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I would really like to write this big epic introduction for this band because I honestly love them and feel they deserve it, but I am having writers block. So pretend I told an epic story about how I battled some Tyrannosaurus Rexs', rafted down a river, went over a waterfall and climbed six mountains covered with snow and at the top of the last mountain sat a single CD conveniently titled "Greetings From..." and THAT'S how I found out about A Rocket To The Moon. In all reality I found them on Pure Volume last December...but still, that was a pretty epic story, eh?! Anyway, enjoy some Nick Santino. This was one of my favorite interviews and I'm so glad I got the opportunity!

"Oh it's so juicy I can't even..." - Nick Santino - A Rocket To The Moon.

For our readers who don't know who you are, could you please introduce yourself and what you do for the band?

Yep. My name is Nick Santino and I sing and I play guitar for a band called A Rocket To The Moon.

So where did the name A Rocket To The Moon come from?

Um there's no real cool story behind it (laughs) I was making, I was starting it by myself so I was making these like electronic sounds with like beats and whatever and I thought the...I was just brainstorming names and for some reason that came into my head and I thought it kinda went with the sound. Like a futuristic electronic sound, sorta like space. And for some reason A Rocket To The Moon came to my head and I thought oh hey that'll work. So it stuck (laughs)

I like it! Okay so you just released your first full length album in October and it shows a lot of growth from your earlier work, how have the fans been reacting?

Really good. I mean I haven't heard much negative reactions, but I also don't go looking for negative reactions y'know? So.. The ones that I get on Twitter, online or wherever it's been really really good. I'm excited about it. I think we put out a good record. Without sounding too modest I think it's a good record. I listen to it myself (laughs) So I like it!

Really?

Yeah it's like every song is one of our kids y'know? We spent time making them and we put them out. We wouldn't write songs if we didn't like them. I personally like it! If people don't like it I'm sorry but I (laughs)

You don't care, as long as you like it!

(Laughs) Yeah exactly!

It's clear to the listener that you've evolved musically since you first started, but how do you feel you've evolved as an artist from your solo stuff to now with the whole band?

As an artist I think musically I've grown. I think I've started listening to more music. Like when I first started out I just listened to a certain style or a couple styles, certain genres of music. And as I've toured and as I've met so many people I've just kinda found comfort in finding different styles of music to listen to. Like right now I'm a huge country fan (Jen's note: That made my day!) and y'know a couple of years ago I hated country. So right now I love all sorts of music and I think that helps the writing and helps out mostly just the writing and song writing in general. Making different sounds of music. Like when I'm bored and I have time I'll sit and record just on my computer in the hotel room or in the van and just solo songs, I'll just write and it wouldn't even sound like I'd be able to release it with A Rocket To The Moon because it's such a different style. But it's like, kinda whatever I've been listening to shows in my song writing. And from all the people that we've been touring with. We've toured with people from 3Oh!3 to The Maine to Boys Like Girls where it's all different kinds of music. So you kinda take little things from each band. Just grows on you. It's really cool.

Okay I absolutely love the album -

Thank you!

I love it so much (Yep, I had to gush about it!) I find it very rare to find an album that you can listen to on repeat and then every time it starts over, it's just brand new again. In the best way it's brand new -

Yeah that's awesome!

That is what I absolutely love about the album -

Thank you!

I haven't found an album like that in a long time -

It means a lot, thank you!

So I was wondering what is your favorite thing about the album?

My favorite part about the album is the diversity. I think we wrote an album where you can listen to the first song on the album then you can listen to the last song on the album and it doesn't even sound like it'd be on the same album y'know? But when you listen to it in it's entirety you're like, 'damn.' Somehow those middle songs y'know it somehow plays together and it doesn't sound awkward. I think we have songs on there that sound like Taylor Swift would have written them y'know?

Yeah actually a couple of people have said that.

