Chrissakes is a group of three University students – Rob Thomason (drums), Helen Rhinehart (bass) and Drew Smith (guitar) – who classified their band as “serrated astronomy class,” raising some questions. Thomason obliged.

Q: How did your band start and why do you play this type of music?

A: Well we got started in a pretty organic way, which might be why we have been able to stay together for a while now. I had just taken up drumming about two years ago. Drew and Helen and I had been good friends for a while . it was only a matter of time until Drew and I started to play together. One day, he threw out a song part he’d had stored in his head for quite a long time. What I came up [with] for it worked out really well, and we decided after playing with each other for a few weeks now, that we should maybe ask someone to play bass with us. We got [Helen] to practice with us one day, and things took off from there. Soon after, Drew and Helen were buying the loudest amps they could afford.

Q: What bands are your idols or you think you sound most like?

A: I think what makes Chrissakes work so well is the fact that Drew, Helen and I all have different musical interests that intersect at certain points. We all have a similar musical philosophy, and so I tend to like almost everything Helen or Drew shows me and vice-versa, but we don’t listen to the same bands every day. A few are: Black Cobra, Cherubs, High on Fire, Oxbow, Big Business/The Melvins and Unsane.

Q: How do you come up with your songs?

A: Our writing process is pretty open, though it’s started to solidify. Usually Drew has a few parts he’s interested in putting together, or a full song’s worth [of parts]. Helen or I, whoever gets to meet up with him first, try to write some stuff to it. Improvisation sometimes causes our best ideas. It’s always the best feeling when you figure out how to make one single part sound awesome in the context of the entire band.

Q: Do you have a favorite memory from playing together?

A: I think our most cherished memory as a band is playing with Polvo because Helen and I grew up listening to them in high school, and they have always been one respected by all of us as one of the most creative bands we’ve known. The most ridiculously weird and great thing that happened to us was when Andre 3000 of Outkast was at our show in Atlanta. He was in front the whole time rocking hard. Supposedly he told one of our good friends that we were “awesome.”

Q: Do you think there are any stereotypes about your genre of loud rock that are misunderstood?

A: I guess our type of music might turn off some people, but before they pass their judgment, I suggest they come out to a live show. We’ve had countless people tell us that they don’t like “that type of music” very much, but that they love seeing us play and genuinely enjoy our songs. We are loud, and we are disgusting sounding, but we also love good hooks. I think we are pretty lucky when it comes to stereotypes. Most people tend to recognize us for what we are: a bunch of awkward post-suburban kids who just want to play rock ‘n’ roll as loud and as well as possible.