| Driven Far Off

A Skylit Drive Interview

July 2, 2009 By Kristen Cavanaugh Leave a Comment

I recently had the chance to talk to lead vocalist, Michael “Jag” Jagmin from the Lodi, California based band, A Skylit Drive during their Warped Tour stop in Ventura, CA. With the recent release of their sophomore album Adelphia, these guys are proving that they’re a force to be reckoned with. Here’s what they had to say…

It’s day three of Warped Tour for you guys. How’s it feeling so far?
Awesome, still getting used to it…sleeping and waking up so early.

What time do you guys get up everyday?
8am. Every single day.

Oh my gosh, gross.
Yeah”¦

I just recently heard Adelphia and noticed it’s a giant storyline ““ how does that affect your set list? Do you break it up? Do you have to put the songs together?
Um, we just kind of go with whatever. I mean, maybe when we do like a headlining tour like, for Adelphia, then maybe we’ll try and throw the whole concept thing into it, do something fancy with videos or something, I don’t know, we’ll see.

Like Coheed and Cambria?
Yeah, exactly.

If had the chance to play one of your songs to somebody who hasn’t heard you guys in hopes of gaining them as a fan, which song would you play and why?
Probably “Wires and the Concept of Breathing” because it kind of just rounds out our whole sound. It’s a really catchy song to the point where even if somebody isn’t really into the style, they’ll still maybe be sitting there humming the chorus afterwards. I mean, it’ll pull you in if you’re into that style of music. It’s got every kind of thing that we do.

What is the craziest thing you’ve seen in the crowd at Warped?
Well, the first show, I saw a girl just rip her shirt of and start dancing in the pit and then a big dude with his shirt off started grinding behind her.

That would have been hilarious to see. Did you keep your cool on stage?
Yeah, I was laughing while singing though.

Most essential item for touring?
Huggie Wipes.

I will take your word on that. So, why should people check you guys out at Warped?
We’re fresh, we’re new, we’re always giving it our all. I mean, no show is going to to be a half-assed show with us. We’re a bunch of fun dudes.

A Skylit Drive is on Warped Tour all summer. Be sure to check them out!

Gene Dante and The Future Starlets Interview- June 25, 2009

June 25, 2009 By Ben Minsky Leave a Comment

Can you please introduce yourself and your role in Gene Dante and The Future Starlets?

My name is Gene Dante. I’m the primary songwriter and lead singer of The Future Starlets.

How did the band come together?

I had a batch of songs I wanted to record and play out with a full band. I wanted to work with people I admired and respected. Tamora Gooding (ex-All the Queen’s Men) had played with me before. She suggested I reach out to Jim Collins (ex-The Buckners). Over cocktails one night, a friend (the great Ad Frank) suggested I try to lure Scott Patalano (ex-Mistle Thrush) out of retirement. As luck would have it, they were available and each liked the solo demos I’d recorded. Since the recording of the album, we’ve added Erik Andersen — taking over for me on rhythm guitar and keyboards.

Tell me a little about your record The Romantic Lead.

Envision me doing my best theatre critic voice…
Thematically, ‘The Romantic Lead’ is an incomplete dysfunctional love story in which the protagonists battle to harmonize their insecurity, vanity, and humanity. Sonicly, I wanted an album that sounded like no other band out there today, both abrasive and sweet, and can hold its own.

How would you describe the type of music from Gene Dante?

I believe Michael Epstein from The Motion Sick described the band as “the bridge between Morrissey and The New York Dolls.” If I’m mistakenly attributing this quote to Michael, I apologize. I’ve also heard we’re a “truck stop Roxy Music” — part glitter, part gutter. Generally, I strive for strong melodies and left-of-center lyrics wrapped in hard guitars.

Lyrically, your music seems to be pretty open and honest. What type of events/experiences inspire these lyrics?

