing along. It was with this song that I saved my sanity. Thankfully, I eventually worked up the courage to break up with this girl. But Hair Trigger will always have a special place in my heart, as will Protest the Hero.

Thank you so much for all of your incredible music. I do have a few questions as well, but you can choose to ignore them.

1) What kind of musical training does each of you have? Are you completely self-taught, or has anyone taken lessons? 2) How would you describe your next album? 3) Can we expect another live album? 4) Why are there not more interviews of Moe? As a drummer, he has inspired me immensely. 5) When do you think we might see you in the States, and maybe the New England area?

Can’t wait for the album! Thank you so much!

C: That's an incredible story. Some people are fucking poisonous and you need to distance yourself from them. I realize in some cases that the threats are sincere, and the person genuinely needs your help and guidance, but it seems to me in a lot of cases, the threats are disingenuous and the only thing you can do is get away from the vacuous individual. Wish you the best, and her as well.

1. C: I did a year of vocal when I was younger, the rest of the school of hard-cocks motherfucker.
2. C: It's somewhat returning to our punk-rock roots with the speed, however the technicality and melody will remain relentless.
3. C: I would certainly be interested in having another crack at it, as I wasn't entirely pleased with Gallop.
4. C: Moe's a quiet guy. He's also a very private guy. Very funny motherfucker, but you have to know him quite well to get past his thick exterior.

5 C: All depends on how this records goes. Obviously the states will be a priority once the record is on it's way. We'd love to hit New England MetalFest anytime soon.

DId you became friends because you were looking to form a group, or did you became friends before the group? I always wonder how music groups who consist of friends get together, as it seems unlikely to me that 5 dudes who are friends turn to be a singer, a bassist, two guitarists and a drummer (all great btw).

T: We were friends before this band started and as friends learned our instruments together.

C: For the most part, we met in Grade 1, so we obviously weren't musicians back then. When we formed the band, we all had similar music tastes and we all delegated roles based on what some of our favorite bands had structurally.

i dont know if you guys will see this or not but i just wanted to tell you a little story.

a few years back, right after fortress was released, i got to see and meet you guys at warped tour, i was so stoked that i got my copy signed, but it ended up raining and my album cover got wet. well after getting back to the house of the girl i went with, her mom saw that my booklet had gotten soaked. she then offered to iron it for me.with an iron lol. and she did. she put it right in between two cloths and ironed it. the girl and i ended up thinking it was the funniest thing ever. fast forward a few years, we get engaged and we have a daughter. we named her kezia.

TLDR: girls mom ironed my signed fortress album cover; that girl and i now have a daughter named Kezia.

C: Engaged, and with child? you are also with sin. Just kidding, we're touched that you named your child after our album, let's just hope your child isn't touched as well. jk jk lmfao lol dilligaf hink.

Hey guys - don't want to mention names on my anonymous reddit account but felt the need to say hello seeing this on the front page.

Rody, do you remember camping when we were young chaps and we wrote a song about swallowing the smoke from a recently fired cap gun?

Not sure what sprang that to mind - but some good old times were had. Hope everyone's well and good with the family.

Can't wait to hear the new stuff! I'll never forget scurrilous release because it came out right as my son was born. It's like a soundtrack to the hospital for me because I listened to it for about 20 hours while I patiently awaited his arrival.

Anyways, best wishes to all of you fellas. Tell the other guys I say hello - providing you can determine my identity via my short story earlier :)

C: Introducing Sean, my oldest friend everyone! Haha - Thanks for keepin' up with us brother.

Arif, I had your dad as a substitute teacher once in high school. He spent the class ranting about marijuana legalization and letting us draw on the chalkboard. He also mentioned that he doesn't get to see you as often as he would like to. Why don't you see your dad more? He seems like a pretty cool guy. It was definitely one of the most memorable classes I had in high school.

C: Parvis is an awesome guy. He once yelled at me for jumping off their balcony. I could tell he was a little embarrassed, and had been forced by the neighbours to discipline me. He's an awesome dude, but you'd have to ask Arif bout this one though.

You guys are my heroes. Does that mean I should protest you?

Yes.

Who can drink the most, out of the entire band?

