Archive for September, 2013


TRUST FALL BRINGS BLACK METAL AESTHETIC AND A PASSION FOR STRENGTHENING THE VIRGINIA BEACH MUSIC SCENE

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September 18, 2013

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INTERVIEW BY JOE FITZPATRICK

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY TRUST FALL AND ERIK PHILLIPS

Based on a steady diet of burritos, beer, and black metal, the members of the Virginia Beach band TRUST FALL have been gaining recognition across the commonwealth and beyond for their dark and mysterious songs, their commitment to the D.I.Y. scene, and their dedication to keeping the music scene in Virginia Beach alive. Last year, they opened a D.I.Y. venue called That’s How I Beat Shaq with members of THANKS—another Virginia Beach emo band—and they have been hosting shows there ever since as an alternative to the scene at bars and nightclubs in the area. I recently had the chance to talk to their vocalist John about the tongue-in-cheek black metal background of the band and what they have planned for the near future.

I really love your band’s album art. Do you guys draw the art yourselves?

For the demo we put out in 2011 and the split we did with our friends in THANKS, our drummer Rusty drew, and the art for our 7 inch was done by a fantastic artist named Erin Greenough from Edmonton, Alberta.

How did your band get started, and why did you choose to name the band TRUST FALL?

Our name came from the movie Mean Girls, and Ryan and I started out as an acoustic project in June 2011. We knew Rusty for over a decade before. After his band LITTLE FOOT broke up, we asked him to be our drummer, and he has put up with us being idiots ever since.

Your band’s motto is “work hard, play weird, stay kvlt.” What does it mean to ‘stay kvlt’?

We are all really into black metal, and it started as a tongue-in-cheek joke between us and our fans, but when we became a full band in January 2012, we adjusted our sound to be more dark and mysterious so it stuck.

What exactly is “blackened emo”?

It started out as another tongue-in-cheek black metal joke. We try to bring a black metal aesthetic to our music, and we write songs that are dark and heavy with very emotionally driven lyrics.

Do you think with the constant move towards digital releases of music, album art is being forgotten about as part of the music experience?

I can’t speak for everyone, but personally, I still think it is very important. Even if I am buying a record on iTunes, it’s part of the package and part of the listening experience. I think we try to make our album art a reflection of the music to be digested.

Recently a lot more pop punk bands, indie bands, and emo bands—including yourselves—have been releasing their music on vinyl and cassette tapes, in addition to CDs and digital releases. Why do you think this has been a trend?

We all hold value towards the things we own whether they are toys, souvenirs, or a record. They are physical artifacts that help us remember the past. CDs are kinda shit, but vinyl sounds great and cassettes are something that you can hold and cherish.

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I know you guys are huge supporters of D.I.Y. bands in the music scene, but how important is that to your band’s identity?

It is very important, and we would not be where we are without the VA D.I.Y. scene. We co-own a venue in Virginia Beach called That’s How I Beat Shaq, and we think it is so important to have positive places around Virginia where bands can play and not have to deal with the big egos and fights that happen in the metal and hardcore scenes that have gotten many venues shut down. We really appreciate venues like That’s How I Beat Shaq, and they give us lots of energy and drive to continue to do what we do.

How would you describe the emo scene in Virginia?

It’s not flooded, but there is great quality. THE GREAT DISMAL is a great band from Virginia Beach. They are very melodic emo. Richmond and Northern Virginia have some awesome bands like CAUST and KILGORE TROUT, and there’s a great band called KAOROUNEGISA that just started that has members of CAUST, SOLOMON SOLOMON, and other guys from the Virginia and Maryland emo scene.

Do you have any upcoming shows in the area?

Currently, we are taking a break to work on our new record, but on October 27we will be playing Tobeyfest at VA Live Entertainment in Chesapeake with THE MENZINGERS, our buddies THANKS, THE GREAT DISMAL, CANDY HEARTS, and a lot more. The day after that, we will be playing a show at That’s How I beat Shaq.

Do you have any final thoughts?

“When Doves Cry” by PRINCE is the greatest song of all time.

For more updates on TRUST FALL, “like” their Facebook page, follow them on Twitter, and listen to their music on Bandcamp.

