Isaac: You have some strong iconic influences. Of these influences, which artist/band do you relate to the most and why?

The Greatest of These: Our heaviest influences are from the early to mid 90s. I think we relate to them more because we believe that rock and roll can include both awesome guitars and great lyrics and melodies. We don't play power chords in drop-D tuning all the time. We believe that guitars can have as much to say about the melody as the vocals do, and love harmony on top of it all.

Isaac: Do you feel that Indie music gets the respect it deserves? Why or why not?

The Greatest of These: Absolutely not. Indie artists are doing all the work "independent" of major record labels. This is the most noble of causes! I think the indie movement has certainly gained some steam in the 2000s, but it has a long way to go. We are always on the lookout for new opportunities, and I'm continually shocked at how often "getting signed" is mentioned out there. That's really old school (just like the saying "old school"). Getting signed isn't the most important thing anymore. Getting heard is. That's what is great about the indie music movement!

Isaac: If you could change one thing about the music business, what would it be and why?

The Greatest of These: That more emphasis would be placed on the whole picture of music. I.e., the "whole" song (guitar, bass, drums, vocals, songwriting, mixing, production); the "whole" album; the "whole" band. I love iTunes as much as the next guy, but the art of the album is dying an agonizing death right now. On one hand, it's a bit nostalgic, like the 50s. In a way, bands are selling 45s again. However, I personally prefer to listen to an entire album and see what's really going on with a band. You can't learn anything about a band (or an artist) by listening to a song. I mean, The Beatles' "Mean Mr. Mustard" - pretty cool song, right? But how much does it lose when it's not jammed between "Here Comes the Sun King" and "Polythene Pam?" If you have never believed in the concept of an album as a whole, go listen to Abbey Road. You'll change your mind.

Isaac: What type of feedbacks have you been receiving about your music from fans and music critics?

The Greatest of These: We most often hear compliments about the different sounds we make. We have a quite eclectic mix of songs on an album.

Reviewers and critics seem to focus on musicianship and how we use our instruments to accentuate a point in our songs.

Isaac: If you knew that you would never gain fame and fortune with what you are doing now, would you continue to make music? Explain.

The Greatest of These: Absolutely. There's nothing that makes us feel more accomplished than to finish a song. It's therapeutic. It's inspiring. It's hard work. It's constructive. It's all those things that make you feel good afterwards.

Isaac: How do you handle negative feedback or negative energy about your music?

The Greatest of These: Constructively, if needed. Sometimes people want to just hate, and we will certainly allow them to do so.

When you're opening for another band, it seems to always be there even if just a little. No matter how much you pour into your set and how much ass you kick up there, somebody just refuses to listen. And that's fine. Perspective goes a long way in this situation.

Isaac: What role do your family and friends play in the equation of your pursuant of a music career?

The Greatest of These: Our families have all been very supportive so far (luckily). We feel very fortunate for that reason. Our friends are what helped us build a fan base. As I mentioned before, we didn't even have a band when we started. We invited all our college friends to come to the show, and they all did! Since then, we've built on that base and developed a decent following. Obviously, though, friends were of the utmost importance, and will continue to be so as we pursue higher and higher goals.