SHIHAD

Edited transcript of the Live Chat with Shihad on Thursday, Oct 26 2000

Moderator: Hi John, how are you and where are you?
Shihad: i am at home writing the new record

Moderator: How did you go at ARIAs and did you party afterwards?
Shihad: good and yes :)

Moderator: Fish_for_Monkeys: how did shihad feel about those people coming up on stage at the aria performance?
Shihad: it made it all very exciting and was probably the first awards ceremony where that has happened so it was different and exciting, bring it on, we loved it

Moderator: cee: what was it like playing at the Aria's in front of all your peers.
Shihad: well when i was on stage i wasnt really thinking about it just thinking about the performance but when it was over i could open my eyes and i saw the grinspoon guys going "rocks" so it was really good hehe

Moderator: zentor: do you have any funny stories from the after awards party?
Shihad: none that you could print in the chat rooms heheheh actually i had my photo taken with Michael Klim heheh i just had to do it

Moderator: cee: are you going to do any tours in the next year within australia?
Shihad: i would say definately, maybe in december there will be a few shows around australia, a few select city shows

Moderator: steve: today at school we had to play for a music exam and im usally fine with nerves and singing infront half a school and stuff like that but i noticed today the nerves coming on and this has never happend before. i was wondering if you have n-e tips for controlling unwanted nerves?
Shihad: the thing is, nerves are a good source of energy, for what we do, if i'm not nerveous before a show i'm more worried than if i'm relaxed, if you can focus before a show you can channel it into the show apart from that drink a bottle of scotch.. hehehehheehheh

Moderator: wurm: Is there any special meaning behind the name shihad and how did you come up with it?
Shihad: i HATE that question hahhaha..... at the time of coming up with it it meant a big loud bang, its a modified version of the arabic holy war and we just wanted to be bigger and louder than anyone else, thats why we wanted to keep it the same

Moderator: angelb: what was it like winning the awards you got at the NZ music awards
Shihad: awards are cool and stuff but... its still nothing compared to hearing your music sound really really good after playing a live show or after a good recording

Moderator: You have a great website, who designed it and do you guys get to look at it?
Shihad: yes we do, karl does the technical side of it and as far as the way it looks its a lot of ideas passing between the band members we have complete control over it, we own it "yay" and control "yay"

Moderator: KinettiLURVES: What do you think of all this napster stuff?
Shihad: i think its an updated version of tape swapping, at first i was wary of it as an artist but now i feel that if you hear of a band through it and love it you will go and buy the cd, you'll want the artwork, the lyrics

Moderator: Fish_for_SHIHAD`ROCK: are we going to hear the new stuff your writing at the big day out (if you're going) and a new cd around the corner?
Shihad: definately a new cd hopefully in the middle of next year, but a few singles should be out before then, but the cd should be bigger, better and LOUDER

Moderator: zentor: Do you still live in new zealand or are you in Australia now?
Shihad: we live in melbourne now, we have been here for about 18 months now we are quite happy here, we live in brighton were i can make a lot of noise

Moderator: wurm: How do you wind down after playing a gig?
Shihad: hahaha i ....... can't really say hahahaha

Moderator: enhance: Where is your favourite place to play?
Shihad: too many to say, we have been to spain, italy, london, usa, NY was great, the metro was great, we supported AC/DC, we have been together a long time and there are too many to do that question any real justice

Moderator: zentor: what is the funiest thing a fan has ever given you?
Shihad: a pair of knicker with "SPANK ME" written on them hahahhaa

Moderator: Kiisyr2: Do you date fans?
Shihad: my girlfriend would kill me

Moderator: Kiisyr2: Do you answer fan mail personally?
Shihad: i check out the guestbook on our web site and if a letter makes it though to me yes, i do , but i found the guestbook on our web site the quickest way as we check that every day

Moderator: cee: If you could do a duet with any artist who would you choose and why?
Shihad: phil from grinspoon, because his voice is almost as good as mine hahahah

Moderator: enhance: if you werent in the music industry what would you be doing now?
Shihad: i've thought about it but i haven't found anything i would be into after 10 years i don't think i could do anything else, I LOVE MY JOB

