Cheap Shot! conducted the following interview with Atom Goren via e-mail. Most of you would know Atom as the force behind the impossible-to-hate Atom and His Package. (RIP, 2003) Some in the Philadelphia area might recognize him from the handful of shows his current band, Armalite (also featuring members of Paint It Black, Amateur Party, and Affirmative Action Jackson) have played at local venues. To others, still, he is a harbinger of high school chemistry and an above all interesting guy. Here is the result of the Q&A CS! had with Atom. We thank him for helping us to get on our feet and for answering our silly questions, especially considering how full his plate currently is.

CS: How have you been? What have you been up to? What did you have for breakfast?

Atom: I’ve been great, thanks. I’ve been teaching high school chemistry and physics and being a dad for two kiddies. I had a breakfast burrito thingy with hummus.

CS: How did Armalite come about? It seems like something of a local supergroup to me!

Atom: The four of us are friends and had been talking about playing music for quite some time. It was slow going at first because I was always on tour for Atom and His Package stuff, and now it’s slow going because the other three folks play in active-er bands, and I live in babytown.

CS: What are your goals for Armalite?

Atom: We have zero goals. We’ve played like 9 shows in our three year existence, and have a great time practicing and playing when we can, but I don’t think we’d have any significant problem if the band exploded.

CS: What are your feelings on the local independent music scene right now? Are there any artists who interest you?

Atom: There are lots of bands that I like, and though I don’t actively tour, I’m still a huge music fan, and record buying addict. I really like the newest Liars record, and love recently dead band Mclusky.

CS: Any advice you would give to local artists trying to make it on the Philadelphia scene?

Atom: While I’m flattered that you think I would have any advice on this matter… I don’t really. I suppose writing good songs and playing them a lot is good?

CS: What is / was your favorite venue to play in the Philadelphia area - past or present?

Atom: The church auditorium at 22nd and Chestnut Sts. This is where the excellent R5 productions folks do cool, well put together all ages punk shows.

CS: The Package song "Philadelphia" was very critical of the city, albeit in a humorous way. How do you feel the city compares now vs. when [A Society of People Named] Elihu came out? Can we basically swap out "Rendell" for "Street," or have things improved?

Atom: I love Philadelphia, and I always have. I still think there are, as any big city will have, problems with the city. I still think it’s a great place because it’s large and diverse enough to have a huge amount of different things to do and eat. Lots of cheap good food, and a lot of interesting, active folks, but it’s not so huge that it feels overwhelming. I’m not sure what to do about the lyric for the ‘councilman Street’ line… though Rendell could still be used, as he is the governor I suppose.

CS: With your Package, you covered the Dead Milkmen classic, "Nutrition." You were also quoted in the liner notes to their Now We Are 20 retrospective. Are you friends with the band? Any interesting stories to tell?

Atom: I’ve spoken to Dean, Rodney and Joe in different situations and am a huge fan of the work (and love Joe’s The Low Budgets), so we’re friendly, but not really friends. I don’t know them well.

CS: You also performed a great cover of Fugazi's "Waiting Room." I'm assuming they were an influence for you - in regards to your touring everywhere, playing cheap shows, all while doing it yourself. What other artists influenced your work ethic in your most formative years?

Atom: I don’t know… I suppose all those that laid the groundwork for there being a DIY network. I really felt incredibly comfortable booking tours through DIY places, and really felt like I made and have maintained some very special relationships.

CS: This is a crucial time for GLBT individuals - especially in Pennsylvania, where the Republican congressionals are pushing for heavy discrimination in the state constitution. Despite this, do you get the feeling that youth culture (namely the punk scene) is becoming more accepting of gays, lesbians, and transgendered people? How does it compare to when you started playing?

Atom: I really don’t think that I can be a good observer of the punk scene in this respect. I rarely go to shows at this time. I do think that we are (hopefully) moving towards more acceptance, despite the recent Federal Marriage Amendment and other nonsense. I’m hoping this is a loud minority. The school where I teach has definitely become more accepting, and tolerant, and I can only hope that continues as these kids grow up and have children etc. Of course, the degree of disturbing dancing has gone up too, and I am frightened at what dances my children will be doing.

CS: You are now raising two young children. How has this affected your worldview? Does Fisher Price make music sequencers? Should I be shot for making that awful joke?

Atom: I’m not sure if I can answer this fully, but while raising kids makes me a bit more isolated from a lot of things that I used to do, because I spend so much time doing that, it makes me a lot more interested/worried about the world, and what life will be like for them. I also am way more tired than I used to be but laugh and love a lot more.

CS: What inspired you to write "If You Own the Washington Redskins"? Do you feel there are any other areas of pop culture where such blatant hatred has become so assimilated that people actually don't REALIZE it's hate?

Atom: I just thought/think that the nickname for the Redskins and the stupid caricature mascots and cheers are pretty offensive. I’m sure there are places where this type of thing is embedded in pop culture, though nothing comes to mind immediately.

CS: It seems to me that Tim Allen becomes increasingly less and less funny. Thoughts?

Atom: I’d have to say that this is not true… though this may be because I haven’t seen him in any context in years, so it makes his average funniness rating approach zero, when it used to be in the negative numbers.

CS: Journey or Foreigner. You MUST pick one!

Atom: Foreigner because of "Jukebox Hero."

CS: Describe your plans for the next six months, no matter how vague they may be.

Atom: Hangout with family. Go to the park. Go to AP Chemistry teacher workshop thingy. Teach kids. Hangout with family. Listen to lots o’ records.