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LAKEVIEW HAS A FEW TRICKS UP THEIR SLEEVE AND NEW MUSIC IN THE WORKS

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September 16, 2013

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INTERVIEW BY CORYN ROSE

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY LAKEVIEW AND BRANDON HAMBRIGHT

Formed in 2011, the members of LAKEVIEW have become one of the most popular bands in the Virginia metalcore scene. With over 19,000 “likes” on their Facebook page and a dedicated fan base, LAKEVIEW has set their sights to bigger and better things. Coming off a brief hiatus, the members of the band are stronger than they have ever been, yet they remain humble and still value their friends that helped them get to the point they are at today. We recently had the opportunity to talk to their drummer Eric St. Clair about where they draw inspiration from, LAKEVIEW’s upcoming plans, and he offers advice for aspiring musicians.

I saw on your Facebook page that you guys recently took an unexpected hiatus in your music for about a month between July and August; I won’t ask about the personal issues, but how is LAKEVIEW coming back and conquering these personal obstacles?

We have definitely struggled to overcome the issues we were having, but as a whole, LAKEVIEW is a really strong unit. We’ve been working really hard on the pre-production and production of all our new songs, and I believe personally everyone will be in love with what is in the works.

When creating music, what central themes from your life do you focus on for inspiration?

Honestly, I tend to pull from every aspect. Anything that goes on, anywhere I am, I am always thinking of new cool riffs, lyrics, and drum parts. My brain is always working, but as for a “central life theme” I don’t believe there are any in particular I could choose from. Every song is a different animal.

How do you hope your songs impact and resonate with your fans now, and future listeners?

If you have ever heard of us, or when you do hear us, you will notice we cover a pretty broad spectrum of sound. We want every single person to take away something from our music. Whether it be head banging in your car on your way to work, rocking out at a show, sharing our music with a friend or what have you, we just want you to enjoy it.

Who are your biggest inspirations when it comes to creating music?

Although said many times by many people, we really believe our biggest inspiration is our friends. Without them we couldn’t do anything. This has been a long journey thus far, and we have met so many beautiful people and created such a strong friendship with many of them that are still huge LAKEVIEW supporters until this day.

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What does the future have in store for LAKEVIEW?

We definitely have some tricks up our sleeves. We can’t be specific yet, but we are finally back to being independent and out of any horrible contract we were in so our new stuff is definitely something to keep an eye out for. We’re working super hard on it, and we really hope it shows.

If there was any band—living or dead—that Lakeview could tour with, whom would that be?

I can’t speak for Taylin, Noah, or Griffin, but as for me, I am a huge jazz and pop punk guy. It would definitely be a throw down between THE BUDDY RICH BAND or BLINK 182 hands down.

To this date, what do you consider your most important or most surprising accomplishment as band?

Probably the dedication of our friends and fans. Over the past two years, we have gotten over 19,000 friends on Facebook and many others on other social networking sites, but the dedication and loyalty always blows me away. The LAKEVIEW family has always run super strong.

For all future musicians out there, what are some words of wisdom you would like to share?

Dedicate yourself, love the art, stay true to yourself and you really can’t go wrong. Always remember that hard work pays off. Nothing great is ever handed to you for free.

Are there any bands or musicians from Virginia, or from surrounding areas, that you think people should check out?

For sure! We have a lot of buddies out there — Make sure you check out KETURA, MADISON APART, SET FOR TOMORROW, and MY ENEMIES & I. They are all great bands and even better friends.

Are there any final thoughts you would like to share?

Like always, I really appreciate any and everyone who has ever reached out a hand to help us. Industry Made, Syke, Aspire To Inspire, The Artist Inside, etc. Thank you to everyone who has made everything we have done thus far successful. We look forward to everything in the near future.

For more updates on LAKEVIEW, follow them on Twitter and be sure to “like” their Facebook page.

