Interview with Norma Jean

Norma Jean is one of those bands that so many people recognize their name, regardless of whether they've listened to them or not. Old fans, new fans, and strangers alike take interest because of their name or their reputation in the industry. I was lucky enough to have some time with Cory Brandan (lead vocalist) who gave me some really in-depth answers to my questions. He also has quite the sense of humor, which hopefully readers will appreciate.

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"Wrongdoers" seems to almost return to the roots of Norma Jean stylistically, while at the same time, staying true to present day NJ, was there a change in approach when it came to writing this album, as opposed to previous albums?

Not really. If anything we just took a few steps back and looked at what we’ve done and tried to get away from it. I think that decision to make a mental and emotional separation from our past helped us to focus more.

Tell me about your inspiration for this album as opposed to your previous albums. Did your approach to writing it change? If so, in what regard? Since it sounds like you really refound yourselves and brought your A-game, many are curious as to what went into that.

In short (very short) We started writing this record feeling like Meridional was still lingering. We went into writing with that in mind. In a way we were kind of thinking “how can we beat that record?” We had a pretty stressful 5 or so months of writing. We did a Europe/Russia tour and when we came back we lost a couple of members which didn’t help. After a short mourning period, we embraced it! We had to. It was that or be done. We transformed into more a collective rather than a band. We made sure we found the right guys and they brought a great new energy. Got away from Meridional and wrote Wrongdoers. I think all of that struggle without mentioning everything had a huge part on the inspiration of this record. We wanted to make something that proved that we still love this and will continue to put out music that matters.

On the subject of writing, what's your process in general? Who focuses on what parts of the process?

I think the process changes every record. It usually take a little bit to figure out what we’re doing. But eventually it all clicks. We usually all write separately and bring it all together throughout several practice sessions. This time we found we were writing a lot of the music on the spot based on how we felt that day or in that moment. Jeff and I wrote all the lyrics together. Along with a little help from our previous guitarist Scottie Henry.

What are your favorite songs to play? And which are the most meaningful?

Right now my personal favorite is Hive Minds. Of our old stuff, I’ve always had a special place for A Small Spark vs A Great Forest. It’s such a fun song to perform as well.

What has it been like and how has it affected your transitioning over the years with lineup changes?

It’s never easy losing a member. I’m not going to pretend like it is. Especially when you play with someone for 10 plus years, you build a chemistry with them. That’s not easy to replace. On the other hand, bringing in new blood has brought a new energy that I truly feel like Norma Jean needed. We wouldn’t have Wrongdoers without any of them, though.

Seeing as many of your contemporaries (Underoath, for example) are no longer active, does that inspire you to keep working hard to "stay alive" as a band?

In a way yes, but it hasn’t been a factor in why we do what we do. We love music and want to continue to write and play. It’s really that simple. We have a lot of fun doing it and as long as that door is open, I’m going through it every time.

Speaking of that, what is your drive to keep making music? Do you feel there's still lots to be done that you haven't done yet?

I decided a long time ago that I had already achieved everything I wanted as a musician and more. Knowing that, it’s made everything else icing on the cake. On that note, there is so much more we want to do now.

I imagine you may get this question a lot, but...Do you hate being compared to Botch?

Haha no!! I remember the first time I ever heard that I thought. “Dang! Thanks! We love that band!” Heck, we even recorded O’God with Matt Bayles, but in reality we are much more influenced by other artists. What people need to remember is that we are from the same era of music. Go listen to Deadguy, Coalesce, Will Haven, Angelhair, Honeywell etc.... That’s what we came from and I think it still shows in remnants. That’s ok with us.

How did it feel to be nominated for a Grammy for your O'God the Aftermath album artwork?

It was cool. Something I could tell my mom and she could be impressed a little bit.

If you could collaborate with one band or artist, or bring someone on for a track, who would it be?

Definitely Sean and Jes from Coalesce.

What do you think the future holds for you? 

We have so many ideas and things we want to do. We hope Wrongdoers will get us some good support tours. If not, we’ll be out there by ourselves playing anyway.

And finally, what do you think of the current metalcore music scene and the bands around you?

I feel like that question is starting to sound like “what do you think of the little kids who run on your lawn?” haha. I’m an old school dude. I don’t like a lot of it, but I have nothing bad to say about it. There’s definitely some cool stuff out there and we’ve been able to tour with some of those bands. It grows on you on tour. I like that I can like something new still without blowing it off. I don’t want to be that bitter old man yelling “get off my lawn!!”

Hands Like Houses Interview - Warped Tour Pomona 2013

Hands Like Houses are a very interesting band for many reasons. The fact that they are from Australia, yet still managed to make themselves well-known over here in the States, should be enough to make them stand out, but there's more to it than that. In some circles, they're known by the bands they've played with, such as We Came as Romans, Sleeping with Sirens, and Pierce the Veil. They have so many different fans, those who are into harder music, those who like the softer elements HLH has to offer, and those who have tripped over them merely by accident. It seems like most of the fans they have gathered, however, are very loyal. Their diverse style and sound leaves a lot of room for different listeners to enjoy them.

They were totally awesome and down-to-earth, sweet guys, who I would take the opportunity to talk with again in the heartbeat. You can tell they're really making music because they love it. If you enjoy the interview with Trenton Woodley [vocalist] and Alex Pearson [guitar], please check out their links below and the video of their latest song!

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What has it been like starting off in Australia?

It's certainly been a challenge and a very extensive exercise to get ourselves over here. America bands doing
what we do, would probably be doing very well by now. But we're just kind of breaking even and making things work. Which is good, because it means we're not dipping into our life savings that we've already spent. [laugh]

Coming from Australia and being able to travel all over the world, like we got to go to America and the UK, it's everything we've wanted. It's what you dream of when you decide to join a band.

