A Rocket To The Moon, FBR's newest band, is already on the path to success. Front man Nick Santino left his electronic, solo efforts for a full band sound; a choice that brought him a successful release of his first EP "Greetings From" and national tours with bands like Hit The Lights, The Cab, and A Cursive Memory. Now, Santino is heading out on tour again with Secondhand Serenade and Cute is What We Aim for while writting for the upcoming full length album. We caught up with Nick during the A Cursive Memory tour to learn more about this promising band.

Cristina: How would you describe A Rocket To The Moon?
Nick: Fun, Catchy, Energetic… Dancey?

CC: Dancey?
NS: Well, people dance to it!

CC: So how do you go about writing a song?
NS: I don’t really do anything special. I just sit down with the guitar, trying to figure out some chords and then try to add words that make it sound good. Then I try to add some harmonies to it. Then everything just come together as I try to give it an overall theme. I don’t do anything too crazy with that.

CC: You changed your sound after the “Summer 07 EP”…
NS: I did that because the 07 EP was all me, all solo. From the start, I’ve wanted to do a band thing. It’s kind of boring to just sit there by yourself. So I thought this would be a good opportunity. I know a lot of haters are out there because of it…

CC: Did that worry you when you started releasing songs from “Greetings From…”
NS: I don’t care honestly. If they’re going to hate it’s because they think I sound like everybody else. I think a lot of the time now it’s a dumb reason like, their friends are starting to listen to me and they’re all mad because I’m not their little secret anymore. That’s happened more times that you can imagine.

CC: Well, you’re signed to Fueled By Ramen now, so that’s going to be hard
NS: Yeah it’s not my fault. It’s my job. I guess if you want me to be your personal musician then…

CC: But did you change your sound after you were signed to FBR?
NS: No, I actually recorded the EP beforehand. I mean, I played Bamboozle full band and that was back in May. I was signed to FBR around July.

CC: So how has it been since then, being signed to one of the most influential labels…
NS: It’s been amazing. We’re all just a huge family there. I can contact and talk to everyone there. All their bands support each other.

CC: Cool, I’m assuming you are a huge fan of some of the bands there…
NS: Oh yeah. From the start I’ve always wanted to be a part of that family so it is a dream come true.

CC: So how did FBR find out about you?
NS: I think they just heard our music and found out about us that way. We had an acoustic version of “Dakota” that they like and I guess they did their research. Next thing you know, I’m on the phone with their owner. And I’ve met them before at Bamboozle so it didn’t take too much persuading.

CC: Do you have plans for a full album sometime soon?
NS: Probably sometime next summer. We are currently writing for it so we’re planning to record around January…

CC: Well, you’ve acquired a significant fan base for only releasing a five song EP
NS: I like to hear that, thank you. It’s awesome. “Greetings From…” is my first real release. “Summer 07” I did all on my own. I put it up on Itunes myself and printed out the copies. It’s actually nice to have something. Now there’s a Rocket t-shirt in Hot Topic, it’s crazy.

CC: Yeah, your myspace fanbase is insane.
NS: It’s funny cause I started putting my stuff up on myspace before I even started touring. Kids started liking it. But at the time it was all electronic, just me and a computer. Back then I had a lot of free time so I would just do all these songs. By the end of 07, I had 30 songs that I kept recycling on myspace. Kids just started telling their friends about it and it just kind of grew from there.

CC: So, you just toured with The Cab, This Providence, and Hey Monday…
NS: Yes! Everybody on that tour was great. We hung out all the time and tried to get the same hotels. It was awesome. We had a tour with Hit The Lights too before that which was amazing.

CC: It seems that you take the time to really build relationships with your tourmates.
NS: Yeah. I mean you’re meeting bands that I’m fans of. I’ve been a This Providence fan for years, so it was just surreal getting to tour with them. Now we’re really good friends.

CC: You’ve been touring nonstop…
NS: Yeah and we have a tour coming up with Secondhand Serenade, Cute Is What We Aim For, and Secondhand Serenade. Then we’re off to the studio.

CC: So what can people expect from this CD in the works? I guess your fans don’t know if you’re sticking to the EP or going back to the old sound or what you’re doing…
NS: ha, probably it is going to be more like “Greetings From,” but I would still like to add an electronic vibe to it. So expect a really fun, catchy, pop kinda album that you can still listen to a couple of years later and it will remind you of that summer that you got the album.

CC: The Academy Is… had that vibe going on their new CD.
NS: Exactly! I would love to put an album out like The Starting Line, or The Rocket Summer’s “Hello, Good Friend.” Every time I listen to it, I remember the summer I bought it so I want that type of influential album.

CC: So in that topic, what are some of your influences...
NS: I love The Beatles. But then I’m into stuff like Johny Cash. I don’t influence myself from one genre or band specifically.

CC: Interesting, would you eventually try to incorporate all of those things to what you have going on now,
NS: Yeah for sure. But I would have to learn how to ease into it. After scaring people with the full band sound of the EP I have to be careful. But good thing I got that out of the way *laughs*

CC: So you were a little nervous!
NS: I guess I was scared about how people would take it. I knew a lot of people were going to be haters. But I felt that I just had to change. I felt that I kept doing the EP style, I would fall into a category of just electronic music. And I’ve always wanted to turn Rocket into a full band thing. But I wanted to form a band that would sound unique; instead of having people saying we sound like someone else, I wanted to be the one people compared new bands with. As cocky as it sounds, I guess that’s my ultimate goal.

CC: So you want to be the type of band that just keeps doing their thing and has their own style.
NS: Yes, and I want to be the Jonas Brothers *laughs*

CC: That would dramatically change your fan base… You’re worried people are hating you for getting famous now just wait…
NS: No but seriously, imagine if I toured with them. I would just explode over night.

CC: *laughs* I didn’t know you wanted to be a teen, heartthrob
NS: Not really their style, but I would love to be young and have all the success their having.

CC: So you’re going the whole way…
NS: That’s what I’m in it for… I wouldn’t be in it for any other reason. Why would I settle for less? I want to see how far this can take.

CC: So what are some of your long term goals?
NS: I want to do this for life. I don’t want to fade out a year from now.
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