Posts tagged interview,

Ashley spent hump day with a The John Steel Singers, a band that could be modern day hippies in their sound, to dish about everything from Tangalooma (what? read to find out) to partying parents and everything else in between…so click it to check it!

hopelessrecords:

Ever wonder what the drummers are thinking about in the back? Wonder no more…Chris from There For Tomorrow’s new post on Modern Drummer lets us all know what goes on inside the mind of a drummer…

Chicago isn’t just wind and pizza…it’s about music too! The Hops are just one of the many bands out of that divine city ready to make their mark on the world. Check on this interview we did with them!

It’s easy to find bands here in the states. Go to a show and the band you wanted to see has a plethora of smaller bands that might just become your latest obsession. But what how many hours must one spend online to find bands outside the US borders? Well, I just saved you some time because here’s The Playbook. They’re an aussie band giving their all for pop punk. Click the pic to read a review of their latest and an interview that sports their greatest, answers that is…

Hey everyone…Remember that song about Fireflies? Me too! Remember when that Nickelback sounding guy on American Idol sang it? I wish I could forget…So Ashley Jean interviewed (thank god) the man behind Owl City and not the Idol dude! Click it to check it!

There For Tomorrow are on Warped and are on The Verge with their new record…Find out more on their new album and more when you click their pic…

Neighbor to the Golden State, Oregon is a long drive away from where I sit on a bus in midday LA traffic taking in the smell of late Spring B.O. To be in Oregon would mean enjoying doga, bacon pastries and wide spread slumber party staples. All this boasted upon by Kiss Kill’s Michelle Leigh. She along with Dusti Outlaw, Jeff Leopard and Bam Bam are Kiss Kill, a self defined “queer fronted” band for fans of Liz Phair and Juliana Hatfield will want to indulge in. amidst day jobs and music, Kiss Kill were able to dish about everything from the serious side of suicide to the comical side of Saturday morning cartoons.

Kendra: Were you ever worried about being constricted or placed in a niche market by classifying Kiss Kill as a “queer fronted” band?

Michelle & Dusti: We have no problem being packaged, processed, and placed into a niche market. We want people who can relate to our music to listen and connect on a deeper level. In fact we were anticipating, even hoping, that starting off niche would then catapulted us into mainstream… kind of like Ani Difranco.

Kendra: For me we all have the right to love and be with whoever makes us happy, but that’s not the case with everyone. Do you have any advice for anyone terrified to be themselves?

Michelle & Dusti: I spent most of my adolescence hiding from who I am and at times, suicide seemed to be the only logical answer to make the suffering disappear. Having discovered that living according to one’s authentic self brings true joy, it is clear that concealing one’s truth according to societal expectance is actually choosing a life of sorrow. There will always be people who discriminate and judge based on their own insecurities and fear. The trick is to surround one’s self with others that promote positive esteem and to always remember that it does really get better.

Kendra: Back to the music, latest album Keychain Pistols. If you had the task to explain the album as a classic slumber party game, which would it be and why?

Michelle & Dusti: Spin- the-bottle, but the girl-on-girl version.

Kendra: I had the pleasure of reviewing Keychain Pistols in which I said the title track would inspire many tattoos based on the imagery of the title alone. Which leads me to; do you or any of the other Kiss Kills have band tats?

Michelle & Dusti: No, however we both have lyrics from their respective favorite musicians. You also mentioned how lover’s should never tattoo their mates’ name yet we have braved fate, and so far broken that curse!

Kendra: Let’s hope you all continue to prove me wrong. But yes, lyrics are always my favorite band tattoos. What are the ones you guys have?

Michelle & Dusti: Dusti’s by Melissa Ferrick, “If this as hard as it gets, you’ve got a fighting chance.” And Michelle’s is by Jann Arden, “ There will be no consolation prize this time the bone is broken clean. My heart is barely hanging by a thread. Why are you weeping.”

Kendra: I noticed you have a lot of strong women as influences. As women we could go on for days about the bias’ women is music face, but how do you hope Kiss Kill helps break down some of the walls that still exist for women in the music industry?

