Being as an Ocean - June 2015 - HM Magazine

BEING

JUNE 2015 MUSIC FOR GOOD

AS AN

OCEAN Building through the struggle of love

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME Entering the Long Sleep

IWRESTLEDABEARONCE Hailing Heavy

THE ONGOING CONCEPT Starting from Scratch

MEWITHOUTYOU Writing in Character

HMMAGAZINE.COM VOLUME XXX NO. CXCI S INCE 1985 CELEBRATING 30 YEARS

The Used Sleepwave Make Them Suffer Incite The Whosoevers ‘Scary Close’ Brandon Rage

O

OPENING STATEMENTS

Photo by Brooke Long

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HM • JUNE 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 10

BRANDON RAGE

BY DAVID STAGG

12

HM LIVE: SLEEPWAVE PHOTOS BY BROOKE LONG

20

DIGITAL TOUR BUS: SEASON ESSENTIALS

BY JOSH WEIDLING

26

IN BRIEF: VICTORIAN HALLS

BY MADELINE ROWE

30

COLUMNS

MATT FRANCIS 32 CAM SMITH 34

HM LIVE: THE USED PHOTOS BY BROOKE LONG

36

BOOKS: SCARY CLOSE

BY DOUG VAN PELT

44

MOVIES: W3SIXTY5

BY JAMESON KETCHUM AND DAVID STAGG

46

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OPENING STATEMENTS

THE ONGOING CONCEPT When you think D.I.Y., you probably go more HGTV than MTV. The Idahoans in The Ongoing Concept might have something to say about that

BY JORDAN GONZALEZ

p. 48

MEWITHOUTYOU MewithoutYou vocalist Aaron Weiss started the band as a side project, but as it started to define a genre, Weiss found himself as defined and surefooted as ever. But with age and experience, his reflection is finding it’s not always so cut-and-dried

BY SEAN HUNCHERICK

p. 56

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME On their latest, an epic new concept album called Coma Ecliptic, the band is finding a new home in the long sleep

BY COLLIN SIMULA

p. 62

IWRESTLEDABEARONCE On the band’s heaviest album yet, iwrestledabearonce proves they can get as low as the best of them. We find out from vocalist Courtney LaPlante what led to the band chugging it down a notch

BY DAVID STAGG

p. 68

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HM • JUNE 2015

On the band’s newest album, frontman Joel Quartuccio is learning how to bare his soul

BY SARAH DOS SANTOS

p. 80

Photo by Corinne Alexandra

BEING AS AN OCEAN

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OPENING STATEMENTS

Summer Lovin’ The only thing that makes us do crazier things than love is a summer festival I was never much for school, so I always looked forward to summer. Not only did summer mean no school, but it also meant two or three big time rock shows were coming to town.

When I wasn’t in trouble or playing sports (to stay out of trouble), I loved being wide-eyed at the sheer wealth of bands at the shows. There were all of my favorites, but every smaller stage also offered the casual passerby the opportunity to listen to a new band. Just walking around in the summer Houston heat could kill a man, but finding a sound and a lyricism you connected with was more than EDITOR IN CHIEF

worth it.

DAVID STAGG

The festivals make us do crazy things. The biggest bands all end up on the same bills, and — when you’re an able young man or woman — you willingly stand all day among sweaty, sunblock-and-grease-exuding bodies, baking for

MANAGING EDITOR

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

COLLIN SIMULA

BROOKE LONG

NATHAN KEY

the love of live music. You spend $8 on bottled water; you eat $10 burgers. I’m older now and way more inclined to

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

SARAH DOS SANTOS, JORDAN

watch from the shade, but I still love watching the unadul-

GONZALEZ, SEAN HUNCHERICK,

terated joy fans shower on their favorite artists despite

JAMESON KETCHUM, BEN RICKABY,

sickening weather conditions.

The scope of festivals has changed; in another age, it

DOUG VAN PELT COLUMNISTS

MATT FRANCIS, CAM SMITH

was the only way you could see your favorite musicians.

But with a new collective conscious in social media and the ever-present cell phone, they’ve become so much more.

DIGITAL TOUR BUS COVER PHOTO

JOSH WEIDLING CORINNE ALEXANDRA

The connectivity has allowed for niche festivals to flourish, finding new markets, new bands and allowing publicity from the attendees to drive interest.

Festival season also has one other major benefit: sales.

ADVERTISING

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LETTERS

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As touring is the primary revenue-generator for bands with 200 fans as it is for 2,000,000 fans, it’s a wonderful time for listeners to go support their favorite bands along the way.

I’ve talked to festival-goers over the years, and there’s still the same sentiment: save up your cash, hit up a festival with a number of your favorite bands and buy a shirt from every one. For a smaller touring band, that can mean the difference between abandoning a tour and having enough

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money to make it to the next city.

As we enter the season, I may not be able to be in front anymore, but God bless those of you that can. Enjoy the heat and stay hydrated. And don’t forget to grab some merch.

HM MAGAZINE (ISSN 1066-6923) ALL CONTENTS COPYRIGHT 2015 EXCEPT WHERE OTHERWISE NOTED. HM CONTENTS MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN ANY MANNER,

DAVID STAGG, EDITOR IN CHIEF DSTAGG@HMMAGAZINE.COM 10

HM • JUNE 2015

EITHER WHOLE OR IN PART, WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION. HM IS DEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED: PSALM 62

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BRANDON RAGE

HM • JUNE 2015

CLEAR THINK ING

He left a highly-coveted spot drumming for Motionless in White, left for dead, powerless to alcohol. What followed was an incredible series of events that caused Brandon Rage to see success in a completely different light

BY DAVID STAGG PHOTOS BY BROOKE LONG

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BRANDON RAGE

“ T H E O N LY PLAN B IS TO REGROUP FOR PLAN A. That’s one of the things he says. It’s encouragement for the broken from Brandon Richter, commonly known by his “drummer name” Brandon Rage.

Drinking since he was playing in clubs with bands at 14 years old, he couldn’t shake his addiction for more than seven years. Eventually, he was downing hard booze everyday and couldn’t physically handle being in Motionless in White anymore. His childhood dream of becoming the world’s biggest drummer looked bleak. He found himself dehydrated and weak, barely able to find change to get a Gatorade, barely able to walk to get it if he did. One day, he had had enough. He pleaded and found his inner peace — and his outer voice got louder and louder.

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HM • JUNE 2015

I met him through Brooke Long, Director of Photography for this magazine. She met Richter while shooting his new band, A Skylit Drive, on location in Baltimore. It was a band he never planned on joining, having met vocalist Michael Jagmin on the tour circuit but connecting through a mutual love for fitness. The resuccetation of Richter’s life not only led him back into music, but gave him a higher purpose, one in which fame or industry success takes a back seat to helping others the same way he was helped. Editor David Stagg spoke with Richter to find out more about his new philosophy on life, one that’s given him new vigor and zest, how God fits into that picture and what a future of hope instead of death looks like.

Yeah, totally. Basically, I was in rehearsals for this

know or will be reading

you were talking about

to people.

getting sober, you implied

upcoming tour (that I’m

When I started to get a

actually on right now). I was

little older, I went through

return. Can you elabo-

talking to Kyle (Simmons)

the basic teenage things,

rate on what you mean?

— who is the bass player for

like experiences with alco-

In those dark moments, it

A Skylit Drive — hanging

hol and certain drugs, in

sounds like you’re talking

in his room. How I work,

high school and late middle

to someone. Was that a

sometimes, I just go off

school. I was still playing

commitment to yourself,

into telling people my story

drums, and, after a time, I

was it a commitment to

without even asking them.

was actually getting really

the universe?

It just kind of happens, and

good, playing with guys a

I get into this zone where I

lot older than I was.

getting

something

in

At the time, I was 21, I was living in an apartment

get really excited to share it.

I didn’t realize I was

my mom had owned —

I think it’s such a powerful

going to run into trouble

she was never really there

thing, such a powerful tool

with

I

— and, at the time, I had

most people don’t under-

mean, I was just doing what

been drinking for weeks

stand or use themselves.

everyone did. It was not

and weeks and weeks and

(Just before the video), I

a good thing for me, but I

weeks, all day. Hard booze.

was telling Kyle everything

continued to do it up until I

I was really, really sick. I

I (ended up) saying in the

was 21, and during the later

didn’t have much in the

video and explaining the

years — from when I was

house, no food, I wasn’t

steps of how I got to where I

like 19, 20, 21 — I wasn’t

eating, there weren’t any

was, being in the band with

really doing too much with

waters in there. I remember

him. It got really deep, and

my drumming. That was

I woke up really early in

he was really paying atten-

the first time in my life that

the morning, like 4 a.m.,

tion. ... I had never really

I didn’t really pursue my

and walked to Walmart to

explained the story to any-

dream, and I got lost away

get a Gatorade, and I had

body. That was a brand new

from the dream — there’s

to find change in the house

YouTube channel, and it’s

just no way I would have

just to get the Gatorade. I

definitely one of the high-

been able to do it in the con-

was so dehydrated. I felt

est viewed videos on there.

dition I was in, being so sick

like sh-t. Man, it was just a

It was a really good thing

with alcohol all the time.

bad, bad scary feeling to be

for me to be in the zone and

Once I hit 21 the addiction

in that situation, and I felt

on camera with that kind of

with alcohol got really bad

so bad for myself, in a way,

vibe behind it.

because I was finally legal.

because I allowed myself to

That’s when things went

get that way.

We’ll For the people that don’t

was. That’s what I exuded

get

into

alcohol

because,

that

downhill. I came to a cross-

The day I finally decided

story, but take me back to

roads, got hit with some

to stop, I was trying to drink

a little bit before.

big reality, and I made the

away a freaking month long

about you for the first time,

My dad started me when

decision to quit. But for the

hangover just to get to a

it’s YouTube videos that

I was really young. It just

sacrifice I was making —

normal state of mind. Like

you made after a show one

stuck with me. Then, as I

quitting drinking, which

most alcoholics, you drink

night after talking to some

grew up, everybody knew

was really hard for me — I

to feel better. I just wasn’t

fans that got us together

me

drummer.

wanted what I worked so

feeling better. The more I

on the phone. In the video,

Everyone was so stoked on

hard for to finally start

drank, the more sick I felt

you never really say what

it, and it’s like I had this

rolling. Then, when I made

on that day. That’s the day

you talked about with the

energy to affect people, and

the sacrifice and I actually

I actually said, “Okay, this

fans or what happened

they knew I was going to

stopped, that’s when things

is it.”

that incited an uncontrol-

be exactly who I said I was

completely shifted and all

What you were saying

lable force to post the vid-

going to be. Even complete

the doors started opening

was when I asked, okay, if

eos. Can we start there?

strangers would approach

for me.

I decide to get rid of this

Because I think that’d give

me after watching me play

a good background as to

— people knew that I was

I want to touch on some

in return. That deal was

why we’re even talking

going to be who I want-

of the things you specifi-

with the force of… some

right now to begin with.

ed to be. That’s just who I

cally said in there. When

could call it the universe,

as

the

bad habit, I want something

15

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BRANDON RAGE

some could call it God, the

and one of the most pow-

never reach their potential.

what did I do? I made a 20

Creator. It was with whom-

erful things I’ve ever expe-

It’s all about your thoughts

minute video on what anxi-

ever created me and whom-

rienced in my life. ... It’s

and what you want. I mean,

ety is and how I overcame it.

ever was in charge; it was

the closest thing you can

you can really achieve any-

I made a video on paths you

the person I’ve always had a

get to not being a human

thing just by wanting it so

can take and how you can

connection with. Maybe it’s

with flesh. It’s something

bad and getting excited

go down the path of alcohol

the universe. I do believe in

completely surreal, but it’s

about it and knowing you’re

and partying and live that

God, and it was with that

reality. I say this a lot. My

on the right path.

life, or you can really tap

person. I said, “You see me

reality is most people’s fan-

struggling, you see me suf-

tasy, because most people

fering. You put me here for

aren’t really connected with

repeat back the way I

a purpose.” I knew what

what reality really is.

understand it. It’s like you

going

to

try

to

sober and be powerful. Use your resources.

want people to come with

When you talk to peo-

was a child, and this thing’s

Do you believe there’s a

you on your journey, but if

ple in your travels, what

really got a hold of me,

reward in that separation,

you say, “Hey, I want to go

do you hear is the big-

so if I quit this and I stop

that once you start to get

out and get what I want,”

gest fear that they have to

this bad habit, then I want

closer to the universe, as

it sounds like you’re self-

overcome?

what I’ve worked so hard

you call it, to understand-

ish, just, like, “Well don’t

The biggest thing for

for. Then I made the deci-

ing the supernatural, that

you care about other peo-

people is believing they

sion and I stopped. I laid in

it gives you an advantage

ple?”

can do something they

bed for a few days and, in

over those that don’t?

that purpose was when I

I feel like fear is a huge

want to do. We all come

don’t

thing with this kind of thing,

from very broken child-

that, when I finally started

think it’s an advantage, I

and people don’t understand

hoods. I mean, 95 percent

becoming my normal self

think it’s a privilege. I think

how easy it really is. I watch

of us come from divorced

again a couple weeks later,

everybody has to figure it

Will Smith documentaries

parents or alcoholic par-

I started seeing my angel

out for themselves. I’ve

and Jim Carrey almost every

ents or parents with drug

numbers, which I still see

always said I want to be

single day, and Jim Carrey

problems, so when we’re

today. It’s really crazy how

the biggest drummer in the

and Will Smith say some-

kids, we’re not really get-

numbers show up so unex-

world not to be famous but

thing so cool: Everyone is

ting the things we need

pectedly, but now it’s so real

to share my story with peo-

so fearful to go after what

to be these healthy adults

to me and it’s so apparent.

ple, to share my reality with

they want or simply just ask

with healthy self-esteems.

Because, as humans, we

people, how I can spread the

for what they want because

We

can’t see an angel saying,

knowledge of what’s really

they’re just too afraid. They

to our adulthood, and it

“Hey, you’re on the right

going on here on earth with

don’t believe they can do

affects us as adults and we

path.”

others. I was born with this

these things (or that) they

can’t make healthy deci-

mind and I knew I was born

don’t believe they deserve

sions because our emo-

What are angel numbers?

for big things, great things.

these things.

tions are so out of control.

Well, I just found out

I just didn’t realize the scale

I do this for everybody,

I think that’s what every-

myself. It’s kind of a new

of it until really just this

that’s always been my main

one struggles with, really,

thing for me, but, basically,

last year, six months. Even

goal. I want this to be for

not just kids.

angel numbers are a super-

when I was in Motionless in

people like some of the peo-

I try to do what I can for

natural way that the uni-

White, I kind of had a feel-

ple that I look up to have

people in person, but that’s

verse and creation is com-

ing I knew all these things,

done it for me. It’s all about

why I usually make the vid-

municating with you to let

but it was never as powerful

sharing, and this is a big

eos when I feel really strong

you know you’re doing the

and as strong as it is now.

world. This isn’t just me

about something. I’ll post

a way, detoxed. Then after

16

into what you want to do. Be I’m

Yeah,

totally.

