According to a recent press release: "Columbus-based quintet Playing To Vapors has released the first single and official music video from their forthcoming debut album Shred The Master Design, premiering with Idobi Radio. The song "Switchblade" is an indie/math-pop jam about being young and impressionable, and finding it difficult to know who to trust. The video (shot by Chance Duffy) captures the raw and frenetic energy of the track, using stimulating visual effects that make you wanna dance...and maybe check the contrast on your laptop." We get Lucas Harris to answer our 10 Quick Ones about the new disc, his influences, and more...

There are some hidden nuggets in there. Listen closely to the instrumental breakdown section of "Answers," and see if you can spot the reprise of the "Switchblade" riff. Also, see if you can hear three distinct wolf howls during the song "Shred The Master Design." One other tidbit that some gear heads might appreciate is, we used an SM7B through a Neve Preamp on all of the vocal tracks except one we used an Audiotechnica 40/40 through a NI Complete 6. Which track did we use the AT 40/40? Happy hunting.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

We all got into music differently, so I’ll speak for myself. I was dragged into this band by Mike and Josiah. They needed a singer in order to properly play "New Born" by Muse, and I was asked to try out for the singer spot.

3. Who would be your main five musical influences?

It changes, but lately I’m all about The Beatles, Bowie, Rufus Wainwright, Grizzly Bear, and Radiohead.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be?

Alive or dead? It’d be John Lennon. However, currently, I would say any member of Queens Of The Stone Age.

5. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before?

Usually I say Ambient alternative rock, with some math and prog. I want to coin the term ‘Power Math’ in the future though.

6. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

Playing live shows. Specifically the feeling after playing a live show is a high I’ve never felt from anything else.

7. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Daron cooks and gets the drinks. Myself or Mike grabs the acoustics. Zack and Josiah are a good balance between… they both sing, cook, and drink. We’re pretty tight, so we all do a fair amount of everything depending on the situation.

8. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

I don’t know. I was on track to be a lawyer for a minute, but I didn’t like it. Perhaps something involving computers.

9. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”?

Looking back, we’ve written a lot of songs, and not given them the attention or promotion they deserve. I think we should have spent more time pushing our songs to the masses.

10. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

I would have loved to be a fly on the wall during the recording of Kid A. That’s an album I could listen to over and over again and discover something new each time. It’s truly an inspiration both emotional, and technically.

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