Now, there's a difference.

Who can drink the most? And who drinks the most.

Arif definitely drinks the most, with Choady at a close second.

Luke can hold the most booze, but certainly isn't the most consistent drinker.

Timmy drinks the most wine, and when he's drinking it, he can drink more than anyone, although it's a sure bet he'll be throwing up in the morning.

Moe doesn't drink that often, but when he gets good n boozed, he's the most fun drunk of the bunch.

Choady is the most consistent.

In fact, we're boozing right now. http://i.imgur.com/IvS2cxu.jpg http://i.imgur.com/rdDSt9q.jpg

You are one dapper mother fucker Rody

C: You take that back.

What are your views on piracy?

C: I believe in it. It's the only reason bands like us still exist. It's also the reason why we have to do things like the IndieGoGo campaign to keep going, but on top of that, it's one of the reasons why the IndieGoGo campaign is so successful. When you mix commerce and art, they obviously clash. Piracy seems to be an answer to that.

T: The fact that we can go to a territory where we haven't sold a single record and sell out a show is a reason to encourage piracy. By people downloading your album and getting to hear your music, it gives them a chance to get familiar with the tunes and come see you live. Personally, I'm as big of a pirate as anyone else and have seen more of the positive side of piracy than the negative effects. Why would someone pay for something that is essentially free at their fingertips if they don't know what their money is supporting? This is one of the biggest problems the music industry faces.

1. You guys have reinvented yourselves each time you put out an album. Do you think the new album is the same way or do you feel it has more similarity to something you’ve already released?
2. Who’s handling the lyrics for this one?
3. What will all the extra indiegogo money go to? You guys have absolutely crushed your goal
4. Where’s Moe?? He wasn’t in the crowdfunding video at all
5. Will we see studio updates like the ones we saw for scurrilous?Those were hilarious and totally hyped me up for the album

Thanks so much for doing this AMA! Seeing you guys in Baltimore was awesome, hands down the best concert I have ever been to.

1. As always, I think this record will be something different, but still sound like 'PTH'. As we mature as musicians so does our music.
2. Choady (to some people's dismay)
3. We're releasing a video this week addressing that issue. Outside of the studio there are a lot of expenses that go into running a band you wouldn't really consider. All our accounting will be public.
4. He started school in January and has quite a busy schedule. Daytime video shoots don't gel well maaahhnnn.
5. They're pupdates, get it right. Since the last record we have more pups than ever, and of course, there will be. We're trying to decide right now by what means we do them.

Can you describe what it was like to have (as I believe you described them) "flops" in the record labels eyes and then blow an IndieGoGo campaign out of the water in less than a day?

Were you genuinely shocked that you'll probably end up easily doubling the finding you set out for?

T: I was pretty confident that we could meet our target goal. However, I had no idea we would accomplish it within 24 hours. With all the years of touring and directly meeting our fans, I definitely had faith that there were people out there that would support us in this endeavour. The response was humbling to say the least.

C: It was invigorating to see so many people respond so passionately, be it for the positive or the negative. It's certainly a breath of new life into an old, decrepit band.

Have you guys ever made money from album sales? (regarding your last video, of course)

T: There is a forced royalty called a 'mechanical royalty' which works out to $0.93 (I think) an album sold. Outside of this, we've never seen a royalty cheque. Technically, we're still in debt to the labels who helped us fund our recording process. Globally with our three full-length albums, we've roughly sold 300 000 units.

300 000 x 0.93 = $279 000 to our business over 7 years. Think about it. If these albums were sold at $10 a pop, that's generating 3 million dollars. Where did the $2 721 000 go?

How much did the NHL lockout affect you guys, and will your anger towards the situation reflect on the new album?

C: It didn't affect me at all. I'm a leafs fan and I love em to my fuckin' end, but I don't get involved in the politics of the corporate aspect of the sport. I'm just happy to have it back.

T: Go Blue Jays.

Kirk or Picard?

C: Picard is my main man, just because I was born in the 80's, however, I think it's stupid to compare the two. They're such vastly different captains. Their command styles are polar opposites, and the shows can't really be compared either. Comparing a show that was on a shoe-string budget in the 60's to a show that had a larger Hollywood budget in the late 80's is preposterous.

