Love & Heat Tour (Big City Rock, NEEDTOBREATHE, October Fall & Drive By)

“Big City Rock” is initially how you described your music, then the name stuck… what other classifications would you give your music?

Optimistic – upbeat – danceable – melodic –“Kid Friendly Mother Approved”, no really, don’t use that… hahahaha

Well it really is… my son loves the disc and I very highly approve!  Tim and Frank – you’ve been playing together forever, Frank, you played with Nate in a previous “Ska” band.  How do you go from Ska to Rock, and what made you take that leap?

Tim: Hey Andy and Kaumyar have known each other forever too…

I know, we’ll get to that, you guys first!  No rushing!

Frank:  The Siren Six! Was great high energy music, but it can be very limiting.  The more we played the more we grew musically and the more we wanted to do.  We had a great time doing ska and we did it for a while.

Tim, where were you during The Siren Six! Days?

I was in Reno…. At the craps tables….

I “heard” you were in Reno for a year and a half before moving to LA?

Tim:  WOW… you heard that? Amazing.

Yup, I know how to dig… the internet is a powerful tool!

Frank:  I remember one night you called me, wasted, after a big win!

Can I use that?

Tim:  Sure, go ahead! I bought my bass with some winnings from the craps tables.
Andy:  I didn’t know that!

Ah, Andy, we both just learned something new?! 

Andy and Kaumyar – how did you two meet and how long have you known each other and been playing music together?

Andy:  Kaumyar and I went to High School together.  We’ve been playing together for a long time.  In High School our first band was pageFive.  Our first gig was a talent show were we played Metallica and Pearl Jam. We lost… but… I’ve been blessed to have never played with another drummer.

headParade – love it!  I’m sort of addicted to my hP disc.  You were the frontman… what was it like going from frontman to sort of not?  Will you be featured on any future projects on vocals?

Andy:  As far as I’m concerned Nate is the voice of BCR. It’s all about us as a whole.  I think from the first time we played together it was evident that this would work.  Everyone contributed.  It was so exciting and fantastic.  So it’s just as much if not more fulfilling this position I have with BCR, as was being frontman of headParade.
Frank:  Yeah I think after Kaumyar joined us and we decided to add a guitarist, I think Andy played for like 30 seconds total, and we knew right away that he’d be a good fit!

Who are the composers and lyricists in the group?

Tim:  We all write together.  Rehearsal is different every time.  Frank and I live together so there isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t pick up our instruments and work on concepts that we’ve thought of.
Andy:  Everyone brings something different to the table, we’ll jam around and work on those concepts
Frank:  Nate and I write the lyrics.

What are you inspirations behind your composing? Is it a trial of low valleys or high peaks that get you motivated?  Is it any particular feeling or mood when you tend to compose best?

Frank:  I’ll think of something and sing a concept or melody into my MP3 player to keep for later.  99% of those ideas suck, but that one that doesn’t is what we’ll work with.
Andy:  Yeah, I do that too.  My MP3 player has a mic that I’m always singing something to save for later.

So you’ll be in the mini mart singing something into the MP3 player in the middle of the aisle? 

Collectively:  Sure!

In the world we live in today, full of war and hatred how to you display such inspiration and positivity?

Frank:  Part of it just sort of happens.  It who we are.  It’s our way of “unlocking the chains” to free you.  It’s what comes out.  …I guess what needs to come out, just comes out!

So it’s a lot deeper…

Yeah…

Kaumyar:  What was cool is that after we got signed, the record company gave us time to write and practice… that time was well spent.

You are like a breath of fresh air in todays music industry, do you intend to carry the positive messages into future recordings?

It’s just who we are…

MySpace – love it or loathe it?

Tim:  Hate it, but use it.
Frank:  Got to embrace it.
Tim:  I just hate how it allows for obsessiveness…

You mean like mine? Hahahaha…

You’ve all been so good to the fanbase.  Do you see yourselves being able to continue should you blast onto the mainstream scene and get HUGE? 

You know U2 on the Vertigo tour… one night Bono and Edge came out and met some fans and the next night Larry and Adam came out signing.  It’s always important to connect and if they can still do it, anyone can. 

What are some downsides to fan contact?  I ask cause being involved in a few fandoms I’ve seen some crazy stuff go down.  Everyone just wants more.  Ramones wrote a song “Judy is a Punk” and White Stripes have “Take, Take, Take”.  Have you experienced this and what are you thoughts?

Tim:  We haven’t really experienced too much craziness yet.
Andy:  In the digital world though its all about pictures.

You mean “one nice picture, one silly picture”? 

Andy:  Hahaha, yeah…. That and you can see those pics right away so if its blurry or not quite perfect fans always want “one more”.

Meeting the fans has been super awesome; they are very gracious and devoted.  We are very flattered.