What have been some difficult moments that you've overcome?

Endless moments. We don't want to get onto that stuff. The positive way outweighs the negative.

Post-interview

Awesome, anything about the positive moments you want to talk about?

Warped Tour. We were just on tour with PTV in the UK, so we got to see the UK. We toured with them here in America as well.

We made a lot of friends everywhere, so it's kind of cool with Warped Tour, we pretty much know someone from everywhere. You don't feel so far from home when you're seeing familiar faces now and then.

It gives you the opportunity to inspire people and do something different. Express your views, not necessarily in a forcing it down people's throats way, but in a more delicate way.

It's a very cool thing to be able to meet new people, experience new things, and go new places, so you can broaden your understanding of the world around you.

Have you had a specific favorite moment?

You always have favorite shows.

Favorite moment recently, last night when we played in San Diego. Everyone just got on stage, and it was awesome. You could feel the vibe. That was one of the best live moments we've had so far. Just finding out that we were on Warped Tour. Getting signed. We've had so many shows and non-specific moments that have happened. The catering today was awesome! [laughs] And it's not raining!

What was it like to go from a lesser known place to touring with huge bands?

You sort of take it in stride. While it's something we have always dreamed of and we get excited by it, you kind of just accept it. We're not taking it for granted, but it's all happened in a way that's so surreal and happened so quickly, we haven't really stopped long enough to think about what we've actually been doing. At the end of the day, because of the difficulties that come with being a band from overseas, we have to keep doing that sort of stuff. We are ambitious in the most optimistic and enjoyable sense. [laughs] We've come a long, every opportunity is better than the the last and we're loving every minute of it.

Are there any woes of touring?


Myself and the drummer are both engaged, and the keyboardist is in a serious relationship, so being away for 5 or 6 months of the year gets really tough. Home cooked meals. Up til this tour with the catering, being able to sit down and eat a meal in a kitchen, around a table. Normal things. Sleeping in a normal bed. The most mundane things about being at home is what you miss on tour. You miss cooking, having a shower for as long as I want instead of having to keep it short because everyone wants to shower. [laughs]


Where did the name of your band come from?

We love good movies. There's this movie called The Science of Sleep by Michel Gondry, who guy who directed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, as I recall. He also directed a Foo Fighter's clip a long time ago, and both of which featured a nightmare he had as a kid where he had giant, giant hands. And there was just a conversation in that movie that we thought was really cool, so we did it as a reference to that. As we've moved on, people have kind of added on another meaning. Like safe hands, holding onto the things that mean a lot to you, to keep them safe. Which is something we're all about as well. So it works both ways. It's something that people have attached to it that we've become attached to. People can make their own meaning. We try to make everything we do grow on its own and give it its own character in life.

What is your dream collaboration?

Both: Dave Grohl. I love his mindset. Especially after we watched the Sound City documentary recently. It's just incredible. His mindset and mentality are phenomenal. So having the opportunity to do something with him in a musical sense would be amazing.

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Check out Hands Like Houses on Facebook and Twitter, and get excited for their new album by checking out the video below!

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Photos by Talia Farber.

Interview with Architects (UK) - Warped Tour Pomona 2013

Architects is one of the few, rare bands in the metalcore genre that I enjoy listening to on a regular basis, as well as thoroughly enjoyed seeing for the first time live this year at Warped Tour. I consider myself a melody-driven type of music listener, so no matter the genre, I'm always looking for bands who have the melodies down. Sometimes I'm looking for the ones with the downright dirty melodies, and sometimes I'm  with which they scream, because I feel like it's different than a lot of bands out there with screaming.

Sam & Alex post-interview (Photo by ULR)

listening for something a bit more clean-cut, but no matter what, that's what draws me in. I love the distinctness

Sam Carter and Ali Dean (Alex) who are the vocalist & bass player, were super hilarious during their interview with me, which just make my admiration for the band higher. If you don't know them, check them out online at the links after the interview, and definitely check them out at Warped Tour this summer.

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What's it been like for you guys, coming from another country and a different scene?

Difficult from over here, the US is such a big country; to start over here you really have to throw yourself in it. You can't just do it in a week like you can back home. There are a lot more bands over here, so a lot more choices. You just have to get out there and do your gig and hope that people like it. 

How do you feel like you guys differ from other bands in your genre who are trying for a similar sound?

Architects at Warped Tour Pomona, Photo by Scutterbug Photography

We're good. [laughs]

I think this genre is saturated with bands that have lyrics that don't really mean much. It's very easy to go into the studio or record on your laptop these days. A lot of musicians or bands don't sound like their records when they play live, because they don't play their songs properly. These guys that play the instruments in the band [Architects] are fucking great, man.

What has been something difficult along the way that you've overcome?

Cash. Not enough of it. We don't like cash. Cash is evil. We overcame cash by not caring about it anymore. 

What's been a favorite and monumental moment that has stuck out for you?

Download Festival. London headlining shows. We had the main stage at Download Festival back home in the UK. That's one of the biggest, and that was fun.

How do you feel about being labeled as metalcore?

Architects at Warped Tour Pomona, Photo by Scutterbug Photography

That's cool, we like it, yeah. We have bits of hardcore and metal in our band, so that works.

What label would you pick if it was your choice, that fits best?

Screamo. Screamo emo. Post-screamo. Stonedcore. Bongcore. Bongmetal. 

If you could collaborate with one artist or band, dead or alive, who would it be?

Chino Moreno. [unanimous answer] He's got about 25 or 50 side projects and they're all amazing. He's never done a bad thing in his life. He seems to take everyone's offer. 

