Hi, I’m Michael 1) How did you get into music and create NeonDemons?
I got into writing and playing music right before I was going into high school, I already had a love for music, all types, as well as writing, so I started writing songs and learning how to sing, NeonDemons was honestly an idea I had to extend what I was personally putting into my band before going on hiatus, the sequence of events between Covid and my personal life unknowingly gave me the opportunity to focus on a solo project. 2) Does the name NeonDemons have any special meaning behind it? How did you decide on it instead of any other options? The name “NeonDemons” is a personal reference to the way the world is now, with social media running our lives and everyone being so caught up with letting the ego take control we’ve all in our own ways become demons. This is also why I decided on the name, I guess I hoped people would find their own meaning in it. 3) What is a goal you would like to achieve through your music? Well like most musicians and artist one goal is to make a living from it but also a really big part of it for me is making sure I’m creating something I truly feel and care about, something people can connect to and vibe with and like the name itself find their own meaning in it. 4) If you had to create a new genre that describes your music what would it be? Haha hmm I’m not sure, Lofi pop hop, idk I just wanna write feeling good music even if that “feel good” is a necessary sadness 5) What is your favorite part about your music? From the writing process, to the release, to the sound/lyrics, anything. My favorite part about my music is that I don’t view it as my music, I like to think of it as our music, it’s for everyone, anyone that’s feeling something and needs it, so I guess just knowing people are connecting with it would have to be my favorite part, although I couldn’t pick a favorite part about it overall, I just absolutely love everything about the process. 6) Is there another artist you think you sound similar to? I do think my music has similar qualities to other artists, I, like most artist find inspiration in many places, a major part of being inspired to write is knowing what other artists are doing and seeing how you as an artist can push the envelope and help to continue the forever evolving thing we call music. 7) Where does your inspiration come from? Oh wow, I can go on forever about where my inspiration comes from, the easy answer, being human, we all handle and deal with life in our own ways, music has been the only productive way for me to do that, regardless of things being good or bad. 8) COVID has presented challenges for everyone, but has it brought any positives to your life? Oh definitely, “NeonDemons” was always an idea I had and I knew if I was ever going to move forward with it I wanted to make sure to give my complete focus to the project. Covid left all of us with tons of free time. 9) What is your single ¨Time Alone¨ about? “Time Alone” has a few topics going on in it, It’s not just about needing to be alone but also making the realization that happiness isn’t something any of us can just find, we have to make our own happiness 10) Anything else you'd like to share! Thank you! Well I have a new single coming soon, “Requiem” Ft Daltenious, and I’m in the process of working on a music for my first single “Polybius”, other than that I’d just like to thank everyone for all the love and support, it truly means the world, A special thank you to Lexie and Kristopher the amazing photographers/visual artist behind everything I’ve been doing, I’m so lucky to have the chance to work with such talented people, a massive thank you to Alyshia for always having my back and putting up with me,Eric Longo and Kyle Hager because what if you woke up. I’d also like to thank you for taking the time to interview me, I really dig what you're doing and hopefully we can do this again.
0 Comments
Hi, I’m Jarrod Gipson. I write songs and like playing them. 1) What brought you to Denver from Miami? Was it for music purposes?
We came out here when I was really young and would go back for summers. Miami is one of my favorite places in the world, but I think Colorado is home to me. 2) What is your favorite part about creating music? I think for me it’s that moment when something flows out of you that you know is something if that makes sense!! When I sing a melody that I feel and go, “oh that’s the chorus” and it just makes sense. Everything starts flowing together and naturally. That rush is really exciting to me and something I chase and constantly look to as a compass creatively. When I’m not thinking about it, that’s how I know it’s going to be a great one, whatever that means for me in that moment. It grounds me and helps me become present. 3) How do you want listeners to feel when they listen to your music? Does it depend on the song or is there a general goal you try to get across? I would hope the number one feeling across the board would be a sense of connection and a chip in the armor of someone’s loneliness. Loneliness is hard as hell, so if someone listens to something I wrote and feels like someone else out there understands them and gets them, then I think I’ve done my job. Certain songs invoke certain specific emotions, but that’s why I write a wide range of different emotions, because im kind of a crazy person and feel a lot of different shit. So I’d just hope people could connect to my humanity and in turn connect to their own. 4) Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Haha hard question! That question all makes me feel this impending sense of dread I run from. I want to see myself not as anxious and have more peace first, but as far as outside of that, I’d love to be creating music full time and touring, and would really love to be CO writing or writing for other artists besides myself. Song writing is what I live for and I love the story telling process, so that would be really cool to me. I also wanna live somewhere else! 5) COVID has presented us with endless challenges, have you used your music to get you through it or has it helped in any way? In ways it helped light a fire under my ass to work harder than ever since everything was so backwards for so long, and in another way it was crippling. It was hard not to think, “is this ever going to go back to how it was?“ and not get afraid it wasn’t. But it was a whole free year to just write and create as many songs as possible and I really tried to take advantage of that. Music definitely helped me get through it because it helped me escape it, and it’s been doing that for me my whole life. 6) How would you describe your sound? Ahhhh this question is always so hard! Haha. One of my friends once said it’s gritty, anxsty, pop. I liked that. I always want a pop sound vocally, and songwriting wise, but everything else I try to let it be what it is. The goal for me is to write something that makes you move like pop does, and have fun, but when you listen to the lyrics, I’m talking about real shit that maybe alternative or soul would speak in. Bringing authentic to pop. It’s one thing I love about what I’ve been making lately, is it’s all over the place and kind of fits into multiple genres. I think I’m always going to want it that way, and to want to pay homage to artists that helped make me and grow me, so I think it should be genre less in one sense. 7) What is one thing you would change about your music career if you could make it happen right now? I’d like to “make it” solely to have someone run social media everything because I hate it haha. But in all seriousness, I think I wish at times I’d of found my voice vocally when I was younger so I could have more control of it as an instrument. But i genuinely don’t think I’d change much because it’s brought me to right now, and as much as I don’t like myself and love myself in ways, im proud of who I’ve become, and this whole music journey has been probably the biggest player in that road. So if anything I try to just be more and more grateful for all that’s happened thus far. 8) Who has been the most influential in your music career? So many to name, but my dad first and foremost. He got me into music and exposed me to so many genres and artists, so him no doubt. Creatively and as an artist, I’d say Kevin Garrett, Justin Timberlake, Ray Charles, The Band Camino, Julia Michaels, Coldplay, Daniel Caesar. There’s a ton more but I’ll never stop naming people if I start haha. 9) What is a goal you hope to achieve by the end of the year? I’d like to release one of the new singles I’ve been working on it and get it on a Spotify playlist! That’d be huge. And I think I’m going to try my hand at the hometown for the holidays competition again, so winning that would be really dope! 10) Anything else you'd like to add? Follow me on Spotify and Instagram, and come out to a show and hang! I really appreciate you for coming out and giving me some time to share 
1) Where did the name Lucius Arthur come from? Does it have any meaning to you?
