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The Used Interview

August 30, 2009 By Kristen Cavanaugh 1 Comment

the used summer 09 use this one

It’s been forever since we’ve heard anything from The Used. These guys are all set to make a triumphant return to your eardrums on August 31st. Get ready! Their new album, Artwork is sure to deliver. Can’t wait a few more days? Well, you can stream their new album right now…before it even hits stores. Just head on over to their myspace page. In the meantime, check out my interview with drummer, Dan Whitesides.

The Used has been through a lot of changes recently ““ you’ve come in as the new drummer, there’s been some management changes, etc. How’s the overall vibe of the band these days? Feelin’ good?
Absolutely. I think we’re stronger than ever and that’s one of the main things that’s been so rad. We’re better friends now than ever and definitely stronger than ever in so many different ways, know what I mean? We’ve taken over our careers basically and everything that we do is all us. Like, with the firing of the management and the new producer and all that ““ we decided we wanted to take it all in our own hands and take it a little more seriously but also have fun in the process and that’s what we’re doing.

The Used’s new album, Artwork drops on August 31st. How would you sum it up? Is there a theme to it or is just a mix of everything?
I don’t think there’s a theme, but I do think that The Used is one of the most honest bands out there and I think that lyrically especially, Burt writes about things that happen in his life or just personal things…so every song definitely has that vibe to it. The cool thing about Artwork is that every song is different from the one before, but it all ties in together so well. You know, I listen to this album almost everyday”¦which is weird for me to listen to something I’ve recorded because I never do that. But, the album is a mixture of everything. It’s soft, it’s beautiful, it’s dirty, it’s poppy. I think The Used’s music has always been a little ahead of the curve.

Speaking of The Used’s music, it’s been a good amount of time since we’ve heard anything from the band. Why did you guys choose “Blood On My Hands” as the first song for fans to hear after all this time?
We just wanted to come out and blow the doors open. Like, here we are again! I think that’s the perfect song to do it to. There was no question on what it was going to be with anyone. As a band, we all decided, “Okay, we all wanna come out with ‘Blood On My Hands’ because it’s a pretty pissed song, it’s in your face, it’s heavy.” Everybody at the label agreed and said let’s do it. I think we made the right decision and it’s going over well.

How can Artwork be compared to the other albums from The Used?
Talking to everybody, I know there hasn’t been this much excitement about an album since the first self-titled album. I think we were really prepared when we were writing this album. Going into this studio, we were done writing pretty much…we just had to put some finishing touches on everything. With Lies for the Liars and In Love and Death, those were both written in the studio and they were kinda”¦well, not forced”¦because In Love and Death is one of my favorite albums. I think The Used Can write under any situation. This album in particular, the excitement around it and just wanting to do it and do it our way”¦that’s what it is.

The Used has always worked with producer John Feldmann in the past. This time, you guys worked with Matt Squire. What was it like?
Matt’s just laid back. The first time I met him he was wearing flip-flops, feet kicked up on the couch. Then we got to talking and the cool thing is that he’s from the DC area and kinda grew up playing with or in bands I was listening to when I was younger so I was excited about that. The main thing is, like I said, we went into the studio with this album almost done so we told Matt what we wanted and he just kinda facilitated that. I don’t know if he’d say the same thing, but I think it’s one of the easiest records he’s ever had to do. We were absolutely prepared and knew what we wanted.

Would you consider this album to be more mainstream than the previous albums?
I think it is whatever anyone wants to make it. To me, it takes me back to the first two records. I wouldn’t call The Used an underground band, but I wouldn’t call them Metallica either. The Used has always kinda been right in the middle. Whichever way it goes is fine with me. We wrote a record that we love and it takes me back to the beginning of the band for sure.

You guys are doing a show for first 400 fans who pre-ordered the new album”¦
Yeah, we wanted to do something special for the fans. We’re doing a lot of that with this record. We’re having a Twitter release party. We’re constantly doing things for the fans so that’s the reason we did it, really. We wanna go and play small and more intimate shows. Seeing the fans on that level is way better than seeing someone in like a stadium or something like that. It sounds a lot better and the vibe is a lot cooler. We’re just trying to give things back to the fans and it makes things fun for us, too. It mixes things up so it’s good.

