We've seen a profusion of Interactive CDs from many prominent bands. Do modern bands covet multimedia? Mike: Not a lot of bands that I know. After all, the bands that I know are like us: young, struggling. Bigger bands in Canada, like Sarah McLachlan and the Tea Party, all those people have done them. I think they do [covet them], I think they feel thats really cool. I think that you should just be happy to be putting out music. I personally could care less if I ever had one. I believe in putting on a wicked show, to really put ourselves into it and make it the best we can, and then hopefully people will like it. Is there a positive and effective use of multimedia by bands these days? Mike: I give them points for trying. Its there, its available, if you have the means to do it, why not. But if youve decided to do it, then do it the best you can. If Im a fan, and I look at it and I say This sucks!, well thats perfectly valid. But its not to say This sucks. Why bother?, its more like This just isnt my cup of tea. Its new, its really young, so who knows? People have to get out there and make the mistakes in order to find out whats good and whats bad. What sort of things impress you about this new hybrid? Mike: For me, I like a lot of stuff where you see studio footage. Not too much, or that would be a little boring; some video clips, live clips, some interviews. Stuff like that. I think thats more geared towards someone like myself. Id never play a game, but if you said Heres some live footage, then Id totally check that out. Joe: I dont like the whole idea of whats out there. The idea that a band has to have a game on their CD or something animated with the band, thats more the domain for an exclusive multimedia product like Myst. On those products, they can really explore the full range of the medium. With a band and an enhanced CD-ROM, you really cant explore that as much. Its not really the intent of the product. It seems more like an added little gimmick or sales pitch where the record company puts it out and says Hey, its an enhanced CD-ROM! Cmon kids, come and buy it, you can see clips of your bands!”. So if Interactive CDs are not an attractive goal, what sort of things do you find interesting? Joe: Taking your music and combining it with something for film, or for video, or for a game. To me thats a little different, because its not taking your music and trying to make a game out of your music. Its using your music as a background for say, a game. Mike: I think thats great. Its just the same as scoring a film. Look at Quake. Trent Reznor did all the music for that. Its not like theres a Nine-Inch-Nails CD with a game on it; its the other way around, where youre adding something to the game.