In the past two years, Winthrop has come to know and love a local psychedelic-post-modern-grunge-funk band called Minnesota License Plate.
Winthrop students Ethan Snipes, Joe Andrews, former Winthrop students Caleb Brown, Justin Smith, and Mark Ray have spent the past two years combining their musical talents to bring entertainment and joy to the Rock Hill area. They have played shows in Rock Hill, Charleston, Boone and Gastonia, and even played a show for Winthrop University’s Welcome Week 2015, and last year Her Campus at Winthrop even profiled the band before their performance. However, the bandmates are all moving in different directions in their lives and careers, so their time playing together is most likely over for now.
Saturday, September 10, the band will be performing for the last time at The Courtroom with two other bands, Cherbough Way and Buck Shoals. I had the opportunity to sit down with bass player and vocalist, Ethan Snipes, and ask him to open up about the past two years, and the upcoming show.
What is it like to know that just within two years you have become celebrities on campus?
I wouldn’t want anyone to get the notion that we think of ourselves as celebrities. That being said, we get to meet and hang with a lot of different people and a lot of different types of people.
Do you plan on making music together in the future, solo music, or any other publications?
We’re all musicians, so I don’t think that any of us will stop playing music completely. As far as the future goes, nobody knows.
What is your favorite memory of playing together?
It was all really fun. Playing music together is just a great experience. I keep trying to think of which memory was the best but they’re all great in their own way. If I had to pick one though, we played a show in Boone, NC and it was the middle of winter. We spent the night up there and nearly froze to death, but we made it through. The show was good, though.
How would you describe the past two years together? Has this time together changed you as musicians, and as people?
Well we always keep learning, every single day. And as we learn, we grow. The change from then to now is huge, but it’s only natural. Since we’ve all been playing together, we’ve grown our own sound and that’s the most important thing.
Think back to this time last year when you played at “Welcome Week”. What are your thoughts on this change in a year?
Like I said, the change is huge. At that point we only had a little EP that was recorded in somebody’s house. Now we almost have two full studio EPs and we’ve played in some major cities on the East Coast. It’s been really cool and I’ve loved every minute of it.
What do you have to say to your fans here on campus who will miss you guys as a band?
Don’t worry, we’ll still be active. Just much less active than we are right now. Plus, we will be putting stuff online so it’ll almost be like we never left.
What do you hope for Saturday? Do you want this to be your biggest gig?
It’s not really about the size of the crowd, although we do want a lot of people there. What really matters is that everybody has a good time listening to music and enjoying the company of others.
What is your favorite song to play together, and what is the song you will miss playing together the most?
I personally love playing “Hurricane” and “Laced with a Dream.” But all of our songs are fun to play.
Is there anything else you’d like to say to your fans?
Thanks for all the support. And we love you guys and Her Campus.
Come out and support MLP on Saturday, Eagles! We will miss you MLP, but will continue to jam out to your psychedelic hits on your awesome Youtube channel!