I

bring

that

baggage

right thing and that you’re

I definitely think it’s a

trying to steal everyone’s

it all over my social media

on the right path. It’s a

privilege to be where I am

dream. Everyone has their

so whomever wants to can

really easy thing to look for,

at. Life is supposed to be

choice, but my main goal has

watch it, if they’ll allow me

and it’s basically just com-

something that’s so awe-

always been to help people.

to share what I know with

municating with something

some, and we’re supposed

In Motionless in White, I

that can’t be seen. When

to get what we want. I feel

started branching out, and

you truly tap into it, and

like most people feel like

I had some fear and anxiety

When I hear you speak

you believe it and see it for

we’re not supposed to get

and I overcame that, even

about your interactions at

what it is, it’s really one of

what we want out of life,

though I deal with it every-

shows, it reminds me of

the most amazing things I

like life is supposed to be

day. I know millions of peo-

how, in the Bible, it says

think I’ve ever experienced

negative. Therefore, they

ple struggle with anxiety so

we’re not all called to do

HM • JUNE 2015

them.

“LIFE IS SUPPOSED TO BE SOMETHING THAT’S SO AWESOME, AND WE’RE SUPPOSED TO GET WHAT WE WA N T. I F E E L LIKE MOST PEOPLE FEEL LIKE WE’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GET WHAT WE WANT OUT OF LIFE, LIKE LIFE IS SUPPOSED TO BE NEGATIVE.

J

BRANDON RAGE

the same thing. Some are

I was a child. I have put a

so many great chapters in

hands, some are feet, some

lot of time into this and

my story, all so vital, so

are arms, some are legs.

there is a lot of thought

important. It’s almost like

Whereas you don’t get to

and effort behind it. But

it was all part of the plan.

spend in-depth time with

for other people, they need

You’re going to be an alco-

every person you meet,

to know what they want to

holic. You’re going to be that

but if you can be a light or

do. They have to believe in

and you’re going to tell peo-

an inspiration in the time

what they want to do. They

ple about it because every-

you get with them, it could

need to be good at it.

body struggles with that.

have been your job to move

Once you find what your

them through to that next

life purpose is, you have to

moment. Do you believe in

get rid of all your bad habits

that?

You can’t give it up.

I n de pe n de n t

Do you believe there

you negatively. You have to

was a plan, that there is

every day because of the way

be able to let go of those.

a plan?

people have responded to

You have to think pow-

Absolutely. Yeah. I mean,

what I do. I definitely think

erfully. A great tool I use

there is definitely a plan

I have something about me

almost every day is music. I

that was written. My buddy

to where I can affect people,

use it to meditate, and I put

Paul, the treadmill guy, he

because not everyone can

my body and my mind in a

tells me all the time that

just go talk to people and

certain state that’s in align-

your story has been writ-

affect them. ... I’m building

ment with the universe and

ten.

slowly but surely. There’s

my ultimate purpose.

were on the phone talking

Most

recently,

we

a good chance this is part

I ask for what I want

about powerful signs and

of my purpose here, along

every day. I write it down

the car right in front of

with music. I feel like it’s

on paper and I store it away.

me said “Rage” on it. It’s

getting stronger and I’m

I believe I’m going to be

like a Mitsubishi, a cer-

getting more recognition,

what I’m going to be, and I

tain type of car, but some

which is really cool to see

don’t take no for an answer.

of the numbers and letters

and I’m really happy.

I use this energy and this

fell off the model of the

For my immediate future,

power pulling me to believe

car, and all that was left

I mean, obviously, trust is

I’m going to be this person.

was “Rage.” It’s these little

like one of the main things

Then things happen.

things that guide you. I had to stop drinking, otherwise

don’t know what’s going

What changes did you

I wouldn’t be where I am. I

to happen. All I can do is

make to react differently

mean, I could drink it all off

believe it’s going to happen

for the tough moments?

and I probably would die.

and have faith in it. Leave

I think I have the same

the rest to what’s guiding

problem most people have.

me. Leave the rest to the

We think the drinking itself

universe and the one who

is success because, when

Oh yeah. We all have

created me. I’ll do my part.

you’re drinking and when

choices. We have a choice.

They’ll do theirs.

you’re drunk, nothing mat-

I can’t tell you how many

ters on that high. That’s

friends I have lost from not

why people would rather use

drinking — because they

Do you believe you had a choice in all of this?

term

infrastructure?

drugs and alcohol as success

weren’t really my friends.

Living

day-to-day

is

because they feel amazing

You know what I mean? I

completely different than

without the true success

watched

all

what you have to do to win

(underneath). You can buy

change

simple

in the long run.

success. You can buy the best

I

feeling in the world.

I wasn’t going to the bar.

I think the first step is to

18

BY BRANDON RICHTER

and your vices that affect

What about your long-

changed

my my

friends because lifestyle.

start thinking about what

Not everybody can do it.

You know, I just changed

you want to do with your

Everyone is so afraid to stop

my life. I wanted success. I

life. (You have to) really

doing it. When you do it,

want to go where I want to

believe in your purpose.

you choose the outcome.

go. I didn’t want to be stuck

I’ve been doing this since

That was huge for me. I did

anymore.

HM • JUNE 2015

Tattooed Been Through and Called for Purpose

No one can stop drinking.

I believe it more and more

I would say because you

THE 100-WORD BOOK REVIEW

The book’s subtitle, “Helping Men and Women of the New Generation Find Their Purpose in Life,” is quite a mouthful, somewhat representative of the whole book. He dedicates it to the “lost souls in need of something more,” seemingly written for both the reader and the author.

Throughout the 15 chapters, Richter scatters light-hearted stories of memories and mistakes with flashes of dos and don’ts he believes can guide the audience to purpose.

Readers should take this book with a grain of salt; he does provide some guidelines for finding a purpose, but any actual help is lost in choppy chapters.

— MADELINE ROWE

“I THINK I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM MOST PEOPLE HAVE. WE THINK THE DRINKING ITSELF IS SUCCESS BECAUSE, WHEN YOU’RE DRINKING AND WHEN YOU’RE DRUNK, NOTHING MAT TERS ON THAT HIGH. 19

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LIVE AT WEBSTER HALL NEW YORK, NEW YORK PHOTOS BY BROOKE LONG

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DIGITALTOURBUS.COM

Touring year-round can be complete turmoil if you’re not properly prepared for the hot and cold — literally. This month, road doggers share their tips on handling any condition TOURED UP

BY JOSH WEIDLING

Joshua Weidling is the Founder and C.E.O of Digital Tour Bus, an online entertainment venture he started in his early 20s. Every month, he finds out more about what it’s like to make a living making music.

INCITE FB.COM/INCITEBAND @INCITEBAND WINTER The most important things I bring for winter would be my long johns and my beanie cap. I won’t leave home without them. I’ve worn the same pairs forever — I hate new clothes! I prefer old, beat-up stuff; it’s always better and more comfortable. But come summer, they’re useless. You try wearing those in the summer.

You would melt The summer tour is always hot and the fewer clothes the better, especially living in Arizona.

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HM • JUNE 2015

SUMMER Something I use for summer tours is my skateboard, obviously the skateboard would suck in the snow. On tour, a skateboard helps so much to get around the cities and do some sight-seeing, plus it’s great exercise. In the winter, you’re basically trapped in the venues.

Photo, lower right, by Andrew Garza

Seasoned Veterans

MAKE THEM SUFFER FB.COM/MAKETHEMSUFFERAU @MTSTWEETS

WINTER “A Magic the Gathering card deck and collection is extremely useful for touring in winter, especially when you’re greasy and pimply from eating service station bratwursts. It makes you feel right at home when you’re in a sprinter van with no windows, summoning creatures in the dark.”

SHATTERED SUN FB.COM/SHATTEREDSUNBAND @SHATTEREDSUN

WINTER I can say it’s completely necessary to bring a jacket, thick blanket, socks and long sleeve shirts to sleep in. The vehicle you’re traveling or even sleeping in will get very cold overnight, especially at the floor of the van. My feet get cold easily, so I like to keep socks on a lot of the time. The blanket is a no-brainer; you need to cover yourself from the elements. The jacket is also a no-brainer, (but) not a thinly knit jacket you wear when it’s chilly. I mean something that will keep you warm outside for a good amount of time. You’re going to be in and out of various places and the last thing you need holding you back from what you need to do is a sh-tty jacket not keeping you warm.

SUMMER The equivalent of this would be doing the opposite, keeping cool. Loose fitting clothes that breathe easily, sandals, a thin blanket (a sheet will work just as well) and avoid wearing long sleeves and pants (only for stage clothes purpose). It’s imperative you don’t overheat yourself, especially if you’re doing a summer tour full of festivals. You’re going to be outside at least 85 percent of the time.

SUMMER “Unfortunately, Magic the Gathering is completely useless in the summer, as you will have no neckbeard to accompany your dark sorcery. No, the sun is out and shining and it’s time to make friends. A great and sociable activity for the van in summer is a gaming console, such as an Xbox, accompanied by popular games like Call of Duty or FIFA, so all the filthy casuals can play, too. Every time we tour Australia, in Melbourne, we play a FIFA tournament at our guitarist Monty’s house. I believe Nick won the tournament last year. All the members of MTS love that game and play it relentlessly, but to what end? I’ve lost all interest in the band’s attempts at the game after watching Chris be taken down by C.J. from Thy Art is Murder, bringing both dishonor to his team, Arsenal and the rest of us here in Make Them Suffer.

Shame on you, Chris. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.”

— SEAN HARMANIS 27

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DIGITALTOURBUS.COM

KNUCKLE PUCK FB.COM/KNUCKLEPUCKIL @KNUCKLEPUCKIL WINTER “An essential winter touring item that every person needs I cannot stress enough is a good pair of winter boots. There hasn’t been a winter tour we’ve done where I haven’t had some type of boot with me. Loading in through the snow is a real pain if you’re wearing Vans or Nikes. I highly, highly suggest getting a pair of L.L. Bean boots. They keep your feet dry, warm and no snow or rain or any type of water can get inside the boot because the tongue is actually connected to the rest of the boot. Last November, we played in Cleveland and it legitimately snowed, like, 6-8 inches that day. Having my boots truly made a difference with loading in and loading out.”

SUMMER “You don’t really need boots for summer touring, mainly because you don’t have to truck it through thick snow and whatnot. For summer time, the equivalent of a pair of boots would probably be some type of waterproof windbreaker. When it’s pouring outside in the summer, simply wearing a hoodie doesn’t cut it. You need something that will keep you dry and comfortable. I highly, highly suggest picking up a Patagonia or Northface windbreaker. Those work really well.”

— KEVIN MAIDA 28

HM • JUNE 2015

BROADSIDE FB.COM/BROADSIDEVA @BROADSIDEVA WINTER “The first thing that came to my mind that is useful for winter tours but pointless for summer tours are socks or feet warmers. I am someone who normally does not wear socks, but I learned very quickly on our first winter tour they are a necessity. In the summer time, it’s hot enough as is, and, usually, socks can get lost very easily in the dark abyss that is a touring van.”

SUMMER “For the summer, this thing called the Solar Shower is super useful. It’s a bag you fill up with water and let the sun warm it up. You can hang it on anything, and it has a spout as a shower head. Baby powder is another necessity for summer that’s not really needed for a winter tour. It is great for keeping areas fresh and dry. Being that I do not wear socks, being on tour without baby powder can get pretty nasty for anyone in the van and I learned that lesson on one of our first tours. Now I never leave home without it!”

— ANDREW DUNTON

IN BRIEF

BY MADELINE ROWE PHOTO BY STEVEN FADELLIN

VICTORIAN HALLS GENRE THEATRICAL

ROCK LOCATION CHICAGO, IL

“IF YOU THINK YOU CAN DO BETTER, YOU PROBABLY CAN. AND I THINK WE DID.” — VICTORIAN HALLS VOCALIST SEAN LENART

HOW DID YOU GUYS COME TO BE

try listening with fresh ears.

YOUR AUDIENCE?

your creativity, you also need

VICTORIAN HALLS?

The biggest difference is there

We’re certainly not trying to

a certain level of authentic-

It feels like a great moniker

was a real focus on the song.

be melodramatic or anything.

ity. I think we collectively

for an art piece. Maybe that’s a

We knew we would represent

It just felt all-encompassing.

learned how much work really

grandiose way of putting it...

it differently track by track —

To me, the sound of the word

goes into a record the first

which was also intentional —

and the meaning of the word,

time around, and how the lit-

WHEN LISTENING TO THE ALBUM,

but we wanted to make sure its

feel contradictory.

tle, seemingly insignificant

I GOT SOME PANIC! AT THE DISCO

roots were strong: melody and

FROM A FEW OF THE TRACKS. WAS

lyrics. We also rewrote half-

WITH HYPERALGESIA BEING YOUR

substantially. If you think you

THIS INTENTIONAL? THE ALBUM

way through when we deter-

SECOND ALBUM, WERE THERE

can do better, you probably

HAS SO MUCH MORE. WHAT ELSE

mined certain elements were

SOME MISTAKES YOU GUYS

can. And I think we did.

WENT INTO WRITING THE SONGS?

lacking the desired growth.

LEARNED FROM IN

adjustments can compound

MAKING YOUR FIRST

I like (Panic!), but no. That was definitely unintentional. It’s

THE TITLE OF THE ALBUM,

ALBUM?

strange; I thought our first

HYPERALGESIA, IS DEFINED AS

Yes! We learned

GET IN TOUCH WITH VICTORIAN HALLS

album had some of those ele-

HAVING AN INCREASED SEN-

a record needs

FB.COM/VICTORIANHALLS

ments, but on the new record

SITIVITY TO PAIN. IS THIS BORN

dynamics. And,

YOUTUBE.COM/VICTORIANHALLS

I really can’t hear it. I must be

FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE,

while you don’t

TWITTER.COM/VICTORIANHALLS

missing something. I should

OR WAS THIS A STATEMENT FOR

want to handcuff

J

COLUMNS

Photo by Charlie Magovern/Neon Tommy

California Here We Come The allure of the West Coast siren has millions of people singing its praises — but surviving there is a different story LIFE IN STEREO

BY MATT FRANCIS

I’ve never known a land more idealized

sci-fi scripts at home and storyboarding them at

than California. It’s like the Promised Land of

school, making movies with my younger sister

the Americas, and the way some 21st Century

and enrolling in a small, Christian, liberal arts

Americans interpret the Bible as speaking to

college with a meager communications depart-

their own time and culture, this may very well

ment. They called it “Film Studies,” a combination

be Gospel. I was the worst mix of bi-polar, star-

of radio, broadcasting and some film criticism,

ry-eyed-meets-crippling-depression,

which, oddly enough, paralleled the Youth Pastor

white,

lower-middle-class kid from the Midwest; I was an obvious target for California idealism.

Matt Francis is a filmmaker/media designer out of Virginia Beach and the drummer for Feral Conservatives, an indie rock band.

You can check out his website at mfrancisfilm.com.

32

HM • JUNE 2015

and Worship Arts degrees because PowerPoint.

One of the top selling points that steered me

It seemed like mass media had an agenda to sell

from Hollywood and to an overpriced college in

me on the mythos of California, everyone from

Michigan was the college’s Hollywood semester

The Mamas and The Papas to my Xbox snow-

program, where you do a semester of intensive

boarding game to, well, especially Hollywood.

study in Los Angeles and intern in the industry.

Everything could be fixed by traveling 2,406

So after $60,000 worth of debt, a few general

miles to a distant land of perfectly sculpted peo-

liberal arts courses and my heart freshly broken

ple, sunny days, movies sets and the Pacific

from an 18-month failed relationship, I final-

Coast Highway. And if I couldn’t get there, I

ly set off for the land of milk and honey and

could always go to the mall and buy surf-inspired

movies.

designer fashion, you know, for when I wasn’t pretending to be a skater.

This was supposed to be the most comprehensive semester of my college career. This was sup-

And it only took me about 21 years to get there.

posed to be the foot-in-the-door to Hollywood.

