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New Trier News

The student news site of New Trier High School

New Trier News

The student news site of New Trier High School

New Trier News

An Interview with Triple A

Q&A with New Trier Seniors Dennis, Jonathan, and Todd Anastos and Junior Nathan Garrett

Q: What are each of your roles in the band?

 T.A: I am the keyboard player and lead singer.

D.A: I play the bass guitar, violin, and sing backup vocals here and there.

J.A: I play guitar in the band. I also write songs.

Garrett: I play drums in Triple A and am the mediator in brother-versus- brother fights.

 

 Q: How and when did Triple A get started?

 D.A: My brothers and I all played instruments growing up…It was only a matter of time before the idea of a band was put out there. In 7th grade, we played our first gig as Triple A.

 J.A: We would play shows [and] lots of local events. In the summer going into 8th grade, we asked Nathan to play drums for us.

 

 Q: How would you characterize your songwriting and collaboration process?

 Garrett: We’re in the works of writing and recording in a studio. Usually when writing music, someone will have a riff or piano part they have been playing around with, and we’ll all jam on it for a while.

 

 Q: What is the band’s favorite original song to play?

T.A: We like performing an original entitled Back To Stay. We’ve performed it many times, and we’ve received great [responses]. We’re still working on fine-tuning a recording of it, but stay tuned.

 

 Q: You recently played at the House of Blues in Chicago. How did that happen for you?

 D.A: Like most “breaks,” [it] happened with a little bit of luck and good timing.

J.A: We played an event at The Alley in Highwood and soon afterwards, we were referred to a local music music promoter. They needed a band to play at the House of Blues, and we would never pass up the opportunity to play at such a cool venue.

 

 Q: What is your favorite part about performing?

 D.A: My favorite part about performing is the freedom you get from it. You can be anyone you want to be on stage.

 Garrett: It’s just fun doing what we like to do and entertaining people. I also love Jonathan’s ridiculous guitar solos. They make me laugh for some reason.

 J.A: My favorite part is putting a smile on the listeners’ faces.

 

 Q: Most of the band members are high school seniors. What will Triple A look like in the next year or so?

 D.A: Next year will definitely be a challenge for us. However, we’re looking to do a lot in terms of the band [this summer]. We’re working on recording an EP and planning out a lot of great shows to play. While our future is still unclear, we’re looking to make the most of what we have right now.

 J.A: We are still going to be practicing, writing, and involved with music individually. Whenever we have breaks or long weekends, we’ll try and get together and perform.

 

 Q: If you could you give advice to aspiring musical groups, what would you tell them?

 T.A: Try to get as much exposure as possible by playing whenever you have the opportunity.

 Garrett: I’d say that the downfall of aspiring music groups is that they try and make music that other people will like. They try and turn their creativity into a tool for success. My advice is to do it because it’s what moves you. Put energy into your music [and write as much as you can], and people will like what you make.

 D.A: Practice and perform as much as possible. The best way to get better at doing anything is by doing it as much as you can.

 J.A: Don’t be afraid to step out of your element…And don’t give up. Not every song is a hit, so don’t get down on yourself if you are having trouble [writing].

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