What about Jonathan Archer? The Nx-01's crew seems the best ever to me.

C: Contrary to a lot of Star Trek fans (or Trekkers) belief, I think Enterprise was a fantastic series. Granted, again, I was born in the 80's, so I am also a big quantum leap fan. Jonathan Archer is a strong captain, despite his weakness for water polo. At this point, I am of the belief that the later seasons of Enterprise make it a better science fiction series than both Deep Space and Voyager.

Firstly, fuck yes...I love you guys. I would sacrifice gallons of PBR to jam with all of your asses. Been a huge fan since Kezia and I have a few inqueries.

Generic questions:

1) How's the new album coming along sound-wise? Is it an extension of Scurrilous in terms of lyrics/structure or is it an entirely new evolution (kind of like how Scurrilous was compared to prior albums)?

2) What's your favorite song to play live?

Sexier questions:

3) I was at your last show in Philly at the Troc and was wondering if you and Periphery will tour or maybe even collaborate on a song together. I think we can agree Spencer makes for a almost as sexy Jadea Kelly.

4) I hope someone drops the $2500 for you guys to cover a song...but if not I'm in need of a Careless Whisper cover for my special alone times. Eh eh?

1. T: Every time we write a new record, we try not to compare it to anything we've done before. It will be an appropriate evolution.
2. T: Sex Tapes C: Bone Marrow
3. C: I've been thinking about a Spencer feature. I haven't reached out to him yet, but it would depend on his schedule, and how many other features we have... We do have several other ones planned right now. T: It would be fun to collaborate with another band of the same 'genre', but it's a matter of making that a reality.
4. T: We're all big fans of this song and if someone steps up, we'll GLADLY oblige.

What's the shittiest thing about touring besides being away from family and all? I hear dirty laundry is always a big issue.

The condition that our van gets in is atrocious. After about a week there's piles of garbage, beer cans, etc., not to mention the mechanics of the vehicle take a serious beating.

We don't do laundry.

Thanks so much for doing this!

Here are my questions.

1. IS ANYBODY THERE!?

2. Why the fuck did Tim shave his glorious beard and will he ever grow it out again?

3. Does Arif like bunnies, he seems like he does, but he's never commented on it.

4. Has any groupie ever requested to ride the Chode on the Rode? And if so, what is the most fucked up groupie experience you guys have had?

1. Is anybody listening?
2. T: I've made it a ritual after each World Beard and Moustache Championship, I come home and have a date with a straight-razor. The past 2 times I've raised money for charity for shaving my 'glorious beard'. Currently growing for 2013 in Stuttgart, and it's gonna be of the moustache variety.
3. C: I bet he would, but we have no evidence to support this.
4. C: For the most part our fans have a lot of respect for themselves, hence we respect the fans. Groupies are not a thing for PTH, especially of the female variety. I think I could've lured a few young men backstage back in my day though.

Will Arif ever return to lyric writing? This isn't a knock at Roddy AT ALL, but I loved Arif's conceptual lyricism.

C: Roddy McDoyle won't be writing lyrics any time soon. However, I would hope that at some point Arif would write some more lyrics because I think his lyrics were fuckin magical, and our band is at a loss for the lack of his lyrical contribution. But, again, it's entirely up to him.

Do you parents like your music? Or do they just smile and pretend to understand, like most parents do when confronted with abrasive heavy metal?

T: Our parents have always supported our musical endeavours. Whether or not it was their choice music to listen to, they always found a way to fit us into their listening schedule.

C: My parents love the tunes. They wish that I would swear less, scream never, and stop talking about my wiener on stage. Other than that, they fuckin' love it.

Who are some of your favorite bands you've toured with?

If you could tour with anyone you haven't, who would it be?

C & T: Favorite bands that we've toured with are Fall of Troy, The Chariot, Underoath were a lot of fun, Dragonforce. As for dream tours, I think Rush would be wicked.

[deleted]

C: Pickled. T: Fried.

What did Kezia go to jail for? What was her crime?

C: It's supposed to be ambiguous, and it's supposed to be up to the listener. Arif is actually the only one who knows the answer. Even the band members can only speculate.