That is very kind. Thank you. I’ve always believed “write what you know” is invaluable advice to any writer. However, this is the deal: my lyrics (or ANYONE’s lyrics) are only as “real” as the listener will allow them to be. Some are based on my life, some are based on things I’ve observed or overheard, some are heightened or streamlined, some are crude or factual. I’ll never tell for sure. Metaphor and Simplicity are my wingmen. I try to be witty and semi-unconventional. I’ll let listeners decide if I succeed.

For listeners new to Gene Dante, what song would you recommend they listen to and why?

This is the SOPHIE’S CHOICE question. How do you pick a favorite child? “A Madness to His Method” is probably a great introduction. It’s slowly becoming a positive anthem of sorts for outsiders and the marginalized. “Photosynthetic” is a personal favorite. “Brian, My Darling” is an interesting listen and I’m very happy with the album version. I think people should hear “To a God Unknown” just to hear Scott’s guitar solo. Listen to “C Star” if you need a smile put on your face — I didn’t intend for it to do anything more.

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

We’re gonna go where we’re asked and when it’s right. In the meantime, I keep writing. The album JUST hit the college & specialty radio stations. Feedback from that and the videos (for “A Madness to His Method” and “C Star” — currently on MTV’s LOGO Network and YouTube) will determine where & when shows are booked.

What are some of your major musical influences?

I think David Bowie (1971-1980) is a given (C’mon for real: who HASN’T he influenced?). Also, Roxy Music, Brian Eno, Placebo, Gene Loves Jezebel, Echo and The Bunnymen, Frankie Valli, and Neil Diamond.

How did you get started playing music?

I wanted to do something creative and always liked to sing as a child. However, from puberty til about 18 I really couldn’t at all, so I got a guitar and took lessons. I needed some vehicle for music, and to a 14 year old boy guitars are way cooler than pianos. I liked to write as well, but lacked both the attention span necessary for a novelist, and the pretensiousness necessary for a poet. Pop songs seemed the logical choice. I figured I could make a decent rhythm guitarist and songwriter, maybe sing some back-up. But as I developed into more of a songwriter than a musician, my voice came to me.

What are some of your goals for Gene Dante and The Future Starlets?

We want nothing less than worldwide domination. Isn’t that everyone’s goal? Seriously, I get too much nebulous advice telling me to “elevate” my performance and “take it to the next level”…blah blah blah. Frankly, buzzwords and catch phrases are said simply to keep corporate dopes fooled into thinking you know something. I will keep rocking and writing until I feel I’ve nothing left to say, then simply disappear.

Any last words for our readers?

I thank anyone for taking the time to read this all the way through. Anybody can wax intellectual about their “craft.” However, if you’re at all interested give a listen to the music (for free on our MySpace page and www.genedante.com). Draw your own conclusions and decide for yourself.

The Veer Union Interview-June 22, 2009

June 22, 2009 By Ben Minsky 13 Comments

Can you introduce yourself and your role in The Veer Union?

My name is Fid, and I play guitar and sing a little bit in TVU.

Your debut album, Against The Grain, was released in April. How do you feel about the album overall?

We are so very very proud of Against the Grain. We poured our hearts and souls into that album and want the chance to share it with everyone.

What has been fan reaction to the album? Are they into it?

We have been getting a great reaction from the album. People are really connecting with it which was our goal from the get go.

How did the Veer Union come together?

In short form. The word “Veer” means to change direction. Before TVU we were all in different projects and not happy with the situations we were in. So we “veered” away from all that and came together as a “Union” and here we are today.

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

We are currently on tour with Halestorm, Burn Halo, and Since October till the end of June. Till the end of September we go out with Sick Puppies and Hurt. After that, there are definitely some big plans, but can’t quite say yet.

Tell me a little about your involvement with the “You Can Be Anything Foundation.”

It’s a foundation that helps raise money and awareness for kids in music programs. We find it such a fitting foundation because all of us started in school. Many music/art programs in schools are getting their funds cut, so we want to help kids try and reach their potentials and answer any questions they might have.

What are some of your major musical influences?