Anything else to add?
If you dig us, come see us play. We’re going to be on tour a lot this year. Check out our tour dates!

Whitechapel Interview

August 15, 2009 By Tamlyn Koga Leave a Comment

Awhile ago I had the chance to sit down and chat with Alex Wade of Whitechapel, a metal band hailing from Knoxville, Tennessee. With their new album This Is Exile in stores and a Rockstar Mayhem Festival tour under their belt, this Metal Blade Record’s band is sure to take over. Many thanks go out to Kelli Malella of Metal Blade and Alex Wade for making this interview possible.

State your name and position in the band.

I’m Alex Wade and I play guitar.

What is the concept behind your new album This Is Exile?

On previous albums we never really followed any kind of concept, but on This Is Exile we kind of wanted to incorporate some kind of concept, just to make things a little more interesting for the fans and even for us writing it. This Is Exile kind of has the concept that flows of this evil god that gets sent to Earth to destroy it. All the songs are a piece of the concept and tell a story.

So how does it feel to be on tour with all these bands?

Very overwhelming considering I would say that at least 70% are our influences: Behemoth, Cannibal Corpse, Slayer, and even our friends in Black Dahlia and Job For A Cowboy. Pretty much before we left for this tour, we all were saying how it was going to be the best summer of our lives. Playing to thousands of people and seeing your favorite bands everyday, it’s a dream come true really.

How did you guys all start out?

We’re just like any other band, we started out as a local band in our hometown. We’ve played local venues, we’ve done it all. We’ve played rec centers and even played birthday parties. It goes to show that anyone can do it, you just have to have the right mindset.

What has been your favorite show you’ve ever played?

Honestly it was probably in London, we headlined Ghost Fest. It was a smaller club and there were about five or six hundred kids and I think it sold out two weeks before the show even happened. It was amazing, kids we’re just going off. The night was just real electric.

How do you guys keep entertained on tour?

We play a lot of Xbox 360 just like any other band does really. We play that new UFC Undisputed game, Call Of Duty, but currently we’re also trying to stay busy writing for the new CD. We’re going to be recording in January and it’ll be released sometime in spring or early summer of 2010.

If you were to describe each band members, what would you label each of them?

Not to have a big head anything, but I’m like the smart business guy, I handle all the business and I’m just the go to guy whether it be the manager or the label. Kevin is definitely the nerd, he’s all about technology and computers and stuff like that. Gabe is the hot tempered one of the group, he’s the bass player, he’s really big, and works out, so his testosterone is errr. Ben and Zach they just kind of hang out, they’re just normal dudes.

Out of all the songs, what is the most important to you?

“Possession” off the new CD This Is Exile. I think for us as a band it demonstrates our sound as a whole. If I had to pick one song to describe us, it would definitely be “Possession,” its dark, its heavy, and I really love to play that song live.

How’s the whole writing process going on tour?

We have one song that’s kind of loosey goosey you know, it’s not exactly concrete yet, but it definitely has good backbone to it. It’s coming out really good, if you like This Is Exile, you’re going to love the new stuff. We’re still keeping it fast and brutal, not trying to sell out or anything you know. It’s still going to be heavy as shit, we have some more riffs and ideas in the works so it’s coming along really good.

Be sure to catch Whitechapel touring through North America this fall 2009 alongside Trivium and pick up their album This Is Exile now.

FranKo Interview

July 15, 2009 By Kristen Cavanaugh Leave a Comment

First thing’s first. Name and position in the band, please?
Tommy and I’m the singer.

You guys have said that you’re doing your own thing and you’re veering away from having the same style as everyone else. Describe “your sound” and what makes you different from other bands on the scene today.
One thing that we have kept which you don’t often find with bands who come from England surprisingly is the English accent. We have veered away from the indie scene and are a safe distance away from the emo scene landing us with some sort of rock/pop/alternative sound which we believe is quite unique.

Just to give everyone an idea of your sound, finish this sentence:
“If you like the band_________, you’ll dig us, too!”
If you like The Beatles, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Franz Ferdinand, you’ll probably dig us too.

