TOUCHé AMORé.// THE COLOURIST // ELDER BROTHER// + MORE
We are currently hiring for ALL positions! Click to apply to join our staff
Magazine A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO GEORGE VALLEE - SUMERIAN RECORDS CONRAD AND DEVIN OLIVER - I SEE STARS PATRICIA LIN - RCA RECORDS BRIAN BROWN, SØREN HANSEN, DAVID BOYD, LOUIS VECCHIO - NEW POLITICS BRYAN KEHN - REPUBLIC RECORDS MELANIE, MAYA TUTLE, ADAM CASTILLA, JUSTIN WAGNER, KOLLIN JOHANNSEN - THE COLOURIST CHRIS VINYARD - BIG HASSLE MEDIA
Staff Stefano Ferreyros Social Media Coordinator @FreeStefano_ stefano@speedofsoundmagazine.com
Brooklyn Parcel
Photographer, Interviewer www.facebook.com/deadcityphotography
Nicole Stephens Editor, Photographer, Interviewer, Writer www.nicolestephensphotography.com @nikkijeanphoto nicole@speedofsoundmagazine.com
CAPTURE THE CROWN 5
THE COLOURIST 8
I SEE STARS 16
pANIC! AT THE DISCO 24
SEAHAVEN 28
TOUCHE AMORE 34
MEWITHOUTYOU 42
Elder Brother 56
new politics 48
x ambassadors 58
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 6
CLICK FOR FULL GALLERY
CAPTURE THE CROWN The New Kings Tour February 16th, 2013 Oakland Metro Oakland, California Photo by: Nicole Stephens
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 8
An interview with:
THE COLOURIST We sat down with The Colourist at a recent stop of Panic! at The Disco's "Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die" tour and talked about their upcoming self-titled debut full length, frequent misconceptions about the band, and life on the road.
THE COLOURIST Alternative/Indie - Orange County, California
F
inding the prefect line up has been proven to be hard for any band, but for the founding members of The Colourist, Maya Tuttle and Adam Castilla, the answer to their lineup woes was found in the place they weren't looking; their best friends. Tuttle and Castilla enlisted long time friends Kollin Johannsen and Justin Wagner and The Colourist was officially formed. Since then the band has released a "Lido" (EP) and been touring ever since. We caught up with the group at one of the last stops of Panic! at The Disco's Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die tour and picked their brains about their self-titled debut album and what being on the road has been like like. --How did you guys meet and become a band? Maya Tuttle: Adam and I were in a band together and he only played guitar and I only played drums. That band did not work out because we could not find a singer that worked so we both just sort of started singing. Before any of that Justin and Kollin had been good friends of ours so we ended up coming together and making music.
Apart from the single what song are you most excited for fans to hear off your LP? Maya:I'mexcitedfor"StrayAway"itisamuchslower song, but it is very beautiful harmonically and it has been getting great reception at shows. What is the most personal song you have written to date?
If you could go back in time and tell your younger self Adam: Every song on the album has personal one thing what would it be? meaning to us. That is what we write about. Maya: To drink more milk so I would be taller.
What has playing music in a touring band taught you?
Kollin Johannsen: To drink more Mountain Dew so I Justin Wagner: I can go about ten days without would be a little bit shorter. showering and still smell pretty damn good. Tell us about your full length coming out!
Adam: [Touring] is a great way to lose weight.
Adam Castilla : The album is coming out March 25th Kollin: Justin and I lost about two pant sizes. and we have been working on it for quite some time if you liked "Lido" you'll definitely like the full length. Maya: I think I never knew how much hard work touring is. I always thought of it with the whole rock Maya: I think it shows more of a range of our music as star perception of partying every night. While there is well because we have a lot of upbeat tracks on it, but some of that it is also a ton of work, but it is so worth it. we will also slow it down on the full length as well We are living our dream doing this.
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 10
The Colourist is (from left to right): Kollin Johannsen [guitar], Maya Tuttle [drums/vocals], Justin Wagner [bass/keyboard], Adam Castilla [vocals/guitar]
In a world where music didn't exist what would you be doing? Justin: I never even thought about something like that. Maya: [Before the band] I used to want to be an animator at Pixar. Adam: I would figure out a way to sign all our songs out to people What is your biggest fear as a musician?
Biggest accomplishment as a band to date?
