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Versus the World Q&A

Posted on September 7, 2012October 7, 2013 by Emily McBride

SoCal rock band Versus The World have announced that will join MxPx Allstars and Unwritten Law on a fall U.S. tour in support of their new album, Drink. Sing. Live. Love., which was released on July 31 from Viking Funeral Records.

I got the chance to throw a couple of questions at vocalist/guitarist Donald Spence, and now you get the chance to read his answers.  Congratulations, no need to thank me, and enjoy. Continue reading “Versus the World Q&A”

REVIEW: Lowtalker Marathon EP

Posted on September 6, 2012October 7, 2013 by Samantha Gilder

Lowtalker is the combined effort of former Living With Lions, Misery Signals, and Comeback Kid members who will be releasing their debut EP, The Marathon, under No Sleep Records on September 18th.

Stu Ross, Matt Keil, and Casey Hjelmberg formed the band in 2008, naming themselves after a reference to the “Puffy Shirt” episode of Seinfield.

Ross, who was born in Canada, essentially fronts the band as the singer, while also playing the guitar and contributing as one of the songwriters. What he brings musically is matched by what he brings visually, having done the artwork for the first EP, People Worry About Everything.  Keil plays bass, sings, and assumes the role of the mathematical brain in relation to the business.  Hjelmberg plays the guitar (and takes credit for coming up with the band’s name).

Upon first listen to The Marathon, I realized that pinpointing a particular band to compare their sound to wouldn’t be an easy task. Their post-hardcore/punk roots definitely flare through, but each member brings something unique to create a fresh sound.

The EP kicks off with the song “Like Minnows”, a fast-paced, personal recount of seemingly personal experiences with life’s relationships, making it easy to relate to.

“Tensions” is the second track and has a sound of its own. If I were to choose, I would claim it as my favorite of them all.  Repetitive hooks and catchy melodies get me every time.

Self-medicating seems to be an underlying theme throughout the EP, sounding loud and clear in the third track, “Prescriptions”. In our interview conducted earlier this month, Ross revealed that the song is based on a family member of his that has dealt with prescription drug abuse for the last 20+ years.

The EP ends with the appropriately-titled track “Chances” that sings of hopefully looking forward, letting go of your past, and the ghosts that can haunt you if you let them.

Lowtalker will be the hitting the road in October for a short stint of touring which includes a show in their hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Personally, this was a great listen from start to finish and will be on repeat for awhile in my musical library. What I find nice about this EP is that it can be enjoyed as a morning starter, a musical night-cap, and anything in between.

Be sure to check out Lowtalker. Catch a show and snag a copy of the EP once released later this month.

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Dead Ellington’s Refuse EP proves punk is still alive

Posted on September 5, 2012October 7, 2013 by

Alright, kids- we are taking it back a little bit and proving punk is not dead but still alive and kicking just as much as Henry Rollins. I present to you as evidence a punk band on the rise called Dead Ellington out of Boston, MA.  Their EP entitled Refuse dropped this past May and was recorded in Asbury Park, NJ with Pete Steinkopf of The Bouncing Souls. The Refuse EP is Dead Ellington’s third release (the first of a three-part series).  The group has the classic feel of 80s and 90s skate-punk complete with poppy snare, super toned distorted bass, great guitar riffs, and angsty vocals. Their first song, “The Question,” is reminiscent of older Rise Against. The next song, “College Credit,” is extremely catchy, with the chorus chanting “Are you like your friends, are you like your friends?”  It’s definitely my favorite song off of the EP.  Another great song is “Miracle,” with its slightly calmer tune and chorus of “I wish I was a f*cking miracle, a shooting star, I wish I was, I wish I was”.

A little background on the band- Dead Ellington recorded their first full-length album in 2011 titled Refuse Rethink Rebuild.  It was recorded/produced by Big D and the Kid’s Table’s Steve Foote and mastered by Stephen Egerton of Descendents fame.  The album hit number 19 on the CMJ Top 200 Chart.  DE have played alongside Big D and the Kid’s Table, The Lawrence Arms, and The Loved Ones. Twice they have been a part of Vans Warped Tour and played many of Boston’s premiere rock clubs. Dead Ellington is here to put the message back in music, to raise awareness, and to question. They are Refusers.  They are Rethinkers.  They are Rebuilders.

