Danielle: What's going on with the line-up? I heard there's a bit of drama going on.

Mark: No drama these days. Cody Brown and Mark Axmann left the band at the end of March. Brendon's assumed bass duties, I'm playing guitar full-time, we're splitting lead vocals, and we have a new drummer.

Danielle: How would you descibe Q as a whole?

Mark: Q is a math-rock band. We love odd time signatures and have always written highly rhythmic stuff. Our newer songs are also extremely dynamic...the old lineup focused on being edgy the vast majority of the time. Life doesn't move along at the same tone and tempo, and our new songs are even more true to life that way.

Danielle: Was "Heads" a collaborative effort or is there a single songwriter in the band?

Mark: That album featured a little bit of everyone's songwriting, but the direction and sound was shaped by the overall dynamics of that group. Some of our "newer" songs are actually older than "Heads" but were neither played nor recorded because anything that wasn't really edgy and fast was a hard sell to half the band members. At this point, most of the songwriting starts with me, but Brendon and Doug have considerable input in shaping the final product. They have always done some of their own writing, too...hopefully more of that will continue to come out and we'll be contributing equally.

Danielle: Is there another release in the future?

Mark: YES. We already have the material and some of it recorded in a rough draft form or better. We're mostly dealing with logistics now...where to record (considering a total DIY homebrew effort and a few local studios), effects, small details, and the like. Also, we may modify or change the name...something that must be decided before making any promo items or albums. Unfortunately, Q is a more popular letter than I'd ever imagined it could be.

Danielle: How do you like the new drummer? I believe he (Doug Stormont) used to play in the Lawrence band "the Switch". How are things going with him?

Mark: Doug has been an entirely positive addition to Q. We knew Mark Axmann would be difficult to replace, but Doug has filled that void and surprised us with an even more compatible approach to our songs. We are united and on the same mission more than I'd ever thought possible for any band. He's an extremely motivated musician and even a great guy!

Danielle: How is your current songwriting differ from the material on "Heads"? Or is there much change? Do things you experience in your life have a deep impact on what you write?

Mark: We're back to what Brendon and I had *originally* set out to do...dynamic, melodic, and highly musical, but unconventional. "Anonymous," "Ice 9," and "Addie" are the only songs we intend to ever perform from "Heads," and those are going to seem like change-of-pace songs in the new live sets.

Danielle: How have you grown, musically and emotionally, since the band first started? What things have you learned and could advise to newer local bands?

Mark: If it's not fun, it's not worth it. Make important decisions (CD projects, etc.) and discuss EVERY POSSIBLE detail before actually going through with it. A band that doesn't or can't hang out together is probably not meant to be.

Danielle: What local bands inspire you to play? What local bands are you guys currently listening to?

Mark: Molly McGuire, Paw, Shallow, Giants Chair, Shiner, Season to Risk, and Grovel were some of the bands that brought Brendon and me to KC. Currently listening to Reflector, the Casket Lottery, the Hillary Step, Proudentall, Aerialuxe, the Appleseed Cast, the Anniversary, Gunfighter, Electronimo, Haloshifter, Onward Crispin Glover as well as the inspiring ones.