Meet Aggressive Persuasion  

Steve LeFlar - Vocals

Richard Valdez - Drums

David Bryant  -  Guitar, Background Vocals

Misty Bryant  -  Bass, Background Vocals  

We are sitting on the front porch of the A.P. practice pad (A.K.A. Ron, Misty and Dave's dad's house). It's about nine o'clock at night and it's also Misty's 18th birthday...Now we begin the interview...  

Me: Tell us about your band, a brief history beginning with Steve becoming the vocalist.  

Steve: "I joined, we played music, and people liked it."  

Me: Okay, Is there anything you would like to say about the line-up change, because I know people created alot of drama out of that that didn't exist?  

A.P.: " People should know that it wasn't like we kicked Mattie out of the band to put Steve in. Steve was still in another band (4 Head Scream in Denver). And he had nothing to do with it when we sat down and mutually decided to have a new vocalist."  

Steve: "And if they have any questions, they can come and join me and Mattie when we have lunch."  

Me: Why the name "Aggressive Persuasion?"  

Richard: "Ron picked it." (Laughter)  

Me: Okay, for those of you who didn't get that joke, read on, this is how it really happened...  

Steve: "Hey, Dave, Do you care to explain that one, you know the story the best."  

Dave: "Well, I was on the phone with my ex-girlfriend one day while feeding our cat (humphry), and he had really bad teeth, so we had to fix his food in the blender. Well you can imagine how unpleasant this would be, needless to say he didn't like his food that much, and to get him to eat I had to put his face in it. Well my ex thought that this was cruel so I told her, no, that's just what you call AGGRESSIVE PERSUASION. And the rest is history"  

Me: What motivates you to play the music that you do?  

Dave: "What kind of music do we play?"  

Steve: "We play music, it's diverse, we don't put labels on it. We're afraid to. We're afraid maybe it would be too hard, or maybe I would be too sappy. I'm a big sap, you put me in front of a piano and I will write love songs all day."  

Me: Who are your main musical influences?  

Steve: "You need more paper... Okay, Everybody pick one, or your top four, or something."  

Misty: "Pantera.""Pantera, Pantera, and Pantera."  

Dave: "Living Sacrifice."  

Richard: "Sepultura."  

Steve: " I didn't expect that one Rich." (Laughs)  

Steve: "I am inspired by people who make music, all music."  

Me: What is your favorite and least favorite part about being a musician?  

Misty: "Making up a baddass song and getting all gidd about it, that's my favorite part. My least favorite part is when a song doesn't work out, It Sucks!"  

Dave: "Playing music you spent alot of time on and having the crowd get into it is my favorite part. What I don't like is the politics and stress of it when you try to be serious about your music."  

Rich: "Playing shows."  

Steve: "And Richard's least favorite part is NOT playing shows." (Laughter)  

Steve: "I don't like being a musician. I didn't pick it. I tried to go to college 9 years ago, becaiuse I was going to play football. I had a scholarship and everything to a Univesity in Montana. I just never got into it. All I wanted to do was sing, That's all I've wanted to do since I was 6 years old. I don't know why. So, I didn't pick music, music picked me."  

Me: Tell us something interesting that most people don't know about each of you.  

Richard: "I don't know, I like movies..."  

Misty: "I am a baddass, and Dave crys." (Laughs)  

Steve: "David once died his pubic hair red..."  

Dave: "I was trying to be romantic, it was valintines day!" (Laughter)  

Steve: "I was in an acapella group for 6 years, and I'm 27, that would surprise most people."(Laughter)  

Me: What is the craziest encounter you've had with a fan, and the most shocking thing one has told you?  

Steve: "Some dude asked me to sign his wooden leg, and I bent down to do it, and he took it off and held it up for me to sign. And this other time some chick told me I made her orgasm while I was singing."  

Richard: A fan proposed to him the other day, and said she wanted to keep him in her pocket.  

Steve: "And Eric from Stereomud pinched my ass." (laughs)  

A.P.: "And Dave signs boobs."  

Steve: "I've never signed a boob, I would if someone asked, Misty said I could... She just can't sign anything below the waist." (Laughter)  

Me: What are your favorite bands to gig with, and your favorite venue to play in?  

A.P.: "The Ogden."  

A.P.: "And we like to play with Sickbox, they are baddass."  

Dave: "I like to play with everybody as long as they are cool."  

Steve: " I also like to play with TRiPCAGE."  

Me: Okay, Are there any bands you don't like to play with?  

Steve: "We don't like to play with shit-talkers, or people that drag us into the middle of their drama and bullshit. We are cool to everyone."  

Me: What is your favorite one of your songs?  

Misty: "Pushed, because it is so heavy and hard and I can spit on people."  

Dave: "I like all of the songs."  

Richard: "The new one..." (Laughs)  

Steve: "PJ, because it is the best song I have ever co-arranged in my life."  

Me: If you could pick 3 bands/artists to tour with, who would they be?        

Steve: "Poisen The Well, Dry Kill Logic, and Incubus. They are three of the most talented bands, and they are doing their own thing."  

Me: "Your album, "A Sense Of Reality" is coming out soon. Tell us a little about that and when we can expect to see it?  

Steve: "It is an album of all of the material that we have up to date, and we are shooting for release in late  October or early November."  

Me: "Is there anything else you would like to say to your fans/promoters/friends?  

Misty: "We love you all. Thank you for helping cause' without you we'd be nothing."  

Richard: "Without you we are nothing, and without you we would be nowhere."  

Steve: "Buttermilk Buscuits."  

Me: And Finally, can I have a favorite quote from each of you that reflects your thoughts and personality?  

Steve: "One open moment changes a lifetime and everything else turns to grey." - The New York Rookies  

Richard: "Suffering should give birth to something positive and creative." - Sepultura  

Misty: "A point beyond al reason, no reason do you have to point your finger in my face and..." - Steve LeFlar  

Dave: "True knowledge is in knowing that you know nothing." - Neizche