Any woes of touring?

[singing] Wooooahh, woaaaah.

The worst part is showering. We don't shower as much as we'd like to. We always smell good, but if we had as many showers as we'd like, we'd smell amazing. You know, like two a day instead of one a day.

Alex: I'm a two a day kind of guy. One in the morning and one at night. I'm hygienic, sue me.

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Check out Architects on Facebook, Twitter, and their website. And of course, this summer on Vans Warped Tour!

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All photos (except interview photo) by Scutterbug Photography, like her page on Facebook.

Interview with Silverstein - Warped Tour Pomona 2013

At Warped Tour this year, I had the chance to sit down [okay, we stood] with two of the guys from Canadian band Silverstein, Josh Bradford [guitar] and Billy Hamilton [bass] and get into real talk about what breaking out of a completely different country is really like and how they keep going after all these years. It's always fun talking to different bands, but it's always a bit of a trip getting to talk to a band that's been at it for so many years, with so many records. It's even better when they have awesome accents!

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What was it like, starting off in Canada?

Kind of weird. Started playing shows locally, as most bands do. We started getting a little bit of a buzz in our local area, and we did a tour of Eastern Canada in 2001 or 2002, and then we had made a demo so we started sending it off to labels in the US, Canada, and even to Europe. We looked at all of our favorite CD's and looked at the address on the back of them! Then we got signed to Victory Records in 2003 and started touring the states. More so in the states and internationally than we did in Canada. I think it's neat for us, being a band from another country and a lot of people think we're American, and Canada is very similar. Right above ya! But being another band from another country, we have taken internationally touring very seriously. A lot of bands tend to stay in America, but we have always had to go through the hassles associated with international touring, so we're a lot more comfortable with going crazy places. We've been to more than 40 countries. It's amazing that we've traveled that much and that our music is what's brought us there.

What's it been like so many big bands/countries/huge tours?

Silverstein at WT Pomona, photo by Scutterbug Photography

Amazing. [laughs] We've gotten to play with our some of heroes all over the world. Amazing for us as fans of music and people trying to build our own career. [laughs]

Favorite moment/city?

we've been to so many places. we always love going to exotic places like Australia, Japan, and we had a really great time in Hong Kong last year. Indonesia. Russia a couple times, that was really cool. people tend to underestimate places like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago; being from Canada it's so great to come to the states, and be like, "I'm in LA for a week!" and even some of the smaller, out of the way places, like Some of the cities you don't consider a destination city, but being on tour, you find your way passing through, you get to learn that there are really cool, tucked away hidden spots all over. It's nice to know that Boise, Minneapolis, cities that you wouldn't think are cool, are actually really, really cool. It's fun to discover that.

What have been your inspirations in continuing to make music over the years?

Silverstein at WT Pomona, by Scutterbug Photography

Growing up listening to classic Warped Tour Bands like NOFX, Bad Religion. Those bands have put out dozens of records, constantly touring, constantly putting out new stuff, pushing on. That's been an inspiration for us to keep going, not focusing on one thing, like the one record for us that was popular and we're gonna go do a reunion tour of that. We're more focused on making new music and keep playing the whole catalog.

What are your goals for the future?

Touring. China, Greece, India, Africa, anywhere we can play, we want to go.

What's next on the horizon for music?

We just put out a record in the Winter/Spring, so we're going to be touring for the rest of the year and into next year, before we think about writing new music. We're doing the whole Warped Tour.

What are the worst touring woes?

Being on something like this, Warped Tour, you're out in the sun all day. I got a burn yesterday! He's got a burn going on. It's the kind of thing you don't think about on a regular tour. You sleep half the day away most of the time. Staying hydrated and not getting sunburned. Those are the biggest tour woes. Warped Tour is also pretty solitary when it comes to the same buses and stages and everything's just set up in different order in each city. Usually you wake up and in the morning and you're like, where is everybody? Where's my stage? Where's catering? Where do I poop? Things are a little different here. And it's tough to get away, every time we have a friend in town, who can pick us up and go get some food or grab a drink. It's really nice to get away from the lot.

What's your dream collaboration?

Dave Grohl.

I was going to say Paul McCartney, but then I remembered when Dave Grohl collaborated with Paul, it was kind of bad, but I think doing something would be awesome. Dave Grohl is our hero.

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I'm going to assume most everyone has at least heard of Silverstein, so if it's been a while since you've listened to them, go catch up now! Like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and check out their new album, This is How the Wind Shifts.

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All photos by Scutterbug Photography, like her page on Facebook!

Interview with Man Overboard - Warped Tour Pomona 2013

Man Overboard is one of the most famous bands for breaking out of New Jersey and turning into an internationally known "pop punk" band (in quotes, because who really likes forcing any band into a genre?) and I was fortunate enough to get a few minutes with Nik Bruzzese [lead vocals/bass] and Justin Collier [guitar] to talk about how they did it, and get a little taste of New Jersey, both through their humorous answers to the questions, and within the accents, always reminding people where they came from.

It's hard to believe they only started in 2008, because they've come such a long way. It's always nice to chat with band members who are humble and grateful, regardless of their fame, and to see their appreciation for the other bands who came from where they did and who are working hard for their success as well.

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What was it like for you breaking out of the NJ music scene?

A lot of bands are from NJ, there's lots of competition. With that, there's a lot of bands to play with, so it's a pretty good scene. Whereas if you're from Kansas, there's probably not a lot of other bands to play with. That honestly made it a little bit easier. Especially being near New York and Baltimore. Boston. Early on, we would go out and play shows in all of those areas; the bands we're friends with and have met from previous bands and such. We tried to be proactive early on.

