TRISTAN JEMSEK - DOGBRETH
Name: Tristan Jemsek
Band: Dogbreth
Duties: Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist
Saying that your friend’s band rules can sometimes be an overused and hollow statement but in the case of Tristan’s band, Dogbreth, they 100% totally rule. I met Tristan in the summer of 2010 when he helped me book a Phoenix date for one of my old band’s tours. We didn’t get to spend much time together during our initial meeting but throughout the years we’ve been able to catch up and see how our bands have changed, progressed, and everything else that comes with being in a band. Earlier this year in January, I was in Phoenix and I was able to get my hands on Dogbreth’s 7” Get Out. Now I always find myself constantly putting on that record. It’s a great feeling when music is able to get you through the day and it’s even cooler when those particular tunes are being made by a friend that you know really submerges himself into his or her music. I guess that I would group Dogbreth into the “pop punk” category and while I strongly dislike that term, they bring it with happy sing alongs that make you smile but can immediately wipe it off with their aggressive power pop riffs. I was able to play a couple of shows with Dogbreth and Diners (Tristan also plays in this band) last month and they absolutely killed it. There’s a line in one of Dogbreth’s songs “Autopilot” that kind of made me have a personal revelation of sorts when I first heard it - “I don’t want to live my life, I don’t want to live my life on autopilot….autopilot” So there ya go. Get out there, meet new people, do new things, and check out Dogbreth and Diners.
Goofy
How do you like your coffee?
I like drip coffee best, like from a coffee maker. Working at coffee shops for years actually really turned me off to fancy coffee. I like it as simple as possible. I’ll take a little cream or similar substance if I’m drinking it on an empty stomach, but otherwise “black as midnight on a moonless night”
(Love the Twin Peaks reference)
What was the last thing that truly scared the living shit out of you?
Probably the last (and only) time I was on a rollercoaster like 6 or 7 years ago. Space Mountain in Disneyland. “Not that bad” according to most people I talk to, but to me it was just terrifying.
Favorite dog breed?
I love all dogs but I definitely get extra mushy around Black Labs, Pitbulls, Bassett Hounds and Westies.
What’s the first song or band that comes to mind if you were on a mission to become a professional weight lifter and you needed some body building jams?
“What’s Love Got To Do With It” by Tina Turner.
Supposedly “Tristan” was one of the Knights of the Round Table. The Cornish/Welsh roots of your name supposedly indicate that your name may mean “clanking swords” in the medieval sense. If you were an Arthurian legend, what would you choose as your battle weapon?
Probably a battle axe. When I was younger I was part of a medieval reenactment group and I actually have a battle axe somewhere, I think it’s at my Mom’s house.
Physically/geographically, where are you currently located as you answer this interview?
In bed, in my (soon to be) old house in the Coronado neighborhood of Phoenix.
What’s the square root of 1500? (Don’t use a calculator)
23
The answer is actually 38.7
Hollywood is going to do a movie based on your life. Who would you rather have depict you – Sylvester Stallone or Jack Nicholson?
Jack Nicholson
Fear is _____________ .
“what the lizards want”
Personal
Your last name is Jemsek. Do you have any knowledge of where your last name originates or where it comes from?
It’s a mistake! From what I understand, when my great, great, great grandparents immigrated here from Russia the people at Ellis Island wrote the name down wrong. Their original name was Demchuk.
Besides music, what makes you happy?
I’m pretty social, so hanging with friends. Drinking soda. My partner Erin and our dog Quark are awesome and make me happy every day. And movies! I really love watching movies either at home (on VHS) or in the theater.
Back home, when you’re not playing music, what do your days typically consist of?
Sometimes I work at my friends’ restaurant, other times I lay in bed and watch wrestling on You Tube.
Are there any professions you would have liked to pursue or that you would currently like to pursue?
Professional Wrestler.
Name some artists that people would be surprised to know that you enjoy.
This is kind of a hard one because I’m not sure what people would assume I don’t like. I don’t believe in “guilty pleasures” or “liking it ironically” and am pretty open about the music I listen to. But I can imagine someone that knows me just casually being surprised by my love for Pantera.
While on tour, how do you pass the time during long drives on the road?
