(03/2010)

Dave Verellen (ex-singer of Botch) accepted to answer a few questions as his new band Narrows is about to land in Europe at the end of April.

Thank you for this interview, Dave ! So can we say you're back into business ? What decided you to do it again ?
I had always missed doing music, and when Rob Moran talked to me about doing this, I couldn't say no.

How did Narrows start ? Can you also introduce the musicians that play in the band ?
It began when Rob Moran (bass) [of Unbroken, Some Girls] asked me to play in a band again. We practiced with a few people including Sam (drums) [Sam Storhers, de Makeout Boys], and then Jodie (guitar) [Jodie Cox, de Tropics] and Ryan (other guitar) [Ryan Frederiksen, de These Arms Are Snakes, Nineironspitfire] joined up and we became NRWS.

Are you satisfied with the way New Distances was received ?
Yeah, I'm very happy, I wasn't sure what to expect and honestly I was ready for some Botch backlash, but really I'm just happy with the record and that we actually got one together and released it.

On your official website, the band is introduced not as a fulltime one but more as a sort of 'escape' ; what's behind that ? Does it mean it won't last a very long time ?
We always said the band lasts as long as we're having fun doing it. Most of us have other projects, other jobs or families that keeps us from being a fulltime band. That and the fact that Jodie is in the UK, Rob and Sam are in San Diego and Ryan and I are in Seattle.

According to you, what's the specificity of Narrows compared to your former and/or other bands ?
Well, it's unique in that we all didn't know each other, and this band brought us together as musicians and now friends. It's huge to me that we all get along as friends, otherwise it turns into a job instead of a passion.

And if you don't mind, can you tell us what happened for Botch - and more recently for These Arms Are Snakes - to stop ?
Well, I can't speak to why TAAS stopped other than I think other projects were taking over... kinda similar to why Botch ended. Like NRWS, Botch was centered around our friendships, and when that became strained we knew it was time to stop.

As you may be aware of the cult status generated by Botch, what do you think of it in retrospect ?
It's cool, I'm glad people like our music.

Are you still in good terms with Dave [Knudson], Brian [Cook] et Tim [Latona] ? What do you think about Minus the Bear, Russian Circles, etc. ? (TAAS is obvious, I guess)
Yeah, we still talk and hang out, they are great bands and I want to do split 7"s with all of them !

Now after Narrows toured in the USA, it's your first gigs in Europe ; what are your expectations ? And what's your feeling being on stage again ?
I like being on stage, I guess because shows are fun. I'm not sure what to expect... probably some good shows, some bad shows and a lot of kids yelling out Botch song titles.

Finally, what can you tell us about your split EP with Heiress ? Is there more to come, maybe after the tour ?
The split was something we wanted to do because we had some songs recorded and so did Heiress, and we like those dudes so it was an easy choice. Yes, we plan on recording a new LP by the end of this year. It should be killer.