How do you feel you differ from those bands?

Photo from Facebook

We worked hard. We never stop. We're always on the road. Always writing and trying to make our band better. We eat, sleep, and breathe this. It's hard to be cut off from that. It sets us apart: our work ethic. There were a lot of bands that we've played with who were long gone. And then there's a couple like Transit, Balance & Composure, The Wonder Years, that are still around and worked really hard as well. So it is cool to see your friends in bands succeed. I mean, Balance [& Composure] is playing a show with Jimmy Eat World! We're freaking out. We're more excited than they are. They're like our best friends.

Where did your guys' name come from? I don't want to assume anything about Blink-182 here...

Nik: I was in the Navy...and I had a close friend of mine who went overboard.

[me: staring deadpan]

Naw, I'm just kidding, it's a Blink song. It was between Man Overboard and Apple Shampoo.

What has been something you have overcome along the way?

Just being away, on the road for long periods of time. It can be difficult at times, but we make it work.

How has that made you stronger as a band?

We're all friends in the band, at the end of the day. It's easier.

So what are the touring woes of being away?

Everything is always up and down. Sometimes you don't play a good show, or you have a bad day. You're in a city that sucks, or you're pissed off. You have to learn to roll with whatever is going on.

You don't eat the same. There's no chicken parm. But what's cool about Warped Tour, is that there is catering and you get fed every day, and sometimes there is chicken parm.

Nik: There was yesterday and I f*cking missed it.

And that's your favorite, chicken parm?

We're from Jersey so yeah, chicken parm is great. We also have a veggie [vegetarian] in the band so he enjoys the eggplant parm.

What has been the most memorable city/show?

Every time we play at home is unreal. Last year Warped Tour was unreal and totally crazy. Portland, Oregon is awesome. The shows are cool, but the city is so great. It's probably our band's collective favorite city.

Photo from Facebook, by Lauren Brown

So you all still live in Jersey, then?

Yeah, we all still live there. We all live 20 minutes from each other.

Nik: I turn my phone on Do Not Disturb when I'm home all the time. Nobody disrupts daddy.

What's the inspiration and the soul behind your lyrics?

Women. Distance. Other guys, other people, insecurities. Normal every day things that go through people's heads. If you listen to defeater, they sing about WWII, we don't do that. Women, self doubt. From the beginning of time, it's always been about that.

What are your future goals, or exciting news?

Nik: I want to be on the cover of GQ for the shortest, most famous person in the world.

Justin: A tour in the fall. We can't say what it is, but we'll be around and touring the US. Can't say who it's with.

What is your guys' dream collaboration?

Dave Grohl.

Wish he [Grohl] was here and just hanging out! That would be awesome.

What do you guys think of Kanye West's new album?

Haven't heard it. Is it good? Or does it suck?

[To each their own!]

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No matter how well you know Man Overboard, the next thing on your to-do list should be to check them out on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, visit their website, and buy their new album, Heart Attack.


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Interview with For The Foxes - Warped Tour Pomona 2013

I had the pleasure of speaking with For The Foxes' own Jonathan Brunner [bass] and Danny Vassallo [drums] to talk a little bit about breaking out of New Jersey, which apparently has become one of my interview specialties. It made me feel right at home (with family from New York and New Jersey) listening to their New Jersey accents and jokes.

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Did starting off in New Jersey present any special challenges?

In the location where we're from in South Jersey, there isn't much of an indie rock n roll scene, a lot of the kids down there are are into heavy metal. Me, Jimmy, and Nick all played in heavy metal bands when we were younger. So a lot of people that listened to our music to begin with weren't necessarily interested in us. So we found a new home in North Jersey and New York City, where people are a little more accepting of different music.

How do you feel like you're different from other bands in the area?

FTF at Warped Tour San Francisco, photo from Instagram

New Jersey is very small, but it's a very densely populated. There's a lot of diversity, but there's also a lot of
cliques. So you have to find the clique where you belong. We made friends with a lot of different bands from our area, like Man Overboard, and they play pop punk music. It's not necessarily the same type of music as us, but we get along with those guys great. There's a lot of local bands that come out now more than they used to, to open for us locally. We're using doing national tours, it's not that often that we're playing New Jersey.

What has been a difficulty along the way that you have overcome?

Our trailer tire blowing on the way down to our bus. Electrical went after that on the trailer, so I would flip the signal, and it would holt the break. On the way to San Antonio, two years ago on the way to SXSW, our trailer broke. The bearings exploded out of the tires. That was a mess. Other than that, we get through it. It's the daily grind, day to day, you push through it. We're used to it by now. Things that other people would find difficult, we find a little less difficult, just because we've exposed ourselves to it.

How do you feel those make you stronger as a band?

When the situation arises again, you know how to handle it. You grow. You live and you learn. I feel a little bit more manly now! Puts hair on your chest.

How do you feel about the pop label?

It is correct, and it could be incorrect. We like to think of ourselves as indie pop. Indie rock'n roll band with pop sensibility. The pop label is not necessarily incorrect, bu to consider us just a pop band, would be off.

For The Foxes, picture from Facebook

What's been a favorite moment along the way?

London, on our UK tour. Walking out and all the kids are going nuts. Even this, right now, doing this interview with you, at Warped Tour...coming off the main stage is surreal... This is one of my favorite moments. Don't get me wrong,
the UK was incredible, but being able to be here is surreal for me, because it's something I did from about 14-20. We never knew we would be at this level.

What are some touring woes?

Missing my bed, seeing  family. It's easier for us than it was for old school rock n'rollers, because we have cellphones and GPS. It's a lot easier now, we can FaceTime and video chat, and see the people you love and care about; you can get a taste of home no matter where you're at. Other than that, we've all been wanting to do this our whole lives.