Maya: For me I don't like it when people talk about me like I'm a novelty rather than a musician. They will say "Oh yeah, you have a girl in the band just for the extra attention!" Someone once said to me "In the 80s the girl bass player thing worked, but only in the 80s so it's a good thing you're not playing bass" like I am just [playing music] for attention.
Adam: That we are night twenty three into this tour and we are all still the best of friends.
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 12
Maya: I think it has been that people have been really touched or affected [our music] or met their significant other at one of our shows. I think it is really cool when people share those things with us.
Click to view more images of The Colourist
Where do you see The Colourist in five years?
stealing music. Adam: Yeah.
Kollin: Bora, Bora! Maya: Don't get us wrong we Adam: Touring on the album love iTunes! we are about to put out. Justin: Actually, I would just get rid of apps that make it Maya: Hopefully still making a easier to steal music. lot of music. --The Colourist is currently on a If you could change one thing U.S headlining tour promoting about music industry what the upcoming release of their would it be? self-titled full length. Click the image the right to buy tickets! Justin: I would get rid of all digital music for sure. I think the creation of Napster just opened the door to everyone
Click to pre-order "The Colourist"
kk
Photos, words, and interview by: Nicole Stephens nicole@speedofsoundmagazine.com
An interview with:
I SEE STARS
We sat down with I See Stars on one of the final stops stop of the New Kings tour and talked about what it was like touring before their frontman was old enough to drive and the band's recent deeply personal release "New Demons"
Devin Oliver of
I SEE STARS Electronic Hardcore - Detroit, Michigan
T
ouring the country at the age of 15 sounds like every teenager's dream, but for Devin Oliver of I See Stars it came with several sacrifices. While the band has had monumentous success on the road and on the charts, Devin Oliver has had to grow up even faster than he ever imagined. We had the chance to speak with Devin at one of the band's last stops on the New King's Tour and reflect with him about life on the road, the hard hitting subject matter in the band's latest release "New Demons", and his aspirations for the future. ---
What has been the biggest lesson you have Favorite tour to date? learned while touring? Ourlastheadlinerwasreallyawesome.Ilikedoing Startingtotourat15 kindofforcedmetogrowupa headlining tours because you get to sound check, lot faster than I wanted to. [I've learned] to just try you get paid well, and you get to play the longest to quickly learn from my mistakes and not repeat set of the night. them. I still make new mistakes every single day, but I learn from them. If you could tour with anyone dead or alive who would you want tour with the most? If you could go back in time and tell your younger self one thing, what would it be? Ireallywanttotourwith30SecondstoMars.Ilove that band, and I don't think there is a band I get "Don't stay in school." more excited about. Given the right circumstances it would work out very well if we Growing up who were your biggest musical got to tour with a band like that. influences? Favorite song to play live? My biggest musical influence is my dad. He's in a "Filth Friends Unite". I always like when the crowd band and has been in a band his whole life and that does crazy and that seems to be the one they like is kind of what got me and my brother started the most. [playing music] and what got us into [the idea of being in a band] in the first place.
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 18
Describe I See Stars' live show in one word? Energetic. Favorite song you have ever written to date? My favorite song we have written would have to be "Murder Mitten" we've never done written a song like it before. That song and "Electric Forest" off of Digital Renegade would have to be my two favorite songs. When I play those songs live i feel like I'm playing a cover song because I do not know how the hell we wrote them.
Most personal song you have written to date? "New Demons" is all pretty personal front to back, but if I have to pick one song in particular it would have to be "Murder Mitten". It was based around a situation with my mom and her struggling with alcohol and just her life in general. You can kind of see that from the music video. It was kind of scary getting that personal with our fans, but it was really cool to see that they reacted to it so positively.
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 20
In a world where music didn't exist what would you be doing? Begging for change probably. I would probably be in massive amounts of student debt and could not find a job anywhere so I'd be living off my parents.
CLICK FOR FULL GALLERY
Where do you see I see Stars in five years? Hopefully writing the same music just with bigger shows and a larger light show, just bigger as a band overall. I guess that is where everyone likes to see themselves in five years. After The New Kings Tour what are you guys up to? We are actually booking another headliner right now and we are just going headlining well into the summer. ---
"NewDemons"is out now!
PANIC! AT THE DISCO February 15th, 2014 The Fox Theater Oakland, California Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die Tour
All photos by: Nicole Stephens
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 26
Click any image to view our full high resolution gallery of images of the band from this show!