Moderator: Kiisyr2: Whats your favourite song on the album? Why?
Shihad: that is a tough one, i like the song general electic to play but lyrically brightest star is my fav, don't get me wrong, i like all of them :)

Moderator: steve: what kind of guitar do you play?
Shihad: i've just swapped to maton which is aussie, and they have made me a jonny shihad special black model, and the best bit, if i smash one on tv they will give me another one

Moderator: steve: yo the dude who sings (excuse me i dont know your names) but do you actually play a guitar or is that a body without strings?
Shihad: naaaaaahhhh, its the OTHER guy who plays backup for me, i'm a guitarist who has to sing rather than a singer who has to play guitar hahahah

Moderator: enhance: what colour are your favourite undies?
Shihad: hahahahaha pink.. hahhahaah.... no no no.... white cotton hahah they are my fav undies, functional.....

Moderator: KinettiLURVES: Are you disapointed you didnt win anything at the ARIA's? ( I love you heaps - youre brill. I love you SHIHAD!)
Shihad: not too disappointed becuase we did what we set out too which was to play live and have everyone see, ooh, and to turn up in a hovercraft, it was waaayy cool, .... and thanks for liking up heaps, you have great taste :)

Moderator: Fish_for_SHIHAD`ROCK: where any of you parts of different bands, like, before you formed?
Shihad: no this is the first band i've been in, and for the others, we have been together for 11 years, we met when we were 17 yrs old at school and we are in the same band.... which is weird

Moderator: Kiisyr2: What do you think of Killing Heidis' effort at the ARIA's? comment from Fish_for_SHIHAD`ROCK: shihad, you should've won best rock album, if not best album, Killing Heidi are great, but you rock so much louder and harder!
Shihad: cheers, i really like ella as a person, actually i like the whole band, i think they had a good year and that was pretty much what happened at the aria's, i know we rock harder and thats the main thing..... so does my mum hahah

Moderator: Kiisyr2: Who is your lighting operator?
Shihad: we have a different one all the time so i can't answer that

Moderator: enhance: do you do a have different shows for different countries, or is it just one show that is simular for each place you go to?
Shihad: we like to sort out a set for the tour and pretty much take that show around the whole tour with slight changes in the tour it means you nail it doing it that way, it means everyone does what they should at the right time

Moderator: Fish_for_SHIHAD`ROCK: Oooh, just wanted to ask this: Earlier this year you toured with Filter, who happen to be my fave band, followed by yous, which is why i'll never forgive myself for not going! I just wanna know what are Richard Patrick and the other Filter Guys like?
Shihad: the band were cool but richard patrick was a bit of a dissapointment, but the crew were totally nice though.... BUT WE ROCK HARDER

Moderator: Kiisyr2: Did you enjoy playing at Rockit on Sunday? I was there and you guys rocked!!
Shihad: yeah that was awesome, awesome, awesome.... that would be one of my fav gigs for the year

Moderator: cee: do you see yourself as a band being around for a long time?
Shihad: yes, we still have lots more music and won't stop until completely empty and my hair has receded all the way

Moderator: Kiisyr2: Whats the craziest gig you've ever done?! and.. What's your favourite lolly?
Shihad: lolly- i like red frogs hehe and the craziest gig was the sydney big day out becuase it was sooooooo hot

Moderator: enhance: what do you think of the Australian music industry, for eg do aussie bands support each other or is there a rivalry?
Shihad: i think the industry supports the local music more than NZ, there are more chances for ppl to do this professionally its always going to be competative but a certain amount is healthy so you can be the best you can . but we just pick out the bands and people we like and hang out with them

Moderator: DeepFreeze: Shihad any chance of u's comign to rockhampton in qld cause u would have heaps of people go to your concert if u did come here
Shihad: yes but thats only from the flakey lead singers point of view and i don't organize the shows but i would love to

Moderator: angelb: are you playing the big day out this year? Any tour details?
Shihad: no we aren't playing the big day out this year as we are busy making this album, but we have a short tour in december at selected dates

Moderator: Thanks for chatting to us. you have a great army of fans and we hope we can chat to you again some time from now.
Shihad: SHIHAD ROCKS