Dave Buckner: How did we come together? Basically, we started out as a couple of guys jammin’ in the garage in high school, you know. We’re from Vacaville, California, which is a small town near Sacramento, and pretty much Jacoby and I are the two founding members of the band, like, we were friends before the band started, and one day we were just kinda hanging out and he knew I played drums and he wanted to play bass or something like that and one day we were on the phone, and we were like, "Hey dude, let’s start a band." And well, here we are today, to make a long story short. [Laughing] To make a really long story short. And seven years later, it’s evolved into what we are today, and we couldn’t be happier.

VOX: You guys have definitely put in your time, putting out your own records and the like, so you’ve paid your dues.

DB: I would say…Jerry, you want to handle that?

Jerry Horton: We’ve done the who independent thing. We did…we had a lot of help from our manager Brett…um, we’ve gone up and down California I don’t even know how many times…touring, well, not really touring, but as much as we could because we were trying to hold down day jobs at the same time. But, you know, I feel like we’ve paid our dues. Some people say is doesn’t count ‘til after you’re signed, and some bands get signed and say that’s it, we’ve made it. No. That’s not it. I mean, as Jacoby says all the time, we’ve went from the top of one shit heap to the bottom of another.

DB: [Laughing] To put in Jacoby’s words.

JH: Yeah…

VOX: So where does the Papa Roach name come from?

JH: It’s actually our singer’s great grandfather, on his step-dad’s side. Their family last name is Roatch, R-O-A-T-C-H. And Papa Roatch is Jacoby’s step-dad’s granddad. So, there’s an interesting story behind that - Papa Roatch lives in a rest home in Central California, and he plays the fiddle. So, rumor or legend has it, that every Sunday he plays fiddle for all the old folks at the rest home.

He’s over a hundred years old, so if that becomes some indicator of our career, that’s not all that bad.

DB: Are you saying we’re going to last a hundred years?

JH: No, just longer than the average band.

VOX: How do you guys get along as a band?

JH: We’re pretty much brothers - we get along really well, and we fight all the time. We’ve know each other for eight years, almost…I’m almost more brothers with these guys than I am with my brother who lives in Indiana, so…

VOX: Warped Tour really helped you guys out. How did you guys get involved with that?

JH: Warped Tour was easy because our agency books the Warped Tour, so that helps. We had our choice of Ozzfest or Warped, but we felt like we were a better fit for Warped because we have more of a punk rock vibe than a heavy metal feel.

VOX: What’s the next step for you guys?

DB: We’re not going to stop touring until we drop, that’s for sure…we’re going to ride this thing, all the way.

VOX: What’s the Papa Roach live show all about?

DB: Oh, man.

JH: It’s hard to describe. It’s hard to put into words. The live show is the energy between the band and the crowd. We put all we have in to it. Jacoby gets…if Jacoby feels like the crowd isn’t in to enough, he’s go into the crowd and get them into it.

That’s what we’re about, and it’s the best thing about us. You just have to experience it.