If you had the chance to pick your dream lineup of bands that you think would be complimentary to your sound to tour with, what bands and why?
It would be incredible to gig with the likes of Elbow, Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand and Of Montreal. whether we would complement each other’s sound is debatable, but audiences these days like a bit of variety.

What is your overall goal as a band at this exact moment? What are you focusing on?
At the moment, we’re working on making our first album as good as it can be. We’re looking over old songs and adding ideas which, now that we’ve all developed together, are really making an impact on our earlier material.

What can we expect from your upcoming album?
Something different! You never get a second chance to make a first album so were putting everything we’ve got into it. There are a variety of different songs. The obvious “poppy” and “radio friendly” tracks, but also the darker and more intricate album tracks. We are currently debating the tracks which we will put on and are asking questions like “is this track good enough?” or “is this track second album material?”

Where can listeners in the US go to hear more from you guys?
www.myspace.com/frankoUK We have 6 tracks up at the moment and there is talk about putting our newest recordings up soon.

Anything else to add?
We can’t wait to go to New York!

Goodnight Sunrise Interview

July 13, 2009 By Kristen Cavanaugh 1 Comment

Helena, MT based band, Goodnight Sunrise is on a roll lately. These guys have been touring relentlessly — they have a tour history listed on their Myspace and it’s enough to make a grown man cry. Somewhere amidst the tours, Goodnight Sunrise released their EP, Stop Drop and Roll. In addition to picking up the EP (which I highly recommend), you should catch them on the “Pop, Drop and Lock It” tour. Check out this interview!

Name and your position in the band?
Hey I’m Dan, and I sing and play guitar for Goodnight Sunrise.

You guys have a DIY approach to the music business. Is this your own doing or are you actively label shopping?
We’ve been label shopping, but right now we’re happy touring and making music on our own. Until the right offer comes up, it’s smarter for us to tour on our own and keep a majority of the money we make on the road and online.

Is it important to you to remain true to your music and do your own thing? Or would you rather be a little controlled by a label if it meant having that helping hand?
Of course it’s important to stay true to your music. Having a label control different parts of the band like booking, publishing, & merch can have it’s ups and downs. It can save us work and help the band grow, but at the same time our income will be divided up with a lot of different people. A lot of people don’t realize that a majority of every penny a label spends is recoupable.

You’ve played over 250 shows and shared the stage with some great bands since the release of your debut EP. What’s been the most memorable show to play or band to play with?
We played with Anberlin in Montana recently. That was a pretty cool thing for me because I was a pretty big Anberlin fan throughout high school. Playing historic venues like The Roxy and The Whisky in LA were also very memorable shows.

You’re embarking on a national tour in July. What are your hopes for that tour? How is touring as a DIY band?
This will be our first national tour. We’ve toured the West Coast repeatedly since June 2007, so we can’t wait to branch out and hit some regions we haven’t played before. Touring as a DIY band is hard work, but in the end it works out if you can fill the dates and make contacts in regions where you want to spread your music.

Crunk Energy drink is one of your sponsors. Does this mean fans can expect an energetic live show? What else can they expect?
Haha, I guess the Crunk could contribute to some of our energy on stage. All 3 bands on this tour will be wired from energy drinks. We’re playing a lot of new material this tour, so if you’ve seen us in the past expect new songs and merch! We’ll also be doing contests at our shows giving away more clothing from some of our sponsors.

Has having songs on MTV’s “Real World Road Rules Challenge,” “Bad Girls Club,” and “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” created a lot of buzz for you guys?
Yeah, I think being licensed to shows like those has helped spread the word about the band quite a bit. We’ve been getting a lot of feedback on this tour from kids who heard our music on MTV’s “Sixteen and Pregnant.”

What advice do you have for other bands who want to stay on the DIY route and achieve the success that you guys have?
Just stay persistent and continue playing shows to build a fanbase in your region. DIY touring seems impossible at first, and we were in a position where we felt it might have been at one point. Just work hard and don’t get impatient when venues and promoters don’t respond right away. Your first few tours may be depressing and stressful at times, but it really can get easier with every tour.