1.) How did you guys go about becoming career musicians?

2.) What struggles did you face along the way?

3.) So, how about them foreskins?

1. T: We had a passion to play music and it got to a point where it just turned into a career. We didn't really plan for this, and wanted to be playing music as long as it was possible.
2. T: As you try to make this a career, you're always met with resistance and we've always found creative solutions to get over any hurdles that would stop us from continuing what we're doing. (Sorry for the vague response, it's a pretty vague question)
3. T: I'm the only member of the band who has foreskin and will continue to take shit for having a turtleneck.

Hey bros! What are your opinions about nachos? Serious question... i've always wanted to know that. You look like nacho-guys!

C: We eat nachos. Are you fuckin' insane? Of course we eat nachos. Are you stupid? We eat nachos. Are you fuckin dumb?

Just kidding. We eat nachos.

Arif stepped on my hand at Call the Office in London, Ontario, back in 2004. No questions, just a fond memory.

C: We have some fond memories of playing at Call The Office, particularly playing with Death By Stereo... and of course when Arif stepped on your hand.

Rody, are you a self-taught vocalist or did you take lessons? Your range is probably the most impressive one I've heard in the metal scene.

I took a year of lessons with a woman named Mary Ruth Rutherford in Whitby, she was cool... but most of what I have learned has been through going out on the road and busting my throat into a million pieces and learning how to not bust myself up. I'm still learning.

1) Any guest appearances on the new album? (Besides the perk ones from indiegogo)

2) Where is Moe?

I love your music, you guys are my favorite band ever. Can't wait for the new album.

1. C: Yah. Already have a couple lined up, and we've been tossing around a couple more names. Some will be obscure, some will hopefully be better known, but ultimately we would like to have a collection of talented artists featured on the record.
2. C: Moe is in school right now, hence his absence from the video and album updates. He's learning how to make machines make other machines, or something.

who came up with the idea to fund the album through a pledge-based format?

C: Moe brought Kickstarter to our attention and the successful independent video games that had been funded through the site, and thats when we first realized it might be a viable option for the band.

as an amateur pizza maker myself, can you tell me more about tim's pizza recipe?

T: I have a love for pizza and have made my pizzas based on the things I've liked and tried in the past. I have a pretty simple dough recipe (flour, yeast, sugar, salt, olive oil, water) but have been mostly making the pies thin crust.

Where my pizza is different from the rest, is the toppings and the idea of anything can be a pizza. A big hit, is the poutine pizza. Gravy base, with potatoes and cheese curds (very Canadian). Other than that, I try to make them vegetarian and marry the toppings so it becomes something great.

What's the funniest mishap you guys had on stage recently?

T: Recently, we were playing a show and a girl kept yelling about how she wanted to trade t-shirts with Choady. In order to keep her quiet, I gave her my tiny stage towel. We continued the set and I was sweating profusely and needed to wipe my face. I knelt down and made a motion that I needed the towel to deal with this issue and she proceeded to flash me. I don't know where the miscommunication was, but we sorted it out. It was a pretty funny turn of events.

Four years ago, I was at a show wearing a shirt with a gorilla on it. Arif told me he wanted to trade Protest merch for it, but it was too big. How often and what are some of the weirdest things you guys have traded band merch for in the past?

C: Basically, if you are wearing a t-shirt that we like, for instance a Labatt 50 shirt, we will trade you for either the shirt we have on at the time, or band merch. It has happened more than a few times, and it will happen again.

• Rody - Biggest Vocal inspiration that we wouldn't expect?

• Tim - Same thing, but.. Beard. Or, I guess guitar.

C: It's hard to say what people consider 'unexpected'. Chris Hannah (Propagandhi) isn't the most technical singer, but his pitch, intensity and speed are unmatched. Colm Wilkonson isn't a heavy-metal singer, so that might be considered 'unexpected' as well. However, he's one of my biggest influences.

T: Expected or not, I can't shake a stick at anything Paul Gilbert does. Outside of that, he's not a guitar player, but Beethoven shreds.

Every member of PtH is talented as fuck. Just thought I’d say that. But, my questions are

• ‘what’s your favorite city to play?’

