Timing Is Everything

The song that played during 19-year-old snowboarder Hannah Teter's gold-winning halfpipe run at the 2006 Winter Olympics -- "Communicate" -- is by local band Strive Roots. Singer/guitarist Eli Lieberman is Hannah's boyfriend.

"We got 150,000 hits on the website within a few hours of the Olympics," says Lieberman, "and could have sold a ton of downloads, but the record just wasn't ready in time. We're not business guys, we're musicians, and we just didn't have the money to pull it off, so the record wasn't pressed until a few weeks later."

He says iTunes was able to post the track for sale online two weeks after the Olympic exposure. "It's a kick in the ass that we didn't have anything on the website, not even credit card, when all those people were looking for [the song]."

Lieberman says the band's name was originally just Strive, but "a couple of Christian rock bands took the name after we did. We're self-managed and self-produced, so instead of making a big legal deal about it, we just changed our name to Strive Roots."

The group recently played several gigs at L.A.'s infamous Viper Room. "It's really dinky and there's no backstage -- the backstage is the sidewalk -- but it's cool to play there. They're weird about letting bands take cameras in...they charge $250, and you can only have one person taking photos. It's some celebrity thing, because they have such cool people there."

WHAT'S IN YOUR MUSIC PLAYER?

Eli Lieberman, vocals/guitar

1. Bob Marley and the Wailers, Uprising ("It's all about the message.")

2. Primus, Frizzle Fry ("Takes groove to a whole new level.")

3. Pantera, Far Beyond Driven ("Dimebag is my favorite guitarist of all time. I cried when he died.")

4. John Brown's Body, This Day ("Some of the most righteous new reggae on the scene.")

Michael Mae, turntables

1. Horse the Band, The Mechanical Hand ("Hard, fast, and great live.")

2. The Presets, Beam ("Very innovative.")

3. The Deftones, Saturday Night Wrist ("Chino Moreno has a great voice.")

4. Atmosphere, You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having ("Great lyricist, great beats.")

Chris Pollock, drummer

1. Live ("Because I like the snare drum.")

2. NOFX, War on Errorism ("Drum tones are killer, guitar tones are interesting, and the whole album is exciting to the ears.")

3. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Weasels Ripped My Flesh ("Not everyone likes Zappa; it depends on your conceptual continuity.")

Mike Mcbride, bass/vocals

"Incubus, Tool, NOFX, and Sublime, simply because these are bands with CDs that I don't get sick of, even after several years of playback."

DESERT ISLAND DVDs?

Mae

1. Natural Born Killers ("Great satire on the media if you get it; lots of blood and mess if you don't.")

2. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas ("Ultimate road-trip movie.")

3. The Godfather saga ("First two films only; the third reeks.")

Pollock

1. Scarface

2. Does Humor Belong in Music? Frank Zappa Live

3. A Clockwork Orange

4. History of the World: Part 1

Mcbride

"Duets, Hero, Moulin Rouge, and Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny, because they take the audience through several emotions and have totally bitchin' soundtracks."

WORST GIG?

Lieberman: "At the Derby in Hollywood. It was a holiday, and everybody in L.A. was out of town so not a single person came. We felt like quitting the business."

Mcbride: "In Breckenridge, Colorado, at Sherpa and Yeti's, I was too wasted to play, and the band was so mad at me that they left me at the club."

FAVORITE TV SHOWS?

Lieberman: "I don't watch that crap, unless it's Sex in the City, South Park, Jon Stewart [in] The Daily Show, Dave Chappelle, or The Simpsons."

Mae

1. The Simpsons ("Classic, although it has fallen off lately.")

2. Family Guy ("The new Simpsons. I hope it lasts as long.")

3. The Office ("British or American version -- both are great.")

4. Aqua Teen Hunger Force ("What does it all mean?")

Mcbride: "South Park and The Simpsons, because their jokes are based on reality but in totally unrealistic situations."

WORST MUSIC EVER?

Lieberman: "I like all music and try not to judge, but Justin Timberlake really makes me uncomfortable."

Mae

1. "Butterfly," Crazy Town ("Nice job ripping off that Red Hot Chili Peppers riff.")

2. "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue," Toby Keith ("A blatant attempt to capitalize on the American-flag-sticker-buying conservatives, post 9/11.")

3. "Rollin'," Limp Bizkit ("These fuckers made it hard to put turntables in a band and sound credible.")

Pollock: "Anything by Kiss."

BIGGEST POLITICAL CONCERN?

Lieberman: "I believe our government should use our money and technology to make everything good. Oh yeah, and trees and rivers and blue skies are really nice. Love the planet, don't bomb it."

Mae: "The Iraq war. Bring home our brothers and sisters. How are you gonna fix other countries when you haven't fixed home first?"

Pollock: "Right-wing nut jobs who try to govern their neighbors with a book they hold sacred. Ever heard of freedom?"

Mcbride: "America's concern for the rest of the world and their actions. Leave them alone, and they will leave us alone."

FAVORITE LOCAL EATERY?

Lieberman: "Beach City Burritos in Cardiff, because it's a burrito and it's by the beach."

Mae: "Lot 81 next to Brick by Brick on West Morena Boulevard. Their $15 ahi tuna is unbelievable."

Pollock: "The May Day Cafe in El Cajon has a good hot pastrami sandwich for $5."

Mcbride: "The Gaslamp Strip Club, where you cook your own steaks."

FINISH THIS SENTENCE: "IF I WAS A STAR TREK CHARACTER, I'D BE..."

Mae: "...pissed. Who watches Star Trek?"