Check the band’s Myspace page for all their tour dates!
You can also buy their new album either on iTunes or here.

The Dangerous Summer Interview

July 10, 2009 By Kristen Cavanaugh 2 Comments

“You are my song and you are where I want to be…”

The Dangerous Summer is one of those bands who have perfected the art of touring and it shows. They’ve been touring heavily lately to promote the release of their new album, Reach for the Sun. I took a well-needed break from the heat, pits and madness of Warped Tour to catch them on their BBQ America Tour with Ace Enders. These guys are a treat to see — especially in such an intimate venue like the Knitting Factory in Hollywood. When the crowd was asked how many had heard them before, only about half raised their hands. I can safely say, The Dangerous Summer probably gained a huge following last night.

I had the chance to talk with lead vocalist/bassist, AJ Perdomo before the show for a quick interview. Check it out…

Your newest album, Reach for the Sun has been out since May. How’s it feeling so far?
It’s awesome. We’ve gotten a good response from all the kids and stuff like that and all the reviewers have been treating it well. We’re just real happy with it.

Reach the Sun is really autobiographical, does that make the release of it even more tense in how the audience receives it and how it gets reviewed since it’s pretty much you putting your diary on the line?
I mean, like, it’s like, kinda crazy putting myself out there that much. All the kids have been taking it well, they’ve been like, “that really relates to my life.” They’ve found pieces of it that really pulled parts of their lives together. It just feels good. I just put as many honest things as I could down and people seem to be treating it rather well.

Other than it being super autobiographical, how does Reach for the Sun compare to your other work?
I think we really grew up a lot. We wrote If You Could Only Keep Me Alive when we were seniors in high school. Now we’re two years out of high school and touring. We didn’t even tour on the EP.

While you were in high school, you were working with a producer who has worked with All Time Low, Dashboard Confessional, etc. How did that feel?
It’s awesome, I mean, when we were in 9th grade of high school we were working with him. He’s like, the local big guy. We became really, really close with him and it just became natural to work with him. It wasn’t even like going out to do an album — it was like hanging out, writing some songs while you’re at it.

So, you have a new album out and you’re touring right now. What’s after that?
It looks like we’re going to be touring pretty much all year and after that. We’re going to be doing some writing this fall just testing some new ideas out. Maybe in a year or two releasing some new material”¦

Lots of bands are out on Warped Tour right now. Do you consider The Dangerous Summer to be a potential Warped Tour band? Is that something you guys eventually want to do?
Oh yeah, we eventually want to do the whole Warped Tour stint but this year we got the Ace Enders tour and we just couldn’t pass it up. So many good bands, it’s like legends that we grew up with. We’re just so happy to be on this tour. Not looking past that, really.

Do you guys have any friends on Warped Tour right now?
Not too many ““ but All Time Low‘s joining up eventually, they’re going to be off having fun.

Can you believe they just played three shows, in three different times zones in the same day?
Yeah, that’s intense. I heard it went off without a hitch, too. That’s awesome.

Who do you see as the next big thing in music right now?
There’s this band, Paper Route we really like. They’re AMAZING. I think they’re going to be like, Coldplay status. They’re good, definitely check them out. They’re going on tour with Paramore this fall.

Anything else to add?
Check out the new album if you haven’t already!

Check out some photos shot by Al Morales from their set at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood – 07.09.09

Attack Attack! Interview

July 9, 2009 By Kristen Cavanaugh 2 Comments

If you’re expecting an Attack Attack! interview discussing their latest album Someday Came Suddenly or their awesome Katy Perry cover of “I Kissed a Girl” from Punk Goes Pop 2…this isn’t it. I interviewed all six of these guys at Warped Tour in Ventura and they were in high spirits and enjoying the living daylight out of being on Warped Tour. Read on and see what I mean…

Attack Attack!, Warped Tour, Day Three. How’s it going so far, boys?
[Cheering] Awesome! Everything’s going good actually, going awesome. Can we cuss? F**k yeah. F**k. That was funny!