If you were not full time musicians what would you be doing?

Tim:  Laughing “I’d be at the craps table!

You’d still be in Reno? 

Tim:  Nah, I’d have moved to Vegas by NOW!
Andy:  Architecture school.  I quit to study music.
Kaumyar:  “Hi, If I told you I could lower your mortgage...” “ I’d be in telemarketing.

Kaumyar – do you really have an obsession with fruit – what is your favorite?

It’s not an obsession. It’s my snack of choice. I can’t choose one fave but I love berries.

Who are your influences?

Tim:  RHCP, Nate and I always listened to them.
Andy:  Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.
Kaumyar:  U2 and Bon Jovi, Bon Jovi’s drummer Tico Torres was a big inspiration behind my playing.
Frank:  Just being a kid… watching MTV during that “MTV era” and wanting to be a part of it.

If you could tour with any band/performer who would it be? 

Andy:  U2/Pearl Jam in HI

Kaumyar:  On December 9th....
Frank:  Diamond Nights, Darkness, Big City Rock lineup… The Pixies
Andy: The Police.. when they reunite… they’ll open for us!

In conclusion – what is your message to your fans?

Thanks for being with us it is much appreciated.  Let’s rock together!

Big City Rock on MySpace
Official Big City Rock Website
Big City Rock Live Shots

Describe your sound…and tell me who your influences are?

Rock-tamistic! and homegrown.

Bear: The Black Crowes, Jump Little Children, Tom Petty.
Bo:  British Punk, Travis, Keane, Coldplay, Cashmire. 
Joe: Jump Little Children and adds Pearl Jam and U2. 
Seth:  Led Zeppelin, Audioslave and Rage Against the Machine. 

Bear:  It definitely had an impact on us that we grew together, we are homegrown and made our own way… it was 6 years before we landed a record deal.  We wanted to remain influential regardless of our label.  We wanted to find a label that would let us have as much say in what we do as we wanted.  We came from a small town and did everything ourselves.  We even bought our first van from our grandpa for one dollar.  We do our own internet stuff, our own merchandise.  I think we have a very believable quality and heartfelt lyrics.

The Christian population is very impressed with the band.  It’s being labeled as sort of a double coverage for you mainstream rock/Christian rock.  What are your thoughts on that?

More fans! Seriously though, it just sort of happened that Christian radio picked up on it.  We didn’t have to make any changes; they just accepted it as it was.  Same lyrics, same album cover, same artwork.  In fact the album hit #2 today on Christian Hit Radio.

Now one of you did the artwork for the cover right?

Yes, Bo did.

The lyrics have subtle spiritual references.  When you sat down to write… was it “We want to write Christian music?” Or is this just what played out?

It’s just how it played out.  It definitely had an effect on our music that our parents were pastors.

I think it’s very refreshing.  Its music that picks you up on a rotten day and says “everything is going to be alright!” How do you take all the negativity, and angry at the world thoughts and turn them into positive messages in your music?

We want to challege people to think; let them know that working hard does make a difference, and that people *can* make the right decisions if they stick to their guns.

What is your ultimate goal as a band?

To be the biggest band.  Who wouldn’t have that as a goal?  If that isn’t your goal, why would you be doing this?  Set the bar as high as it can go!

What sets you apart from other bands these days?

We are extra competetive and goal oriented.  We are always out to make good music.  The best is yet to come… stick with us!

Thoughts on the current music industry?

It’s a mess.  It’s easy to get caught up in what’s wrong, and that isn’t our position.  Good music will get out eventually.  We get better every night… music is hard to put out.

What is it like touring with October Fall and Big City Rock? 

This is the first tour with so many bands.  We are like a community football team, we have to be there for others on this tour.  We want to put on the best show!

Any quirky inside info you wanna spill on each other? 

Seth:  We talked about this before the interview and decided not to discuss that.
Joe:  I have to have the dial on an even number on the radio.

See, that is what I’m looking for…

Seth: There are no left handers in the band…
Bear:  We keep saying we are going to do a shirtless mustache show and play the “Smokey and the Bandit” theme song…”

If you could tour with anyband or performer who would it be?

The Beatles! or a U2/Pearl Jam tour or Tom Petty.

How’s the fanbase?  What is the craziest fan encounter to date?

We have great fans and we are proud like a mom of them, they are the best.  We were very excited to introduce the other bands to the fans.  They embraced the entire record.

We had a con woman once…

A con woman?

Yeah she’d tell us these long stories about how she was supposedly a daughter of a famous millionaire, she always had a hotel room in the nicest hotels… she’d tell us to order all the room service we wanted and such.  Then one night we lost our room key, and they wouldn’t give one to us because the room was registered to her.  Then she gave them some random name and that is when we started to question her motives.  Long story short she was using stolen credit cards.  We still feel really bad about all that.  She moved to our hometown for a while too!