SEAHAVEN February 12th, 2014 Slim's San Francisco, California mewithoutYou/Touché Amoré winter headliner
All photos by: Nicole Stephens
Click for full gallery of Seaha SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 30
aven images
Click to watch the band play live
An interview with:
TOUCHé AMORé We sat down with Jeremy Bolm, frontman, of Touché Amoré and learned the ins and outs of how he views the art of music, his intense vinyl addiction, and what he would change about the current state of the music industry.
JEREMY BOLM
OF
TOUCHé AMORé POST-HARDCORE - BURBANK, CALIFORNIA
F
or best being known for putting on one of the best emotional post hardcore performances in the scene emotional power house Jeremy Bolm remains humble nothing but humble about the success of his band Touché Amoré. After Touché Amoré was recently named one of Alternative Press' "100 Bands You Need to Know" earning the band its first mainstream magazine cover, Bolm could do nothing but express gratitude and excitement rather than pride due to a sense of entitlement. Needless to say we jumped at the chance to sit down with Bolm and pick his brain about how he views music, the industry, and everything in between. ---
What has been your favorite thing about this tour so far?
of different members at the time. We made a demo and started playing shows here and there and then we did We were just talking about the other a few west coast tours. We got our day, I think this might be my favorite first real shot with Thursday. They line-up of any tour we have on. I am a took us out on a tour where we got to huge Mewithoutyou fan. They’re an be a first of four and from there we influence to our band. They are also ended up putting a full length on 613 the reason we recorded It Survived by records and then got signed to with Brad Wood, because he did Deathwish and put out two records Brother and Sister, and then mixed the with them and have not stopped next two records by them. We’re fans touring. of all things. Seahaven we have toured with in the past. They’re goof Best record of 2013 kids and they have a new record coming out. I think even though they I think my favorite would be The are getting well known I still think they National, Trouble Will Find Me. are under-rated with how good of a band that they are. Drug Church was What is the ultimate direction for your nice enough to let me put out a 7” on band? their label that I do. They have a full length on No Sleep Records. I think When we started till now it’s the same they are one of the coolest bands in thing. Tour as much as possible and punk and hardcore right now. I’m put out as many things as possible on really glad that they get to play to a lot vinyl. Touring and vinyl are the only of people every night because people two things we have ever cared about should know them. The line-up I am and what we still care about. Granted stoked on. The weather has been we have personal politics that we absolutely miserable, terrifying in believe in, but what drives us is every aspect possible, but the shows playing shows and making music. have all been great. It evens out. How many tours would you guess Give us a brief history of the band. you’ve been on? We started in 2008; we had a couple
Oh jeez, a lot. I could not even give
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 36
you a number. We’ve been to Europe like six times; we’ve done the U.S 10 or 11 times now, Canada twice, Australia twice and Japan once. Just a lot! Of all those time what has been the worst experience? It’s hard to say because usually it doesn’t have to deal with the shows and maybe you will have a good night then a bad night, but it’s usually what comes around with the shows. We did a U.S, without going home, to Australia, to New Zealand, to Southeast Asia, to Europe. We were out for almost four months without going home and there was a period within two weeks we had seventeen flights, and almost every single one of our flights were messed up some way or another. Including almost getting deported, potentially having to pay 3,000 dollars in baggage fees, for only flying 30 minutes. So much bad shit went wrong with all of the travel that it probably took three or four years off of each of our lives. So that will always stand out as a bad time, but also being in those places was all awesome and beautiful. Can’t complain too much.
What message do you try to get out to your fans? I don’t know, I guess anyone can do what we do. It’s not that hard. Just believe in yourself and start a band. I don’t think were the most special thing on earth or anything. We just happened to luck out. Just do what you love and stop what you don’t love, and find what you do like. I guess that’s about it. What’s your process when you’re writing?
cash in on it. It’s kind of a letdown. Whereas back in the day records used to be cheaper than CDs. You could buy a record for 11.99 compared to a CD which is 16.99. Just because it wasn’t popular. It’s just disappointing when you see a record where it has little to nothing special about it. It’s just a standard record with a standard sleeve where it should not cost a lot of money and then it’s like 28.99. Like Green Days Dookie is like a 30 dollar record it literally has nothing special about it besides the fact that it is a great record. Things like that is just a bummer. Most punk labels like ours sell the vinyl cheaper like most hardcore labels do. Like $12-$15 records. When you see 30 dollar records when you know how much they cost. It’s like this shit they are killing it on this. They’re making 200% profit on it. It’s things like that.