(Laughs)

And then we have songs that sound like we could have sold it to Katy Perry with like a dance/pop vibe. It's really cool. That's my favorite part I think. We just...we got to have fun and you can really tell...you can really see from the record what we were all listening to while we were writing it. We listened to a lot of country and a lot of pop and a lot of rock and roll, lot of nineties rock y'know all of our influences went into one record and came out in four or five different genres in twelve songs.

I think that's probably why I find it like that -

Yeah because even if you don't like a song on there, say you might hate the song 'Life Of The Party Girl' but you might love 'Baby blue Eyes.' Like you put those songs together back to back and they don't sound anything alike (laughs)

Oh definitely not!

(Laughs)

Y'know?! Like it doesn't even really sound like the same band (laughs)

But that's a good thing -

Yeah.

I really like that.

Yeah I think it's cool because we can almost tickle a whole bunch of fans fancies. If they don't like one style but they like another, it's on the same record so it still helps us out. It's cool.

You guys got to play Bamboozle this year and have been the supporting act for so many great bands on different tours, what, if anything have you taken away from these experiences?

It's crazy. I mean it's nuts. We've learned not to get a big head about it. I don't think we're the kind of kids that a couple years from now are gonna be like, thinking we're like the coolest people or whatever and be like, 'Oh don't talk to me I'm in a rock group.' (laughs) I'm always gonna be the kid from Braintree that started off in my bedroom y'know? And people think oh he's gotten too cool because his songs on the radio or whatever it is. I'm like, whatever. I'm still the same normal dude. I still go shopping at the mall by myself (laughs) y'know, I still live with my parents. So.. just to keep your moral down to just, y'know just be yourself. Just because you're playing to a couple thousand that know your music doesn't mean you have to change your personality and be a completely different person.

Well I think the fact that you guys stayed outside for such a long time when you got here -

Yeah that's exactly like - me and our merch guy were talking about it. Coming over here, coming over to Canada is crazy because we've only been here like three times before and I mean obviously it's coming into a different country (laughs) but it's just so weird compared to American fans. I love American fans but then you come here and they just only get to see these bands like once a year when in America they can drive down the street and go see a band like four times. But we come here and it's a whole new experience. We're stoked when you slide the van door open and hope out and kids mob in.

Yeah I was actually scared for you guys -

(Laughs)

It's flattering!

I was on the other side of the street so I couldn't really see the intensity but I was like, 'Oh my gosh they're gonna die!'

(Laughs) But it's super flattering. Especially like I said coming from my bedroom and like shopping at the mall by myself just being a no-name from Massachusetts and being able to come to Toronto for the third time ever and then all these kids being like, 'Nick! Nick!' I'm like, Damn! It's so cool like with our music we got to touch all these kids and it's really really cool. Especially 3Oh!3. Those are the most down to earth dudes I've ever met in my life.

Oh yeah?

Yeah. Have you got a chance to meet them two?

Um I haven't met them. I kinda saw them at Bamboozle...

Okay - They're just...their songs went like double platinum on the radio and you talk to them and you wouldn't even think that they're in a band, y'know? They're the coolest down to earth dudes. I just like took a lot of...I just have a lot of respect for them and took at lot from them.

(Jen's note: This is the first time I stuttered so bad in an interview that I had to just start the question over! We all had a chuckle.)

Who are some of your major influences when writing music?

When writing by myself, like solo stuff like a Johnny Cash sort of thing comes through. I listen to a lot of Johnny Cash, I love that dude, er loved that dude. I think he song writing was just unbelievable so like without meaning to I somehow just always write folksy songs. I don't really mean to it's just easier to write songs that way. I don't know why! (laughs) But I'd say Johnny Cash and then I listen to a lot of like I said, Country like that but a lot of pop-country too. Like Taylor Swift. I mean I just like to listen to good pop songs to get in a mood to write a good song or a good chorus or whatever. I listen to really everything. Anything from The Beatles to like, Miley Cyrus 'Party In The USA.' Anything that will get me stoked to write a song that kids will hopefully like.