What is your dream collaboration?

Jonathan: Miguel or Bono.

Danny: Well it's harder for me, since I play drums. But if I could fill in for a drummer for a day, A Wilhelm Scream would be really cool, or Decapitated.

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Check out the talented guys of For The Foxes on Facebook, Twitter, and on their website.


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Warped Tour Kickoff 2013 Interview with SECRETS (3/28/13)

I found SECRETS struggling to explain their name to a writer nearby, to which I politely interjected, "Their name is SECRETS - it's one word and all capital letters." to which Michael and Richard (bass & vocals/guitar) both gave me a smile and Michael exclaims, "Yeah, you know!"

The guys were really friendly and excited to talk about their music and upcoming news, which fans who listen to post-hardcore and that genre of "harder" style music should take note of.

Of course, some of the news they gave me on the "DL" is now public knowledge, but hopefully all you SECRETS fans will enjoy reading nevertheless.

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What are you influenced by in your music career? What got you started and fuels your fire to continue?

We all grew up in the music industry. This is our dream job. Pretty incredible to make a career of doing what we love.

What has been difficult to overcome along the road?

Picture from Facebook. With new vocalist Aaron Melzer!

When you get together as a band and start playing music, it seems like a lot of fun, but you don't know what to expect before tour. There can be things about your fellow band members you don't know about and once you're on tour you might not like those things or be able to relate to them. It's rough being away from home and being on the road for so long.

We recently lost our bassist and vocalist (who we've replaced now with Aaron Melzer) which is really hard - we've all been super close.

What have been some of your favorite moments?

Europe, definitely. New York City. It's so unreal and like the movies - so cool to have that chance to see the world and doing what you love. Meeting people and kids with problems that you can relate to.

What are your guys' musical influences?

Death Cab for Cutie, Brand New, Bayside, Underoath, As Cities Burn, and A Day to Remember (post-hardcore scene).

If you could choose someone to collaborate with, who would it be?

Michael: Justin Bieber or Kanye West.  Richard: Ben Gibbard. Aaron: Tom Denney

What can we expect from you in 2013?

A new album, a new look, and a lot of good sh*t.

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Check the band out on Facebook, Twitter, and their website, where you can preorder their new album, Fragile Figures, out July 23rd! Also be sure to check them out on select Warped Tour Dates!


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Warped Tour Kickoff 2013 Interview with New Years Day (3/28/13)

It's been a busy last few months, I must admit. Although that isn't the reason I'm finally publishing my work from the Warped Tour Kickoff Party! I'll get right to the point here.

They were having quite the busy evening with all of the interviews being recorded, but the spooky sweet New Years Day clan were gracious enough to grant me with a few minutes of their time; all of the members got involved and it was certainly one of the most memorable interviews I've had yet!

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What was your inspiration to get together and start a band?

It started out as something to do. I didn't know how to do anything else. It began as an accident, really. And you have a choice in life - you can be a musician or you can be a serial killer.

Where do you get ideas for lyrics; what's your writing process liked?

It comes from a lot of bad things, honestly. Anxiety, insanity, heartbreak, depression. That's how we cope with those things. I once made an attempt at a happy song. It was called "Murder."

What are your musical influences?

Darker music; bands with dark imagery like MCR, Avenged Sevenfold, and AFI. We naturally became spooky and creepy; Halloween like.

What would be some of your guys' ideal collaborations?

Gerard Way, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Richard Ramirez, Danny Elfman

What has been your favorite tour or a specific favorite show?

Warped Tour. Main stage in Phoenix or New Mexico. In New Mexico, they get Albucrazy!

Have you had a least favorite moment or a very memorable one?

Picture from Facebook

Last Warped Tour - we had to sell our van and drive home in a UHaul.

What can fans expect from you in 2013?

Lots of touring, lots of shows, and on June 11th we release a brand-new full-length album!

Tell me your long-term goals, say 5 years from now?

World domination.

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Well, there you have it. Prepare yourselves for New Years Day to take over the planet. And if you're unfamiliar, you should probably get to know them so you recognize who's coming for you!

Here are their Facebook and Twitter.

Now that their album is actually out (though this was written before it was) you should definitely hop on it and buy it. And while you're at it, catch them on Warped Tour at a date near you!

Picture from Facebook

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Interview with The Neighbourhood

The Neighbourhood has been on my "watch list" since I first heard them, and the fact that none of my friends seemed to know their music was frustrating to me! How were so many good bands like this one so unknown, while others with more "marketable" sound were filthy rich and ridiculously famous? (Just another reason why I am passionate about this website - to help those great bands get more recognition - free press is good press!) I fell in love with their music, the lyrics, their energy, and I told myself I knew that they were gonna hit it big. I didn't know when, but I knew it was going to happen for them.

If you don't know them, they're California based and comprised of vocalist Jesse Rutherford, bassist Mikey Margott, drummer Bryan Sammis, and guitarists Jeremy Freedman and Zach Abels. All hugely talented guys, with an obvious passion for music. It's been said that they popped up out of nowhere as a band, and I think that mysterious aura adds something to their music.

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How did you guys first get started as a band?

We all knew each other and decided we wanted to try and fulfill this shared vision we had with our best friends.

What, if anything, have you run into as a band that was difficult to overcome?

We were thrust into this world so fast. It was the best thing that has ever happened to us, but going from living at home to being on tour for over a year is definitely something that you need to adjust to.

Do you feel like those things brought you closer and made the band even stronger?

Definitely. We live together now, all day every day. We've gone through the trials and tribulations of a proper relationship. We've had arguments and disagreements and it's all brought us to a place of love.