Lucius is one of my middle names. It is a family name. It was originally my great grandfather’s name. Now it gets passed own through our middle names. I prefer how it sounds to my first name. 2) What is the biggest difference between working as part of a band and a solo artist? As a solo artist, the song is a pure artistic expression. It isn’t compromised by the beliefs and opinions of other people. However, the solo process is more deliberate. I need to search for the songs more. There isn’t the same creative spontaneity that you get from working with a band. The key as a solo artist is to bring collaborators into the studio to help the creative process. As a solo artist, I need to cull more source material and other artistic references. Even as a solo artist you need collaborators to assimilate a larger array of knowledge into your music. In the context of solo project, my collaborators are there to help realize and cultivate the message of a song. 3) What release are you most proud of? Euthansia is my favorite song so far as a solo artist. It was my first attempt at writing the song as a story rather than a collection of emotions and I was able to incorporate an array of musical influences that I haven’t been able to show before. Lyrically, the track is influenced by iconic gospel and hip hop storytellers that I idolize (i.e. Tupac, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean etc.). Musically I drew upon my childhood influences like Moby, The Gorillaz, and Elbow. 4) Who is your biggest inspiration musically and personally? There are so many artists that inspire me musically I can’t point to a singular inspiration. I have been inspired by the artists that I have listed above. Personally, I am inspired by the people in my life that push keep me to keep growing. 5) How would you describe your music? If you had to put it into three words what would they be? Progressive Alien Deathcore 6) How do you want people to feel when listening to your music? Their reaction to the music is theirs. It isn’t something that I think about. 7) What advice would you give yourself 3 years ago about your music career? I would tell myself to try and forget about the audience and make art that resonates with me before anyone else. If you make something that you are excited by, it will find an audience. If you are writing for a hypothetical audience, it compromises the quality and integrity of the art. 8) What is your most recent single “Red Lights” about? What was the writing process like? Redlights is about that moment of discovery when you first fall in love with someone. We have all had past experiences that cause us to question love or prevent us from falling in love again so we have to run the “redlight” and move forward. It’s also about doing something that you haven’t done because you are sharing that experience with someone you love. The first line is about my first experience with mushrooms. The redlights of the studio were on and we built a fort out of sofa cushions. Essentially, the writing process is about living an experience and telling the story in an interesting way. 9) Music is clearly a huge part of your life - what is the most meaningful part to you? For me whether it is live performance or the recording, its about the process of creation and the self discovery and the global awareness of your world that comes with that. 10) What are 2 goals you want to achieve through your music? I hope to be the best that I can be as an artist and I am trying to create something that stands the test of time. I am trying to be great like the artists that I have idolized. 11) How has COVID-19 affected your music career? Not being able to perform has reframed my perspective on what is important as an artist. It has changed my perspective on why I make music. Before COVID I was making music to help people that are going through situations I have gone through. Since COVID I am making music because I realize that an artist is there to report the truth and make an expression of humanity that provides more context to the human experience. I am trying to create something that speaks to the universal truths that we carry in our collective subconscious. 12) Thank you for your time! Is there anything else you’d like to add? Thank you so much taking an interest in the music and giving me an opportunity to share what I am doing. An interview from The Unlikely Candidates show in Denver at the Roxy Theatre in March 2019! They talked about their inspirations, favorite songs to perform, and more! This was before their release of "Novocaine" which now has over 17 million streams on Spotify!
Make sure to stay caught up with them on Instagram! 1) How long have you been making music and how has it changed since you first started?
I was pursuing a career in golf and playing mini tours around the East Coast trying to earn my PGA Tour card. I was writing songs to pass time on the road and playing gigs here and there for some extra money. I was actually supposed to move to Florida for another tour and decided to make a career change. I remember eating breakfast with my dad and telling him I was leaving at 2am that same evening for Nashville, TN. He thought I was crazy, but we didn’t tell anyone except some family and he took the trip with me. The main thing that has changed is I have been able to do music full time for the last 2 years. The success of “Chevy and Daddy” put me in a position to continue being the artist I want to be and building my fan base around story telling. 2) What is the goal you want to achieve through your music? I actually have already achieved my major goal and it was to change lives. Music for me is not about money or fame. It is about connecting people, inspiring people, and bringing back memories of the ones we care about. My song “Chevy and Daddy” is a great example which I wrote about my Papa and my Dad. I wrote it for myself and the memories of my first drive sitting in their laps when I could barely see over the steering wheel. The thousands of messages I have received from fans thanking me for the memories the song brought back of their loved ones has been unreal and is more than anything anyone could ever ask for. 3) What inspired your single “What I See”? I wrote it about my Ex-Wife. We were sitting on the couch a few years ago watching College Football and she was in sweat pants, t-shirt, no make-up, hair a mess, and I remember looking at her and saying “Damn you look good." Every woman knows her response, “Ahh Shut up." I sat down later that night and wrote the hook, sent it to my producer, and had it written the next day. 4) If you had to describe your music style in three words what would they be? Keeping It Country 5) How has COVID-19 changed your process or making or releasing music? It honestly has given me more time to spend with my daughter. You never know when and how long you’re going to be on the road, so I have taken this time to really enjoy her and just being a Dad. As far as music I have been writing a lot but a lot of my inspiration comes from working at mills and factories. I still go back home and help my dad on jobs at different plants because that is what I come from. I’ve also been able to really dive into scheduling out releases, staying in touch with fans and working on the next steps to continue building which is the side I enjoy. Watching a song go from the studio, to planning a release, and building on its own is like watching your child grow. 6) Who are your biggest inspirations? Alan Jackson, Eric Church and both of my parents. Alan Jackson was all we listened to growing up because of the blue collar world we were raised in. Eric Church has a great way of twisting songs and really connecting with his audience. My parents are my everything. They have always pushed me and allowed me to push for my dreams no matter how crazy they are. 7) What is the best advice you have been given about your music career? Accept the word NO. You’ll hear it 1 million times but all it takes is 1 yes. When I first got to Nashville I was told stories don’t sell and I am wasting my time, but I’ve kept my head down, continued telling my story, and thanks to the fans can call this a career. 8) What is your creative process like? Is it quick or does it take a while? Both. I have so many ideas going on all day. I like writing the hooks or melodies down and just letting them come to me. I’m always scared of rushing an idea and wasting it trying to get a song written. I like writing what I can, sitting on it for a few days, and coming back to see how I feel about it. I can figure out if It needs changes or a different story angle at that point. 9) If you could open for any band or musician who would it be and why? Eric Church for sure. I would love to be apart of that fan base for a night and just take in all the energy. I’d like to open for Alan Jackson also and hopefully get to sing a few with him. 10) If you weren’t making country music other genre would it be? Rock for sure. I try to keep a little rock within some of my songs and lyrics. I miss the days of good opening riffs like Metallica and AC/DC. From the first chord you knew the song. 11) Thank you! Anything else you’d like to add? Keep It Country! 1) How would you describe your music?