Okay, so you guys had a pretty successful tour with Escape the Fate. How was that?
Awesome, great, they’re good dudes. I had fun. They’re a great band. I’m rocking their merch. Rock and roll!

So would you guys rather do a tour like that or a festival like Warped, Bamboozle, etc?
Warped. More people, more people to meet. It’s crazy. Craziness.

If you had the chance to play ONE song to somebody that’s never heard of you guys in hopes of gaining them as a fan, which song would it be and why?
Michael’s Jackson’s Beat It. Because John likes to beat it. John’s got the beat. Oh, holy shit! That was funny again.

Stereotypical question here. Who are you guys most excited to see?
Underoath. Or Dance Gavin Dance. Oh, Millionaires and BrokeNCYDE, too.

Um”¦
I was kidding about Millionaires and BrokeNCYDE by the way.

Thank god.
Yes.

So, a lot of bands play at the same time, besides your obvious sense of humor, why should fans comes see you guys?
Cause we suck. We’re crab-core, motha f**k! Don’t f**k with crab-core! You should come see us because apparently we look like crabs when we’re onstage when we play. We’re crustacean metal.

Anything else to add?
See you on the road!

Attack Attack! is: (Click the links to add them on Twitter!)
Nick Barham – screaming vocals
Johnny Franck – rhythm guitar, clean vocals
Andrew Whiting – lead guitar
John Holgado – bass guitar
Caleb Shomo – synth, keyboard, backing vocals
Andrew Wetzel – drums

Attack Attack! is on Warped Tour all summer. Be sure to check them out!

Less Than Jake Interview

July 8, 2009 By Kristen Cavanaugh 9 Comments

I’ll admit it, I haven’t listened to Less Than Jake since the days when I was coloring my hair with Kool-Aid just like Tai in Clueless did. However, my roommate could probably have her own Less Than Jake fan club so I let her take the reigns on this one while we were at Warped Tour in Ventura. Let’s see what she can do…

So, let’s start with your names and instruments.
LTJ: Our names are Roger and J.R. and we play bass and saxophone, respectively. We play with disrespect, but respectfully.

So, Warped Tour”¦do you have any thoughts, concerns or anticipations?
JR: I have an anticipation; that I anticipate not being able to take a poop in a nice clean toilet.

I saw your tweet about that!
JR: Yeah, it’s kind of a bummer. I also have hopes that it won’t be really hot all summer. Today is nice, if it was like this the whole summer that would be awesome.
Roger: Yeah, no, I concur.

Well, you first played Warped Tour in 1997, so what’s probably the biggest difference between then and now?
JR: All the crappy bands.
Roger: [laughs] Yeah, there’s a lot more bands, a lot more stages, a lot more really bad haircuts.
JR: But the catering’s better, the people with production are awesome, they’re really pro.
Roger: They have internet now on tour.
JR: And there’s internet. I don’t know if you’ve heard of this internet, it’s everywhere!

Yeah, it’s not like you guys know how to use Twitter or anything.
JR: Stop makin’ fun of me!

I spoke to you on your last tour and you mentioned it was the “No Johnny Quest Tour” ““ obviously that tour is over because you played it; what was the main reason for that?
JR: Cause Aaron Barrett* signed off on the publishing. He sued us because he said that we ripped off “Sell Out”
Roger: So we had to wait until it, like, settled in court so we could figure it out. I mean, we’re friends and everything, but when it comes to money”¦
*Aaron Barrett is the lead singer of Reel Big Fish.

I peed in his bathroom one time.
JR: I shaved his chest one time.

Yeah, that’s way more awkward.
JR: Yeah, he didn’t ask for me to do it though. Ask about that sometime.

You’ve actually been on a couple of labels, but now you’re kinda DIY-ing. How is that? Do you feel like you have more freedom?
JR: Oh yeah.
Roger: It’s a little more freedom, sort of, but it’s more work, too, to keep up with all the little things. It’s kinda worth it, I guess; nobody really buys CDs so it really doesn’t matter.
JR: Yeah, they just download them for free now.
Roger: Yeah, it’s really not that rad.
JR: It’s all right. Instead of having all little bitches do our work, we’re the bitches now.

