Jason Hoke- Drums

Jeff Swoboda- Bass

Nate Hammond- Keys/Synth

Chris Heckman- Vocals/Guitar

The Denver indie rock scene is very supportive as many of the bands collaborate with each other and have a close-knit, dedicated community of local fans. Do you feel there are some difficulties to breaking out of that clique and reaching a broader audience when you play locally? Is there ever a fear that you’re not being exposed to enough new listeners at Denver shows?

Chris: It is easy to get comfortable in the bubble, but at the same time, if you do it right…like right now we are starting to hit the point where we are expanding past that bubble. But the bubble is necessary, you need that. I think that’s what supports us to go travel around the country and to legitimize ourselves. Ya know, do we really deserve this? And when the rest of the country takes note, then yes, I think we do.

Jeff: You can get comfortable but at the end of the day, you wanna push it. At the end of the day you’re trying to push, get out there, get national and if you’re not, that’s fine, but you lay where you put yourself, I guess.

Economics aside, what is your touring philosophy? Many of your contemporaries here hit the road for several regional tours every year. Are Epilogues geared toward the live show as a primary means of spreading their art and their message?

Chris: Take a little bit up at a time, at first I think we tried too hard.

 Nate: You can get there, but if you’re not in those markets at least 4 times a year, you’ll be irrelevant because you’ll be forgotten.

Jeff: Our philosophy is piece by piece, basically. And you gotta take a hit money wise. You’re not gonna get paid the first couple tours, it’s how bad you want it and what you want, really.

“Hunting Season” is a great song. It has a very true meaning- you have a goal, and you get closer and closer to it, all the while things you’re used to in your life start falling apart. In order to supremely achieve that goal, you’ll have to sacrifice a lot, are you ready for that type of commitment? Have you thought about that?

Chris: I think we HAVE thought about it.

 Nate:  I don’t know how much life would really change.

Jeff: At this point we’ve kinda set ourselves up for all or nothing,

Nate: It’s either this, or nothing else.

Chris: I’m not going to banking school. I pretty much decided when I was 14 that this is what was gonna happen. We all decided on that when we formed this band. We all live together, I’m 29 years old, and I live in like a “cat house”. None of us wanna do that, but we do it because we love the art.

Nate: Yeah, gotta keep your eye on the prize. And if you don’t you’re gonna get caught up in the stupid shit. Ya know, we can have the best week ever, but if someone left their moldy dish in the sink I’m gonna think about that more than I’m thinking about certain things sometimes. But that’s just the nature of the beast cuz you gotta keep focus. It is a big game of sacrifice and focus. We have no idea what the obstacles are gonna be 6 months or 5 years from now, but I think we’ve kinda conditioned ourselves to be able to adapt to whatever the hell is thrown at us..

You guys spend most of your time together, do you ever get sick of each other?

All 4 guys, in unison, replied:  “haha, ya”.

Nate: Kicking holes in the wall, kicking doors off hinges, we’re like brothers so it’s literally like how a family would fight. We have a few simple rules that we’ve stuck to lately…respect, communication, and to just be accountable.

You’re good looking guys, so it’s no wonder that a lot of your songs are about heartaches associated with relationships. What other types of heartache have you experienced that may be reflected in your music now, or in the future? 

Chris: That’s a loaded question right there……

Jeff: Yeah, Can we get some chairs? (laughs)

Nate: To not be specific, we’ve gone through deaths in the family, I won’t evenname some shit…but anything that anybody could possibly go through, one of the four of us has gone through.

Jeff: Yeah, anything in the world that sucks, one of us has had to deal with head-on. Head injuries, car explosions…Jason almost died last year….

Nate:  Dying friends, dying family, relationship woes…but that’s the best part- we’re no different than anyone else

Jeff: yeah, and losing an xbox,

Nate:  and the cat always drinks my water and it’s fucking annoying

Chris:  and then one time there was a litter nugget in there…

Chris- you have a very unique tone to your voice..do you think it hurts OR helps you?

Chris: No? haha. I got made fun of a lot in high School. It is different.  A lot of people don’t expect it to come out of me. It is what it is. It’s taken me a while to find my singing voice to be honest. It started out really, really, British back in the early days. It was gross.  I think recently I’ve just embraced what comes naturally and it’s been working out.

Nate: People tell us all the time that “we’re just trying to be like Silversun [Pickups]”.  No! That’s just what he sounds like!

What is one thing that you think the band could improve on as a whole?

Chris: Consistency, as far as practicing.

Nate:  Commitment, But it’s easy to be happy with where we are. Right now we could be happy just sitting in Denver being hailed as “up and comers” and we could just be “weekend warriors”. It’s always, like I said, as cliché as it is, “staying hungry”, being on the front of your game. We’re always trying to think of the next big idea. What are we gonna do next? What merch are we gonna do next, what songs, etc. I don’t wanna use all those cliché things but it’s true: “Failing to plan is planning to fail”, it IS true. Nobody’s making that shit up. We’ve been doing this ourselves for six years so we kinda have an idea of the cycles, the seasons, and the shit we need to be doing. The EASIEST thing to do is just be lazy. That’s probably mankind’s number one problem: effort.

Jeff:  and as more accolades come, too, it gets easier to sit back and just indulge. It’s like we doze off and we have to wake each other up. But we didn’t get to where we are by sitting on our hands and enjoying the show, ya know?

What is your favorite venue to play when you’re home? …there’s gotta be one! 

Nate:  Undecided.  But I do like the Gothic cuz that’s where we’ve had the most packed shows..