After reenacting the Back to the Future 3 train

Like much of overpriced higher-education, it was

scene with my neighbor one too many times, I

essentially a Community College course about

quickly set my sights — career path, when the

movies that happened to take place in the city

American education system asked me to declare

where movies are made. For instance, said film

my life’s work — on being a Hollywood director.

school decided we couldn’t handle live audio.

(Hollywood screenwriter was my backup.) The

They had some flimsy reasoning in that we need-

execution of this plan was three fold: writing

ed to learn how to tell a story first without the

crutch of sound, as film is a visual

at home in Los Angeles —

medium, which essentially results in

ignoring that fact the artist

40-50 fourth-year film students run-

is from Jersey. Still, the band

ning around Los Angeles making silent

found fresh ears in a used

films.

bin in L.A. A rebrand. A bar-

But besides the disappointment in

gain second chance.

the program, I could see the super-

There’s nothing like a

ficial appeal to the land. Their fast

fresh start, so I had decided

food seemed better, and they had some

to contact for the first time.

awesome record stores. One time I

I could reinvent myself. Ever

think I saw Ryan Gosling leaving a

an introvert, I could show

parking garage, and my friend Stacie

up in L.A. as someone with

and I swore we saw Will Ferrell at an

something to say. Having

In ’n’ Out Burger. I had a stipend from

left

the school, really them just allotting

glasses, what if I could be

a portion of our tuition back to us in

average looking? All I had

weekly increments. I don’t remember

to do was stand out amongst

how much it was, but it was meager

a bunch of other film stu-

by any standards, much less enough

dents. Easy, right?

behind

my

bookish

to keep up with the cost of living in

By the end of my time

Los Angeles. In a typical week, it was

there, I had effectively been

an even split between groceries at the

sidelined from the entire

Mexican dollar store, Del Taco and

program. Bear in mind this

Amoeba Records’ used CD section.

was an amateur program

THERE’S A BUOYANCY TO THE OUTING WITH PERFECTLY FUNCTIONAL PIANO CHOPS MORE VAUDEVILLE THAN CHOPIN, WITH ALL THE WHIMSY OF A MERE PERFUNCTORY VOCALIST STRIVING FOR EQUAL GROUND WITH HIS PLAYING AND SONGWRITING.

Used CDs typically went for just $2

under the guise of prestige

(or buy four, get one free), and, after

and banking on confusion

scrounging up some known titles, I

with the Los An geles Film

would grab one or two based on the

School. I was elected to

cover alone. One had a giant squirrel

direct one of the final projects, but

home school said I couldn’t walk for

on the cover having just decapitat-

then deemed too “un-teachable” by

upcoming graduation without paying

ed a businessman. It became one of

the “Executive Producers” — seri-

an additional seven grand — money I

my favorite Hollywood record store

ously, that’s what they made us call

didn’t have. I ended up taking out the

purchases: Hide, Run Away, the debut

the professors. I was at odds with the

worst loan of my life.

album from B.C. Camplight. It per-

Assistant Director on the shoot, who

I left California. I returned to

fectly encapsulated the Hollywood

also happened to have a personal

Michigan. It seemed fitting that the

allure. B.C. Camplight struck me as

relationship with one such Executive

flight from Michigan to Los Angeles

everything L.A. should be, or, more

Producer. For a program that prided

is only four hours there with the time

so, amounted to. It was piano-based

itself on being a microcosm of the

difference; the return trip back ends

pop (confused more than once for Ben

Hollywood studio system, I was fired

up being eight hours. Even the plane

Folds), but on further inspection, an

in a matter unbefitting of any cre-

was too tired to make up the time. I

obvious imitation. There are two great

ative protocol: They took me off the

leaned my head against the window.

songs and about eight that are forget-

final project just so that I wouldn’t be

“Hide, run away” was right; it was good

table but completely charming, mak-

graded on the work. Instead, I think I

advice. I had some amazing times in

ing for a wholly infectious disk that

was given a B for participating in three

Los Angeles — ignorant of my tuition

makes for a pleasant sunny-day revis-

quarters of the semester. Maybe that

bill — but it was an imitation. I went

it. Not much beyond that.

makes perfect sense. The machine ate

to California dreaming. I checked off

up the visionary, to forever be waylaid

every box of some giant American media

as an example.

check list. And now, every time I cite my

There’s a buoyancy to the outing with perfectly functional piano chops more vaudeville than Chopin, with

I was decapitated and my head was

college major to (mostly) well-meaning

all the whimsy of a mere perfunctory

eaten by a giant squirrel. I was left in

acquaintances and they feel the need to

vocalist striving for equal ground with

a bathtub in my completely overpriced

tell me how their grandchild is making

his playing and songwriting. Couple

apartment, soaking my wounds and

it in Hollywood or some friend of the

that with frequent duets from a bored

ego. Is the bigger joke the program or

family is a grip on some major movie

female vocalist (she sounds like she’s

describing myself as a visionary? The

set, I can always nod and remember that

checking her phone the whole time),

last strike came when I was checking

my soul is still intact. Wounded, but

and you have an album that feels right

my email in the computer lab, and my

intact. I’m a used-bin soul.

33

J

COLUMNS

Photo by Bob Mical / austere

Insane Expectations Playing the same town three times to three different results makes coming back for a fourth sound a little crazy. But for being in a band, it doesn’t just sound that way: Crazy is a way of life ALMOST THERE

BY CAM SMITH

Cam Smith is the lead vocalist of Porterville, CA’s Hotel Books. Smith also travels as a spoken-word poet and public speaker.

34

HM • JUNE 2015

In my life, multiple people have told me that

to us. The vocal-

the definition of insanity is trying the same thing

ist of that band, a

over and over, hoping to have a different result.

16-year-old named

When I looked this up in a dictionary, I found

Mikey, told us he

it to be definition number three of six. If I have

was one of those

learned one thing about being in a band, it’s that

three

it takes a fairly high level of insanity to keep with

members from our

the vision that led to creating the band in the first

first visit months

place.

before,

audience

and

he

I don’t think insanity is some sort of missing

loved our sound so

piece that will guide one to success, but I do think

he started his own

more insanity is necessary for an artist than for

band. Because his

most people. Maybe I am wrong to make such

band playing, they

an assumption because my band has not met the

invited two other

same type of financial success of others bands

bands from an hour

working just as hard, but seeing your ventures

away.

and ideas fall apart in your band’s journey are just

printed out show posters and had posted them all

as important and as valuable as the ones that do

over town. The first band traveled an hour north

work out. I know from my own experience that

to be there, the second band was Mikey’s band,

playing the same dead end town over and over

the third band traveled an hour south and Hotel

can lead to disappointment (over and over), but

Books played last.

Mikey

had

if I reframe my thinking, it could also lead to

By the time doors opened, there were 17 people

my band becoming a building block in a small

there. By the time the first band began, there

town’s emerging music community. When we

were 45 people in the room. Being a two-piece

first started playing in a particular town in Texas,

band at the time, it was very quick for us to set

we played for three people. The promoter did not

up. We went on by 7:45 p.m. and there were over

show up, the two booked local bands did not show

80 people enjoying the show. As with most shows,

up. There was no PA system, just a man with a key

the local bands before us encouraged everyone to

who opened the doors.

stay for the touring bands. Right before the last

We were offered to return to that same town

opening band played their last song, the vocalist

three months later, and instead of abandon the

announced they would all be staying for Hotel

ideo, we chose to come back. This time, the pro-

Books and told everyone to stay for at least one

moter showed up in an effort to make up for the

song. All three bands had merchandise, but all

bad experience he left us with last time. There

three encouraged their fans to buy merchandise

was one local band from who had a similar vibe

from us since we were on tour. Both bands, who

AS WE PACKED UP TO LEAVE, THE PROMOTER STIFFED US ON PAY. I ASKED HIM WHAT HAPPENED TO MIKEY. HE TOLD US HE HAD GONE TO COLLEGE AND MOVED AWAY. HE SAID THAT EVER SINCE MIKEY LEFT, THE SHOWS HAD FALLEN APART.

traveled an hour each, gave us their pay. After the

than three hours hanging them. He said Mikey

amazing show, we went on with our tour and con-

did something that anyone could do. The only

tinued to keep in touch with that same promoter.

reason it was Mikey and no one else was because

Four months later, we returned to the same

Mikey chose to do so.

town for a show, and the same guy was running

A year later, I saw him again at a show, and he

the promotions. There were two local bands, both

said that he promoted 15 shows in a row at that

metal. The promoter was an hour late and did not

place, all to which no one came. He told me he

answer his phone all day. By the time we played,

kept with it until the day he moved, and he never

there were nine audience members; Mikey was

stopped promoting because he knew someday the

not one of them.

right person would come and have the influence

As we packed up to leave, the promoter stiffed

to bring more.

us on pay. I asked him what happened to Mikey.

Mikey built a community. Anyone can change

He told us he had gone to college and moved away.

their town, anyone can inspire their friends and

He said that ever since Mikey left, the shows had

classmates to participate in a night of fun and

fallen apart. He said Mikey was playing in three

music. Anyone can make touring bands eternally

bands, that none of them were even very good,

grateful for an unexpected and healthy night. The

but he always played. He said Mikey would spend

only thing it takes is a bit of passion, selfless work

no more than $20 to make posters and no more

and a little bit of insanity.

35

HM LIVE

THE USED Live at The Fillmore Silver Spring, Maryland Photos by Brooke Long

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HM LIVE

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HM LIVE

HM LIVE

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BOOKS

Photo by Patrick / lordkhan

Intimate Knowledge The engaging and forward-thinking author Donald Miller returns to nonfiction with a discussion on intimacy in ‘Scary Close’ REVIEW BY DOUG VAN PELT SCARY CLOSE

By Donald Miller T hom a s N e l s on

I always look forward to

discerning and compassionate

ings we all have will never be

reading a new book by Donald

folks that’ve been through it

fulfilled on this side of heaven.

Miller because I’m bound to

all.

Even knowing Christ and His

laugh, feel better about myself

Reading through the book

sufficiency leaves us with less

entertained

didn’t give me the one-on-one

than heaven (full complete-

by some good storytelling. I

attention I was hoping for, but

ness), less than the Garden

approached his latest, Scary

it definitely got my mind to

experience. We’re stuck in a

Close, with some additional

wander around personal com-

fallen world. Even though we

interest, however, as the early

pleteness and wholeness. Are

have God’s sufficient grace to

hype was that this book was

we trying to complete ourselves

live with, we’re still not going

about intimacy and relation-

with another person? Do we

to eliminate the longing for the

ships, something Miller said in

validate our existence or value

restoration of all things.

an interview on the uber-popu-

based

person’s

Betsy and Donald sure seem

lar Bad Christian podcast. I fig-

thoughts, opinions or affec-

to have a great relationship. We

ured I could use some advice on

tions of us? It’s easy to diag-

always knew he didn’t exact-

the subject, since my post-di-

nose all of us as having some

ly have his head together, but

vorce reality put me back into

codependency issues because

Betsy sure seems to. By Miller’s

the dating pool. In all fairness,

even knowing the truth and

own pen, it appears that Betsy

I also didn’t want a narrative

walking in it doesn’t prevent

is the most awesome of the

on how Don met, courted and

stumbling into the subtle trap

beloved pair. His insight into

married Betsy. I didn’t want to

of looking to another source for

putting another person first is

hear how wonderful their new

affirmation.

described with a lot of the wit

and

always

be

life is together. I got neither.

44

HM • JUNE 2015

on

another

I was touched by Miller’s

we all came to love reading Blue

In the book, we learn Miller

story about how he and his

Like Jazz, but dang if the dude

checked into a rehab place

now-wife Betsy freaked out

isn’t a lot more together these

designed for “stuck creatives”

over half the congregants that

days; his missteps and crazy

where codependency is probed

attended their wedding when

thoughts are a lot fewer and far

with a light of truth, ultimate-

he announced, “Betsy and I

between. His points are clear

ly educating us as to what a

do not complete each other.”

without being heavy-handed.

healthy

could

He said the look on their faces

I’m guessing he’s either show-

(should?) be. The place is called

revealed a lot of them felt

ing restraint or still uncovering

Onsite, and it sounds like many

like they were about to hear

and discovering more of the

treatment facilities in that

an announcement and reasons

material he’s covering here.

people are forced into intense a

why the wedding was being

self-examination of sorts, but

called off. He explained both he

Donald Miller’s middle name,

it is all carefully coached by

and his wife realized the long-

but in Scary Close, I’m most

relationship

Transparency

is

surely

amazed with the transparency of Paul Young

The major gift of Miller’s writing has always

(author of The Shack), whose story is shared in

been about “being real,” and he’s been able to

its pages. It’s a story of adultery and how Young

learn and teach us more on subjects within new

walked through rebuilding trust with his wife

contexts as he learns himself. It makes the feel-

and children following its discovery. Talk about

ings and stories more accessible, especially to

vulnerability! It’s fairly intense what the couple

those of us who struggle with the very things

went through, sharing with each child in their

he writes about. I still don’t know what’s wrong

family over time, not rushing with the young

with my on-again/off-again relationship with the

ones, only revealing the issues after prayerfully

Texas lady I’ve been seeing, but I did glean wis-

assessing that tje kids were ready. Not all of them

dom and encouragement to pursue God’s wisdom

responded easily or with grace.

and trust, starting with letting go more.

45

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MOVIES

The Beginning of an Era The Whosoevers kept the cameras rolling for the first year of the organization’s inception, giving us a glimpse into its poignant start

BY JAMESON KETCHUM AND DAVID STAGG W3SIXTY5

“What do they even do?”

publicly to the effort. In real-

Lobert (Hookers 4 Jesus) and

It is a common sentiment

ity, the founding trio wanted

heavy music kings The Chariot

when (yet another) movement

another venue to share more

all started to share their sto-

begins filling our social media

about their testimonies.

ries, all on equal footing with

feeds. It feels like there are a

It really started when Ries

lot of sincere, well-meaning and

met Sandoval in 2008 at C1rca

good intentions amongst these

Footwear. The two ended up

Whosoevers from its incep-

various nonprofits and hashtags,

hitting it off with the idea that

tion through the first 365 days

but what is really at their core?

an organization could foster a

of that journey. The trio of

What do they even do?

safe culture based in their own

Sandoval, Welch and Ries kept

faith and art, but outside of

the cameras rolling all across

Sandoval,

any band, something everyone

the country in that first year,

Korn guitarist Brian “Head”

could be a part of. After add-

giving us a behind-the-dreads

Welch and public speaker Ryan

ing Welch, their mission was

look at a ministry whose foun-

Ries, gets that question a lot.

written: share a gospel root-

dation embodies taking the

One of their captains, Ries, is

ed in John 3:16: “Whosoever

gospel to dark corners a lot of

no stranger to answering ques-

believes in me...”, and, as their

humans tend to avoid. The film

tions like, “Is it a band?” After

respective bands traveled the

lacks a bit of substance, choos-

all, the logo was proudly worn

globe, they would share their

ing to highlight the sensation-

all over his partner in crime,

testimonies at a groundroots

al stories longer without much

Sandoval, and, having con-

level, on stage, in classrooms,

meat, rather than expanding

quered MTV and rock airplay,

in foreign countries, anywhere

more on who these guys really

“a band” would make sense

that would have them.

are and why we should be lis-

The Whosoevers, led by P.O.D. frontman

Starring Ryan Ries, Sonny Sandoval, Brian “Head” Welch I n de pe n de n t

46

HM • JUNE 2015

Sonny

their audiences.

This

movie

follows

The

as a side project. Possibly with

The Whosoevers began to

Welch, since he was proudly

enlist others to help the cause.

