Treaty of Paris is Airport Tapes and Record’s first band from Chicago, IL. They are a relatively new band with a great future ahead of them and after sitting down to talk to TOP’s drummer, Chris, it is easy to see that this band is sure to blow up just like other big-name bands hailing from Chicago. Make sure to pick up their new album, Sweet Dreams, Sucker, which came out this past fall and see why Treaty of Paris should be your new favorite band.

Amanda:  Can you explain how Treaty of Paris was formed?
Chris:  Well we were all in three different bands but, we were all friends. Phil, our guitar player was in a band. And then, Brandon Mike and Dan were all in a band together. And Phil wanted join up with them and leave his band at the time. So they started rehearsing and ended up doing a secret show in a club in Chicago as a practice for a bigger show the next day in Chicago. They used the name Treaty of Paris for that one show and it ended up sticking.

What was it like being approached by Andrew McMahon about being apart of his label Airport Tapes and Records?
It was awesome. We all are big fans of Jack’s Mannequin and Something Corporate. We look up to him as a musician and a person so the fact that he was interested and believed in our band enough to want to take us on as his first band was like the coolest thing in the world. It was amazing because we were just honored to work with him and have someone like him who so many people love.

What are the band’s biggest musical influences?
For our music, Motion City Soundtrack, definitely Jack’s Mannequin, Jimmy Eat World, Foo Fighters, and Weezer. Those are the bands we draw from the most as far as guys we look up to and music we like to make us who we are.

Do you feel like your new album, Sweet Dreams, Sucker was received well by your fans?
I think so. There were a few songs on the record that we rerecorded from the first EP so we were a little
nervous that people would be like, “Oh, those are just rerecorded songs and you guys should have done all new stuff.” Most of the stuff is new, but we just tried to make those as close as we could to the EP, just better production wise and so far everyone has really dug it, which is great. We worked really hard on it and it seems like our fans like it too so we are pretty excited about it.

What’s your favorite song on the new album and why?
Mine right now is Quits. That song actually was a song we were sure was going to make the record when we were driving to California. And I was like this is cool but we don’t know and it turned out to be one of the coolest songs and it made track 3 on the record. So I’d say right now that’s my favorite song on the record.

What’s your favorite part about being in Treaty of Paris?
Definitely the touring. We are all really good friends. When I had joined the band it became and easy transition to just be playing in a band with my friends. So traveling around, for right now the United States and a little bit of Canada, and meeting new people and promoting ourselves is definitely the best part.

What bands would you like to tour with in the future?
Well obviously the one’s we are influenced by would be the coolest. Jimmy Eat World or Motion City Soundtrack, Jack’s Mannequin. Those are the bands we would want to tour with in the future. Right now we are on tour with The Spill Canvas and it’s been like the best tour we have ever been on and the guys are awesome. We would hope to do more with them as well.

How well do you feel that your fans supported you over the years?
We have awesome fans. They are super loyal, they’re always there. Every time we play at home we always see the same faces and a lot of new ones too but they have been super supportive throughout everything. We are still new, it’s only been a few years since Treaty of Paris has been a band so there has been a lot of roll-over from the guys other bands, so that helped too, to have them come over and support the new project. So they have been awesome.

What was the worst show experience you have ever had?
Worst show… oh, I got it! We played in Pennsylvania at this coffee house and this promoter guy was so weird. It was raining that day and we were on tour, it was a tour we had put together ourselves, Phil our guitar player had done it. In Westchester, PA we played upstairs in a little coffee place and the load in was treacherous because it was a wooden staircase that just went up and around. We ended up playing for like eight people and we played good but, we didn’t get paid, he booked and took all the money, and there was no one there, it was really dirty, just gross, and we just wanted to get out of there. So to-date that was probably the worst show we have ever played

In listening to the new record, what do you hope your fans will take away from it?
I hope they see it as a growth. When I see bands that I’m into I like to see growth. Like, “Okay, they did this record and this song so what are they going to try and do next to better themselves?” I just hope that people see it as a record that they can listen to everyone song and connect with each one of them. The dream is to have a record with no fillers, like each song is cool. I hope they can take away that we tried our best to make a record that is straight through, everyone song is listenable, and they can enjoy every one of them.

How is your current tour going?
It’s amazing all the bands are great. We’re all such huge fans of The Spill Canvas (Meg & Dia and PlayRadioPlay are great as well). We wish we could’ve stayed out longer because we’re having the best time. The guys are super nice and they are amazing. We look up to them as musicians as well. When you get to tour with bands you look up to is just the coolest thing in the world. This is our eight or ninth show and I feel like we have been on for months.

What are your plans after this tour?
After this tour we are going out with our “best friend band,” Ludo. They’re amazing and we are doing most of the month of December with them. And then the first of the year we are gonna do a big hometown show and then late winter/spring we have things in the stirrer right now, but just getting out and promoting the record as much as possible.

What’s your favorite city to play?
LA was amazing. I think just once we played The Knitting Factory in Hollywood and that was awesome. I always like playing the Midwest, playing in St. Louis and Minnesota is always a great time. LA was great I love the warm weather and the West coast is amazing and just any Midwest state, the kids always come out and it’s always so much fun.

What are you listening to right now?
Right now I’m listening to the new Every Time I Die record, which is amazing, new Motion City, new Spill Canvas, the new Honorary Title record is really good, and the Bled record is really good.

Did you guys dress up for Halloween?
Yeah we did. It was totally last minute. We were hanging out in Grand Rapids and had the next day at The Metro in Chicago, which is the coolest place for us at this level to play a bigger venue and it’s our favorite place. So we weren’t doing anything and last minute we were like, “Why don’t we dress up like we dressed up in our video?” So unfortunately I had to wear a towel and that’s it, no shirt, and I have rules about drummers not wearing shirts. Everyone dressed up, Phil wore his jockey costume. So it was pretty cool and funny.

This or That

Something Corporate or Jack’s Mannequin?
Jack’s Mannequin

Small or large venues?
Right now I’d say small they are more intimate.

Cell phone or iPod?
I’m gonna say cell phone, especially on tour.

City or small town?
City

Black or White?
Black

Chicago or NYC?
Chicago

Day or Night?
Night

Summer or winter?
Summer

Indoor show or outdoor show?
Indoor. Outdoor shows are weird the sound bounces around like crazy and it’s hard to hear.

That’s all the questions I have, anything you’d like to add?
Just please keep up on everything we have coming up. We have a new website we’re launching soon, treatyofparismusic.com, our myspace, we are always updating with shows, myspace.com/treatyofparis, and our record Sweet Dreams, Sucker pick it up in stores or online.


Amanda Agueda is a staff writer with Musiqtone. You can reach her at amandaagueda@musiqtone.com.






(C) 2007 Musiqtone. All Rights Reserved. Any part of this interview cannot be used without written express consent from both the representatives of Treaty of Paris and Musiqtone.