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THE NORTH SEEKS TO BRING BACK THE EMOTIONAL, OLD SHOOL VIBE OF POST-HARDCORE

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INTERVIEW BY JOE FITZPATRICK

PHOTOS BY ECHO IMAGERY

Unlike other bands in the Virginia music scene, the members of THE NORTH have come from across the United States to form their brotherhood. Influenced by bands from their hometowns as well as post-hardcore musicians of the past 10 years, the music of THE NORTH packs a serious emotional punch. Though they have only been together as a full band for 9 months, each member of the band brings something unique to the table. I recent had the chance to talk to their vocalist Brad Dare, their bassist Dan Interrante, and their rhythm guitarist Noel “Napoleon” Brown about their influences, the band’s views on the current state of the music scene, and what what fans can expect from their upcoming record.

According to your bio, your band is based in Virginia Beach but has members from all over the country, including Ohio, Massachusetts, Illinois, California, and Virginia. How did you guys come together to make it work?

Dan: We started late summer last year as an acoustic project, and I wrote sad songs about how I missed home in Massachusetts, but we didn’t become a full band until last December.

Napoleon: Brad’s ex-wife introduced us, and then we recruited Rob. It all sort of just fell into place. None of us expected this to happen, but we just have such great chemistry musically.

How would you describe your sound?

Brad: It’s a lot like old school post-hardcore. Like old UNDEROATH and SILVERSTEIN.

What can fans expect from your debut EP A Place Called Home?

Dan: We are really trying to bring back that old school vibe with heartfelt, emotional lyrics. We really like that particular scream style where you don’t have to read the lyrics to understand the emotions of the song.

Brad: Also, our songs have a lot of pent-up energy with an emotional build up. We think that is something that is really lacking in music today. We don’t think you should have to throw down constantly and play breakdown after breakdown. It should be a mix of highs and lows.

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A central theme of your songs is identity and asking yourself “Who do you want to be?” That being said, how would you describe the identity of your band in relation to the rest of the Virginia music scene?

Napoleon: We all have been on different pats that led us to this point, and something that we really stress is to always be yourself at your fullest potential. We have always been about putting family first and the band second. It’s about valuing those around you who support you.

Brad: This band is really my family. I was living in Cincinnati, OH while the band started recording, and hardly knowing me, they came up and helped move me down here. This band is about more than just music. We want to help our fans be better people.

If you could tour with any bands from Virginia, who would you pick, and why?

Napoleon: Even though they don’t exactly match our sound, AUDIOSTROBELIGHT are really cool guys. They have a great attitude. We are also friends with CALL IT COURAGE and PYRO, OHIO, and we are playing with them next month.

Dan: Another band we respect a lot is UNTIL THE WIND SHIFTS. We go see them play, and they come and see us. They also have great attitudes, which I think is really important and it’s rare to find in the metal scene. I wish people were more positive in this scene. We personally try to make a point to show people that we care, and we respect other bands that do that too.

Do you have any upcoming shows that you would like to announce?

Napoleon: September 28th we are playing at Shakas with CALL IT COURAGE, and October 7th we are opening for A LOSS FOR WORDS, HANDGUNS, and MAJOR LEAGUE at Kingdom, which will be a huge show. Please come out and support us!

For more updates on THE NORTH, “like” their Facebook page and stay tuned for their debut EP A Place Called Home.

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IN VISIONS PROVIDE POSITIVE MESSAGE OF HOPE TO THOSE WHO NEED IT

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September 12, 2013

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INTERVIEW BY JOE FITZPATRICK

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY IN VISIONS AND BRANDON HAMBRIGHT

Since their release of their debut EP in late 2012, the members of IN VISIONS have been making a huge name for themselves in the Virginia music scene. Led by vocalist Grayson Rhine and lead guitarist Todd Meyers, the band’s heavy yet catchy songs have made an impression on fans in Virginia and beyond. Over the summer, they won the opportunity to play the Virginia Beach date of the Vans Warped Tour and have more dates lined up for the fall. Their heavy yet positive message is one of the many things that set them apart from the other bands in Virginia’s vast metal scene. I recently had the opportunity to talk to Rhine about the band’s humble beginnings, their upcoming album Advice, and Rhine’s personal connection to the themes of the record.

You guys have two major upcoming shows with THE GHOST INSIDE and THE CHARIOT. How were you selected to play those shows?

