We Asked Our Favorite Musicians a Few Personal Questions

We asked some of our favorite musicians a few personal questions. Here's what they told us.

What is your pre-performance ritual?
A band that prays together stays together.

Where do you live, and why do you live there?
We all live in the East Village next to one another on the same street. We used to live together in this really fucked-up loft on St. Marks, but it literally blew up one day while we were on tour. It sucks living so close to one another 'cause we fight all the time but can't avoid one another after those fights… it can get awkward.

How many hours do you sleep a night?
Anything less than 8, and I [Xan Aird] turn into a bitchy queen. That's why I could never be president.

Last show you went to as a fan?
The Libertines at this tiny pub in London called the Boogaloo. There was a mural of Phil Lynott that said: "Black, Irish and Beautiful." And I [Xan Aird] will never forget the look of satanic delight brought to Peter Doherty's eyes by the sight of the British bulldog bouncers having to use all their strength and meanness to hold back the surging crowd. All the kids wanted to rip him to shreds and take pieces of his flesh home with them.

Biggest misconception about you?
We've heard it all, man! So many annoying misconceptions out there, like that we're amazing lovers, intellectuals, a band of Don Drapers, irresistible to women and men alike, proficient in the art of romance, didn't write any of our own songs, put together by Levi's to sell more jeans. The list goes on and on… only half of those things are true.

If you weren't a musician, what would you do?
Literally would be incapable of doing anything else. No education or job history. This had better fucking work.

Favorite drink?
Our bassist Max enjoys a Guinness every morning to start his day. The rest of us stick to coffee.

Favorite drug?
Nicotine. We are all pretty heavy smokers. Our dream is to be sponsored by Marlboro or get paid to have our song in their ads. They can pay us in cigs. Can VICE make that happen? I feel like you guys could definitely hook that up.

Who's the last person you lied to?
A journalist from VICE magazine.

If you weren't a musician, what would you do?
I would either be a sprinter (I was sprinting in uni and got redirected to music) or an actress. I studied a bit of music for film and acting for the screen.

What made you want to be a musician?
I was an artist before I decided to be one. It was less becoming and more accepting.

What's one quality you wish you possessed more of?
A tablespoon more of carefree would be the life for me.

What's the non-music-related talent you're most proud of?
Handstands underwater.

Who was your childhood hero?
My dad.

Do you speak any other languages?
Bemba from my mother's side, and a bit of Nyanja from my dad's. Both are Zambian languages. I can speak a bit of Setswana from Botswana.

Last show you went to as a fan?
Trevor Noah's comedy show. It was HILARIOUS!

Best piece of advice you've ever gotten?
This is a direct quote from my aunty: "You can never go wrong with BEING and TRUSTING you. When people decide to be themselves, they offer something no one else can offer. That's only for the good people, though; bad people need to check themselves.

What's the non-music-related talent you're most proud of?
Parking. It actually comes in handy almost as often as being good at playing the drums on tour!

Last show you went to as a fan?
Last time we were in London we saw Cate Le Bon. She and her band are incredible.

Where do you live, and why do you live there?
New York City, because it's the best city in the world. There's nothing like coming home from a long US tour and coming up the NJ Turnpike with NYC looking as good as ever.

Who do you text the most?
My bandmates. We have a constant group chat going with our manager. That's where the real business happens.

How many hours do you sleep at night?
Ideally 12 to 14, but on the road, it's usually four to six.

What's your favorite quote or motto?
My favorite quote comes from my high school band teacher, Mr. Soto. "If you're on time, you're late!!!!!"

What do you do when you get offstage?
Run to the greenroom and lay in a pool of sweat for five minutes, and then run back down to sell merch!

What is your pre-performance ritual?
Back in the old days, I used to put on Van Cleef & Arpels cologne and practice along to an opera cassette. I met the guy who plays Rigoletto, and he said you should always warm-up wearing cologne and ballerina slippers. Now I just drink three Czech beers, and then I'm ready to go onstage in my Aladdin costume. It's better that way!