Music always comes first. We will all get together and write the music like a chunk of songs and then record them as he’s recording on his phone (points to the camera). I’ll record like a voice memo of the song and then I will listen to it a 1,000 times to figure out what I want to write about and then drill that over and over until So do you prefer Vinyl compared to CDs? I’m happy with it. I’ve never written lyrics before like written it and this is only way Oh absolutely. I’m a huge, HUGE record it’s going to go. It’s all very inclusive. nerd. Everyone works together. How many records do you own? What has music taught you? Oh Jesus, probably around 2500 LPs and That, as corny as it sounds, anything is 3000 7”. Something like that. I have not possible. We’ve made a career playing like counted in awhile, but it’s bad. minute long songs and I get to see the world. What happens is absolutely insane. My strange addiction worthy? Anything is pretty much possible, except for like human flight. Uhh, it’s pretty bad. I’m not eating the records so that’s probably why I wouldn’t In a world where music did not exist what make it on the show or licking them. It’s a would you be doing? great hobby, but also terrible because it infiltrates your life in every way possible. I I would be fucking sad. But to say that no love coming to Portland because you guys one knew it was a thing, I’m ignorant to have a lot of cool record stores here. what you’re saying. Okay. I am a huge movie fan so probably something with If you had to throw out all of your records movies. I grew up in Burbank, California except one, which one would it be? which is the media center capitol of the word. Everyone in our band knows at least I have a few that mean a lot to me. There’s one person in the music industry. One of a Converge record us would probably fall into that. the record before last called Axe to fall. We’re on Deathwish which is the singer of If you could change one thing about the Converges label. I spent a month out in music industry what would it be? Boston basically hanging out at their office everyday because our booking agent at That’s a tough question. There are a lot of the time shared an office with things. I don’t know. It’s like complaining them.Getting to know them they came to about something that has no right or realize that I am a record nerd and they wrong way to do something because searched my order history with how much someone will find a flaw in that. It’s kind I have ordered from Deathwish and they of a hard question. With vinyl coming asked if I got this certain record which is back as much as it did I do frown upon the version of Axe to fall /100 and it has how hard major labels have been trying to incredibly cool color with clear with color
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 36
people can hack it and some people can’t. You find out early on who can hack it and who can’t. We all don’t know any better. We live for it. It’s what we enjoy doing. What have been some of your favorite tours? This one just started, but it’s definitely up there. We did a tour two years ago with Circa Survive and Balance and Composure with O, Brother. That was a really fun tour. Everyone got along so well it was just like a huge family every single day. We just did a tour in Europe with Self Defense Family with is Patrick from Drug Church other band and Dad Punchers which is Elliot’s other band as well. Or the tour with Trash talk, Envy and La Dispute on some dates were probably my favorite.
which is the version of Axe to fall /100 and it has incredibly cool color with clear with color shards around it and I went to go grab a coffee and when I came back they had one sitting out for me as a present. They were like “thanks for supporting the What are some things you would not have believed happened? label, here”. To me it means a lot because Converge is my favorite hardcore band of all time and it was just a nice gift Getting to play Redding in Leeds Festival in the UK. Nirvana has especially to get it from a person in the band. been one of my favorite bands since I was nine years old and owning a Nirvana live at Redding record and getting to play was What are some of the best and worse things about touring and beyond words. Also being able to play Japan. being a musician? Where do you see yourself and the band in five years? Worst: Hygiene goes out the window, lack of sleep, obviously not seeing loved ones, diet is terrible. I mean I don’t eat great to I couldn’t tell you. Maybe we will be together and maybe we begin with. I mean when you’re forced to see taco bell more won’t. than twice a week when it’s like five times a week it’s hard. I mean the diet and the abuse you put on your body, relationships If you were to describe yourself in a simple word choice, what that dwindle. You know all that type of stuff that someone would it be? would say. The best things are that I get to be in a new city every night and get to play music for a living. It’s very It’s such an easy question, but it’s hard to say. A guy. (Laughs) I rewarding. You meet a lot of great people and create a lot of don’t know! Friendly? I guess. Shit you tell me. great bonds. There’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. Some
“Praesent imperdiet nunc et sem dignissim elementum. Donec lobortis congue fringilla. Donec consequat ornare sodales.Nunc posuere mattis mi, ut facilisis ligula accumsan vel. In consectetur accumsan diam, eget porttitor justo luctus id. Praesent imperdiet nunc et sem dignissim elementum. Donec lobortis congue fringilla. Donec consequat ornare sodales.Nunc posuere mattis mi, ut facilisis ligula accumsan vel. In consectetur accumsan diam, eget porttitor justo luctus id."