As soon as we heard that THE GHOST INSIDE was playing at Empire, we hit up Tyler [Greene] to try to get on the show. He has helped us a lot in the past, and we really like working with him. For THE CHARIOT show, we were hit up by Jonathan Slye who also booked the Alliance Fest and Intensity Fest this summer.

How did your band get started?

Todd, Brandon, and Francis were writing music together, and I knew Todd through mutual friends so Todd asked me to be their vocalist. I really liked the songs they were writing. They were a mix of heavy and catchy, bouncy and melodic music. Todd is a monster when it comes to pounding out songs, and I was really impressed with them trying to keep progressing towards more heavier, catchier styles. After I joined the band, I hit up Shane who had been my friend for years and is one of the best guitarists I know.

This past summer you guys played on the Virginia Beach date of the Vans Warped Tour. What was that experience like?

It was a dream come true, man. We all grew up going to Warped Tour, and to be able to go and play on a stage and stand backstage of bands we grew up with and lookout into the sea of people was unreal. Its why we do what we do. That was one of the most fun weeks of my life.

What is the meaning behind your band name?

It means something different for all of us, but to me it’s about the lyrics I write and the vision that I have for them. I want them to be able to have a purpose and to help others get through hard times.

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On your Facebook cover photo, you guys are posed in an old-timey photo shoot. Whose idea was it to do promos like that?

The day before Warped Tour it was my birthday, and we went to the oceanfront in Virginia Beach. Shane, my little brother, and I were walking down the boardwalk and we saw the booth for it, and I was like ‘Guys, we have to do this!’ The photographer was like, ‘Ok, Brandon is going to be the Naked Desperado, Todd is going to be the Gangster Pimp, Francis will be the Crooked Cop, you will be the Naked Cowboy, Shane will be the Naked Indian.’ It was a lot of fun (laughs).

What is your favorite venue to play at in Virginia, and why?

Back in the day it was the Sterling Community Center, but currently I would have to say Empire. They have awesome sound, and the dudes that run it are awesome too. They bring great tours that usually draw a big turnout, which is great for the music scene.

What can fans expect from your upcoming record, and when do you plan to release it?

The release date has not been set yet, but it will be coming soon. It’s going to be titled Advice, and it’s very real. The last year has been a pretty unfortunate time for my family. We lost someone very close to us, so the lyrics I wrote have themes of anti-suicide, struggling with loneliness, and trying to help people in those situations. The basic message of it is to tell people that so many people love you, and we hope that they can find comfort in our music. We try to write meaningful, heartfelt songs that can help people. The songs are a good bit heavier, but they are pretty catchy too.

Are there any other bands from Virginia that you are into that other people should listen to?

There’s a lot…SET FOR TOMORROW, MADISON APART, LAKEVIEW, who also has new stuff coming out soon, THE REBUILT MACHINE, and of course MY ENEMIES & I. We actually recorded our CD with their guitarist Zach. He’s an awesome dude, and we love their music.

For more updates on IN VISIONS, follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

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SK THE RAPPER FOCUSED ON BUILDING PERSONAL BRAND MORE THAN JUST MAKING HIP HOP HITS

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September 9, 2013

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INTERVIEW BY SHELBY BAKER

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SK THE RAPPER

Hailing from Norfolk, SK THE RAPPER is more than just an artist. Adding blogging to hi resume, SK is continuously striving to build an empire and make a name for himself in the hip-hop industry. He has been described as a cross between megastars KANYE WEST and JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE due to his musical hooks and unconventional image. He recently released a lyric video for the first single “I Need You Back” from his upcoming album Autograph Later 2.0 which is reminiscent of current rap-pop heavyweights JASON DERULO and FLO RIDA. I was fortunate to speak with SK THE RAPPER where we talked about his beginnings to his current state as a musician and branching to other industries.

What or who inspired you to become a rapper?

Seeing other artists on TV. I didn’t really go into pop until now, but that’s what really did it for me. Rap and hip hop [artists] like DMX and other people on TV [really inspired me]. I thought it was so cool.

Who are your major influences?

