So who is Schatzi? How long have you been together and what do you do besides play in a band? I hear rumors of owning hair salons and playing with your grandmothers weenie dog?

(Christian Kyle) "Schatzi is a group of 4 young toughs who fought their way up from the mean streets of east side Austin, TX. If we weren't in this band we'd either be dead or in jail by now. Actually we're 4 big dorks who can't punch their way out of a wet paper bag . We've been Schatzi since 1996 but I've been playing in bands with Monte since 1990. My day job is that of salon owner. My salon is called Bangs although we'll be changing the name around January. I cut hair too when I'm in town but most of what I do is hover over a computer trying to figure out how much money to give to the federal government.

I read that Chris and Monte are from Oklahoma. How did you guys end up here in Austin?

Actually Mark Ford (drummer) is from Oklahoma too. Monte and I (chris) moved down in 92 with our old band. I had visited Austin a few months before and had a blast. I was attracted by the enormous amount of music going on every night and the creative energy that Austin has. On top of that, Austin has hills while Oklahoma is flat as a pancake. So I went back home and convinced the rest of my band to move down without even visiting. Mark Ford lived in Norman while we were around but we didn't meet him until about a year ago here in Texas.

It seems like Schatzi has been through their fair share of band members, Marc and Mark being the latest additions. What is the actual lineage, and do you think the current line up is the winning Schatzi combination?

I hope they don't read this but their getting canned this week... No, these guys have really completed the puzzle and this is the most solid we've been in years. Marc Fort (bass) actually played with us a few years ago so this is his second time in the band. We have had many many drummers and bass players for various reasons but the most important thing to me is to have the guys in my band be my best friends. We all hang out whether music is involved or not.

So give us some A-Town love. Do you guys have a special soft spot for any clubs in particular here in town, any you like playing better than others? I think I have seen you at Beer Land, Emo's and Flamingo Cantina so I know you get around. What about other bands in Austin, any current favorites?

We've played virtually every rock club there is or has been in this town but we have been predominately playing at Emo's. It's the first rock club I went to in this town and they consistently have the best touring shows. Graham has helped us tremendously by giving us opening slots for kick ass touring shows over the past few years. He really gave us a chance to be seen when only a handful of people knew who the f*** we were. As far as bands go, our friends Dynamite Hack recently recorded their third album and it's f***ing incredible. Keith Cleversly produced it. Masonic is another great pop band. They're Okies too which makes them that much cooler. Pop Unknown rules and they just put out a new record that rocks ass. Impossibles, Recover, Cruiserweight, Pan American Standard, Riddlin' Kids. There are too many to mention.

How did you guys get hooked up with Mammoth records? Has it been an enjoyable partnership thus far. Many bands in Austin have had such iffy experiences with major labels (Sixteen Deluxe and Spoon). Were you at all leary?

Our manager, El Couri, approached them first and later they came down to SXSW and saw us play. After a few months of intense negotiation we signed up for the club. I was very leary of any major label because of the way they typically market bands. It's all about instant gratification, i.e. money, and if you don't have a hit single right out of the box you're through. I have countless friends who have been through the ringer. Most majors won't develop bands anymore. They let the indies act farm teams and do all the work. Then when a band is sufficiently established, they buy out their contract or just buy the label. Mammoth was an indie at the start and they still function like one except they have a much bigger reach. We wanted a label that believed in our music enough to let us develop by playing shows instead of commercial radio. I'd rather be on an indie who loved the music rather than a major that strictly sees dollar signs. Anyhow, Mammoth has been tremendous so far. They are supporting the shows, the record is everywhere, and they are really nice people.

The Anniversary's Adrianne Verhoeven does some backing vocals on the EP, are you guys good friends with The Anniversary? I know you recorded some of the Death of the Alphabet EP up in their stomping ground at The Red House Studios in Kansas? Did you record your upcoming full length, 50 Reasons To Explode with Ed Rose at The Red House as well?

We've played a few shows with them and they're all nice kids. We didn't know her all that well at the time so we had Ed call her up. Originally she was just going to do the part on Gladys from the full length but it would be a crime not to have her sing on something. Monte had originally sang her part on death but his voice sounded like he swallowed rusty nails that day so we asked her to try it. Now we sing it live and it sounds like we swallowed rusty nails. Ed Rose recorded everything on the full length as well.

When can we expect to hear your cover of the flashback lunch hour favorite "Blister in the Sun" by the Violent Femmes? How did you guys get hooked up with the Violent Femmes tribute album that's going to be put out by Actionman Magazine? How did you manage to score the coveted slot of covering the Femmes most well known song? I think it's coming out in January. I think we just came along at the right time. Another band was originally doing Blister and they had to pull out for whatever reason. Jeff liked our music and gave us a shot.

What does the future look like for Schatzi? When is 50 Reasons To Explode going to be released? Do you guys have any big plans for supporting the new record? World tours, video shoots with buxom model types or HUGE hometown CD release parties?

They tell us it will be out in Feb or March. We wanted to do a world tour with Slipknot or Godsmack but they said we'd have to play Ibanez or Kramer Guitars and we had to decline. We're going to keep playing shows and hanging out in the van for the next year or three. I'd like to do a video with a friend of ours in Oklahoma named Brad Beesley although I haven't asked him yet. I don't even know his number. He's done work on many of the Flaming Lips videos. I don't know if there will be any buxom models but we'll probably have Marc Fort naked eating boiled shrimp.

What makes Schatzi stand out in a sea of other bands? If you guys had to pick one distinguishing characteristic about the band that sets you apart from the rest what would it be?

I'm not egotistical enough to claim that we're better than the rest of the bands out there. All I can say is that Monte and I have been playing music together or about a decade and I think we've got more staying power than a lot of bands. Over the years we've watched many many great bands that blow us out of the water break up and throw away all of the work they had done. Meanwhile, we've still been writing songs and playing rock. Check back in 5 years and that's what we'll be doing.

Read a review of Death of the Alphabet here.

Read where Schatzi got their name from here.

See pictures of Schatzi here.