As interviewed by khittie and Lizz.

Thanks so much for sitting down with us and answering a few questions. We’ve been really big fans of yours since you emerged on MySpace. Were you surprised to see you were named Band of the Month?
Brad: Once I realized that it meant having my face be Pic of the Day a bunch of times made it clear to me that my life is weird. It’s totally awesome how easy this internet thing is making it for people to get involved with things they like and make them better. Knowing that people are excited and paying attention to what we do makes me work a lot harder than I think I would otherwise.
Brian: Yes, quite surprised. April is among my luckier months, though.

If I’d told you two years ago that you would be in a huge rock band touring the US not once, but multiple times, would you have believed me?
Brad: If you put it like that, then no, but if you mentioned it was with my brother and awesome friends, then I’d be more inclined to believe it.
Brian: No, but I’m extremely grateful that it happened this way, with my brother and wonderful friends, a positive community, and songs that we have more fun writing and playing than anything we ever have before.

What has been the most amazing experience you’ve had on tour so far?
Brad: The Tacoma show was awesome. Not awesome like pizza is awesome, more like how a typhoon destroying a small village is awesome. Everyone was going completely nuts; there were awesome guys behind the drum kit that were ducking when I got too excited so they didn’t get hit by a stick. They were in the fetal position covering their heads during “Keeping Secrets from Me.” Then they put a little kid on their shoulders so he could get some air and a view and keep rocking.
Brian: I guess for me, Lumos 2006 just hasn’t been topped. It was completely electric and energizing. The atmosphere before, during and after our performance was just so warm and happy, as well as crazy and fun! Our tour-ending show in Philly, as well as the Yule Balls in Philly and Boston come close, though.

Did anything happen to you while on tour last summer that you’re hoping to avoid this year?
Brad: For things I have control over, I would say I want to change the set list around from show to show and play different songs. Also I want to be a little tougher on those Potter brats than just being a better band than they are. I think we can do better than that.
Brian: I guess one thing I would like to improve on is our variety from show to show. It won’t be as big a factor as last year, because we’re not staying in any one area for a great length of time, but for those who do make the effort to come to multiple shows, it would be awesome if they saw a somewhat different selection of songs each time.

What’s your favorite thing to do while in the car for long periods of time?
Brad: Animal Crossing on the DS swallows up a lot of time. My house is freaking huge.
Brian: Listen to The Hold Steady very loud and scream along!

Aside from Phoenix Rising and Prophecy, which show(s) are you looking forward to most this summer?
Brad: Playing on the Aircraft Carrier is going to rule.
Brian: Well this is going to sound corny and disingenuous, but every single one of them. Of course, the Deathly Hallows release party in Boston is going to be completely off the charts, but looking ahead at the tour schedule, the way it’s shaping up is getting us so excited for it to hurry up and get here! Every single one of those shows is going to rock!

How many instruments can you each play?
Brad: I can play drums, guitar, didgeridoo, mandolin, and a little bit of banjo; also a really tiny amount of accordion.
Brian: Bradley can play about a million. I play the guitar.

Bradley, do you really know how to yodel?
Brad: Well, not in the “High on a hill was a lonely goat herd”/Sound of Music kind of way, but I can hold my own on a Hank Williams song. I was actually stuck writing a part for a new song (about Hermione) and then I read this question and realized that a yodeling bit would be good there. Now I am unstuck. Thanks!

Do you own an album most people would be surprised to find in your possession?
Brad: Umm… Hot Shot by Shaggy?
Brian: Well, I hope nobody would be surprised to know I have a very extensive record collection with a great variety of music in it. How about Culture Club – Colour By Numbers for a possible surprising example?

Favorite movie of all time?
Brad: Princess Bride and UHF.
Brian: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Big Lebowski, The Princess Bride, Star Wars, Purple Rain, Labyrinth, etc. Oh, this one time, Justin (of Justin Finch-Fletchley and the Sugar Quills) and I watched Raiders of the Lost Ark for over 24 hours straight. I think it was 15 times.

Favorite non-Harry Potter book?
Brad: Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole is awesome. So is pretty much anything by Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and P.G. Wodehouse. Wodehouse is my dog.
Brian: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson, Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein (or anything else by him, really), Carlos Castaneda, and Tolkien.

I heard there’s debate among Rhode Islanders as to which brand of coffee milk is best. Which do you prefer?
Brad: The wiener place down the street has it on tap. It’s absolutely the best. I don’t know what brand they use though. In the supermarket, I go for Autocrat.
Brian: Autocrat.

Do you ever wish you weren’t Draco and the Malfoys so you could make nice songs about Harry Potter instead of evil wizard rock? Or is evil wizard rock as much fun as it seems?
Brad: It’s always fun to make fun of people. As people though, there’s nothing holding us back from writing about other things and not performing it as D&TM. For instance, we wrote a song about a carrot not wanting to be eaten by a rabbit; it’s on the Cheap Rent Wizards & Muggles Rock for Social Justice compilation under the band name Coffee Milk Children. I do find it hard to write about things that aren’t things though, like just a song about love or pain or boring things like that. It’s all about the fictional characters and inanimate objects.
Brian: I guarantee it’s at least as much fun as it seems!

The Parselmouths or Pansy Parkinson?
Brad: I love The Parselmouths. They played outside at the Olympia show for people as they were leaving. They had a big circle of people watching them by the end. They totally owned.
Brian: The Parselmouths are going to be among my team mates in the Quidditch tournament at Phoenix Rising, and I definitely wouldn’t want to trade them off the team for Pansy!

What’s the strangest gift you’ve ever received from a fan?
Brad: I have an incredible homemade one eyed cat thing we got from awesome girls in Lakewood, OH last year. The bananas and apples with our faces drawn on them were awesome too.
Brian: The most shocking one was a fan in Houston who absolutely insisted on giving me her beautiful Slytherin robe. She just wouldn’t let me refuse it, even when I pointed out how much better it fit her. She just really wanted me to have it.

Do either of you have any tattoos?
Brad: Nope.
Brian: No, I’ve never really thought anything would be worth having permanently on my skin. That could always change some day, but for now I’m happy without any.

What does Draco think about the relationship between Mr. Lupin and the Whomping Willow? I’m sure you could give us the inside scoop, being so close to the tree in question…
Brian: It’s probably more exciting if I leave it to everyone’s imagination… 🙂

What are your favorite pizza toppings?
Brad: Pineapple and pepperoni is my favorite combo. I don’t have it much because I don’t know anyone else that will eat it with me.
Brian: Mushrooms and pineapple, not together though.

What is your favorite color of squirrel?
Brad: Argyle.
Brian: Blue head, yellow body, and orange feet.

Is there anything you think your fans should know about you, or anything you’d like to add?
Brian: Party Like You’re EVIL!!!

Thanks again guys. This has been extremely informative and entertaining. =)