phone: (00) 002.003.004 fax: (00) 002.003.004 email: info@namehere.com www.domainname.com address: 5the Avenue 10001 NYC New York
CLICK TO WATCH THE UNCUT INTERVIEW WITH JEREMY What song has the most meaning to you and why?
you Pachjaime”, and it’s like the funniest thing in the world to us. And our names are the only ones that work with that. Also That’s hard. It depends. There’s song that still mean a lot to me Elliot often gets called Bajo. Nick doesn’t have any nicknames, I and then there’s songs that not so much maybe because I’ve mean he does but they don’t really stick though. They are just gotten over them or I moved forward of what I was going beyond inside jokes that are not that funny to anyone who through. Obviously it would be easy saying something off the doesn’t really get them. I think that’s it. Now that I’m thinking new record since it seems the most relevant in my life. Just as about it we have a lot of nicknames. a favorite song; Gravity metaphorically which is on the split with Pianos Become the Teeth. We’re not playing that song on Dream tour including yourself. this tour, even though we are playing a lot of songs, but because it’s a long one. Is it a tour that the audience will have a good time at? Because I would tour with Leonard Cohen, The National, or anything like What the most embarrassing moment you have had on stage? that. But their audience would absolutely fucking hate what we do. I know it would probably be really bad for us, but I would We weren’t plating, but we tried to prank Converge in Los just be excited to watch them every night. Or Nirvana, which is Angeles. So we came out in our underwear to do something impossible, or Minor threat, which is impossible. stupid and they completely disregarded being in a band at that moment, they did not care how the song went. They just tried Any parting words? their best to tear all of our underwear off in front of the whole audience. They successfully got Claytons. I was left with a Thanks for this? Thanks for having any interest in this at all. I cloth to hold my junk and a tiny cloth to cover my asshole as I hope you get to watch the rest of Mewtihoutyou, cause they’re ran off stage. It was pretty horrifying. Especially since our perfect. parents were there. Not the best thing that has happened. --Touché Amoré is currently wrapping up the last of their headliner Does anyone in the band have any nicknames? with mewithoutYou. Click the flyer on the right to check out the remaining dates! Tyler Kirby we call him T-k. Clayton we call him Ton or Tron. I don’t have one, but Elliot and I share a nickname we will both "is Survuved By" is OUT NOW call each other Pachh. Which is from a classic film called interview by: Brooklyn Parcel Jingle all the way and Arnold scwatzanager stalking this kid Photos by: Brooklyn Parcel and Nicole Stephens named Jamie and he stumbles on his words and says “I love
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 40
mewithoutyou February 12th, 2014 Slim's San Francisco, California Winter Headliner with Touché Amoré
All photos by: Nicole Stephens
Click for a high definition gallery of mewithou SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 44
utYou images
Click to watch the band play live
An interview with:
NEW POLITICS We sat down with the up and coming Danish band and chatted with them about the the rapid success of one of their first headlining tours in the United States, what they learned while being out on the road with larger than life acts such at P!NK and Fall out Boy, and most importantly what the art of music means to them.
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 50| 48
NEW POLITICS Rock/Pop - Copenhagen, Denmark
O
n your first impression you may not take New Politics as serious artists, whether it be the major label deal and charting single that seemed to all happen overnight or that you're just not a fan of dancing pretty boy vocalists for your reasoning of this, we can assure you right now; New Politics are true artists. Originally from Copenhagen, Denmark the band's founding members, Søren Hansen and David Boyd uprooted their entire lives when offered a record deal overseas from RCA Records. While it seems as if their success was over night, it was a long and sometimes dark trek including both a name and member change. Regardless of their beginning turmoil New Politics has never let their burning desire to create true art with their music slip their minds. We had a chance to meet up with the band before one of their sold out shows on their first American headlining run and talk about what exactly drives them to never lose sight of their art. ---
How did you guys meet and become a band?