Give them a listen, and be sure to check out our interview with them!  I recommend this band to anyone that likes skate punk, or older pioneer punk in general.  They are worth it!

Members:

Sal Ellington – Vocals, Acoustic, Samples

Jason Caira – Vocals, Lead Guitar

James Sullivan – Rhythm Guitar

Brandon Phillips – Bass Guitar

Craig Stanton – Drums

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Quickfire Questions with Lowtalker

Posted on September 4, 2012October 7, 2013 by Emily McBride

Lowtalker is made up of Stu Ross (vocalist/guitarist), Matt Keil (vocalist/bassist), Casey Hjelmberg (guitarist), and Branden Morgan (drummer).  The band is made up of former members of such bands as Misery Signals, Living with Lions, and Comeback Kid (but if you’re assuming you know what they sound like from their resume, think again my friends).

I got the chance to catch up with bandmember Stu Ross, who was kind enough to answer my questions.  Enjoy, and be sure to check out their upcoming release, Marathon EP, out September 18.

Vinyl Mag:  First off, how old is everyone?

Stu Ross:  I am 30 years old; Casey and Matt are both 27 and Brian, well, I’m not exactly sure. Judging by his moustache I’d say somewhere in his mid 40’s.

VM:  Can I get a brief history of the band?  How did you come together after your previous projects?  

SR:  Lowtalker started in 2008 with Casey and I trading “pop punk” demos. We both love the sound of bands like Saves The Day, Face To Face, and Lifetime. The first few demos that were traded were much poppier than the current sound of the band.

Misery Signals and Comeback Kid were on tour together when I was first introduced to Matt.  He and I instantly got along really well; he and Casey were already great friends. So we had the three of us on board. We asked Branden from Misery Signals to drum for us; he accepted the position. From there we recorded People Worry About Everything and did some scattered touring in 2010.

When I left Misery Signals in 2010, I joined Vancouver punk band Living With Lions. My time in LWL put Lowtalker on the back burner.  In late 2011 I left LWL. It opened up a lot more time for us all to work on Lowtalker. Later in 2011, Casey left CBK, then in 2012, oddly enough, I took on Casey’s old position playing guitar in CBK.

When it came time to start writing new Lowtalker material, we were up in the air about who we wanted to drum in the band. Casey and Matt’s good friend Brian Moen- who had played drums in their old band, Regret, and is currently drums for indie rockers, Peter Wolf Crier- jumped on board for the Marathon EP. Brian played a huge part in the project, not only playing drums, but also engineering the EP.

VM: Your music as Lowtalker is a big break away from that of each of your previous bands.  Was that intentional/how did you end up with this sound?

SR:  We wanted Lowtalker to be an outlet for us to play a style of music we all grew up on and still love to this day. Punk/pop punk/post hardcore- whatever you want to call it. We all listen to a wide array of music. Our influences are pretty obvious- all the 90’s punk and alternative bands you’d expect.

VM: I read that you do a lot of the artwork for the band, as well as a lot of songwriting (along with Matt).  What other creative outlets/contributions does each member have/make?

SR:  I do my best to do all the art-related things for the band. We all share a pretty similar idea of how we want the band to be aesthetically represented, so it’s pretty easy to agree on most things. Brian Moen, our new drummer, did the layout for the new EP. Everyone has a pretty equal hand in writing the music for the band. Matt also writes a good majority of the lyrics. All around, we all contribute pretty equally.

VM:  What is your favorite song off of the Marathon EP? Why?

SR:  My favorite song on the EP would either be “Tension” or “Barstow”. I say “Tension” because, in the demo version, Matt was the main vocalist; when we recorded it for the EP, I ended up singing the lead for the song. I was super stoked to do it, because I love the song, and I like it even more because I get to sing it [laughs].