Chris: Red Rocks is definitely the coolest venue. And 1st bank center was cool

Jeff: Ogden’s pretty great.

 What do you guys find in your smaller, more intimate shows vs. the bigger amphitheaters like red rocks?

Nate:  The Gothic’s nice because you can fill it easy!

Chris:  Gothic is cool cuz you can see that first row of people

Nate: Ya, and then the rest of it just goes to a blur…

Jeff:  It’s always cool, though, when you can’t see the open space

Nate:  There’s so much fog

Chris: Ya, and all the lights. But hearing that roar when we’re done playing, I don’t really know how to define it. You can hear the echo from the back and THAT’s cool!

Nate: We’ve never wanted to be a band that’s strictly associated with one place.

The last decade in Denver music may be looked at nationally as the time when The Fray or 3OH3! broke out and became global names. What advice would you give to a local band with a more eclectic indie sound who sees those artists and wants to find success outside of Denver without compromising their art or targeting the Top 40, MTV crowd?

Nate: We always say, “Write music with your heart, and protect it with your head”. That’s the best advice I could give anybody cuz there’s a lot of times you wanna put your heart out there, but there’s a set line. You have to be relentless and you have to be fearless. No one’s gonna hand it to you. You see a lot of bands that had it handed to them, and didn’t want it. The bands that last are the ones who really wanna do it.

Jeff: You wanna be a doctor, you gotta work your ass off, you wanna be an athlete you gotta work your ass off, and if you wanna be a musician, you better hustle.

Chris:  I think everybody wants this job.

Jeff: But that’s the thing. Everyone wants to be a rock star. Everyone wants that part, nobody wants the whole thing. No one wants to live in a house that’s dilapidated, and they don’t wanna live on almost nothing.

Nate to chris- what, you don’t wanna work at Starbucks for 11 years? (laughing)

The Epilogues are very relatable guys. They truly are normal people. They face things like the rest of us but don’t crumble under pressure. They don’t announce their failures or experiences to the world. Quite frankly, they do what they have to do. They admit that sometimes they get distracted and at certain times prefer acting like normal guys who aren’t in a band, but they always pull themselves together. Having played the Westword Music Showcase and recently the Underground Music Showcase, they’re putting the effort in and including the fans of their hometown. Denver will never be forgotten, but there are many other cities that need to be exposed to The Epilogues, and they plan on spreading the word anywhere possible!

-JT and Double A 

 www.theepilogues.com

www.myspace.com/epiloguemusic

www.facebook.com/theepiloguesband

“Crossfade’s new album is honest, strong, beautiful & displays raw emotion. “

  Crossfade is RELENTLESS.  Despite all of the struggles this band has encountered, they have rehabilitated themselves into something not only unexpected, but completely extraordinary. If their fans were expecting a copy-cat of Crossfade’s first self-titled album, they will be (pleasantly) surprised. It is quite easy to see that in the last 3 years it took to write and record this album, Eddie, Mitch, and permanent additions of Les and Mark, have matured their sound and taken it to a new level.   

  It may be easy to hear the title of their 3rd LP, “We All Bleed”, and assume it could be a failure. That is, until you listen to it in its entirety. But after you listen to their first single, “Killing Me Inside”, any assumptions would seamlessly shift into a “…..Holy Shit!”. The first track on the album (also one of the last songs to be written) titled “Dead Memories” will bring your initial thoughts to even more of a jolt.  This song impressively kick-starts the album and you better have your pads and helmets ready for this ride!  Their first single follows into the rest of this hard-hitting, simply powerful collection of songs.  “Prove You Wrong” comes third, laced with digital effects, timely breaks and expressions of self-revival.  Lead singer Eddie Sloan recently commented on this song in an interview with www.Listenin.org stating, “One day I will beat this, one day I will be okay again, one day I will be sober again, and one day I will prove the people who don’t necessarily think that I’m on the straight and narrow right now…one day I will prove you wrong”.  Let’s not forget the amazement of the 4th track off the compilation: Lay Me Down. In much better verbiage, Crossfade expresses a moment of giving up. “It’s over, I quit. It’s not like I’m worth saving anyway……Lay me down, I’m so tired. Empty inside, I’m uninspired”.  While this release has many oppressive lyrics and messages, there are still glimmers of hope throughout. “Open Up Your Eyes” literally tells you to open your eyes and realize that even if you think you have nothing left in the world and no one by your side, take a look around and see all the positive that you do possess. No one is ever completely alone. And the last track which is exactly 10 minutes and 10 seconds in length, is also an example of some of the positivity spread throughout this disc. It is expressive of someone who wants to believe in something, who desires change and something to look forward to.  

  Overall, in the opinion Vital-Sounds, Crossfade has completely outdone themselves.  They have raised the bar in several different aspects. Many bands out there will now be forced to step up their game! Crossfade incorporates aggressive, beautiful guitar & bass, heavy drums, orchestration, digital sound effects, hauntingly appealing piano and complex vocal harmony to create a list of 10 songs that will seriously stop anyone in their tracks.  They have proven that taking several years to create a masterpiece instead of releasing something just to get back on the charts is incredibly beneficial.  Many may have thought that Crossfade gave up, but all the while they were rehabilitating themselves and creating their best art yet! After a mutual departure from their former label, Columbia records, then eventually signing with Seven Eleven Records, Crossfade is soon to kickoff The Rock Allegience tour with many industry friends. ( yes, it was mutual, they did NOT get dropped from Columbia) Make sure to check out the dates. We can guarantee that the show will be amazing, specifically for their set alone.  These guys have worked their ass’s off to not only impress all of us and give us the best form of therapy possible, but to also rejuvenate the band’s sound while maintaining the quality and characteristics that makes them Crossfade.  

