Miles Zuniga

The TV producers in L.A. had it all wrong. Before anyone even heard of Fastball’s crazy, mega-catchy single, "The Way," guitarist and vocalist Miles Zuniga was just another struggling musician trying to hold down a good-paying day job. He was an extra.

You can bet those same producers are kicking themselves now knowing they limited one of the song-writing members of Fastball to playing mindless roles in the background instead of playing guitar.

But there is the possibility of a second chance. Plenty of opportunities should be available to shoot more Fastball videos, since their latest effort, All The Pain Money Can Buy, has many more crazy, mega-catchy tunes on it.

And while they’re filming, those big-wig producers should consider something else: Get this guy his own show.

Zuniga’s funny, talented and intelligent (except when it comes to doing complex math problems in his head). We hope they don’t drop the ball again. Just read on and you’ll catch the drift.

Zuniga on working as a TV extra:

"I was only doing that to survive… I moved to L.A. in November and it gelled with my creativity. As an extra all you do is sit around all day. You don’t really act; you’re in the shot; you’re like a piece of furniture."

On Sliders (no, not the pitch this time):

"I remember working as an extra on a particularly shitty show: Sliders. Workin’ on it was the worst. No organization. It was so miserable, I said, 'I want to leave early.' So I split, drove home and our A&R guy phoned to tell us that things were going really, really well: [Everybody] was excited [about "The Way"]. So I said, 'Fuck it: I’m not gonna go back; I’m not gonna work as an extra again.'"

On playing in a trio:

"Well, we’re a four-piece on the road now because there’s just too many parts and intricate stuff. But a trio is flying-by-the-seat-of-your-pants and bare bones. Every piece is so integral; everybody is so important, and if anyone falls down on the job, then it’s glaring.

On the big live shows:

"It’s just daunting, man… You’re supposed to be entertaining [laughs]. And meanwhile, it’s almost like some sort of street riot!"

On moshing:

"The ideal mix is when the audience is enthusiastic but doesn’t feel the need to shove the person next to them or step over somebody. I think moshing should now be designated a sport, just like wrestling. And when you buy a ticket to a show, they’ll offer you a choice: 'Do you want moshing or non-moshing?' If you pick non-moshing, you get a seat guaranteed to be free from any of that bullshit. If you pick a ticket for moshing, they’ll lead you to this pit that is designed for this purpose, with padding on the walls… No helmet; you just sign a waiver. I think that would solve everybody’s problem."

On what he does after touring:

"It doesn’t really matter what I do or where I go as long as I don’t move. All the time. Just sitting someplace a long time would be nice."

On trying to figure out how many shows Fastball’s done on tour:

"Oh, I don’t know. It’s been three months and six days. It’s six days a week, so let’s say three times four is twelve. No, it’s been four months. Sixteen times four is what? Sixteen weeks. No, that doesn’t make any sense. It’s been four months, so there’s what, four weeks to a month time six days [punching button sounds]… I’ve got an adding machine. So that adds up to, what, sixteen times six? This thing won’t clear. It’s useless. Anyhow, we’ve been on the road for a long time."