Interview

Pictures

I brought a couple of friends to the show and we got to sit down real quick with Adam and Chris to ask them a few questions while Joel and Ross were setting up their gear. Great guys, and they put on a great show. Joel and Ross were able to come in after and take a picture with us. You should go out and see them play if you can. They were pretty incredible. Take some time to talk to them after, they were just a really great, down to earth group of guys.


EP: The first couple questions are pretty standard and I'm sure you boys have heard them a million times before...But I first wanted to ask how you guys came together as a band?

Adam: Ok, awesome. Three of the four of us were in high school together. We had kind of been in bands together before and we finally just decided that we wanted to really play shows and really practice and just really try to do it and that's how it kind of came about.

EP: Awesome. Another thing I like to ask most bands is who you guys cite as major influences or just favorite artists of yours?

Adam: Yeah, well, we have a lot of favorite artists and they're kind of all across the board, but... Counting Crows, Ryan Adams, the Smiths, Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden...did I already say that?

EP: No, you didn't.

Adam: Ok, Iron Maiden twice then!

EP: Any recent favorites?

Adam: Actually, yeah, I just heard the new Muse CD and it's awesome, it's sick. So...maybe that?

EP: Ok, cool. Well, you guys have done a lot of touring since you've kind of been picking up steam lately here..so which tour has been your favorite thus far or who has been your favorite band to play with?

Adam: That's a tough question, we've got a lot of friends! We've toured with a lot of people and have made some good friends out there. But if I had to pick one, we just did a tour with Augustana in May.

EP: Yeah, they're great.

Adam: Yeah, love those guys! I mean, it wasn't even a huge tour or anything, but we just had so much fun hanging out. Those guys are cool.

EP: Talk about your relationship with Universal a little bit. How did they first hear about you guys and when did they really start getting serious about wanting to work with you?

Adam: Well, I'm going to have to go deep quick here to build it up. About six months after we formed, we recorded a demo in Charleston that was pretty unproduced and we just went and pressed record...

EP: Wait! Is it this one? (I pull out the band's first demos)

Adam: Uh-oh! Yep, that's it.

EP: I love it.

Adam: Whoa, that so old. I'm so sorry you have to keep listening to that.

EP: Haha, no it's rad. I remember hearing about when guys when Joel was only like 18 maybe, I remember because that was like a big selling point.

Adam: Yeah, he was only like 17, I think.

EP: Yeah? Well, I think heard about you guys on...demodiaries? Do you recall that at all?

Chris: Yeah, I do actually!

EP: Yeah that's how I heard about you guys and I had to buy it right away.

Chris and Adam: Wow, that's awesome.

Adam: Well, yeah, we did that and after selling it in Charleston and giving it to our friends and playing, we built up a little bit of a fan base and we wanted to record something official with a producer. So, we went to Atlanta and recorded with a person named Rick Beato and after we did four songs with him he started sending it out friends and lawyers that he knew, and thats how Universal kind of found out about us. It just kind of got passed around to them and landed on their desk and they liked it. They got in touch with us, and a few other labels did too. But we went and visited and Universal just seemed the most on track with us and our vision.

EP: Out of all three releases, the oldest demo included, "Thoughts On Love's Mishaps" and "There Is None" have appeared on two of the releases while "The Mary Getaway" has made it's way onto all three on them - including the new disc that is coming out. Why is that? Is it just kind of a personal favorite, or...?

Adam: While that was like the first song we played together. That and "Never Forever" were the first two, and "The Mary Getaway" - we changed it up a little bit while we were just writing songs for the new album and we liked the way that it was kind of refreshed...

Chris: It's just kind of a cool way to reinvent a song. You know, you work with certain producers and they each have certain things to say and other people have different things to say. I mean, it was a song we had played like everytime, except for one show, during the life of our band. And it's cool to go back and revisit songs even though you can be through with them and have someone be like, "Well, just this little bit of change can totally bring life back to a song." It was something that we were a little skeptical with at first. But, you know, you have to believe in the people that are producing your record and just go with it..

EP: And lastly, are you guys just having the time of your lives right now? Your a really young band, and you're getting ready to release your first major label record...

Adam: Yeah, of course. I mean, I'm not going to lie and say it's easy, because it's definitely hard. It's a lot of hard work not getting paid and driving, but it's definitely worth it. We're having a blast, everyday is a blast.

EP: That's great. Well, I'm excited to see you guys play now. I haven't seen you yet, and I know you guys have been to Minneapolis before.

Adam: Yeah, we've played a few times. Where did we play at?

Chris: We've played that little ballroom at the Quest.

Adam: Yeah, and we did First Avenue. And some little taco place out in the suburbs too...

EP: Haha, awesome. Well, thanks, I really appreciate it guys!