  All in all, Crossfade took the time, energy, dedication, talent and suffered through the pain to mature and resurrect themselves. There is no stopping them now! “We All Bleed” was released June 21st, so go get your copy now, before it’s too late! :) (you don’t want to be the LAST one, do you??)

Vital-Sounds Entertainment rates this album 5/5. Our only complaint is that 10 songs is NOT enough!

Written by: JT

Lead vocalist Chris Mccoy of Oceans Divide recently took the time out of his busy schedule to talk with Vital-Sounds about his band. Oceans Divide is a hard-hitting, emotionally influenced band that began in 2009. This four-some have been playing in local bands around their hometown of Spokane, Washington for nearly 12 years. Having been in other projects together before, they decided to create Oceans Divide. This is the unit’s first year as a National act, and it took them a while to get here! They have been touring off and on prior to the release of their EP on February 23, 2011. Having ties to the band RED, (Jasen Rauch of RED produced their EP), and having shared the stage with COLD, BOBAFLEX, Egypt Central, and many others, it is clear that Oceans Divide is quickly rising. Chris talks about the struggles, heartache, growth and inspiration they have experienced. Here’s what Chris had to say…. 

VSE: (directed towards Chris) Your uncle died years ago due to alcoholism.  Is it difficult for you to go on stage and lay it all out on the line and open up in that way? Are there other things you guys have personally experienced that may be reflected in your music in the future? 

Chris: This goes back to being honest in our music.  I feel writing about these subjects can help people dealing with the same loss/pain/heartache.  That is a constant theme in our music.  To rise above and overcome yourself and the crap that life brings you.  It’s all about finding some kind of peace in your life and music is a tool to help you do that. 

VSE:  “Barely Alive” is a very strong, emotional song. It expresses what many people can easily feel- at the end of their rope, without hope. Have you all ever felt like there was no more hope, that things would never get better? 

Chris: Oh yea.  The lyrics to this song came to me in a bad time in my life.  Everything that could happen, happened, and I felt at a loss.  Thank god I had family and friends who could help me, but I was personally at my wits end. Hence “Barely Alive”.  

VSE: What is the best advice you ever gotten about making it in the music industry? 

Chris:  ”A real man chases his dreams against all odds”. -Shaun McCoy, BOBAFLEX 

VSE: I’ve seen a few reviews that state you guys “lack stage presence”. Do you ever react to this type of criticism? Does it motivate you to prove that the negative feedback given to the band is wrong? 

Chris: Well, I read that from a writer in Denver, actually, who thought Kopek and us had a lack of stage presence.  When you have 4 to 5 bands’ gear on stage it doesn’t give you a lot of room to move, and the fact that you’re given 20 minutes to prove yourself to a crowd who has never heard you is another battle you have to face.  Ultimately, as a band, we still have a lot to work on.. but reviews like that help us become stronger performers and musicians.  We still have a lot to learn and touring like we are is helping us better ourselves every night. 

VSE: What do you think Oceans Divide possesses that other bands may lack? How do you think this will benefit your success? 

Chris: We are not reinventing the wheel here, but I do think we bring an energy and a fire to our stage show.  When we hit that stage we demand a connection with the people in the crowd.  We are constantly learning and working on our stage show and we know it will only get better. 

VSE: I’m sure it’s safe to say that the music industry is a bit tainted since social networks make it easy for any and every band to promote. Do you think you’d be where you are if these networks were non-existent? 

Chris: Honestly, social networking only works to heighten the experience.  At the end of the day we are going to gain our fan base from touring and radio promotion.  The social medium just helps us connect better with our fans.  

VSE: What do you hope your fans gain by listening to your music? Why do you do what you do? 

Chris: I hope people who listen can relate and find some kind of peace through the message.  We do what we do because we love performing and connecting.  This is our dream and we are driven, as brothers, to fulfill that dream. 

VSE: What did you do before the band started getting serious and taking up most of your time? 

Chris: Music has always been a big part of our lives.  Honestly it took me years to get to the point where I am now and that was a lot of hard work. Everything from learning to be a better song writer, singer and also realizing you need to have some good business sense, especially in this business. 

  Oceans Divide puts on one hell of a show.  These boys put it all on the line, and feed off the crowd. The connection they are able to create in such a minuscule amount of time is extremely memorable. Whether there’s 3,000 people or only 3, they always maintain a certain level of energy.  They can admit that one thing they could improve would be their amount of patience, because the music industry IS challenging and unpredictable. They never know what’s going to happen next! The guys always keep busy. When they aren’t on the road or rehearsing, they all have “normal” day jobs. Drummer Silas McQian owns a printing business, John and Dan Goodman (Guitarist and Bassist) are in construction and Chris McCoy has his own graphic design/consulting business. This shows that they really are just 4 normal guys trying to fulfill their dreams, and one day they’ll hopefully share the stage with bands like Alter Bridge and Sevendust.  When Chris was asked if Oceans Divide’s raw honesty and emotion would be reflected in the future, he stated, “Yes.  As Song-Writers we believe we have to be honest in our music. That is the kind of band we are. It is about writing what you know”.  When the guys tour, there are certain things that stay constant. One thing is access to plenty of wet wipes(haha), and the second, before they go on stage they huddle up and sing an old drinking song! “It has no significance, we did it once and it stuck. If we don’t do it, it feels wrong” says the lead singer.  However, their favorite part of touring is getting to know their fans and learning how they connect with the bands’ music, “It makes all the struggle worth it”.  Oceans Divide is temporarily back home now, but still hard at work.  They plan to keep touring and opening for bigger bands. But for now, they are concentrating on what will be their first Full Length Album.  They’re unsure if it will be released with a label, or self-released, but we can definitely expect an LP. They’re aiming for as early as Fall!  If you have not yet had the “Oceans Divide experience”, I highly suggest you check them out as soon as possible. You will NOT be disappointed!! 