The film does finally answer

triumphing The Whosoevers

Lacy Sturm, the popular former

that all-too-common question

gear, too, attaching his name

frontwoman of Flyleaf, Annie

“What do they even do?” while

tening to them.

hopefully sparking mean-

on stage and off. As a doc-

ingful conversation.

umentary itself, the film

In addition to the music

is a bit disjointed in struc-

world, the film highlights

ture. It doesn’t feel linear;

various

sports

rather, it feels more like

athletes as they share their

it’s lacking a storyline or a

testimonies and how The

main point. It does succeed

Whosoevers has personally

in informing the audience

impacted their lives. There

as to why guys famous for

are a number of mov-

screaming

ing scenes of prayer, and

ing are talking on stage

some of the confessions

instead. Overall, watch-

amongst the youth are

ing these men — men who

especially poignant. Even

created music most 20-to-

shared sentiments from

30 somethings still deep-

the crew traveling with The

ly engage with today — is

Whosoevers are highlight-

a treat, to see them still

ed, refreshingly highlight-

evolve and develop their

ing these guys are the same

own faith and outreach.

extreme

or

perform-

Clockwise from upper left: Founder Ryan Ries at a speaking event, Brian “Head” Welch sharing his testimony as part of his set, Welch preaching at a music festival, Ries sharing his story with a youth at a skate park

47

American Made

The Ongoing Concept TAKES DIY TO A NEW LEVEL WITH THEIR LATEST,

Handmade By Jordan Gonzalez

Idaho’s The Ongoing Concept broke new ground for heavy music with their 2013 freshman album, Saloon, which fused metalcore with an anything-goes attitude, including a country-western vibe channeled from the home town radio stations.

It was a fascinating album, and now the four-piece band from the tiny town of Rathdrum, Idaho will be releasing a hybrid album of sorts, one created with combining the progressive mindset of an indie album mixed with the security and resources of a label.

While that label, Solid State, was totally on board with the idea, it could have been shot down by any number of others: The band not only decided to shoot their own music videos at home; not only record, mix and master it at home; but the band also handmade their own instruments, even as far as cutting down the trees for the lumber.

they did once make some drums from a template kit. But thanks to Google, YouTube and some precious time — about two months worth — they were able accomplish the tedious task.

Scholz, who describes himself as a perfectionist, would have it no other way. It’s always been their style. “I’ve always felt like I do better in the comfort of my home, getting my work done,” Scholz said. I caught up with Scholz to talk more about the true grassroots aspect of the album, what inspires their music and how they got into heavy music in a town that embraces country and classic rock.

Although they were raised in a culture of D.I.Y., Scholz said none of the band members had any experience making guitars, even though

My first reaction to The Ongoing Concept was, “Wow.” I really enjoyed Saloon when it first came out. I was really curious to

more work done. I felt like to do it all here... It might not happen next time, but I just felt like it worked out really well here.

see what your second album was going to be. There was just a lot of unique aspects to the album. I would like to start off with

Let’s talk about the homemade instruments. That is just so

the homemade aspect. If I understand correctly, the album was

cool to me. First of all, where’d you learn how to do that? And

recorded in your home with homemade instruments and your

how long did it take to make all the instruments?

own homemade album art.

We honestly have no background with making them. We just

Yeah. Everything was done here in our house. You know, all the

looked up tutorials on YouTube or Google. A lot of it was thinking

instruments were made here and we recorded it and mixed the mas-

about how you would accomplish something like that. We’ve been

ters here. And the artwork, the picture was not done at our house, but

building stuff. We built our own guitar cabs.

in a place like a mile from our house with that tree. It was all kind of done here.

I’ve always felt like I do better in the comfort of my home. I get

50

HM • JUNE 2015

We built a drum set, in the past. Not actually building the wood, but we had (got it together) and put all the hardware on it. But we’d never actually built (the whole thing). It’s this style of a drum

ing part aside for a

it. Let’s give up on the home-

conditioning. I love the way they

few days to work on

made instrument aspect of

look right now with them not

writing the music

this.” Or did you always know

being stained or finished. But

for the album. And

you were going to persevere

we’re going to put some hard-

then we would stop

through that?

ening wood protection on them

writing music and

Oh, there were definitely a few

to make sure they won’t break

work on the instru-

times. There were a few times

while they’re in the trailer,

ments, so it was

where it just... With microwav-

bouncing around.

just kind of this

ing the wood. I didn’t actual-

Yeah, that’s what they’re going

tradeoff. It kind of

ly think it would work. It just

to go towards now. At some point

doubled our time. It

became really hard. The other

we’ll probably hang them up

would’ve taken half

thing was, we were working with

somewhere in our storage space,

as long to do it.

pine. I’d go to every single forum,

you know? Hang out and bring

And another hic-

everything you could think of,

them out again. But for this next

cup was just the

and type in “building a tree out

tour and possibly the next year

microwaving of the

of pine,” and you won’t find a

or so they’ll definitely be on the

wood.

single thing about anyone say-

road with us.

ing, “Oh, pine is the best wood Oh, yeah. I saw that.

to use for making a drum set or

And do you direct your own

building a guitar.” It’s just not

music videos as well? I remem-

It’s not a very fast

good wood. There were a lot of

ber seeing something about

process. It takes a

times where I was like, “We’re

that. Is that true?

very long time and

doing this with pine, aren’t we?

Yeah. I’ve done all my own

we had to be very

This is going to suck.” Then the

music videos. I’ve just had way

careful doing 20 or

whole thing would happen and

too many problems with people

30

the wood would crack, and it was

in the past. This isn’t putting

just really discouraging.

down any director or anything.

second

inter-

vals because, you know,

the

wood

But at the same time, I knew we

this

what I want, and I’m a bit of a

very hot level and

far, and there was no turning

perfectionist. Sometimes people

it could start on

back. We just kind of had to get

have a hard time working with

fire. You just have

through it.

me because I’m already capable

to

be

there

had

already

gotten

I just feel like I have a vision of

is heating up to a

the

A lot of money was involved,

of doing it myself, and so there’s

whole entire time.

too. I had been renting this whole

a very fine line between me let-

You can’t just leave

camera gear, and kind of making

ting go of the reigns and saying,

it alone because I

a documentary. That stuff adds

Just get off, let me do it. I am

don’t want to start

up, you know? Renting a house.

capable of doing this myself. I

my house on fire.

And you’ve already told the land-

don’t know why I’m paying you

lord you’re doing this, and they

to do this. You are good at what

time.

give you the budget money with

you do, but... Yeah, I don’t know.

It didn’t really do

the expectation that that’s what

That might sound a little bit pre-

anything, but just

the money’s going towards. You

tentious to say that, but...

the whole garage

just can’t really back down once

was

smoke.

you start. That was kind of what

smoke.

kept us going.

It actually happened

Dense

one

in

I see what you’re saying, though.

Luckily it stopped

I just have a vision. And some

set where you connect pieces of

before it actually started on fire,

Sure. What do you think

of our music videos are very

wood together to build a circle.

but I came out into the garage

you’re going to do with the

cinematically based. Especially

We’d never done that before. We

and I’m like, “Okay. Well, I guess

instruments

[inaudible 10:10], for example. I

used a lot of tutorials and had to

we’re going to have to not leave

going to still use them?

do a lot of trial and error.

the garage when we’re doing

The whole process took prob-

this. This is way too unsafe.”

now?

Are

you

wrote that song in the beginning

Oh, yeah. They’re actually

with that exact music video in

coming on the road with us for

my head, and I think I recreat-

this next tour.

ed it exactly how it was in my

ably two months. It would’ve

That process took a very long

taken a lot less, but there were

time, and there’s just so many

a lot of little hiccups along the

little things that took up pre-

Awesome!

me to portray and explain that

way. We were writing at the

cious time. It took about two

I was hoping to build another

to a director. You know, if I’m

same time, so pre-production

months all around.

set, because I’m a little weary

able to do it, I’ve been doing it

of bringing them on the road;

since I was like 10 years old. Even

was happening. It’s hard to focus

head. I think it’s really hard for

on one thing because you’ve got

Was there ever a time where

I’m afraid they might break. But

with my parents. I don’t know,

other projects. You set the build-

you were like, “Alright, forget

we’re going to try to do some

I’ve just been like this for a long

51

52

HM • JUNE 2015

“I knew we had already

GOTTEN THIS FAR, AND THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK.” — Dawson Scholz 53

time. It just doesn’t seem very

a gimmick having a banjo in a

lyrics how they are, people are

“Falling” is the insinuation of

impossible. It seems very capable

song, but I think, when I initially

going to start asking, “Why are

“Goodbye, So Long My Love”

for me to do it myself.

wrote it, it was like, “I feel like

the lyrics that way? Are you guys

from our previous album. It’s

this song has would be really cool

atheists? Are you guys just sell-

been an ongoing song concept

How does the rest of the

if there was an instrument in

ing your soul to the devil?”

throughout our music. I don’t

band — which, two of them

here that was different. I think it

I wanted those questions to be

know. It’s just about a guy, his

are your brothers, right? — feel

would really be a clash with how

asked, because I feel like peo-

first goodbye song. “Goodbye”

about that? Are they cool with

crazy the song is.” I didn’t have

ple are too quick to make judge-

was about a guy and his life and

it, or does everyone pitch in?

a banjo, I just figured I feel like

ments. They’re too quick to read

how she was dying and she didn’t

Yeah. They all kind of have

a banjo or something like that

or hear something and automat-

believe in God and he does and

their part. We’ve basically been

would really hit home and make

ically assume something about

he didn’t feel like he was going

doing stuff ourselves for so

it kind of have this folky vibe.

the band.

long they’ve kind of just been...

Especially at the end. It’s like

I’ve just got an issue with it.

like a continuation of his life

What’s the word I’m looking

that ending part. It had noth-

Especially with social media.

after that has all happened. It’s

for? They’ve kind of just been

ing but guitar and tambourine. I

I see it way too often. I knew

tied in with the very first song

brought into it, and it’s like sec-

can’t remember what all was in

people were going to instantly

that was handmade. The whole

ond nature to them. They don’t

there, I just felt like there need-

assume things. The funniest part

beginning, it’s all connected. I

really deny doing it ourselves. It

ed to be something else, and so

about that song is, it’s not about

thought it’d be really cool to do

almost seems weird to bring in

the banjo seemed to be some-

any one of us. Honestly it’s just

something that connected the

an outside source, because we’re

thing that would work. I added it

about that guitar player. It was

albums in that way.

all brothers, you know? Even our

because it felt right.

Robert Johnson, I believe? He’s

bass player. I’ve known him,

to see her again. This song is

That’s usually how we approach

a guitar player that, back in the

“Melody” is a song about writer’s block, to be honest.

it is, does the song feels right

day, claimed that he sold his soul

It feels like whenever some-

with that type of instrument?

to the devil. It’s actually from

one else from another party is

Why not try it, and if it doesn’t

the movie Oh Brother, Where Art

brought in to our band, whether

work, it doesn’t work. There’s

Thou?

it’s recording us or doing or even

really no any boundaries with

doing merch for us, we always

music. Especially these days. I

Oh, yeah?

feel like it’s like an intrusion.

just kind of go with whatever.

Yeah, it was Robert Johnson.

I feel like you (can) get trapped

He obviously didn’t sell his soul

in this same style of music and

basically, my whole life.

We’re so close that it just feels

Awesome.

It’s just one of those songs. I know a million songwriters that did a song about writer’s block.

It’s not really new.

like we’ve brought on another

Did your label ever have

to the devil, but he claimed

work. You keep writing songs

member of the band to portray

any issues with some of these

he did. And now he is a legend

that sound very similar to each

who we are, and it’s like second

stranger

For

because of it. And it was basi-

other, because they’re all kind of

nature for us to just expect to

instance the idea of making

cally a lie he had to tell, and

the same type of music. They’re

do everything ourselves because

your own instruments? Did

he got away with it. It was just

all heavy. They all have the same

that’s how we’ve been doing it

they ever question that? Were

a gimmick he played. Telling

song structure.

for long.

they worried about that?

everyone he sold his soul to the

I just broke away from writing

They definitely gave us free

devil spread through the coun-

music for our album, and then

reign. I think they accepted we

try, and it’s interesting how, if he

it ended up being on our album,

do what we want, basically.

hadn’t said something like that,

which is really funny. It’s just a

Let’s get into some of the music, too. You guys always

instruments?

have had some strange instru-

They’ve always been total-

he probably would’ve been a lot

song about writer’s block. I think

ment combinations. Where did

ly cool with what we’re doing.

less known. If not, he probably

it’s really cool because it real-

the idea to mix banjos and the

They’ve never had any issues,

would’ve never been known at

ly showcases this huge, roomy

Western style of music in with

and (they were) really stoked

all.

drum sound we got from those

heavier music? Is that some-

with what we’ve been doing with

The song is not about us. It’s

homemade drums. That’s one of

thing that you had planned

this new album, so it’s been real-

just about a guy named Robert

my favorite parts of the whole

from the beginning, or did

ly good.

Johnson back in the 1930s that

album, is how dynamic that song

claimed to have sold his soul to

is at the very end.

that just kind of happen while you started writing and taking music more seriously?

That’s great. Let’s talk about

the devil.

If I could add my opinion

a couple of specific songs. cou-

now, I’ll say it was probably

“Soul.” The lyrics were very

ple other songs, too. Like

one of my favorite as well. It

intense. The song overall was

“Falling,” for instance. And

was a good song. I definitely

I guess we never really think

pretty intense. Is that a per-

“Melody.” Those two songs

enjoyed that one.

those instruments are the only

sonal song, inspired by some-

had such drastically differ-

It’s kind of like a break in

thing that can be used, so we are

thing?

ent styles, musically. If you

the middle, do you know what

I don’t know. We never really

One that stuck out to me was

felt bound to just being a band of guitar, bass, drums, vocals.

Let’s

talk

about

a

always are open-minded about

Yeah. We wrote this song for a

want to get into what inspired

I mean? It gives the listeners a

adding something to the song to

few reasons. We wrote it because

the musical side of those two

bit of a break, but I feel like it’s

make it better.

we wanted people to be talking

songs?

a much more mature stance, a

about it. I knew if I wrote the

I’ll

People probably think we’re

54

HM • JUNE 2015

start

with

“Falling.”

more poppy song for our style. I

feel like “Melody” is strong and

not lose enough energy I can’t

the only place we’ve ever been

one of the better songs of the

say my parts.

able to play shows. Because Coeur

Not really. It was definitely a

I feel like there’s a pretty good

d’Alene is like the city, we’re just a

country station town. Not really a lot of metal bands are out here.

album itself.

balance between Parker and I

suburb of it. Coeur d’Alene is like

I haven’t seen y’all live yet,

really pulling in on playing the

the big city here, where we live.

but I’ve heard you’re pretty

music correctly, making sure it

There’s just no shows.

popular.

