"I met Vince in a strip club ... no, uh, in a prison cell in Atlanta, Georgia ... no, how did we meet, Vince?" asks Dennis Manuel, drummer for the D.C./Maryland-based band Army of Me, as he tries to explain how the band formed.
"Let's just say for the sake of the interview that we met on a porch in College Park," vocalist-guitarist Vince Scheuerman replied. "We talked about starting a band and taking over the world."
Army of Me has yet to take over the world, but on Saturday night it certainly took over D.C.'s Black Cat with an energetic and engaging set that indicated potential for world domination. Superchunk, an indie-rock band with strong instrumentals and horrific vocals followed Army of Me's performance. The Rosebuds opened for both bands, playing the first set of the night to a fairly empty Black Cat, which grew crowded as the night went on.
Army of Me has experienced several changes since Scheuerman and Manuel's meeting, the most recent change being the addition of guitarist Brad Tursi, who first performed with the band Saturday. Scheuerman and Tursi bonded over Jeff Buckley before Brad joined Army of Me to replace guitarist Rob Pierangeli, who left to start his own band.
Army of Me has also changed its name as it has evolved.
"We were called Cactus Patch for a while, then about a year and half ago we changed our name," said Vince, explaining that the name Army of Me comes from a Bjork song, and offering up a pile of old Cactus Patch stickers and patches that are now, for the most part, useless.
The band hails primarily from Maryland, though Tursi grew up in Connecticut. Several of the members live in D.C., but they get around - Army of Me is known far beyond the District and has collected what appears to be a rather large following around the eastern part of the U.S.
"Most of our fan base is probably on the East Coast, with probably our biggest group here in D.C.," said Scheuerman. "We started touring basically everywhere east of the Mississippi, so we've scattered fans all over."
Army of Me is currently not signed to any record label, and distributes its CDs by selling them off its web site and at shows. The band is looking to sign, but it's clear that the band is not just about getting big and selling out.
"I will not stop until my face is on a toothbrush," Manuel joked. "You know, the kind that wiggles?"
Jokes aside, the band is down to earth and embraces its fan base with open arms. Scheuerman, who insists that he reply to every fan's e-mails, explained that Army of Me's success should be attributed to its fans and thus tries to reach out to these fans both in person and online. Scheuerman's geniality, as well as that of the rest of the band, was evident after Army of Me's set when the members gathered around the merch table to greet fans.
With his generous attitude towards the public, Scheuerman will have no problem achieving his pseudo-serious goal of being elected president in 2004.
"I'm running for president," Scheuerman stated in a very serious and important tone. "My platform is basically that everything's free. It's called the Free Party ... There will be free Cheerios and Froot Loops."
Free cereal may not be enough to sway most voters next year, but Scheuerman's intense vocals and charismatic stage presence is certain to draw new fans at every Army of Me show. The band's live performance is unique and each member has a different eccentric quality he brings to the stage.
Bassist John Hutchins has a unique style that is highly unlike the barely-moving, head-bobbing bass player that resides in the background of most bands. He moves around the stage far more than most, kicking his feet and dancing. Hutchins' engaging energy is offset by the rest of the band. Tursi, for instance, grinned widely, the excitement of playing his first show with Army of Me made evident throughout the set. As a whole, the band carries such passion to its live show that it is more than clear that the members are having the time of their lives on stage.
Army of Me is a band that is not to be missed. For those who have yet to experience the band live, Army of Me will likely perform at George Washington University Nov. 8.
For more information, show dates and MP3s, check out Army of Me's web site at www.armyofmeonline.com.