Tell me about your current process in songwriting and recording. Has this changed at all since the beginning?

It's always been an evolving process, especially on the road. Now a days people work on songs in the van on their computers and such. We have also been jamming some new stuff during sound-checks, which is definitely a new experience.

Who writes most of the lyrics and music? Or is it a collaboration between all of you?

Jesse writes the lyrics. We all write the music.

Photo by Eric T. White (c)

Do you find writing songs therapeutic, if you use real life experiences to influence them? They seem to be pretty different than a lot of what's going on in the music scene these days, so I'd like to know about where they come from.

It's definitely therapeutic. The lyrics are all truthful and about real life things. The music is from a place where we get to express our feelings through our instruments.

Did you experience any issues or problems while recording your new album?

Honestly, no. Our biggest problem was which songs to put on the album.

Do you think that the Spotify EMERGE contest had a lot to do with building your fan base more recently?

Spotify is a great tool for people to find music. It has definitely helped people find us.

How has being on tour for you recently? Have you had a favorite moment that has stood out as being especially memorable?

Denver was a great show with our good buds in the band Lovelife.

What can fans expect from you in 2013/2014 after your current tour is over? I know you just released a new album, but hey, the fans always want more!

They will get more. It will be momentous for us. You'll see.

Where do you see yourselves in 5 years? What are your long-term goals for the band?

I see us doing what we do on a larger scale. Being more respected.

I'm curious as to how you feel about the way music sales have changed, such as online sales and illegal downloading. Do you feel like this improes the way that music is purchased and reaches your fans ears?

Definitely. It makes it more accessible.

Do you think that the future of CD and vinyl sales will eventually be completely replaced by online music sales?

No, because there will always be that niche market for vinyl.

If each of you could colaborate with one artist or band, who would it be?

Mikey: Dustin Kensrue
Zach: Kendrick Lamar
Jeremy: Tony Iommi
Bryan: Hans Zimmer
Jesse: DJ Premier

If each of you could pick one place to travel/tour to, where would it be?

Mikey: Hawaii
Zach: The Beach in the movie "The Beach" with Leonardo DiCaprio
Jeremy: New Zealand
Bryan: Japan
Jesse: Paris

***

If you don't know this band and their music, please do yourself a big favor and get acquainted right now. You don't even have to thank me. Let the music speak to you like it did to me. It might be one of the best things you do for yourself! Buy the music if you like it. Support them! I can't stress how important that is.

Find them on their website, Facebook, and Twitter.


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Interview with Laptop Rapper MC Lars

Pic @ Vans Warped Kickoff Party (MC Lars w/Andrea Blunt)

I'm a little late getting this up, but I was happy to catch up with my buddy MC Lars who makes some of the best "laptop rap" in the game, at the Vans Warped Tour Kickoff Party! I was introduced to his music many years ago, during a very monumental time of my life, and I was very influenced by this genre, which he's well known in. (If you don't know of him, get acquainted now!) I genuinely appreciate all the amazing work he puts into his music and the sweet, sweet poetry (literally and figuratively) that comes as a result. He also is inspired by one of my favorite poets, Edgar Allen Poe! To top it off, he's such a genuine sweetheart and for me, that makes everything in the music game better.

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What influenced you to start making music?

I was passionate about punk rock, hip hop, and I just really loved doing it myself. When I was sixteen I started writing hop hop songs.

What is your writing process like?

I start with a beat, need the cadences, the beat informs the rap. I look for a beat that matches, like a paper - the chorus is the thesis, the verses are the defending paragraphs. [I just have to say I love this, as a writer myself!]

Do you consider yourself a nerdcore artist? That's definitely how I was introduced to you.

No, I definitely don't consider myself a nerdcore artist.

What has been your favorite moment or show or specific tour?

Warped Tour 2011. The Less Than Jake main stage and performing with them.

What drives you and keeps you going?

It's a miraculous thing to make a living doing what you love. I feel very lucky.

Have there been any bumps in the road that you've had to overcome, and then grown from?

Being "DIY" you do it all. You have to find the fun and momentum. People are so generous. And Kickstarter helps.

Courtesy of mc_lars Instagram

Who did you grow up listening to that has influenced you?

I grew up on Weird Al and the Beastie Boys, but got more into punk and indie rap as I got older.

If you could have a collaboration with one person, who would it be?

Dr. Dre. He's awesome, a great song writer, and great with beats.

***

Check out MC Lars online to check out his music and what he's up to, and check him out on Warped Tour!

Twitter, Facebook, and his website!

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Interview with Greeley Estates' Vocalist Ryan Zimmerman

I've been listening to Greeley Estates since, get this, back in the Myspace days, when half of the bands I was (or still am) into were just starting out and I was discovering (as many others were) the music I liked from adds and messages they used to promote themselves with on Myspace. I remember when I first messaged them in 2009 after they sent me a request and I was totally blown away by their music. They messaged me back and we had a conversation, which for me at the time, was totally mind-blowing. (A "popular" band was messaging "little ol' me"!?!) Getting to interview vocalist Ryan Zimmerman was my ultimate pleasure. I hope you enjoy reading what he had to say as much as I did!

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Up Late Reviews: How did you first get started as a band? From that time, do you feel like the constant change of band members has affected your sound? 

Ryan Zimmerman: We started back in 2002 as just a couple guys messing around trying to figure out how to play music. In a lot of ways it was kind of a joke. We starting playing local shows and decided to pursue it seriously in 2003-2004. We have had quite a few member changes but we have also been a band for a decade now and have 8 records out so its to be expected I guess. As far as our sound, we always try to switch things up with each release. We have had our current lineup for the last 4 years so we feel pretty good about it.