What's the non-music-related talent you're most proud of?
I can do this voice where I sound like I'm from every country at once.

Do you have any hobbies? What are they?
I give haircuts. I do two styles, "short" and "medium."

If you weren't a musician, what would you do?
I'd give guided tours of the East Village.

Do you collect anything?
I collect gold, perfume, treasure, and fine art.

What's your favorite quote or motto?
"My greatest desire is to be myself."—Jodorowsky

Where's the last place you went on vacation?
Vegas

What fictional television character do you most identify with?
Finnegan from Finnegans Wake

Best piece of advice you ever got?
"Don't be a tough guy."

Who do you text the most?
My mistress

Who's the last person you lied to?
My lawyer

Who's the last person you tried to impress?
Chloë Sevigny

Who was your childhood hero?
Rod Serling

Who's your hero now?
Basquiat

How many hours do you sleep a night?
15

Do you speak any other languages?
A smile is better than words.

What do you do when you get offstage?
Give a sweaty hug to whoever. Have Jack Daniels mixed with coke.

Biggest misconception about you?
That I'm a rich kid

What made you want to be a musician?
Lady Gaga

Favorite drug?
LSD

Who's the last person you tried to impress?
Jim Goad. I was interviewing him for Hustler magazine. I just tried to listen, be quiet, and let him talk. I am such a fan that I just wanted to shut up and be cool.

What's the most annoying thing in the world?
The word "selfies." Reading the instructions. People who stand up right after the airplane taxies, even though we aren't going anywhere for at least another ten minutes. Crumbs on the floor. When dust turns to lint when you are cleaning the windowsills or behind the toilet bowl. Do you want me to keep going? Everything is annoying.

Where do you live, and why do you live there?
Arcadia, California. I live here because my husband and I have no interest in being in the city center, and we wanted a bigger house with a garden, a pool, a large garage, and this is where we found one. I like big-box stores and suburbia. My Kohl's card is at the top of the pile.

What is your pre-performance ritual?
I sit in the dressing room and do my vocal warm-ups with our bass player, Caroline, as we take turns using her extra-hot professional hair straightener. Then, I do my makeup, usually for a bit too long because I am bored. I'll stomp around for a bit, ripping every item of clothing out of my suitcase. I'll refold everything, have some gin on ice to calm myself down, and go play.

Who's the last person you called on the phone?
My dermatologist.

Do you have any hobbies? What are they?
Vacuuming. Sweeping. Obsessively cleaning. And cooking. I love cooking (and cleaning up right afterward).

What book or movie do you hate that everyone else loves?
Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. All that mystical, fictional crap.

Do you collect anything?
Antiques, fur, taxidermy—also, bruises.

What's one quality you wish you possessed more of?
Patience—I wish I knew how to calm down and worry less.

What is your pre-performance ritual?
Beer.

What's the non-music-related talent you're most proud of?
We're like, professional card players.

Who's the last person you called on the phone?
A Chinese restaurant to take away.

Do you have any hobbies? What are they?
Baking, movies, theater, little games, and math.

What's the last movie you saw?
Minority Report on TV last night.

Are you involved in any type of activism or charity?
We all are actively feminists.

Do you collect anything?
Wristbands, bizarre sunglasses, and gold.

What's your favorite quote or motto?
Our shit, our rules.

Where's the last place you went on vacation?
MENORCAAAA!!!!

What fictional television character do you most identify with?
Ross from Friends.

What's your favorite joke?
One about a little ant and an elephant that are friends.

What's the last thing you bought online?
A Christmas present for Ade [Hinds bassist]!

Best piece of advice you ever got?
"El que la sigue la consigue!" ("He who goes after it, gets it!")

Who's the last person you tried to impress?
A friend from the UK who came to see us playing at the Reading and Leeds festivals.

What's the most annoying thing in the world?
Social media.

Where do you live, and why do you live there?
Madrid, because it's the best city this planet has.

Who was your childhood hero?
Harry Potter… always surviving to death.

Do you speak any other languages?
English, bad French, and few words of Vietnamese.