My music has a different sound than a lot of country music that is on the radio today. Many people have described my music as having “depth and versatility”. My voice is very versatile. Having this ability, I can sing many other genres than just country. I’ve been told that my song “Diamonds” was a song that many people can relate to. I find that having your listeners relate to a song is one of the most important aspects of performing and writing. 2) What is your favorite song off your EP “Rooftop Nights”? Why? My favorite song off of my new EP “Rooftop Nights” is my latest single, “Pushing Up Daisies”. I knew this immediately when I was in the studio recording the EP. Personally, I am a big fan of performing songs that have attitude and a strong melody, and “Pushing Up Daisies” is just that. Every time I perform this song, I can see a difference in the audience and even the band. It has a unique beat that gets people going, and wanting to have a good time. When I finish a show, I always have at least one person come up to me and say, “That song Pushing Up Daisies is my favorite out of your originals,” and I totally agree! 3) What do you want people to feel while listening to your music? When people listen to my music, I want them to feel like they are listening to true country music. I especially want them to relate to the song. When there is a song I hear that I relate to, it automatically makes me feel more connected to the artist, and that we may live a similar life. A song is always written about the way something makes you feel, a past experience, or something important to you. When people listen to my music, I want them to feel those things. 4) Has COVID-19 changed your process for making music in any way? COVID - 19 has 100% changed my process for writing music. For starters, it’s hard to have co-writes with other people because I can’t go see them face to face, I have to do a zoom call. Personally, I feel it’s easy to get disconnected with the other writer or even with the song via computer. Even if I had a song that I wanted to record and release as a single during this time, I couldn’t do it because everything has shut down. Although having many cons, COVID has been beneficial in the fact that it gives smaller artists a chance to make an appearance on social media, or in small venues with larger crowds. It has taken away the large concerts in the arenas (which isn’t good), but it gives the smaller artists a chance to be heard and I think that is something that has needed to happen for a while now. 5) Who is your biggest musical inspiration? My biggest musical inspiration has been Carrie Underwood ever since I was 5 years old. She worked her butt off to get where she is now and she still does every single day. She came from a small town in Oklahoma, with a dream of making it big in country music and I relate to all of it. Not only is she an amazing artist, but she is also an amazing role model. I’ve never seen her be anything but kind to anyone. She shares her faith through her music and even speaks about it in her concerts. She is always thanking her team, family, friends and God for where she is today and I look up to her so much for it. 6) What is the meaning behind your single “Diamonds”? Diamonds is a heart-felt song about growing up. Through each part of the song, it shows a girl going through different stages of life. At the beginning, the song talks about a mom giving her daughter a ring. Through the chorus, the mom is telling her about finding the perfect man, which is referenced as a “diamond”. Many people can relate to this in the fact that they were probably once taught to take time and find the right person, because it really is important. 7) If you could collaborate with any other musician who would it be and why? I would collaborate with Carrie Underwood because she’s my inspiration for my music and our voices have similar qualities. 8) Where do you see yourself and your music in 5 years? In 5 years, I hope to see myself selling out Bridgestone Arena and performing on the main stage at the Houston Rodeo show. Those venues have been my top two to perform for a long time 9) If you could tell your younger self something about music what would it be? If I could give my younger self any advice, I would tell myself to always be myself and work super hard. I already do both of those things, and they have really paid off for me so far. I would also tell myself that this is much more of a competitive business than most people perceive. But through all of that, it never isn’t fun. 10) How has making music changed your life? Making music has given me an outlet to express my feelings, opinions, and myself. I love using my music to inspire people, and the opportunity to have a platform to meet new people is awesome to me. 1) How long have you been making music? How do you think you’ve changed since your first release?
I have been writing random songs since I was 10 or 11, but just in 2019 was when I decided to release my original work. My first release was “Potential” in December of 2019. Since then, I definitely have gotten better with how to make studio sessions more time efficient. “Potential” also taught me how to organically song-write. 2) Has quarantine and COVID-19 affected your music or process in any way? I was lucky enough to finish my recording sessions for “Letters to Clara” in early March; right before everything got crazy here in the US. Not that this matters in the grand scheme of things, but I wasn’t able to have an EP release party. That made me sad! 3) How would you describe your style of music? It’s hard to put this EP in one genre because I pull inspiration from artists in many genres! I would say the closest would be alternative, but make it deeper than surface level lyrics. I don’t want to be known as a “sad songwriter” but if the shoe fits... 4) What are your top three songs right now? My three favorite songs (that I can’t stop playing,) are “come out and play” by Billie Eilish, “Wonder” by Phil Good, and “The City” by Grace VanderWaal. All incredible songs. 5) Who is your biggest inspiration, famous and not? My famous inspiration would be Tori Kelly. She has stayed true to herself through multiple labels, managers, and through ups and downs in the music industry. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her a few times and she’s just a genuine person. Runner up is Jon Bellion, for the same reasons. Not famous inspiration would be my dad. My dad grew up in a rough place and worked hard to get out of that situation. He toured around the US in his twenties with his band, “Common Heart.” I pull a lot of my musical capability from him. 6) How did you come up with the name “Letters to Clara” for your new EP? Is there a story behind it? Great question! “Letters to Clara” is very special to me as an artist. Simply enough, I have a friend that I write letters back and forth with (yep, not text message paragraphs,) and I tend to open up to her about serious topics that I’m usually not comfortable talking about. Without these letters, none of these songs would exist. The songs are essentially extensions of incredibly personal and stripped down letters that I write to my friend. Oh, and her name is Clara. 7) Do you have any connections with other Colorado local bands? I do! My producer is Daniel Jay, and I’m good friends with Catherine Rose. Both have their own amazing music out and I listen to them a lot! 8) If you could open for any band from any time who would it be and why? My dream would be to open for Elton John, because he is a living legend. That man has done and seen it all. I would love to just absorb a second of his knowledge about the music industry and how the world works. 9) What inspired your first single “Potential”? My first single was actually written about my best friend. We had a few rough weeks where we were not meshing, and that hadn’t happened before then. Something she says a lot is “The potential is there...” and since i’m dramatic, I impulsively wrote a song about her, kind of calling her out with those lyrics. A week later, things were back to normal, I showed her the song and we laughed about it. I know she thinks it’s cool to have something dedicated to her, so thanks Abby! PS: we are still very much the “best of friends.” 10) What is your songwriting process like? My songwriting sessions are usually right after writing a letter to Clara. I sit at the piano with a topic or story in my mind, and figure out a few chords that reflect my current emotions. After that, I record multiple melodies and sing random sentences about said topic. Once something feels right, I listen back to all the recordings and form a verse, a chorus, etc. 11) Thank you! Anything you’d like to add? Thank you guys for being the first magazine to interview me about my music. I’m very excited to getting back into the studio and hopefully get a full album out in 2020. Zachary Booth / IG: @zacharydbooth  1) How and when did you all meet?
I originally formed the band with JJ Anselmi in early 2011. We were both in country-ish bands at the time, and he heard me sound checking with Earth riffs at a show we were both playing, and we hit it off over our shared love of doom, drone, & sludge music. He and I wrote and recorded the first ITCOS album in the next few months following that. JJ left the band later that year when he moved out of state, and Joe Myer stepped in & has been behind the kit for every record we've done since. 2) What made you want to start this band? A love of heavy music. 3) When did you realize how much you love music? I became interested in music at when I was maybe 7 or 8 years old, and started my record collection with cassettes from bands like Nirvana & Soundgarden, & classic rock radio staples like AC/DC, Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, & the Beatles. 4) What is your favorite song to perform? Limitless Light 5) How would you describe your sound? visceral, riff-driven esoteric doom. 6) What do you want to achieve through your music? Many people lose sight of how cathartic heavy music can be, but catharsis is our primary aim for our sound. 7) Who is your biggest inspiration? In heavy music, Neurosis, Yob, & Swans all create immense, primal music that we love. 8) Thank you, anything to add? We're playing the record release/tour kickoff show for our friends in Echo Beds on Sunday, 8/12 at Mutiny Information Cafe, and then will be headed out on a brief tour surrounding our appearance at Scorched Tundra Fest in Chicago at the end of the month. Here's a link to full details for that run: http://www.earsplitcompound.com/site/2018/07/25/in-the-company-of-serpents-denver-doom-practitioners-confirm-short-run-of-live-dates-surrounding-scorched-tundra-fest-performance/ 1) How did you discover your love for music?
