Fight From Above hearts LA

Mon, Jun 15, 2009

There is no doubt that local favorites Fight From Above love LA. It shines through in the music and especially their latest video for their new song Between The Curves. Shot mostly among the streets of Downtown LA, the video showcases them romping around the streets of downtown like giant guitar wielding Godzillas, getting drunk and having fun. I can relate to that. We sat down with Zack, lead guitarist for FFA, and avid LA blogger at Lost Angeles and asked the questions that matter. Stick around for the video (or just scroll down) after the insightful Q&A.

The band down on the Venice Beach Boardwalk.

How did you guys find each other and form the band?
Dave was the first person I met when I moved to California. I sat in front of him in math and he told me to get a haircut. 13 years later here we are. We had a band in high school that had some success in the punk/ska scene. We were called Off-Center and played with a lot of Drive Thru Records bands like New Found Glory, Midtown and RxBandits. When I got to college at USC, I met our singer Justin Miner who was this kid from Hawaii who just wrote the best acoustic songs. I pressed him into forming a band with Dave and a roommate of mine, Justin Krook and four years later, here we are.

It looks like you shot a lot in downtown. What locations did you feature in your video?
We shot on the east side of downtown near Union Station and the LA Times building. The interiors were in a really cool loft with an awesome old elevator. We wanted to show the part of the city we met in and spend most of our nights. We are a whiskey-first band and we all met while living downtown at USC so places like 7 Grand, the Edison, Golden Gopher have been hangouts we support. We need to get out to Tony’s soon. Hunter S. Thompson/Cedd Moses mash up? Yes, please. We’ll hit the Pantry afterwards for some sourdough toast and some inappropriately loud conversation.

What’s the restaurant you find yourself returning to again and again?
It depends on what the occasion is and how much money I currently am pretending I have. My girlfriend is a very adventurous eater and I really enjoy discovering new places with her. As for my frequent spots? I am a huge Loteria fan, but I still need to get out to the other location. Clementine is a personal favorite of mine in Century City. Annie Miler does some really cool seasonal cooking that isn’t fussy or intimidating. As I said before, the Pantry is a sentimental favorite. If money were no object though? Lucques. Not even a question. Just checked out Suzanne Goin’s new digs in Brentwood, Tavern. It’s a winner.

Top 5 things you love about LA?
(In no particular order) 1. The LA Dodgers. Chavez Ravine is in my mind the crown jewel of this city. A perfect playing surface surrounded by green hills and an open air stadium. There are none of the modern monstrosities found in newer stadiums (like the silly rock “A” that spits water down in Anaheim). 2. Mexican food. You think this is a joke, but when you grow up in New Jersey, you don’t get to eat tacos. At least I didn’t in the 1980’s. You come to California and there are tacos. We even have trucks that drive around all day trying to find you so you can have a taco even when you aren’t in a Mexican restaurant. 3. Careers. I really dig how your bartender is a model who works in PR during the day and also teaches a few spinning classes here and there. It’s a city filled with crazy creative energy and it is really exciting to be a part of it. So many people are in bands, it is crazy. To finally hear our music on KROQ was really insane. 4. Screenwriters at Starbucks. I love them. I know I pick on them in my blog, but I get it. If other people see you do it, maybe it is more real. Like buying a lotto ticket. 5. The Valley. I am from New Jersey which is to New York City what the Val is to Los Angeles. I may live in Beverly Hills, but I plan to return one day in a blaze of glory.

What does Between the Curves mean?
Man, I am not totally sure. Miner writes some really cool lyrics. The rest of us are interpreting them as much as anyone else. We know what the album is about. It’s about transition and being young and stupid and holding on and letting go. It’s about wasted youth. I have always interpreted that it meant we were between curves in life. We aren’t on the upswing trajectory like we were as students, thinking everything was ahead of us, but we definitely aren’t our parents yet. We’re between the curves I guess. But you’d have to ask Miner I think. And you should.