Well I’m working on kicking the habit but I have a pretty big Craigslist problem. I’ll use my smart phone to obsessively check the Craigslists of all the different cities we’re playing for cool guitar pedals and whatever other stuff.
You currently live in Phoenix. Do you have any favorite local bands?
Yeah there are so many great bands here. And I’m lucky enough to be able to play supporting roles in a lot of them (I play in around 10 bands) like Diners, Hiccups, Liam and the Ladies, Blanche Beach, Drainbow, Hug of War, Nu Metal Boyfriend, The GemSeekers, Bohemian Club, and Thrill of it All. And there are also a lot of bands that I love that I DON’T play in, like Skinny Shamans, Amadou’s Qrew, JJCNV, Mr Atomm’s Bombs, Treasure MammaL Andrew Jackson Jihad and Rumspringer, just to name a few.
Name some albums that are currently ruling your stereo at the moment.
“Georgia” by Werewolves , “Food Shelter Water” by Ok Vancouver Ok, “Something Wild” by Radiator Hospital and the new Joyride! LP are currently in heavy rotation.
Dogbreth
When did Dogbreth start?
2010
How did the name Dogbreth come about?
Just from trying to think of a name I liked that wasn’t a cultural reference like every other name I gave my songwriting projects. Some people ask if it’s a Replacements reference, because Dogbreath was their original name, but it is not. I didn’t know I liked the Replacements until after starting this project and going on tour with my friends iji and Mega Bog. They played me “Tim” and that changed everything.
How many lineups has the band gone through so far?
Probably 3 or 4 at least.
Out of the Dogbreth discography, do you have any favorite material that you have done or is it pretty equal across the board?
Generally speaking I always like the most recent songs best I guess, because they’re the easiest for me to feel connected to. But I like a lot of the old songs too, different ones kind of come in and out of favor with me.
Do your songs have a common lyrical theme or would you say each album is a bit different?
Yeah well since I, you know, write songs about my feelings there are definitely some common themes that pop up. But my feelings tend to change often so I don’t think I’ve been repeating myself too much so far. And Erin has started contributing lyrics as well. So that helps mix it up.
Are there any songs that are tough for you to play due to any type of emotional attachment or meaning?
Yeah, definitely.
You’re currently on tour with a band called Diners. Tell me a little about them.
Yeah Diners is the project of Tyler Broderick, who I met on Myspace when he was 16. He’s one of the best, hardest working songwriters I know. He lives his life with songs in his head. Getting to be around him and play music with him has been really inspiring to me.
How long has the tour been so far? (I did this interview while Tristan was on tour)
Well we’re actually home now because I took forever to finish this interview but it was a 5 week tour!
I read an interview that you did 2 years ago where you said that one of your worst shows was in Austin and that metal heads started throwing beers cans and throwing folded lawn chairs at you guys. Jokingly, you said to the audience that you had once been pulled over and you said you had a Morbid Angel CD in your car and got you off the hook. Any weird/hostile shows since then?
Only one really comes to mind. We’ve been pretty lucky with having great shows on tour. But yeah there was one in Escondido, CA that went for way too long. There was something like 6 or 7 bands on it. And the vibe was weird because there weren’t many people there, and the kid doing sound with the “poop” backpack and the skateboard pumped mall-style metal-core super loud over the PA between bands. Oh and the venue had weird club lighting. We were second to last, and during our set a dude who was waiting patiently all night to see his friend’s band just couldn’t take it any longer and started yelling rude things at us and chanting the name of his friend’s band. It was funny though, because during his friend’s set he just sat and watched Jurassic Park on the TV behind the bar.
Does the band have any favorite cities to play?
I’m usually really excited about every place we go to. There’s usually something special about every city, whether it’s a cool soda you can only get there, or a special restaurant, or a nearby river or something. But we’ve recently been pretty infatuated with the punx in Vancouver, BC. And Seattle is always the best. And Bloomington, IN too.
Any plans on writing or recording any time soon?
Yeah we just finished a new full-length that will hopefully be available in October. And I just finished writing some songs for an EP that we’ll start working on soon.
Do you have any questions or last comments?
Hey sorry it took me so long to finish this, dude! Hope this works for you.
end.
You can check out Dogbreth and Diners at:
Chris.