My other choice is “Barstow”. It’s a really cool song.  It’s much darker than any other material on the EP. Matt wrote the music and the lyrics. I think it has a really cool vibe to it. Definitely stands out from the rest of the songs in a cool way.

VM:  Is there an overall theme for this album?  If so, what is it?  What is the song Prescriptions about?

SR:  There isn’t really a re-occurring theme on the EP. 100% of the lyrics stem from personal experience. So I guess that would be it. The song “Prescriptions” is written about a family member of mine who has dealt with prescription drug abuse for the better part of the last 20 years. It’s a struggle to watch someone you love miss out on regular day-to-day experiences because of drug abuse. I feel like they have given up and fallen into a routine that will continue ‘til the end of their life.  It’s a bummer.  However, I feel like it’s something a lot of people can relate to these days.

VM:  If you were a salesman, how would you sell your EP to someone who hasn’t heard you?

SR:  Hmm, I guess I could say, ‘if you like rocking tunes, you’ll like this EP’ [laughs]. That’s all I got.

VM: What can people expect from your live shows?

SR:  Well, you can expect to hear the majority of the songs from our two EPs. You can expect me to talk too much and for Matt to do his best to stop me from talking too much. You can also expect Casey to rock hard and look good, and also Brian will play the drums- he’s the drummer.

VM:  What is next for the band?

SR:  Ideally we’d like to do more touring in 2013. We’d also like to record our first full-length record in 2013. A lot of our productivity depends on our other band’s schedule. So, fingers crossed we’ll reach those goals next year.

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Josiah Wolf of WHY? exclusive interview

Posted on September 2, 2012October 7, 2013 by Emily McBride

Just got off the phone with Josiah Wolf, drummer from alternative (not to mention damn awesome) hip hop band WHY?.  For those of you who are living under a rock, WHY? just released their Sod in the Seed EP on August 14, and they are set to release a full-length entitled Mumps, Etc. on October 8/9th.  In the meantime, while you’re sitting around crossing days off of your calendar for Mumps, be sure to a) check out this loverly interview with Josiah below and b) head out to see the gents on their tour.  And…go!

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Vinyl Mag:  What has everyone been up to since Eskimo Snow?

Josiah Wolf:  Liz [Hodson] and I have been working on music ourselves, so we did a bunch of touring. Yoni [Wolf] and I were working on putting together the new record and recording the new demos, and then recording this record.  Basically just music- the business and the pleasure side.

VM: What is your favorite song on the Sod in the Seed EP?

JW:  Personally, [“Sod in the Seed”] is not my favorite song.  On the EP, I would say I like “The Plan” and “Twenty Seven.”  But the EP songs are all kind of B-sides- they are whatever songs didn’t make it on the full-length.

VM:  So would you say that Sod in the Seed is a pretty good taste of what to expect on Mumps, Etc.?

JW:  I mean, yeah.  We were originally going release the EP later, but then the album release date got pushed back, so we released Sod to have something to tour on.  Mumps is the same style and everything, but – in my opinion – just better songs.

VM: How did you decide on “Jonathan’s Hope” as the single?  Is it a good representation of Mumps, Etc.?

JW:  I actually didn’t know that “Jonathan’s Hope” was going to be the single, but I’m glad it is.  I originally thought that it was going to be “Strawberries.”  Sean and Anthony made that decision.  I was doing so much other stuff with the tour, etc. that it was a surprise to me.  My personal favorite on Mumps is “Waterlines.”

VM:  Are you planning on releasing more solo material?

JW:  Yeah, eventually.  This year, Liz and I have been working on some stuff.  Liz has [also been working] by herself.  It might be awhile, but as long as I get inspired I’ll keep doing it.  I obviously identify more with my solo stuff because it is myself.  As for which one I enjoy more?  It varies.

VM:  This is just something that I have always wondered- as an artist, are you able to listen to your own music recreationally, without critiquing it?

