Here’s our interview with Ayad, the affable front man from Team Spirit, the band that loves Thin Lizzy more than you do.

NT: Can you tell us about the single MRDR Is Ok? The title definitely jumps out at you.

AAA: Sure. I’ve always been a fan of Dexter (the TV show about a serial killer who serially kills serial killers) and I wanted to write a song about that. Not many musicians will write songs about such a grim subject, yet film and TV is filled with it. It’s all tongue-in-cheek though.

NT: Team Spirit is a bit more power-pop driven than your previous project. Was this a record you felt you definitely had to make?

AAA: Yeah, definitely! My main love is the six-string and the genre of power-pop is unstoppable when done right. It is the current path of destiny.

NT: Tell us a bit about the band and how it came together. It seems like your working with some interesting guys. Can you tell us about The People’s Church Of Animal Town?

AAA: They have all been friends of mine for many, many years that’s for sure. I met Cosmo back when he was rocking with Dom and he was stoked when I asked him to join me in battle. He’s a true guitar player. Mike just pounds the drums. Actually, I spent my first ever Thanksgiving with him back in 2004. And Toby… We used to shred metal scales for 10 hours a day back in college. Then he drifted to LA where The People’s Church of Animal Town was born. I had some amazing times in that place. It was like a gathering of intelligent, progressive thinkers brought together by music. It was pretty wonderful. And totally nuts.

NT: You worked with Swedish animators Hannes and Johannes on F*ck The Beach. How did that collaboration happen? What’s going on in that video?

AAA: Ha! Yep! They did a fan video for my previous band, and I was so blown away by it that I reached out to them and got them to do the F*ck The Beach video. I think they decided to go with the literal translation of the term, which led to a completely insane animated experience.

NT: You made a video for each song on the Team Spirit EP?

AAA: CORRECT! Actually they are still being made. We are releasing them as soon as one comes in. We commissioned them to work on the whole EP and to connect the songs with a pretty out there plot concept that I threw out there. They are really good at that. They make full ideas based on a sentence of direction. Such talented and creative guys!

NT: What happened at the 4KNOTS Festival. Did a fire break out while you guys were actual playing?

AAA: Haha! We shouldn’t talk about that.

NT: Should we be excited about the upcoming album?

AAA: YUP.

NT: I am starting a record collection. What are the first five ones that I should buy?

AAA:

Thin Lizzy – Jail Break

Metallica – Kill em All

Rolling Stones – Exile on Main St

The Exploding Hearts – Guitar Romantic

Everclear – So Much for the Afterglow

http://teamspirit.bandcamp.com