Interview & Photos by Jamary Bobe
There's a little back story to this question, Ten years ago I bought my first album, it was "This War is Ours", I was thirteen years old, I had to beg my mom to let me go see you guys at Warped Tour, I was a freshman in high school. How does it feel to know that you have fans who literally grew up listening to you guys?
Craig: It's a very humbling feeling for sure, it's a very eye-opening feeling like holy crap I'm getting old! But mostly its humbling, this tour has been nostalgic for us the band, as it has been for people growing up with us and listened to us all through high-school. You know we were all freshly out of high-school when we started hitting the road and came out with this album so it's been a really good time. It's great to know that we've had the opportunity to be able to play music and tour the world for the past ten years and still be able to be here and get ready to release new music still.
This is the "This War is Ours" ten year tour, what's the best part about it?
Kevin: To be able to play the entire album from front to back for possibly the last time...
WAIT! It's the whole thing!
Kevin: Yeah! The whole thing! What do you mean! Did we not specify that enough on our fliers!
Craig: Well I have heard that a lot of bands do ten year tours but they'll skip songs.
Kevin: Well we're doing every single song on the album.
Wow I thought I was excited before! It's going to be a memorable one!
Your sound has evolved throughout the years, what's it like being on stage and switching from a song on "This War is Ours" to a song on "I am Human"?
Kevin: It's definitely a lot different vibes, eras, different styles of playing guitar for each song. You can definitely tell where the writing has gone, it's a nice way to look at the band's catalog of music and specially going into creating the new record, it's cool to go and reflect and see what the band has done and see what the band hasn't done and hopefully we can go to those places.
Ten years from now, do you see yourselves doing a "I am Human" tour?
Craig: That would be great!
Kevin: Geez! with the questions! No, I'm kidding, that would actually be very nice!
I mean I would be there!
Kevin: Then you can really say I really grew up with you fuckers!
You've been in the music industry for over ten years, what advice can you give to those who want to start a band?
Craig: Persistence is definitely number one. Be very persistent!
Kevin: Treat it as a business. Look at it financially as a business. If your band makes a little money put it right back into your band. On the business side of things, keep track of where things are going, on the music side of things, work on/study the art of song writing and if you don't write great songs, find someone who shares your same beliefs and try to work with them.
Craig: Don't pay attention to negativity. If anybody has anything negative to say about you, if your band gets bad reviews, just don't let it affect you.
Kevin: There's always going to be bad reviews its up to you how to go about them, sometimes constructive criticism can be good!
Craig: Pay more attention to your supporters, the people who are coming to your shows and love your band, you know make sure to cater to them. Don't listen to the haters, its easy to get into your own head and think I'm not good enough to do this, You are, just again persistence. Just keep at it, keep studying your craft, perfecting it!
If one of your songs could be feature in a film or TV show, which song would it be? and what show?
Kevin: I think a lot of songs that we've written now could be feature in certain films or TV shows, like "I am Human" could be in a cool coming of age movie.
Craig: "I am Human" on Westworld!
Kevin: Let me be could be in a nice romantic film.
If you could have one super power, which one would it be?
Kevin: Mine would be to obtain all super powers!
Craig: I was thinking the same thing!
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