Michelle & Dusti: At this point in our career as a band, we are still battling against trying to break out in general; though we have experienced our fair share of bias being a chick/queer-fronted band. There have been many a redneck douche bag heckling from their seats or calling out the age old question: “Can I watch?” But perhaps the most frustrating aspect of being female musicians is the reaction and treatment we receive from other women. I think that women in general have a scarcity mentality wherein we are all fighting for that one female-fronted slot, so we have to throw each other under the bus to ensure our spot in the lineup. What’s terrible is that if women were to band together and support one another, we wouldn’t have to claw and scratch our way to the top.

Kendra: However there are a lot of female fronted bands that are crafted by labels. Paramore recently got outed as being less organic than we all had believed. Do you have any thoughts on that

Michelle & Dusti: People take themselves too seriously. We are serious musicians- in the sense that we take pride in what we do, we practice hard, and play as professionals. But that being said, I have no problem being crafted and processed by labels and managers.  I want people to hear my music so if I have to wear a dress made entirely out of meat well then by George bring on the bacon.

Kendra: In the end, nothing but good things to say about my loves in Paramore…which takes me to another subject that only garners positivity, Oregon. Can you even say anything bad about Portland?

Michelle & Dusti: Portland is quite possibly the greatest city on earth. We have lived her for six years and can’t imagine living anywhere else. The diverse community camaraderie is outstanding. I mean where else can you smoke organic locally-grown hookah, eat bacon maple donuts, and have a city wide pillow fight- all while your dog takes his weekly doga class?

Kendra: Will you all be leaving the homestead and touring in the latter half of 2011? 

Michelle & Dusti: Unfortunately all members of Kiss Kill have day jobs. It is difficult to therefore coordinate any sort of major cross-country tour extravaganza. However, we are hoping to book a mini southwest tour later on this fall. Mesa, AZ watch out!

Kendra: You got a man named Bam Bam in Kiss Kill, so you set yourself up to be asked about your favorite cartoon growing up?

Michelle: Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers

Dusti: Looney Tunes

Jeff: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Troy (Bam Bam): Speed Racer

Kendra: Lastly, if your kiss was lethal and murder was legal…who would your first victim be?

Michelle & Dusti: Storm Large. Not that I wish ill upon her, but oh to have my lips caress hers…

Kermit says it’s easy being green, but Brett of One More Go says it’s not always so easy being easycore. In a town where HXC bands are aplenty, One More Go gives their all to make their presence known, whether it be through their love of Tim and Eric or their latest release, It’s My Night. But there’s so much more to One More Go than the surface, so I invite you to dive into the OMG realm with the help of Brett as he talks about never quitting, shifting members and IDK…really.

Kendra: After numerous band attempts this is it for you guys, right? But can you rewind (ancient word) to the ultimate time you wanted to throw the towel on the whole band thing?

Brett: No, this is isn’t it for us at all in music! Haha, our name is just saying let’s all give this another try and see where it takes us this time around. We’re all way too young to throw in the towel just yet. Music is everything to us; I honestly can’t see any of us ever giving it up.

Kendra: At the end of the day what makes you keep traveling the musical route?

Brett: Music is something we’re all very passionate about, it’s a positive creative outlet for all of us. The thought of going on tour, traveling the country and making new friends all over is what personally keeps me going. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Kendra: One More Go is still fairly fresh out the gate. What are some goals you guys have your eyes set on?

Brett: Well, we definitely want to tour this summer and get out of the Cincinnati area for once. Until then though, we plan on just playing as many shows as possible locally and building up a solid following around here, which is a pretty challenging thing to do since what’s popular in our area is primarily hardcore. It’s kind of rough being an easycore band around here.

Kendra: Is there a band you think deserves (cheesy, I know) One More Go?

Brett: Hmm…I don’t really know how to answer that haha. I guess A Day To Remember would be a band that deserves a second chance. ADTR definitely deserve props for making it as big as they have, even though they have changed their sound a little and have lost a lot of their original fans, but they still stay true to their roots as a band. I know that sounds stereotypical of me to say since I’m in an easycore band, but they still are one of my favorite bands regardless of who listens to them.

