Band members:

Greg Kalar ( vocals/guitar )
Luke DeWitt ( vocals/guitar )
Greg Shinault ( guitar )
Jordan Houle ( bass )
John Watson ( drums )

Visit their website here: Westbury

How did you pick the band name?

We poured over several band names. Naming a band is a really touchy process- a killer name gives an ego boost where a lame name evokes cat calls and general malcontent. Stuff like "Ghosts of Graffiti", "Nutwood", and other names came forth, but we ended up going with Westbury. It's homage to the street John Watson, the drummer, lives on. We had been practicing for over 6 months by the time we had decided to pick a name, and something about Westbury felt right.

How would your define your sound?

Duke Ellington once said that there were only two types of music in the world, and he played the good kind. As cliche as it might be, we try not to group ourselves into one specific genre. We try to listen to a lot of stuff, but we do draw from certain places. John listens to a lot of rock of both classic and newish varieties, which brings in a powerful, Hawkins/Bohnam-esque vibe. Greg Shinault started off listening to some furious punk, but has been pulling out Neil Young and Pavement in the recent years. In fact, Shinault might still have Sly and The Family Stone in his car. Jordan, the bassist, listens to anything from Rilo Kiley to Fear Before the March of Flames. Luke, the newest added guitarist/singer in the band, listens to anything he can get his hands on. No names will be mentioned, but opera might be involved. No one cares what Kalar listens to, but we can all be thankful that he never got on the 80's NuWave bandwagon.

Describe your creative process for writing and composing music?

We bring ideas to the rehearsal. We practice, play, and jam on ideas and piece them together. Lyrics get added in. The song goes where it needs to go, and never gets played until it reaches where it has to be. It's esoteric, but we have to trust in each other's ears, even if they don't want to hear that particular day.

If you guys were to play with another band, which would it be?

We've played with some very cool bands. Blackpool Lights were great to play with. Seven to the Right is always awe inspiring. We almost played with Bear vs. Shark at Jerry's Pizza, but sadly the show was canceled. There are always the fantasy bands like Mars Volta, Fugazi, and Foo Fighters that everyone wants to play with. Its nice, however, to appreciate the talent and wholehearted devotion of the bands on the same bill who really mean what they do. If we could play every show with at least one band who really is in the game for the art and not just for the record contract, we'd call it good.

Where / how often / how do you guys practice?

Practices happen at John's house, as moving drums is incredibly hard. We're really thankful to John's parents for their hospitality and fortitude. We try to fit in as many as we can a week, but with ever changing schedules it tends to be a Promethean task. We take a poll and do the work that needs to be done based on the democratic process. After practice, we sit Parliament style and call each other idiots while referring to each other as the gentleman from a made up district.

Finally, why do men have nipples?

Many moons ago in a foreign, forgotten land, the evil emperor Mel Gibson reigned supreme. Emperor Gibson would squash his peasants under his mighty fist he called "The Oscar". Men lived in fear for their lives, children went hungry, and women were repeatedly molested. The gentle peasantry feared they would live forever in servitude to Gibson and his Oscar, until a stranger came into the land. He rode a mighty steed, and was covered in a dark shroud. As the horse carried the stranger into the town, the peasantry gathered round the outsider and his steed. A strange aura irradiated under the robes of the shrouded figure, as if he was a thing of mighty virtue. Suddenly, Emperor Gibson appeared atop the roof tops with his Oscar in tow. Gibson screamed a blood curdling roar and flew down to the street where the foreigner trotted along. The emperor swung his might Oscar at the figure, but it stopped mid air. Suddenly, the robes of the stranger flew off, revealing a most astonishing sight. The stranger had large wings sprouting from its back, leathery skin, and sharp, needlelike teeth. He hopped off the horse and screamed a mighty scream into the air. "HOMUNCULUS!!!!" it screamed, and charged Emperor Gibson. A massive battle ensued, which destroyed half the town. It looked bleak, but the battle ended with a victorious stranger tossing the body of Emperor Gibson atop a pyre. The stranger broke the Oscar over his knee, and flew into the night sky. As he left, the menfolk began squeezing their chest area and crying "HOMUNCULUS!!!" into the night sky. This became a natural ritual, and as time crept on, men developed nipples. Although obscure, the male nipple serves as a reminder of the epic battle of Homunculus and Mel Gibson.