Right now we are playing a lot of shows here in Southern California and plan to spend some time on the road this summer after the album comes out. When it comes to style, well, that's a tough one. We would be considered post hardcore/punk to some people and maybe even emo to others although we don't cry and whine in our songs very much and we enjoy kids dancing at our shows. I guess some of the bands we like and sound similar to would be Quicksand, Hot Water Music and Far.

We don't really care for labels we just want to play music that we have fun playing and the kids have fun listening to.

Give us a little history on the band...
Our guitarist Shawn and I used to play in another band together years ago, after he got married he wanted to start another band and so did I. So, when two other hardcore bands in the area broke up (Edge of Mortality and Surrender) we asked the drummer and bass player from Surrender to join us and the guitarist form Edge. That's how it started. We all wanted to do something different and here we are now.

You had an album due out on Rescue Records in June/July, did that go ahead - how is it doing ?
Things were kind of shady for a while but it finally came out at the beginning of September and it's doing pretty good. For barely zero distro we've already sold 3,000 which is awesome.

Who are your biggest influences and who are you listening to now?
We're all influenced by different things, but I would say that our common influences are Quicksand, Far, Grade and stuff like that. Right now I'm listening to the new At The Drive-In, the new Boy Sets Fire and a local band Life Once Lost.

What were the most important recent topics that touched you as a band and personally?
Well, a personal topic for all of us was our reasoning for doing the band. When things get going fast for a new band it can go to your head. So, we've been trying to keep it about the kids and not us. On a social level we are all concerned about what's going on with poverty and sickness in some of the third world countries. Our friends just got back from Nepal and it's very sad. We want to be more involved in helping the sick, poor and needy. But as a band we're not sure the best way to do that yet.

Who would you like to take out on tour with you, and who would you like to open for?
Wow, there are so many cool bands I don't know. We are good friends with a lot of bands in the San Diego, CA area so any of them. As far as opening for someone, anyone that would take us. It would be fun to go out with Stretch Armstrong, they just seem like really nice people.

Do you like touring, playing live?
Yes! That's what it's all about.

How important is music in your life?
Very important.

Whats the scene like over with you, what are the shows like?
It goes through phases. Right now there aren't any good places to play because everything was closed down. But the kids are really into it and very supportive of the scene. There are alot of bands and small labels popping up and that's cool. It's kind of hard doing the post-hardcore, indie thing because the kids here are mostly into straight up hardcore but they still support us.

What 3 bands/albums are your favorites and why?
This is a hard one.
1) Quicksand (anything) - Simply an awesome band, revolutionary.
2) Refused "shape of punk to come" - if you don't understand why go buy it.
3) Fugazi (anything) - they have defined the indie/post-hardcore scene and they still make good music and
stand by there convictions after all these years.

Whats up next with Skratchline ?
We're breaking in a new drummer right now and then we'll start playing some more shows. We have written a lot of new stuff that we want to record and put out. We'll probably do a mini tour this summer as we are scheduled to play a few festivals here in the US. That' it.

The last words are yours....
Thanks Shay! Support HT and your scene. God bless.

Scratchline have since broken up, but you can check them out here http://www.myspace.com/skratchline