The biggest influence of mine is NELLY. There’s a lot of Nelly influence in my music as well as FLO RIDA and the BLACK EYED PEAS. Artists like that really inspired me, but NELLY the most.

What made you choose the name “Shaun the Kid” and shorten it to “SK”?

Well when I first started, my rap name was TKO, it was so funny. I didn’t really know back then. I was really starting to get into pop [music], and I didn’t want to really do something too hardcore. I wanted it to be more neutral, like it can go either way.

Name badges, as in the stickers that say “Hello, My name is”, are a common template in your videos and blog. What inspired you to make it your signature?

The “Hello, my name is” is sort of a conversation starter. My whole brand is more like the kid next door, not the superficial type but more like someone you would know. It’s just something that I do.

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What is your opinion on the current state of the rap/hip-hop scene, and what do you hope to contribute to it?

As for as hip hop, I don’t think it could be better, but as far as rap is considered, it used to be better back [in the day]. I like popular music. There are certain people that shine, but there are not a lot of people who push the boundaries.

What was it like attending the 2013 BET awards as well as the 2013 Young Hollywood Awards?

I loved it. I’d like to go back. I’m so infatuated with the Hollywood awards and California awards. I liked the Young Hollywood awards a bit more. I really just like the whole culture. I liked the whole atmosphere of the Young Hollywood. I loved both awards, the Young Hollywood was great. I want to get nominated for one of those awards.

How was meeting Kevin McHale?

Honestly, I don’t watch Glee, I’m a fan of Kevin because he used to be a part a group I was a fan of. It was great to meet him though, and I love his music.

I think it’s interesting that you create music and have a blog about music and celebrities. How did you get started blogging?

Basically, I [try to market myself more as a] brand over just me as an artist. I’m one of those types of artists who will go from music, to acting, to a clothing line. I’m into building a whole brand. I have a few people who blog for me, and I train them on what to post. I have a lot of younger fans. A bunch of 13-year-olds and stuff like that I didn’t want to be an artist who posts music. I wanted to do something iconic to keep kids engaged. I wanted to have something where it’s a continuous blog, so it’s not all about me.

Are there any other artists from Virginia you think people should check out?

There are not a lot of artists that I get into from Virginia. I feel like if someone who has a hit song I really want to get into them. The singer on my song “She’s Dope”, she’s in a lot of my songs, and she’s a great singer, but she doesn’t really have her own music. But CHRIS BROWN is from Virginia!

TREY SONGZ is also from Virginia.

I’m a huge fan of people like that who have a high caliber.

For more updates on SK THE RAPPER, stay tuned to his website, and be sure to follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

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“SOME NEVER REALLY GET…” ASKS THE QUESTION, BUT YOU MUST PROVIDE THE ANSWER

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September 3, 2013

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INTERVIEW BY JOE FITZPATRICK

PHOTO AND VIDEO PROVIDED BY BEAU CANLAS

While some hip hop artists are more concerned with getting big rims, jewelry, and record sales, the members of SOME NEVER REALLY GET… (SNRG) are more concerned with matters of the heart. Even though they were born in Virginia, Beau Canlas, who is also known as LA Stone: The Last One, and his brother Aaron, who is known as Eyespk, spent the majority of their childhood in the Philippines, and the music they grew up on helped to shape their perspectives of the music scene and what is missing from it. Their goal is to build connections and bring more soul into the hip hop culture. I recently had the opportunity to discuss with LA Stone, Eyespk, and their DJ AARock the meaning behind SNRG and what their movement is all about.

On your Facebook page, it says that your group has performed in cities all over the world, including Washington DC, Toronto, Manila, Los Angeles and New York City. How did SNRG get started?

LA Stone: It all started out as a t-shirt company, and we were living in the Philippines at the time. We were born in VA, and our dad was in the Navy. My brother was really into drawing pandas, and we eventually sold a design to the National Zoo after one of their baby pandas was born.

Eyespk: While our dad was out at sea for months on end, he would send us mixtape cassettes from music all over the world. Lots of international music, which really influenced me to start writing.

