1. Hi Jeff! Could you please start each by introducing yourself to our readers?
Hey I am Jeff D'Agostino - part actor, musician/singer, dragon slayer, and flying squirrel. [Laughs]
2. Tell us a little about your band "The Perfect Victim".
We have been together for about a year and a half, and have been moving forward quite quickly. Most of us found each other on the classifieds on
MySpace. We started writing and recording instantly. Our sound is rock, pop/punk, with some metal influence. If Green Day, Avenged Sevenfold, and
Fall Out Boy had a baby together we would be that baby's bastard stepchild.
3. Where does the name come from?
We went through over 300 names. We looked for a name that wasn't already taken by another band on MySpace, and "The Perfect Victim" had not been taken yet. The name actually came from a friend who had pigeon poop on his head while he was having dinner with an ex-girlfriend. The perfect victim came to mind from that experience.
4. I hear there are some major and independent labels interested in the band. Are you interested in signing, or staying independent?
We will go with whatever label is the most passionate about us, and whoever can offer us the best deal. The majors are not as strong as they used to be, so we have to be cautious, but not so far as to deny a good opportunity. A strong independent label could potentially be a good avenue for us to take as well. The good thing about the music industry today is that with the Internet, ingenuity, and the proper funding, we could potentially make a living doing everything ourselves. However, we will go with a label if and when they can offer us something more than what we can do on our own.
Jeff D'Agostino
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4. Which of "The Perfect Victim" songs is your favorite, and why?
I love all of our songs, but "One Against the Odds" is one of my favorites because the song is about the struggle and sacrifice it takes to succeed, and achieve glory. I wrote that song when it felt like all the odds were against us as a band, when we first started. We could have stopped when things got rough, but we just kept pushing through to the point where we are now, and we will succeed.
5. Will the band be touring anytime soon?
There is a good chance we will be on Warped Tour this year. After the summer we are planning a national tour whether we are on a label or not. We were about to head out on an independent national tour at the beginning of 2008, but then we started getting interest from several record labels that wanted to see our live performance. We decided to stay in Los Angeles so we can showcase for the labels.
6.Which do you prefer, acting or music?
Both music and acting are my passions; I really can't choose one over the other. I am a performer at heart. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to do both.
7. Tell us about your last film project; "The Sasquatch Gang".
The film is a quirky comedy by the creators of "Napoleon Dynamite," starring
Justin Long [who was in Accepted, Die Hard, and the Apple commercials] Jeremy Sumpter [Peter Pan] John Gries [Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite] and yours truly. It is about several groups of kids [the butt-rockers, nerds, and bullies] inquiring about the mystery of a Sasquatch dumpling, and finding it in the woods. I play one of the bullies. The film turned out great and if you liked "Napoleon Dynamite" you will love it. It is like "Napoleon Dynamite" with a non-linear plot, similar to the film "Memento." The film will have a DVD release in March, so if you didn't see it in theaters you can pick it up then!
7.What countries do you most hope your career will allow you to visit?
One of the great things about playing music is that it can give you the ability to travel the entire world. I look forward to traveling everywhere, including the planet Venus. I hear there are a lot of cool women there.
8.What one thing/achievement is the most important to you in your future career?
The most important thing for my future is to have a powerful and positive influence on the listeners of my music, and to provide an escape for the people who view my television and film projects.
Jeff D'Agostino
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9. What is coming up for you in 2008? Do you have any goals for this year, both professionally and personally?
Professionally the band has the goal of living on the road and expanding our fan base, and spreading our music to new listeners. If the band has a break this year from recording and touring, I would like to find a good film project to work on during my time off.
10. Thank you for your time, is there anything you would like to say to the people reading this?
If you want to get into the entertainment industry, whether it is in acting or in music, make sure that you love it, because it is a tough business. If you can’t see yourself doing anything else in life, I would say go for it, and put all your heart and energy into it.
