I've been a friend and fan of local band Rival Tides (formally known as Harris Grade) for several years now and at last I got to interview them! I thought it was a perfect time since they just changed their name and just had a show last night - the first under their official new name!
If you're unfamiliar with Rival Tides, it's time to get familiar. Please check out their Facebook page and music; all links included after the interview. Their humor is hilarious, if you've ever met them or seen videos, and I think it really carries through in some of their answers here. I know they had me laughing and I'm the one doing the interview!
Me: How did you first get started as a band? Since then, how have any band member changes and personal ups and downs affected your sound?
Rival Tides: We first got together in a previous project. As time progressed, the group experienced member changes and new experiences (both in life and musically) that really put us down a more focused path. Instead of continuing on with any old history, we decided to start over.
Me: Do you feel like your new songs are different from your older ones because you as people have grown? Or is this finally the "real you" coming out?
RT: Both, really. We’ve grown together as a group in a way that’s helped us get to the point of our true potential. It’s not that we’ve peaked or anything, but our new music is certainly the music we’ve always wanted to make together.
Me: Do you have one specific member who concentrates on writing a majority of lyrics and/or music or do you feel that it's an equal collaboration?
RT: Our vocalist, Robyn, writes all the lyrics, unless we just have minor suggestions to contribute. We all join forces to write the music. The success or failure of each individual song is the responsibility of everyone in the group.
Me: Tell me about your lyric writing process and how you're able to come up with such unique and moving songs? Has your process changed between albums?
RT: Robyn‘s lyrics are becoming a lot more personal, while being more relatable to those who listen. He starts with how a new song’s melody makes him feel and then writes what he feels is appropriate to that mood.
Me: Do you feel like it's hard to continue making a name for yourself as a band, while others seem to meld together under the pressure of the industry to make "popular" music?
RT: Just wait until you hear our next album… jk.
Either way, it’s a competitive market out there. Our goal is to make music that appeals to a wide variety of people, while keeping true to our own values.
Me: Have you experienced any problems or fallbacks while recording?
RT: Somewhat. As younger musicians we ran into problems clashing with producers’ visions for our style and direction. In recent times though, by the time we hit the studio, we’re confident and ready to record without any issues.
Me: I know you guys posted a statement about your name-change, but I think it's safe to say that everyone (including me as a friend and fan) who listens to your music would love to know what went into the thought process to changing your name, especially since you're already a fairly well-known band.
RT: Our main reasoning was a fresh start. With the three songs we most recently released, (Mission:Control, How to Catch a Bullet, Oceans) we really felt that we discovered our true style. Instead of having a scattered history, we wanted all of our efforts from here on out to be as focused as possible. Rival Tides is all about having a good time while taking care of business at the same time. Kind of like a mullet: business up front, party in the back.
Me: Do you guys have any plans for a tour in the near future, whether local or US?
RT: We’ve got some stuff in the pipeline being worked out, but until dates are confirmed and ready to be announced we’ll keep quiet about it.
Me: 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?
RT: Each side of the debate has its pros and cons. Digital downloads provide easy access to new music discovery, but it also creates a much more saturated market. It does shut down a lot of those bands who just want to be instant rockstars though; the money just isn’t around for that anymore. The changed industry forces bands like us to think on our toes and look to the future at all times. Even if we’re not necessarily making visible moves or announcements every week, we’re still planning out the best courses of action at all times.
Me: Do you think that online sales will eventually completely replace CD and vinyl sales?
RT: I can see CDs disappearing. Sure, it could take a while since they’re still easily available, but most content can now be streamed online in cloud storage, or is just digital through mp3s. I think vinyl will stick around though. It makes music more of a collector item. With bigger artwork, better sound and limited quantities, it has staying power. Plus, something that I personally love about it is the fact that it’s really the only true way to “own” music. CDs are just data discs. Downloads are the same. A record is a physical item of music. If you put a needle to it, even without speakers, you can hear music from it. I don’t know about you, but I think that’s pretty awesome.
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