My brothers started a band when I was growing up, so from a very young age I was touring with the fam, and was exposed to the music industry early on. I was about 7 or 8 when I started writing songs and really falling in love with making my own music. 2) What i your favorite thing about performing live? There’s a whole different level of energy playing live. I love seeing people sway, dance, and sing along to my music. I don’t think there’s a better feeling. I think getting to meet and hang with the people who listen to my music is one of the biggest blessings of what I do. I can’t do this without their support and love! 3) How would you describe IOLITE in 3 words? Relatable, edgy, and TOO MANY FEELINGS. 4) Who are your biggest musical influences? Lorde, Halsey, John Mayer, One Republic. 5) What do you want people to feel when listening to your music? I want people to feel inspired and vulnerable. I think there’s so much to talk about that hasn’t yet been talked about. Pop music today only covers the surface of things that happen in our lives. I like to dig a bit deeper and I hope people can relate to that :) And also just genuinely have a good time and jam. 6) What is your favorite song you have released so far? Bad Behavior. It’s the most honest and raw thing I’ve put out so far. 7) If you could tell your fans one piece of advice what would it be? Don’t settle for mediocre. Take ownership of every situation and make it the best it could be. Have a little courage to take risks and think outside of the box even when it’s not the popular opinion. Don’t let media or people or anything else define who you are. 8) Do you have plans to release any more new material this year? YES. I can’t say dates for sure, but soon. 9) What is your dream venue to perform at? Red rocks. 10) Thank you so much! Do you have anything else to add? Thanks! 1/2) How did you decide to start a band? When and how did you all meet?
Cody: I had been living back in Denver for about a year when I met Joe through my then roommate and good friend Dan Rachlitz (Director, "Us Against The Cause" Music video). Joe and Dan were friends and high school and Joe and I were introduced when he moved back from Seattle. Joe found out I was a musician too when I showed him some old songs I wrote and he hired me to play a 3 hour acoustic cover set with him for a family friend's retirement party. It was really fun for me to get back into music and practicing long hours and playing again for me. Joe: Before I moved away to Seattle for a bit, I had parted ways with my old band, Chemistry Club, and I wasn't sure I wanted to do the band thing anymore, but we had so much fun playing the covers we just decided to start writing some songs together and see where it led! Cody: Then we wrote Matter In The Ground. Joe: Yes. Then we wrote songs that weren't Matter In The Ground that weren't a punishment to the public. Cody: Matter In The Ground will never be released. 3) Does your band name have any special meaning? Cody: So the band name is just as generic of a story as our humble beginnings. Basically, we had studio time booked and we still hadn't agreed on a name so we'd just been throwing words around for a while, I had thrown in "canopy", which was my favorite so far. Joe: And I threw in "creature" because it sounded cooler and there was already a band named Canopy. So that's that. 4) If you could have anyone in the world join your band who would it be and why? Cody: Ron Ronchetto. He was a rancher I knew In Montana and His name is Ron Ronchetto. Which is a great name for a band or person. Joe: I agree with Ron Ronchetto being an excellent band name and also person's name. Cody: We wanted to name the band Jeff Geoff but that was like three months ago so far too late. Still doing the band name question. 5) What is your dream venue to play at? Joe: Red Rocks or Missile Silo, cause why not. Cody: Red Rocks. 6) What 3 words would you say describe your sound best? Eat, pray, love. Or actually though; energetic, harmonious, rocknroll (one word). 7) What is a goal you have this year as a band? We are trying to film a 20 sock-puppet rock-opera to the new EP we just finished cutting. It requires a lot. We're anxious about it for sure. 8) What do you love most about being in a band? Joe: I like getting to hang-out and doing something I love with my favorite guy Cody and getting to eat plenty of Chipotle on the side. Cody: Likewise. It's so so much work being in a band it has to be fun. I also like the beginning of the song-writing process and performing in equal parts, they are both amazing. 9) Are you releasing any new music soon? We Are! I mean, soonish. We are trying to get the video project done before releasing the entire EP, so we'll probably release that in the early fall, but there will likely be a single that leaks before that. You can use "leak" if you pay for it to be distributed yourself, right? 10) Thank you!! Anything to add? We love doing our Disney cover show with our BFFs in Compass + Cavern!! Good luck on the summer tour guys. It's gonna be pretty good stuff. Thanks to everyone who came out to see it this year at The Summit! 1) How did you decide to start this project?
I started this project as a moniker for some songs I had written and never released. I am part of a number of other music projects, so I figured I would create a band that did solely my own songs and that I could be the Creative Lead for. 2) What is it like being in a band and this project also? It is busy being in numerous bands, but I love being able to help people accomplish their musical goals, so it is extremely rewarding for me. As a creative person it is important for me to have variety so I can try new things and continue growing in new ways, and so I don’t get burned out doing only 1 thing and expecting that 1 thing to satisfy all of my creative needs. 3) Who inspires you? I have a ton of inspiration. My dad has always been musical and is known for helping people, so that is a main driving inspiration for me. I also really love a variety of music and genres, which is why Olde Wise has bridged many different styles and genres. 4) What is a goal you have for this year, music wise? With this project, my goal is to release more music this year, and begin playing full band shows in the Denver area. With music in general, I would love to continue seeing my friends accomplish their goals, and if I can help them in some way than that is great. But sometimes just supporting people is all that need help with! 5) How would you describe your sound? I would say the style of this project resides somewhere between Indie Rock & Shoegaze. I love combining grunge elements with honest and honest, blissful melodies. 6) What does it feel like when you are on stage? The feeling I get on stage is a sense of home. It can be difficult for me to be vulnerable sometimes, and getting in front of people on a microphone, for whatever reason, is comforting for me. 7) What do you like most about being able to create and share music? For me, creating and sharing music is my way of contributing to peoples lives in an indirect way. I feel that every song speaks to people in a different way and allows them to search within. Some songs make people ask questions and begin a process of growing and learning, and some just help folks escape reality for a moment to clear their head. 8) What really sparked your love for music? I grew up in a family of musicians, and in high school began writing my own songs, which is when I realized it was something I never wanted to stop doing. 9) Do you have plans to release music this year? I plan to release a new single in the coming months, and will continue working with my producer to record a collection of singles during the remainder of the year. This interview was on April 27th, 2018 at the Larimer Lounge with The Midnight Club. (Interview ends at around 6:36, the rest is just hanging out with them.) Make sure to check them out on social media!!
@themidnightclubband 1) What motivated you to start making music?
