School Boy Humor

In support of their self-titled album release this year, emo-pop group School Boy Humor is making their way around the country and breaking into the music business. The band has played in basements and hometown clubs and have finally started to appear on the national scene. Their song “Camera Shy” is on “Tap Tap Revenge,” a game for iPhone, and they visit Mesa’s Eikon Arts Nov. 6. Band member Caleb Spillyards answered some questions about the tour and music via e-mail:
Q: Where does your name come from?
A: When the band was super young, like seventh-grade young, we were listening to an audio documentary on Blink 182. We had been hunting through band names for a while and were still trying to think of something good. Well, the documentary described Tom from Blink as having “school boy humor” in his youth. We thought that was brilliant (especially being huge Blink fans) and it stuck ever since.
Q: Were your families supportive when you started a music career?
A: Some of them were. Anthony’s and Phil’s were hard on them. (They) said things like they were wasting their time and they needed to stay in school. My parents have always been supportive of what makes me happy, and Greg’s are the same way.
Q: What are your musical goals for the next five years?
A: Well, we have big ones and small ones. I’ll give a couple from both worlds. On the small end, we’d like to do some international touring and make enough to purchase one car and one small house each. Although we know those are large goals, our most ambitious and ultimate goals, are to have a platinum-selling record, have a No. 1 single on Top 40 radio, and never have to work again.
Q: What can fans expect at a concert?
A: A lot of hugs, cool merch, super-energetic live show, and hopefully a pretty close representation of our album in live form.
Q: Who are your musical influences?
A: It varies for everyone from 1990s bands like Vertical Horizon, Third Eye Blind, and Goo Goo Dolls, to Paramore and Boys Like Girls. We are all over the place.
Q: What is the most-played song on your iPod?
A: At the moment for me personally probably “Why Georgia” by John Mayer.
Q: Who is in charge of writing songs?
A: Myself, Anthony and Phil all write.
Q: Where does that inspiration come from?
A: Daily life, past experiences, disappointments, triumphs, hardships, girls, anything that strikes an emotional note for us.
Q: How do you connect with your fans?
A: Lots of time on networking sites like MySpace and Twitter, in person, and hopefully through our music.
Q: What does music mean to you?
A: It’s my life, very literally. I live and breathe it every day. Sometimes you get businessed out because we are trying to sustain a career, and that’s taxing, but then you remind yourself why you are doing it, and it all boils down to those words you spill from heart to paper.
Q: Do you have any other hobbies?
A: I do some acting when I get the opportunity, I read, I draw on rare occasion, I do photography for some extra cash and fun, and I’m pretty active at home and try to be when I’m on the road.
Q: If you were not a musician, what would you be?
A: Probably trying to do something in film and television or continuing my career as a gymnast. I competed for 10 years, and I most likely would have continued doing that.
Q: What do you feel makes you as a band stand out among other artists?
A: I think it’s extremely hard to stand out musically. We have two lead singers, which really helps. Phil and I switch off vocals every other line or section in a song, but I think what really sets us apart is our drive and ambition. We don’t take this lightly, and we do everything in our power to make this thing work.