The whole band has a list that goes on and on and on. As a child I grew up around everything you could think of. Right now I am really into bands like Thrice, Incubus, Misery Signals, Radiohead and that’s just the tip of the ice berg.

Where would you like to see The Veer Union in a year from now?

Doing the exact same thing with more and more people singing along.

For new listeners, what song would you recommend they listen to and why?

I’d have to say Seasons which is our first single. It’s a high energy track that I think a lot of listeners can relate to.

How would you describe your sound?

We are considered an Alt Rock band, but it’s so hard to stick any band in any kind of genre, so you’ll have to have a listen to decide for yourself.

Any last words for our readers?

www.myspace.com/theveerunion and grab our album Against the Grain off itunes!

Hello Operator Interview – May 13th, 2009

May 21, 2009 By Max Specht Leave a Comment

Hello Operator are an up-and-coming band from Canada that have been making waves with songs like “Chasing Sattelites” and their latest single “Take Me Away”. Their infectious synth arena rock is one of the catchiest in music right now. I recently got the oppurtunity to ask Evan (Keyboards) about their upcoming tour, a new album, and Trent Reznor.

[Read more…]

Keys N’ Krates Interview – May 14th, 2009

May 17, 2009 By Max Specht Leave a Comment

Keys N’ Krates are a group who have proclaimed that they have “Re-Invented The remix”. I recently got a chance to ask them a few questions about their live show, touring, and “Yo Gabba Gabba”. Here’s what they had to say.

Please introduce yourself and your role in Keys N’ Krates?

This is Matisse the co-creator, keyboardist, and mic man

How did you get started, what is the origin behind the group?

Basically Flo was working in the dj world and wanted to work more
closely with musicians. I was coming off a lot of experience working
with bands and musicians but really wanted to cross into the Dj world.
We both had this idea about what could happen if you mixed djing with
live music in a club setting.

We had a mutual friend who introduced us. We started jamming out and
vibing with each other and realized we had a lot of good ideas. I
told my long time friend and drummer Adam Tune about the project and
he thought it was dope and joined in as well. We locked ourselves in
a rehearsal room for 6 months and came up with our first live remixing
show. The idea has been evolving ever since. Even we don’t know
where we will end up.

Your myspace prominently displays the message “we re-invented the
remix” could you please elaborate on that?

We combine sampling, turntablism,keyboards, and drumming to produce
remixes and we do it all 100% live. We remix old tracks known or
unknown and repackage it to the masses with our own spin on it. The
fact that we are performing it all live has never really been done
before. Hence we re-invented the remix.

Which of your remixes do you enjoy the most, or found particularily
interesting in one way or another?

mmm my favorite live remix of ours right now is our alliyah -one in a
milli remix. There are a lot of cool musical elements we brought to
that track. The way we flipped the beat and added the middle build up
section to me is siccckk. I’m also a fan of our live remix C.E.O. We
took that one and turned it into this epic almost movie soundtrack
arrangement. The crowd always rocks out to it when we do it.

How do you feel thus far about your tour and the crowds you’ve been

performing with?

I love touring. Love it!
Some people get sick of it but so far I can’t get enough of it. I
live to be on the road. Even love the food. The crowds have been
good to us where ever we end up. Screaming and dancing like they’re
at a rock concert.

What can people expect from your shows that they wouldn’t find at just

any other club show?

Our musicality for one. A lot of bands start
playing live and kinda learn their instruments as they go. All of us
are very good at our individual instruments and we take pride in
putting together a musically challenging performance.

Also we have a lot of fun while we’re on stage and get really into
what we’re doing. I think our fans pick up on that energy and that
gets them partying even harder.

If you had the ability to collaborate with any contemporary artist who

would it be?

Y’know its funny but I would really like to remix
Alicia Keys. That’s just me though as a fellow pianist and singer.

If you could be responsible for any one hit wonder in history, which

would it be?

I would’ve wanted to produce the song Baby got Back by
Sir Mix a lot.
That song is the shit and I’d still be getting royalty checks haha

What is one musical trend or fad that you can’t stand and why?

