So, I threatened Rody’s life (holding him hostage with a nifty switchblade I received as a Christmas present), and he agreed to do an interview with me. Muah ah ahh… you can decide whether that is how it actually happened or not…

On with the show!

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I have to admit that I’ve always wondered… in the “Heretics and Killers” video, is that actually you all in the monkey costumes??

Yes, we wore flying monkey suits… it was a long day but it is certainly our best video to date… in my opinion anyway.

Who did you grow up listening to? And what are some of your favorite bands?

We grew up listening to Propaghandi and NOFX, along with a bunch of other punk rock oriented bands. Some people mistake the fast drum beats for a hardcore influence, but it is anything but. It definitely comes from punk rock, no one in this band listens to hardcore… with the exception of times we’re looking for a laugh. As for favourite bands… I’ve given up on music.

Were you “Rode-the-Chode” before PTH? Who deemed you such an honorable name?

I got the nickname on the first tour we did. The guys in Closet Monster just started calling me it… for some reason it’s stuck around… even my dad calls me Choad sometimes… it’s weird but I don’t mind it.

Tell me some of the inspirations for your video blog, which I love by the way! It lets your fans get to know you.. or.. sort of! haha, it’s entertaining, none the less.

I’m not sure, we weren’t doing anything at the time I created those, and I was bored out of my mind. I live in a suburb outside of Toronto and there’s not a whole lot to do… it’s a pretty desolate place… so what better than getting drunk and putting videos up on the net? I was really just trying to make myself laugh.

You all used to go by “Happy Go Lucky”, what caused you to change it to Protest the Hero?

We were 12 when we were named that and we were a pretty serious pop punk band. When we started to get a little older (what 13, or 14? ha) we started writing heavier music and the name no longer suited us… or anyone because it’s a stupid name. (Me: Amen to that.)

Have you all seriously been a band since you were 12 years old?

Yea we started in grade school… once again entirely related to the tedium that is suburbia.

If you weren’t screaming into a mic for a living, what would you be doing? Any careers you feel you’re missing out on?

Not really, I’d probably be a pretentious little bitch in some art program in university with a long scarf and a che guevera t shirt. No… I hate those people.. I’d like to think not. I have no back up plan and I’ve never had any plan other than this. I live from moment to moment rarely taking time to think of the future.

What exactly inspires you to sometimes play in your undies? And why didn’t you do this either time I’ve seen you live?

It was sheer pragmatism, we were selling girl’s underwear and they weren’t selling so I wore them on stage to show the kids how cool they were. I’m over that stage of my life.

If you could trade lives with anyone in the world, who would be it?

I don’t know, I’m pretty comfortable being me, maybe I would trade lives with Jack Black… only because he’s a way better singer than me. ha!

So last night I had a dream that it was your birthday and you invited me out to a bar here and made me drink tequila and pickle juice. Why are you haunting my dreams?

This could be in relation to the fact that every time I see you, we talk about Louisville and I relate a story of drinking tequila and pickle juice with my friends in Emanuel, who are from there. That’s probably why.

Finally- what can we expect from PTH in the near future? New directions? Sex tapes? New albums?

A swift and timely end.

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