About this interview
In this 2009 interview with Ryan Minic of Ryan's Rock Show, Stephen Carr of Exotic Animal Petting Zoo discusses the band’s struggles with their label Mediaskare Records, detailing how their initial recording session in Los Angeles went south. After months of hard work and expenses, they were forced to re-record their entire album due to poor production and mismanagement.
Stephen also shares how the band’s name dates back to his high school days and traces their evolution from a three-piece to their expanded lineup. He talks about Indiana’s music scene, noting that it’s dominated by metalcore and breakdown-heavy bands, making it difficult for them to find diverse shows.
A surprising moment in the band’s journey came through MySpace, where an online argument with a band manager unexpectedly led to their discovery by Mediaskare Records. Initially, the manager trashed their music, but after his wife intervened, he changed his tune and ultimately helped connect them with the label.