Aaarrrrggghhh Twitter and the music industry.

I have an account and I can’t stand the damn thing. I mean who cares
what the hell I’m up to everyday. Seriously? Its an unfortunate evil
that we have to use it online. I know some people are gonna fight me
on that. But what is this thing and why do people find it
entertaining to read someone else’s pointless updates about eating
eggs in the morning? I mean what the fuck is a twitter anyway?
TWITTER me? C’monnnnn

On the group’s blog, JR Flo mentioned that he would want to be on the
show Yo Gabba Gabba one day, if you had the oppurtunity to be on the
show what subject would you want your song to be about?

If I was on there my song would be teaching kids about the dangers
of eating KFC. I’ve eaten a lot of KFC in my day and kids let me warn
ya.
But…I….can’t……STOP.

Who are some other people in your genre of music that you feel are

talented and about to break?

I don’t really pay much attention to
what other remixes are out. I kinda just listen to good music. I do
pay attention to other Canadian artists. Obviously Drake is gonna be
big. I’m a fan of Zaki Ibrahim as well.

Thank you very much for taking time out to do this interview, any last

words for our readers at Driven Far Off?

Yeah, Don’t do drugs.

Thanks goes out to Jesper for arranging the interview and Matisse for taking time out to answer the questions.

The Silent Years Interview- May 16, 2009

May 17, 2009 By Ben Minsky 1 Comment

Can you please introduce yourself and what your role is in The Silent Years?

Josh-I sing in The Silent Years

How did the band all come together?

Magically and effortlessly

For listeners unfamiliar with The Silent Years, how would you describe your music to them?

I’d tell them to click this link and listen:

http://www.myspace.com/thesilentyears

You have an EP coming out on July 14th called Let Go. How would you say that
this EP is different, if at all, from the previous album The Globe?

It’s summery and more fun

What song off of the new EP would you say you are most proud of? Why?

Madame Shocking because it is so different for us

Are there any plans to record another full length album after the EP is out?

Yes

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

We hope to tour more and have no plans currently

Do you have any funny/interesting/insightful stories from touring or recording?

One time a hole developed in Fabian’s jeans by his butt and we didn’t tell him

What would you say is the best part of being in a band? The worst?

Best part is playing music. Worst part is the ulcer

How did you get started playing music?

I sang a lot at 9 months old

What goals do you have for The Silent Years?

We would like to keep making good records for a while

Madina Lake Interview- May 7, 2009

May 7, 2009 By Ben Minsky 58 Comments

Can you please introduce yourself and your role in Madina Lake?

Matthew and me plays bass.

How did the band come together?

We met in Chicago where we had previous bands who were competing for the attention of our then manager. Neither of us were satisfied musically so when we met, we bonded instantly over this and other ideas of what a musical situation could be. we decided to break up the old bands and make ML under these guiding principles.

Your new album is coming on May 5, 2009. How is this album different from your previous work?

This record is devoid of genre. It’s more of who we are. The last record was a little too pop-punk, this one is more alternative, and each song manages to be cohesive, while being completely different from one another.

How do you feel about the new album?

What are you most proud of and why? We feel more satisfied and fulfilled with this record than we could have ever imagined. We played at the edge of our abilities and we were fearless with every decision. we tuned out the outside world and dove deep into whatever direction we felt like going, which even found us using a trumpet on one song lol.

How is the current tour going?

What other touring plans do you have for this year? We are in the UK doing a headlining run with our friends the “audition” it is dangerously fun and we are loving life. after this we will do a run of USA dates, some festivals including Rockam Ring Rockam Park in germany and then spend all summer on warped.

What are some of your musical influences and why?

we were big fans of fleetwood mac, paul simon, NIN, smashing pumpkins. we like the idea of big pop choruses and electronic verses with thick grooves and lots of space.

How did you guys get started playing music?

nathan and i went to see a show at the metro in chicago when we were kids. it was a band called Hum and Silverchair The second we walked in the outside world melted away and we were absorbed into this imaginary universe of like minded people. we thought immediately, we have to do this.