Music has been a big part of my life. I would always bang around on drums as a kid and dance to just about any song that came on. My parents were both in bands when I was younger so I have pretty much been around it my whole life. I would have to say that just loving music, growing up with it, and having a real love for creating songs would be why I really started. It just always felt good being creative. 2) What do you love most about being able to create music? The whole start to finish process. It’s an amazing way to tell your story and I believe songs can help people in ways nothing else can. Being told that your song helped or is helping someone through a tough time in priceless. It’s such a great talent to be blessed with and I am truly grateful to be able to be a part as music. There is no better feeling in the world to me. 3) Who is your biggest musical influence? The great, Tom Delonge! If it wasn’t for him I’m not sure I would have wanted to start playing the guitar or writing songs for that matter. 4) If you could tour with anyone who would it be and why? Well, there are so many to name however, I think Angels and Airwaves for sure. I would love to just share the stage with those guys. They put on one hell of a show and It would be such a great experience to play every night with such incredible musicians. 5) What do you think is important to keeping your music successful? Working at it, and being kind with your fans. I say both because to become a great artist it takes time, patients, and just hard work. With that said, I believe being engaging and kind to your fans will really get you to a level of success you couldn’t dream of. They are the the biggest parts of what keeps you music successful. 6) Who inspires you? My bothers and sister first of all. We aren’t as close now that we are growing up and life gets pretty busy with all the changes but, they each have a part in one of my songs. And of course fans who tell me that my music helped them in some way. It makes me want to keep writing songs and getting out to play them live for them! 7) When did you realize you loved music? Well it's a love hate I’ll tell you that haha. But, I would say when I first heard a song called “LifeLine” by {I’m sure you can guess} Angels and Airwaves. What a song…The feeling I had when that track started till it finished…Just wow.. that’s all I can say. 8) How would you describe your sound in 3 words? Meaningful, Honest, and encouraging. 9) How did you come with the name “Cities” I had moved a few times over the years to many “Cities” and when I started really looking into making a career in music I kind of just though at the time it was fitting. The name really says a lot about because it was a very important time in my life. Learning about who I am through the moving back and forth. It is sentimental in a way for me. 10) Thank you so much! Anything to add? Thank you for your time! Nothing much to add except check out all my latest videos, songs, and more at Citiesofficial.com and of course thanks to those who are already a fan and supportive at this very early journey! Really excited to see what the future holds for us! 1) How did you come up with your name and what does it mean?
I was really high one day and just came up with it. I thought it was clever, its pronounced stay loose, altho I have recently changed it to just being spelled out as StayLoose since hardly anyone could ever figure out how to say it. 2) Who inspires you most? my friends and peers. 3) What is it like being such a well known artist recently? I don't know, let me get back to ya when I become well known. lol 4) Do you have any musical background or were you interested in music as a child? i played guitar in a couple bands before. I played bass in high school and loved air guitaring to Nirvana. 5) Where is your dream venue to play at? Red Rocks 6) Do you have plans to release any new material this year? several. you can plan to hear a new original every 6 weeks starting this Friday (April 27th). I will be releasing remixes as well in between 7) Could you describe your sound in 3 words? alternative, electronic, boundless 8) What motivated you to start music? just the love of music and the interest in how it’s performed/created 9) Do you think your music fits into a certain genre, if so which one and if not, why? I really don't. But I would say its close to the alternative spectrum while still being electronic. 10) Thank you so much for this! Anything else to share? My new single "Fight Back" featuring Nevve is out on April 27th via Dim Mak!  How and when did you all meet?
Aidan: Jacob and I met in freshman year of high school through a mutual friend, Cooper and I were in another band together before Little Car and developed a friendship from there. What made you want to start this band? Aidan: I was writing a lot of material that was too short or ""unfinished"" to put out with my other project so I wanted another outlet for that kind of music. Who is your biggest musical influence? Cooper: Collectively, we listen to a little bit of everything. Coming from differnet backgrounds all three of our tastes are super diverse, so our influences are really kind of all over the board. I think our sound borrows a lot from 90s pop like third eye blind and bands like that. I think the only cover weve ever had in a live set was "Semi Charmed Life". What is your single “Heater” about? Aidan: My girlfriend moving to California. What is your dream venue to play at? Jacob: Red Rocks. All three of us are Colorado boys born and raised so weve kind of grown up musically in the shadow of red rocks. Cooper: Red rocks would be a dream come true for us. How do you handle mistakes during a performance? Aidan: Honestly As performers we make a lot of mistakes and while that used to bother us a lot more, our performance has really evolved into a place of it being more about having fun and engaging with our audience than it ever has been about playing flawlessly. Jacob: Its all about having fun and making sure the audience is having fun too. Where do you see the band in a year from today? Aidan: It’s hard to say where exactly we will be in a year from now but as long as we’re making music and progressing in a linear way we will all be happy. What is a goal you have fo this year as a band? Cooper: Releasing new Music and having it be well received is always a big goal. Our last single has hit a lot of big milestones for us as musicians and to continue that trend and hopefully beat it is our current goal. Aidan: Numbers wise it would be really nice to hit 200k with our new single. Do you have any plans to release something new soon? Aidan: Yes in fact! We just wrapped on a new single called Coughs that should be out in late April. We’re really really exited about it and we can’t wait for you to hear it. 1)How did you decide to initially start making music?
It was a natural progression. I grew up playing piano, then wanted to learn guitar in high-school and that led me to music school for college. I just kept following my muse! 2) Is your family musical, or do you have a musical background? My grandfather was a big band drummer in the 50's, 60's, 70's, and I have a great Aunt who was a musician, but my immediate family isn't. I attribute my music to my grandfather mostly. He's kinda my hero. 3) What do you love most about performing? I love the crowd interactions. It's fun to watch when certain songs really hit people and it's my favorite platform for delivering my songwriting. 4) Who is your biggest musical influence? Probably the female singer-singers of the 70's and 90's - Bonnie Raitt, Shawn Colvin, Joni Mitchell. 5) When and how did you realize you loved music so much? In high-school when I learned to play guitar and it inspired me to start writing songs. I couldn't put the guitar down. It was my therapy. 6) What is your favorite song to perform? I love "Picture in a Frame" by Tom Waitts lately. I've been getting into jazz standards which are really fun and challenging. 7) What is a goal, music wise you have for this year? To release my band, Gingerbomb's album, to finish the next Megan Burtt album and to write a bunch of songs to pitch for film and TV music. 8) Do you have plans to release any new music this year? YES! Loads :) 9) What is your favorite part about being able to create and share music? I feel very lucky to be my own boss, make my own schedule, and know that everything I do is for me and my audience. It's a very intimate job. I get to communicate with the most vulnerable parts of people and myself all the time. It's hard work, but it's truly a dream. 10) Thank you so much! Do you have anything else to share? People can find out what I'm doing by signing up for my email list: Get Email Updates via Megan's Email List People can keep up with me on my social media sights: www.meganburtt.com Youtube Spotify ...or even better, iTunes 1) What inspired you to start a band?
