Q&A with Hammer No More the Fingers

Hammer No More the Fingers is a three-piece staple in the local music scene. Bassist Duncan Webster talked with staff writer Marcela Guimaraes about the Triangle’s influence over the years and his advice to up-and-coming bands.

DIVERSIONS: You’re playing at the new Cat’s Cradle back room with Lilac Shadows and Paperhaus, have you played with them before?

DUNCAN WEBSTER: We’ve played with Lilac Shadows a couple times over the years. Those guys are awesome. This is the first time with Paperhaus, I believe they’re from D.C. What I’ve heard is awesome, stoked to see them.

DIVE: How would you compare playing local shows versus out-of-town shows?

DW: It’s just a different thing. Out-of-town shows can be really fun, just kind of like a road trip. You never know what to expect, something always goes wrong.

But when you’re playing locally, you get to see all your friends and you know what to expect. It’s fun and adventurous in its own way.

DIVE: Do you guys have any weird or crazy tour stories?

DW: We were playing in Wilmington one time and were staying at a friend’s house, and he had these snakes that he had found in the front yard and Joe, our guitarist, was playing with one of the snakes, and it like bit him in the face. His face started bleeding, and he had no idea what kind of snake it was.

We’ve played some really weird shows, like we played at this biker rally one time. Nobody had any idea who we were. They paid us like $500 to play this show and we played at like 10 a.m. and there was no one watching us.

Then the next act gets onstage, and they’re like, ‘“Hey guys, good sound check.” We’re like, “Uh, that was our actual show.” We’ve had a lot of those — uncomfortable but funny.

DIVE: How do you think the local music scene has influenced you guys?

DW: In so many ways. This place is just the greatest, and it keeps growing. We all grew up in Durham listening to Archers of Loaf and Superchunk and all those bands from around here. They have influenced us so much. We were just lucky to grow up here and be around music all the time.

You see these bands get pretty successful and it’s just really inspiring. It just makes you want to get better and do it all the time. It’s just also a good place to live and it’s very centered on the arts and music. When people go out it’s not just to go drinking, it’s to see their friends play. That’s like a main event.

DIVE: What new do you have planned?

DW: We’ve just been talking about getting together and write another album and just do it really quickly and not worry too much about the details. Just make an album that’s just like us in our garage.

DIVE: What advice do you have for new local bands?

DW: Just to play as many shows as you can, in town and out of town. And go to other people’s shows and make as many friends as you can and have a great time doing it.

Don’t stress out too much about trying to make it as a rock star, I think being successful is beside the point, just enjoying it and doing as much as you can. It’s all about the community and being a part of the community.