You have long been adamant that you're not just another "swing" band, and you started this band back when grunge was huge. Now that swing, ska, and punk are so popular, do you think the Cherry Poppin' Daddies will take their musical style in a whole new direction?
Well, here's the thing. Zoot Suit Riot was our fourth record, and it's also a collection of stuff off of our other records. And the records that we put out -- the first one came out in 1990 -- were diverse collections of material. Mainly anchored by swing music, but you know, we were always interested in soul music, and punk rock, and hard rock, and all sorts of different things, and we put them on the record. So I guess we differentiate between a recording of an album to be put out and our live show. To us it's like apples and oranges. When we get in a studio we want to screw around with different ideas and things. But when we're playing live, we want to play the stuff that makes people react the most, so that it feels like we're doing our job. And that typically has been swing. When people come to see us they like to hear that kind of stuff, so generally live we play swing music, and we throw in a few odds and ends. So basically what we're going to do is just continue to do what we did before Zoot Suit Riot, which is really what the band is about, which is about being diverse. It's not because swing got huge that we're doing it, it's because that's what the band has always been. So I have to be careful how I answer that. We just try to be who we are, but there will be swing on the record, like there has been on every single Cherry Poppin' Daddies release ever.

Tell me about some of the tracks on the new album you're working on for release later this year.
Well, we're sort of midway through it and where we are right now, there's some kind of soul, sort of Motown kind of tunes on it. And I think that's more the tenor of the record, so there's horns, and it's dance music, and it kind of swings a little bit, like older, mid-'60s, Motown kind of thing. Those are the things I like the best. But then there's some other tunes, like there's one that sounds like T-Rex, kind of a glitter rock, so it's just kind of a mixed bag. And then there's a bunch of swing stuff, and a lot of the swing stuff on this record is better than the stuff on Zoot Suit Riot. You know, I think it's going to be a really good record, so I'm just excited to have a chance to finally be in the studio again.

What's your opinion of some of the other "swing" bands right now, like Squirrel Nut Zippers or the Brian Setzer Orchestra?
Well, I feel sorry for all of us, all the swing bands. I'm sorry because of the way the media didn't allow all of our bands to have an individual thing. They just lumped us all together. So you never read an interview or article where they don't talk about your music, they talk about swing. As if we all play the same kind of music, and it's not true. And I know of certain bands who really really got entirely too freaked out about it. But you know, it is annoying. You put out this kind of music, and then people go, "They're this and they're that," you know, all swing bands are the same -- that's what the media did. And it sucked for a lot of us. And I think that all the bands are good musicians, all the swing bands that are out there have really good musicians and are bringing back a very valid and awesome kind of music, but I think it was a real turnoff as far as how the press, in particular, dealt with it, and the mainstream media when they went, "Oh look, 'swing,' this can cross demographics and will fuse it for everything."

A lot of people think we're in a musical slump right now. What do you think about the current direction of music in general?
I think there's always a musical slump. [Laughs.] You know what the truth of that is? The people who say that are alternative rock thirty-somethings who write for Spin magazine. They're all the same person. They look exactly the same, they look like me, they wear glasses, and they're really interested in Sleater-Kinney, you know. [Laughs.] That's who says that. And it's not like rap people -- rap people don't even care. Alternative rock was built on people who write about music and have absolutely no ear for it. They're not writing about music, they're writing about high school culture, so it's a big high school. I mean, whether we're in a musical slump or not has very little to do with it. For me, there are bands that I like, I like Pulp a lot, I think they're awesome. I'm not a big fan of rap, to tell you the truth, I don't like it that much, but that Jay-Z song, a couple of those I like, you know? It's always been that way. When Nirvana was big, I liked them, but just about every other grunge band blew, you know? So there you go. They were the only ones, that was a slump too. There was one good band. Everybody else was fucking annoying.

There's currently so much emphasis on electronica, techno, and even MP3s on the Internet-do you think the Cherry Poppin' Daddies are going to be testing those waters, so to speak?
Well, no, I'm not gonna do what Billy Corgan did. [Laughs.] As long as it's not forced, you know, if it sounds good I mean I'll use a synthesizer, I'm not against it, or drum loops or something -- I'm not against that stuff, it just doesn't turn me on like the sound of raw music does. And as far as electronica and stuff like that, it just doesn't sound good. I mean, if the grooves sounded good instead of like a cannery, like cans being made, or like auto parts being shaped [laughs] I would like it more. There's not rhythm and melody together. The melodies are crappy, it sounds bad.

[Laughter.] So you're not going to turn into Fatboy Slim or anything?
No. And not only that, the alternative people, in a desperate attempt to be on the cutting edge of something, then they went, "Okay, we'll champion this retarded fucking scene and turn it into the next thing," well, you know they forgot about one thing -- it sounds bad. [Laughs.] Nobody likes that music, you know? I don't know much about it, so I should shut up, but I mean most of it is so bad, you know? Maybe you can convince a few college kids who want to be really cool and try to get a date, but everybody else is just gonna go, "It doesn't sound good."

Are you an Internet junkie?
No, actually, I can't. It would take me hours to try to manipulate... I have a computer and I usually try to get past logging on-that's a big issue for me. I have [an e-mail account], but I don't check it, and I'm horrible. I'm old. [Laughs.] I'm an old fart.

There are so many people in your band -- is touring with so many people difficult?
Yeah. [Laughs.] I personally am a real loner, I'm not really a people person, and things irritate me probably more than other people. But I don't react, I'm not saying, "God, would you please stop that!" or whatever, but internally I just give myself a giant tumor. [Laughs.] So I'm glad to be off the road for a while, so I don't have to listen to idiotic arguments and discussions-you know how people are when they're around each other a lot.

Are people still making Steve Perry/Journey jokes to you?
Every day. Every fucking day.

[Laughter.] And I had to bring it up...
No, it's true. We just got off the tour and I have no furniture so I bought a table and some chairs. And I went to the warehouse to pick it up, and the guy said, [in a dorky voice] "Hey, Steve Perry," you know. And I get home and, speaking of Janeane Garofalo, I just bought that book with Ben Stiller they just put out, and I had one on order at Borders, right, so the guy goes, "Oh, we have your book, and P.S., I loved your work with Journey!" You know, ha ha. This is my day, all day long. And everyone feels like they invented that joke.

I'm sure. I'm surprised you didn't change your name to a stage name.
Well I did, originally, that's the weird thing. On the first record I called myself MC Large Drink. [Laughs.] I knew it was going to happen, but I hate people who change their name, so I changed mine to something retarded. I feel like you should have your name, but if you change your name, change it to something that people obviously know is not your real name. You know, don't be Bruce LaRose. [Laughs.] Where did that come from? Holy shit. That's exactly what I should call myself -- Bruce LaRose.

Well, Steve, that's about all I had. Did you want to add anything else?
No. I think I've probably offended enough people -- especially those electronica people, they're probably really going to like me.

Yeah, well, you can't please everyone.
No. You know what? I've got to stand up for the people who are like me. I've been silent too long about this stuff. [Laughs.]