We have all been playing music since we were teenagers. I think we each got into it for different reasons. I (Nick) remember hearing Good Charlottes self titled album for the first time. Blew my tiny little 7th grade mind!2) How did you all meet? Dennis (keys) and I have been in bands and friends since we were about 16 years old. We met Adam (synth bass/keys) about 3 years ago at a local brewery when he moved to Denver from Las Vegas. We have known Eric (drums) and Jordan (sax) from crossing paths in the music scene over the years. 3) What is a goal you have as a band for 2018? We have been working hard getting some tours lined up so we can hit the road! We have also been super busy working on some new tunes for an EP release. As far as Summer goes, we will be playing some festivals in June and July so be on the lookout, we will be everywhere! 4) What genre of music would you say yours fits into? We always struggle with this one. We definitely try not to pigeon hole ourselves since we have so many influences that go into our music. But if we HAVE to choose Katie;) We would say Synth Pop with a slap of New Wave. Throw in a little Rock and you have Rumours Follow. 5) Do you plan on releasing anything this year? Yes! We will be releasing a new single here very soon. We are throwing some ideas around, seeing which ones stick and should be filming a music video in the next month or so as well. So things are well on their way. 6) If you could play a show with any band from any time, who would it be and why? Well I can't speak for everyone but since I (Nick) am answering the questions, I think I would go with INXS right after they released their 1987 album KICK. Some of my favorite songs of all time are on that album. Not to mention that was when Guns and Roses, Prince, Michael Jackson, U2, Def Leppard to name a few were ruling the airwaves. What a time it would of been to be alive! Well, I was alive... but just a wee lil boy. 7) What is your favorite part about playing live shows? I think its the one person in the audience you can get to turn. There is ALWAYS someone (or many) at a show who totally hate your band even before you play a single song. I can be that person sometimes at a show haha. And if by the end of the show there is a smile on their face and they are bobbing their head? You know you played a damn good show. 8) How did you decide on your name? Its a line in a song by Gin Blossoms called "Found out about you". The line goes "rumors follow everywhere you go". That line has always stuck with me. We changed it to Rumours so we could be found easily. 9) What vibe do you think your music gives off? PARTY! Just kidding... but I think we always give off a care free and good times vibe. We want to see people at shows dancing and having a good time. Some of our songs deal with more serious subject matter but we always try to coat it with a nice groove. 10) Thank you! Do you want to add anything? It was our pleasure! We have a headlining show coming up May 19th at Lost Lake. It is our first show back in I believe about 6 months? We are gonna get some of our good friends to join us and make it a complete party. So don't wait to get tickets! See you soon. Peace. Love. And Rock N Roll. 1) How did the two of you meet?
We was at a party and raging heavily. We caught each other's eyes from across the room. It was love at first sight. 2) What inspired you to create this type of music? The music we make is a culmination of all the music we listen to. We're into all different types of music and we combine our favorite parts of each to create what is OptycNerd. Going through our discography, we can always tell what we were influenced by at the time. 3) How was the name “OptycNerd” decided on? Does it have any meaning? I (Chris Kimmel) actually thought of it before I met Chris Scott. I had just begun creating music, and I wanted to think of a clever stage name that was a play on words. In addition, I was super into biology and anatomy at the time. OptycNerd is a reference to the optic nerve- the main nerve that connects the eyeball to the brain. I just thought it was a cool word that represented who I was- nerdy ass white dude making music. 4) What song is your favorite to perform live? What song do you think fans like the most live? Chris K: I love to perform N.S.L. and Apollo because they're both hype as sin. Chris S: My fav songs to play live are Marathons because people get wild, and Apollo because it's really fun to play on guitar, even though I always fuck it up. Fans probably like Marathons the most because it's the most familiar. 5) If you could describe your sound in three words, what would they be? Issa vibe, fam 6) What do you do to stay successful as a band? We have been meeting AT LEAST once a week consistently for the past four years. Constantly grinding, promoting and putting out fresh music. 7) You just released a ton of new music, including two EPs, is there anything you want to share about them? Don't sleep on "NONFICTION." We bet you'll like it. We've had the beat for "Open Up" done for over a year and we re-wrote the lyrics over and over until we had something we loved. Needless to say, we're glad to put it out and can't wait for everyone to hear it! "Damn (Damn Damn)" is a straight party jam. Bump that shit loud. 8) Do you plan on releasing an album in the near future? Even though it's hard to release a successful album as an independent artist, we plan to. We definitely have enough unfinished songs for it. 9) Aside from your collab with Modern Suspects and Play Pat, have you worked with any other bands or artists? Not at the moment, but we're always open to working with artists that fit our vibe. 10) Thanks so much! Anything to add? Shout out to Katie and Local Focus for staying connected to the Denver scene. We appreciate you! We plan to release a ton of music this year. Keep your eyes/ears peeled. 1) How did the 5 of you meet and decide to start this band?
Shatterproof traces all the way back to our freshman year of high school. Jeremy and Josh became friends and both shared a love for playing music and started jamming together. They decided to make a band and both started searching for other members. After a few lineup changes we ended up solidifying the other 3 members. Jeremy knew Benji through a music school where they both took lessons. Benji knew Branson through Football, and Josh and TJ were family friends who basically grew up together. 2) What/who are some of your biggest influences? Each member of Shatterproof brings a different taste of music to the table. We all loved a local band growing up called Tickle Me Pink, and would all consider them a big influence. Just to name a few other artists that inspire us: Twenty One Pilots, Beartooth, Sigur Ros, Post Malone, Bring Me The Horizon, and Kanye West 3) You were somewhat recently signed to a record label, what is that like? Signing our first record deal was such a surreal experience. The night we signed was extremely special as well because we got to sign the deal in person with Shawn Milke (Alesana) backstage at a show we played together. Shawn started Revival Recordings and has made us feel incredibly welcomed into the Revival Family. Having a label is incredible because suddenly you have a team of people across the country working to get your name out there. They have some amazing resources and have helped us raise our platform as a band. 4) What song do you like playing the most and what song do you think fans enjoy the most? I think we all have different songs that we enjoy playing live the most. “So Punk” is probably one we all love though because it is high energy and gets the crowd hyped. I think our fans are so awesome that it seems like all of our songs are their favorite. I think “Definition Of Fine” is a fan favorite though because it really resonates with people and is a song that stands out as unique on our EP. 5) You keep posting about new things coming, does that mean new music in the future? Yes it does! We recently all moved into the same house and have been focusing all of our time on writing our new album. The hardest part of being in a band is having patience about revealing exciting things but let’s just say we have some big things coming up. :) 6) What do you do to stay successful as a band? I believe that having success in a band has a lot of factors and could be answered in many ways but I broke it down into 3 rules: Rule #1 The first rule of starting a successful band is to be in a band with people you genuinely love and get along with. So many band’s careers are ended early by internal dilemmas between members. You’re gonna be spending a lot of time with these people so it’s important to build a bond as a group. Rule #2 Being in a band is essentially running your own business so it is important to figure out everyone’s role in the band early on as far as who does the following: graphic design, booking, emails, social media etc. Rule #3 The last rule is to realize that you will only be as successful as you want to be. If you want to reach big goals it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Being in a band is a constant grind and the more you work the better your career will be. 7) How was the name “Shatterproof” created? The name Shatterproof funny enough was created when we were at a Del taco just throwing around band name ideas. Initially we all thought it sounded cool and just went with it but we quickly realized the name had a deeper meaning. Everyone in life has their own struggles but in the end we always get back up when we are knocked down and that’s what makes us “Shatterproof”. We want everyone in the Shatterproof family to feel that positive message and realize that we are all in this together. 