Thanks to the fabulous Mods over on the MartyCasey.org message board for coming up with the questions they wanted to ask and to site co-editor Amy for organizing the whole process. Kudos to Rob Grabowski for his concert photos and to both Marty Casey and Dan Howard of Lovehammers for helping out with this. And of course a special thank you to Dino Kourelis!

"Dino Kourelis is the unsung hero of this band. He is a dreamer full of positive energy and has helped to define what this band is all about...Persistence. There would be no Lovehammers if it wasn't for Dino!' " ~~Marty Casey

Born: August 13, Chicago

How many brothers/sisters do you have? 1 brother and 1 sister

Did you play any sports in school? Football. I loved baseball, but got burnt out and didn't play.

What school/college did you go to? University of Illinois

What other jobs have you had besides being a musician? Too many to list - anything you can think of, I have done.

What is your middle name? John

What music do you like to listen to? Everything

What is your favorite food? See answer above

Favorite early memory of the band? We used to be so drunk, I don't remember most of the early days.

What's your favorite song to play? At this point, I enjoy any and every song my hand allows me to play.

What's kept you motivated through all the years to stick with music and this band? I have always believed in this band and what we can accomplish. The hardest part is getting that exposure - I feel like every time we do, we succeed. I did the college/corp job thing and it just wasn't right for me. I will always do something with music - even when I am old and wrinkled.

Were you able to enjoy yourself during this past tour or was everything a blur? I was deaf in one ear for the first ½, and messed up my hand for the second ½. I was personally in a lot of pain and miserable most of the tour. The only part I was able to enjoy was the actual shows and meet & greets. Seeing everyone else enjoying the tour was enough to keep me going too.

Are you a self-taught musician? No, I try and learn from everyone around me. I try to steal good qualities from other musicians including the other hammers.

When you were just learning how to play, did you emulate someone famous or an idol of yours? Not really.

What's your favorite thing about making music? I love taking an idea and turning it into a song. Sometimes it takes months, and sometimes it takes minutes. It is really special when that happens.

Have you been surprised by the audience your music has attracted? No. I think everyone would enjoy us. We are not fake or trying to be something we are not, and I think people appreciate that. I also think all 4 of us are different enough to attract different people as well.

Last song/CD you bought? New releases by Buckcherry & All American Rejects

Has anything really freaked you out about the sudden fame and being recognized? Nope, I usually like talking to and meeting new people.

What's the one personal item that you can't live without when you're on the road? Treo - lol

Weirdest fan request? Probably shouldn't write that one here.

What's your favorite tour memory? Getting yelled at by Ted.

Do you have any pre-show rituals / superstitions? I usually pee 3 times and throw up. Before we go onstage, we put our hands in and say something silly.

Do you read the reviews about your music? I read the bad ones once, and the good ones twice.

Marty | Billy | Dino | Bobby