You know, I don’t know. I honestly don’t even know how we got

rowdy. Let’s talk about your

sounds on time and all the notes

We grew up listening to bands

into this. It’s really hard. A lot of

approach to the live show and

are being hit, and then T.J. and

we really enjoyed. There’s a

little things that happened to get

what you like to do in a live

Kyle are much more prone to go

few bands around our area that

us to where we are now. And hon-

show.

a little crazier than us because

played the same type of music

estly, I think this area brought

I think we all have different

they either aren’t playing the

that we did. There’s definitely a

home the whole handmade idea.

ideas as far as the band members

guitar at the same time. Or

scene here in Coeur d’Alene, but

We’re not a rich family, but

go. We want to bring something

because the bass player doesn’t

the real shows that happened

we’re not a poor family either.

that isn’t the same.

really have to play all the notes

actually happened in Spokane,

We’re just kind of in this sub-

I don’t really like going to

right, because, I mean, let’s face

Washington, which is like 30

urban family, middle class kind

shows that much. I look at going

it: No one really cares about the

minutes west of us, across the

of state. You know? People are

to shows these days as going

bass players. (I’m kidding.)

border into Washington. There’s

accustomed to building things

a lot bigger scene there.

themselves, one of those D.I.Y.-

back to your job when you’re on

There’s a certain jive in the

your day off. I honestly don’t

band we all kind of fulfill. It’s

We’re kind of a sheltered area.

type things. Whether it be some

like shows. But that’s different

very important to keep the songs

There’s not a lot going on. We

redneck thing for your boat or

when there’s a band that comes

sounding good at the same time

were a bit naive to the world.

stitching — just random things.

through that is going to inspire

as going super crazy. We don’t

We’ve always been that way. We

People are just into that here. I

me or that’s going to leave a

want to be the same every show,

really didn’t know how we were

think that sparked our interest

mark. I’ve always brought up

so we try to go for that.

going to get it to work. We real-

in going to do it ourselves.

bands, like The Chariot, that

ly didn’t know much, especially

do something that’s never the

Mix it up, right?

six, seven years ago when the

What music are you listen-

same, even if they play the same

Yeah, definitely.

Internet wasn’t nearly as crazy

ing to right now? Anybody in

as it is now. We really had no

particular?

six songs in a 30-minute timeslot for a year straight. Every night

I noticed y’all were from

sense, especially here, of how

Oh, man. This question is

there would be something dif-

Rathdrum, Idaho. It seems like

you would actually go on tour,

always hard. I’ve found myself

ferent about their set that you

a small town, way up north, far

how you would go about pro-

writing like the bands that I’m

could take away and go, “Wow.

away from a lot of big cities.

moting your music the right way

listening to at the time, so I

I was not expecting that. That

How did life in a small town

so that people would see it. It

ended up just stopping listen-

was a completely different set,”

like that influence what you do

was all a learning game. We were

ing to music all together. I actu-

even though they played all the

today as musicians? And how

probably one of the slower bands

ally told my band, “If you lit-

same songs.

was it like? How did you get

to figure it out.

erally play ‘Uptown Funk’ one

So we’ve just always been cen-

into concerts and music?

more freaking time, I’m going to

tered on that fact. There’s a very

Yeah. It’s actually funny. We’ve

I wanted to get your per-

punch you in the face.” That song

fine line between going crazy

only played maybe four actual

spective on how it was growing

is ruining my writing ability. I

and playing your music right.

legit shows in Idaho in our entire

up in a town like that, which, I

hate that song! I kind of stopped

I’ve always been more prone to

lives. They’ve all been in Boise,

think it’s safe to assume, the

listening to music after writing

just being at that line where I’m

which is like eight hours south,

hardcore and metal genres

my album. I’ve just been driving

still playing the songs right, but

and it’s the capital of Idaho. That’s

probably

with no music now.

weren’t

the

most

55

THE

E V O LV I N G

E D U C AT I O N

OF

M E W I T H O U T YO U A a r o n We i s s h e l p e d f o rg e a g e n r e , a man once so sure of his future a n d h i s p a t h . N o w, o n t h e e v e o f h i s b a n d ’s m o s t r e c e n t r e l e a s e , Pale Horses, he admits a lot of that

confidence

BY

SEAN

is

changing

HUNCHERICK

P H O T O B Y A M I E S A N TAV I C C A

Uncertainty is diff icult to accept and far more challenging to admit.

There are some beliefs you adapt as a child and are fearful to ever question.

Yo u d o n’t w a n t t o d o u b t w h a t y o u’v e b e e n taught, regardless of what the rest of the w o r l d i s s a y i n g. B u t i t i s n’t e a s y. T h e y o k e once easy and light becomes uncertain and e x h a u s t i n g t o c a r r y.

M e w i t h o u tYo u’s v o c a l i s t a n d l y r i c i s t , A a r o n We i s s , i s a l l t o o f a m i l i a r w i t h u n c e r t a i n t y. T h e s a m e m a n w h o , t e n y e a r s ago, eagerly preached to crowds and led Bible studies at shows, now f inds himself introverted and humble in his beliefs. This i s n’t a l w a y s e a s y – i t f e e l s e m p o w e r i n g t o have answers and weak to have questions.

You guys have had some

when we’re touring, everybody

interesting opening slots on

has agreed to it specifically. We

tours. Last year you were on

already screened out the bands

a cruise with Tegan and Sara

that wouldn’t work really well.

But, instead of fearing diff icult questions and religious contradictions, he has adopted the freeing habit of challenging beliefs he once thought unchallengeable.

“I am less afraid these days to question a n y o f m y b e l i e f s ,” We i s s e x p l a i n s i n h i s consistently calm voice, “ because the ones that feel most true are not harmed by my q u e s t i o n i n g.”

The songwriter shows this clearly througho u t t h e b a n d ’s n e w a l b u m , P a l e H o r s e s . A s with the lyrics on previous albums , Pale Horses provides an honest ref lection of We i s s’ e m o t i o n s a n d s t r u g g l e s . W h a t e v e r was in him came out in the songwriting – praises, doubts and songs with animal names included.

the noise they’re making.

That makes sense.

But that’s just the first record.

The second record we played in

Then what would you listen to?

and Paramore. What have been

We tour with a wide range of

its entirety last year on tour.

Usually something very relax-

some of the strangest opening

bands, from pop-punk to really

Every record since then is more

ing. Classical music, I guess. I

slots you’ve had at a show or

heavy hardcore to pop music. All

indicative of what our tastes

like Chopin, Bach, Beethoven.

festival?

across the spectrum. We can tai-

are like and the direction we’ve

lor our set to accommodate the

headed more recently. All those

different styles of music we’re

songs are fair game to be incor-

No one surprising. Just some

playing with. We can play more

porated into what we’re doing

of the most famous guys. You can

That you opened for.

melodic songs for some bands

now on tour.

put it on and go about your day.

Aw, what can I say? I wouldn’t

and

Well… strangest? That have opened for us?

aggressive

songs

when

want to hurt anyone’s feelings,

opening for a heavier band. Does

you know?

that make sense?

That’s fair. How about biggest genre disconnect?

I’ve heard of them.

It’s not demanding a lot of attenOn this previous tour, what

tion of you and, like I said, it’s

did you guys find yourselves

good for covering up the sound of

listening to in the van?

the neighbors.

Yeah, it does. You guys are

Well, I got to admit: We don’t

And I like the absence of lyr-

one of the handful of bands

have a stereo system in our vehi-

ics; I think it’s easier to go about

Well when we’ve played at fes-

that changes your set fre-

cle. If we listen to music, it’s

doing something else with my

tivals in the past, they’re pretty

quently. Are there any songs

done individually. I don’t have

full attention and not being dis-

eclectic. There will be all kinds of

you have retired altogether?

any kind of music listening

tracted.

performers that play. Sometimes

Not formally. There are songs

device, so I don’t have any music

there are some strange mis-

we haven’t played in a long time

with me on tour. As for the other

matches — we’ve had hip-hop

and don’t have in the rotation

guys, I don’t know.

bands go on after us or bands

to bring back. Those are songs

that felt explicitly Christian (or)

mostly from our first album

praise and worship music. I’m

Lyrics are such an interesting thing. Prepping for this interview, I tried listening to

find

your new album a few times

and, even more so, our previous

yourself listening to music at

while typing out questions.

sure they’re great for a lot of

EP we wrote when we were so

home?

Because

people’s taste but didn’t fit real

much younger and so different in

No. No, not really. If the neigh-

filled with lyrics, I couldn’t do

well with what we were doing. So

terms of our tastes and where we

bors are fighting or playing their

both. I wonder if the fact that

sometimes the festivals are more

were at in our lives. They don’t

music really loud, sometimes I’ll

you don’t listen to much music

unorthodox parings. But usually

make as much sense now.

turn on some music to drown out

explains why MewithoutYou

58

HM • JUNE 2015

Interesting.

Do

you

MewithoutYou

is

anyone

ing down around the time of

I don’t think that’s the only

one was an elephant and one was

else. You have a very specific

the It’s All Crazy, It’s All False.

factor. Through studying at grad

a peacock. In that way, it felt like

sound. If you don’t listen to

(Members)

discon-

school, I have also been repeat-

a story with different characters

music on the road, what do you

nected. It looked like the band

edly confronted with many dif-

that represented some part of

find yourself doing between

was about done.

ferent views and perpetually

my brain, but they had different

It’s hard to say. I think around

challenged or questioned all my

names and different little color-

I listen to the other guys in

the time we put out It’s All Crazy…,

beliefs and learned to let go of

ful images to hide behind.

the band. They’re all pretty

there were a lot of personal fac-

things I have held onto. That’s

In this case, with our newest

entertaining and interesting. I

tors in our individual lives that

difficult, too, to continuously

album, I think, more than ever,

like the way they interact and

were taking all of our energy and

uproot the things you find com-

I tried to let all the characters in

joke with each other. (I like) the

causing problems. That album

fort in and continuously ques-

my brain come out and be seen

things that they talk about. I try

came together in sort of a hodge-

tion them and continuously try

and be available, without putting

to pay attention to them. And,

podge way. Nobody felt too con-

to go deeper and understand

them in the different charac-

of course, looking at the scenery

nected to each other or to the...

more fully basic things about the

ters’ voices. This is part of what

through the window, watching

I shouldn’t say nobody, but that

world.

I believe, and this is part of what

the trees and the sky.

was more the sentiment with

The album, Pale Horses, com-

I think and part of who I am.

that album than any other album

ing out — especially more than

It might contradict something

I can think of.

the last albums — the imagery

that’s in the next song, but that’s

doesn’t

sound

like

shows?

I don’t know if there is any one thing I do regularly. I don’t

seemed

have a routine; I just take it one

When we decided to put out

in the lyrics partly comes from

who I am in some ways, so con-

day at a time. Sometimes I try

the next album, a few of us had

your Abrahmamic views, but

flicted and contradicted.

to get some schoolwork done,

worked through our personal

on this album, it comes more

I have that certainty, that sense

sometimes I’m doing little bus

problems and were doing better

from a questioning (point of

of religion in my Abrahamic

projects – trying to maintain or

as individuals.

view). Can you talk about that

roots, as you noticed. It is still

a little bit more?

very much there. I still want very

improve the bus. I enjoy doing

I wouldn’t say that’s true of myself. I actually felt happiest

I tried to be as honest as I

much want for the album to be

And sometimes someone will

at any point in my life when we

could, and I think in the past I’ve

one of praise, that’s character-

put on a movie. Usually it’s our

were recording It’s All Crazy...,

tried. I would say with our first

ized by praise and gratitude and

friend Mike who tours with us.

but I think I was the exception.

handful of albums, I tried to put

faith and worship and love and

He puts them on and I watch

Some of the other guys were

forth an image. I’m always doing

uplifting things.

them sometimes.

going through some really hard

that, probably always trying to

At the same time, there’s this

things that affected the band.

put forth an image, even right

whole dark side I’ve struggled

that on the road.

You mentioned that some-

And maybe it’s because of the

now that’s happening. Certainly,

with, and how much to let out

times you do schoolwork. Are

nature of my happiness. I was

our newest album is no excep-

and how much to show people.

you in grad school right now?

very intensely focused on my

tion. I can’t say it’s just this pure

Do we have other doubts or ques-

spiritual journey and religious

unadulterated expression of who

tions or even animosities toward

beliefs and practices maybe more

I am or any kind of honest out-

certain

What are you studying?

so than any other time in my life.

pouring. No, it’s all carefully

That’s all part of the package for

My program is called Urban

Yes. Grad school.

aspects

of

religion?

So I felt very intensely connected

constructed and edited and reed-

me. It’s not a matter of me losing

Temple

with that, (but) the other guys,

ited and captured via countless

my faith in any way, it’s just part

University in north Philadelphia.

maybe not so much. It kind of

takes and trying to get just the

of expressing an ever-changing

alienated me from everyone else

right sound.

faith and trying to do so holis-

Education.

I’m

at

Do you still teach there?

as I recall.

fall semester when I stopped to

tically.

that is inherent to putting out

Not this year. I have for the past four years, up until this past

There’s all this artificiality

Do you find yourself in a happier place, personally?

studio albums — at least in my

I think that’s what people

experience, the way I’ve always

need to hear, too. The idea

focus on the band again. For a

No, I don’t think so. About five

done it. It’s definitely not entire-

that you can truly seek God

while, it felt like the band was

years ago, my father died and

ly honest. But, more so with this

but still doubt and have ques-

slowing down. I was prioritiz-

that was a turning point for me

album, I’ve tried to incite what-

tions about God’s character. I

ing schoolwork. I was a full-

as far as my overall sense of

ever was in me to come out. Not

appreciate that a lot about the

time student and teaching at

happiness. I felt very devastat-

so much to just try to present a

album.

Temple, trying to do the band in

ed for about a year after that

single coherent view of the world

It’s much lighter for me that

the empty space between those

and found it hard to care about

or a vision of myself or what I

way. I don’t have to carry around

other responsibilities.

much of anything. Then I began

believe, which is more or less

this set of ideas that then every-

Now I’m finished with my

to get used to his absence and

what I did for the first three or

thing else that contradicts that

course work at Temple and I’ve

come up with new ways of feel-

four albums.

becomes an enemy or becomes

stopped teaching, so we can pri-

ing connected with him, but I

oritize the band once again.

That’s awesome. It seemed like

the

band

was

wind-

Pale

a threat in some way. It’s a lot

don’t think I ever fully recovered

Horses, Ten Stories, I think I tried

lighter of a journey when I don’t

a sense of, I don’t know, maybe

to incorporate all different views,

carry those things and I stay

the lightheartedness or happi-

but I also did it with some differ-

open and eager for whatever

ness that I felt before then.

ent characters. One was a tiger,

comes today to replace whatev-

In

the

album

before

59

er I accepted yesterday. Maybe

consider mercy and compassion

some extent, and limited, and

based on things that we’ve read

yesterday’s beliefs or practices

and forgiveness to be forms of

so not entirely to be trusted. I

or that we’ve been told.

were appropriate for yesterday,

weakness or to be foolish, yet,

try to let go of those things and

but maybe today there’s a deeper

no matter how many times I

live more like a child, where I

place that we can go to.

consider that, I still find that

try to maintain a sense of won-

Do you think you did this earlier in your music career?

