Along for the Ride with AM Taxi

It might be easy to dismiss AM Taxi as just another cookie-cutter emo band. Before you do this, take a listen to their latest disc "We Don't Stand a Chance" and you will find that AM Taxi know their music history. The band tries to channel everyone from The Replacements to Sam Cooke on their latest disc and they do a great job of combining old school sounds with a new school, fresh attitude.

Before heading out on this year's Warped Tour I met up with bassist Jason Schultejann and he got a chance to bring me up to speed on AM Taxi.

David Carr: Talk to me about how AM Taxi came to be. How did you get together and how long has the band been together?

Jason Schultejann: Well, AM Taxi has been together for three years. Adam Krier (vocalist) and I had been in another band for twelve years. We were on a major label, we had toured extensively and we hit a roadblock. We did not see the band going further. We took a break for about a month and a producer who dug our music contacted Adam and myself. He wanted to record us. He wanted us to find a drummer, write songs and he wanted us in the studio, so AM Taxi started to take shape from that. That producer was the catalyst to getting this band together.

David: Who are your main influences? I hear a bit of the past in your music.

Jason: Well that's good! We really are not influenced by the bands of today. We work hard to find the roots of Rock and Roll. We love The Replacements, we love Sam Cooke. We love old school punk rock and classic soul. We really strive to have a sound that is an update on our musical heroes of the past.

David: Who or what influences the lyrics of the songs?

Jason: Well for Adam, half of his inspiration comes from life on the road, traveling in a van. It's always the case of meeting a ton of people but there is always that one girl, that one guy or that one couple that did or said something that just sticks with you. When we are home we go to the same places we always used to go to and hang out with our friends. That also inspires us.

David: You are getting ready to play the Warped Tour this summer. What are you looking forward to with regards to the tour?

Jason: I am packing as I speak to you now. We are gearing up for a huge punk rock summer camp! HA! I can't wait. I think we are all a bit nervous and excited!

David: What are you nervous about?

Jason: Hmm -- I am just hoping we are all able to stay healthy. I guess I am a little worried about exhaustion and/or heat stroke.

David: With the record business in such disarray how does a young band get heard these days? I mean MTV does not play music videos anymore; rock radio isn't being that adventurous. How are you being heard/seen?

Jason: Well MTV-U DOES play us and we are very excited about that! HA! The college/university version of MTV is very much into us. As far as radio goes -- we will just leave that to the label. I know that satellite radio is spinning our first single and we have really embraced the technology. We are on twitter and facebook and we are constantly talking to our fans.

David What can fans expect at the Warped Tour? With so many bands, why should folks check you out?

Jason: Well I guess you should come see us because we are playing a different kind of classic, punk rock and roll. We have a different sound to offer. When you come to see us play it really is just us! We don't use any dat machines, any auto tune or pre-recorded vocals! We don't do that in the studio and we don't do it live either!