8) What do you want people to feel when listening to your music? I think we just want people to feel something to our music in general. The beautiful part of music is it’s ability to tap into emotions and we hope our music helps people through hard times and that they feel some connection with it. 9) You now have fan accounts and street teams, how does that feel? It is one of the greatest feelings in the world! We all started this band in high school strictly for the sake of loving music and enjoying making it. We never imagined we would get the response we have gotten. Our fan’s support means the world to us. 10) Thanks for doing this! Do you want to add anything? Thank you for the interview it was our pleasure! We just would like to say that we have exciting things coming in the near future. Check out all of our social medias below! Instagram: @shatterproofofficial Twitter: @shatterproof_fc Facebook: Facebook.com/weareshatterproof Snapchat: @weshatterproof 1) How did you decide to start making music, and chose to go solo with it? When I was 4 years old I sang in church and took piano lessons. As I got older, music continued to be a part of my life, but I thought I was going to be a professional basketball player. One day, during my senior year of high school, I woke up and decided I had too much love for music to not pursue it. I taught myself guitar and started writing songs of my own and within a couple of months I was playing solo gigs and shows on the weekend which solidified my love for performing. 2) Do you plan to release any more music in the rest of 2018? I am working on my first EP release and plan to release two singles off of it. If everything goes as planned, I will release the first single in August and the second in September. The EP will be released in October. 3) What do you want to achieve as a solo artist by the end of 2018? I want to gain more fans and grow closer with the base I already have! I’m aiming big with goals of playing small stages at music festival such as Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Summerfest to name a few. Setting goals that scare me is very important to where I want to go with my career. I want to be the artist that has talent and work ethic that lasts. 4) Who inspires you most? My parents inspire me every day, no question. When it comes to artistry two of my big inspirations are Stevie Wonder and Ed Sheeran. Stevie has written timeless music, and anyone can tell he’s in love with the fact that he gets to play music whenever he performs. Ed is a songwriting machine. There are few people in this industry with as many cuts and hits as Ed Sheeran. 5) How would you describe your sound in three words? Pop, groove, smooth. 6) Your newest single “Little White Lies” just came out in January, is there anything you’d like to say about it? It has been incredible to be able to write this song with artist Matt Sperrazza and have the opportunity to produce the single myself. So far, we have received a lot of love and we can’t thank our fans enough for streaming our music! 7) What is your favorite thing about being able to release music? I love that I have the opportunity to entertain people. Someone can listen to my music halfway across the world, relate to my lyrics and feel my melodies. I think that’s amazing. 8) What is your dream venue to play? I would probably throw up and die if I had the opportunity to play Madison Square Garden or Wembley Stadium. 9) If you could tour with any other 2 bands in the world, who would they be and why? I would love the opportunity to tour with either John Mayer or Post Malone. I feel like I’d get along with both of them really well honestly. Plus, I am a huge fan of their music. 10) Thank you for doing this! Anything to add? A huge thank you to Local Focus for doing this write up! You guys rock! 1)What inspired you to start your own music?
My dad and uncle are emcees and influenced me at an early age. I was already drumming, dancing and acting so it went hand in hand to begin writing and performing my own music. Being in church choirs, school bands and studying at Berklee College of Music continually fueled the fire and the push to get out there and showcase my passion. 2)What is it like always being around young, growing artists? Does it affect your work? It's inspiring to see and be around young artists. The talent in the world is impeccable so it definitely keeps me up to pare and making sure my work is something that younger generations can look up to. 3)Has working for the radio station 95.7 The Party impacted you work at all? It has. From the business point of view I get to see hands on how a song is considered for air play, what a program director looks for in the song and artist, etc. Musically, I'm able to hear what is hot, what doesn't work from an artist and what keeps the audience 4)How would you describe your “Sound”? Hip hop/pop with a Whimsical flare. People think they know my style but because of my efforts to not be placed in a box I tend to change it up and keep the masses guessing. 5)What is your favorite thing about being able to create music? The creativity. The freedom and being able to make content that can help others. Whether it brings about a smile, a comfortable safe place for 3:30 seconds, an escape or something you just rage out to. I believe our purpose on this earth is to help and serve one another and I'd like to think creating music is mine. 6)How is it being such a well known artist in Denver? It is absolutely humbling. I definitely feel the love and support which is a phenomenal feeling. 7)Do you plan to release any more new music in 2018? Absolutely! I have a lot of new songs that I'm excited for everyone to hear. Keep an eye out at sf1music.com for all updates! 8)What do you want people to understand through your music? I want people to understand that I'm a fun, loving, energetic and animated songwriter and all around entertainer. That I use my music to express my soul and continually use it to help grow and inspire others. 9)Your newest single “Love Song” just came out a while back, anything you have to say about it? I feel like it's a piece that everyone can relate to. Heart ache is a terrible feeling. We all go through it at some point or another. If someone has done you dirty in a relationship, dedicate the song to them! Make sure you download and stream it on every single digital platform worldwide! 10) Thank you so much, is there anything to add? Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you about my world. I'm thoroughly pleased to share my journey and applaud your platform for letting artists like myself share a piece of themselves! 1)How did you all meet and decide to start a band?
We all met in college in Denver, Colorado. Christian and I had played in a cover-band show together and the following summer I texted him and proposed the idea of starting a band together. He’s such a great drummer and we both connected on music tastes so we decided to give this a try. Later on Bailey, Nathan and Jack all joined. These guys are all some of the most talented musicians at their instruments that I know, we’re all great friends anyway, and even though we all have very different backgrounds in music, we still connect on tastes and what we think sounds good; it all just made sense. (Joe)2)How was your name decided on? Joey had written in a journal during a tough time in his high school career, and when we came together to decide a name for the group, he went through those old journals and found a particularly gripping entry, which said, “my heart is like a Solid Ocean”. We both thought that name worked on a number of different levels, especially with the idea that when you look down at the Rocky Mountains from the sky, the mountain ridges look like a Solid Ocean. (Christian)3)Could you describe your music in three words? In three words, I'd say our music is fun, catchy, and dancy. We like to write stuff that makes feel people feel good and gets them up and moving at our shows, but at the same time we want to connect with our fans and be an escape for them, both lyrically and musically. (Bailey)4)Would you ever want to work with other local bands or artists on music, if so who? We are very close with quite a few local bands. We really love Wildermiss and would love to work or tour with them. Also, we are so stoked that our friends in The Midnight Club will be our special guests on our EP release show on April 27th at Larimer Lounge in Denver. That's going to be a lot of fun! Outside of the local scene, we really look up to innovative bands like The 1975. If we ever get the chance to work with them it would be an absolute dream come true. (Nathan)5)Do you plan to release any new music again this year? Aside from our EP release in April, we plan to keep a steady stream of content flowing to our fans. Since we have now signed a publishing deal, we will have much easier access to a recording space. (Jack)6)What/who is your biggest inspiration? As far as musical inspiration goes, some of my biggest inspirations are The 1975, Walk the Moon, and Two Door Cinema Club. Of course there are many more inspirations for all of us than these, but these three bands were very influential in shaping the original idea for the sound of this band. But although we are very inspired by these bands and other various artists, we’re really striving to create a new sound of our own that people can connect with. (Joe)7)What is your favorite song you have produced so far? y favorite song to perform is definitely Burning Inside, which is the single we are releasing on Valentine’s Day. We did a lot of smaller instrumental samples and ambient stuff throughout the song, so it was a blast to experiment with all of those. (Christian)8)What is it like juggling your personal life and the band at the same time? Sometimes it is difficult with some of us still in school but for the most part our personal life is sort of intertwined with the band. Our friends and family are very involved and supportive of what we are doing. On top of that we are all really great friends so we are always hanging out outside of band activities. (Bailey)9)What do you see yourselves doing in 5 years from today? In 5 years we see ourselves breaking into the role of a global band as we are touring, writing, and recording full time. We have our hearts and minds set on this and we continually strive to be the hardest working band out there. No excuses. Eventually, we know we will see that pay off in big ways and we'll be able to achieve our goal of being career musicians. (Nathan)10)Thank you! Anything you have to add? We at The Solid Ocean think that supporting local bands is one of the most worthwhile things you can do, even beyond Denver. Each city has such a unique culture surrounding it, and music is a byproduct of it. So, if you ever want to experience the unique culture of the city you're in, support the live music scenea4 1) How did you meet?