So why should people come and watch your set at Warped Tour?
JR: Cause we’re the best band on Warped Tour. Straight up.
Roger: Well, because you’re guaranteed to see Buddy make some funny faces, you’re guaranteed that Chris will say something that is sort of out of line or inappropriate, and I’m gonna play a bunch of fuckin’ really fast bass licks, it’s gonna be great.

So is there anything else you want to add about Warped Tour?
Roger: Um, I would add probably a little bit of salt, and I like anything that has ginger in it, so I would put a little ginger into Warped Tour and it would be PERFECT.
JR: Yeah, a little dab of soy sauce, a little Asian flavor would be nice.

Less Than Jake is on Warped Tour ALL SUMMER!
Be sure to check them out!
— Erin Brown

Photo Credit: Erin Brown

Crisis In Hollywood Interview- July 7, 2009

July 7, 2009 By Ben Minsky Leave a Comment

Can you please introduce yourself and your role in Crisis In Hollywood?

I’m Adrian, I sing and play guitar for Crisis in Hollywood.

Your album Safe and Sound came out on May 12. Overall, how do you feel about this album? What has been the fan reaction to the release?

This album has been a life changing experience for all of us. From the ground up it was something new. With the opportunity it presented, there was a bit of a time crunch on the writing, but regardless, I think we’re all really happy with the reaction we’ve been getting. While many of our fans still love our first album, Safe and Sound opened a few doors creatively for us and so far, everyone is digging it.

How do you think your new album Safe And Sound is different from your previous work?

You could say we’ve grown since the first album. I think that Safe and Sound is far from perfect, and I could pick it apart for days, but we started to understand more of who we were on this album and what we wanted to create. I think our best album will always be whatever is next, but when I watch people listen to the new one, I feel like we’re heading in the right direction.

What song(s) are you most proud of and why?

Really, I’m proud of the album as a whole. The writing process became a frenzy when we found out we would be recording sooner than planned, and we had a total of 18 songs to choose from by the deadline. For me, knowing the metamorphoses of a some tracks is incredible. I still hang on to early demos of songs like “Don’t Overact” which was an up tempo punk song before we decided to pull a 180 and tone it down to get a new vibe for the album.

How was working with Bayside’s Anthony Raneri on this album?

Anthony is a great guy and when the opportunity came to work with him, we jumped at it. We were together for 5 weeks in the studio working on this album and he came in with a lot of focus and great advice that we’ve kept with us. It’s always good to have a mentor become a friend, and creating something with a man we’ve respected for years was a dream come true.

What are your touring plans for the remainder of the year?

Touring is the number one priority. We’re just finishing up our “Survive the Swine ’09” tour with Hand to Hand up the east coast, and we’re plotting out a west coast tour with those guys again very soon. We live to tour. Sleeping in our van is something that’s not for everyone, but it’s right for us.

How did Crisis in Hollywood come together as a band?

Before CiH, we were all friends. In fact, we’ve all played together in separate bands throught the years. Just before this band got together, Andy and I had formed From Adam to Atom, and midway through we picked up Logan. After a few problems with the line up, we threw our hats in and decided to build something we loved from scratch. We recruited Daniel, who we already knew would be a perfect fit, and set up our first show on Super Bowl Sunday in 2007

Do you have any interesting and/or funny stories from the road/recording/life?

We had a night off in NC, and instead of wasting it with sleep recovery, we decided to hit an open mic. The problem was the only one available was a small country bar. Not exactly our style. We showed up anyway and were welcomed with open arms to the crowd composed of men and women 30 years our senior. We set up after an amazing jam band and ripped through a few of our songs. Surprisingly, the crowd loved us and helped us pay our way to the next city. But before we left it was time to party. Unfortunately, the best parts of the night are probably things I can’t talk about, but use some imagination and you’re probably right. They were a people set in their ways, and who were we to turn down any offers? All I can really say is that we will absolutely be returning. As soon as possible.

What goals do you have for Crisis in Hollywood for the future?

Like I said, touring is number one for us right now, although we have been writing our asses off and we’ve got some exciting songs on the horizon. But as for now, we hope to see everyone across the United States.

