The Apples in Stereo will release their next album, The Velocity of Sound, on October 8th on SpinART Records. Produced by frontman Robert Schneider and mixed by Bryce Goggin (Pavement, Sebadoh), the band's fourth effort will be the final one recorded at the band's Denver studio.

"The main feel of the record is between the Ramones and the Feelies," says Schneider, from his new home in Lexington, Kentucky. "It's very rock and it's got layers of fuzz. It's fast, fuzzy and super catchy. I'd call it poppy, but not poppy in the vein of our previous stuff. We had our baby, and I don't know what happened but I wrote a bunch of punk rock songs."

In the background, said baby, Max, Schneider's eighteen-month old son with spouse/Apples' drummer Hilarie Sidney, bangs away on his new drum set. "Soon enough, we're gonna stick him in there on tambourine -- like the Jackson 5," jokes Schneider. Before the Schneider trio collaboration comes into fruition, Schneider will record with XTC's Andy Partridge this fall in London.

"I still can't believe that I got a phone call from Andy Partridge," Schneider says. "We talk on the phone every couple of weeks for a few hours, and generally we write a few songs over the phone during each session. We've collected like thirty-five songs so far, so we've got a ton of stuff. Some of it is rough and needs polishing, so this summer we're going to work really hard on getting the songs done. Then we'll record them. But what's wild is it's all by telephone. We haven't even actually met yet."

With a new Apples record and the Partridge side project, Schneider is hoping the exposure garnered from the band's appearance on 2000's Powerpuff Girls: Heroes & Villains soundtrack with "Signal in the Sky (Let's Go)," might drum up a newfound allegiance -- that is, once the show's loyal, kiddie fan base comes of age.

"It was really fun and they made a video of us for the Cartoon Network that ran every day for a while," Schneider says. "Can you imagine all those unsuspecting people -- kids and parents -- who have been exposed to my little world of indie rock? It's wild! I hope in five years the kids who are watching flip out over our back catalog!"

JOHN D. LUERSSEN
(July 3, 2002)