So, do you have any interesting and/or funny stories to share from the road?

I was beyond thirsty the other night in the van around 3am and this beautiful bottle of evian water bumbed up against my foot. i reached down unscrewed the cap and even squeezed the bottle as to get more of this delicious stuff into my mouth…only to discover seconds later that it was not so refreshing, it was nathan’s urine.

What direction would you like to see Madina Lake pursue?

I would love to go the way of Muse or Kings of Leon…bands that have nice long healthy careers while retaining their artistic vision and integrity and dodging the flash in the pan scenerio that some trendsters fall into.

Any last words for our readers at For The Sound?

Thanks for the opportunity, we hope you enjoy us, but if not, godspeed and best of luck in your personal musical pursuit.

My Favorite Highway Interview – April 22, 2009

April 23, 2009 By Max Specht 1 Comment

I recently had the oppurtunity to conduct an interview with David Cook of one of Virgin records latest signee’s My Favorite Highway. We discuss signing to a major label, flavour of the week scene bands, and Demi Lovato. Special thanks goes out to David and Frank at Empire Media Management for allowing this to happen

Please Introduce yourself and what you do in My Favorite Highway.

My name is David Cook and I sing lead vocals and play guitar and piano in MFH.

How does it feel being with Virgin records? was it an intimidating experience diving into the world of major labels after trying for so long to get signed?

It feels great! No, it was very intimidating at all actually, we’ve been dipping our toes in and out of that world for over three years now so we’re pretty comfortable with the entire industry and the way it operates.

Signing to a major label has always carried a stigma to it, in relation to “selling out” (in the past more, but now not as much) How do you feel your fans have felt about your signing?

I think that our fans are very supportive of us signing to a major label and everything that we do. It’s no secret that since day one of MFH one of our first major goals and priorities was to sign to a major label, we worked very hard to get to where we are now and we’re prepared to work even harder to achieve the rest of our goals.

Why was “Say So” chosen as the first single? And what was it like filming the live video in New York?

I think “Say So” was chosen because it’s a very catchy song, it’s a great break out song and I think it gives a great first impression of the band for new listeners. To be honest… I wasn’t even aware we were filming that video, haha, that video is actually just a little something to get you by for now, we’re making the real video out in LA in June, which will be a lot of fun.

How important do you believe it is for bands to stay true to themselves and make songs they love, then songs that a label would want to hear and suggest a band create? Do fans feel when a song is true to the artist then one that isn’t?

I think that’s very important, before signing to Virgin we tried for a very long time to write songs that would appeal to record labels, but we ended up not liking those songs or even tossing them, when we wrote How To Call A Bluff the approach was that we wanted to write songs that we loved and that we knew our fans would love, and I think that’s the best way to stay true to yourself.

You’re going to be on tour with Danger Radio and Stereo Skyline starting May 5th, how do you feel about the bands you are going to be touring with?

That tour is going to be a lot of fun, I think both bands are very talented and they seem like really stand up guys.

What was the influence behind your cover of “Don’t Forget” by Demi Lovato? If you could choose one of your songs for her to cover, which do you think it would be?

To be completely honest I just really liked the song and couldn’t get it out of my head one day, so I said to myself, “I bet I can play that.” So I did and made a video of it, and I think it’s gotten a lot more attention than I intended, haha. I would ask her to cover “Steel City”, I think that song would be great for her voice and I think she’d enjoy singing it.

If you could be responsible for the creation of any one-hit wonder in history, which would it be?

Oh my, there are a lot, but probably “Closing Time” by Semisonic.

Three of your songs have been featured on MTV programs (The Hills and The City) How do you feel MTV and other networks that play music during their programs help bands and artists? Did you find that it generated a lot of buzz for you guys?

