TVD's Seven Day Weekend by Sal Go | Sick Sick Birds...and a ticket/vinyl giveaway

I sat on the roof, sunbathing in the strong signal that this smartass phone says it has. On the phone was Mike Hall of Sick Sick Birds, a Baltimore pop-punk band with a semi-new album out on Toxic Pop Records. "Our first 7 inch was on that label," Hall says. "And then we came out with this 12 inch last year called Heavy Manners. It's 8 songs and it's definitely a big departure for us because we did a lot of it ourselves at the warehouse."

"It was fun. We were able to take our time a little bit more and get everything we really wanted done before we put it out. There was really no deadline. It's more of a thought out record than any record I've been a part of." Hall sounds stoked on this record, and the next one as well. "I think the next batch of songs will be a lot more collaborative. It's a different lineup than what we've had in the past ... it's almost like being in the band you were in in high school, everyone's just at practice goofing around and writing stuff together."

Speaking of high school, I ask what he likes about playing music in this region. "It's where I grew up. It's just a lot of fun to play shows around here because you're almost becoming part of the history that we grew up with. So it's an honor. As songwriters, we're defiantly shaped by the area we grow up in. I grew up with Dischord, and old DC hardcore stuff. That kind of shines through a little bit."

But you live in.... "I love Baltimore. As we got older we realized that its a lot cheaper to live up in Baltimore. We're sort of old people that are coming to terms with being old people. And having families and mortgages and stuff but still wanting to play punk rock... not being in a touring band anymore, its kind of a struggle sometimes... we find ourselves being more selective of the shows we play.. we're played New York a couple weeks ago, we're getting up to Philly, and go down to Richmond... were doing five shows in California this summer. So we're doing what we can to get out of town a little bit, and balancing that with being family people. BUT IT'S FUN."

That's all that matters. Watch the Sick Sick Birds play this Wednesday, April 17th at the Black Cat, sandwiched by Atlanta Roughriders, the Coathangers and DC's worst secret Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb. (Conflict of interest? What's that?)

Comment below with your email for a chance to win two tickets to see them, and a copy of the new album! YES, FREE! Hurry, this offer ends Wednesday morning at 7:00 A.M.

Sick Sick Birds - Your Machine (Mp3)
Sick Sick Birds - Committees (Need A Champion) (Mp3)