Søren: I would tell myself to keep going and not lose faith. Because sometimes you do that, but things Søren Hansen (guitar): David and I always work out. Whenever you are in met in Copenhagen, Denmark in a a situation that looks dark you do not recording studio. We got a record deal always see the bright future ahead. So offer in America, we moved over here, I would just encourage myself. and met Louis. We had a hired drummer before that and he went Musical Influences growing up? back to Denmark and we were lucky enough to meet Louis. Louis: We all have really similar musical backgrounds. I growing up I What is this origin of the band name? liked playing Led Zeppelin, but what I listened to the most was like Green Søren: We were originally called The Day, Smashing Pumpkins, Offspring, Politics because our music was really No Doubt, Blink 182, and stuff like political. Then we had some copyright that were more of my world growing issues up.
your idols in a sort of way because it effects how you preform and it effects what you dare to do, so if you listen to a lot of different music you also dare to incorporate elements from all of these genres. That is something you can really see now in music. You are allowed to do whatever you want. You can take elements from hip-hop and grunge in the same song and it is cool to do. After opening for Fall out Boy and P!NK, how does it feel to finally be headlining your own sold out tour?
David: If feels great. I think that it is one of the ultimate goals that you seek for as a band and it is what you David Boyd (vocals): and we were How much do those influence the dream of as a kid. All the hard work inspired by Spinal Tap music you make today? and getting to see that pay off, touching people's lives or having Søren: Yes. They were called Søren: A lot. them relate to the music you create, originally called The Originals and and going on stage and seeing it, someone else was called that so they Louis: The reason why I think we click feeling it, and hearing it is like the changed it to The New Originals. as a band, writing wise and live wise, ultimate acknowledgement. We were is we have such a wide spectrum of nervous going on this tour and it has David: So we thought we could be what we like to listen to. Genres do been such an inspiring run since we just as intelligent. not exist to us, while they are out there have released out single "Harlem" and and exist, you could put on a Ke$ha the album "A Bad Girl in Harlem". We If you could go back in time and tell song or a Nirvana song and if it is a are just excited. We are getting ready your younger self one thing. What good song, it is a good song. We all to go to Europe and we have the would it be? just enjoy a good song. Monumentour this summer with Fall out Boy and Paramore, and then I Louis Vecchio (drums): To play Søren: No matter what you do when don't know -- the way this tour went drums to a click track as a young age you grow up and play music you are we are talking about doing another because ever since I have been definitely influenced. Even in David's headline run in the fall. It has been so playing drums professionally that is case, if you do not necessarily play amazing and all we can do is continue the only think I've been playing to. an instrument, you are influenced by to learn and get better and just think
been so amazing and all we can do is continue to learn and get better and just think bigger and bigger about where we want to go as a band. What has been your favorite tour to date? David: They are all magical in their own way. Søren: This [tour] is crazy because we don't have forty minutes to go out and impress people, but on this [tour] we play show where people come and actually know our songs which is crazy. I would say when we did the PINK tour last year that was crazy because those venues were huge and we were like "AH! What's going on?!" we were playing all these huge arenas and that was amazing and she is amazing. When it comes to people's responses to us and bands having amazing fan bases we have been super lucky, both Fall out Boy and 30 Seconds to Mars fan base are really amazing. David: I would say our fan base is a mix of that and radio play and all that stuff. We have even met people who saw us on our first U.S tour almost four years ago. It is so inspiring to be with these other bands because they have been bands for ten years and they have been on the road for ten years, they have been through different rollercoasters of things in their lives and it is so inspiring to see that there is so much work still to be done and that it is possible if you just keep focused and keep believing in yourself and listen and learn. I think that is the thing we all see on tour. We see these venues and it is 2,000 or 5,000 cap or 15,000 or 20,000 cap of people and we think "Wow. It's possible and it's doable" if you work hard. That is sort of what you want as an artist you are showing yourself 100% naked and if someone could take a song and relate to it that is the ultimate prize I think. It's inspiring. Søren: But to answer the question... David: All of [our tours] in their own way are our favorite. In a world where music did not exist what would you be doing? David: It would be hard to dance without music. Louis: You could it would just be harder. David: It would not be a world. Even people who are not musicians or are in bands -- I don't know what I would do. It would probably have to be something really extreme like an astronaut or history, philosophy, archeology because I have an interest in all those things.
