Ben caught up with Jonny Craig from Emarosa for a chat Emarosa and his other band Dance gavin Dance, aswell as a chat about christmas, parties and much more.

How do you think tonight’s show went?
Jonny: It went pretty good man, it was a really good crowd, really good fun. I was actually really, really stoked to play tonight.

How do you find playing in the UK? Is it somewhere that you like to play?
Jonny: I love it; it’s probably one of the best places that we come. The kids are just way more appreciative of the music. It’s a lot more fun.

Obviously you’ve released an album with Emarosa this year, but you have to divide your time between other bands too, how on earth do you manage it?
It’s just all mapped out months beforehand, one month I’ll be doing Dance Gavin Dance, the other I’ll be doing Emarosa and then the next I’ll be doing solo, everything is pre-planned. I don’t like to be at home, I love to be fucked up, I love to be moving and I love to have a good time.

You have an amazingly versatile voice, it’s incredible both live and on record, but is there one particular genre that you prefer?
Thank you man, that means so much. I really strive to prove that I can do more than just record a CD, I just really want to be able to prove that I’ve got the balls and the guts to just go out there and fucking kill it every night.

I wanted to ask you about Dance Gavin Dance, you left a while back, but now you are back with them and releasing a new record. What happened?
Yeah, we had a little bit of a falling out. I was doing a lot of drugs back then when I was maybe eighteen or nineteen. Not that I don’t do drugs now, I’m not going to hide, but I was really, really fucked up when I was younger and they were just over it, they were over the arrogance and a lot of stuff. We were actually on a tour with Emarosa called Squash The Beef and we just became friends again, and they asked me if I wanted to do Downtown Battle Mountain Part 2 and I said that I’d love to. Then they got rid of Kurt (Travis) and asked me if I’d like to go back to the band full time and do both Emarosa and Dance Gavin Dance, so I said that I’d do it.

What did you think of Dance Gavin Dance when you weren’t fronting them?
To be honest, I loved all of those songs but I was listening to them thinking, ‘I could kill every one of these songs, really turn them around.’ Not that Kurt didn’t do a great job, he’s an amazing singer, but every time I listened to them I just knew, y’know?

Is it good to be back with the band?
It is, as soon as I leave here I fly home, but the next day I fly out to Portland to record Downtown Battle Mountain Part 2.

You’ve also got the two special Dance Gavin Dance shows in London next year, are you looking forward to those?
Yeah, I think they’re in May and I can’t wait.

Do you have any plans for the Christmas period?
Not really, I’m just going to spend time with my fiancée and just kick it, do some drugs, hang out, get drunk and have a good time! Christmas is always a good time to get fucked up and enjoy yourself, so that’s what I’m going to do!

Any New Years Resolutions?
Erm, I’m kind of trying to cut back on the drugs…(laughs) I’m just messin’, I think my New Years Resolution is to really try to focus more and really, really put everything I have into it instead of thinking that I should do something.

Do you think that the partying and touring comes hand in hand?
I think so, it’s not that I couldn’t tour without partying, but it makes everything so much better. You go on tour, have a bunch of drinks, just have a good time, it is what it is.

Interview By Ben Connell