I think there’s a danger there,

mercy and compassion are the

der and curiosity than a list of

I definitely felt more certain

too. If you’re just constantly

more beautiful qualities. So, it

things I can explain and tell peo-

about a lot of beliefs earlier in

accepting every new idea that

doesn’t do me any harm. In fact,

ple about.

our career and felt like I had a

comes your way, you could very

it strengthens my trust in those

That’s been a big shift for

lot more to offer people. I was

easily fall for a lot of harmful

qualities, that I’m not afraid to

me. There used to be a time I

not only willing but I was eager

ideas, trying out many destruc-

question them.

would really enjoy spending

to answer people’s questions and

tive practices that could get

If you question those ide-

hours talking to people, tell-

talk with them about God. In

you hurt or killed or addicted to

als — or any number of things

ing them all kinds of things

some ways, I respect the way

things and all that. I certain-

we’re told about what’s true from

about God. After the shows or

I was because I felt I was more

ly don’t want to espouse peo-

various religions or trends or

at Bible studies I would lead. Or

courageous or more passionate.

ple to just go and try different

political organizations — if you

at festivals, I’d give these talks

Today it feels more that I’m cau-

things every day and not worry

question them and they remain

or

ses-

tious, and I’m a little bit more

about the consequences. I think

solid, then I think that’s a stron-

sions. People would bring ques-

shy and reserved and introvert-

there’s still a place for caution

ger foundation than having ideas

tions to me and I would have

ed. That can be difficult, because

and reserve and wisdom and

we cling to dogmatically because

answers for them about God and

sometimes people will come to

intelligence, but I also think it’s

we’ve been told them or because

about things. Looking at them

me expecting that maybe we

important for me to stay flexi-

we once believed them and that

now, I can’t imagine where I’d

talked before, maybe they saw

ble and to stay open and to stay

has worked for us in the past.

be claiming to know what I was

me at a show and I was carrying

talking about.

on afterwards about all my ideas.

humble and to recognize the

question-and-answer

Now I don’t feel as inclined to

Was there a point in your

limits of what I know.

life where you were scared to How do you find the bal-

question these things?

I think oftentimes people assume they know God, they

do that. I’m a little less outgoing and a little less confident.

ance between being flexible

I think I still am, in some

truly have the answers and

I don’t know if that’s a good

in belief and keeping some

ways. I couldn’t tell you things

they can give them. It’s a lot

thing, if it’s a good direction that

beliefs that you want to keep?

I’m specifically afraid to ques-

more humbling to admit, real-

I’ve gone in, but that’s where I

I think the balance for me tips

tion, because I try to go right

ly, when you’re talking about

find myself. Maybe one day I’ll

very far in the direction of flex-

down the list and question any

God, there’s no way on Earth

go back the other way and I’ll be

ibility. For me, if anything, I err

old thing that I feel like I cling to.

to know a fraction of what we

out preaching again, but I don’t

more — or try to err more to

I also feel like there’s bound to be

think we do.

think it’s going to be today.

that side, insofar as I think any

things I’m blind to that I believe

I guess there’s a certain power

Maybe that’s not too true,

questioning of beliefs that I’ve

so wholeheartedly or so funda-

that comes in claiming to know

because I feel like, even as I’m

done... I haven’t seemed to do

mentally I wouldn’t even know

things, and it feels good to have

talking to you, there are still

any harm in terms of the beliefs

how to begin questioning them.

answers for people or be able to

things now I believe are true and

that I question again and again

Things about what we perceive

tell them what’s right and what’s

are good ways to be. In some ways,

and found that they remain to

to be true, and the trustworthi-

wrong, and who’s going to go to

I feel like I’m preaching in sub-

be solid.

ness of our perceptions, and the

heaven and who’s not. Those are

tler ways by just talking to you,

Let me rephrase that, because

trustworthiness of our reason

really important issues, that if

because I have the understanding

that was kind of jumbled. I’m

and our emotions, and things

you claim to know the answers to

that we are doing an interview

less afraid these days to question

we’ve experienced and are vali-

these questions or claim to know

for a magazine. I think, “People

any of my beliefs, because the

dated in our beliefs. Those things

the truth about them, it can be

are going to read it, what are they

ones that I have questioned and

I wouldn’t really know how to

very empowering.

going to think? How will they

I find to be most true are not

even begin questioning. They’re

You can hold people’s atten-

think of me?” How will it affect

harmed by my questioning.

just so essential to how I experi-

tion by telling them things that

their lives if I say A versus B? If

ence the world.

are very important to them. “I

I had more humility, I probably

To

give

you

an

example,

I may question the virtue of

Even then, I try. I try to call

know how you can get your soul

wouldn’t agree to do an interview.

forgiveness and mercy, which

into question everything I take

into heaven when you die, or go

I’d probably be more asking you

is, of course, very important

in with my senses and what I take

to hell.” These really big ideas.

the questions, but that’s just not

in Christianity. I might say,

to be reality and “the world.”

People who think there’s such

the way we set this up.

“Well, no, maybe it’s better to

Certainly any ideas I have about

a thing as heaven or hell are

keep tabs on the wrongs that

God or truth or love or eternal

going to be interested in, “Okay,

people do. Maybe you could be

things I have to call into ques-

how do I get into one and not

taken advantage of if you for-

tion, because I assume, almost as

the other?” I think it can be a

(Pause) I don’t quite know how

give people. Maybe mercy is for

a point of faith, that whatever I

dangerous thing to start throw-

to answer that. My sense of belief

the weak.” I can consider those

have come to believe about those

ing around our ideas about those

has changed so much that I could

other views, ones that would

things is bound to be false to

places and those concepts, just

tell you things I do and I value

60

HM • JUNE 2015

What are some of the things you do strongly believe now?

“THIS

IS

PA R T

OF

W H AT

I

BELIEVE,

AND

THIS

I S PA R T O F W H AT I T H I N K A N D PA R T O F W H O I AM. IT

MIGHT

CONTRADIC T

SOMETHING

T H AT ’ S

I N T H E N E X T S O N G , B U T T H AT ’ S W H O I A M I N S O M E WAY S , S O C O N F L I C T E D A N D C O N T R A D I C T E D .”

and I care about and I intend on

way of necessarily communicat-

ambiguity. I like the idea that

quently a color and an animal,

and I’m committed to. For exam-

ing truth, or at least I don’t have

people will come and bring their

so yellow spider, pale horse,

ple, I am married now and I’m

the way of doing that. In a sense,

own ideas to a song, and take away

blue hens, which gets me to

very serious about being faith-

there’s nothing I can say verbally

from that same song totally dif-

wonder: What is your personal

ful to my wife as a husband. I

that I believe, but you can tell the

ferent things. I think that is an

favorite animal and color at

feel very strongly about not run-

things I’m committed to by what

interesting thing that happens.

the moment?

ning around and cheating on my

I do with my days. Of course,

wife, and not flirting with other

you’d have to come spend a little

I think that’s a wonderful

groundhog, because I just saw

women or anything like that. I

more time with me to get a feel-

thing. I think through that you

one yesterday. It was so funny

would want to try to be faithful

ing of that.

can talk about magic lanterns

and fat and chubby and oafish

and android whales and every-

how it moved around, really

thing else and see what people

boldly. I got about ten feet away

take from it.

from it before it scurried away.

to her. That’s important to me.

Does that mean that I believe

Exactly. And not through an

that’s the only way to be in a

interview. It would be through

relationship? I don’t know if

how you treat people on a daily

it’s a matter of belief, it’s just a

basis and everything else.

commitment of mine I’ve always

Yes.

felt as long as I can remember.

At the moment I might say a

Sure. The line about android

My lifelong favorite animal is

whales is a reference to my

a rabbit, there’s no doubt about

nephew, Harvey. He had a dream

that. As far as a pet, I’m a cat

about robots and whales, some-

lover. My wife and I have a cou-

Whenever I thought about being

Kind of contradicting that to

thing about robots and whales.

ple of cats. I like having them

in a relationship, I always cared

a degree, what are some things

I put that in there as a nod to

around. All things considered, I

about that, and about being hon-

you do want to try to commu-

him and to my wife. Again, just

think they’re my favorite animal

est, which is a form of truthful-

nicate through (the lyrics to)

liking the imagery and find-

to have around. Bunnies are the

ness.

Pale Horses?

ing a way after the fact to fit it

cutest, but they’re also very skit-

As far as things I believe very

I tried to see my voice as just an

into the song, “Oh, this is how

tish. The ones I’ve had, at least,

strongly, they are also basic.

instrument, just like the guitars

it makes sense in the context of

were hard to even pick up and

They’re all very basic about the

and drums. I just make sounds,

the song. It’s some kind dystopi-

hold, because they’re so afraid,

goodness of love and about the

and typically singers do that by

an future where all the real live

whereas cats are more relaxed

beauty of love and about the real-

using words and through the

whales have died and now we

and relaxing.

ity of love and about the impor-

language that they speak. There

have to build whales.” There’s

With the songs, it’s just a little

tance of compassion. Those are

are exceptions to that, but I find

a lot of almost science fiction,

catchier to just give it a color and

good things, and that goodness

myself in the position where I

world gone wrong, technology

an animal. At some point, we did

is real. Love is real. My life goes

have to put words together to

and progress, nuclear meltdowns

it enough it started to become

better when I remember that,

play my instrument.

and all that.

like, “Okay, this is a thing. I’m

and when I pray and when I give

I would be okay if somebody

If I want to come clean, I’d say

thanks to God. Even if I don’t

didn’t take anything away from

yeah, that image itself wasn’t

have a strong idea about who God

Pale Horses in terms of ideas on

even from my imagination, it

is, I still benefit from getting on

it. I would be very happy if some-

was just totally ripping off my

I think it’s fun. Any chance

my knees and giving thanks and

body didn’t take anything away

nephew, who I think was two

of a song about purple platy-

asking for forgiveness.

from it.

years old at the time. You know,

pus?

going to keep it going because it’s kind of our thing.”

There’s not much solid belief

Whenever there was a word

people might think that’s a nice

Not in the immediate future,

in there, it’s just, like I said,

or phrase that left an idea open

image or is a really meaningful

no. I will take the question into

things I do and I experience,

to considerably different ways

lyric, but in a sense it’s just

consideration once we part ways.

even without understanding. To

of interpreting it, I tend to go

silly.

They’re just such conspicuous

some extent, with beliefs, it feels

with that phrasing as compared

like I have to formulate them

to another way that might even

into words and express them to

sound nicer but was less ambig-

career, (you have always) talk-

I’m more inclined toward subtle-

you. I don’t trust in words as a

uous. I appreciate it, enjoy the

ed about animals. There’s fre-

ty these days.

words, they might attract too Throughout

your

entire

much attention to themselves.

61

On a sprawling and engaging new concept album,

Between the Buried and Me

wants to put you to sleep. HM talks with vocalist Tommy Rogers about the writing process behind ‘Coma Ecliptic’ and why he took his characters on a search through past lives, all while asleep

By Collin Simula Photos By Justin Reich

62

HM • JUNE 2015

63

How are things going in the

When I started getting into the vocals... My main thing as a

BTBAM camp?

ally, I always expect the worst. I

and Me, which I enjoyed. I always

know it’s different.

write solo stuff on the road, but BTBAM stuff has to be done

Good. Real good. I’m at home

vocalist is writing for the part,

right now, taking it easy before

writing for the song. What needs

That and metal fans in gen-

the record comes out and we

to happen, happens, and a lot

eral are notoriously particular.

start touring again and all that.

of the music didn’t call for the

Yeah. But it’s been great. And

Yeah, everything’s good man.

heavy stuff. It’s not that I was

the way we’ve slowly progressed

You have described Coma

like, “I’m not going to scream.”

into what we are today, I think

Ecliptic as a “rock opera.”

There were even parts where I

fans expect it. Fans don’t want

What’s the big concept here?

had screaming that didn’t work,

the same thing over and over.

It’s a fairly simple concept.

super

and vice-versa; there were parts

That’s one thing that’s inter-

It’s about a guy who goes into a

pumped. Very few people have

where I had singing where I

esting with us: When you get a

self-induced coma to travel to

heard it, so I’m glad people are

changed to screaming because it

new record, you don’t know what

past lives he’s lived. Each song

finally get a chance to hear it.

didn’t work. I feel like a lot of the

every song is going to sound like.

deals with a different past life.

That’s one of the first things —

music just called for something

As a fan of music myself, I enjoy

They are very bizarre concepts,

you get done with a record and

different. I took it as a chance to

when I get a new record and I

and he’s trying to find some-

you like it, but you get so anx-

write differently than I normally

don’t know if it’s going to be

thing different from his own

ious for the rest of the world to

do and try something new on

like the one before it. The fans

world. In the end, he realizes

hear it.

my end. I think I learned more

appreciate that and expect that.

he’s just been in a coma most of

I had a chance to listen to the record. Digging it.

Thanks

man!

I’m

before I actually start working on solo stuff.

his life and none of this stuff was

about my voice on this record

real. That’s the gist of it.

than I have in a really long time.

You guys are gearing up to

Doing this as long as we have—

tour with Haken, the British

I wanted to create something

Yeah. (Laughs) I honestly for-

over a decade—it’s nice to be put

prog band. Do you look at that

that could easily stand across a

get about it sometimes, “Oh,

in that situation, like “hey, I’m

as a chance to gain some new

whole record and have the free-

yeah, we have a new record com-

still learning.” I’m still figuring

fans outside of the metalcore

dom to create stories within sto-

ing out.”

things out about the band and

scene that you guys came up

ries. That’s why I enjoy the “past

myself. And I think we all were in

in?

lives” idea, because I could create

You end up finishing it and then sitting for months on it.

It’s an interesting record. On

that boat with this record.

first listen, it still definitely

I hope so. In some way or

all these disparate stories. When

another, we try to do that on

I’ve written concept records in

has that Between the Buried

Your vocals do sound really

every tour. In Europe, especially,

the past, it’s easy to get stuck.

and Me sound, but it’s quite

strong, like you pushed your-

we’re kind of behind, so I really

You want to branch out but you

a bit more melodic. Not just

self on this one.

hope we can gain some new fans.

can’t. This concept allowed me

musically, but vocally you’re

I appreciate it. It was a lot of

They are a great band, we’ve lis-

to be able to branch out. If one

singing about 90 percent of

work (laughs). It didn’t come eas-

tened to them for years, and it’s

song was a little heavier and the

the time. Was that a stylistic

ily for me. With writing it, it was

going to be cool to finally get on

theme didn’t feel right, I could

choice or was that just the nat-

just such a different record, I

the road with them.

create a story that would fit the

ural progression of the band?

took a totally different approach.

It was really natural for us.

It was time consuming, but I

mood for that song.

Speaking

of

the

more

melodic nature of Coma Ecliptic,

So, essentially, each song on

records, we don’t discuss what’s

Like you were saying earlier,

with the music getting more

the record is a chapter of sorts

going to happen. We go off and

we were really worried it wasn’t

expansive and melodic, are

in the bigger story?

write a lot on our own, and we get

going to sound like Between the

you seeing any overlap with

together after a little while and

Buried and Me. Once we got into

the writing process of your

see where everyones heads are,

a song or two, we knew it was is

solo material?

see what the vibe is around what

different but it still sounds like

No... no. I’m not the only one

idea? What mindset do you

everyone is writing.

Normally, when we start writing

think it came out really well.

Yeah.

What was the genesis of the

us, and we were totally comfort-

with something on the side in

need to get into to write these

But from the start, I think we

able with that. This sounds like

this band, and we never work

concept stories rather than

were just in a different place.

us, a new version of us, which is

on our side projects at the same

personal lyrics?

The music was more melodic —

what we wanted from day one.

time as working on Between

Well, the way I write when it

the Buried and Me stuff. When

comes to concepts is really get-

something is going on, that’s the

ting into the music. I want every-

focus, what we’re writing for. I

thing to work with the music.

It was great. It was better than

wrote the last solo record on the

Almost like a backward film

I thought, honestly. Me, person-

road with Between the Buried

score — the music is done, but I

like you were saying — and we just went with that. It felt right.

It felt natural to us. The writing process went really quick and smooth.

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HM • JUNE 2015

How was the fan reaction to (the first single)?

need to write a movie. And that’s

out, we really tried to convey the

it. I’m super proud of what we’ve

kind of how I do it. I visualize

story, which we did with pho-

done. I know a lot of musicians

what should be happening in the

tography this time, rather than

hate on earlier material, but I

moment and the moods that are

artwork. It was great. We had

think everything was made for a

created in that moment. The first

a photographer and artist that

reason, and I’m stoked on every-

few weeks or months of the writ-

we’re close with go in the mid-

thing we’ve done.

ing process, I do a sketch of sorts.

dle of the desert and take these

I kind of chart out what’s going

photos. They were super hands-

It’s easy to hate on previ-

to happen during each moment

on. We worked very closely with

ous material if you put out the

before I write the story.

them. We’re trying to have a

same record over and over.