Actually five songs, but who’s counting! I think getting placements in popular TV shows like that can be a great opportunity, and in my experience the people working at the networks who are responsible for placing the songs are all about helping the artists succeed. When people hear your song for the first time and it’s associated with an emotion they felt while watching a particular scene in a TV show or movie it will always resonate with them. Having our songs on those shows didn’t necessarily generate a ton of buzz for us, but it definitely increased the amount of songs we sold on iTunes during those weeks!

On your blog, you’ve been quoted as saying “Scene kids and hip-hop beats were never meant to breed, I can’t wait until the “party emo” trend is dead”. Do you feel at all cheated at seeing bands like these get signed and become accomplished so soon after only playing a couple shows and posting some “fun” songs on myspace, seeing how much you’ve had to go through to get to the level you’re at?

No, I don’t feel cheated, because I know that they’ll all be changing my oil at Jiffy Lube in a few years. Sorry, that was harsh, I just mean to say that those bands aren’t career bands, they’re the flavor of the week and will be hear today and gone tomorrow, there’s no real talent or effort involved. It’s not real music and I’m pretty sure that 95% of music listeners hate it and the other 5% don’t know any better.

How do you feel about sites like Myspace or Purevolume, like how they can allow for a directory of all different kinds of bands to put there songs out there and be discovered, while at the same time allowing bands like Brokencyde and Millionaires to exist and become successful in the same environment? is it just as much of a blessing as it is a curse?

That’s a really good question, and I have mixed feelings. Without websites like MySpace we would have never had a foundation to build our fan base or an outlet to sell our music and market our tours. The problem definitely is that now your friend Tommy across the hall can record himself farting, get someone to design him an awesome MySpace and sell 100,000 downloads of “Tommy’s Farts” on iTunes and make $70,000 doing so. The beauty of it is that anyone with an entrepreneurial mindset can turn their “music” into a semi-successful business rather quickly. The problem is that there are SO many bands out there that music in general is very over saturated right now, but the bottom line is that the real artists that have great songs will rise to the top and the ones who don’t will get to have some fun making their music.

Your band has been through a lot before you achieved the recognition you deserved by being signed to Virgin records, what kind of wisdom can you impart on bands that are trying to get signed while facing the same trials and tribulations you have?

The best advice I can give anyone is to write as many songs as you can until you write that one undeniably great song. Write a great song and you will always win. The songs are all that matter, everything else is just details.

What would be one thing that you would want listeners to take away from How To Call A Bluff?

I hope that when people listen to HTCAB they gain and sense of hope and are inspired. I think that the songs we write are very uplifting and I really hope that they encourage people and when they’re driving down the highway listening to our songs that it makes them feel genuinely happy.

Thank you very much for taking time out for this interview, any last words for everyone at Driven Far Off?

Thank you so much for some great questions! May 5th, How To Call A Bluff, make sure you get a copy and come check us out on tour this summer!

Norma Jean Interview – March 29, 2009

April 19, 2009 By Tamlyn Koga 1 Comment

Before Norma Jean decided dropped off their tour with Silverstein, I was lucky enough to be able to interview Jake, bassist of Atlanta’s own Norma Jean. Special thanks goes out to their tour manager Lucie, Chris Byrnes, Libby Henry, and of course Jake for making this interview possible.

State your name and position in the band.
I’m Jake and I play bass in Norma Jean.

With all the line up changes in the past, how has that affected Norma Jean?
It has made us better actually. Every time a line up change has happened, we definitely feel it’s the right direction for us, and even though some of the lineup changes weren’t that easy to go through we’ve definitely seen God through all of them.

What were the exact line up changes?
Josh Scogin and Josh Doolittle left the band in 2001 or 2002, which was right before Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child came out. I joined right after that and then we had a fill in singer for awhile. Corey joined in 2004 or 2005, then Daniel quit a year and a half ago and now we have Chris Raines as a drummer.

How do get to know Chris Raines?
He was in a band called Spitfire that we used to play shows with back in the day. We’ve just known him forever.