LA Stone: My brother has been writing poems and stuff since he was a kid, and when I saw one of his poems, I really encouraged him to cultivate his skills. After a major company stole some of our designs, we were pretty jaded with the clothing scene, and we decided to shift our focus more towards making music.

AARock: I got in with the two brothers two or three years ago through Collaboration DC’s director Christian Oh. He thought that we had the potential to collaborate well together, and when we met we just hit it off. I really liked their sound and their personalities. It just felt like a good fit because they played the music that I liked to play, stuff like old school jazz and soul, hard and soft jazz. They were really open to anything. They were very open to music outside of the mainstream.

What is the meaning behind your group name “Some Never Really Get…”?

AARock: It’s really about a sense of expression in the hip hop culture. It’s a way of life. Our music encourages you to just be yourself and fill in the blank.

LA Stone: Basically our goal is to spark that conversation and promote understanding between people to help them establish connections with each other and getting disconnected to the mainstream. We want to bring soul back to the city and bring life back to imaginary friends.

What exactly do you mean by “imaginary friends”?

Eyespk: Your imaginary friend is basically your alter ego. It is a reflection of yourself, and who you wish to be. Like me personally, I used to be really shy but through music, I was able to become the person I wanted to be. And we encourage everyone to look deep within themselves to have the courage to become the person they wish to be. We are not reinventing the wheel, but we are helping to create a different dialect of hip hop.

What is the objective of your #GetFamilia(R) campaign?

LA Stone: Basically we want people to get something. Get emotional. Get motivated. Fill in the blank with whatever suits you best. It’s focused on the individual to help you become better while simultaneously forming a coalition of creativity to create a hip hop culture that in inherently different from the mainstream culture so it is also about Get Familia. Like my brother said, we speak with a different dialect and we are multilingual. We come from the Philippines where there are 70 to 80 different dialects of Tagalog. Our dialect is a combination of English and Pampanga, and we bring elements of both cultures into our music.

How does the music of SNRG feed your subconscious?

LA Stone: It’s really about asking the question to our listeners, “What do you want to get out of life? What do you want to get out of music?” We try to leave that question open ended and let the listeners decide what they want and how to accomplish that. We promote passions provide the message to dream big. We say, ‘Those that get it, get us.’ We also do a lot of youth driven things because we want to inspire artists as well as hidden artists, which are people that might have a desire to sing, act, write, dance, etc. and are too scared to try because they have a fear of failure. The goal of our music is to encourage these hidden artists to take that chance and believe in themselves.

Are there any other bands or musicians from Virginia that you know of that others should check out?

LA Stone: ATOMS APART, which is our buddies Mike and Emile from Arlington. They play shows with us a lot at Jammin’ Java. They used to play in a punk band, but now they are like progressive new wave. They are super underrated. Mike has such a quality voice.

AARock: SUBSTANTIAL. He is a really good friend of mine. I also really liked THE FIVE ONE, before they split up and become RDGLDGRN and THE BLUE COUNTY.

Eyespk: Two bands that I really like are SUPER BOB and THE IRRESPONSIBLES.

Do you have any final thoughts or announcements for your fans?

AARock: It’s really great that this is happening. I mean, where are the bands or the crews in hip hop anymore? We need something new to make a statement to the hip hop community that offers more substance than the “super rappers” of mainstream music. We are really excited to build the brand and build awareness of real music. We are going to Texas soon, and we hope to tour in Japan early next year.

LA Stone: We have three mixtapes out so far, and we are planning to release a fourth mid to late September. Since started, we promoted our music at a grassroots level and didn’t really encourage people to “like” or Facebook page, we would be more concerned if they actually liked our music and we would give them stickers at our shows. All of our songs are free too. Lately though, we have been focusing more on building our online support and in the past week we have gone from around 200 “likes” to over 1,000. We hope it keeps growing, but we hope people can connect with us through our music.

For more updates and new music from SNRG, visit their website, be sure to “like” their Facebook page, and share their music with your friends.