Kendra: So…Michael Bolton as an influence…that only made me think of amazing commercials from the 90’s. Do you have any you remember loving as a kid?

Brett: Haha the Michael Bolton thing is a joke, but he is the man. No, I can’t really remember any commercials from back then…

Kendra: If you had to make a commercial for your latest, It’s My Night, what would it look like?

Brett: That’s tough! Haha, it would probably look like something off of Tim & Eric since we’re all a little obsessed with that show, and the title of our EP is an inside joke between all of us from an episode…

Kendra: We got a commercial now, but tell us more about It’s My Night…

Brett: All of the songs from It’s My Night were written last summer when we were just coming together as a band. I wrote most of the music and Clint, our vocalist, wrote all of the lyrics. Last summer was a huge bonding experience for us as friends; it was the best summer we’ve all had and I think that reflects in our music. We just like to have a good time and play music, that’s what we’re all about.

Kendra: Rewinding again, what sparked the change in style from metal/hxc to what you are now?

Brett: Before I joined, they had a different guitarist who would just recycle cheesy sounding metalcore riffs and not really listen to what everyone else in the band wanted. Everyone else initially wanted a pop punk/easycore sound. When he moved away for college, I joined and brought the sound they were looking for and we immediately got to writing all new material. “Sounds Like My Weekend” is actually one of the old songs, but we kept it because it’s not metalcore and our bassist Anthony wrote it. We want him to think that bass actually matters….haha.

Kendra: When the sound change, did the lyrics change as well?

Brett: Yeah, the lyrics have changed in a way I guess. They’re a little more uplifting now than they were before, but Clint has a certain style of writing so they haven’t changed drastically.

Kendra: Lyrics are some of my favorite tattoos. Do you have any of your own or another bands’?

Brett: I don’t have any tats, but Clint has “Heart means everything” across his chest which are ADTR lyrics. Lyric tattoos are pretty cool though, I have some in mind that I’m thinking about getting soon.

Kendra: Really quick side note, One More Go…OMG. What text slang do you overuse the most?

Brett: I use lol and idk a little too much….

Kendra: We’ve reached the end and it’s time I ask what’s up for OMG for the rest of 2011?

Brett: We plan on trying to tour during the summer and maybe for a short time in the fall, and we’re finally ordering merch, so we’re all pretty stoked on that. By the end of this year we plan to start recording our next EP, and we might record an acoustic version of one our new songs within the next few weeks, so be on the lookout for that! Oh, and One More Goes Hard.

Kendra: Okay a pit stop after the end. You guys have this badass sound so when going in to make me a mixtape of the “Top 5 songs we’d be surprised OMG listens to,” what would you send me?

 Brett: Hmmm, 5 songs?  This is going to be totally random.
“Cowardice” by Defeater
“Oscillator” by The Contortionist
“Jack Sparrow” by The Lonely Island
“All By The Constant Vulse” by Trap Them
Five would be some terrible song by Nickelback because our drummer loves them for some reason….

 

When American Verse aren’t spending their time working, schooling and laughing to reruns of King of the Hill, you will find them locked up in their own musical world in Worcester, MA. With just one pass through their music, you can hear the influence of notable bands from the turn of the millennium like Brand New. Twenty-somethings will rejoice for sounds that remind them of their yesteryears while younger folks will be surprised that a band with instruments doesn’t have to sound like a “rock” band on Disney.

As I sit in my living room typing with the sound of Stewie Griffin my late night soundtrack, I advise you to get to know a little more about American Verse…They work hard, want to play more and have some new music on the way…

Kendra: Can you remember the moment in your life when you thought, hey, this music thing is for me?

Dylan: I guess I’d have to say it was when I got my first guitar in the 6^th grade, I had played the drums for two years prior but once I got a guitar in my hands I just fell in love with it. I remember telling my mom I didn’t wanna play football anymore; I wanted to take guitar lessons.