Oceans Divide has a Facebook page, a myspace profile, their own website..www.oceansdivide.com and they’re also on twitter: @oceansdivide. Connect with these boys! They have the utmost respect for their fans and admirers. Kind-hearted, honest, and personable.  

 -Written by Vital-Sounds Entertainment Owner, JT.

June 14, 2011

Anberlin Written June 2006

I can recall plenty of times when I’ve been driving and looked over at the car next to me. In that car, there are people singing along and rockin’ out to whatever music they’re listening to. I always laughed and then turned away, instantly assuming they’re crazy to some extent. Now that I think about it…maybe it’s ME. Maybe I’m just jealous because at that exact place and time in my life, I’m not as chipper as the “insane” people driving next to me. After I received a new CD for my 18th birthday, I realized the times spent in my car had bumped up a few energy levels.

This new CD was amazing! It had plenty of references to classic icons such as Page Davis, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Christa Paffgen. Plus it was replete with plenty of rhythm, hooks and catchy lyrics.

As of that day, Anberlin became one of my favorite Rock/Alternative bands of all times. “Never Take Friendship Personal”…one could live by the title of their sophomore album, alone. One could be stranded on a deserted island, accompanied by their album only, and be totally satisfied with entertainment!(Their album…simply amazing) There’s not a single song that isn’t upbeat or positive.

Anberlin is a four-piece band, well , as of right now. There’s Knate on drums, Deon on bass, Joe on Guitar and Stephen on vocals. BUT, you cannot forget “Strayer” who is being considered as the bands fifth member. If things go well on the Take Action Tour, Strayer just might get promoted from “temporary” to “permanent”. With this addition, Anberlin will be complete.

Watching Anberlin perform was astonishing. They have awesome stage prescence, they’re constantly moving around (fair warning to all picturesque people photographing the band) and they never miss a beat. People who had intentionally gone to the show to view another band come out vaunting about Anberlin’s set. Such things as “Anberlin’s sick” and “Anberlin kicks ass” were heard throughout the room. When one member heard of his, he smiled from ear to ear. They now have a reason to come back and further enhance Denver’s music scene. Which they should be doing around mid-April.

“We dont want our music to bum people out, we want it to be positive and uplifting”, says 18-yr-old Knate.

And uplifting it is. Plus, an energetic live performance doesn’t make them suck, either. Anyone who has eyed Anberlin in a live performance would agree that they are a must-see. If you don’t, well, then it’s your loss. You’ll miss the next big thing and you’ll just be another groupie to the newest “punk rock” band.

Not only is Anberlin a kick ass band, but they’re also very humble and down-to-earth as well. Cracking jokes and having nothing but fun, these guys are one in a million. They dont let their fame go to their heads, and they’re spiritual, praying for a kick ass show before they perform. This is a trait of men who do not care how people perceive them. Anberlin loves their fans; they make it a tradition to hand out with them after the show. After all, who are they without hteir fans? One fan admires the band so much she got the lyrics to “Glass to the Arson” tattooed on her back. Now THAT’S dedication. If Anberlin can affect so many people this much already, you can only imagine how many people will be supporting them in the years to come!

By: JT

Love.45

I walk into Fox and Hound nervous and lost. My friends and I were approached by the manager who told us if he suspects anything, he’ll ask us to leave. “This is strictly a bar environment”. Even with the rude tone in his voice, I manage to keep a smile on my face. I assure him he has nothing to worry about and I thank him for letting it be an all ages show after all. “It means a lot to me and I’m sure the band appreciates it, too”. My friends and I stand in the entry way looking around until I make eye contact with Danny. He waves, so I walk over to say hello. Danny stands up, “Here let me give you a hug. How ya been?” All the guys are very friendly but Danny is by far the most “touchy-feely” of them all. I’m sure Paul informed Danny of the crush I have on him, and that could be it as well. Jim looks at me and says “Hey I remember you!”. I’m not sure he knew I was there for an interview. I don’t blame him. It’s hard t believe a 18 year old is doing interviews. I spot Mick sitting in a chair in the area the band will be performing in about half an hour from the current time. He stares at the ground, beer in hand, not talking to anyone. I start looking for Paul so I can finally introduce myself. I find him re-stringing his guitar. He thanks me for coming and asks if the other guys said hi. He seems concerned with making sure they include me all night. However, the night IS about them…….. so I try not to bug the guys. I let them talk to who ever they want. I know they won’t let me leave without the interview. Half an hour passes by and the guys start to set things up. I ask if they are playing “Awake”. I love the song and I have never seen them play it live! Turns out they are so I sit back down very satisfied. They play a few songs, then take one shot each, then play some more. Meanwhile I am taking pictures of them all. Danny and Paul make eye contact with me a couple times and Danny makes sure he flashes plenty of winks and smiles at girls. That’s when I came to the conclusion that he was a HUGE flirt…bit of a turn off, so my crush began to die down. I originally thought Jim and Danny were the coolest…..but the more I talk to Paul, the more I love his personality. And Mick…….well I’m not sure quite yet. Taking pictures of Jim was fun…he made sure he looked at the camera and smiled every time. Mick was just playing the whole time….he looked pretty pissed, to be honest. After the show, the guys sit at a table and sign. As the line begins to die down, I join it. I was excited to be a fan for a couple minutes, it helped me relax. Danny must have been fucked or just about there because he definitely signed under Mick’s picture. I laughed. Mick signed and then drew and arrow to his picture. When it was time for the interview, they all made sure to circle around real close. The interview was actually the first time I saw Mick laugh the whole night. They were all very attentive….except every now and then Danny disappeared. He always seemed to make it back just in time for the next question. The guys seemed very interested in my randomly stupid questions. Such things as “Boxers or briefs?”….ha Jim was pretty determined to show me……the rest of the band stopped him…damnit. Hey well I’m in touch with them….so who knows, right? And ironically as I continue to write, 3 Doors Down comes on over the speakers. Hmm..interesting! 3 Doors Down did wonders for Love .45! They got them signed, the biggest thing you could ever do for a friend! The guys say they know they’re gonna have an awesome show if they have a sucky practice the night before. Weird how it works out….. I would think it’d be the other way around! Anyhow, the guys are all answering questions very openly, telling drunk stories and sharing their biggest fears. They all agree to a movie night….which really perks me up! It’s gonna be a lot of fun, and I’m so thankful for a successful and fun first interview with the intoxicated guys…well it was interesting to say the least. Their kindness explodes every show…. the sad thing is I know that eventually, when my works and others works pay off, the band will be so big there will be no need for my company anymore. I wish the best to the guys and hopefully they remember me down the road……..

