I wish, I wrestled a bear once

I recently sat down with Steven and Christa of Iwrestledabearonce. The three talked about everything; from their musical influences to their unusual touring companion. Read on to find out more about this musical couple.

Joe HTM: So, you guys are out on the road with three amazing bands [Greely Estates, FACT, Memphis Mayfire], but it seems all the bands are drastically different, how did that come about?

Steven: Originally, it just so happened that we had the same booking agent as Greeley. They were like; “Do you guys want to go out with, Greeley Estates?” And we were like: “Hell ya!” I mean, we always go out with REALLY heavy bands, so it’s nice to tour with different type bands. Then, Fact got mentioned in there. They’re from Japan; they’re awesome; they’re the nicest dudes ever. I don’t know, it’s just a really cool tour. It’s different for us. Because now, we’re the heavy band on the tour. That’s the first time it’s ever been like that. We’re normally, “the pussy band, with the singing and stuff.”

Christa: Ya, the bands that bring the people who hurt people. We’re not really into that. We hate when people come to shows, just to hurt people.

Steven: This tour is nice. It attacks more people that come for the music, not just to fight people. Except in Pennsylvania, where everyone fights everyone.

Christa: Like last night, some poor kid got his lip split.

Joe HTM: Have the crowds been receptive of you then?

Christa: If anything, they’ve never heard of us. They come for Greeley.

Steven: It’s been really neat, we’ve had some of the best turn outs we’ve ever seen.

Joe HTM: I’ve noticed, you guys are very interactive with your fans. That seems to be very uncommon in today’s music world.

Christa: It’s very important. There’s bands out there that will just be really, “douchey.” They think they’re better then people, because, they can play an instrument. No body is better than anybody; no matter what you do. In life, you’re just a human being.

They think they’re better then people, because, they can play an instrument. No body is better than anybody; no matter what you do. In life, you’re just a human being. – Christa, Iwrestledabearonce

Steven: Unless you’re a pedophile.

Christa: … Or a rapist

Joe HTM: It’s very interesting that you bring you’re dog on tour with you. I haven’t seen that since, Sublime.

Steven: Ya, she’s been on every tour we’ve ever done. She’s mine and Christa’s dog. Since we’re in the band together, we have to bring her along. She lives in the van with us.

Joe HTM: How does it work having the dog on tour? Does it work well or do you run into problems?

Christa: It works well. She’s actually very protective of everyone on this tour. She’s a very good dog.

Steven: She’s a people person. She’s a very laid back dog and very content.

Joe HTM: Have you found it difficult as a female in the “bro-down,” music scene.

Christa: Ya, it’s sort of hard sometimes. If no one has heard of your band, sometimes you get the, “lesbian,” thing. It’s like, whatever. Some people say rude things, but mostly after we play, people are like; “Woah, ok, we totally misjudged you.”

Joe HTM: When you were younger, what kind of music did you listen to?

Steven: When I was 15, I was into Hatebreed. When they first came out. Then just some really shitty underground hardcore bands. But, I’m not straight-edge or vegan. I never cared about any of that. I’ve always been into weird stuff, like, old jazz music and straight-up like grind death metal. Everyone in our band grew up listening to every kind of music, that’s why we sound like a train-wreck of, I don’t know, different styles of music.

Christa: I grew up listening to classic rock from my parents. I love that stuff still. Being born in the 80′s, you kind of grew up listening to 80′s music, too. I don’t know, I started listening to a lot of grudge rock and old 90′s rock stuff. I was listening to Korn and Slipnot, then that started getting bigger. So, then I started going to local shows, like, Glassjaw and it was awesome being able to see your favorite band play a VFW hall for 5 bucks.

Steven: There was no scene in Louisiana, I just want to put that out there.

Christa: There was. WAS, a scene on Long Island, quote-unquote, scene. Now it’s just people who want to beat the shit out of each other. Every old venue on Long Island is closed, aside from long island, except, The Crazy Donkey. So, that sucks. But, what’re you going to do?

Joe HTM: I’ve heard a bunch of buzz online about you [Christa], having an amazing scream.

Christa: I don’t think I have the best scream in music at all. I don’t know, It’s a lot of practice. I was going to shows back in the day and I had a band. I just started screaming and I wanted to use it more as an instrument, then a prime vocal. I wanted to see if I could do everything, from screaming to singing. I just want to go as high as I possibly can and as low as I possibly can.

Joe HTM: You mentioned that one of you is from Long Island and the other from Louisiana. How did this band come to be?

Christa: Basically, I had a band in Long Island and he had a band in Louisiana. We were all just small bands doing DIY tours and his band ended up coming out on tour. So, my band played a few dates with him and he and I were, “talking,” for awhile before that. We kind of always had a little crush on each other. We finally got together and I decided to move down to Louisiana, while he was still going to school. When he was done going to school, we decided to form the band together.

Steven: We wrote the EP in our bedroom and recorded it in the same bedroom. Now, here we are.