With sound there's a certain amount of space. It's very easy to fill that sound with noises and sounds, but it's very difficult to keep it empty and still have exciting songs.

Truthfully, every band has their different challenges. I think we have ours, and that would be one of them. But I would take our challenges over other bands' challenges.

It's never a second thought. Every single band has something they have to prove to the media and the people. We are very committed to winning. All we want is to have our shot.

He really wanted to buy an electric guitar. But they're expensive, so he said, 'Hey, let's make one.' We went and bought all of these tools and books, and the next thing you know, we're building an electric guitar. Fifteen hundred dollars later ? twice the cost of any good electric ? we had it.

You can't really help touching the person next to you. No matter how much of a germ freak you are, you're exchanging liquids with people.

But we were terrified to play those songs live. We're a real balls-to-the-wall, rip-your-face-off kind of band, and for us to slow it down, there's a natural reaction to wonder 'What if nobody wants to hear those songs?' What if we start playing those songs and our fans are freaking out?

For Jared, making music is very personal and cerebral so for him to open up and share the experience is difficult.