Written by: JT

Give Her the Gun

Cody- lead guitar 
Jack- Rythm guitar 
Clay- Drums, and backing vocals 
Blake- Bass

1.How were you VERY first discovered? 
Well, we just started playing as many shows as possible and handing out free demos to anyone that wanted one. We also won three battle of the bands in a row, so thats when people started to really notice, at least in our area. 

2. How long have you been together as a band? 
- A year and a Half. 

3.What has been the BIGGEST challenge in the business so far? -We would say, flakey people. People not willing to put in the effort and leaving us hanging. You deffinatley need solid support in music. 

4. Are you satisfied with how things have gone thus far? 
-No, and Yes. WE love what our music and what we do, but on the other hand it has been a struggle to keep a steady and dedicated lineup. 

5. Biggest influence? (Whether it’s another band, a friend or a family member) 
Jack- the voices in my head 
Clay-Air Supply and Tower of Power 
Cody-probably my love for music in general, my family and friends. 
Blake-Korn And Dr. Dre 

6. What do you guys want to accomplish? Why is it SO important for you to be in a band and make music? 
CLAY- to be recognized for the message that we send to our fans. 
JACK- To play with good equipment. 
BLAKE-I just want a tour bus. 
CODY- To put out a kick ass CD, play as many shows as possible, and of course free stuff would be nice. 

7. What were you planning on doing if the band did not work out like you expected? 
We would probably start another one. If you love doing something as much as we do, you’ll never stop trying. Just like we never stop trying to fondle Clay’s man boobs. 

8. I’m guessing that being in a band was a dream for all of you (correct me if i’m wrong) have you been happier since things got started? 
Oh Deffinatley, once things start kicking, and you get out there its a an amazing feeling, plus we all just got use to excepting Jack for who he is, eventhough he has two left testicles. 

9. I’m sure all of you know about Dimebag Darrel of Damageplan/ Pantera…How does it affect you guys personally? How does it feel to know that one day that could be you? Are there any precautions you take when you go onstage now? 
Though it was a tradgedy, it doesn’t really affect us too much. Maybe it just hasn’t hit us yet, i’m not sure. As far as precautions go, nothing really. We live in Salinas, where your most likely to get shot at the mall than anything. We are 2nd to Washington, DC in murder rates overall. 

10. What type of experiences influence the lyrics to your songs? 
Just everything in daily life; relationships, murder, family, anything affecting our personal lives, and growing up in the S.V.C. (Salinas Valley California). 

Now, let’s have some fun!

1. What is your all time favorite candy? 
BLAKE-starburst 
JACK-Fun Dip 
Cody- lemon heads and milky way 
CLAY- Sour patch kids, and skoal apple blend chew. 

2. Do any of you have any awkward habits? maybe something you do that the rest of the guys cant stand? 
-Jack is Hawaiian and has hula on Sundays, so no practice, and Blake’s gangsta. That’s it. 

3. What is your biggest fear? 
BLAKE-drowning 
JACK-to fail in life, and end up on the streets. 
CLAY-born to lose, destine to fail. 
CODY- To not do anything important with my life, and just end up working at a job i hate. 

4. What is the absolute STUPIDEST thing you’ve ever done? -BLAKE: braking my nose with a yo-yo………twice! 

5. Weirdest thing you’ve done for a fan? 
Clay showed Cody’s ex-girlfriend his testicles @ Denny’s so she would leave. She’s affraid of the man stick. 

6. Who has the worst hygiene of you all? 
CLAY does. 

7. Would you rather skinny dip in a frozen lake or streak during a blizzard in the daylight? 
JACK- streak with or without snow. 
Clay-Skinny Dip 
CODY- Streak 
BLAKE-streak 


8. Tattooes and Piercings….who has what? 
BLAKE-tounge,ears, eyebrow, princeALBERT, and one tattoo in a special place. 
JACK- tattoos on both arms 
CLAY- tattoo on calf 
CODY- Half sleeve on right arm, and two tattoos on the left. 

