Love letter band.

"FEAR NOT MY BROTHERS, fear not my sisters, for I have seen the future and these dark clouds will part." Shit. Now having heard it all I can die a happy man. Wait, reverse that, is George W still around? What? Actually, the "Fear not" prophecy is the title gracing the cover of Chris Adolf's latest work in the Love Letter Band, an album that has one hand deep in the cookie jar labeled Pleasant Folk, as the other arm is busy directing traffic in a small town. Colorado-based Adolf crafts songs you'll still be singing as you crawl to your grave; they are heartfelt, heartwarming, and squarely rooted in the situations we all find ourselves in on a daily basis. If Chris were a book, he'd be a pretty decent read.

Are your lyrics a direct stab at where you currently reside? For example, "Please play a soul song on the jukebox at Applebee's," and, "I don't like college kids out at the bar."

That song is less about individuals and more about culture. I saw all these college types at the bar at one such restaurant drinking Presidente Margaritas while soul songs played on the satellite radio. The juxtaposition between the great old music and the chain restaurant surroundings were funny to me. But I have nothing against college types, nothing against anyone.

You were quoted saying, "A lot of times you go to an indie rock show, and it's packed, but no one's really there to see a show. They're there to be seen instead. I'd rather play in a closet with four people who are into it." Have you ever had to come to a halt during a performance to an indie rock audience and clue them in?

I think sometimes the indie scene is more about being cool than actually supporting independent music. But I can't blame people for wanting to fit in. In Denver, most venues are bars. You'll play to a packed house, but it's only packed because people are there to drink and hook up. I was younger when I said those things that you quote. I get more attention now. I once stopped to tell a crowd to shut up. Ian MacKaye can pull that shit off, but most people just sound whiney.

Prior to the Love Letter Band, there was said to have been "a shitty, Southern California-style punk band" you were involved in amongst your circle.

On our last tour Jason Anderson and I purchased a NOFX CD from a Best Buy. It was fun to blast it when we pulled up to a crowd of K Records' fans. I think that people would expect us to just be listening to things like the Lucky Dragons or the Microphones constantly. Growing up in a small town, you can't pick and choose whom you play music with. I've played in a KISS cover band, a surf rock band, metal bands, a pop punk band, a ton of Sonic Youth wannabes. I was in a band and this kid wore latex ram horns and read poetry. Did you ever hear about that woman stalking David Letterman? That was the poetry kid's morn. It's a weird cracked-out place that I'm from.

What separates Love Letter Band and Bad Weather California? Nothing.

Did the Iron Maiden posters on your cousin's bedroom walls, which you've said scared you shitless, have a big effect on the music you make today?

Malden is one of the greatest rock bands to ever walk this planet. My older cousin Joe introduced me to them at a young age. People nowadays wear heavy metal T-shirts and walk around listening to that stuff trying to be clever and ironic or something. It bums me out, because I still take music like that very seriously.

Are you a big Tim Burton fan? I think he terrorized Wonka, even more so than if he had cast George W as Charlie or Grandpa Joe.

Hey, what about casting the late Ronald Reagan as Charlie? That might be good. He has acting experience. But George W might be good as Charlie too. I could see that working out.