From Redeemer to The Anti-Mother Norma Jean’s sound has changed, why is that?
We grew up. We’re all old and sick of playing chug chug wee songs. It’s kind of a natural progression for us. We all care about our music a lot and when we write it’s a collective effort with everybody. Its just not two dudes writing stuff. From lyrics to artwork to song structure to songs and riffs, we all kind of mold all the songs. We also just get tired of playing the same old stuff, so we constantly challenge ourselves to break out and play something that no one ever played or somebody has been afraid to play.

Can you describe Norma Jean’s writing process?
We usually block off about two to three months and just get together and hammer out songs and we get a practice space for about ten hours a day and just share riffs and stuff. But we’re kind of bored with that approach, so we’re taking this whole year to write on and off all year and take it really easy and really think through the songs a whole lot and really be happy with what were putting out. Not that we haven’t been happy with what we’ve put out before we’ve been stoked on everything, but we just wanted to take a different approach this time to see how much more we can challenge ourselves.

What does The Anti-Mother represent and the whole concept behind it?
It’s kind of this character that we created that we believe that everybody has inside them. It’s basically a mother which is nurturing, teaches you, and something that builds you up and the Anti-Mother is something that tears you down. We believe that everybody has that nature inside them that wants to pull them down like addiction whatever that is lying, cheating, stealing, drugs, alcohol, and greed anything like that. There’s something inside everybody that constantly tugs at them to go the wrong way and we really wanted to touch on a lot of issues that we’ve been through. We felt that we really had something to say on this last record and that maybe you could take something from this.

Where do you get most of the ideas for your songs?
Just life. What we’ve been through, what we see around us, and what we hope for pretty much. We try to always end on an end note of hope no matter how dark the song may be or lyrical content might be. We always want to say hey we’ve been through this stuff, but look where we can get to or look what’s ahead.

What song do you feel the presence of God the most?
I don’t know it’s always different each day. Sometimes since we do this so much it just becomes routine and every once in awhile I’ll just stop and be like wait I’m on stage God has given us so much, so I usually take about 5 to 10 seconds and pray during the set and try to enter back in.

What new exciting places will you be taking your fans on your next adventure?
Hopefully to Six Flags. Actually I would like to take a lot of people to Six Flags. We talked about doing a mall tour, but we wouldn’t play any shows. We would just show up and have people show up and walk around the mall with us and not really do anything.

What’s the next step for Norma Jean?
Don’t really know actually, we’ve started writing some stuff. We’ve got 2 songs that are pretty heavy, we have one song that’s really melodic. Scottie is writing some stuff that’s a little darker sounding, a little in slower tempo, but weird. And I’ve been writing some straight up rock I don’t know sounds weird, but some aggressive kind of stuff. It’s going to be weird, it’s going to be different, but we’re really excited because we really want to focus a lot on us as musicians and just challenging ourselves to be better at our instruments because there’s so much crap as far as bands go.

Do you have a favorite motto or life phrase?
Live your lives. Our old tour manager used to say that all the time and it rules because it’s true just live your lives.

To see live photos from their show go to Driven Far Off’s photos section 😀

Ace Enders Interview April 14, 2009

April 14, 2009 By Ben Minsky 1 Comment

To start, can you please introduce yourself and describe your newest project Ace Enders and A Million Different People?

Yeah, my name is Ace Enders and you know, my band is Ace Enders and a Million Different People. We’re pretty intense, pretty hardcore. (laughs) Pretty rough around the edges. In the band is myself, a drummer named Jason Howie, guitar player Will Gilree, and bass player Sergio Amelo.

Your new album, When I Hit The Ground, just came out last week. Overall, how do you feel about this album?

I’m really pretty pleased with it. There are a couple minor things I think I would of done differently but for the most part, I’m pretty happy with it. I like how it turned out and I’m really excited about it.

How is this new album different than stuff from The Early November or I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody’s Business?

It’s a little different than The Early November as far as like it’s more “grown up.” I don’t want to sound like The Early November was immature but as we get older we definately go through different stages and it’s just what you would expect going through life. I didn’t try and force it to be anything. I kept it natural like The Early November always was and I took all those things I really appreciated about the band and put it into this album.