9. Boxers or briefs? 
JACK-Boxer briefs 
CODY-boxers 
CLAY-thong 
BLAKE-crotchless panties 

10. Do you guys have any good luck charms or maybe signs you look for before a show to know things are going to go smoothly? 
CLAY-” am i too drunk to play?” 
JACK-” is my girlfriend mad or not?” 
BLAKE-If i’m listening to NAS or KORN. (NAS would be bad) 
CODY-a good crowd free drinks, and am i happy with what i’ve got on. 

11. Who’s single and who’s not? (you know your fans want to know… and i do too!!) 
JACK-NOT 
BLAKE-NOT 
CODY-SINGLE 
CLAY-single, but looking for ladies in all the wrong places. 

12. Any awesome drunk stories you want to share with me? THE only thing recentlyis that CLAY, hes the drunk, had 13 shots, and a whole bottle of wild turkey, and tried to do sommer-saults up a flight of 15 stairs, and while he was stuck on the last one, upside down, he tried to get all of us to join, and then he rolled all the way back down the stairs.

By: JT

Adai

Why is the band’s name “Adai”? There’s no real reason. We needed something quick for our labels website to start promoting us and it was either ADAI or Angels Among Machines and we liked the one word name better. And plus it has a really cool top secret meaning! 

When did each of you realize that you wanted to pursue a career in the music industry? Taylor and I have been in bands since we were 13 and I know that ever since we started our first punk band back then, we knew that music was a perfect creative outlet for both of us and that we were having the times of our lives playing music together. From what I’ve heard with Devin and Rick it’s basically the same story. They both picked up instruments to just be in a band and after a while they just enjoyed it so much that it sort of became their main focus in life. 

How long have you been together? The first time we ever played together was right after Tyler’s (Yuriko’s drummer) funeral. We all went back to the practice space after we left the funeral house, and I (Justin) brought my drum set over and we just jammed on some of the old Yuriko stuff. That day was basically when we all decided to continue being in a band together with a little line-up change. I think we all just needed to vent after the funeral and that was the start of this band back in August of 2004. 

How were you first discovered? We were pretty much discovered right off the bat, seeing as how all of us were in Yuriko and a month after Tyler’s death Yuriko was set to record their full-length debut on Paperstreet Records. Paperstreet Decided to keep us on there label so we could release a split consisting of the last Yuriko material, as a Tribute to Tyler, and the new Adai stuff so everyone could see where we decided to go after Yuriko. 

How long has it taken you to get this far in your career? Like I mentioned before Taylor and I have been in bands since we were 13 and we’re both 18 now so that makes it about 5 years, or a little more than. Devin and Rick are pretty much in the exact same boat; they have been in bands together for about 4 or 5 years now as well. 

What has been the absolute biggest challenge thus far? Exposure. It has been so hard for us to gain a fan base in Colorado and outside of and just really try to get our name out there. Even when we personally book shows with bigger bands that are on huge labels it’s just been really hard to actually get a draw of kids to come to our shows. It seems like most kids in Denver are just into the bigger touring bands that come through Denver and don’t really care about great bands that are coming out of their own town. When I say that, I’m not even talking about our band, I’ve actually met kids that have never heard of bands like Planes Mistaken For Stars, Shogun, Cephalic Carnage, Angels Never Answer, and our personal favorite To Be Eaten. These are/were all great bands that have come right out of Denver and some kids have never or will never even hear them and that bothers me. Even when we were in Yuriko it was like pulling teeth to get kids to come to shows when we were playing bigger venues. Yuriko had a decent following in other states but at home no one would show up at our shows and it seems like this problem has carried over into ADAI. 

What is it like to be in a kick ass band? Is there as much partying and groupies as society thinks? What should people know about the type of lifestyle you all have? I wouldn’t say we’re necessarily a kick ass band, but it’s definitely incredible to be in this band. When I sit down and think about how much time and effort and patience all of us put in this band it almost seems ridiculous but there’s absolutely nothing I would rather be doing with my life and I’m pretty sure that’s how all of us feel. As far as partying and that whole lifestyle goes its completely misconstrued by magazines and television and the media in general, it’s not like that at all; at least not yet. Like I’ve heard the phrase before; it’s not all it’s glammed up to be. Sometimes it can be so stressful and such a pain to have to revolve your entire life around a band and to try and hold a job down when your always taking time off to practice, record, play shows, and tour non-stop and to rely on 3 other people to do as much as you are for this band all while still trying to maintain relationships with friends and family and just trying to do normal everyday things. But like I said earlier we are all so happy to be where we’re at because this is something we’ve all been working so hard for and this is something that has taken so long to get to but it has all been worth it. 

Who are you most influenced by? Personally I’m really influenced by the rest of the guys in the band. I mean yes I do look up to musicians in other bands and I hear things that other bands are doing and sometimes try to incorporate that into our style, but I just get really influenced by everyone else in the band. When we’re constantly pushing each other to grow and progress musically and not limit ourselves it really motivates me to try and push myself past what I can do and even what I think is possible sometimes. 

What is the actual point of the band? What do you want to accomplish?Do you want your fans to understand you more individually and personally, or do you want them to be able to identify with your music? Or……….what? The point of a band to us is to be creative. We’re not in a band just to be in a band and look cool. I think what we all would like to accomplish as a band is to make music that really means something to us rather than doing it for someone or something else. I would have to say we would like people to understand us as a whole rather than individually because ADAI is a collection of ideas and personalities rather than just a product of one person. I guess we want people to connect with our music more than lyrics seeing as how we only have a short paragraph or less of lyrics per song and we spend a lot more time on the music rather than vocals and lyrics. There was actually a few times in the beginning of this band to where we almost considered being an instrumental band because sometimes vocals can take away the strength of a song at times and we didn’t want that at all seeing as how we spend weeks or months writing a song. But we decided that the little amount of vocals we do have, add to our songs and live performance and plus we do have stuff to write about. 

