Mankind Is Obsolete. Now that is a name that catches your attention. They have been doing so since early 2003 when founding members Natasha Cox and Jon Siren met at school and started making music. The type of music is hard to explain…just ask them! The amazing vocals and complicated guitar riffs are so versatile that labeling their sound is near impossible. It doesn’t really matter what kind of music you like though, because they have a little something for everyone. However their CD’s just don’t seem to capture what the band is really about unless you’ve binged in the MKIO live experience. From cornfields to arenas, MKIO gives every set their all. Their high-energy stage performances capture the audience and leave them wanting more. Speaking of giving more, drummer Jon Siren reveals his thoughts on the newest album, Trapped Inside, life on the road, and his near-death experience…

Shout!: Can you give some background on the band?

Jon Siren: Natasha and I started the band a few years ago when we were going to music school together.  We met at school because we were both wearing the same Sisters Of Mercy shirt.  It was pretty cool to run across someone that had similar tastes in music at a school where progressive rock and fusion reigned supreme.  We started writing and recording our first demo Metamorph in 2003 and then we gathered a band.  We’ve gone through a few line-up changes since the beginning, mostly because we’re a band that likes to tour and it can be difficult finding members that can hang for long periods of time and live out of a van eating peanut butter sandwiches and Ramen noodles on a daily basis. 

S!: What are your thoughts on MKIO being so versatile that no one can label you?

Jon: It has its ups and downs.  The downside of having a versatile sound is that it makes it difficult to tell bookers and promoters what type of bands to book you with and what clubs to play at.  The upside is that we haven’t come out with a sound that is so written in stone.  This gives us the opportunity to constantly explore.  Our constantly evolving sound and production is the constant factor of this band, so that definitely gives us a lot of creative freedom.

S!: What prerequisite do you have before signing with a label?

Jon: I’d really like a label to be able to provide additional support in areas such as touring and distribution of our music, as well as general promotion.  It can be difficult to wear so many hats all of the time when you are a DIY band such as ours.  

S!: You basically recorded your first album in a garage. How does it feel to have upgraded?

Jon: It feels great to have worked with Sylvia Massy (Tool, System of a Down, Red Hot Chili Peppers, etc.) and Jim Wood (Dishwalla keyboardist) on our latest album.  We were able to really open our minds to a different recording experience.  We tried so many new tricks, etc. that involved brand new technology as well as really old school technology, such as Arp keyboards and Moogs, etc..  I definitely hope to relive an experience like that. 

S!: What are your thoughts on the new album, Trapped Inside?

Jon: I am a really fickle person when it comes to something that I have had a good deal of creative input on.  I try my best not to think about it too much and just let our friends and fans tell us what they think.  I can easily get carried away with the most minute details of a song or the way things are mixed, etc.. and it can cause me to go insane.  Other times, I am the complete opposite and feel absolutely proud of the album and songs.  I don’t know if this is a good or bad thing.  Because this is my third cd with this band, I feel like I may always have this sort of conflict with myself. 

S!: Is there a certain structure that goes into creating an album or does it just happen?

Jon: The new album included more material that the other bandmates contributed.  In the past, Natasha and I wrote a majority of the music.  This time we were able to have Brian and Scott bring some music to the table as well.  I think this has just added to our broaden our musical scope.  As for the way an album comes together, we came to the table with about 20 or so songs and we narrowed things down to about 10 that were the most developed and made the most sense with one another. 

S!: What was the hardest thing to cope with while on the road?

Jon:  The hardest thing to cope with is that we’re all living in a van and we’re dealing with a lot of difficult situations on a moment to moment basis.  This causes us to be a bit on edge once in a while and sometimes even slap-happy.  Personal space is something that we all need to function well and that is the one thing you don’t get much of while on the road.  The thing that is important is the hour or two you spend before, during and after the show.  That makes any difficulty easier to work with. 

S!: What happened with the van accident?

Jon:  I was asleep at the time, but we were caught in a really bad snow storm somewhere between Buffalo and Detroit and we spun out on the Ohio turn-pike, jack-knifed the van/trailer and hit the center divider.  We then went on to get caught in the snow for an hour at a rest stop, and the fun didn’t stop there.  We were in downtown Detroit and we had a nasty spin-out on the freeway and jack-knifed the van/trailer again.  That part was pretty scary to see all of these cars coming at us head on as we’re sliding backwards, facing the oncoming traffic.  It was very surreal.  We lucked out in that nobody hit us.  I really hope we didn’t cause an accident back a ways though.  Finally, we made it to Brian’s neighborhood and the van got caught in the snow about a block away from his parent’s place.  At this point the whole experience became comical.  We were pushing the van out of the snow and digging out the ice from underneath the wheels.  By the time we walked in the door, we looked like complete shit and couldn’t feel our feet.

[ Donations are still being taken via their MySpace through PayPal. ]

S!: What is the biggest thing you’ve sacrificed to be where you are now?

Jon:  I think the biggest thing that I’ve sacrificed is my time.  I’ve spent a good amount of time on this band and have turned down other opportunities that could have been better for my career as far as financial stability goes.  It is hard to explain why I am doing this, but I feel a part of me would die if I was unable to create in this fashion.  It is such a strong part of my core that it overshadows these other possibilities in life.

S!: What can your fans expect from you after this tour?

Jon:  We’re thinking about a remix album, a DVD and definitely new songs and a new album. 

S!: Any last words to the readers?

Jon: Come out to a show, we’d love to hang out together and perform for you.

[ Pick up their new CD, Trapped Inside and check them out on tour NOW! Dates posted on their site. ]

** Check out how to enter to WIN their new CD on our contest page! **

• Official Site: http://www.mkio.com
• MySpace URL: http://www.myspace.com/mankindisobsolete