How long have you been in music, punk rock in general? Or do you even consider yourself part of punk?
I don't...punk rock is a haircut. [laughter] It's just a label. If I came out and did Michael Bolton songs and I had a purple mohawk I'd be a punk Michael Bolton. So I don't even consider myself punk rock, really. I got interested what is termed that because I used to like the Kinks a lot, the first Kinks record. And I was always bummed because it seemed like I had to be a lot older to have listened to it. Then I heard the Ramones and the Sex Pistols and all that. Between that old Kinks record and what's now considered punk, there was like Blue Oyster Cult and stuff. And I thought I'd never get to play music. At least not play shows. And then I heard punk rock and went "Oh, I can do that." That's what I've been doing in this band that made their whole life that first Kinks record.

So is that a lot of your influences, the Kinks, Ramones...?
That's hard to say. I've been playing music in one form or another practically since I was a baby. I mean, I like a lot of different stuff. One of my favorite records is Ricky Scaggs Live in London, which is complete double bass country and western.

So you're not picky, huh?
No. Like I told you before, I write songs and show up to practice and that's all I do.

What do you guys do on tour to keep you busy?
We've only had three days off over the past few weeks. Yesterday we had the day off and we went to the beach in Maine, that's why I'm all sunburned. It's called Old Orchard Beach or something, thought it was some rustic, New England type thing. God, it was mayhem: girls in string bikinis with their big jock boyfriends. It was a mess, but it was fun. But that's about all we do, is sit around. Maybe go to the beach, throw a baseball. Nothing really exciting. We don't party much or anything like that.

Do you work at home or is this your job?
No, I work. I move furniture, that's my job. But I don't want to do that very long so I hope something happens. I don't want to get rich, but...when I get home I'm getting married. I've got a 4-year-old daughter, so...

That's not her on the album cover, is it?
Yeah. The two people on it are my wife and daughter.

Oh, I thought that it was just some picture you came across and used for the cover.
No, we made that. I'm glad that you thought that, though, 'cause that was the whole purpose. We had to sneak into that place for the picture.

Well you fooled me. So what was the whole inspiration behind that?
What, "Food Stamp BBQ"?

Is that what it's like up there in Washington?
Yeah, I think that's one of the biggest problems right now. A lot of people want something for nothing, and they want to do their own thing.

So is that kinda tongue-in-cheek, or is it supposed to be a political statement?
A little of both. It's just, in a nutshell, a big problem. The whole point to Goodbye Harry is, you know how it says "LLLTHL" [on their logo]?

Yeah. I didn't know what that meant; I was gonna ask you.
It stands for "Low Lifes Living The High Life." And it's all about we don't have any money, we know the cheapest beers, we have friends that are drug addicts 'cause we know that they'll sell stuff really cheap, and we get a lot of equipment that way. It's almost like we want to put out a handbook on how to have a band and have fun and get by with no money. And drug addicts are a good key. If you know somebody who's getting up on crystal or crank, go ask them for a stereo. You'll get one for ten bucks. So we'll put out a catalog with tips eventually.

So is this a serious band you want to keep going or is it just something to keep you busy.
No, I love this band. Like I told you before, this record we made is the closest thing to what I like. It's my favorite record I've ever made.

Do you have any plans for a new album? You did a couple new songs tonight.
Oh yeah, we're working on some new stuff. The one song my daughter wrote. The one about monsters; it was like second to last song we did. She wrote all the words. 'Cause I sit down at night and play the guitar, and then I ask her what she wants me to sing. She never says "This Old Man" or anything like that. She just says "How about..." and starts singing. So I start putting it to music and that one came out really cool.

Is that going to be on the next album?
Yeah.

You going to give her lyrical credit, too?
Yeah, then maybe she'll be getting BMI checks. That'd be kinda cool.

That's where I stopped taping, though we kept talking for a while longer. Scott told of the time Green Day accused All of being rock stars for leaving their speakers on stage at a show--"They called us rock stars, and now they're the biggest f***ing thing around!" He ended with his goal in life, which is to make enough money to live on, and to be a thorn in major labels' sides: get a good, solid following for Goodbye Harry, and then be able to fart into the phone when David Geffen calls...

Goodbye Harry, c/o Cruz Records, P.O. Box 7756, Long Beach, CA 90807