By Michael Wiles

I know that you guys are doing a lot of radio promotion on this tour. Radio had a different influence on music when you guys started out as opposed to its influence now, so how has the game changed for you? Do you still do it as much as you use to or are you relying on mostly internet promotion on this tour?

There’s still lots of radio. I think the perception is that radio [stations] has combined, which they have, but there’s still tons of local radio out there…and we got lots of requests to do radio. I mean, I think that’s because we’re already established. I can see how, if you’re a new band, it might be really tough to do that, but for the Gin Blossoms, the studio door is always open. We’re a radio band: that was always our thing. We had some time on MTV and VH1, but radio was always our mainstay.

Is it an odd experience to hear cover bands playing your songs?

No, it’s very flattering. I had moved into a different neighborhood in Phoenix and my neighbors told me about this local bar, and sure enough when I went in there was a guy with an acoustic guitar doing a Gin Blossoms song. And I’ll never forget: he was singing and playing and then all of a sudden he looked up and saw me. He wasn’t 100% sure, but he looked at me and kind of made this weird face and then on his break he came over as said “Are you in the Gin Blossoms?” I said “yes” and we’ve been friends ever since. Occasionally he’ll call me and I’ll sit in with him and we’ll do gigs together.

Are there any up and coming acts you’re a particular fan of?

Do you know [Baltimore musician] Victoria Vox? I just got her [latest] CD…Victoria is such a talented young lady. I like her a lot. She did that ukulele “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” arrangement [on an older record], which she took from Iz [Israel Kamakawiwo’ole], and that song’s just taking off. She’s a little ahead of the curve. She seems to somehow know what’s coming: I don’t know how to describe it, but she’s a really, really bright woman.

Do you think it’s harder to break into the big time now then it was when you did, or do you think it’s easier now that the internet allows you that access to your audience?

That’s a tough question. It seems to work [the internet], but I don’t know if it really works. I don’t know if it pushes people who really deserve it up into the spotlight. I don’t know if I can answer that question. It works to a certainly extent, but as much as I hate to say it, maybe those major labels did have something going: they could somehow see “this person is really special.” And we all know there was a lot of abuse: just like anything they try something [the labels] and if it didn’t work you’d get dropped, but I don’t know if the internet really makes people stars…we’ll know in a few years if it’s really working or not.