What would you say are your favorite songs off of the new album and why?

Off the new album..”The Only Thing I Have” is probably my favorite song because it captures the whole story, the whole feeling of what I’ve been going through in the past couple of years and um, it’s probably my favorite one. But another one I really enjoy is “Where Do We Go From Here”..it’s very fun to play. I like all of them and I’m really happy with how all the songs turned out. We just shot a video for “The Only Thing I Have” and I’m really happy with how it turned out. There is a little kid who plays me along time ago and I’m happy with it.

I remember reading somewhere that you recorded all of the instruments on the new album..the guitar, drums, bass, everything. Did you enjoy making an album like this? Was that always the plan for this new album?

I didn’t record the drums, the producer Chris played the drums on the album but pretty much everything else was me. He did some piano but we both sat there and did whatever to get the project done you know? Yeah I really enjoyed making an album like this. It’s the most fun for me. I like when I can just do whatever and just create what I want to do. I think it was my plan then it wasn’t and then it just happened.

You are currently on tour with Craig Owens of Chiodos, The Color Fred, The Gay Blades, and VersaEmerge. How has the tour been so far? What is the response from the kids coming to the shows..do they know the lyrics, are they into it?

The tour has been great. The Color Fred actually jumps on in a couple of days. I’m sure it’ll be much better with him though. He’s a great dude. I’ve actually been having a ton of fun, all the bands are great. I really can’t complain. Yeah they kids are into it and we are having a great time. It’s been great and I’ve been really suprised.

Do you have any other touring plans following this current tour?

Right after this, we are doing an All-American Rejects tour and then in summer we are headlining. We are thinking about bringing VersaEmerge but they straighten their hair too much. [Drummer from VersaEmerge walks by and starts talking to Ace]

I heard that you built your own recording studio to track some demos for the upcoming album. Why did you decide to do this? How much time did you spend working on that project? Now that the album is finished, what are you going to be using it for?

It took me, planning and all, about 2 months. I built it all myself with the help of my little cousin and my grandfather. We just wanted to make everything how it would work best for me. It isn’t the best stuff ever but I get around. I recorded most of my stuff there like The Secret Wars, “Reaction” off of the new album was recorded there. I do a lot of production with bands so I’ve been working with them in the studio. I’m really excited about a couple of things like a band from around here called Echo Screen.

What made you want to do a cover of The Verve’s song “Bittersweet Symphony”? How has the response been to the cover?

The response has been great. It’s one of my favorite songs ever and it’s one of the songs for me that can change my mood. So it’s like I wanted to share that with people. We contacted Save The Music and all the proceeds go to that charity. They were really open to it and loved it. They are really excited about it and it’s doing great.

Do you have any plans to start up any side projects in the future?

[laughs] I have too much of that. I think I’m just gonna stick with this for a while. The reason why I have so many projects is because I like to keep writing music so what I’ll probably end up doing is put out one album every year and a half and put out little things every once in a while like EP’s or something.

How did you get started playing music?

My stepdad I guess was always in bar bands and I picked up one of his guitars one day and that’s how it started. He showed me a few chords and from there I was on my own.

What would you say are some major musical influences in your life?

Jimmy Eat World, Pearl Jam..as weird as that may sound. I really respect them for what they do. Jets To Brazil and all those old school bands have had a big influence on me and I’ve always wanted to have that same impact on kids as they did on me.

I know you probably get this question a lot, but people have been asking me to ask you. Is there any possibility of an Early November reunion?

No. Yeah I mean, I’ll always play those songs like acoustic and have fun with people. Do little sing-a-longs and what not. But as far as the band getting back together, I can’t see it happening any time soon. Maybe we will play a few shows one day but that’s it.

Any last words for our readers at Driven Far Off?

Just thank you for everyone who has been supporting me for so long, I really appreciate it. You know, I don’t want anyone to think I don’t appreciate them or dont care, I really do.

Thank you Ace for taking the time to answer these questions and to Gary Strack for setting up this interview.