When it comes to Reggie and the Full Effect, it can be difficult to figure out the true story. Between the lies, the misinformation and the multiple stage personas, it’s hard to tell where fantasy ends and reality begins.

James Dewees, the mastermind behind Reggie and the Full Effect, is the only one who really knows the truth. The band is currently on tour supporting its fourth studio album “Songs Not to Get Married To,” and will be taking its theatrical and unconventional stage show Saturday to the House of Bricks in Des Moines.

Despite Reggie’s unpredictable and erratic on-stage persona, Dewees, the real-life Reggie, is a down-to-earth and to-the-point kind of guy. Pulse had a chance to catch him during a break in touring to talk about everything from divorce to bathing in candy.

Casey Jones: Tell me the story of Reggie.

James Dewees: There are, like, nine different stories.

CJ: Pick one.

JD: I worked at Pizza Hut, and I got bored from making up songs in my car. Four records later .

CJ: I understand that you played most of the instruments on the albums.

JD: All but the last one.

CJ: Who else plays with you on the album?

JD: Rob [Pope] and Ryan [Pope] from The Get Up Kids and this kid Cory [White] from the band Coalesce.

CJ: At what point did Reggie and the Full Effect become more than just a Get Up Kids’ side project?

JD: When The Get Up Kids broke up.

CJ: Why did The Get Up Kids break up?

JD: ‘Cause Matt [Skiba]’s got two little kids. He doesn’t want to be a deadbeat dad.

CJ: I heard that with your album “Promotional Copy,” most of the copies got sent back? Was that the plan?

JD: No, I was in Australia with The Get Up Kids, and 15,000 copies got returned back to Vagrant from one chain, because they thought they got promotional copies of the record. Some little kid tried to sell one on eBay, saying it was a promotional copy of the first record.

CJ: And your album “Greatest Hits 1984-1987?”

JD: That’s the first record, dude. It’s funny because the greatest hits record came out first. I would have been 11.

CJ: Reggie has played everything from emo to metalcore to new wave. Why all the genre jumping?

JD: It keeps us from getting bored.

CJ: Is it a conscious effort, or do those things just happen in the studio?

JD: It’s all that stuff. I definitely do think about it, but at the same time I don’t think about it, if you know what I mean. It’s weird because it’s such a double negative.

CJ: I heard that you once played live dressed as George Washington on roller skates. What’s that about?

JD: No, that was like, Mozart on roller skates. I don’t know if George Washington ever had silver pants with roses on them.

CJ: Do you have anything like that up your sleeve for Saturday?

JD: I’m not giving away any details about the show. It’s too funny – the surprised look on people’s faces is so worth it. It’s so much fun.

CJ: Would you say that the new album, “Songs Not To Get Married To,” is more personal and serious than past albums?

JD: That’s because I got divorced.

CJ: I won’t touch it if you don’t want me to, but is there anything you want to say about that?

JD: If you’re gonna get married and then get divorced, get a good attorney.

CJ: What does a bathtub full of Skittles feel like?

JD: Really cool, and then it gets creepy.

CJ: At your show in Des Moines, there’s going to be about 250 people. Do you like larger or smaller venues better?

JD: Small. It’s a lot more personal; it’s a lot better environment. I really prefer it that way, because then you really feel like you went to a show. That’s how I grew up going to shows, at a place in Lawrence, Kan., called the Outhouse. It’s now a strip club.