Kendra: America has an interesting origin story, how does American Verses compare? Go on and share how you guys came together…

Dylan: Well way back in 2004 I started a band with Brian and some high school friends called From The Heart, we got Joe as our lead guitarist for that band in 2006 and broke up in 2008. Then I was just playing local shows as a solo act and was asked to join a band called Beyond City Lights in 2009 in which Steve was the drummer and in the summer of 2010 Steve and I decided to quit that band and start American Verse in which we recruited Brian as our bassist and Joe for lead guitar.

Kendra: You guys have a very hands on, DIY, approach when it comes to the band. What’s the hardest part and do you have any advice for bands taking that route?

Dylan: I guess the hardest part would be having to self-fund everything, and my advice would be to just go out and enjoy playing your music. Trying to run your own band can get fucking stressful but in the end it’s always worth it.

Kendra: With all the things you have to do with the band, is there time for real “day jobs?”

Dylan: We all have jobs, Brian has a full time job, Steve and Joe work and go to school, and I work two jobs, but we always put the band first.

Kendra: Back to the music, with music I think of the song writing process like that one line, “Which came first the chicken or the egg,” but with music it’s “the music or the lyrics.” So in your guys case, do the words or chords usually flow first?

Dylan: Always music first, Joe or I will write the skeleton of a song, bring it to the band, we work out all the music, and then I will write the lyrics for it.

Kendra: Speaking of writing and everything…What’s going on with American Verse in the musical sense? Writing, recording, album out, touring?

Dylan: We are in the process of mixing and pressing our first EP called Standard Emotions which will be out at the end of May, we are trying to set up a couple small tours this summer, and we are always writing new music so rest assure we will have new tunes to record by the end of summer.

Kendra: You guys are looking to play right now because well, duh, that’s what it’s all about as a band. But if you could pick three places to play next week (either venue or city), where would you pack up and head to?

Dylan: I’d have to say anywhere in New York, anywhere in New Jersey and anywhere in Pennsylvania for the soul reason that we haven’t played those states yet and I’d love to play them.

Kendra: While on this imaginary trip, if you had to describe your sound to someone who’s never heard your band as an American hero, who would you pick and why?

Dylan: I’d have to go with John Quincy Adams, cause he has good PR with the general public and I think it’d increase the chances of the person I was talking to to actually check our band out.

Kendra: Saves The Day are probably one of the heroes you thought about since they’re an influence on not only you guys but many bands your age. Personally, I am not a fan, so what is it about that band that makes them top notch?

Dylan: Saves The Day is such a huge influence on so many bands because they are just simply the fucking best; amazing song writing and incredible lyrics.

Kendra: Well put and like I said, so many bands have been influenced by STD, and with numerous new bands coming out every day there’s only a select few who’ll ever do anything worthwhile. So what in you tells you American Verse is the best idea?

Dylan: American Verse is the best idea because this band writes the best songs I’ve ever been a part of.

Kendra: Real quick, King of the Hill…an amazing show. Any favorite episodes or moments from it?

Dylan: It’s the best show ever! And anything that involves Cotton Hill, the time Bill gets piss drunk and steals an army tank, the two part episode where Hank meets his Japanese half-brother, and the time Hank smokes weed.

Kendra: Definitely love the Japanese one…but come on, where’s the Peggy Hill love?? But lastly, what can we expect from American Verse in the coming months?

Dylan: In the next few months we will have our new EP Standard Emotions out, we will be playing all around the northeast, and who knows what other crazy shit!

Kendra: I said lastly right above this but one more…if I were to ask American Verse to make me a mixtape of the Top 5 songs for an East Coast road trip, what songs would you pick for me?

Dylan: Chunk! NO! Captain Chunk! “In Friends We Trust”
Farewell Dreamer “Open Your Eyes”
The Vanilla Muffins  “No Punk Rock In My Car”
SR-71 “Right Now”
Wheatus “Teenage Dirtbag”

Interviewed by Kendra Rae

Back in 2005 I was saying goodbye to high school and hello to reality. A reality filled with concert lines and rough draft crimes. For Steven Cooley, reality was releasing an album, promoting the hell out of it and then taking a musical break after it was all said and done to take care of his family. All breaks come to an end and for fans of white boys who can throw down the R&B ways, Steven Cooley is back and ready to give music another go. He’s honest, heartfelt and here to take the time to invite readers into his written mind.

