Memories, a new band, Twitter, “Where did Micah Go” discussion, and a bit of FIF reunion tour buzz…

It has been almost six years now since Five Iron Frenzy broke-up as a band. What have you been up to since then? What are you doing now?

Well I’ve been working as a sound engineer for the last 2 years or so. Before that I was doing show power for events with the same company that I work for now. We basically do live production for rich people and corporate events. It sounds worse than it is. It’s surprisingly similar to playing in a touring band except that you don’t play in front of people but are expected to perform to near perfection. You load lots of heavy gear in and out of places and you work with musicians. The upside is you go home most nights and I’m a homebody in case you didn’t know so that works out good for me.

You are still involved in music with various artists/groups now. Can you tell me about that and your plans for the future in music?

For fun I’ve been recently playing in a metal band. We have no name as of yet but have about 5 songs under our belt. It’s mostly just a creative outlet and I’m not sure anything will come of it but I am digging the songs a lot. It’s definitely heavy metal with the growling vocals, blast beats and all that. (think “mind for treason” without the horns and more growling and less funky). Two Guitars, Bass, Drums, Keys and a vocalist. Before messing with this band I was recording an old friend of mine. We had done a little E.P. together that we were selling on the last tour called “Rap Music”. Well this new one is mostly him and he’s going by the name Soul-Daddy. The album is called “A Safe Place.” I think it sounds pretty good, you should check it out. He’s mad lyrical. Also the bass hits really deep on it if you have like a couple of 12” sub woofers in your ride. Available now at the iTunes Music store!

What are the things you miss most and least about being in Five Iron?

Wow, that’s a big question. Let me see, I miss days off with all the guys/girl in different towns. It usually went down like this. Drive all day until about dinner time, stop at a shopping area with like a chili’s or hopefully some local restaurant. Do that whole dinner thing and then go watch a movie. Crash out at a hotel and then hit the road in the morning. I don’t miss all the junk food you would eat at all the gas stations. It’s strange now when I travel and I drive past some gas station in another state and I’m like “I know that place!”. That’s kind of sad in a funny sort of way. I don’t miss being sick on almost all the tours. That got old. Appropriately most of us were sick at the last show on 11/22/03 and me and my wife were pretty much bed ridden for 2 weeks after that tour. That one took it out of me for sure. I know Sonnie wasn’t doing so hot either. I don’t miss the old stereo in the school bus. That thing was loud enough to be heard over almost anything except the engine noise. It just hurt to listen to music. I miss meeting fans but don’t miss meeting fans for the 2nd and 3rd time and feeling terrible for forgetting their names. That sort of stuff really haunted me. At points I would just get reclusive so as not to feel inadequate for forgetting peoples names but in my own defense there were a lot of name to be remembered. That feeling of “I really care about you but my brain isn’t that big”. It’s just weird. I miss Luigi’s Sandwich shop in Concord California and the place that sold BCR’s by the studio (bean cheese and rice burritos) yum!

Do you have any funny or interesting stories from FIF days you’d like to share?

Yes there were a lot of funny things that happened back in the day but none that would translate very well into writing.  Also a lot that are just bathroom humor and not very appropriate…but very very funny.

What did you/do you think of the old FIF song “Where did Micah Go?” written for an FIF? Are any of the lines in that song true?

That was one of those songs that seemed like it would never go away. I never got sick of (being very sarcastic) people asking me where I went or coming up to me and saying in one direction “where is Micah?” and then turning to look at me saying” oh there you are!” laughing of coarse. In all fairness though the band asked me if it was alright to record that before we did. I just had no idea how long that song would linger for. As far as lyrical trueness let me look up the lyrics and see if any are true. (minutes pass)

So no mostly none of it is true. There was a halloween show that we played and I decided to go out trick or treating before the show but that’s all I can think of. Well there was another time that I went out to pick up a friend to bring them to the show and came back right when we were supposed to start and security wouldn’t let me in so I came in through the back door up on the stage. But mostly no it’s not true. I like to think of myself like Kaiser Soze except not nearly as sinister.

Do you Twitter?

Not actively but I have an account. I think it’s twitter.com/micahortega but don’t quote me on that.

Do the members of FIF still get together and hangout from time to time?

Sometimes from time to time. Bar-B-Ques at our house and such. I go on bike rides to my bank right past Reese’s house and stop in from time to time.

There is a Five Iron Frenzy dvd coming out this winter. Have you seen it yet?

Nope, I got to pedal my butt over to his house and watch it.

Do you think FIF will ever to a reunion tour?

The possibility is only there after 2013. We made a ten year rule.

Any thoughts you’d like to end the interview with?

I think that many of the worlds problems are caused by loyalty to less than worthy things/people/causes. I think if people made it a point to be loyal to truth, logic and what is right in all matters, things would work themselves out much quicker. God bless you guys.

Micah!