Fun and seriousness are opposites, but Sparechange00 is proof you can enjoy what you do and still maintain a no-nonsense attitude.

The three members of Sparechange00 will present their music and fun-loving personalities under the band’s new name, The Change, when they perform at the Maintenance Shop.

Frontman Ryan Watts says the band members’ attitudes toward life are what set them apart from other bands.

“We’re all best friends,” he says. “Our personalities are unique and each individual brings something different to the band.”

Drummer Brian Knotts says being long-time friends with his bandmates makes things much more enjoyable.

“I’ve known [Watts] since the fourth grade. I’ve known [bassist Don Sedlock] since seventh grade,” Knotts says.

“It’s cool to be in a band with your best friends.”

But even best friends can have disputes during the long hours on the road. Good pranks make for fond memories and Watts says the band members prank each other all the time.

“We were in Florida and Brian dropped his shoe out the window,” Watts says.

“I didn’t want to stop. I made him walk back a mile or two to find his shoe.”

Although both Watts and Knotts laugh about it now, Knotts didn’t think it was very funny at the time.

“It was toward the end of a tour and we were getting sick of each other,” Knotts says. “And when you’re getting sick of each other, you don’t want to deal with that shit. I went back to get my shoe. I couldn’t find it.

“That was the only pair of shoes I had, so I had to borrow some for the rest of the tour.”

Watts and Knotts also share some hilarious stories involving Sedlock.

“Our tour manager came with us one time, and for some reason, he was afraid to ask me to stop so he could pee,” Watts says. “He went in a cup and tried to pour it out the window. Instead, it got all over Don’s face while he was sleeping. Don almost killed us when he found out.”

But things haven’t always been perfect for Sparechange00 — in fact, Watts says a few personal problems almost caused him to leave the band.

“I started losing faith and didn’t know if I wanted to do it anymore,” he says. “I wrote kind of a letter of resignation and gave it to the guys. I thought they would get pissed and try to sue me.

“But they didn’t look at it from the band’s perspective. They came to me as my best friends and said they would help me out if I needed anything. It was really good to know that they supported me even if it affected the band.”

Watts eventually conquered his anxiety and the band stayed together.

“That was the worst because it was one of the darkest times for the band and for me,” he says. “But the guys stood by me the whole time.”

Watts says the band has a special way of working through their differences.

“The three of us tend to be over-reactive,” he says. “We kind of bring it down to reality level and usually end up realizing that what we were fighting about is stupid, then let it go.”

This ability to not take life too seriously seems to have translated to the band’s attire as well.

“We love thrift stores,” he says. “We try to find a thrift store and then buy the most obnoxious thing possible, especially when we’re on tour.”

Although the band members are known for their goofy antics, Watts says the group is serious about their music and the message they present.

“The general theme in my lyrics is holding on to yourself and finding out who you are as a person,” he says. “I try to write stuff that touches people’s lives.”

The band name may have changed, but this isn’t the first time the three friends have played the Shop. Watts says the band enjoys the intimacy that the M-Shop allows with fans.

“One of the highlights of being a musician is when you go back to a town and someone says, ‘Hey, I like that song,'” he says. “It’s a good feeling to know that one of your songs has touched a person’s life enough for them to remember you.”

Watts says he appreciates this personal touch, and he and the rest of the band enjoy interacting with their fans.

“Feel free to come up and talk to us after the show,” he says.

“If we seem unapproachable, it’s probably just because we had a weird look on our face while we were playing.”