Photo by James BunoanIntrospective vocalist/guitarist Dan Sena used to be a hopeless romantic, but that was back when he was playing in the vaguely emo-sounding Give Until Gone, and fuck that, you know? These days, he rocks out in the more aggressive post-punk Bullet Train to Vegas and is all about the good times.
OC Weekly: What have you been listening to lately?Dan Sena: The new Black Heart Procession album, Amore del Tropico. I like that it's a change of pace for them. It reminds me of the singer's previous band, Three Mile Pilot. It's a little more upbeat—usually they're really moody and melancholy, but this one's pretty spirited. I've also been into the new Bluebird, Hot Blood, and I like the Liars' full-length. And Q and Not U, a band we toured with on the West Coast—they have a new one called Different Damage on Dischord, and it's really, really fucking good. I like all the Hot Snakes stuff—I've always been a big fan of John Reis and Rick Froburg, ever since I started listening to punk rock in high school, and Hot Snakes is almost a reinvention of Drive Like Jehu. The new one is really passionate—there's a lot of melody and a lot of power behind it. If you're in heavy traffic, what do you listen to?
I'll probably listen to something melodic—like Bjrk.
Say you're driving home late at night, and you're afraid you're going to fall asleep—then what do you listen to?
My radio is pretty much cranked up as it is, so I'll throw in Ikara Cult or Bluebird. All the bands I've been into lately have been out of state or out of town. There's this one new band we just befriended called the Plot to Blow up the Eiffel Tower. They're a bunch of kids from San Diego.
That is a fairly incendiary name in this time of terrorism.
Exactly. They're great. Art/punk, like a cross between Swing Kids and Clickitat Ikatowi.
So what are your New Year's resolutions?
One thing is to get the band on the road—that's the main priority. I spent last year getting the band off the ground, and this year is the year to get the band on the road. And then to cut down on my alcohol intake. I don't really drink every day—I do it maybe once a week—but at the same time, it's something in my life that I can always do without.
Weren't you straight-edge at one point?
Yeah, I was. I don't know—I guess I got to that point in my life where I decided it didn't apply to me any more. It was a good thing to have, and it got me through high school, but I really wanted to experience things on my own, whether or not they had to do with alcohol or anything. I don't have anything against it, but it's not really me anymore.
Are you still a hopeless romantic whose love is unrequited?
No. I couldn't care less about that. I'm actually out there having fun, enjoying life right now
So what you're saying is you're a slut?
No. I don't really sleep around. I dated a few people this year.
The year just started! Wow, you move fast!
No, last year.
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