How did you guys get started playing music?

We’ve all been playing for years. I can’t say how everyone started up, but personally, about 10 years ago, my father surprised me with a guitar one day and the dream was born. He taught me my first chords and after he died a few years later, I found myself with a purpose and more drive to do what I love than ever before.

Any last words for our readers?

In the words of our newest 62 year old friend Harry, “Boogety, boogety.”

LIGHTS Interview

July 6, 2009 By Kristen Cavanaugh 11 Comments

I recently had the chance to chat on the phone with Canadian singer-songwriter, LIGHTS while she’s out on the road with Warped Tour 2009. She currently has a 6-song EP under her belt and over 12 million hits on her Myspace page. She’ll be releasing her full-length album in September, but until then, catch her on Warped Tour (until July 26th) and then a brief ten day tour with Keane. I think it’s safe to say we should be expecting great things from this girl!

Let’s get the stereotypical question out of the way. Who’s your favorite band to see or hangout with at Warped?
Well, there’s so many good bands on tour this run. There are different bands that I just want to see for different reasons. UnderOATH I’ve always been a big fan of and they’re one of the headliners on this tour and I love to watch them along with Less Than Jake who are like, the soundtrack to my summer for the past seven years. And also, one of the newer bands that I’ve been really enjoying are Breathe Carolina and the reasoning being is that my music essentially started itself on Myspace and so did theirs. We kinda started a Myspace at the same time and over the past years it’s just really, really worked out so we kinda encourage each other at a distance for the past year and now we finally get to be on this tour together and watch each other play all the time. I’m just so proud of them and situations like that where there are different degrees of stokedness and enjoyment of different music but all-in-all, there’s so much talent on the tour.

You went from having your songs on commercials for Old Navy to playing the pits at Warped. How do you explain that? What was the transition?
Well, I wouldn’t necessarily consider it a transition. I just feel like it’s really important to keep your audience broad. Tackle different things even if you don’t think it will automatically be assumed that you fit there. Old Navy was definitely a fantastic way to show the world my music. I love the juxtaposition I get to have with all of these different associations. Warped Tour is just one branch of that. And I’m going out to tour with Keane soon which is just completely different and one of the other ways to keep everything diverse and keep your audience broad and show people that you’re not just one thing.

Your songs on myspace have hit what I last checked to be over 12 million plays. Is Warped the perfect chance to mingle with all these people that gave you the 12 million plays? Do you hope to turn them into fans who will buy your album?
Absolutely and that’s one of the things that’s I’ve spent my time doing on this tour. I do my set and then I go straight to my merch table and meet everybody and I’m mean sometimes I’m there, for example, in Dallas I was there for two and a half hours just meeting people. I mean, obviously these people are the reason I’m here and they’re the priority and it’s so cool meeting people and seeing you know, whether A.) they just heard of me for the first time and they’re going to become a fan or B.) if they’ve been listening for two years and it’s changed their life. And it’s the coolest thing ever to be on Warped Tour and to get the chance to see all these people and that’s what I enjoy most about it actually.

You consider yourself to be a very visual artist. Can you explain what that means?
Every time I do something musically, I always have a visual accompaniment in my mind when I write or when I come up with the melody. That being said, the lyrics are very relateable and very common. For example, I like the way that I talk. They’re not very Sci-fi-y lyrics, but rather the Sci-fi world that I’ve kinda created comes through in the production of my music ““ kind of quirky and lush sounds that take you to another world and that’s even more highly and obviously manifested in the videos and the artwork I’m doing and my website design and everything . Like, my videos are very sci-fi oriented and clearly about me going to different planets. Like, all these things collectively I’ve created sort of an alternate universe and this very visual world to go with my music. And rather than actually writing about sci-fi characters, it’s visual, it’s the hints, the fantastical elements of my music.

