Alex Aponte of The Almost: Bass.

STS: What bands did you grow up listening to?

Alex: I grew up listening to Weezer, Blink 182, and a whole lot of emo.

STS: Which one(s) have you drawn from musically?

Alex: Probably from a band called Sunny Day Real Estate.

STS: From Southern Weather to Monster Monster, what different things did you go through in writing the album?

Alex: We wrote Monster Monster together this go around. That was the main thing.  We hadn't written together before, so the entire process was a new experience to The Almost.

STS: What influences you to write? Do you do other types of work other than music and/or lyrics?

Alex: A good, diversified chunk of music. I enjoy Motown, I enjoy the Who, I enjoy Ryan Adams.  And most of the things that lie in between.

STS: The EP has two tracks “July” and “Birmingham” that didn’t make the final Monster Monster album. Why didn’t they make it?

Alex: We felt like they were strong tracks, but they strayed from the overall feel and concept of the album.

STS: Where did the album cover come from? It kind of reminds me of the book (and now movie) “Where the Wild Things Are”

Alex: We came up with the album title Monster Monster about a year and a half ago, and while we were in the studios, the album started to wrap around that album title.  So we began to conceptualize it. We had no idea WtWTA was a movie coming out, so that was purely coincidence.

STS: Are there special rituals that you go though before you hit the stage? (like standing on your head for 3 minutes in a corner)

Alex: We pray, stretch a little, and those who sing warm up their voice!

STS: How pumped are you to be heading over to Australia for the festivals this coming year?

Alex: Pretty stoked!  Some of the bands we are playing with I grew up listening to.

STS: What country is your favorite to play in? If it is the U.S. what is the second and why?

Alex: Canada was way cooler than the U.S., but I'm sure Australia will beat it out this up coming February.

STS: What’s in your CD player or iPod right now?

Alex: Thrice - Beggars, Muse - The Resistance, Tegan and Sara - Sainthood. STS: Anything else you would like to say or discus?

Alex: Umm.. did I mention we are STOKED TO GO OVER TO AUSTRALIA?!

STS: Okay, this is the last one and I always finish it up with this one. If you can share the stage with anyone ever….who would it be and why?

Alex: Nirvana. Because it's impossible, because Cobain is dead. So if it WERE possible, I’d be way into it! Nevermind is one of my favorite albums.