Hi guys, welcome to Vents! How have you been? We’ve been amazing! We’ve been working on so many things and getting ready for the release of CAROUSEL coming out on October 16. So congrats on your signing deal to Nuclear Blast. How do you folks feel about ‘finally making it’? Thank you so much! Being a part of the Nuclear Blast family is an honor all on it’s own. They have been around for 30 years and probably one of the biggest indie labels out there and now STK is here to carry the flag for a new generation. We are so lucky to have gotten to this point as musicians. We are very grateful and appreciative to have been taken under by Nuclear Blast and can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us with CAROUSEL. Can you tell us more about the story behind your latest track Motion Sickness? Motion Sickness is a song about being on the road and missing the one thing that has always been the solitude that you long for. This can apply to musicians and significant others or even losing a family member or friend. Life will always throw curveballs you aren’t ready for and when it does, you want that sense of security, which can be provided by someone but they aren’t there.This song talks about the sense of happiness and strength with just the thought of them through the tough times. The single comes off your new LP CAROUSEL. What´s the story behind the title? CAROUSEL was taken from the song Choke, which will be our next single of the album. The full lyric is “…stuck in this carousel you called life…” and it really hit me when I was trying to think of a concept for the CD. We have all been playing music for so long and working to make our dream come true. We know that there is a massive group of people that go through life living day to day, wanting something more out of it but not doing anything to change it. The Carousel stencil is a call to all
those people that are stuck in that carousel that need to take control of their lives because nothing will be handed or given to them so it’s their responsibility to break the cycle. How was the recording and writing process? Writing and recording felt very natural as a whole. The writing process was similar to what we have done in the past but this time we really wanted to focus on Bobby’s vocal capabilities. We wrote our EP HERE TO STAY prior to Bobby joining the band and after being with him over the years we knew how amazing his voice was and definitely needed to utilize it on CAROUSEL. When it came to writing the album, we definitely wrote as we naturally would but really focused on making sure every chorus had the potential to get stuck in your head. What was it like to work with Steve Evetts and how did that relationship develop? The recording process with Steve Evetts was nothing short of amazing. Steve is a very smart and creative individual and it shows when working with him. The one album that this band as a whole has always loved was ARCHITECTS THE HERE AND NOW and the man behind that album was none other than Steve Evetts. We added Steve to the list of possible producers more jokingly than seriously but still pitched the idea to Nuclear Blast. A few days later, we got a call from the NB office and said we were booked with Steve Evetts. There was a weird moment of silence when we found out as we looked at each other, kind of like time had literally stopped and all our jaws were on the floor, time resumed, jaws came to their normal position and we got ready. Steve really focuses on preproduction prior to getting in to the studio and that was something very new to us. Steve would get a feel for each song and structurally get a visual for the song and make his own suggestions.That week of preproduction had so many of those shock and awe moments because his fresh take on the songs brought about ideas we hadn’t thought about
before. With all the preproduction being done, we were beyond prepared for what the studio had in store for us. The studio portion of the recording was amazing, for lack of a better term. Steve is a musician so not only does he know what to listen for but what potential was in each of us. I wouldn’t say he’s a perfectionist by any means but he would make you do the same part until he got the right take. Regardless, if it was a funky rhythm in a break down or just strumming in a chorus, he made sure he recorded the perfect take that showed the energy of the song. That being said, we are grateful for the lengths that he pushed us because we really feel that it shows on the album with every note. o mu ould you say t ey get to in uen e t is album? Steve definitely had his input on this , which we were very open to. The point of having an amazing producer is to have them there to suggest or hear things that the band hasn’t yet, to get an outsiders perspective. Hiring someone to record is one thing but then hiring an individual to produce is exactly what we were loo ing for. onsidering Steve s discography and how many albums he has been a part of, it was easy to listen to what he suggested. e e did you find t e ins i ation fo t e song and lyrics? In all honesty, life was inspiration for the album. From the carousel stencil, to the words in each song, to every note played. CAROUSEL is a culmination of our emotions and the experiences that life has brought us through being in a band. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions, as is life, with its highs and lows carrying through all ten songs in a diverse but still cohesive sounding product. Do you have any plans to hit the road? Hitting the road is the most important piece of this puzzle that
we have yet to put in place. We have done some regional touring but nothing national, or international for that matter. One of our favorite parts of being a musician is actually being able to perform these songs and letting the music take over. We really pride STK on a fun and energetic live show. On stage, we are having a blast, and our main goal is to make sure that anyone that is giving us a chance is having just as good of a time if not more. We love to interact with the crowd and get them involved because without anyone listening, we wouldn’t be where we are today. The other amazing part about getting on the road is talking to fans of the music. When we write a song, we might have something specifically in mind but it s written in a way that the reader can make their own. One person may read the lyrics of Motion Sickness and think it’s about a relationship but another might read it and think of a relative they had lost and how their security makes them feel better without them being there. We want to hear how our music has touched peoples’ lives or how CAROUSEL was the soundtrack to hard times in their lives. The one common factor is the music and that’s what will bring everyone together in the end. What else is happening next in Speaking The King´s world? Our main focus at the moment is shooting for a successful release of CAROUSEL and getting it to as many people that are willing to listen to it. We have plans on filming a music video for Choke that you should keep your eyes open for as well as announcing some possible touring in early 2016. Thank you for your time and to the continued support from our fans since day one. The wait is almost over!