JW:  When there is something new, I listen to it a lot.  I can’t remove myself from it, no.  Sometimes I go back and listen to an older [WHY?] record, because I’m not listening critically anymore.  I don’t do that very often.  But I always enjoy it.  I listen to my record all the time.

VM:  What is next for you and for WHY?  What can we expect from this tour?

JW:  A lot of touring the new record, through next year. We now have 6 people on stage, which is the most we have ever had.  It’s a different sound than we had before…This is our best live set yet- people have responded really well.

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Shut Up and Replay the Hits

Posted on August 29, 2012October 7, 2013 by Amy Anderson

How do you determine the size of a bang?

Do you judge it by its initial strike?  By its immediate attention?

The size of a bang isn’t decided by the bang itself.  It is decided by its echo.

LCD Soundsystem has created one of the biggest echoes in worthwhile, cult-followed contemporary music.  As if mirroring the sequence of their individual songs, with each album, LCD Soundsystem’s impact built up and triggered a complete need in their fans.  There’s the start; anticipation emphasized by foot tapping and bouncing; the hit of climax.. and POW POW instantaneous loss of control.  As happens with every LCD song, listeners went full on I-don’t-care-what-you-think crazy by the explosion: this was happening.

But LCD Soundsystem did not lose control.  They respectably chose to give it away while they were ahead— to the kids with impeccable taste trading in guitars for turntables.  LCD Soundsystem’s climax was their end, marked by “the best funeral ever.”

Madison Square Garden.

Lasting three and a half hours, the show I wish I had the pleasure of attending most is being released with LCD Soundsystem’s biggest echo— their obituary documentary, “Shut Up and Play the Hits.”

It’s a chance for us all to relive their death and, respectively, their big bang.  The documentary itself will cause you to fall in love with James Murphy and the small moments that represent the love buried in LCD Soundsystem.  The film primarily focuses on James, but watching his connections with the band, I could see exactly why each member was so important.  It isn’t all about James (even though directly, it is).

The sound in the movie is crisp and clean; it consumes you, thanks to James who mixed and edited it for the film.  It was confusing- sitting quiet in a theater surrounded by a crowd, the sound, and the visuals of LCD Soundsystem.  I almost felt rude- and definitely inhibited- by not singing and dancing.  James almost made me believe I was there.  Almost.  I was there…but really, I wasn’t.

It’s a great gravestone.  But their overall obituary is still being written, and the crying boy is probably still crying (on the inside, at least).  The fans haven’t shut up, and the hits are still being played through nostalgic speakers.

It’s all flickers after fire.  After their final concert came the one-night-only showing of “Shut Up and Play the Hits,” came the countless articles, came the gifs and fan-made posters, came the iTunes release earlier this week (thank God), will come the DVD release and bonus material October 9th.  Like a musician storming off and throwing down the mic, the echo is far from silent— even though it’s been two years since the final show.

The scenes in “Shut Up and Play the Hits” weave in and out of their absolute party at Madison Square Garden, James Murphy’s interview with the equally pretentious yet brilliant Chuck Klosterman (hey, it makes for great footage), and moments of James’ new life— taking out his French bulldog whilst in a dress shirt and pajama pants… making coffee…shaving his face…looking bewildered by the sudden insanity of being normal.

But James Murphy will never truly be normal.

What makes an artist great isn’t simply their product.  And once a product is completed, their work is not finished.  Instead it lingers on with its effects, and that is the only true way to analyze its importance.

And even though LCD Soundsystem’s musical career has ceased, the embers still flicker.

The effects of LCD Soundsystem go past their music, or their documentary, or their story— though these things are all imperative to their worth.  Their relevance will never die because their sound was modernly reminiscent, their lyrics were timelessly significant with wit and wisdom, and their works never trailed off into destruction.  They were good throughout their existence, and then they stopped.  So they will always be good.  The world of pop culture and music is always being trumped by newer ideas from younger generations.  James recognized this, but refused to let his ideas or work become dated.