Stevie (drummer) and Jeremy (bassist) met back in December of 2015 through a Facebook group for incoming CSU freshmen. We went through a few different members before we met Tim, our current singer/guitarist, through a friend of a friend in the spring of 2017. 2) Would you consider your music to fit a certain genre? It'a grungy. I don't know if it's grunge but it certainly is quite grungy. We draw our inspiration from a lot of places, Jeremy listens to a wide variety of alternative rock, Stevie listens to a lot of older rock, and Tim likes jazz and hiphop. 3) Do you have any plans to release new music in 2018? We don't have any plans set in stone, but we hope to be able to record some songs over the summer to release by the end of the year. 4) What are 3 things to keep a band successful? Jeremy: We've found incredibly helpful to sometimes just relax during practice, and jam with each other, without the intention of writing anything or preparing for a show. This allows us to really develop connections between each other and to learn to play to each other's strengths and weaknesses. Stevie: Allowing a song to develop over time instead of trying to perfect it in one sitting helps to flesh out your music and allows the band to gradually perfect upon it. Tim: Practice a whole freaking lot. Together and alone. Every time we play through a song I feel like it gets a little bit better, and that totals up pretty fast if you play every day. Just imagine how good a band could be if they were able to devote ALL of their time to music. 5) Who inspires you most? Each of us have different influences, Stevie is heavily influenced by John Bonham of Led Zeppelin and Tre Cool of Green Day, Tim draws his style from the works of Kurt Cobain and the jazz pianist Thelonious Monk, and Jeremy is influenced by Mike Dirnt of Green Day and Chris Wolstenholme of Muse. 6) Would you ever collaborate with other local bands? If you already do, who? Currently we've only gone as far as sharing crowds and stages, but we would love the opportunity to collaborate musically with other bands in the future. 7) Describe Out of Ink's sound in 3 words? Moody, Raw, Stevie 8) What song do you enjoy performing most? Tubes! It's one of the first songs we started playing together in our current lineup, and the very first song we finished together as well. It's heavy as heck (one of the few songs where we keep our distortion pedals on the whole time) and it features what's probably the sickest riff we've ever written. Our favorite part is right near the end of the last chorus; we abruptly stop playing. Everyone in the crowd is super confused. Then, some low end. A syncopated bass riff from Jeremy, all alone for a few bars when suddenly drums kick in and Tim is in the crowd shoving you. We and our fans love a good mosh! 9) What is one thing you want to achieve as a band this year? We want to grow our fanbase. Having more people to share our music and energy with would mean the world to us. This year, we will play as many shows as we possibly can and spend the rest of our time recording songs to release as singles and eventually an album. 10) Thank you, anything to add? We'll be playing loads of shows this summer, so be sure to be on the lookout! You can follow our instagram @outofinkband for all the latest news and updates. 1) How did you all meet and decide to create a band?
Well, Jonathan and I have known each other the longest. We went to college in Greeley together MANY moons ago where we studied musical theater (I know, I know). It wasn't until well after college that we started making music together. The Hollow started about four years ago and it was just a passion project of mine. I didn't have a band at the time, so the VERY first EP was performed by me. The band was just a thought until I wanted to start playing these songs live. Jonathan has been in since the first show and Jason joined the band a year ago after his last project (The Epilogues) broke up. 2) How was the name "The Hollow" decided? Does it have any special meaning? I appreciate you asking this question. The original name of the band was “Into The Hollow” from one of our favorite Queens of the Stone Age tunes, but since the name change it’s evolved into something that’s so much more. The Hollow really does invoke a sense of darkness. It’s meant to get people to start thinking about the things that make us feel uncomfortable from the societal norm. Death is inevitable, so instead of being afraid of it, we should embrace it and use it as motivation to do exactly what we want to do every day we're alive. 3) What 3 people inspire you most? I'm incredibly inspired by Dave Grohl (because duh), Trent Reznor (his creativity to constantly push the envelope for live production is ASTOUNDING), and die-hard music lovers (without them, we'd be doing this for nothing). 4) Your newest single "Sleep Talkin'" came out a few months ago, anything you'd like to share about it? At its core, Sleep Talkin' is about communication and how important it is in successful relationships. Musically, the song was our biggest challenge, as it was our first attempt at writing a "radio-friendly" song. The reception has been incredible. It was the first song that we put a music video to as well, which was a completely therapeutic process. 5) What song do you enjoy performing most? What venue is the most fun to play at? I think my favorite song we perform live is either Flame to Fuse or our cover of Royal Blood's "I Only Lie When I Love You". Both songs have an energy that's completely contagious. So far, Bluebird has been my favorite venue we've performed out. I've seen some of my most favorite bands on that stage, and to think that we have shared that stage with some amazing talent is truly humbling. 6) Do you plan on releasing any new music in 2018? We WILL be releasing new music! We've been working on our EP titled Contact for the last several months, and we're very excited to release it in mid 2018. Contact will feature songs that we've played live, including a cover of "Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Our version includes our manager Angela Whaley playing the harp and the the band singing three-part harmonies. We're very excited to share this with everyone. 7)Would you rather play a bigger festival like May Play or a smaller show such as you and just a few other bands? Playing a festival is always such a blast. Not only do you get to meet and see new bands and make new friends, but also you're playing in front of people that you'd never really have the opportunity to play in front of otherwise. The energy is always palpable at festivals too. Looking forward to playing as many as we can in the years to come. 8) If you could describe The Hollow’s sound in 3 words, what would they be? Alternative Art Rock 9) The lyrics in your songs are all well thought out, does this just come to you or does it take time? I appreciate you noticing the lyrics! The lyrics take THE MOST TIME in the songwriting process for me. The music is always new and exciting when you have all of the members contributing, but I've written a majority of the lyrics and it ALWAYS takes the most time. I just want to make sure that I get it right. Lots of listening to other artists' work is inspirational, and also reading poetry inspires me. I'll run the lyrics by the team after I've written them and get their two cents. They usually provide insight that tightens up the screws a little bit. 10) Thank you so so much! Anything you'd like to add? I admire your tenacity and your dedication to the music scene, Katie. The reason the music scene is the way it is can be HUGELY attributed to you and your friends that support local music with the intensity that you do. I look forward to seeing what happens with this project and look forward to playing music for you for years to come. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! |