(I think he noticed the face I made when he mentioned the Miley Cyrus song. Sorry to any Miley fans, she's just not my cup of tea.)

Yeah that's like two different ends of music right there!!

Yeah. I'm sure people will hate me that I said The Beatles and Miley Cyrus in the same sentence but whatever! (Laughs) It helps!

Well You said The Beatles, so I'm okay!

Exactly!

(Laughs)

What exactly inspires your lyrics and is there one that means the most to you?

Um, me and Justin do a lot of the song writing so to write one story from two different people is kinda hard to do. What we like to do usually is like, we kinda make up a lot of stories and we like to write from other peoples perspectives and if we have personal issues ourselves we'll bring them into song but like, expand them and write more. My favorite song on our record is 'Like We Used To' or 'Baby Blue Eyes' I think lyrically those songs are just...y'know like it's not anything that happened to me but I'm sure like, we just like to write songs that people could take and put their own meaning to y'know what I mean? Like whether you've been dumped by your boyfriend or girlfriend or even if you haven't you can still listen to that song and be like, it doesn't even have to be about that. You can take it and think that it's about maybe your dog dying or something like that. But we just like to write songs that have a meaning that people can take in so many different ways and put it on their personal life and be touched by it.

Deciding to take music to a professional level isn't always easy. Was there any doubt from your friends and family and how did you persevere?

Not at all. My parents have always been really supportive. I mean I lost some friends along the way but they can ... pft ... (he sorta made a motion like the 'go away' thing you do with your hand. It was funny. You should see it.)

(Laughs)

You kinda always find out who your real friends are.

Exactly! Thats the thing. Like I have five friends back home (laughs). I'm not ashamed to say it! I have a handful of friends! (Laughs) That's the way I look at it. You don't need a huge group of friends. You don't need twenty kids that you can call you "Friends" and start drama when you get some sort of success and they won't talk to you anymore and it's like, I didn't do anything to you! I'm just living my life! Just like you're living your life, y'know?! My parents have been supportive since day one through everything I've done. They've never pushed me to do anything. So whatever I do they are like right there with me.

(And here's the second time I fail at speaking! We all had an even bigger laugh.)

---- I'm sorry!

(Laughs) It's okay!

What would you define as the pivotal moment in your life when you knew that you wanted to play music professionally?

I'd say... I started writing music and playing music when I was like fifteen years old just from watching like...actually I got my first band kinda like as a lie. This band needed a guitar player and I was new to guitar, like I just learned so I wasn't even that good and they also needed a singer so I was like, I'll sing, whatever. I've never sang a note in my life (laughs). So that kinda just pushed me into singing and playing guitar and then when I started taking it seriously was when this band started. I was putting songs on myspace and I realized that there's fans outside of your group of friends and outside of 'the local scene.' So it was crazy to me to have kids from Chicago and San Diego and even kids from like, Mexico or England hitting me up on myspace being like, 'yo your music is like, amazing.' I'm like, 'Really?!' That's weird to me (laughs) because I'm used to having someone from Weymouth which is the town next to me being like, 'dude I like your song! I'm gonna come see you this weekend at a show.' So it was wild. And I was like, damn maybe I could make a career out of this. I'd always love to. I don't wanna go to college. I mean it just kinda came naturally and I was like, damn this is what I wanna do.

What advice do you have for any band that is just starting out?

I'd say just work your little ass off (laughs). You're not gonna get anywhere if you give up and you don't believe in yourself. Just keep writing and keep doing your thing and you'll get discovered one way or another. Just don't stop doing what you gotta do. That's what happened with us, and this is where we're at now. In Toronto, Canada and it's pretty awesome!

(Laughs)

So we usually end our interviews with five random questions, just to end it on a lighter side. Are you up for it?

Yeah I love that stuff!

Okay so if 'that's what she said,' what did she say?

Oh man we had a good one the other night. I can't think of what it was! - do you mean like, somebody would say something and you'd be all 'that's what she said'?!

Yeah totally!