Instead, he chose to sit back with his French bulldog and live on in glorified remembrance.

LCD Soundsystem fans are saved for the moment— “Shut Up And Play The Hits” is still sounding its echo, and we’re still lingering in awe of the bang’s aftermath.  But someone great is gone, and the world somehow keeps spinning with lovely weather, coffee that isn’t bitter, and new ideas.

It’s a strange ending, but the echo keeps on.

…And it keeps coming till the day it stops.

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REVIEW: Christian Bitto’s “The September Call-Up” EP

Posted on August 27, 2012October 7, 2013 by

Christian Bitto, a self-named musician from Philadelphia, PA, is a new artist to watch in the indie/rock scene.

While mainly acoustic-driven, he is accompanied in his live shows by bandmates Niall Hood on bass and Jesse Gimbel on drums to create an intimate trio that can range from quiet, soft, finger-picked melodies to emotional rock.

After giving Bitto’s EP, The September Call-Up, a listen, his voice instantly reminded me of Oliver Sim from London’s indie band The XX, while the instrumentals made me think of softer Brand New and Jimmy Eat World, as well as the clean reverb affect given by Chris Isaak’s Gretsch 6120.

The opening song, “Next to You”, has great vocals- pure and in its simplest form- guitar with slight distortion and simple chords, and a great bass and drums to back and compliment it. I love songs like these. It reminds me of a great CD I got as a kid called Sweet Lowland by Dodd Ferrelle, so in a way it evokes a bittersweet nostalgia for me. The next is called “Daylight”, and it’s just Bitto himself and a guitar. It’s a lovely, soft fingerpicked acoustic song… “the glimmer of light that shines in the dark, is that your beating heart, your beating heart? “ is saddening in a way.  The final song in the EP, “Mickey’s Song”, is another fingerpicked song which seems to be about him traveling and away from a loved one.  Beautiful song.

It was a perfect mix in my opinion- very clean, calming, and simple. Listening to this EP for the first time during a docile summer thunderstorm in a local coffee shop made the atmosphere that much more enjoyable and relaxed.

I definitely recommend to VM readers and music lovers to keep up with him and his band and see what these guys have to offer.

To check out the EP right now, visit Bitto’s Bandcamp page.  Also be sure to follow him on Facebook!

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Chatting it up with Nate Bergman of Lionize

Posted on August 2, 2012October 7, 2013 by

Lionize is a reggae-rock group hailing from Silver Spring, Maryland. In the last year they have released not one, but two full-length albums- Destruction Manual followed by Superczar and the Vulture. Both of these albums evoke influences from rock gods such as Jimi Hendrix, classic chillage like Bob Marley, and some bluesy vocals like Ronnie Wood. Nate Bergman, frontman of the band, graciously agreed to a phone interview to discuss the band and their newest albums, and he also let me in on a little secret! Read on to find out more!

 

JF: Why did you choose this genre to play? Did you grow up around it?

NB: We didn’t really choose it; it just kind of evolved. We are big fans of jazz of reggae and funk and classic rock, and some border metal stuff. That’s where it comes from, and it’s just how it came out. Yes, absolutely- I grew up around lot of hip hop, reggae, funk, and go-go music. Once that infiltrates your system, it goes with you for sure.

JF: What’s your writing style?

NB: We generally get in a room and jam; not much more to it. We write lyrics and riffs and just jam for a few hours, and usually nothing happens. [Laughs] but sometimes it resonates with us, and we turn it into a song. For us, it’s really about jamming, and if it’s fun to play and if it sounds good.

JF: How difficult was it to write two albums in one year? Why did you do it?

NB: They took 1.5 years to write, but we put them out in a one-year period. We rehearse a lot when we are home: 11-4 Monday-Friday practice. Writing a record to us is about setting a goal for when we want to have it written. Writing both back to back was not specific- we just had the chance to do it, so why not? Why not put out more music? Some bands put out records 6-8 years apart. It’s nice to hear growth, especially if it’s a quick growth.

