Remember that one summer in the mid 90s when Third Eye Blind was actually cool, with songs like "Losing a Whole Year" and "Thanks A Lot?" Army of Robots seems poised to remind Stephan Jenkans just how to make smart, guitar-driven, power pop.

We caught up with Seth and Lawrence (a.k.a. DAGGRR) in Phoenix at the end of April to investigate their progress on their first ful-length. Check out what the boys had to say and a couple of sneak-preview tracks below.

The Heaviest Cure
Everybody

A_P: The early tracks from AOR sound extremely professional, even though you really have yet to release an album. Does that stem from the work you did with Dead Vinyl, or is that because of Jack Endino?

DAGGRR: The project has three (plus) years of development under it's belt. When we released 'This Distortion' on Dead Vinyl, I had already been working on AOR as a concept for about 2 years in the form of demos which I would post online as MP3s, just for fun. The next step for us was an attempt at capturing the vibe of the live band. Something that was very distant from the heavy production of 'This Distortion'. When we recorded the first five tracks with Jack Endino, we had already toured and were very comfortable with the material and each other. We recorded with him specifically because he's known for bringing out a band's "Live Sound". That was the first time we had ever recorded tracks with a real drummer. Jack did a smashing job. Les Scott (another incredible producer here in Phoenix) took us under his wing not long after we finished recording with Jack and we have all learned a great deal about how to approach recording. Les and I are producing the rest of the album together. To summarize, we have been lucky enough to have a wealth of talented people who believe in us to help along the way.

A_P: How does a band with very little public credit get hooked up with Endino (Nirvana, Hot Hot Heat -- a band Arriviste profiled in June '03) in the first place?

DAGGRR:- We were on tour and our label wanted new tracks ASAP. We had four days in Seattle (where Jack lives) so our manager contacted him and sent him some of our material. He dug it and agreed to track five songs for us. He was one of the coolest people we've ever worked with. Very fun guy.

A_P: What was your background prior to AOR?

DAGGRR: I played with these guys back in high school just for fun. At the time I wanted to be an actor. My friends and family encouraged me to keep writing music so I ditched the acting thing and started a band with my friend Ryan Breen (Who co-produced and engineered [songs] "Nine Lines" and "Gold Star"). We called it Mako Reactor and then changed the name to Digital Free Loner Boy. It was the first time I tried experimenting with sampling and electronic sounds. Sort of a hodge podge of punk and electronica. At the time, nobody was using keyboards in Phoenix. Let alone sequencing or backing tracks. It was very unfashionable but I guess that was our appeal. All of our peers were in Rap Metal bands. DFLB broke up and Ryan and I both went separate ways for a while. I played drums for another electronic/dance band called Radio Free America for a while before I decided to start another project which I called DOS Attack and later renamed Army Of Robots.

Seth: I was an orchestra and band nerd. I eventually realized that the tympani wasn't cool and "borrowed" an electric guitar from my junior high school (which will not be named). Some buddies of mine in high school started a rockabilly band back when we thought it was the cool thing to do. I got over it eventually. I met Lawren... I mean, DAGGRR, and started playing with him. Musically, playing with him, I mean.

A_P: You formed AOR originally with some buddies who you liked to play with. The official line up seems to have been picked by Dead Vinyl. Was that a difficult situation at first?

DAGGRR: I had been recording tracks for about a year at various studios. A lot of people had AOR MP3s but I had never performed any of it live. My friend John Landy, who I met through Radio Free America, started bugging me to do a show and that he would play bass. At first I wasn't into the idea but he wouldn't shut up about it so I caved. I put out an ad for a drummer and a guitarist. Bryon contacted me from one of the ads and sent me some God awful demo of him and some other dude. There wasn't much of him actually drumming, just guitar and keyboards, which I liked. We hooked up soon after that. Oddly enough, on the same night I met with Bryon for the first time, I met Seth. We knew each other from parties but only in passing. It was the first time we had ever really said anything to each other past "What up" and we hit it off pretty quick. I knew he played guitar so I asked him to join, and he did. I hadn't even heard him play at that point. I just thought he was really cool and figured if he sucked, I could fire him later. Luckily, he doesn't suck! We played some shows and everything was cool except we felt that John needed to focus on his own project, Motaba, and then we went through what seemed like five hundred bass players before we inked a deal with Dead Vinyl. The label had very little to do with who we hired. They were more there to yell at us about how we we're worse than a basketball team when it came to keeping the same people together for any period of time. When we signed, Seth Cunningham or 'Seth Two' as we called him, was our bass player. We replaced him with Nathan Sauer shortly afterwards. Heh.

Seth: You make Dead Vinyl sound like that fat guy who formed the Backstreet Boys. Like DAGGRR said, they didn't have anything to do with the lineup.

A_P: Where might one find The Distortion? (I already checked eBay...)

DAGGRR: You might try looking on the Moon. Dead Vinyl Records took a bad financial hit when two of the founders and financial backers bailed. I think they pressed 500 copies all together. Which sold very quickly. This would eventually lead to our request to be let go from our contract, which the label was very cool about. There was no point to make another record for a label who couldn't even re-press our first EP. Most of the distribution was done online and we sold copies while on tour so, they're out there. If it makes you feel any better, I don't even have one.

Seth: I bet you can find it right next to the new Gwenmars record....wait, there isn't a new Gwenmars record? Exactly.

A_P: When, oh when, will we see the full-length album?

DAGGRR: We plan on releasing it if and when MTV re-airs Sifl and Olie. This is a question which I usually answer with a big sigh followed by "Never." Seriously though, we're still working on it and it's almost done. It's taking a lot longer than expected, which is good because it will be better for it. I think June/July is a safe bet. We have a lot of people eager to get their hands on it so we're going as fast as we can.

A_P: So what's up with the heat here in Phoenix anyway? I'm sweating my balls off. Does that put a damper on the outside concert/festival scene?

DAGGRR: I played the Phoenix New Times music showcase with Digital Free Loner Boy several years back and they had the damn thing in the middle of July on what I think might have been one of the hottest days in the history of recorded time. We sound checked and took off for maybe a half hour to grab some food and when we came back our strings were all warped, drum heads were practically melted, and any electronics, especially guitar fx pedals, were completely screwed up from the heat. Our drummer, Jesse, actually burst into flames. It was quite an odd performance.

A_P: Coachella... Are you going? Who would you most want to see?

DAGGRR: I can't go. I have to stay here and finish this stupid album. I think the band that really sticks out is Junior Senior. Their stuff is insane. I'd like to see how they do it live. All the bands on the bill are amazing, I'm sure. Should be a good time.

Seth: I'd like to see Muse. It's hard to believe they're a 3-piece, and I'd like to see how it translates live.

Which female rock star is so friggin' hot she could break up the band? And who'd sell out to her first?

DAGGRR: I'm sure that question has three different answers. Lemme ask Seth and Bryon and see what they think. Can Debra Messing be a rock star? And if the answer is yes, Debra Messing.

A_P: Bud Light or Miller Lite?

DAGGRR: Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Seth: Whiskey.

A_P: Any news on a new label?

DAGGRR - We're waiting until the record is in our hands to shop it out to any labels. We have interest already but no offers on the table as of yet. As long as the band is provided with tour support, I'll sign with anybody at this point. I've been locked up in the studio for a year and I plan on touring my ass off once the time comes. We're all ready to tear it up live.