Last show you went to as a fan?
Slaves.

Do you vote?
Of course!

What do you do when you get offstage?
Sell merch!

What made you want to be a musician?
Just music.

Favorite drink?
Coca-Cola.

Favorite drug?
Cigarettes. Does it count? If not: molly.

What is your pre-performance ritual?
I kick all the men out of the dressing room, sip tequila, and say a prayer to Prince and Pimp C.

What's your favorite quote or motto?
"Man, sometimes it takes you a long time to sound like yourself." Miles Davis said this, and I think it's so true. Your world of creativity grows with age.

Where's the last place you went on vacation?
I took my first vacation ever recently, and it blew my mind. I went to the outskirts of Austin, Texas, and did wholesome nature things with friends. I even went to bed at 10 PM! I travel a lot but never for the explicit purpose of leisure. Shutting your phone off and jumping in a river can do wonders for the mind.

What's your favorite joke?
How many punks does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Twenty. One to hold the ladder, one to screw it in, and 18 on the guest list

What's one quality you wish you possessed more of?
I wish I had more social grace. I'm quick to end a conversation or let a loose plan slip my mind, unknowingly offending someone. I never mean harm. I just need a secretary.

Best piece of advice you ever got?
"Never believe your own hype." This is a piece of advice that lasts and lasts. No matter where your success takes you, the minute you buy into the hype and their praises, you'll lose focus and fall off.

Who's the last person you tried to impress?
Myself

Where do you live, and why do you live there?
I'm living in Mexico City, working my monthly party, Function. I'm here to make sure Function's awareness is high and meet with artists and ponder on the next collaboration.

Who was your childhood hero?
Prince was my childhood hero, and he still is. As a black man into rock 'n' roll, sexuality, and creative experimentation, it was easy to find a hero in Prince earlier on.

Last show you went to as a fan?
I was extremely bummed out last week and went to a Ceremony show with friends. I forgot what it's like to see a show purely for fun instead of work. The noise revived me.

What made you want to be a musician?
I saw Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" video, and the broomstick spoke to me. I saw Nirvana destroy instruments on MTV, and I smashed every pot and pan in the house. Their energy felt a lot like mine, so I decided to join the club.

Favorite drink?
Tequila with mineral water and lime, or mezcal and grapefruit. I can take these down all night and keep ticking, but I've been sticking to vodka soda lately. This figure ain't gonna watch itself.

Favorite drug?
Marijuana is the only dependable drug on the market.

If you weren't a musician, what would you do?
I would work a part-time job that would allow me to go to LA City College to pursue a degree in fine arts, so I could later attend an art school, where I'd work on a bachelor's degree in order to teach painting, drawing, and ceramics to underprivileged kids in South Central LA.

Are you involved in any type of activism or charity?
I'm an online activist, and I donate to three charities. I make a donation once a month to Greenpeace and donate to the Sioux Nation and Navajo relief funds a couple of times a year.

Do you collect anything?
I've got a large library of DVDs, videos, and music on vinyl, cassette, and CDs. I've run out of room!

What's your favorite quote or motto?
"Are you kidding?," "This isn't happening!," and "You ordered it!"

What fictional television character do you most identify with?
I don't watch TV unless it's a sporting event or a movie. I did like Gomez Addams from The Addams Family and Maxwell Smart from Get Smart.

What's one quality you wish you possessed more of?
I wish I had the power to click my fingers and make things appear or disappear, but that's not possible, so I wish I had more PATIENCE.

Best piece of advice you ever got?
"Go out and have fun and do what you want as long as you don't hurt anyone!"—My mom

What is your pre-performance ritual?
My DJ (Sophia Eris) initiates tequila shots before every show. No matter how hungover we are from the night before.

What's the non-music-related talent you're most proud of?
My writing. I used to write full-on novels when I was younger. I need to get back on it.

Who's the last person you called on the phone?
My brother Mikey. It's a Khloe and Rob relationship. Yes, that was a Kardashian reference, suck it.

Do you have any hobbies? What are they?
Reading! I like to read a book a month—starting Hamilton this month.

