7th Grade Underdog is a Chicago band, thay plays some great music. I splurged and downloaded some of their stuff, and it is truly amazing. They have played at venues such as the Fireside Bowl and Oasis 160.
¤ ¤ Band Line Up ¤ ¤
Stu Halley ¤ Lead Guitar/Lead Vocals
Kyle Van Heck ¤ Drums
Chase Baumgarten ¤ Rhythm Guitar/Back Up Vocals
Joe Chouinard ¤ Bass/Back Up Vocals
¤ ¤ Interview With The Band ¤ ¤
¤02.03¤
Q. 1 ¤ How would you guys describe your music?
Stu : I think we have a really original sound. We don't get together and try to make music that sounds like every other popular brand of "punk." We all listen to a variety of musical genres so we try to incorporate something from each one into our songs. We try to blend things together, and the new songs that we are about to record show hows its done. Basically you could say that if Alkaline Trio and Cindy Lauper had a baby...it would be us.
Chase : I would describe our music to be a new kind of pop punk/emo. Its not that different from other pop punk you here, but it sticks out and is very catchy.
Joe : I would describe our music as Pop/Punk & Quazi-Emo, we're less whiney than your standard emo and none of us can scream that well. We can get pretty in your face at times, and we can slow it down, so it's really music I think everyone can enjoy
Q. 2 ¤ Do you guys ever get into arguments--and if so does it affect the music at all?
Stu : We don't really get into arguments. Our old rhythm guitarist (Megan) and Joe had some beef between them and it's really stupid. I never understood the whole thing. There are days where we will be practicing and one person will feel really shitty and the mood will be awkward. We don't let it stop us though. If anything we write some of the best stuff when we're all in the same mood because we're all on the same "vibe" We get into fights about where to eat if we're on the road, or if someone is being a dick. Typical band shit.
Chase : We never get into fights, were a very peaceful band and we get along very well. When we write songs we make it so that everyone likes a part in it
Joe : Eh, we used to argue, when we were just starting out there was disputes about what kind of direction musically we wanted to go into. Now I think we've basically found our groove, we all are able to read each other really well and come up with some rad tunes. We still argue about small things though, for example, the name of our new EP, we have No Idea what to call it.
Q. 3 ¤ What Was Your Most Embarassing Moment On Stage With 7GU?
Stu : There are a couple. Between the voice cracking, being stupid, and saying dumb comments I can't say that we have just ONE embarrassing moment in time. Joe definitely says some stupid things from time to time, or at least he used to. I would have to say that the funniest/most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to us is when we were playing a show at this bar/poetry venue in Chicago on a Monday night. It was a school night, so there were basically no kids/fans there, just the bands and their tools. Any ways we play our set and it's our last song. No-one is really paying attention because they are all drunk or passed out. At the last minute when we finish our song, Joe decides to jump of the stage and start doing ballet.....while still playing his bass. Kyle and I stop and Joe just stand there with his legs flapping in the air and everyone just looks at him and doesn't know what to do. Do they run, laugh, or cry? So I got on the mic. and had to apologize to the entire bar. It was so hilarious that it still cracks me up to this day. To top it off our performance was being video taped for an all access cable show
Chase : ummm, at the Winnetka Youth Center when I ran into Joe, that was funny, yet embarrassing
Joe : HAHAHA!!! So many times I can't count them all, but I'll tell you my top two, that way you have stories to pick from. Leave it to me to offend someone or just do something plain dumb.
A) The first thing was our first show as 7GU, we had just written a rap song and thought it would be funny if Stu played bass while I made animal sounds. Really stupid idea, anyway to get the audience interested I was going to crack a joke about the North Shore, you know driving around with the bass blairing screaming about some ho in a different area code. Anyway, I get on the mike and I announce, "Who wishes they were black?!" The room went silent. Stu had to quickly save my ass and explain what the hell I meant.
B) The second time was when we played at a venue called The Note, in Chicago. It was a late show, the audience wasn't really that into us, and it was our last song. So I decided to have a little fun with the audience and my wireless system. I jumped off the stage and was about to go around the bar playing my ass off and talking to people in between. Well just then the song ended, I was too busy thinking about what I was going to do to...think about what I was doing. So the song ended when I was in mid-air, I had just jumped off the stage. So I got all confused and freaked out that when I landed, I tripped and wound up doing some really ugly ballet move and shrieking like a little girl. This is all on tape too by the way. And I looked around at all the college students in the adults in the audience giving me just blank looks, cause this was obviously their first time seeing us. So I just shyly turn around and say aloud, "That's enough of that." Stu started cracking up right on stage and apologized to the audience for me and claiming that he had never met me before. That was pretty stupid and funny.
Q. 4 ¤ Which of your songs is your favorite, and why?
Stu : I really like the new songs that we are about to record for our new EP. They're somewhat more technical and more "involved" that our other, older, songs. There is emotion not just coming out of the vocals but in the music itself, and I think that's why I like them so much. Of course nothing beats opening up our shows with "Six Feet Under" to get the crowd going. Crowd participation is awesome as well. We love it when kids come up and grab a mic. and start singing along with us. It's all about having a good time.
Chase : Definitely our new songs that no one has heard yet, they will be on our new EP, my favorite one that people know is "Check The Obituaries"
Joe : I dunno it's hard to say. I know it may sound self centered but I really like the stuff I sing..it just gives me something to do and I dunno hearing the sound of my own voice is soothing and makes me feel like I can bring something to the world. That's probably talk so much, my big mouth has gotten me into so much trouble all because I wanted to hear myself say it hahahaha
Q. 5 ¤ If you were a sex toy, what would you be & why?
Stu : Ooh this is kinky! I personally would have to say a double edged dildo. We went downtown Chicago as a band one time and came across this sex store. Of course we went inside, and Kyle looks at the wall and sees this giant double dildo. He looks at me and says "Stu, that's for lesbians" Of course I know that homosexual men can use dildo's as well, so I hit Kyle in the face with it. Actually I didn't....but every time someone mentions dildo's I remember that band outing to the sex shop.
Chase : If i was a sex toy, wow that's interesting, i would be a extremely small dildo, hahaha
Joe : If I were a sex toy I would be Stu...how funny would that be to see Stu's entire body shaking and twirling inside of some old woman or man...GROSS!!! Mental image I don't want to think about right now is Stu in some one's orifice!
Q. 6 ¤ Seriously now, How much DO you love us?
Stu : I must say, that any person who supports local music as much as you guys can just jump into my bed any day.
Chase : I LOVE YOU GUYS
Joe : I love you this much (Holds out arms as far apart from his body as he can make them)
¤ ¤ Show Dates ¤ ¤
| Date | Venue | Location | Time | Cost | Other Bands |
| 02.13.04 | Marghael's Banquet Hall | Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin | 6:30 PM | $5 | Tuesday's Waiting & Start From Scratch |
| 02.22.04 | Nevin's Live | Evanston, IL | 6:30 PM | $6 | Junior Varsity, Nailing Amy, & Cellar Door |
| 02.27.04 | The Zoo | Chicago, IL | 6 PM | $5 | One Man Crowd, Yesterdays Memory, & The Midway Story |
¤ ¤ Wanna Hear Them? ¤ ¤
CliCk HeRe!
¤ ¤ Official 7th Grade Underdog Website ¤ ¤