Kendra Rae: As someone who has never seen as far as Vegas, how would you describe Indianapolis to the rest of the world?

Steven Cooley: Indy is a sports town that has a lot to offer families, home owners, and people who are interested in living a conservative lifestyle. When it comes to music, art, or culture we fail in many ways. It is a double edge sword. Everything you could fall in love with are the same things that make people move to your neck of the woods.

Kendra: Your last CD, Lost My Faith, came out in 2005…What have you been up to since then and now?

Steven: I worked hard to promote Lost my Faith to the best of my ability. I struggled to receive the regional or national attention that album deserved. About a year and a half after its release I pretty much abandoned music and have worked full time at a print shop to support my family. I have done well, but I was kinda brought back to life by a guy named Rod Kim. His encouragement inspired me to get back on the horse and start plugging away again. So I have been writing and working on some new tracks. I will send you an exclusive demo.

Kendra: What’s the story behind the title track of that record, “Lost My Faith?

Steven: “Lost My Faith” was written at the Wheeler Mission. I struggled with drugs and alcohol until I was homeless. I am glad to say that this song was written eight years ago. I have fully recovered from that hopelessness. Still workin’ on the faith part…

Kendra: You also had another track that caught my attention, “Where Do I Belong?” as someone who’s attracted to the angst in music; I’d like to know if you’ve found a place you belong yet?

Steven: Yes, it is very easy to forget about what is in front of you in life. The search tends to end where you stand.

Kendra: All around I can only describe you as a sort of Blue Eyed Soul man. Who were some of your influences as a kid?

Steven: Boys II Men. A Christian Singer named Michael W. Smith. Choir director named Kenny Franklin. Everyone is shy about saying it, but I wanted to sing like a black guy. I wasn’t alone, obviously (Justin Timberlake, Gavin Degraw, Jon B, etc. etc.)

Kendra: Lost My Faith came out when I graduated high school and it made my mind wander to ask, if you could go back to high school for one day, what would you do over?

Steven: I am pretty sure I didn’t have the capacity to change anything that happened. I was pretty rough around the edges and I was hard to confidence to do anything. All reflections of my life revolve around the relationships that I didn’t have or did have. I just ran into a guy I went to high school with today and it was amazing seeing him. I haven’t seen him in 12 years. That is tragic. It is hard to maintain relationships. Today I try to take advantage of all those opportunities. Treat people with respect and be a friend.

Kendra: Will your new album have a different sound than the last record?

Steven: I don’t know. I will have a couple of really earnest, honest, beautiful songs. They will be in Pop format; you will hopefully hear my voice. A soul will be involved.

Kendra: Staying in the present, American Idol is up and out right now. Have you ever or would you ever try out?

Steven: No, it’s music porn

Kendra: Lastly, what’s up for the rest of your 2011?

Steven: I am working towards putting out a new EP. Expect 3-5 songs from me, some acoustic, and some full production. I want to get back to it. I appreciate everyone’s support. I am looking forward to putting out some music this year.

Ah, Sweden—the birthplace of Stockholm syndrome and more importantly, Thor. As tempted as I was to engage in typical American conversations about psychoanalytic theory and the Viking era of the 8^th and 11^th centuries, I spared the members of Scenic View quite generously. From the depths of a southern one-gas-station town in Sweden, we chatted over the interweb about their upcoming album, their depictions of hell, and of course, sibling rivalry—only to conclude with a painstakingly important question concerning Twitter and its effectiveness for bands from abroad.

Ashley Jean: In contrasting your band name with your song “Sailing to Hell,” what kind of “scenic” images come to your mind when you play this song? Like, are here bon fires everywhere? I’m curious! Everyone has a different hell.

Scenic View: The main message of the song is not to restrict one’s life to everyday chores. You have to take the chance to develop as a person. If that leads to people thinking you are doing something wrong, it’s their loss. The hell we are singing about is not the same as you read about in the Bible (which we think got it all wrong anyway). It’s simply the place where you’ll end up. So yeah, it could be bon fires everywhere, but only if you’re willing to take the risk that’s in breaking your daily routine. It’s really the trip that makes it all worth, not so much were you’ll end up.