If you weren't a musician, what would you do?
Definitely a librarian with cute glasses.

What's the last movie you saw?
Waiting to Exhale. I watched it with my grrrls in the Rocky Mountains while high on weed soda.

Are you involved in any type of activism or charity?
I am a walking, talking, breathing, singing testament to Black Lives Matter and equal-opportunity feminism.

Do you collect anything?
I used to collect rocks, mostly the shiny ones I'd find in our alley in Detroit. Now I collect checks.

Where's the last place you went on vacation?
Strawberry Springs, Colorado. It's up in Steamboat, west of Denver. I went with my hardworking crew of best friends. We slayed.

What fictional television character do you most identify with?
Chuckie Finster from Rugrats.

What's your favorite joke?
Intellectual "memes" get me going.

What's one quality you wish you possessed more of?
Shit, I wish my ass were bigger.

Who's the last person you lied to?
Probably myself. It's hard for me to lie to people. But I lie to myself all the time to help me get through the day.

Where do you live, and why do you live there?
I live in LA and Minneapolis. LA because of work and Minneapolis because it rains purple.

Who was your childhood hero?
Annie Oakley, the American sharpshooter.

Last show you went to as a fan?
Beyoncé's Formation tour. Twice.

Do you vote?
The first time I could vote, I voted for Obama.

What made you want to be a musician?
My daddy. He inspired and encouraged me from a young age and made me believe it was possible.

Favorite drink?
Champagne margaritas.

What's the non-music-related talent you're most proud of?
Making accessories.

What's your favorite quote or motto?
Oh Snail! Climb nonstop to the top of Mt. Fuji!

Best piece of advice you ever got?
When Rob Halford told me to "STAY METAL!"

Who's the last person you tried to impress?
I'm not really sure, but I hope to become someone who can impress people with my singing.

Who's your hero now?
Metallica.

Do you speak any other languages?
I learned to say "hello" in German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, Indonesian, and Italian—languages of the countries I've visited.

What do you do when you get offstage?
I break the Fox God's magic spell.

What made you want to be a musician?
When I was chosen by the Fox God to be part of Babymetal.

Favorite drink?
Green tea.

What is your pre-performance ritual?
Pray! Drink water, and turn the fuck up!

What's the non-music-related talent you're most proud of?
Coming up with new ideas.

Who's the last person you called on the phone?
Dae Dae.

Do you have any hobbies? What are they?
Does shopping count?

What's the last movie you saw?
Purge 3 or Purge 4.

Are you involved in any type of activism or charity?
I give my old clothes to Goodwill every couple months.

Do you collect anything?
Money.

What's your favorite quote or motto?
What's meant to be will be.

Where's the last place you went on vacation?
Mexico.

What's your favorite joke?
Dicks out for Harambe.

What's the last thing you bought online?
A new queen-size bed!

Best piece of advice you ever got?
To live my life to the fullest while I can.

What's the most annoying thing in the world?
Somebody who talks too much.

Do you speak any other languages?
Guapaneseee.

Last show you went to as a fan?
J. Cole.

Do you vote?
YES.

What do you do when you get offstage?
Get super faded.

Biggest misconception about you?
People think I'm stuck-up. I'm cool af.

What made you want to be a musician?
It was how I expressed myself.

Favorite drug?
Mary.

What is your pre-performance ritual?
I usually cram up till the last minute getting the set right. I usually come up with some good stuff under pressure.

What's the non-music-related talent you're most proud of?
Designing—I love flexing that side of my brain, whether it's for work or not.

Who's the last person you called on the phone?
My dad.

Do you have any hobbies? What are they?
Working on random plug-in ideas and being in nature.

What's the last thing you bought online?
A Sleep Master sleep mask.

What's your favorite quote or motto?
Pipe it up.

Where's the last place you went on vacation?
Miami.

What fictional television character do you most identify with?
Fox Mulder.

What book or movie do you hate that everyone else loves?
Goonies.

What's your favorite joke?
What is Forrest Gump's AOL password? 1forrest1

What's one quality you wish you possessed more of?
Empathy.