(Laughs) *Thinking* Damn, Sierra from Versa Emerge did one the other day and I can't even think of what it was. It was so perfect though because she's a girl and she said it.

Oh I think girls do the best thats what she said jokes!

(Laughs)

Yeah! She's really good at it. Damn, I don't even remember what it was. Um... I'd say anything that when someone's talking about something being slippery (laughs) or like, 'Oh it's so big I can't even fit it in my mouth!'

(Laughs)

I said that today!

(Laughs)

Y'know what I mean? And then you're like, 'damn why'd I do that?!'

(Laughs)

I said that about a grape!

(Laughs)

Yeah! (laughs) 'Oh it's so juicy I can't even...'

(Laughs)

I love that you got it and just ran with it! Anyone we've asked that to is usually just like, 'Oh no that's too gross!' So I love that you just went with it!

(Laughs)

Well we're talking about a grape! (laughs) we're not talking about anything else!

(Laughs)

We pointed out it was a grape! So since Friday was the 13th, what was your biggest superstition as a kid?

Um probably Jason coming and killing me! (Laughs) Jason was Friday The 13th right?! (laughs) Yeah Michael Myers was Halloween. Yeah definitely Jason. I dunno, I'm really superstitious about stuff. I think like, I dunno...I'm a big believer in karma. Like I think if I do something it's gonna come around and kick me in the ass or whatever. So I try not to do things that I don't want o happen to me, y'know? I don't even have an example with it, just a lot of stuff. Y'know like, if something goes down I don't wanna be the reason it comes back around and kicks in the face!

(Laughs)

What's your favorite or least favorite dance craze?

Umm...least favorite...I dunno. The Macarena still sticks around. I like the Macarena! You can still do that and people know what you're talking about. Or the Worm! I'm a good worm person.

Are you really?

(Laughs)

Yeah. I haven't done it in years...

(Laughs)

I was gonna ask you to do it, but then I was like, no, he's got a nice coat.

(Laughs) Hardwood floors, that would hurt! The belt digs into the stomach and what can ya do?!

(Laughs)

Least favorite...probably any dance move that our bass player Eric does. (laughs) He thinks he's so good but he just looks like he's dancing from like, the eighties or something! He does like, the hand thing (He seriously just started to dance!! No joke! Best thing since Stephen Christian tried to booty dance!) He's pathetic!

(Laughs)

Oh my gosh, that's amazing!

(Laughs) Sorry Halvo!

What male or female fashion trend absolutely confuses you?

Ugg boots. (He didn't even have to think about that answer!) I hate Ugg boots. I think they look cool if you do it tastefully, but Ugg boots were cool when I was in like, sixth grade and they're somehow still cool when I'm twenty one and I'm like, when is that gonna fade out?!

(Laughs)

What I don't understand is, okay we've got them in Canada, but we've got lots of snow -

Yeah you guys have snow -

But then there are people in like, California walking around in shorts and Ugg boots -

Shorts and Ugg boots (Shaking his head)

What's that about?!

(Laughs)

Okay so, what's the big deal with the color purple?

I dunno! Vito, The Maine's merch guy loves purple! He's probably wearing purple right now. Like honestly, everyday he wears the color purple.

Did you see the line today?

(Laughs) Why, is everyone wearing purple? I saw a lot of yellow.

Oh every other person is yellow or purple.

American Apparel sweaters either yellow or purple. I dunno probably because Gabe is here. And Gabe has the signature purple sweatshirt. I haven't seen him wear one yet though.

Oh really?

Yeah a purple sweatshirt on this tour. He's wearing a lot of flannel and plaid.

Yeah there's a lot of that out there too.

(Then we all start laughing because we realize that we are both, in fact wearing plaid!)

I wear a lot of plaid! That's our band! (Laughs) I bet Halvo's wearing a plaid shirt right now!

We would like to thank Nick for taking the time to talk to us. Check out A Rocket To The Moon on their MySpace Page

and if you get the chance go see them live! You won't regret it!

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