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We get up close and personal with lead guitarist of IAMBOLLYWOOD's TJ Turner.
 "So, TJ, let me just start off by saying that it is a pleasure to finally be sitting down with you. You seem to be quite tricky to get an interview with. Are you trying to avoid attention from the media?"
TJ: Avoid? No, I wouldn't really call it that. I guess i'm just not really too big on the whole interview idea still, and actually tend to have nothing much to say a lot of the time when I do talk.
"So you're saying you're shy?"
TJ: (He shakes his head in objection) Do you always put words in people's mouths? I never said I was shy. Just simply saying that I don't have much to talk about. The other guys do enough talking, so I guess you can just say there's really no need for me to most of the time.
"Alright then, let's move on. I'm sure you get asked it a lot, but would you mind telling us what TJ stands for? I'm sure some of your fans are anxious to know."
TJ: (He frowns slightly, looking rather discontent as he shakes his head once again.) Nope. Sorry, kiddos. That's confidential information, not even some of my closest friends know what it stands for.
"So you admit that the initials DO stand for something. Why so secretive?"
TJ: I just don't like the name I was given, it makes me sound like a hick. Ever since pre-school everyone always called me TJ anyways and I guess it just stuck, not that I minded. I liked it better that way. I honestly am under the impression my mother was smoking some shitty quality crack when she named me and my sisters though. We all got stuck with fucked names.
"Speaking of your sisters, you have four of them, correct? That must have been tough on you growing up. How did you manage to deal with all of that?"
TJ: I'd lie if I said it was a walk in the park. Truth be told, yeah it was fucking tough as hell, especially seeing as how i'm the youngest of us all. I was never really close to any of them growing up. Well, except maybe for my oldest sister, though when she ran off after dating Royal and got married to some dickhead in California we kind of just severed all ties and contact. The last time I talked to her was when she brought my nephew over to visit the family, that kid is probably the only thing that gets me in the same house as all of them. As for the other three, they were just evil in..somewhat human form. I think they all wanted me to be another girl. (He chuckles, looking down at his hands in his lap before suddenly growing quiet and looking back up at me after a couple minutes.) But yeah, my mother always sided with the girls, it was all about them. Not that I care, really. If not for them, I guess I wouldn't have gotten so frustrated and started acting out the way I did, which is really what led me to all of this seeing as how my attitude was basically how I met Royal in school.
"Sounds rough. Forgive me for asking, but you never once mentioned a father figure in there. Where does yours fit into anything?"
TJ: Let's not bring him up, thanks.
"Bit of a touchy subject for you?"
TJ: Yeah, you could say that. (He gives a sort of half shrug, this seeming to be a habit for him whenever he is uncomfortable and has little to say.) Just drop the subject alright?
"Alright, sorry then. Moving forward now. You guys are releasing your newest album soon, yes? How does it feel to have come this far and did you ever expect to be as big as you are now?"
TJ: To be honest with you, no. Hell, I definently didn't expect us to go anywhere with this band really, it was just something a bunch of kids from New York got together to have fun with, it was like an escape for me really. Royal, Abry and I just sat down one day and got to talking about it. Royal had a voice, we were already well aware of that (he laughs) and Abry knew how to play the bass and i'd been teaching myself guitar for years by then, it all just came sort of naturally to us. Gael had to pretty much bug the shit out of Royal to get in on the drums, but he was also the only and, as much as I hate to say it, best drummer that we knew of. The day we got signed, that was probably the greatest fucking day of my life, we were still pretty much kids then and it's almost hard to believe we've been around as long as we have, I didn't expect us to have this big of a fanbase or anything. It's a real exciting thing. Sure it has it's ups and downs, but in the end I wouldn't change my life now for anything in the world, as cheesey as that sounds.
"On the subject of your bandmates...there's some talk going around that you and Royal are..well, a bit more than just friendly with one another, is there any sort of truth to this?"
TJ: (He glares at me, and for a moment I am convinced he is about ready to jump off the couch and attack me like some rabid animal, though he simply shakes his head as he crosses his arms over his chest.) We're not fucking gay, if that's what you're fucking getting at. We've been best friends since we were practically born, that's the reason we seem so close.
"How about Abry, your bassist? Or Sidney of Riot Sunday, all of you IAMBOLLYWOOD boys seem to be very close to the girls."
TJ: And all of you interviewers all seem to think that we're having one big band orgy or something. Sorry, as much as some people wish that is what happened on tours, it isn't and there is nothing going on with me or either of the girls. Abry has been my friend for a long time now, so has Sidney, i've known her since she was a kid. So, just no.
"Well then can I at least assume the rumours of you and Kennedy are true?"
TJ: (Finally his glare softens and he gives a small nod of his head.) If you're talking about the engagment, then yeah, you can definently assume that's true. We don't have a date planned out yet or anything, but it's definently going to happen.
"Well then, congrats! So what does go on when you enter that tourbus, is it all work, or all play?"
TJ: It's more so a lot of stink. That bus is fucking ripe sometimes because there are times when we have to go anywhere from two days to two weeks without a shower because we don't have stop between places. I guess in a way though it's also a lot of work, I sit on the bus all the time and fiddle with my guitar, tuning it , practicing and all that good shit.
"How have you dealt with being in a band like IAMBOLLYWOOD? Would you say it's changed you?"
TJ: I'd definently say it's changed me. In some parts for the better actually. I use to be this quiet kid when I was younger. Sure, I caused my fair share of mayhem and destruction with Royal, but I was more of the Silent Bob type. (He pauses, letting out what can almost be called a giggle, though it's rather low-pitched, before shaking his head a bit.) Sorry, it's a joke that I guess only Royal, myself and any Kevin Smith fans would get. But yeah, this band has kind of made me more out there now. I'm speaking my mind and doing shit like this, I actually think this was one of the easiest things in the world for me to deal with. But honestly, I don't get why people say fame is going to our head's. We've dealt well. We're still pretty normal guys, we're the same attitude-wise as we were years ago.
"Well that's good to know. One last question though...."
TJ: Sure, go ahead and shoot it my way..
"Do you have anything to say to your fanbase who are reading this right now?"
TJ: Don't let anyone push you around in life. If you want to be something, fucking go for it and don't let anyone stop you, 'cause in the end you're going to come out on top and then you can laugh in their faces. (He laughs as he pushes himself up off the couch, the sound of his cell phone ringing in his pocket suddenly fills the room.) Are we good now?
"Yes, we're all done."
TJ: Awesome. (He gives his first grin all interview as he pulls his phone from his pocket while walking out the door to leave.)
IAMBOLLYWOOD'S new album HADDONFIELD comes out in stores October 1st, and from what we heard it is going to be a must have, so be sure to get your hands on it!
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