By Lisa DiCarlucci
The Chronicle: How did the Spill Canvas get started?
Nick Thomas: It started kind of as just me doing the acoustic singer/songwriter thing in high school out of necessity. We're from South Dakota where there are not a lot of people who want to go to college and do music. I did a couple of years of touring just myself and then finally found some other people who wanted to join. I've been doing the rock band thing for about five years now.
TC: Being from South Dakota, was it a big culture shock touring in places like New York and Los Angeles?
NT: Oh yeah, right at the beginning, however long ago it was, it was just amazing to think we're going to go play for 17 people or something, but the fact that we were playing in cultural Meccas like New York and L.A was just a dream. It still is. Right away it was amazing.
TC: Who would you say are your biggest musical influences?
NT: I would say I was really into Ben Lee when I was first starting out. He was a huge inspiration at the time doing his own solo thing when he was so young. His first record had just come out, and it was a fad I was definitely excited about. It was a cool new thing in music. I listened to Van Morrison a lot too because my dad was a big fan.
TC: What makes your music stand apart?
NT: That's tough. I'm the wrong person to ask because I'm totally on the other side of the spectrum. I wish I was some cocky guy that could just tell you. We just do our best and I think honestly it's about where we're from. Being from the Midwest, not a lot of people even make it out. It's a simpler lifestyle so you don't get caught up with all the competition of a big city. We are lucky to be from an area where music isn't painted by the culture of a big Mecca where every band is the next big thing fighting for a spotlight.
TC: So I read on your web site that you still live in South Dakota when you're not touring. Is this true?
NT: Yea, for us it's the home state, loud and proud. We've tried some other places...for us it feels like home base. We'll write another record there but I'm sure eventually we will move.
TC: Where has been your favorite place to play?
NT: We got to tour this last holiday season in Europe with the Plain White Tees. It's the experience you dream about. When you start out first you wanna play for a hundred people, then the US, then Europe. When you are doing it, it's so surreal. It was ridiculous. You just can't even believe it's happening to you; that people in another country know who you are.
TC: Where was your favorite place that you traveled to in Europe?
NT: I was particularly fond of Switzerland just because the chocolate was so good and there were so many beautiful women. It was just a surreal experience to travel across the globe and have people know who you are.
TC: I know you guys have played the Warped Tour and are currently touring with One Republic and a few other bands. How has meeting, performing and getting to know other bands influenced you and has it always been a positive experience?
NT: Oh, yeah, especially this tour it's been a great experience. We tend to get along really well with the other bands unless they are egotistical rock stars which will remain unnamed. We're easygoing and are all about community. We are all doing and sacrificing the same things. Despite all the pros, there are cons to this lifestyle and you can relate to the bands on tour because of that. Learning from them is a big thing. You run into the big heads and you learn how not to be. You see them and you say, "I don't want to be like them." So even when it's a negative experience, it's really a positive one because you learn something. I've made some of my best friends ever from other bands. What we do is so cool; it's like a brotherhood or sisterhood. It's really, really cool to be part of it. That's my hippie answer for you.
TC: There is a poll going on your Web site asking who fans would like to see you tour with next. Do you have any opinions regarding that?
NT: Dream tour and marketing difficulties aside, I'm a huge Ray LaMontagne fan. He's a solo artist right now, and he's amazing. One of our all-time favorite bands is Saves the Day. They are more in our genre. We've gotten to meet them but haven't had a chance to tour with them. That would be unreal. And probably Jimmy Eat World and all those icons of the genre. But if you're saying bands that are alive or not alive, I know my guitarist, Dan, would say Pink Floyd even though most of those guys are still alive. For me, the list would just go on and on.
TC: What are your plans for after this tour is over?
NT: Well we believe that this will be our last tour on this record. It's been out for two years now, and it's hard to believe it's been that long because it's been a crazy last couple of tours and years. We are going to be going back to the studio, and I've already started writing. We are just going to really start hitting it hard and getting in the studio hopefully by the spring.