JF: Are the two albums you wrote back to back connected to each other in any way?

NB: Yes and no.  Because they are so close together, there are writing and lyrical styles that are connected, but they were recorded differently; yet they compliment each other well, but are not necessarily paired.

JF: You listed Clutch as a musical influence- how has the tour been with Clutch? (any crazy story from a show?)

NB: It’s awesome. Touring with those guys is the best; we’ve been on seven or eight tours with them. They are probably the best touring rock band in the world, and are really nice guys. People associate them with us, and we’ve had their guitar player, Tim, record with us. It’s like family, and they have the best fans in the world. [Laughs] No, nothing really too crazy. The shows generally go smoothly. We are just there to work, have a few beers, and play music with our friends. We are simple and are more interested in good after-show food and reliving the college days [Laughs]. It’s crazy in general to drive 70mph down the highway for several weeks and go to different places. That’s crazy on it’s own.

JF: How’s fan feedback for the newest album, Superczar and the Vulture?

NB: It’s been awesome and overwhelmingly cool. People are digging the direction we are taking. They are very open-minded about it.

JF: Any other creative outlets besides music?

NB: We are generally interested in art and cinema, and we have our TV shows, but art turns us on as a group. We enjoy shows and comedy- we like stand up, and seeing other bands perform…stuff like that.

JF: What is next for you and the band?

NB: Rest and relaxation! We are taking two weeks off now. We have these shows with The Company Band and Clutch in August, then we are going on another huge two-month tour in November.

Ahhh, but with whom you may ask? Well that’s a tidbit of information that stays sealed behind my lips. You guys will find out soon enough!

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Hanging out poolside with Astronautalis

Posted on August 1, 2012October 7, 2013 by Emily McBride


The sign clearly says no rappers. What a badass.

Charles Andrew Bothwell- a.k.a. Astronautalis- is one of the most interesting people in the world (right up there with the Dos Equis guy).  He is one of those people that always has something to say, and it is always something you want to listen to and know more about.  Really makes interviewing him effortless and downright enjoyable.

Andy was in Athens this past weekend performing and MC-ing for the Team Clermont 15th Anniversary Summer Showcase & Prom.  While he was in town, I got the chance to reunite with him for the first time since our first interview.

After meeting up at his hotel and getting hooked watching Olympic women’s archery (really intense stuff, people), we headed over to the pool to chill out and get our interview on.

So here it is!  Astronautalis talking about what’s been going on since our last interview, new collaborations, musings on Eastern Europe, getting robbed in Atlanta, and his upcoming tour and album (I also think it’s important to note that this is his first ever shirtless interview. Proud.).  Enjoy! I know I did…

 

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Tim Riley from Souvenirs- Exclusive interview!

Posted on July 24, 2012September 7, 2012 by

Souvenirs is a 4-man band from Carpinteria, CA, that are here to kick it old school and flat out raw. Being compared to Braid and Mineral, and I personally related them to Jimmy Eat World and a splash of Brand New, they are musicians on the emotional angsty rollercoaster called life and are here to write about it. Their songs aren’t dressed up and over produced, but they are music in its simplest form: music. It’s refreshing to hear a new band on the rise with their simple, raw studio sound. I was supposed to meet them on their tour, but the Atlanta show at the Wonder Root was canceled unfortunately. However, I was able to snag a pleasant phone interview with vocalist Tim Riley and discuss his journey with the band.

JF: How did you decide on the name “Souvenirs”? How long have you played together?

TR: I thought of it when I was starting off and writing songs for the band. I’d been on two U.S. tours selling merch for Title Fight, and I loved truck stops, and I liked the souvenirs. I liked the name because it was appropriate, since everything we have in life is a collection- emotions and being happy; it means something to us. I thought it was an appropriate name for a band that I’m writing for. After the U.S. tour, I went full on Souvenirs, and we’ve been playing together for about 10 months.

JF: What are the band’s influences?

TR: Everyone’s is different, but collectively it’s 90s emo like Jimmy Eat World, Knapsack, and Braid.