• ‘What’s the album (of your own) that (as a band) you like the most? Whether it be skill-wise, sound, fun to play, etc.’,

• and finally, ‘What are your tour plans for 2013 if you have any?’

End note, you guys have influenced me and my guitar playing and vocals a lot, and I’d love to see you guys keep going forever… and ever… and ever…

C: St. John's NFLD. C: Typically we tend to like the most recent release the most. C: Every fucking place that'll have us.

I saw you at KOI music fest in Kitchener a couple years back and Rody was so drunk he kept forgetting words to songs. What's the drunkest any of you have ever been on stage?

T: Choady will chalk that comment up to just forgetfulness. As far as the drunkest I've been on stage, one story comes to mind. We played a show in Switzerland where some Jager showed up before the show. I started drinking it like it was going out of style and by the time we were on stage I was a mess. Our sound guy made the executive decision to take me out of the mix and I'm sure it was the best thing. The next day I woke up with a bunch of Euros in my pocket and had apparently stripped for the other bands on tour and they had paid me for this. Lesson learned, take your set and music seriously and leave the drinking to when you've packed away your axe.

C: that was the drunkest anyone has been on stage, possibly ever... though Alice Cooper may have some contentions.

What were your favorite albums of 2012?

C: Failed States, Periphery II, and Red. Those are the only records that have been released in 2012 that I've listened to to be honest.

T: I have nothing to say to that.

I once asked Rody what 'Protest the Hero' means when I saw you guys open for TBDM in Graz, Austria (Do you remember two Americans there-brother and sister?). What do you think the name of your band conveys? Do you want to go against the norm, fight the big guy, choose your own hero? How do you personal philosophies relate to the name of your band?

C: Are you referring to the Choady Walker Big Dick Rock Experience? Because that's what the band performed under that night. When we changed the name to Protest The Hero, we were quite young and wore our politics on our sleeves. Our beliefs haven't changed throughout the years, however, the way in which we express that has changed.

T: As far as the band name, we pretty much had to change it from Happy Go Lucky, being angst-ridden teenagers at the time. The name stuck, and the music now just represents the band name I suppose.

What's the number one band/person you guys have been influenced by?

T: Propagandhi is the only band that all 5 of us can say shaped our influences. They know what the fuck is up.

hey

shut.

What is a book Arif would recommend to a wannabe smart guy that likes learnin the book words?

EDIT:Why is there so much sexual tension in all of your videos and rhetoric? Is it natural or calculated?

C: Calculated.

You guys are amazing and I can't wait for the new album! I have a couple if questions:

-Is your new album going to be a concept album like Kezia?

-What is the meaning behind To Porter With Love?

-Will cheddar cheese and the mousetrap band ever be making more music?

Thank you so much for doing this AMA

1. C: Nope. Sorry.

2. C: I named that, which is hilarious cause I had absolutely nothing to do with that song.

T: David Porter Butty is the most loyal studio pooch there ever was, is, and ever will be.

1. C: It is a lifelong endeavour making silly comedy music in my secret bedroom that is filled with dirty laundry. Literally. Dirty laundry. I will never stop making crappy dirty laundry songs. However, if it gets released, you can consider me a son of a pickled egg.

Does Arif's grandfather have any other paintings on display anywhere? If so, where can I find them?

C: Arif's granddad has a fuck-ton of paintings. I don't know specifically where you can find him, but you can google his name (Jafar Petgar). His work was quite popular in Iran.

What was your favorite music video to produce?

T: Limb from Limb

C: Tubthumping

Don't give Choad any more booze lol.

C: You don't get to decide when Choady has got you get hello booze.

What do you guys plan to do with the extra $100,000+ you got from indiegogo? Will you increase your stipends or spend more on the record? As a fan, whatever you do past the initial 125,000 is fine because that already was a huge budget, and you guys definitely deserve more than 800 a month each haha. I was a donator by the way!

T: Remember almost 30% of this money goes to fulfillment and commission from the website. With any excess money that comes into our possession, we'll put towards making a better record. Also, we can allocate funds to other areas for the band (videos, touring, promotion etc.) to make this album and it's cycle as successful as possible.