She moved to your hometown?  That’s scary!

Yeah…

Anything you’d like to say to your fans as we conclude?

Buy the album twice! Ha. No seriously, stay with us because it’s working.  This *will* blow up.  To the new fans, come see us and check us out!

NEEDTOBREATHE on MySpace
NEEDTOBREATHE Official Site
NEEDTOBREATHE Live Shots

Your album “I Hate Every Day Without You, Kid” was released May 9th, tell me a bit about it.

We made our album not thinking about classifications, when we were writing we just wrote to have something that we would want to listen to.  We were staring new, not part of a scene.  We did everything ourselves right from building our own studio.  Everything was remixed by Dan Korneff; doing this ourselves we had no deadlines.  The demos sort of evolved from Todd’s songwriting, bringing it to the band and everyone collaborating and adding something to the mix.

How did you get on the Love & Heat tour?

It was all about managers knowing managers…

What sets you apart from other bands?

The fact that we are DIY right down to touring and the label… doing everything exactly how WE want.  No one to answer to to tell us where we have to be and when.  We’ve pretty much scheduled everything ourselves.

Your thoughts on the current music industry?

With MySpace it’s the best time for bands.  Its too easy right now.  You can be home recording and within minutes everyone across the world can hear it instantly!

Who are the Composer/Lyricists in the group? …and where do you draw your inspiration to write from?

For this record much was done pre-meeting the rest of the band.  The core songs came from Todd and the band would “flesh it out” at rehearsal.  Everyone brought some ideas to the table.  It was so cool to hear the changes and we are proud to hear how it has all evolved.

What is it like on the Love & Heat Tour with the other bands?

Man, these are relationships we will carry for a lifetime.  We’ve met some great musicians and great people.  We hope to tour again with them someday.

If you could choose ANY band/performer to tour with, who would it be and why?

Todd:  The Smiths, I grew up listening to them.
Chris: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Jae:  Billy Joel, he inspired me to play… Louis Armstrong.

Any quirky inside info you want to spill on eac hother?

We are like a family now.  There is no one else I’d want to be on tour with.  Everyone works hard, no one has changed and there is never any drama.

What is your fanbase like?  Any crazy encounters to date?

WEIRD.  Its surprising to meet girls who are on the tour for four weeks at a time.  Isn’t that CRAZY?  People get attatched so easily, asking if they can come on tour.  Jae had a girl want him to kiss her…and we hear lots of life stories. 

What is in your CD players?

The new Muse, Third Eye Blind.  We also like to listen to the CDs of the band we are on tour with to get a better feel of what who we are touring with.  Big City Rock… I love Human and Shelter, and NEEDTOBREATH… Haley is a good tune.

Describe each other in one word:

TODD-
Fitz:  He is my hero brcause I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t met him. 
Jae:  Iconic.  He has this glow or aura about him. 
Chris: Genius!

CHRIS-
Todd:  Chris is trustworthy in the fact that I trusts him to take care of things.  He is responsible and hardworking. 
Fitz:  Energetic. 
Jae:  Wellrounded, there is nothing he can’t do.

JAE-
Todd:  Jaeson is the comic relief on the tour.  He keeps everyone laughing.  He is considerate. 
Chris:  Jae is “loyal…trustworthy down till the end, he always has our backs. 
Fitz:  Jae is lively and full of life.

FITZ-
Chris: He is a people person, he is always talking to the fans and spreading the word. 
Jae:  We’ve known each other for 9 or 10 years and we’ve been best friends through thick and thin, and he always lifts me up when I’m down. 
Todd:  He is wonderful and he has a cool nickname!

Message to fans as we conclude?

Thank you!  We wouldn’t be doing this without you and it keeps us going.  Keep coming to the shows!

These guys are four of the greatest humans I have ever met.  Sure they look like your typical rockers with their tattoos and style.  Yet, on the inside they are amazing creatures.  Considerate, friendly and well mannered.  Not that I didn’t expect them to be… I just didn’t expect them to be as “real” as they turned out to be.  I met Chris the night before this interview in Boston, Ma.  I introduced myself and told him about theywillrockyou.com.  A friend of mine said “Who knows maybe Stacie will interview you someday.” He said he was all for it… and we set it up for the very next night.  Upon arriving in CT, Chris asked me if I had done my research, which I had and we took our seat in the bar for a fabulous chat. Their show was amazing, their stage presence was inspiring and watching Chris on bass you can really see how much he has been inspired by Flea from RHCP.  I really can’t express how at home I felt talking to these guys.  I really wish them all the best in their musical careers and hope to be able to see them again soon on a huge ass tour with RHCP.

Drive By on MySpace
Drive By Official Website
Live Photos of Drive By

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