JF: You guys have been compared to a lot of those bands. How does that feel?

TR: It’s really flattering, because we look up to them, because they are our influences. Their music plays a heavy role in the way we write.

JF: Did you play any other type of music before? Have you always known you wanted to be in a band?

TR: Yeah, this is the only thing I would ever be doing. We all dropped everything to do this; everyone quit their jobs, some of us moved in with each other to pay cheap rent. This is the most genuine music we can create, and we play what we want to. We just want to play music everywhere and all the time. I feel like that’s anyone’s goal in a band- to play for as many people as possible. My dad played music when I was growing up and I learned guitar from being around it all the time. When I was in 9th grade, I started getting to punk hardcore stuff and it evolved. I got so deep into it. This the only thing I am comfortable doing at this point in my life, to be in a band that tours.

JF:  What’s the journey from start until now been like?

TR: It definitely helped that one of our first real shows was on Set Your Goals West Coast Christmas tour, and it was totally nerve wracking. It was our first show playing in a completely packed room. Someone posted online that the lead singer looked nervous, but they (Set Your Goals & friends) were all so cool to us. It’s gone by so fast; it’s only been 10-11 months. We are working really hard, and are 100% into the band. On this tour, we are just putting in the hours for the experience. We stopped going to school to start touring. If we wanted to do this for real, then we had to tour as much as possible. We put everything on hold, and that included college.

JF: What’s the fan feedback at the shows been like?

TR: The shows have been so awesome, especially the East Coast. There hasn’t been a show where people come don’t come up to us, or they want to shake our hands. Some guy came up to me last night [Chestnut House in Louisville, KY] and said ‘you guys touched me’. I was like ‘which one of us?!’ [Laughs] He was just like ‘dude, your set was touching.’ We try to write songs that are very personal, yet those that a lot of people can relate to. When someone comes up and says that to me, I feel like we are doing it right, and it’s very encouraging. We are driving for 8-12 hours, we play for 20-30 people, we are hundreds of miles from home, and just to hear that… it’s amazing.

JF: How does the writing process go?

TR: Vince or I have a bass riff, bring it to the table, and we work on it collectively. For the record we just put out, we just practiced the songs 3-4 hours a day, 4 days a week for about a month… learning them by heart, changing them, playing them, changing them again, and breaking the songs down. We did that so we could just go in the studio and record the songs live, and just so we didn’t have to think about it, we’d just play. After that, we didn’t want to play them anymore!

JF: Are you the only one that writes the lyrics?

TR: Yes.

JF: Any reasoning behind the name of the EP “Tired of Defending You”?

TR: Yes, definitely. I’m not a fan of arbitrary, pointless titles to just sell records. “Tired of Defending You” is a general theme of the songs on the record. It’s the point in time around writing the songs, any time in life, every relationship you have with anyone- girlfriend, mom, brother, friends- it’s such a rollercoaster. People are just… human. Everyone is going to make mistakes. People are just trying to do what’s for best for themselves. But who doesn’t want that? Yet, sometimes that doesn’t benefit those around you. I’ve been in a few situations where I’ve been on the other end. I’m tired of weird, pseudo-personalities, like asking how I am when they don’t care. It’s just small talk, or hearing a fake laugh- you don’t care what I’m saying so don’t pretend like you do.

JF: Why was the Atlanta GA show at the Wonder Root canceled?

TR: We wanted to play in Atlanta so bad! All the local bands dropped. The guy that organized the show told us ‘You guys would just be playing by yourselves.’ It was like, ‘well you promoted it!’ We are on tour, so it’d be just like practicing. Wonder Root is really cool! It’s grimy little basement, but it’s set up really cool. First show I saw there was Outcrowd- it was them and Disengage; it was such a cool show.

 

Members:
Tim Riley, 23 – Vocals/Guitar

Vincent Amador, 21 – Guitar/Vocals

Nolan Nunes, 21 – Bass

Travis Turpin ,21 – Drums

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