Ashley Jean: Listening to your music, I can’t help but to think you sound slightly like Franz Ferdinand. Maybe it’s just Philip’s vocals—but do you guys model your sound after any particular contemporary artist?

Scenic View: We haven’t heard that comparison before but Franz Ferdinand is a good band, so thanks! One of the corner stone’s in our creative process is to not imitate any other group, neither is it trying to sound dissimilar to contemporary music, all we want is to create music that feels right, something we can put our name on. However, on an unconscious level it is unavoidable not to be influenced. Since we all (even if there are three brothers in the band) have very different musical preferences it’s strange we can create anything that sounds the least coherent. The bands we listen to ranges from Damien Rice, Dinosaur Jr. and Soundtrack of our lives to Danko Jones and The John Butler Trio and Entombed. Maybe it’s a strength in our sound, there’s something for everyone, but it could also be deceptive if it makes us too hard to put in a certain category, listeners might feel lost. But as mentioned before, we don’t make music speculatively. This is who we are, deal with it!

Ashley Jean: What’s the writing process for the Scenic View? Do you guys take long drives and admire nature, or is it a little more complicated than that?

Scenic View: That would sure be something but at the same time it’s not that far from the truth. Even if we don’t take that many trips devoted for studying nature we all share the origin of a one-gas-station-village in the deep dark southern forests of Sweden, something that might have influenced our sound and not least our lyrics that almost always has a dark tone. The band was first a project initiated by Philip who wrote most of the songs. Nowadays the embryo of a song can originate from anyone really. After that it comes down to solid craftsmanship. This is the stage that has changed the most, Philip used to have the song already recorded and the others just followed his lead, now the craftsmanship is largely a democratic process. We are fortunate to have a studio as a rehearsal site. That makes the creative process easier, when we find something to work with we just hit the record button. Therefore, we always end up with several versions of the same song but deciding which one to continue to work with isn’t as easy as it sounds. 

Ashley Jean: Do you think, in the future or somewhere down the line, we’ll hear songs written in Swedish? Or does the English language seem a more comfortable fit for the type of audience you’re trying to captivate?

Scenic View: Interesting question, haven’t really thought about it. Maybe the English language is better equipped for writing songs. Don’t know really. Thinking about it, there aren’t many rock bands singing in Swedish at all, not any that we listen to anyway. Also we want to reach beyond the Swedish boundaries. Sweden is a small country and there isn’t much room for music that isn’t ultra-commercial.

Ashley Jean: You’re all brothers, except for Tommy and Andreas. What motivated the three of you to band together?

Scenic View: Well, we have always played together teaching each other new songs and licks, although never as a band. When Philip started his project it would have been strange if he’d asked anyone else, it felt very natural and the leap wasn’t very big.

Ashley Jean: Is there any (healthy) sibling rivalry?

Scenic View: No doubt about it, and probably some unhealthy too, but also a lot of love. Philip, being the oldest, always had to be the first, best and the one who’d show the way. Kristopher being the middle sibling tried to challenge this dominance, which made him excel on guitar. Looking at the roles in the band somewhat strengthens this hypothesis, Philip on lead vocals, Kristopher on solo guitar and Johannes on what was left over- the bass. Ha-ha. Playing in a band with your brothers gives a deep and profound stability. At the same time the boundaries that otherwise would stop arguments don’t exists. But since we’ll always be brothers we simply have to solve problems and in the long run that will probably develop us a band, and maybe also as brothers. Tommy, what’s it like playing in a band of brothers?

Tommy Magnusson: At first it was really hard to catch all the unspoken messages, since they know each other so well they often just use facial expressions to state an opinion. At first all that went over my head, but after a lot of effort I began to understand their language and now I feel equally included. Playing in a band where some of them are brothers adds a dynamic and creative dimension that in my experience has been more of an advantage than a disadvantage.

Ashley Jean: So I hear you’re releasing an album this year. If you were painting a portrait of the album, pick the colors that you think depict the sound of it.

