Lunch of Champions

Field Trip | “Northern Lights”

Chicago-based prog-rockers, Field Trip, have been bringing the groove for close to three years now, but on Sunday they will be releasing their first publicly-available record entitled “Northern Lights” at their cd-release show at Otto’s in DeKalb, IL. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with co-lead singer (and my super cool little brother), Greg Cryns, to discuss the upcoming release, the future of Field Trip, the planet Venus, soccer, and a host of other important items.

LOC: Greetings! How are things going for you and the band these days?
GC: Well lets start from the beginning. After leaving my miserable situation in Arizona, I moved back to Illinois and was forced to start over from square one, which coincidently included a reunion show for Field Trip at the House Café in Dekalb. The show went so well that we decided to give the band another chance. Since then, things have been better than ever, and seem to keep getting better! In March, we finally became motivated enough to record our latest demo (our best one in my opinion). The quality is actually pretty damn good for a mere $200 dollar studio bill. We now have shows lined up for the entire summer including a headline spot at the Clearwater Theatre in West Dundee.

Why did you recently move to Kansas?
Dorothy said that she dumped the Scarecrow, he became limp again. Haha. No, For real though… I was hired as an assistant men’s soccer coach for a junior college. This was an incredibly tough decision because it would involve leaving my band during the spring and fall…just when things were starting to look up! But now I am 100% that I made the right decision continuing with the sport I grew up playing and loving. I live in my very own room in the dorms, I have an acoustic guitar, and lately have had a lot of free time. I soon realized that this is a perfect recipe for song writing. During the last month I have been writing tracks with the quickness of an assembly line. I am still free to do as I please during the summer and winter break (perform with Field Trip).

What sorts of issues provide the songwriting inspiration for Field Trip?
Anything and Everything…from the most shallow of tracks (U get yo ass kicked), to songs of current relevance (Revolutionary). Recently however, I try to write lyrics that might inspire and help people change their lives for the better. I mean, what more can you do than inspire somebody…Other than make white people dance!

You’re having a cd-release show on Saturday - Is this your first record? All new songs?
It’s the first record is of high enough quality to actually sell (5 Bucks). Surfin Cali is the only track that we have previously recorded, but takes a dump on the old version in my opinion…although my brother Noah doesn’t think so.

What does “Surfin’ California” mean to you?
The song originated in PTugz basement in high school. A song that he wrote for his main squeeze at the time.. But the lyrics were “Anna Nicole going surfin in Florida” . Then we decided to change the lyrics to “Lala Girl Liana goin surfin California” because my sister (Liana) had just recently moved there from Illinois. So it is her song now. The mellow song basically encompasses all the laid back vibes that the beach has to offer.

Do you like MySpace? Have you done anything special to try to capture the mySpace demographic?I’m not proud of it, but I spend a lot of time on GaySpace. I get a particularly warm feeling when I see the words NEW MESSAGES pop up in my folder (until I realize that its just another naked picture of Jessica trying to get me to view her “web-cam”). Hahah .. I don’t know, I guess it makes me feel special and loved or something to have so many “friends”. But I do think it is a great way to connect with old friends and to post your bands music. Field Trip does have a new Killer Myspace site..check it out at….myspace.com/fieldtripdekalb

Where do you see yourself being 5 years from now?Ideally, I’de like to be on tour, maybe with the Expendables and Fishbone. Who knows? Life is crazy, you never know. Mainly I just try and work hard and keep things in perspective and I might get lucky. Although I’ve found that the harder I work, the luckier I get! I just want to do what I love, and right now that is music and soccer…Just call me Bob Marley reincarnate. haha

If you had the choice and we had the technology, would you rather go to the Mars or Venus? and why?
Well Venus has more Penis, right? So definitely Venus.

What do you think it looks like on the surface of Venus?
I think the surface resembles a hairy type ball sack of some kind and there are people there that look just like the humans from earth…except their heads are not round like yours and mine, but mushroom shaped…And their cars look like Ace and Gary’s “ambiguously gay duo”…but they run on flamboyance not gasoline.

You are a talented guitarist - Why do you play bass now?
Thanks. Uh, I started playing bass for fieldtrip out of necessity. Good bass players are hard to find and guitar players are a dime a dozen. We couldn’t find a bassist after a number of try-outs, so I just took the initiative and picked up my older brothers Washburn and listened to a lot of Sublime. Recently however, we discovered that our new keyboardist, Mike DeGuzman, could also lay it down sick on bass. So I decided I’m gonna get back to my roots, dig through my closet, find my guitar and dust off the cobwebs.

I’ve heard rumors that you are planning a Star Crunch reunion - Any truth to that?
It is rumored that if you put a jar up to the stereo to capture some Star Crunch, close the lid with quickness, and burry the jar….that in 4 months, the remains will be a Marshmallow Supreme……………MADE OF GOLD! Haha, for real though. I’m down, if Toby and Jesse are down!

Thanks for sitting here with me and for keepin’ the dream alive for us Crynses! haha. I’m looking forward to the CD-Release show on Saturday. What’s next for Field Trip?Just tryin to keep the ball rollin! We are planning to hit the studio later this summer to record a full album! Super stoked about that! Other than that, just tryin to book as many shows as possible until I report to preseason in August. Were booked at Otto’s, the Elbo Room Chicago, Clearwater Theatre, a jamband festival in Elgin, and many more to come. Check us out! Peace!