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 52
Søren: I have not even a doubt that I would be something like an archeologist or marine biologist. The problem is I can't sit still! Louis: I would go to school to become a doctor, because I believe helping people would be the next best thing and provide closest feeling to the one that we all get on stage. What has been your biggest accomplishment to date as a musician? Søren: I think playing a sold out tour in America in venues that hold anywhere from 500 to 2000 people and being able to see the response of last year. How our single did so well on radio and to see the effects of that, knowing that we are just getting started. We have played Fallon and toured with a bunch of great artists, but this tour is really the culmination of everything. What was the recording process like for "A Bad Girl in Harlem" versus your debut? Søren: Very, very, very different. David: Absolutely. Søren: When we wrote the first album we just went with that energy that we got signed. Everything happened really fast with that whole album and we did not think too much about it. When it came time to write the second album we wanted to do something that people could relate to and was very hard because the things people could relate to are the little things in your life that everyone goes through, but sometimes you don't see those because you are trying too hard to write. We came to a point where we needed a sound that was us, the first album is also us because the band before the first record was way more electronic and that was us too, we wanted to write an album that determined the sound of the band at that time. We wanted to write personal lyrics that actually meant something to us and were not about things happening outside of our lives and we wanted to write really good songs that would also go on the radio without it being fake or us trying really hard. It was a really difficult process, it took over a year because we just could not nail it. We got to a point where we had no money and we could not pay our rent and everything was just sort of crashing on us. At that point we had nothing to fear and nothing to lose and all the songs just came to us. The kind of came over the year of us trying to write, but we could not see it. When we wrote two of the singles we wrote them in a week and it was one of the last weeks of the writing process. It was a rollercoaster. David: The way that I see it is that you really write what your mind is going through and
that reflects so much in your surroundings, your experience, and your goals and if you mash those into something -- I think writing the second album was that we had to reinvent ourselves with the changes we become, moving from Denmark, being on tour, getting signed to a major label, having a management, suddenly we went from just being kids in a basement having fun doing these small things and we would do these songs and we always had a goal and we threw this seed, but now we were there and we learned so much that there are so many aspects that without even recognizing it from the bands we have been on tour with if it was Neon Trees, 30 Seconds to Mars, or The Dirty Heads to all the bands that were being released at the time to us being involved at looking at the charts because we were on those charts so that becomes a part of our lifestyle, all those sort of things play into this kind of role in some weird way that can't be explained. Then you go through the process you that you do whether it is culture shock or losing our girlfriends, there are so many things that all go into this bucket [of what you are going through] and then you start to write and album and you need to break down all these walls because you are writing with the habit and the idea that you are still in Denmark and still this person, but you have not reflected on any of the change yet. When you go through the process of writing the music changes with you and all of the sudden the music the music becomes your identity in a way. That is really what it is. The only difference is where we are now compared to before and that is our future.
differences but we are all a western world. The people grow up the same way, they have the same clothes, and they all listen to the same music so I personally cannot see the difference. We have been very lucky that people go crazy everywhere we have been. David: We have also been to cities where it is insane, but when we come back another time it is not insane, but still wild. We have also had shows where the crowd may not show it physically, but will show it in other ways like merch or -Søren: Snapchat David: On Twitter we will get a giant response or a bunch of adds in that day because of that show. Søren and I are really bad at that answer, but Louis is always really excited when we go to Europe so he sees all the positive when we are there and we are really excited when we are in America. Søren: It’s because he sees all the pretty girls overseas. Louis: It’s not the pretty girls! I think Europeans in general are way more open to anything, not just music but anything in general than Americans are. Søren: That's not true. Louis: When you go there they and play are not just there to them, they are actually listening to the music. Søren: Me as a European coming over here I see it the other way -Louis: No, you as musician is different because the crowd is different.
Describe your live show in one word. Søren: Energetic. David: Ten million cracked eggs on the floor. Louis: Fun. How are U.S crowd different than European crowds? Søren: David and I don't think there is any difference. Music is so universal and it does something to everybody. American crowds and European crowds are not that different, there cultural are
Where do you see New Politics in five years? Louis: Yachts, houses, cars --David: The American has spoken! [laughs] Søren: Hopefully we are on our third or fourth album with a lot of good songs and radio play and playing huge shows to a big fan base. David: I would love to win a Grammy. Søren: Yeah a Grammy would be amazing.