ULR: Do you feel like your newer songs are "way heavier" as many people claim? Or do you feel like your fans perceptions of you may have changed? 

RZ: Both. I think our records like NRNR and The Narrow Road are definitely heavier than our earlier material, but we still keep it Greeley. Our new release Devil Son has many of the musical elements that our early material had back when we started this band.

ULR: What is your favorite album and why?

RZ: I am honestly pretty connected to most of our records. I feel that Go West Young Man… seems to be the record we will be remembered by because i think it was a little before its time. I personally love both of our new EPs and I definitely have a strong connection to our first record Outside of This.

ULR: Who writes most of the lyrics and the music and if it's not a total collaboration, how do you come to agreements? 

RZ: I (Ryan) have always written the lyrics and for the most part Brandon has written the music until recently David has gotten involved and helped with writing music.

ULR: Please explain your writing process and how your process changed between albums, if it has.

We usually go into each record with a clean slate and just see how the direction and vibe of the music pans out. When we started as a band I would write a lot of my lyrics before I had heard the music. Now I write lyrics after feeling out the music and letting it speak to me. Many of our records have been written on the road which is tough, but this last 2 part album The Narrow Road/Devil Son was all written in AZ. We had the chance to live together and write and it was a good experience.

Do you find writing songs therapeutic, if you use real life experiences to influence them? 

RZ: Yeah, I love the writing process its one of the best parts of the job. Some songs are very personal to me and others are written in more a storybook format. I love watching movies and at times movies influence my writing.

ULR: What, if anything, have you run into as a band (or throughout the years with the member changes) that was difficult to over come? 

RZ: Touring 10 months out of the year is difficult on anyone. When you’re in a band on the road the members are your family. Its always tough losing members or letting members go it changes the dynamic of things. You just learn to work through this and hope that the changes are for the better.

ULR: Do you feel like those things brought you closer and made the current band even stronger? 

Yeah, I think difficult situations always make you appreciate life and make you stronger.

ULR: Do you guys have any plans for a tour in the near future, whether local or US? (Or even International!) 

RZ: Yeah, we plan to head to Japan again here soon. As for the U.S and other countries we are stilling working on figuring that out. Just trying to get the word out about The Narrow Road and Devil Son right now.

ULR: What can fans expect from you in 2013? 

Hopefully we will see them on the road soon and we hope to start writing again towards the end of the year.

ULR: I'm curious as to how you guys personally feel about the way music sales have changed, including illegal downloading, iTunes, Amazon, and other online music retailers. Does this totally ruin music or do you think this improves how easily and rapidly music reaches your fan's ears?

RZ: In our situation doing this independently right now, it definitely affects us. Album sales directly help us and illegal downloading directly hurts us.

ULR: Do you think that online sales will eventually completely replace CD and vinyl sales? 

RZ: Yeah for the most part I think physical copies will be collectors items in the future.

ULR: If you got the chance to collaborate with any band or artist, who would it be? 

RZ: Wow that is tough. Probably Billy Corgan from the Smashing Pumpkins.

ULR: Anything else you'd like to add? 

RZ: Check out our new records The Narrow Road and Devil Son

***

Check out what Greeley Estates is up to on Facebook or Twitter, and definitely catch up on their new tunes!

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Whaddya know about Captives? An Interview with Jeffery & Trevor.

The story of how this interview came about is an odd one, and one I'm excited to share. I found Captives when they followed me on Tumblr, of all places. I didn't realize that bands were starting to use Tumblr as a means to get their music out and expand their fan bases  but it worked, so they may be onto something! After listening to the band's tunes and finding the music to be really interesting and diverse, I got in touch with the guys, compliments were exchanged, and here we are. I hope you enjoy the answers from Jeffery and Trevor (vocals & guitar).

Up Late Reviews: How did you first get together as a band? Since then, how have any band member changes or personal ups and downs affected your music?

Trevor Bookout: Well Jeff and myself shared a passion for music ever since we became friends in high school. We wanted to pursue music seriously our senior year. We eventually started a band with some friends, but we jumped into it too fast and ended up with some really confusing music. We knew what we wanted to sound like, but had no idea how to get there. A few years went by, and after going through some tough times in our life we found ourselves writing music again.

Jeffery Mudgett: Like Trevor said, he and I had been friends since high school, and we both shared a love for music. We've been jamming together since '09. It took us several years and a couple bands to find our sound, but we stuck it out and founded Captives in early 2012. In the beginning we went through a lot of different drummers and bassists, but eventually we ended up with Jake Evans and Tyler Colburn, who we couldn't be more happy with. And as for the ups and downs, we all have had them, but those are the things and times we express in our music.

ULR: Do you feel like starting in Utah made things harder for you to break into the music scene?

TB: Trying to play music in Utah is definitely a frustrating place to try to break into a scene. We feel like were actually trying to start a scene here, much less break into one.

JM: There really isn't much of a scene around here for our kind of music sadly, especially in Utah County. The Ogden and Salt Lake scenes are better, but still lacking in diversity. The style of music that thrives here are hardcore and indie folk. I feel like our music is more of an east coast sound, hence why we want to tour so badly.

ULR: Do you guys think that you've grown as a band and your sound has changed accordingly?

TB: I would say that our sound is maturing the more we play and the more we learn about ourselves and our writing abilities. Jeff and I have been attempting to write music since the day we started playing guitar, around four years ago. Jake was a guitarist before he joined the band, not a drummer. He specifically learned drums to jam with us. So all of us, from a musicians standpoint, are still fairly new to writing. So yes, we are growing for sure, and we are very excited about our new material coming.

