How long has the band been together?
“Sarvela” has been around since 1989. The current line up has only been together for 13 months, the best 13 months I’ve ever had in this band.
How did you come together:
As I said, the band Sarvela has been around for years and members have come and gone. Sarvela was in a holding period and dormant after the Debt cd being released in “99”. The current line up was brought together out of pure fate. I moved to Vermont to chill out and refocus my entire life. Starting a new band was the last thing on my mind. We, like most bands have that story of…”this guy came into the music store I work at, and he was looking for a band. He says he’s a singer but if he was any good, he wouldn’t be living in Vermont, right?” Well, I was the guy looking for a band, so you tell me. Can a metal singer live in Vermont? After the first jam we had in December 05, it just made sense to continue a life long dream, and this time it would be with “The Boys in the Woods” not “ The Boys in the Hood”. It was like walking into a family; seeing how they have been playing and gigging together for 7 years prior to my arrival.
To anyone who’s never heard your music before, how would you describe it?
This question is the one that this band always cringes at, but here goes. We don’t sound like anyone but ourselves. With that said, our sound is familiar yet different, kind of like if Sebastian Bach in 1989 sang with Zakk Wylde in 2007. We’re a straight up, in your face, emotionally unstable, metal band. No one has ever come up to us and said...I have never heard a band sound like that...it’s more like “fuck, you sound like...a little bit of everything that makes metal,...metal. Judas Priest to AIC and Metalica to Skid Row and Godsmack to Bon Jovi...yep you all read that right.
Sarvela LIVE
You just released a new cd - Can you give us a run down of the songs on it?
Song 1, Habitual Failure, kickin’, spittin’ punchin’ in your face Guns -n- Roses meets Buckcherry. The title says it all. Song 2, Crucified “the hit” as fans call it. It’s got all the hooks, harmonies, killer guitars and solo and of course the big sing along chorus. It’s a powerful song. People always tell us they can identify with that song. Song 3, Rage, purely pissed off and calling someone out! Song 4, Ghost, This song was written for and about Layne Staley of AIC. Layne has given me so much inspiration. So, I felt I had to write about how I saw him and his struggles, whether I was right or wrong, it was my take on Layne’s life. It is truly tragic. Song 5, Wasted Days, it’s about my struggles, my survival and my addiction for success! Song 6, Can’t bring me down, it’s about how much I love and appreciate the woman that saved my live…literally. Just reading that back gives me a realization that without her, I wouldn’t be answering these question, never mind recording a new CD. Song 7, Hell’s Open, every guy knows all to well about this song. It’s about that unbearable, super bitch, that fucks your life up completely!
Where can people buy it?
Right now you can get it on our myspace page or at any of our shows.
What is the normal writing process for the band? Is everyone involved?
Everyone is involved at one point or another but there is no normal writing process. We have about 25 or more songs that have been written since Jan 06. Some were written by the guys before we got together and I brought some as well. Most and also my favorite songs are the ones where we all contribute something. I have always been the primary songwriter in my bands of the past, however, the final outcome seemed to be missing something. I’ve always wanted to write with people that could take my ideas and make them better and there is NO doubt that I have found that with Bruce and Seth. Although we write about a thousand different things, there is one common element to every song—TRUTH.
Who/what would you cite as band influences?
Alice in Chains, Pantera, Skid Row, Megadeth, Bon Jovi, Zakk Wylde, Metallica, Disturbed ,G-n-R
In a market that is saturated with new bands and new music, what sets Sarvela apart from the rest?
We write what we want and love, not what the industry may be looking for. Our music is about us and we’re just lucky and honored that other people enjoy it. We believe that if your songwriting is honest, people will pick up on that and they see through artists that are riding the coat tails of what’s popular at that time. That’s not us! If we never become hugely successful, we can take comfort in that we never sold out...fuck it… We can live with that. We might have to ask if you want fries with that but we’ll never have to answer why we weren’t true to our music!!
Best gig?
There have been so many great shows for me (Brian Sarvela) from the Tweeter Center in MA to the sold out shows in LA. The best gig would have to be the first show we did with the current line up. It wasn’t a huge gig. We didn’t get paid. There wasn’t a ton of people. So, why was it the best? It was the first time I felt that these are the guys and these are the songs that will make us successful!
Worst Gig?
Any gig that Kirk Lantis did our sound, if you can actually call it sound. He should be called a suck guy not a sound guy. Bands beware.
Dream tour?
We wouldn’t mind headlining a 2007 Monsters of Rock festival with Metallica, Disturbed and Bon Jovi with special guests Rage against the Machine.
Ultimate goal as a band?
Our goal is simple…Play music until we can’t play or write anymore. Our daily goal is that we don’t forget it’s about the music, respect our gifts and don’t take them for granted.
What do you think of the current state of the music industry?
It is completely fucked up, it has no direction, no focus, not even a style that’s selling right now. The late 70’s metal, Judas Priest and Sabbath, Early 80’s Motley Crue and Dio, late 80’s Bon Jovi with hair metal, 90’s Alice in Chains and Rob Zombie, early 2000’s Disturbed and Godsmack. Currently….Who the fuck knows!! And we love it because the sky’s the limit and anything goes! This year there will be more bands from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s getting back together because there is a huge void in music business. We want to fill as much of that void as possible.
At #1 NH 99 ROCK with Chris Garrett
Myspace – Blessing or Curse?
Blessing hands Down! That’s how you and thousands of other people found us. It’s a little over done, but what good thing isn’t.
Upcoming shows?
February 16th at Electra Night Club in West Lebanon NH exit 20 off I-89 north. We’ll have more posted on our myspace page.
Message to your supporters?
That’s easy…Thank you! We want all the people who have supported us over the years to be able to say, “We always told those guys to never get up, they didn’t and look at them now!”
i am a huge supporter of this band!(i designed thier logo out of pure admiration!)if you can ever get out to see them you will not be disappointed! i too am an old 80’s metal head and one thing true about sarvela is, you get a freakin show!not too many bands actually perform these days,but these boys work hard,rock hard!so check em out and show your support,it’s people like us that will reignite the metal flame for all to see!!