This is an interview I had with Jenna of PunkRockNEmo.

State your name and position in the band.

My name is Arpan Shah but most people call me Bob.  Yeah I know it’s weird.  I’m the singer/guitarist/song writer for Abreaction.  

Do you enjoy being a one man band?
Well there are a bunch of pros and cons to having a solo act.  The pros are that I have complete autonomy in doing what I want without having any disagreements.  I don’t have to conform to anybody’s schedule and just play when I want.  The cons are that I think the songs sound a bit bare sometimes and would love to hear some other guitars or drums layered on.  Also, it would be great to have someone involved in the song writing process to hear a fresh perspective.

How long have you been playing for?
I have been singing since long before I can even remember.  It’s kind of funny, but I just moved and happened to look at my fifth grade yearbook.  Every single comment in the back had to do with me either people enjoying hearing me sing all the time, or people telling me to shut the hell up.  Either way, every comment had to do with singing.  I got a brother who sings too, so we always competed when growing up.  I have been playing guitar since I was about 15; so, about 7 years or so.

What inspired you to start?
Well it really wasn’t an inspiration at all.  My best friends in high school and I just decided to form a band.  We needed another guitarist, so I just bought one.  We mostly played covers and I only enjoyed writing my own stuff.  So, the band separated shortly after, and I began recording my own stuff.

How did you come upon this band name?
I think I was in class and I heard of the word ‘catharsis.’  I thought it was cool because it was a technique used to relieve anxiety by bringing repressed emotions to the forefront.  About 1000 bands were already called Catharsis, so I went with Abreaction, which really means the same thing.  In retrospect, the name is perfect because I usually sing about things that I have repressed and try to get over it by singing about it.

How did you come about writing your lyrics? Are they from life experiences?
I think of my music as an open diary that happens to be open to anyone who wants to, in this case, hear it.  So, a vast majority of my songs stem from life experiences.

What were some of your musical experiences that you had while growing up?
 I never played for the school band or anything like that, but I loved concerts and tried to go to one every week.

What type of music were you influenced by to start playing?
When I first started writing I was into dark and depressing music like the Cure, Depeche Mode, and the Smashing Pumpkins.

What were some of the bands you looked up to while growing up, or do now?
I had a lot of influences.  In fact, I have listed them on a whole separate page on the website.  The main influences probably have been Depeche Mode, Erasure, Anything Box, The Cure, and New Order.  I then got into punk bands like NOFX, Lagwagon, and No Use For A Name.  A few years ago I was really into trance acts like Paul Oakenfold and Gouryella.

Did you ever take music lessons cause you voice is different unlike other bands?
No, I never took any formal musical lessons.  I felt that I did not anyone to tell me how to sing.  I wanted to do it myself which may have contributed to voice sounding a bit different.

Do you consider yourself to be “Emo”?

“Emo” is a term that I learned after writing my first album.  If emo means emotional, I guess I am.  The word emo is used now as such a broad term that could cover everyone from the Ataris to At The Drive-In. 

What are some of your favorite bands?
Right now I am listening to a lot Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Yellowcard, Lagwagon’s new album, and Further Seems Forever’s new album.  I have a new favorite band each week.

I noticed a lot of the news on your website is directly connected to your fans, are to loyal to them cause they look up to you?

I’m loyal to the fans because I think it is amazing how many different people could connect to the music.  It may sound cliché, but I really thought I was the only one growing up who had to go weird times in high school, messy break ups, and feelings of confusion.  So, I like talking to the fans and being able to make that connection.  Also, growing up I hated bands that never seemed to care for the fans. I try and respond to anyone who writes me at abreaction@abreaction.net.

Do you plan on going back into the studio any time soon?
I have been really busy with taking care of things in my personal life, but I really hope to record a new album before the end of the year.  Right now, I have about twenty working songs.

When you're fully done with college; do you plan to tour everywhere and your name more known?
Right now, I would love to tour but with my new job I may not be able to venture outside of Chicago for a short time.  I do want to have a national tour sometime though.

Do you want to get signed or you rather keep working independently?
Working independently has its merits but getting signed means having a more accessible way of distributing CDs, merchandise, etc.

Has any labels come to you and talked about being signed?
I have heard from a lot of small labels but right now am unable to take the commitment of fully being signed.

Which labels would you love to be signed to?
I would love to be on any label that was honest, trustful, and gave me the independence to write whatever I wanted.

How do you feel about Punk/Emo music being on MTV?
I think it’s kind of funny because growing up, I listened to a lot of these bands because it wasn’t popular or mainstream.  So it’s a little strange when I saw bands like Jimmy Eat World and Further Seems Forever playing at small venues that were nowhere close to sold out a few years backs and now they’re on the major radio stations.  But it’s great for all the bands who worked their asses off and now they are getting the recognition they deserve.

Last question, where do you wish to be in 5 years?

I hope to be still writing music, touring, and giving whoever wants it, the opportunity to hear it.