During their stop in Philly with Bishop Allen, I finally got to meet 5 awesome folks from Seattle whom I have been in contact with ever since one of them (you know who you are!) sent me a cryptic and entertaining video nearly a year ago on MySpace–before the band had recorded a single song. Since then, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band have signed to a label and have released an awesome album, which has garnered praise from blogs like Stereogum and magazines like Spin. Last Friday I finally had a chance to meet them and ask them a few questions…

Ok, hey guys! First off, What are your names and what do you do?

Traci: My name is Traci Eggleston and I play Jumbo Jingle Sticks, Keyboards, Floor Tom and Glockenspiel

Jared: I’m Jared Price and I play the Bass.

Benjamin: I’m Benjamin Verdoes and I play Guitar and sing.

Marshall: I’m Marshall Verdoes and I play drums!

Matt: I’m Matthew Dammer and I play Guitar and Synth.

Cooool. Tell me how you came up with your awesome band name.

Benjamin: When Marshall was 11 or 12 he used to come up with the worst band names you have ever heard in your whole life. He would change one or two letters of existing band names–like Fall Out Boy would become Fall Out Troy. One day he just blurted out the phrase Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band and I said “Yep. Done.”

Haha. Nice one, Marshall! Describe your music in 5 words or less

Traci: intense, artsy, wild.

Jared: Indie-prog math pop-rock?

Excellent, I may use that. So not only do you guys create awesome music and videos, bt you also have a line of anteater soap. I noticed that it doesn’t have a tag line. Can you make one up real quick?

Traci: “Made from REAL anteater fat!” (it’s really not)

Haha! Any new products on the horizon?

Traci: We did have some ice cream. It was coconut flavored with chocolate chips and huckleberry sauce! Everything we do is pretty spontaneous and random. I’ve been wanting to do stickers and a back to school kit as well.

Ohhh that sounds rad, but let’s not give away too many ideas just yet. Moving on…If you guys were gonna start a cover band what would it be and why?

Marshall: Probably Led Zeppelin or Par Corliss.

Par Corliss??

Benjamin: They are an obscure math-rock band from Seattle that are no longer together. Matt and I were obsessed with them. They had a big influence on our music and it would be great to play some of their songs because they are so good and so few people have heard them.

Traci: It took me like 3 years to “get” their music, but now that I “get it” and I’m really into it.

Explain what you mean when you say “get it?”

Traci: Well, the first few times I wasn’t really into it because I thought it was too busy and it had no vocals. It was just different. I mean, it’s…math-rock. Then I went through my prog-rock training listening to Yes and I got more into it.

Oh you should definitely check out the prog documentary I posted the other week–very educational.

Matt: Oh really? I love prog-rock! ELP, King Crimson, Genesis with Peter Gabriel. It’s ridiculous, but amazing. It’s analog, it’s classically influenced and there is a lot there–if you can get past the silliness.

I do like it, but it can get tedious. However, one thing that is never tedious is eating at my favorite restaurant in Philly, Vietnam (all puns so intended!). What are your favorite restaurants in Seattle?

Traci: Icon Grill!

Benjamin: Gorditos

Marshall: I’m a foodie and I’ll second Ben’s Gorditos and um…Taco Bell

Traci: Really? That’s disappointing…

Matt: Mae Phim Thai for me.

Nice. Ok here’s a fun question. What are your favorite and least favorite trends at the moment?

Benjamin: My least favorite is definitely Ugg Boots!

Marshall: Uck!

Benjamin: We were counting Ugg Boots on tour and in Iowa city we found 13 pair in less than an hour! I don’t really like typical college fashion in general–the sweatshirts, the jeans, and the Ugg Boots. I don’t get it.

Traci: My favorite trends right now, and they are going to be HUGE this Spring, are Onesies and Rompers. I found the one I’m wearing now two years ago at a thrift store in Stanwood.

Ah, so you’re an early adopter?

Traci: I’m such an early adopter and I’m running with it!

Speaking of adoption, tell me about your family/band situation.

Traci: Yea, I was adopted by Benjamin…

Marshall: (burp)

Benjamin: Then I married her…Oh wait, never mind that’s Woody Allen. Traci is my wife and Marshall is my adopted brother, even though I pretend to be his dad as much as possible. Matt is my soul-mate and Jared is still trying to get adopted.

Haha. Whats next for the band?

Benjamin: We are working on our second record and we are really excited about it. We are going to try some new things with this one. We will also be touring throughout the year, and hopefully we can go to Europe. That’s the plan!

Excellent! What can we expect the new record to sound like? Will it be a departure?

Ben: My answer to that would have to be…5 and 7.

Good answer, 7 is a powerful number. After all, 7 8(ate) 9…

Traci: Good one! I like that!

Speaking of jokes, do you guys have any good jokes or stories?

Traci: I don’t have a joke, but I do have some anecdotes. I used to ride Benjamin around on the back of my Vespa and he would yell “Oh Mama!” because he would be so scared that I would crash—that was kind of cute. One time he left me some strawberries and a poem on my Vespa while I was in class, which was really sweet!

Benjamin: I also wrote her a Waltz…

Traci: He did write me a Waltz, which was very impressive!

Wow, really? Will it ever see the light of day?

Benjamin: Yep…it’s on my MySpace page.

How beautiful! Well, thanks guys, it was great meeting you!

MSHVD: Thanks Michael, it was great meeting you too!

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band is currently on tour with Bishop Allen (photos + review). Their debut album is available now on Dead Oceans.