Do you collect anything?
I'm a digital hoarder. I collect samples and plug-ins. I also love vintage clothing.

Best piece of advice you ever got?
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Who do you text the most?
My wife, Liz.

Who's the last person you lied to?
My neighbor.

Who's the last person you tried to impress?
My son.

What's the most annoying thing in the world?
People who chew with their mouth open.

Where do you live, and why do you live there?
Chicago. I've traveled everywhere, and Chicago always feels like home.

Who was your childhood hero?
Frank "Big Hurt" Thomas.

Who's your hero now?
My aunt Rosie.

Do you speak any other languages?
Nah.

Last show you went to as a fan?
Le1f and Junglepussy.

Do you vote?
Yes.

What do you do when you get offstage?
I go to my hotel room and meditate.

Biggest misconception about you?
That I like to go out.

What made you want to be a musician?
Prince—"Purple Rain."

Favorite drink?
Beer.

Favorite drug?
Tree.

What is your pre-performance ritual?
Three or four burpees and a glass of Muscle Milk with a couple spoonfuls of Metamucil and creatine.

What's the non-music-related talent you're most proud of?
I can make a very cool omelet.

Who's the last person you called on the phone?
Will Hoopes—friend, video director, and Korean BBQ specialist.

Do you have any hobbies? What are they?
Chewing my nails to perfection.

If you weren't a musician, what would you do?
Something with old people or birds.

What's the last movie you saw?
River's Edge (1986).

Do you collect anything?
Any 80s vinyl from people playing synths poorly or making sound effects.

Where's the last place you went on vacation?
St. John's, Newfoundland, and Labrador.

What fictional television character do you most identify with?
Tina from Bob's Burgers.

What book or movie do you hate that everyone else loves?
Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation. The first one had balls—it had grit.

What's one quality you wish you possessed more of?
Assertiveness.

Best piece of advice you ever got?
Don't be afraid to ask.

Who do you text the most?
Maybe my friend Evan, usually selfies from the bathroom.

Who's the last person you tried to impress?
VICE magazine readers.

What's the most annoying thing in the world?
When the washing machine eats my change.

Where do you live, and why do you live there?
Here, because space travel is still not affordable.

Who was your childhood hero?
Allen Iverson.

Who's your hero now?
John Carpenter.

How many hours do you sleep a night?
Five to seven, depending on what my cat allows

Do you speak any other languages?
Barely speak English.

Last show you went to as a fan?
Brand New with Built to Spill and Desaparecidos.

Do you vote?
Yes.

Biggest misconception about you?
I'm Thor's brother. Or Star Trek guy's brother.

Favorite drink?
Crush Birch Beer.

Favorite drug?
Cheese.

What is your pre-performance ritual?
Two tequilas. Stretching. Air punching. Sometimes I do push-ups, ya know, to pump me up.

What's the non-music-related talent you're most proud of?
I can't be beat at Mario Kart. Challenge extended…

Who's the last person you called on the phone?
A Verizon representative.

Do you have any hobbies? What are they?
Drawing monsters and ghosts.

What's the last movie you saw?
Don't Breathe. Shit had me all sorts of anxious.

What fictional television character do you most identify with?
Easy: Raphael from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I dig his style.

Best piece of advice you ever got?
"Smoke 'em if you got 'em."

Biggest misconception about you?
That I'm short. I'm actually 7' tall. Stage makes me look shorter. Shoulda played basketball.

Who do you text the most?
Tom Cruise. He hasn't replied yet, but I'm hopeful he will soon.

Do you vote?
Hell yeah!

What made you want to be a musican?
I wanted to be a professional skater until I heard Jawbreaker's 24 Hour Revenge Therapy, Fugazi's In on the Kill Taker, and Drive Like Jehu's Yank Crime when I was 12. I started the Blood Brothers when I was 15 and have played ever since.

When you're done performing, what will do you?
Gonna do it all…

This article appeared in the October issue of VICE magazine. Click HERE to subscribe.