Scenic View: Compared with our debut album, which was based on a brown reddish acoustic sound, with a torn western touch to it, this next one will be a little bit more modern, electric and straight forward.  We would use blended black and white showing the dynamic of our sound that has both hope and despair. There would also be some intense red in there somewhere symbolizing the cordial passion and playfulness we have when we work together.

Ashley Jean: If you could pick your dream tour, which bands would you like to open for, or even better, open for you?

Scenic View: Okay, let’s dream. I think we all agree on that Bruce Springsteen would be unbeatable. His music is timeless and he has such a broad audience. Maybe an acoustic version of him, taking care of the warm-up before we enter the stage would do. The other way around is also an alternative. And how awesome wouldn’t it be to travel with him, cracking some beers and just hanging out. He would probably have quite a few stories to tell about life. Playing with bands and artists like Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Damien Rice or Kris Kristofferson would also be great.

Ashley Jean: I see you’re on A LOT of social networking sites, but not Twitter. Why is that?

Scenic View: Well, right now our focus is on completing the album; we really don’t feel the need for Twitter. Most of our fans are from Sweden and Facebook is way bigger here so that’s good enough for the moment. However, it seems as if Twitter is bigger abroad so maybe we’ll have to create an account as soon as we are ready with our album. 

Jersey, what can I say that hasn’t already been said the last few years? Let’s try and forget for a second what MTV ditched music for for just a second and focus on the good that’s come from the Garden State. Springsteen, Bon Jovi and in later years for an angst ridden generation, My Chemical Romance. Those are the names we’ve come to know in Jersey Music, but shall we add another to the mix?

Lost In Society are a trio of Punk Rock gentlemen with their eyes set on the ultimate finish line. Already yards ahead of other bands with their countless contest wins and style, Lost In Society are ready to branch out of the East Coast where they’ve gained a loyal fan base and into the West and rest of the world.

So with the help of the web, I on in the Golden State and them in the Garden State, 2/3’s of LIS sat down at their laptop to dive into everything from influences to texting plans…

Kendra Beltran: MTV used to be the center of my musical world until some not so lovely ladies and gentlemen from your neck of the woods infected it with an abundance of STDs. So first off, if your band were given the opportunity to rid Jersey and the world of Snooki and Co. what would your plan be?

Hector Bonora: Hahaha this is a good question to start off an interview. First I would cancel that horrible show and make sure that it never goes on air again and then I would simply look at each of them in the eye and tell them that they all made asses out of them selves, and that they should move to another country and lay low for a while until America forgets about them. God I hate that cast.

Zach Moyle: I would make the setting of the next season in an active Volcano. Just kinda drop them out of a plane and say good luck.

Kendra: Like many bands your age, Green Day is it as far as inspiration. What is it about Green Day that’s placed them on this pedestal?

Hector: I think what makes Green Day so amazing, aside from their music, is the fact that they do whatever they want, however they want, and whenever they want. They are not pretending to be something they are not, and I think that’s a huge reason why people are so attracted to them. It’s real. Not like Rebecca Black and her fucking awful song “Friday,” hahaha!

Zach: What I really like about Green Day is that none of their albums really clash
together and sound exactly the same. Every one of them has a certain vibe and I really like that. I think this is why people are harsh on them now. Dookie was a great album, but why would they make six more Dookie’s instead of writing what they feel at that point in time.

Kendra: Is Green Day who Lost in Society model their career after?

Hector: I wouldn’t say model our career after Green Day, they are just a huge influence on us. They created their own special place in history, and I don’t want to do what Green Day did, I want to create my own history and hopefully someday I would be a huge influence on a band. They did their thing and I love them for it, but now it’s our time!

Zach: I agree with Hector, work ethic wise I would say I would take a blueprint from Green Day and the Foo Fighters, they both work their asses off and have been successful for almost two decades now.

Kendra: You had a pretty good start booking your own shows. How did you manage to figure out the ropes of that?