Almost

like

writing

a

really cohesive package we’re

Right. Like, “I’m doing a bet-

presenting with this record, and

ter version of that now.” When

“We were really worried it wasn’t going to sound like Between the Buried and Me. Once we got into a song or two, we knew it was is different but it still sounds like us, and we were totally comfortable with that.”

hopefully that helps with the

I listen to Alaska, it feels like

In a way, yeah. The thing is,

story even more. I’m really blown

the same band, but it also feels

recorded that one in five days,

you spend all this time com-

away without the layout — even

like different music to me. And

live in the studio. Its so much

ing up with the story, but there

though it’s not a movie, I think it

I know a lot of people feel like

different than now, but was such

isn’t a whole lot of dialogue. So,

really tells the story well.

that. But we’re not doing a new

a great experience. We learned

version of Alaska. It is an evo-

so much. It might not be the best

screenplay.

sometimes, you have a lot more to say than you can, which is

I know every band says that

lution of that sound. We’re the

record ever, but it’s awesome. It

hard. Especially with this record

their new record is their best

same dudes. I still enjoy all of

represents that timeframe, when

being more melodic, I tend to

one yet, but do you think that

that stuff.

we were young and didn’t give a

write less lyrics when I’m sing-

Coma Ecliptic is the culmination

ing rather than screaming. There

of everything that BTBAM has

Totally. A week ago I was

were moments when I was like,

been doing so far, packaging it

listening to your self-titled

“Man, this song is finishing up

together better than you ever

record from 2002 and com-

and I still haven’t gotten this

have?

pared to Coma Ecliptic — wow,

sh-t about anything.

thing across. I need to find a way

Like you said, it is cheesy to

to make that happen.” That was

say. I think every record is that

an obstacle I kept coming across

way. If you aren’t getting to that

with this record, in particular.

point with every record, you

But in looking at your cat-

aren’t doing it right, just like

alog as an evolution, you can

what a shift.

(Laughs) Yeah.

Has the band ever enter-

any job. You’re working toward

appreciate all of the records

tained the idea of doing The

something. With every record,

for what they are, even if they

Wall-style visuals to go along

we grow as people and musi-

sound different.

with the concept?

cians, and hopefully that shows.

Yeah, and when you listen to

I think that’d be awesome, but

I’m very proud of this record.

that stuff you remember where

that’s a matter of money and

It is my favorite record we’ve

you were. When I listen to that

resources. If we had the money,

done, but it’s also new. I love

self-titled record, I remember

I’d love to (laughs). Maybe one day

everything we’ve done so far,

leaving the studio and driving

we can do something like that.

and everything we’ve done was

two hours to go to work the next

perfect for the moment we did

morning. Never sleeping. We

With the design of the lay-

65

66

HM • JUNE 2015

“A lot of the music just called for something different.

I took it as a chance to write differently than I normally do and try something new on my end.�

67

Why so serious?

By David Stagg Photos by Jason Mageau No other band likes to have as much fun with their music as iwrestledabearonce.

So why are they so concerned?

Courtney LaPlante makes you want to keep talking to her. She’s charming, her demeanor inviting and engaging. I called her 15 minutes late — mainly because I thought she was supposed to call me — and she let me have it: “I was sitting here, waiting by the phone,” she poured on. “You made me wait.” I extended my deepest apologies. “You’re a smart man,” she joked. She couldn’t keep up the facade very long, her nature more lighthearted. She’s full of active energy, something the leader of a band known for their energetic songs needs to be. That band, iwrestledabearonce, is about to release Hail Mary, their fourth fulllength release, though it’s the second for LaPlante.

She replaced former frontwoman Krysta Cameron in 2012 when she left to pursue a family. The energy on Hail Mary is there, but it’s a significantly denser energy.

Their debut album, It’s All Happening, ended up at No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart partly on its techinical prowess, spastic songwriting and genre exploration.

But, as happens when the life of a band rolls on, IWABO now rests on a sole founding member — guitarist Steven Bradley — but for the current release, the songwriting got heavier. Really heavy. The grooves last longer. While the music may not sound exactly the same, it has the identity and fingerprints of IWABO; just like their debut album, it’s another way one of the more entertaining acts in the genre reminds us they exist on their own terms.

We’re just along for the ride.

for this?

(Laughs) Yeah! Sure.

Okay, cool. These are supposed to be for when you first meet somebody, so here you go. First one: “Who was the last person you talked to on the phone, and who do you talk to most on the phone?” Not counting me.

The last person I talked to on the phone was... I just did an interview like an hour ago, but the last person I talked to on the phone, a personal call, was on Monday. My dad was picking me up from the airport in Atlanta, and he surprised me that my grandparents had driven down from Massachusetts to hang out with me.

Oh my God! I don’t live in Alabama, I was just coming here to visit my dad,

Just kidding!

and I had a mental breakdown on the phone, crying.

Well that’s a really good answer.

They’re doing more than al right, and their lat est album prove s it

I think the person I talk to the most on the phone is probably my mom. She lives in the same city as me. I talk to her the most on the phone because we live 40 minutes away from each other so we’re always organizing when to hang out. She’s a crazy hundred-mile ultra marathon runner. I am just starting out running, so I talk to the poor lady for an hour, at least once a week, trying to get tips from her (laughs).

Your mother sounds like an inspiration to live up to.

She’s an inspiration to live up

rather live in a place that was

I’m with you on that. I live in

to because she’s turning 50 and

always very hot, or a place that

Houston, so I’m familiar with

she looks like she’s 25. Everyone

was always very cold?”

the mugginess, and I would

in my band stares at her and likes

Oh no. Well, I don’t know

her pictures on Instagram inap-

because my dad lives in Alabama.

take that over snow and ice

propriately, a little too much.

The closest airport is Atlanta. I

I live in Canada, but I live

lived in Alabama for ten years,

on the West Coast so it’s never

any day of the week.

Most people want to get to

(Laughs) This one kind of

and I really didn’t like the mug-

snowed this year, as an exam-

know you a little bit, so I found

is close because you just said

giness. I think if I had to pick,

ple. Yeah, I think I’d rather it

these cards that my wife and I

you were in Atlanta, I know

though, I would pick always hot.

be always hot and then have to

have that are like “Get to Know

you said you didn’t live there,

At least you have an air condi-

have air conditioning and spend

You” questions. Are you down

but this card says: “Would you

tioner.

a bunch of money on air condi-

70

HM • JUNE 2015

tioning.

Given your chosen profession, you’ll likely be hotter

Okay, you have to give me…

God was the day that God didn’t

semi-answered, I got to meet

like childhood as in not a teen-

answer my prayers that the fric-

somebody that was in Space Jam.

ager yet?

kin’ Looney Tunes squad would

most of the days and sweaty

come out of my TV with Michael

There’s still time on the

is

Jordan and be my friends. I did

table. A lot of those guys are

want some water and some ice

intended to be — like, I played

meet Charles Barkley once. Wait.

still alive.

after that. It’s probably better

with X-men, that kind of era.

Twice

most of the time. You probably

that way.

Yeah, exactly.

One more: “Who were your childhood idols?”

I

think

the

question

I’ll make my rounds.

You know what? It was everybody at Space Jam. (Laughs) The day I stopped believing in

for

I don’t know what I can

Houston, so he’s been around

Oh

yeah?

promise you in regards to the

this town a lot.

Looney Tunes, though.

Yeah,

but

He

my

played

prayer

was

Yeah, so that was like my big

71

72

HM • JUNE 2015

73

thing when I was little. The first

started playing metal. I was his

a Manchester

CD I ever bought was the Space Jam

singer.

United fan.

soundtrack, when I was, like, 8.

We started out in a band and we were more like Rage Against

My

dad

That’s so definitive of an

the Machine with a girl singing.

was born in

era, I guess is the best way to

Then, as he started to like heavi-

Brighton,

put it.

er, more extreme music, I also

which is on

had to adapt, and he was show-

the Southern

ing me heavier, more extreme

s ide

Well then, tell me a little bit

music, so it went from that to

England, and

about what happened between

System of a Down to Between the

there’s

Space Jam and now your music

Buried and Me to Meshuggah. He

professiona l

career, as a junior higher,

keep having this need for heavier

football team

through high school and into

and heavier music. I never set

in that city.

your musical life. How did your

out to be in a metal band, I just

His dad, as I

relationship with becoming

set out to make rock music with

understand

the vocalist for a metal band

my brother. Then we both dis-

it, was in the

come about?

covered our love for metal music

Royal

together.

so they didn’t

Yes, exactly.

It’s really weird. I grew up

of no

Navy

spend as much

in Alabama, right. I went to a

time

“The day I stopped believing in God was the day that God didn’t answer my prayers that the frickin’ Looney Tunes squad would come out of my TV with Michael Jordan and be my friends. I did meet Charles Barkley once. Wait. Twice.”

hooting

very average school in Jackson,

That’s a fantastic story, are

Alabama, and I was always very

you and your brother still very

and hollering

high-achieving. I wanted to be

close?

and

getting

into

trouble at

everything. I wanted to make

Yeah, I was in a band with him

the highest grades but also be

for about six years. That’s the

down

the prom queen and also be the

band that I left to join this band.

pubs much. He

the

had a differ-

fastest person on my track team and be a cheerleader and be

Don’t tell me that story yet. I

ent relationship with it, but he

The job that I left to go join

President of Student Council. I

have one more question I want

understood the value of being

my band? She worked there, too.

think I was Vice President of the

to ask before we get to that

a part of a larger competitive

She ran the place I worked. We

F.F.A. Society. It’s like I wanted

story. F.F.A. For people that

organization, I think like your

worked together for three years

to be everything, but I also would

don’t know, that’s the Future

parents did. Keeping us busy,

(laughs).

only try out for these things if

Farmers of America.

so otherwise we don’t get in to

I knew I was going to win. You know what I mean? So I only

(In a Southern accent) Future Farmers of America.

trouble.

(Laughs) You’re going to be a hooligan!

tried out for Homecoming if I

That’s an awesome success story.

Yeah, she’s awesome. She’s very driven.

knew I would win. Then I put my

As a Texan, I’m familiar. Do

name out there. I was one of

you ever say that elsewhere in

Exactly. And he was exactly

those over-achieving kids who

the country and people look at

right so I played soccer non-

was really scared.

you like, What?

stop.

That’s awesome.

Now tell me about your relationship with iwrestledabearonce. You got more and

It was a really small town, so

Yes. They don’t know that here

I think what my destiny was to

in Canada. I don’t even know

be that kid who was the best at

why I say that, then. I should say,

Do you feel like you got your

everything and then went to col-

“Oh, I might be able to be presi-

drive from your mother? Do

lege and realized they were not a

dent of something at my school.”

you think she encouraged you

special snowflake and that just

I do still have my F.F.A. jacket,

to be the best you could and

remember my brother saying,

because, “I’m pretty but I also

you know. The corduroy jacket

that was you figuring that out?

“Okay, I’m about to show you the

love Dragon Ball Z, I’m so quirky

you get.

doesn’t matter.

Yeah, my mom was a teacher at

band an inspiration to you and your brother?

Yeah,

we

loved

them.

I

coolest sh-t you’ve ever heard.”

my school, so she was my mom

and different,” and then realize, get over yourself. High school

more into metal; was that

I was never actually in the club; it was just prevalent. I

and she was my science teacher and she was my track coach.

It is, when you first hear it.

It really is.

He showed me on MySpace,

was too busy playing soccer.

What?

It only gets you so far. Right.

My dad came from England,

During certain times of the

and then we were huge fans. I

And then when I was 15, I was

so when I went to high school

year, I would be with her for

added them all on Facebook and

taken away from there because

here, F.F.A. was somewhat

the entire day and then go home

every once in a while, I’d be like,

of my mom. I moved to Canada,

foreign to all of us. I had to

with her.

“I love you guys!” I never met

and I always liked playing guitar

learn about it all.

and stuff, and I taught my little

What was your soccer team?

brother how to play guitar, and

Michael, in my band, his par-

he got way better than me and

ents are British so he has to be

74

HM • JUNE 2015

them and they never really talkAnd now you still spend time with her?

Yeah, and we get along so well.

ed to me, but I was always a big fan. We were big, big fans.

We never got to see them live,

because they never came out

we didn’t both have girl vocalists,

I hadn’t done any vocals in

where, like Europe, America,

to my little island I lived on in

no one would compare us. But we

probably four months.

Asia and Australia. “Okay, I’ll

Canada. Then I was at work,

had interesting styles, so they

just going about my business,

were aware of me. They probably

That was my next question,

and I got a call — I think Jason

had been like, “You know, if we

how long the separation had

(Mageau), the band’s manager

ever need somebody... Ahe’s a

been from your previous band

called. He was like, “Hey, so their

cool lady.”

and this moment and how it

singer quit, do you want to finish Warped Tour with us?” And I was

do that!”

went.

(Laughs) If something ever

You were lucky in that you were in a position to say yes.

Yeah, it just clicked. I was kind of weirded out. I just went on a bus

They were like, “Go, go for it.” It

with 20 dudes. They were shar-

was my brother and my boyfriend.

ing a bus with the band Vanna. I

I went out there the next day.

They were very supportive. They

get to my friend, the guy’s house

I flew out the first flight, five

never said, “No, no no.” They were

in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and he

in the morning to Oklahoma

more like, “She might join the

was having this giant pool party

where they had the day off for

band, but, if anything, it’s going

with all these dudes and they’re

the Fourth of July. And then

to help all of us with exposure, so

all sunburned and everyone has

Oh no, they were like, we just

I met them. We didn’t prac-

go! Run!” They weren’t mad when

these face tattoos. Everyone in

need you to finish Warped Tour.

tice or anything, they just let

I joined, because they were really

Vanna has face tattoos and I don’t

This was literally the second

me go on their tour bus: “So

proud of me.

even know which guys are in my

their singer quit. They already

you can just turn up our songs

It was after a few days, and

knew of me because the band I

really loud on the tour bus and

then the guys were like, “Do you

was in was a regional band, and

scream to break in your voice.

want to go on a world tour with us

there’s not a ton of girls that sing

Then, hopefully, you sound

and be our singer?” They already

(Laughs)

and scream like that. In a way, if

ok ay

had a world tour booked, every-

Yeah, and I had no idea what

like, yeah! When do you want me to start? He’s like, “Now. Can you leave now?”

Were you told it would be interim?

goes down...

tomorrow.”

Because

band and which guys aren’t in my band. They all look the same!

75

was going on. I went in there and everyone was drunk because they were all stressed out and everyone was sunburned from being on Warped Tour and being in the pool all day. I just gave them all a hug and and told them, We’re going to get through this, guys. Mildred the Dog was there and she cuddled me because I was stressed out. And the next day, I was going out and doing the show.

Was the world tour with Vanna?

They were on the American

and

the

European leg of it, so I became really close with them. I did my first three tours with iwrestledabearonce (Warped Tour,

Europe

and

America), and Vanna was there the whole time. I got really close to those dudes because they also were there helping me. They told me, Hey, I know you’re probably freaking out right now because your whole life’s about to change, but it’s okay.

It’s like they were like my dad when I was going through puberty: “You’re going through some changes.