What were you going to do if the band never really took off? What were ya’ll gonna do in life? Music. Always Music. I’m pretty sure that’s been the main focus of all of us for years now. I personally have been in bands since I was 13 and have been playing instruments since I was 9. I’ve never been good at anything else in life except music. I’d say while we’re young and adolescent, why not do the one thing you absolutely love more than anything while you still can even if no on else likes it or cares, right? Devin is also going to law school right now and Taylor is about to finish up his apprenticeship as a tattoo artist. 

Im guessing that forming a band is what most of you wanted to do..it was a dream….have you been happier since it has happened? I know I definitely have. Musically all of us have grown so much since our previous bands and this has been one giant step for all of us as far as a better understanding of music in general. One of the first things we actually talked about in this band was that we knew we wanted to take an extra step that other bands don’t do as far as music writing goes to try and break free from any typical sort of band out there today. This band is constantly challenging every member and the band as a whole to not limiting itself to certain boundaries that other bands seem to have which keeps things very interesting to what might come next. I myself am actually curious to see what the future holds for ADAI. 

What do you think of Denver’s music scene? What do you think must be changed in order to make it more successful. It’s good depending on what type of music you play, but for the most part I don’t really like it all to much, but it could be worse. It’s diverse but at the same time I see so many bands trying to pull off the same sound that 10 other bands are trying to pull off and they’re all from the suburbs of Denver. It’s easy to fall into trends these days and it seems like that’s what most of these bands are doing is copying what they hear and see other bigger bands doing. It’s so easy to be put into a certain genre or be classified these days, and that seems to be what’s happening with all these bands, that makes it so hard for any of them to really break free and stand out. Most of us in the band aren’t into this whole metal-core movement that seems to be happening with all these Denver bands and we just really would like to see people try new and different things. Something that would really make this scene better would be a more unified scene without all these different cliques of kids; I mean it’s almost ridiculous how much it’s like highschool.

By: JT

The Masquerade Scene

1. First, list your names and who does what 
Jared— vox and keys 
Pat— drums 
Marsh— guitar 
Jose— bass 

2. How did you decide on your name? 
Marsh-Haha, I think we’ve only been asked that once, surprisingly. First of all, we didn’t want our name to have anything to do with months, blood, falling, or any of that typical screamo/metal shit, even though we started off as that kind of band. We eventually decided on “The Masquerade Scene” because it was kind of a subtle bash against everything the scene stands for. It’s just so goddamn superficial… a lot of people in the so called “scene” don’t even go to shows for the music anymore— they spend 2 hours making the back of their hair stand up perfectly, go to the show and sit in the back to hang out with their friends and smoke cigarettes. Everyone looks the same, I literally cannot tell the difference between some scenesters anymore. It’s all about dressing up, looking fabulous and being way too fucking cool for everyone else… kinda like a masquerade, I guess. The scene used to be something beautiful… I mean people were still pretentious but music was a very important part of it. Nowadays people can’t even tell the difference between a good hardcore band (or any band for that matter, it just happens the most in hardcore, screamo, etc.) and a super shitty one… it’s all based on looks. I dunno, apparently it’s now scene to make fun of the scene, so I guess we’re pretty scene. If we wanted to cover up the meaning, though, we could always say it’s a reference to Romeo and Juliet or something. 

3. What is different about The Masquerade Scene and Kill the Choir? Why did you think The Masquerade Scene needed to be created? 
Marsh-Well, I sang in Kill The Choir and I sucked, haha. Plus I couldn’t do as much stuff as I wanted to on guitar, since we were a three piece. One day we just decided to jam with Jared out of nowhere— he was in a band called The Transfer at the time— and he was really fucking good, so we were like.. “hey, why don’t we just get Jared to sing for us”. So we did, and we pretty much kept the same songs with his vocal lines. We changed our name and got this dude Levi as a second vocalist, and all he did was scream… but he brought a lot of people to shows. He quit about two months after he joined because we weren’t hardcore enough. Then Jared bought a keyboard, and that changed EVERYTHING. The first song we ever wrote with keys was “When Clearing Your Name”, that epic one that we always close with. It was just a random jam created by Jared and Pat… we didn’t even consider making it part of our repertoire when we first recorded it. Then we put it up on our site and people started telling us it was incredible, and we were like… we need to change our direction, because this just sounds so much better and people love it. The addition of the keys really saved us— that was when we stopped writing hardcore songs and really started experimenting and developing something original. I think at that point we were all expanding out music tastes, and for some reason the keys allowed us to grow. 

4. How long have you been together as a band? 
Marsh-Pat and Jose have been jamming for like 4 or 5 years I think… I joined the band about 3 years ago (wow, that’s hard to believe), and Jared joined about a year and a half ago. 

5.What has been the BIGGEST challenge in the business so far? 
Marsh-Getting people to come out to shows! That shit is hard! Man, for the first couple years we played some horrible shows… for like 10 people max, every single time. When we first got Levi we played a battle of the bands for like 200 people and won it, but that was a one time thing, hahaha. After that it was show after show at the Climax Lounge for absolutely no one. A few of our friends came to see us, probably because they felt sorry, haha… and we didn’t make ANY money. In fact I think we lost some. I think our low draw was due to the fact that we were just another mediocre hardcore act… more people started to notice us when we changed our sound. That was when we got Soda Jerk’s attention, and our draw has been increasing since our first show at the Marquis Theater with national acts. That took FOREVER to achieve, though, and we still don’t bring nearly enough people to shows as we would like to. I do most of the promotion for our shows… and it is intensely tedious. We’re getting there, though. People are starting to recognize the name and get a hype going. Now it’s just a matter of getting our music through to everyone… some people get it and they love it, some people just don’t, and that’s the way it’s always gonna be. We just have to find more people that get it, haha. 