You have another album in the works for a fall release date. Can we continue to expect those same visual aspects?
The album will be out in September and ABSOLUTELY! There’s more of these cool sounds that I’ve been experimenting with just wrapping around my songs but still maintaining the concept that if you’ve got a good song at the core of it then you start wrapping it up in like, strings of stars or all these cool little creative things that really adds a lot of feeling and ambiance to the music. Plus, one of the things I’ve really come to embrace over the past couple of years is that I talk, really, really, really fast in real life and I wanted to embrace that in my lyrics and there’s a lot more lyrics in small spaces. I first discovered that in one of the songs in my EP ““ it’s called “Ice” and it in the bridge I talk really fast and that’s when I realized “whoa, I can sing as fast as I talk! I gotta do this more!” So there’s more of that on the record, too.

Once this new album drops, can we expect a really cool video like with some of the concepts you have going on in your mind?
Oh yeah, definitely. I’m actually a video the day after I get off Warped for the first single, “Saviour” which is track one on the record. It’s kind of a bummer that’s it’s the day I get off Warped, I’m going to look so beat, but it’s going to be really fun and the concepts are really cool.

Once all that happens, what’s next? Do you have a tour in the works?
Definitely, after Warped I’m doing a bunch of festivals everything, then I’m going out on the road with Keane in September for ten days I think and then probably an excessive tour on the record when it comes out.

If you had to play one of your songs to somebody who hasn’t heard of you before, what song would you choose to play to describe LIGHTS?
I would probably pick, at this point, I’ve never written anything that I that I don’t enjoy playing or thing isn’t a good representation of my music, however, at this point, I’d pick “Saviour” to play for somebody because it’s a little of everything I do in it. You know, cool sound, heartfelt lyrics, came from a sad place but turned it around into something hopeful and a lot of cool ambiance surrounding it and it’s going to be the next single so that’s what I would share with somebody, I think!

Why should fans come see you on Warped Tour?
Um, I think you should come check me out at because it’s a little different than what you may normally see at Warped Tour and you’ll get to see a keytar in action and it will cool you down because most of the Warped Tour dates are very hot and I sing cool things 50% of the time, haha.

Anything else to add?
I think that about covers it!

LIGHTS’ first single off of her new album hits radio today in Canada! Be sure to call and request “Saviour” if you live up there!

Escape the Fate Interview

July 3, 2009 By Kristen Cavanaugh

As promised, I snagged some time to talk with Escape the Fate‘s drummer, Robert Ortiz while they were in Pomona for the opening day of Warped Tour 2009. This guy oozes rock and roll and everything that comes with it. Check out the (highly censored) interview.

A lot of bands play at the same time during Warped. Why should people come see Escape the Fate ?
Cause we’re f**king insane, that’s why. We’re probably the best band. Period.

Definitely. I’ve been coming to Warped for years now and I can honestly say you’re one of the best bands I’ve seen.
I had a lot of fun today.

Speaking of fun, what’s the craziest thing you’ve seen at Warped?
I don’t know, man, f**king, I don’t know. There’s always like, kids in wheelchairs f**king crowd surfing, people getting their f**king heads split open, people dying”¦I don’t know, I’ve seen some crazy shit.

If someone were to write a book about Escape the Fate, what would the title be?
F**k man, I don’t know, it’d be real f**king long though. And it’d be about tragedy, hope and f**kin'”¦it’d just be f**king crazy. It’d be a comedy most of the time, though. I dunno, I got nothing. It’d be sick though.

What is the biggest misconception about you guys?
I don’t think there is one. It’s all fu**kin’ real. Everything. All true. The problem is, it’s not that there’s not misconceptions, you know, it’s just that people choose to emphasize certain aspects of us. Even though that’s how we really are, it’s not the only thing we are, know what I mean? There’s a deeper side to us that a lot of people won’t ever see.

If this were Woodstock, what band would Escape the Fate be?
F**kin’ Jimi Hendrix.

You guys are playing the Hurley stage this year. Do you think it’s because it’s inflatable and there’s nothing Craig can climb up and jump off of?
Um, probably, dude, probably. Gotta hold us back a little bit, keep us a little tame to calm down the lawsuits.

Anything else you wanna add?
F**king come watch us at Warped Tour!

Check out some of the pictures I got during Escape the Fate’s set in Ventura! (They’re camera phone pictures so I apologize for the quality.)