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HOLLY WOULD… HAS BIG THINGS IN STORE, AND IS NOT STOPPING ANY TIME SOON

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September 1, 2013

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INTERVIEW BY SHELBY BAKER

PHOTOS BY JOHN CACHERO AND FIRE AT WILL PHOTOGRAPHY

HOLLY WOULD…wants you to have it your way with their music. The pop-rock trio came about during the winter of 2009 when longtime friends vocalist David Elliot and drummer Cory Ward met bassist Kevin Criner while studying at Christopher Newport University. Since then, the band has blossomed and become a local favorite within the Newport News and Virginia Beach area. Recently, the band have followed the likes of bands such as BRAND NEW, THE CHARIOT, and AS CITIES BURN and recorded their first full length, If Word Got Out… at Vu Du Studios in Long Island, NY. The album is currently available through their label, One Day Savior, or on Spotify and iTunes. As for touring, they have opened for acts such as, ex-DANCE GAVIN DANCE vocalist JONNY CRAIG and THE DANGEROUS SUMMER. I was given the opportunity to meet with vocalist David Elliot, and fellow Christopher Newport Captain, where I delighted in speaking about professors, being a college student, and of course, music.

How was tour?

It was fun. It was a nice little week before school started. We have a lot of weekend conditioning stuff going on supporting bigger acts. We went to New York City, Long Island, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Baltimore and Northern Virginia.

Where did you get the name HOLLY WOULD…, and why did you add the ellipses?

It’s from my freshman year at Christopher Newport University. We were playing one night, and we were thinking and some guy knew a girl named Holly and basically Wood. The ellipses are added because it’s a personally obsession of mine. There are multiple sides of everything, and everyone’s got a dark side. We wanted it to be open and we wanted the listener to take whatever they want with the band, it can be whatever you want, you just have to decide for yourself. It also goes into not falling into current trends, like what everyone is listening to or making, just do what you want to do.

How do you manage being in a band and being a full time student?

It takes a lot of endurance just to try your best to get through everything. The problem with being in a band is the temptations and such. It’s tough when, like, I have a paper due tomorrow and then have a gig as well. It’s a struggle, since I work full time. It’s tough. Someone once told me college is just for endurance.

Who are your major influences?

We all have different answers. I have always been open to all types of music. FALL OUT BOY is my favorite band, but I also listen to like a lot of hip hop like KANYE WEST, BIG SEAN and FRANK OCEAN. NIRVANA has also been a big influence on me. I like real music, real sounds. I don’t like a lot of the current music that’s coming out. We all have similar music tastes, although its diverse, we all still like a lot of similar acts. I also love MARILYN MANSON and THE SMASHING PUMPKINS. It’s sort of all over the board. I learned to play guitar by listening to GREEN DAY and BLINK 182.

What song are you most proud of?

That’s tough. It sort of a toss-up especially listening to the album because it is so different. It’s probably “Delusions of Grandeur” mainly because I wrote that the first week of college and never finished it until about four years later. When it came together, it was everything I wanted it to be. It had a lot of personal value to me, although it went through so many changes, and once it came together I was like, wow this is really cool. Now there are some that took me like 5 minutes to write but I’m still like this is pretty great.

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What do you hope your music means to your fans or future listeners?

I hope it means whatever you want it to mean. Every song has a specific meaning, but I want you to look at it and take whatever you find in it. If it’s just a dance song, cool. If it’s more serious than that, cool. Music opens so many doors and so many emotions. To me it just means that world to whomever is listening go it. Whatever you can take from it, have it your way.

What do you see in the future for HOLLY WOULD…?

A lot of touring. In December, we always do a holiday party. It’s a chance for us to give back to our fans. Then around the New Year, we will be dropping some new singles just to keep things lively. We have a few music videos to be released. I’m excited to get those out.

Where are you touring next?

We will be in Charlotte tomorrow then working our way up. We’re doing DC, NYC, then back to Charlotte; a lot of east coast stuff right now. We’re trying to get back to the west coast and Midwest. We haven’t been to Arizona in a while.

Are there any artists from Virginia you think people should check out?

There’s so many. SECRET MARK, which is my sister’s band. Also, TO THE FLOOR. There are a lot in Richmond like INQUIRY and IN PROCESS. We have a show coming up in Norfolk with WEST MANE. Also, my boy TWAIN GOTTI.

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