JM: As musicians, we are always growing. 

ULR: Do you have one specific member who works on writing a majority of lyrics and/or music or do you feel that it's an equal collaboration?

TB: Jeff and myself are mostly the song writers. Jake and Tyler will write their parts after we present the song to them, but we lay down the foundation for the song. Jeff is mostly our instrumental guy. He has been playing Guitar for a year less then I have and I have nothing to show for it besides complete confusion to whatever chords and/or leads he's showing me ha. I will occasionally add a guitar riff or hum a note progression I want him to find for me haha. He is 100% the reason why our music in our EP is as good as it is. I do a good portion of the melody writing and lyrics. I've always had a knack for poetry and I just converted that over into a lyric form. Jeff usually thinks of his own melodies for his parts and helps out with lyrics as well.

JM: The original plan was that we would both write our own lyrics and create our own melodies for our vocal parts. We stayed true to that for Forsaken and Abandon, but Trevor basically took over all lyrics and melodies for Ugly and Grace. 

ULR: Tell me about your lyric writing process and how you end up with the final product? Has your process changed at all since you started?

TB: Writing lyrics comes easy for me. I would say that once I find a melody, I concentrate on how that melody makes me feel, what emotion or memories or random segments of thought pops in my head and I run with it. Sometimes, when I write a song, I have no Idea what I initially mean behind what I'm saying. Afterwards, I find that connection that lets me apply it to my own life, literally or metaphorically. I will then change it to fit me more and be more personal, or leave it, because that's exactly what I wanted it to say. That method usually works for bits and parts of songs, but not the song as a whole. I seem to always have something that is on my mind that I feel the need to express through music and that's what I go off of. For example, some people have mistaken "Grace" for a romantic song. It's not about a girl really at all. Rather, it's about a time in my life when I truly felt lost, and those are the experiences and emotions and trials I went through during that time in my life.

JM: A lot of times we don't have an initial theme or idea behind a song to start off with. Most of the time I'll have an instrumental foundation written before we even start lyrics or melodies. Usually Trevor will write the first few lyrics and then I'll add my parts accordingly. It really depends on the song though. Our process is always changing.

ULR: Do you feel like it's difficult for you to continue making a name for yourself as a band, while other bands and musicians often seem to meld together under the pressure of the industry to make "popular" music?

TB: Being in a band is always gonna be difficult. I don't think anyone gets themselves into a serious band with the thought that it's gonna be an easy ride or that it's gonna be one big party. Especially if you are outside of the top 40 sound. I don't think that the level of difficulty has, or ever will, put pressure on us to change our music or the way we write. We are strong believers in writing music for the right reasons. I can honestly say that I wouldn't be the person I am if it wasn't for a handful of bands who I shaped my life around. We would love to be one of those bands for someone. We write music we love, and that is all that matters.

JM: We just make music we love, and will continue doing so for however long we can. Popularity doesn't affect our writing. 

ULR: Have you experienced any issues or fallbacks while recording?

TB: We have only recorded professionally once. All I have to say, is if you do it with the right producer, you know your parts, and you can hear the finished product in your head how it's supposed to sound, it should go as smooth as butta. It was a breeze for us. We recorded all four tracks to our EP in five days.

JM: We've had some bad experiences recording locally, so we decided to go a more professional route with our EP and chose to record at a legitimate studio out of state. And it turned out amazing.

ULR: Do you guys have any plans for a tour in the near future, whether local or US?

TB: We would absolutely love to go on tour. We really want to get onto a tour with a band who has a similar sound to us so we can actually play in front of people who enjoy our style of music, rather than playing shows with bands who's fans couldn't care less about us haha. Right now it's all a matter of time and money, which hopefully will not be an issue in the near future.

JM: TOUR WOOOO!

I'm curious as to how you guys personally feel about the way music sales have changed, including illegal downloading, iTunes, Amazon, and other online music retailers. Does this totally ruin music or do you think this improves how easily and rapidly music reaches your fan's ears?

TB: Illegal downloading is like a bitter-sweetness for sure. Mainly because it's awesome how music can spread like wildfires and tons of listeners can hear it which could lead to more support. However, "can" is the key word in that sentence. I am a very strong believer that if you love a band you should support them. Go to their shows, buy some merch. Just help keep them in a financial position to continue making the music you love. Right now, we just want people to listen to our stuff and experience our music. So it's on our bandcamp for free 90% of the time until we run out of free downloads for the month. But if that happens you can just download it off a torrent website instead haha.

JM: Music has turned into a service now days, so I say go download anything you want, but if you like it enough, go support the band and buy some merch. 

Do you think that online sales will eventually completely replace CD and vinyl sales?

TB: I don't think online sales will ever replace vinyl. Maybe CD's, but not vinyl. Once you have the love for records it never stops. They are just so cool, and so much fun to have and admire. I love seeing the artwork and reading the lyric sheets along with the music. Plus, it's always nice to have something tangible of the band you love so much.

JM: I've spent way too much money on vinyl records and CD's. They are more collectibles in this day and age. I feel for listening purposes digital music has already replaced physical. But I think Cd's and records will always be around.

If each of you had to choose one musician, dead or alive, to add to the band, who would it be?

TB: I would probably want Chris Freeman from Manchester Orchestra, not only because the guy rocks out on the keys like no one before him, but he brings such a cool environmental sound to Manchester and I think if we were missing a piece of the puzzle to some of our songs, some raining down, powerful keys would do the trick.

JM: Ian Mackaye.

And if Jake were here he'd choose Justin Beiber.

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If you're interested in finding out more about Captives and seeing what they're up to, check them out on Facebook, Bandcamp, Twitter, and Tumblr!

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