Hector: Booking is all trial and error. We did a lot of Google searches, gig swap with other bands, and just put a lot of time into it because that’s what you have to do with booking. There is no easy way around it. We have been doing it for a while now and we just started having set places that we can go and play in various cities. I guess our hard work paid off.

Zach: I leave all of that to Hector, he tends to do a great job with it. I book a show here and there when I get contacted, but other than that Hector does the heavy lifting. And now our new manager Jeanne has been killing it as well.

Kendra: You guys have an old school approach that’s very grassroots in terms of promotion; street teams and fliers. But what’s the deal with texting? Do you personally text fans?

Hector: I text fans like it’s my job hahaha! In today’s world that’s how things get around so it’s either you do it or get left behind. It’s honestly the best way to get people to your shows and get them to listen to your music. I have so many random people in my phone that I don’t know, they are just there because I send them band text messages.

Zach: Same exact response as Hector. I used to just annoy the hell out of people until they would go to the show, but now they like us so it makes it a lot easier.

Kendra: Why didn’t you just want to rely on the Internet for spreading your music?

Hector: The internet is great and all but having a personal relationship with your fans makes all the difference. I like meeting new people at the shows and telling them about our music because it makes them feel like it’s not just an advertisement or another YouTube video, it’s more real. That’s what I think at least.

Zach: I really, really, really suck with computers. I can type and not much more. So I rely on every other source of communication and spreading the word face to face.

Kendra: So many bands do only Internet and with all the new bands that pop up every day, maybe one will go on to do anything relevant. What in you tells you the whole band thing is a good idea?

Hector: People ask us this all the time, and I can’t explain it. It’s just a gut feeling I have and from all the progress we have made so far I think now it’s just a matter of time and sticking to it. A lot of bands do it for a while and realize how hard it is and quit, not us. We love doing this more than anything so we are not stopping anytime soon. Last man standing always wins.

Zach: I’ve had a goal since I was 14 and I’m not one to break promises or give up on something I love. Also I’m not a huge fan of college…love the parties, hate the work, pretty typical I guess. But people really are starting to see that we have a lot of potential and we’re starting to make moves and people are starting to talk. I’m confident that something big can happen.

Kendra: Maybe it’s the constant success you guys have in terms of contests and awards. How do you manage to set yourselves apart from other bands in these competitions?

Hector: We don’t try to do anything fancy, we literally just go up there dressed like
we normally would and we just rock out. We have a great following in our area and our fans are literally nuts. My good friend Kevin Kelly did a front flip off The Brighton Bar stage into a crowd surf, hahaha! We don’t pretend to be something we are not, and I guess the good music also helps.

Zach: We’re playing music that people need right now. Emo and poppy bubblegum
bands are getting pushed aside. It’s time to bring good ole Punk Rock back and give people what they need, even if they don’t know it yet. And we put on a killer live show.

Kendra: How did it feel to win The Metromix Breakthru?

Hector: Like $30,000 dollars!

Zach: It felt right, we deserved it. We brought the most people, the craziest mosh
pitting, stage diving, sing along fans and played a really tight show. It also felt like $30,000!

Kendra: Are you going to take those winnings and head out west this year and tour?

Hector: We want to go out west so bad!!!! If we can find the right opportunity we
will definitely be going out there soon. Worst case scenario we will make it out west by 2012. SO HELP US! Haha

Zach: Yea, I’m with Hector on this one. Going out west would be awesome. Just
need to find the right time and opportunity.

Kendra: Sticking with 2011 happenings…if you had to describe your next EP, Give Me Your Hope, to someone who’d never heard music before, how would you?

Hector: I literally don’t know how to answer this question. Haha I am sorry!

Zach: Hey, Japan just had a major disaster, The U.S. is at war with another
country, and this is our last full year on Earth. You should listen to this album before we have a disaster here, or you get drafted, or before 2012. I guess that’s what I would say. They would probably stick around long enough to hear one song. And after that, its cake.

Kendra: Lastly, music’s obviously a comfort zone for you, but where is one place, time or situation where you feel lost?

Hector: I feel lost all the time! After all I am in Lost In Society :)

Zach: IT-100. Fuck computers!

Interviewed by Kendra Rae