David: To play some of the big award shows. Søren: Hopefully at that time we are a very big band and we are definitely determined to get there. David: It would be awesome to just make a decent living with this so we would not even have to think about it and just write music and tour because that is all we want to do. We just want to be able to -- have you ever listened to and it gives you an emotion or feeling that you can’t put your finger on??
something so perfectly that everybody can relate. I know we are doing something right because we are doing this tour that is mainly sold out and fans are telling us they are getting that feeling when they listen to us. We are so lucky to have an amazing, positive, and active fan base that something we were looking at with Fall out Boy or 30 Seconds to Mars even 21 Pilots, that fan base that is so alive and you can really see that people relate to the band. That is something I can feel that is happening to us and it is definitely our drive to just continue that and make music that can really touch people.
Yeah, always. David: All the time, right? That is art. That is honestly why I think we do this because when we write songs we are trying to recreate that and give that feeling to other people as well. We are trying to understand it and we do not and we are just reaching and reaching and we are going for it. It keeps us going because I don’t think we will ever capture or understand what that feeling is. Søren: That is so true. As an artist and song writer it is the most important thing to write that song that explains that feeling of
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 54
David: You listen to a Rolling stones' song or Jim Morrison or the Doors, there are just so many songs that you listen to and you are just like "What is this doing to me?" [As a musician] you are always searching for it and maybe we will never find an answer for it. Søren: [the Rolling Stones] probably never did that. David: They probably never even thought of that, but that does not matter. I think that feeling is one of the big reasons we do this whether it is a theater, a play, or a dance
piece it touches you this way that gets you through, it gives you inspiration, or something to live for and I think that is very much how we approach it with our song writing. ---
New Politics just wrapped up their U.S headliner and are about to embark on a European tour with Fall out Boy and The Pretty Reckless click the flyer on thr right to buy tickets! ---
"A Bad Girl in Harlem" IS OUT NOW!
12 Questions with Dan Rose of
ELDER BROTHER of
What was the first song you began writing? What Do you think it’ll be a challenge being in this band and was the meaning behind it. In The Story So Far/Daybreaker? The first song we wrote together with the full lineup (me, Kevin, Matt, and Charles) was "In My Bones". I don'treallyliketogointospecificsongmeanings,but I can say that it ISN'T about chicks. How was your first show this month?
Not at all. There aren't very many expectations for ElderBrother,sowe'reinthemindsetof,ifsomething cool comes up and we can do it, let's do it. There's no real pressure to get out there and tour our asses off and work and grind to get noticed. The Story So Far is both Kevin and my primary employer.
The shows with Misser went great. Lots of good What were your top five albums from last year? vibes and it was fun to play the songs live. I can't speak for Kevin but my top 5 was: What made you want to start Elder Brother? 1. Modern Life Is War "Fever Hunting" Kevin and I just had a lot of songs that neither of us 2. The National "Trouble Will Find Me" were doing anything with, so we decided to combine 3. The 1975 "Self Titled" 4. Queens of the Stone Age "Like Clockwork" forces and make a record. 5. Action Bronson "Blue Chips 2
SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM | 56
What are 5 albums that changed your life? 1. Third Eye Blind "Self Titled" 2. Jimmy Eat World "Clarity" 3. At The Drive-In "Relationship of Command" 4. Hatebreed "Satisfaction is the Death of Desire" 5. Oasis "Be Here Now"
Kevin and I had been writing and saving ideas for a while, but the actual full band writing process took about four days. What’s the ultimate direction for your band? Having fun and making music we like. Past that, we don't care.
Outside from touring what are some of your favorite If you could change one thing about the music past time activities? industry what would it be? I like to go to movies by myself and watch hockey. Go I just wish lame shit didn't exist. I'm a deep ass dude. Bruins. Do you feel supported by your bands to do this?
Vinyl or CDs?
Yes. Dudes from The Story So Far were at the studio Vinyl, all day. almost every day while we were recording. No bad vibes at all. What are your thoughts about Warped Tour? How long did it take to write Heavy Head?
Great tour and it'd be fun to do someday.
Check out Elder Brother! www.elderbrothermusic.com www.facebook.com/elderbrothermusic Pre-order "Heavy Head" at: http://elderbrother.merchnow.com/
Interview and photo by: Brooklyn Parcel
Click for full gallery
X AMBASSADORS February 15th, 2014 The Fox Theater Oakland, California Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die Tour
All photos by: Nicole Stephens
wwww.websitesite.co
SIMPLE&MODERN AD FOR YOUR PRODUCT
For more products visit www.ourstore.com
WWW.SPEEDOFSOUNDMAGAZINE.COM