Λίγο καιρό μετά την κυκλοφορία του τελευταίου τους άλμπουμ, Liberation που δίχασε κοινό και κριτικούς, τα τρία μέλη της μπάντας εγκατέλειψαν την έδρα τους στη Washington D.C. και ακολούθησαν διαφορετικούς προορισμούς.. Όλα αυτά μέχρι την άνοιξη του 2006, οπότε άρχισαν να προγραμματίζουν σποραδικές συναντήσεις για να καταστρώσουν την επανεμφάνισή τους και να ηχογραφήσουν το πιο δυνατό μέχρι στιγμής άλμπουμ τους, sex change.

Λίγο πριν από τις συναυλίες τους σε Αθήνα και Θεσσαλονίκη ο Κυριάκος Σκορδάς συνομίλησε με τον Nathan Means για μουσικά και άλλα θέματα.

What is the place of Music in the age of this broader economic crisis. Is there any connection?

Well, sure. There are very few places on earth the "economy" doesn’t impact. Some people have also argued that economics and music are both complex forms of mathematics. As for Trans Am, we make totalitarian future rock and dystopic dance music. The past eight years have provided lots of glimpses of these possibilities.

When you started the idea of TRANS AM, as an "absolute beginner" you’ve been part of a dream: Someone music "officer" listened you live… and proposed you to make a record. How possible is for a new group to live a same dream now?

Yeah. It’s absolutely possible and there are a lot less controls and financial constraints on who can make a record. We had to go into a studio and tour to get labels interested. Now, for a few thousand dollars worth of computer gear you can record yourself limitlessly and put your songs on myspace. Of course, the problem is that anyone can do that, so you probably still need to play live shows. That part hasn’t changed as much.

TRANS AM…. Please give as the meaning of your name. If you change from AM to FM do you think that your songs will be more radio friendly?

Well, a Trans Am is a sports car, for starters. A sort of trashy muscle car that is associated with Burt Reynolds and the Knight Rider TV show. Trans also means to go between, change, to go across and all that. Am stands for American in the car’s name, like "drive across America" but it could also mean "to go beyond America." It has nothing to do with the radio or the morning.

Noise can be considered as a basic part of the experimental music (according to my opinion). Do you agree?

Yes.

How the urban style of daily life is inspiring you? City in flames is relevant with your answer?

Seb and Phil are much more urban than I. They live in London and San Francisco. City in Flames is about the city we use to live in, Washington, DC. It was written before the 9-11 plane flew into the Pentagon, but we still play it live frequently.

Music (historically) is a part of policy. How the instrumental music can be a messenger of political meanings?

Well, as far as written language goes, there are still song titles in instrumental music, which can frame the meaning of the song. We don’t play just instrumental music, but on our most explicitly political album, we tried to create a sense of fear and tension and a sense of science fiction disasters happening today. We don’t write policy prescriptions. We’re not telling you what to do, we’re telling you what you’re doing.

We are living unfortunately in the age of iPod, mp3 files with no artist names, tracks cuts and track-oriented listening. How important (and easy) is to make a conceptual album today?

Well, the album is disappearing, which is too bad because I like them, but nothing lasts forever and lots of new exciting forms will take its place. We will still make conceptual albums

What do you expect from your live in Greece? What we have to expect from you?

We are excited. We will play as long as we can. We try to play at least one song off every album, but we normally play more off of the newest one, Sex Change, Futureworld, Red Line and Liberation. We are aggressive. We like dancing and laughing. No hitting, please.

28 Oct 2008 Trans AM @ Gagarin205 , Athens

29 Oct 2008 Trans AM @ Orient Live Thessaloniki