Davey (Muise, vocalist for Vanna) was a replacement singer, so he was very great to me. He knew what I was going through.

the actual album yet. I’ve lis-

super charged, a little frenetic,

an ear and to give you some

tened

but it doesn’t really give you

advice.

probably almost as long as you

That’s great for him to lend

Oh yeah. I owe him so much.

to

iwrestledabearone

have. The single itself sounded leaner, almost a heavier sound

Let’s talk about Hail Mary for

than I’ve heard from the band

a second. I’ve only heard the

before. It’s almost like the fat

first single; I haven’t heard

was stripped away. Still raw,

76

HM • JUNE 2015

punishing.

Yeah, that’s the best way to describe that song. That’s per-

the breaks that— It doesn’t feel like jazz breaks

fect what you just said. It punishes you.

are coming or something.

Also, I’d say — this is a sneak not

peek — that song is probably

there. Even the riffs are more

the least technical song on the

Right,

they’re

just

“It’s like I wanted to be everything, but I also would only try out for these things if I knew I was going to win.”

album. I’d say as far as instru-

ing more for the broader fan

Personally, I love heavy, but

release, to be like a kick in the

ments, that one is our least tech-

base. If you’re going to do that,

I wanted to hear what you

balls (laughs).

nical song I think. I’m excited to

that’s fine, but I feel like in an

thought about that.

show the other songs (laughs).

era where bands like Chon and

You know, I’ve been really

Polyphia are selling albums

bored with everything I hear.

That’s probably the least gui-

That song is heavy, but it’s definitely

not

the

heaviest.

The major note I made was

and with iwrestledabearonce’s

I’ve just been so bored. It’s like

tar-driven song on the album, as

that in the landscape of music,

history, that you would decide

nothing has any balls to it. I

far as lead guitar work. (IWABO

it sounds like people are writ-

to go so heavy with the album.

want this song, the song that we

bassist) Michael (Martin) and

77

(guitarist) Steven (Bradley) out-

on you, or were you allowed

on the music on some

did themselves. Me and Michael

the freedom to help guide it?

headphones and dis-

went home after recording was

Are you mainly doing lyrics? Is

appear?

done, but I’m pretty sure Steven

that your goal here?

Yeah. I do that and

and Michael took a nap for a

The nice thing is that even

I go on a jog. I’ve been

week straight after they recorded

though the band I was in had a

training for half mara-

because they were probably just

lot of growing to do, IWABO still

thons so I write on my

mentally and physically drained.

got a sense of what I was about

runs. A lot of my runs

through my old band. We wrote

are really long. They’re

For the record, that’s your

some kickass stuff. I definitely

like two hours long.

guitarist and drummer, correct?

had a lot of room for improve-

We have three Michaels in our

ment, but I think they felt really

I ran a half marathon

confident I could write songs, I

last year and it almost

could write the melodies and the

killed me.

band.

Which one here?

rhythms and I could write the

We have young Michael; he

lyrics.

Oh

that’s

amazing,

though. I’m cool with it.

is our new guitar player. He’s

That’s like my own little world.

Mine’s in June, and I’ve

my boyfriend. Then we have

They’re not a part of that world.

already run that dis-

Michael Martin, we call him

I go in my room and I write stuff

tance, so I’ll be fine.

Ricky, Rickshaw. He’s the bass

and I come in and that’s where

player. Then we have Mikey

the guys might say, “Hey, maybe

I have a brand new

Montgomery. We have young

you could do your rhythm this

respect for anyone that

Michael, Mikey and we have

way.” They give me guidance in

runs

Ricky (laughs). They’re all named

that way as far as what I’m actu-

miles at a time.

Michael. It’s a total sh-t show.

ally recording, but for my part,

It’s really hard. I don’t

I go in my own direction. They

think I’ll ever want to do

go in their own direction with

more than this. It’s so

writing the music, and we have

time consuming to train

to pray we meet up in the middle

for. I’m trying to train in

somewhere. So far, it works.

rural Alabama right now. I

Ricky is one of the founders, correct?

Ricky and Mikey aren’t technically the founders of the band, but

more

than

six

I feel like it’s weird to say they’re

Late for Nothing, I guess late

went on my long run yes-

not founders because the band

2013, was the last one we did, and

terday. I was going to run

started with (former vocalist)

that one was really cool. I had

11 miles, and I got through

Krysta (Cameron), (former guitar-

complete control, but this one

six. I had to call Michael

ist) John Ganey and Steven. They

was even cooler because I didn’t

— he’s here, too, visiting

got big enough and they needed

have anything to prove anymore.

my family, young Michael — and have him come pick

to tour, so they got random people in their band that didn’t really

You can let loose.

me up because I was out

work out. Ricky and Mikey, they

Yeah, I don’t care if people

in the middle of nowhere

haven’t been in it since the very

don’t like it because I don’t have

and there were so many

beginning, but they’re the found-

to prove anything. I already

damn stray dogs that live

ing members in my eyes.

proved myself. It’s a nice feeling

on farms chasing me and

of relief. It’s nice not to have

stuff.

I don’t mean to derail your

that anxiety or care what people

original statement, I just was

think because you made it for

trying to give reference to the

your own selfish creativity. It’s

family tree, if you will.

an awesome feeling.

Yeah, I always just lie and sat they’re original members.

When you wrote Hail Mary, what were you thinking about?

(Laughs) It’s definitely easier.

Who’ll Wikipedia that?

“The nice thing is that even though the band I was in had a lot of growing to do, IWABO still got a sense of what I was about through my old band. We wrote some kickass stuff. I definitely had a lot of room for improvement, but I think they felt really confident I could write songs, I could write the melodies and the rhythms and I could write the lyrics.

How about this, then: What’s You were straight out of a horror movie.

your favorite fried food? Is it chicken or is it going to be like a jalapeno popper?

Yeah, it was scary. I had to run

I don’t know. I’m a vegetarian

around with sticks and rocks so

now, but I grew up (in Alabama)

I could throw them at the dogs.

not being a vegetarian, so it might be like fried catfish and

The feeling the song gave you — not lyrically, but the over-

Really, you’re just trying to

hush puppies. Tonight we’re

all feeling of the song — led

put yourself in the mindset of

going to Cooter Brown’s Rib

to themes of dread and heavi-

the album.

House out here, and I’m going to eat ten hush puppies.

Yeah. Screw that.

ness and darkness and evilness.

If I could have written the

They were in the sh-t. They

That’s kind of what my lyrics

album here, when the dogs were

reflected.

chasing me, it would have been

Hell yeah you are! You’re

even scarier. I need to go on a six

going to eat ten of those damn

mile run today. It’s not going to

hush puppies.

were there.

When you entered the pic-

You call it going off into your

ture, did they press a direction

little room, I guess you just put

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HM • JUNE 2015

happen.

Then I’m just going to lay down.

The many sides of the ocean

By Sarah Dos Santos Photos by Corinne Alexandra

ON THE LATEST ALBUM FROM BEING AS AN OCEAN, FRONTMAN JOEL QUARTUCCIO IS AT HIS REALEST

81

I was first introduced to the sound of Being as an Ocean while interning at HM Magazine.

They had just released their second fulllength album, How We Both Wondrously Perish.

I heard the introduction of “Death’s Great Black Wing Scrapes the Air” and I was sold.

Their sound has all the elements a post-hardcore fan would appreciate; the spoken-word style reminds me of Dan Smith (Listener), and the screams remind me of Counterparts and Hundredth. The lyrics are heartfelt and delivered in a variety of ways, from screams and poems through spoken-word style and melodies. The steady two-step drum beats are complimented by smooth instrumental melodies, which are fronted by incredible clean vocals. All the different sounds blend together in a way I’d never heard before.

A week later we tried to give it another go; he had recently returned home to the United States. Our interview was scheduled for late afternoon, but this time, no sign of Quartuccio. I didn’t know he had returned from his tour, yet. After about an hour, I decided I would take a peek at my emails. David Stagg, HM’s Editor, had sent a message saying Quartuccio might be sleeping off the bangover, a sleep well-deserved for a band so dedicated to touring. That same dedication made carving out time to write their newest record, a self-titled effort from InVogue Records, difficult. “Now, having the finished product,” he would tell me later, “it almost feels like a dream that it’s done.”

I was mentally prepared for the interview a number of times, but trying to arrange a time to speak with Quartuccio was quite the mission. Quartuccio — the warm, friendly frontman of BaaO with an epic beard — has been touring with his band all over the world. The first time I got a hold of him, he was sitting on a rooftop in Vienna, Austria, late at night.

He couldn’t get a good connection indoors so he decided to climb onto the roof. I couldn’t help but laugh as he explained his predicament. I imagine his view was spectacular that night as we introduced ourselves.

That setting might have been the perfect environment for our interview. What an experience it must be to travel the world, different city every night, sharing a bit about your story while looking across the night lights of Vienna. I imagined the challenges he might have faced while traveling and the frustrations with the various qualities of accommodations and transportation. I was impressed with his determination to have this interview, even though it was during the end of the tour and the connection sucked. He was exhausted. It may have been just as well; Fate intervened and the connection was so pitiful, among a broken call, we agreed to try it again another time.

Hey Joel, how have you been?

We’ve been on tour for the past

I’ve been good. It’s nice to be at

three months in Southeast Asia,

home. I was traveling yesterday,

Australia, the U.K., Europe and

flying back, but yeah, feels nice

now I’m back home in San Diego.

to be back.

It’s nice to have a little break.

You flew in from your world tour, is that right?

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HM • JUNE 2015

Yeah, I can imagine. That sounds like a very hectic tour.

It was good, but it had its trials.

new song every night to promote the album and get people talking about it.

This is all to announce your new album?

Did you have good reactions?

Yeah, it was a bunch of sup-

I thought we had a really good

port tours, except for Southeast

reaction. I was happy with it. It

Asia, but yeah, we were playing a

was cool because I was doing a

I can speak to on that subject.

free merch thing: The person I

record, because you are taking

choosing to forgive for ourselves.

saw come over the barrier the

your artistic ambition forward

A lot of the album is about

I think, even aside from the

most times in that song (got free

but you’re also confident in the

forgiving the things that make

idea or belief in a God, we have

merch). We knew no one would

support you’ve gained from

us human. Everyone has things

to look at what’s more basic in

know (the song), and we did it

previous work. You can take

in them — whether you want to

just taking care of each other as

to keep up the energy and help

those risks.

call it darkness or a soft syn-

human beings. That, I think, was

In essence, that’s a big part of

onym for evil — where there

part of Christ’s message as well.

it, being confident in that fact.

is that humanity; these things

Heaven can be here on earth,

Before the whole tour, what

... The second album was differ-

that make us imperfect. We all

it’s available to us. But we have

got you guys so amped up for

ent from the first, so very much

have them but they vary. I think

to help it come along and create

the album? Was it different

for us: There’s a new produc-

it’s extremely important in the

it with each other, you know?

this time around?

er, there’s a new member. We

human experience to forgive

There can be harmony, it just has

It wasn’t necessarily different

were given hope because of the

those things that take our power

to be expressed as love to each

other than the fact that we had

reception of it. So it gave us the

away to become better people:

other and to treat each other

a little bit more of a time crunch,

license, at least in my mind, and

guilt, shame, etc. I think both

with respect and, with that love,

with how often we tour and

the confidence to continue on

love and forgiveness are massive

things can change in the world.

things like that — specifically

and do what came naturally.

weapons for justice, both in per-

people get into it. It was fun!

sonal relationships and in public.

Being a loving, forgiving

music. There was a little more

It’s nice to see you have

So like it’s like a universal

person to others, sometimes

stress with that part, but we feel

confidence moving forward.

rule; the golden rule: “Do onto

that’s the best way to have

it all came together really well.

When you’re writing, you’re

others as you would have them

harmony with people who are

We were amped on writing it and

writing from the experiences

do onto you.” And the other uni-

different from you and who

recording it. And now, having the

that have happened to you, the

versal rule, don’t be an A-hole.

believe differently than you.

finished product, it almost feels

things that have changed, the

like a dream that it’s done.

stories that you’ve been told,

(Laughs) It is simple. That

understand we all have strug-

and these are the things that

whole concept comes from a

gles and relate to each other

The last album was really

are growing you and maturing

man who lived just over 2000

and that ultimately is what’s

loved; a lot of people really

you into new artists, different

years ago: Jesus. You don’t

going to bring harmony and

enjoyed it. Did you feel pres-

from the last album.

have control of what people do

bring peace, right?

taking the time to write out the

You just treat people well and

people

to you and you don’t have con-

I do believe that. Free of judge-

of fans or the label in making

change constantly, so the music

trol of what they say or what

ment and living in that perpetual

this new album?

people make should change as

they think. All you can control

state of forgiving. You can never

well. Or else, it’s just a carbon

is what you do about it; how

be offended; you can only learn

copy.

you react. I like the style you

from other people.

sured to meet the expectations

I was trying to write from a place of honesty, and the

Yeah,

totally,

and

took on that concept with the

thoughts did cross my mind, but

Even learning how to be ver-

those were the thoughts I had to

One thing I wanted to touch

track… and this is me assum-

throw away. I love and appreci-

on is this theme of forgiveness

ing Jesus’ life is your founda-

ate our fans so much, but I know

and trampling over struggle

tion and inspiration, based on

if I start writing things I think

(through) love, which is pre-

reading into your lyrics. Can

people want, I’m not being hon-

sented in the lead single from

you confirm that?

est with myself. This album was

your album, “Little Richie.”

Well, my foundation for writ-

what’s ahead for you guys?

important to me, so, at least on

Do you believe forgiveness

ing the things I do… I can’t take

You’re going to be on the line

my end, I tried to remain honest

and love have a greater ability

my personal experience with

up for Vans Warped Tour?

with where I was in my expres-

to improve our character and

God out of it. But like —

sion.

inspire people instead of this

There is the hope the album is well received. You hope people

popular concept of seeking justice for ourselves?

sus how not to be (laughs).

Exactly, exactly.

I also wanted to find out

Yes. There’s nothing more exciting

You want to make it universal?

than

Warped

Tour.

We’re excited to start it and support doing it.

like what you make. But, in the

Absolutely. I think there’s a

Well, take my band mates:

end, you make it for the plea-

different kind of social justice

Even though not all of them

Yeah, and you probably don’t

sure of it, the escape we found in

that’s encouraged when we are

share the same foundation or

even want to think about it

making music, and for playing

pre-emptive and take care of

belief or opinion, they are very

right now after a world tour.

it for our lives and all that stuff.

each other before things arise

gracious with me in letting me

True. I’m very much in my own

where we have to react. I think

express something I believe to

mindset, and I know that when

That shows how you guys

there’s something empowering

be part of the new experience for

the time comes, I’m going to

have all grown since the last

between choosing to love and

myself, and (I’m) the only person

thoroughly enjoy it.

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HM • JUNE 2015

SERVING THE VOICES DEMONSTRATING CHRIST’S LOVE THROUGH RADICAL HOSPITALITY

THROUGH A NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF HOST HOMES, RYFO PROVIDES TOURING MUSICIANS WITH FOOD, SHOWERS, LAUNDRY AND BEDS

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V

FROM THE HM VAULT

ISSUE NO. 119 MAY/JUNE 2006 “We’ve been mega-blessed,” Underoath drummer and vocalist Aaron Gillespie says. “We do what we do. We do what we know how to do, you know?

We don’t really try to dress up on stage.

When you try, people know you’re trying, and it doesn’t last very long.

We want to make music kids can relate with. We’re people who’ve come a long way. We’re definitely just a bunch of screw-up kids that have been given a second chance.”

Visit

HMMAGAZINE.COM

for album reviews!