THE WHITE TIE AFFAIR INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS WALLACE
QUESTIONS BY LENA LAMORAY & CRIMSON AL-KHEMIA
2-27-2008

Crimson:  Why did you choose this name for your group?

CHRIS:  We wanted something elegant and formal - a contrast to the music we make. We had to find a name that really made a statement about our sound. Several hours and several "keywords" later, we came up with the perfect name. After all, a white tie affair is the most formal of events. Thanks Google.

Crimson:  What about electronic pop rock brings you all together to write / perform as TWTA?

CHRIS:  All of us are big fans of rock, hip hop, and pop music.  We just love throwing all the genre rules away and making music that we love. We incorporate all genres when we write. As far as the live performance goes, some of our music makes you want to dance your butt off, and some of it makes you want to bang you head. It's really the best of both worlds.

Crimson:   How did the band get started and when did you know this was the right lineup?

CHRIS:  The band was born out of the death of a couple Chicago bands. Sean-P and Chris started writing music together on their computers. We wanted to do something new. Inspired by bands like Hellogoodbye and Head Automatica, who weren't afraid to put the POP back into cool music. We aren't afraid of being "scene" or "cool," we just want to make great music. In October 2006, we wrote a couple of songs and posted them online. The response was unbelievable. The fan response really inspired us to keep writing and writing until we came up with the album we wanted. We then called upon some friends (Tim and Ryan) from previous bands we were in. We have been friends playing music for years, so I know they were perfect for TWTA. Since then we haven't really looked back. Our album is coming out on April 22nd and we cannot wait for the world to hear it

Lena:       How many white ties have you autographed? 

CHRIS:  At least 17, lol. I'm sure there will be more and more.

Crimson:   In comparison to all other artists in the electronic pop world, what makes TWTA so different from the rest?

CHRIS:  We incorporate a lot of hip hop beats in our music. We try to make electronic pop music you can dance to.

Lena:        Do you have any directors in mind for a future video?

CHRIS:  Spike Jonze would be the first person who comes to mind. I love sabotage by the beastie boys and I'd love to see what he could come up with for one of our songs.

Crimson:    Who writes the lyrics and where do you usually draw your inspiration from?

CHRIS:  Chris and Sean-P write all of the lyrics. The lyrics are usually written together. We tend to play very well off of each other.
Crimson:    How did you make your way onto the Break the Silence Tour with Secondhand Serenade?

CHRIS:  I have been a fan of John's music for a year or so. We saw they we're doing a tour for the release of the new album and we told our manager we just had to be on this tour. So far it's been amazing playing w/ Secondhand Serenade. I'm so glad they are such nice guys.

Crimson:     Name three other bands out there you would love to share the stage with?

CHRIS:  I really would like to share a stage with, Prince, Justin Timberlake, and Panic At The Disco.

Lena:        What area of the country or world do you really want to tour?

CHRIS:  I would really love to tour Europe. I've always dreamed of going there. I am a big fan of history. I just hope if I ever get to go there, I have some time to stop at some of the tourist sites.  I would love to see the whole world, and meet the different cultures.

Lena:       What do you really miss from home while you are on tour? 

CHRIS:  I really miss being around my family. It's just kind of weird to not get to see my sister grow up. It seems every time I see her she's a couple of inches taller.  I also miss being able to be alone and write music. I think I have ADD, so it's very hard to write on the road with all of the distractions.

Lena:       What is the strangest thing that has ever been thrown onstage?

CHRIS:  A crowd surfing fan who was thrown onstage and makes us laugh for hours. His name is gunz: myspace.com/thgunzshow

Crimson:   Any set plans for TWTA after the tour?

CHRIS:  We are playing Bamboozle in New Jersey on May 4th. It should be great. We are planning a special surprise for the show. You'll just have to be there to see it.

 http://www.myspace.com/thewhitetieaffair