6. Are you satisfied with how things have gone thus far? 
Marsh-Absolutely. We’ve been on the rise for the past few months— people are starting to notice us and get into the music, we’re getting on some RAD shows, our recordings are finally done, we’re getting merch… and we have fans! Fans that we don’t even know! That may not seem like much, but it’s a big deal for us. When you know you’ve made a connection with someone it just feels so damn good… you know what I’m talking about… the buzz. I’m sure I speak for the rest of us when I say that we LIVE for the fucking buzz(Almost Famous, anyone?). And we’re finally starting to get it on a regular basis… it’s only gonna get better from here, provided we push like we are now. Oh, and we’re finally ready to send our stuff out to labels. Exciting! I think we’re in a good position, especially with a lot of the people we have on our side now. 

7. Biggest influence? (Whether it’s another band, a friend or a family member) 
Marsh-One thing we can all agree on is Glassjaw. We all love Glassjaw more than words can express… that band has had a profound impact on each of our lives. Personally, I take a lot of influence from Tim Mahoney (311), Bobby Darling (Gatsbys American Dream) and Billy Corgan. Not to mention my old guitar teacher and my dad. We all listen to a lot of dancy, poppy kind of stuff, a lot of Hip Hop, and tons of just straight up rock, emo, punk, etc. Our styles fuse nicely, I think… with all the crap that we listen to. As much as we take from our influences though, I think each of us has our own kind of flair, especially Pat. I can’t name a single person who I think he sounds like.

8. What do you guys want to accomplish? Why is it SO important for you to be in a band and make music? 
Marsh-Hmmm… that’s a tough question. Personally, I would like us to be rock stars. Haha… but not for the money or sex or any of that shit… just so people know us, and hopefully dig what we do. Ideally we’d like to have the band be our means of making a living, and I think that goal is pretty realistic at this point, assuming we get some label support. I want to write music that affects people in some way… just like the music I listen to has shaped my life. Whether it makes them cry, dance or want to throw shit at me, I don’t care. We just want to make the music we feel like making and be recognized for it…. and enough money to live decently would be nice too. My life just wouldn’t be fulfilling if I did anything else, because I believe that music is one of the most powerful forces on earth. I hope I speak for the rest of the band when I say that, haha.

Pat- I really just wanna be able to make music that people will understand and connect with. Music has is its own language that speaks to each listener in a language only they can understand. Some people will like the message and others will not. All I would hope to do as an artist is make as many people as I could at least content after listening to our songs. 

9. What were you planning on doing if the band did not work out like you expected? 
Marsh-Eesh… well, I’m going to school for Music Industry. So, hopefully at least working in the business end of things or starting another project.

Pat- I still want to somehow use my life in a creative fasion. I want to also be involved in the a music scene in some fasion. Mabye be an artist rep of sorts

10. I’m guessing that being in a band was a dream for all of you (correct me if Im wrong) have you been happier since things got started? 
Marsh-Of course, it’s always been a dream for me. My dad was in a band that almost got signed to a major label, but one of his guitarists killed someone in a drunk driving accident and fucked everything up. His dreams were shattered… and transfered unto me through genetics I think, hahaha. So, this dream means a whole lot more to me than you’d think… not only do I want to make music for a living and whatnot, but I want to make my dad proud. Every other band I’ve been in, he thought was a waste of time for me. This one is different though, he’s told me that… and I want to make as much of it as I can for both of us. So yeah, I’ve been much happier.

Pat-Man ive been in a band for about 8 years now… I can hardly remember what it was like before I was in a band. Not great as far is I can recall. So, yea. Being in a band is the tops. The tops my friend. 

11. I’m sure all of you know about Dimebag Darrel of Damageplan/ Pantera…How does it affect you guys personally? How does it feel to know that one day that could be you? Are there any precautions you take when you go on stage now? 
Marsh-Oh Dimebag. Yeah.. I was never a Pantera fan but it was definitely a shock when he was killed. He was a great guitarist. I can’t say it’s really affected me personally though… the only precaution I take on stage is making sure I remember all my shit when I pack up, haha. Hopefully no one hates me enough to shoot me.

Pat- No. Im not at all afraid of being a musican. I think that situation was more of an isolated incedent. Highly unfortunate. 

12. What type of experiences influence the lyrics to your songs? 
Marsh-That’s a Jared question.

Pat- Uh, the only thing I know is that at least one of our songs have to do with sex. Yup. You’ll have to get details from Jared! 


13. Ok whats your opinion on myspace? Godsend or pure evil? 
Marsh-I fucking love it. It’s such a great tool for bands… in fact, I’m pretty sure we would have absolutely no fans, no contacts and virtually no effective means of promotion if it weren’t for myspace. It is disgusting though, how much we rely on it. If myspace were to disappear we’d all be fucked… and in that sense it’s pure evil.

Pat- For bands its completely awesome! Otherwise its pure evil. Consuming hours of peoples days.. including mine. FUUUHHH 

k.

14. Where do you see yourselves (as a band) 5 years from now? 
Marsh-Hopefully on the road, touring the hell out of the country and making great records.

Pat-No idea. My hopes would put us on tour with some killer bands, and we’d have at least one full length album.

By: JT