Jordan Thompson - Vocals
Josh Hamel - Vocals
Shawn Whiteford - Guitar
Brad Dowler - Bass
Nathan Pope - Drums
Here are the questions I asked each one individually:
1. what inspired you to play music?
2. how has music changed your life?
3. what bands do you listen to and how have they shaped your music?
4. what advice do you have for others that want to pursue in music as their career?
5. where did you get the idea for the name of your band?
6. what do you want your fans to know about you that they might not know already?
7. what is racing your mind before you go on stage?
Starting first with Jordan Thompson:
1. Inspiration for me, really comes from anywhere. It can be something as simple and irrelevant as an every day sound, a picture or even a feeling. Something that you automatically feel that connection with and want to express with how you do your best, Music. I've always been around people that love music. It's just one of those things that could change the world you know? It makes me happy to be able to connect with people on a whole other level when I play.
2. Music has actually made a huge impact on one of the biggest decisions I've made in my life so far. I'm a high school drop out and because of music I am able to do something that I love and not have to stand in line for a generic lifestyle like most people. It's helped me express how I'm feeling and what I can't put into words. It's my connection with everyone.
3. I listen to anything from Dan Mangan to Eminem to Architects to Katy Perry. To me, music is ultimately the best way to express yourself as a human being and your outlook on everything out there. The variety of genres just opens more doors to different ways of expressing yourself and for me? Well I like to do that every way I can with my music.
4. Advice? Plain and simple. If you love what you are doing and know from the bottom of your heart that it's what you want to do, then do it. Don't let anything and I mean ANYTHING get in the way of that path.
5. A couple buddies stole my car one winter night and found a dog walking up a hill in -40 weather so they caught him and brought him to the apartment we were living in at the time. Since it was so cold and the dog was pretty much frozen we decided to name it Alaska. We Found Alaska.
6. I'm not stuck up and I don't think I'm better than anyone else, usually I'm just shy.
7. The realization that I am living my dream.
2. Music has actually made a huge impact on one of the biggest decisions I've made in my life so far. I'm a high school drop out and because of music I am able to do something that I love and not have to stand in line for a generic lifestyle like most people. It's helped me express how I'm feeling and what I can't put into words. It's my connection with everyone.
3. I listen to anything from Dan Mangan to Eminem to Architects to Katy Perry. To me, music is ultimately the best way to express yourself as a human being and your outlook on everything out there. The variety of genres just opens more doors to different ways of expressing yourself and for me? Well I like to do that every way I can with my music.
4. Advice? Plain and simple. If you love what you are doing and know from the bottom of your heart that it's what you want to do, then do it. Don't let anything and I mean ANYTHING get in the way of that path.
5. A couple buddies stole my car one winter night and found a dog walking up a hill in -40 weather so they caught him and brought him to the apartment we were living in at the time. Since it was so cold and the dog was pretty much frozen we decided to name it Alaska. We Found Alaska.
6. I'm not stuck up and I don't think I'm better than anyone else, usually I'm just shy.
7. The realization that I am living my dream.
1. Music has always been my number one priority since I can remember, and it's always been my dream to go somewhere with it and make it my career.
2. Well music has definitely always been apart of my life, but it definitely changed once I became apart of We Found Alaska. Being on stage is an emotional outlet for everything in life, whether it's anger, frustration or even sadness. Instead of using substances as a crutch I get on stage and yell at people hahaha. Plus all the bands I've played with so far and all the fans have given me chill vibes all over.
3. Some of my biggest influences would have to be Underoath, Emmure, Led Zeppelin, Norma Jean, Stray From The Path (big time), and Fall City Fall. Stray From The Path has to be my biggest influence just because of what they write about and stand for. They for sure have a big impact on how I write my lyrics.
4. For everyone that dreams to be apart of the music industry. Don't try it, do it because a wise lad once told me trying is just setting yourself up for failure.
5. Hahaha well it's a long story really. We got our band name from a dog we found hopping along the side of the road in the dead of winter. It looked real old and had icicles all over it so I made our drummer Pope get out of the car to grab it cause we could just let it freeze to death. Pope was wearing pretty much a t-shirt and a hoodie with jeans in -30 dg weather. That's celsius by the way. Anyways he managed to grab the dog after being bit a few times and almost freezing to death. We brought the dog back to the apartment and gave it some water and fed it something like chicken and bananas haha than we named it Alaska. We kept the dog for a week and found out it was deaf and blind, plus it would always run into walls, pee all over the place, cry while we would try to sleep and my cat would beat the crap out of it. So one night I was trying to sleep and this dog kept running into the wall and crying so I just snapped, called my mom and she took it to the spca. I can almost guarantee it was put down within 2 hrs :( But ya that how we got the name We Found Alaska.
6. Well I plan on moving to Vancouver really soon and start promoting shows out there. I love pitbulls and I wish I had a waterfall in my room.
7. Right before I go on stage i'm always thinking about how i'm not gonna remember anything I did once I get off stage hahaha no just kidding. Umm I pretty much just have major butterflies, and I am always excited that i'm doing exactly what I love.
Here is what Shawn Writeford has to say:
1. Hmm what inpired me? Boredom X Rock Band. The equation to my musical career.
2. Music has given me purpose. Before music was a big part of my life I had never really had any goals or anything to shoot for.
3. What bands do i listen to? Too many to list, but I could give you some favorites: Alexisonfire, Architects, Born of Osiris, Dead and Divine, The Devil Wears Prada, Fall City Fall, Horse the Band, The Illustrated, Into the Ocean, Norma Jean, Oh Sleeper, Structures, Texas in July, Unicron, Underoath, Word Alive and honestly they've shaped my music in every way possible. Everything I hear seeps into the way I play. So I try to keep my music pretty diverse. Eventualy I get a fun little blend of everything and my music style becomes sort of unique.
4. Biggest advise possible, DO NOT DOUBT YOURSELF! ever. It is much harder to get things done when you just assume that no one will take you seriously. The city I live in (Medicine Hat, Alberta) pretty much had no music scene when my band started. So rather than wait for a scene to just materialize like so many bands tend to do, we made the music scene. Now, we have shows with awesome bands. We are still confined to the western canada underground scene, but we are starting to play with bigger bands like Dead and Divine.
5. I wasn't even involved. I think it involves a frozen dog thats retarded and named Alaska.
6. Nobody talks to me. I guess i'm either too shy or people think i'm intimidating or something, but they should talk to me because I am actually a cool guy.
7. Nothing because thinking makes you screw up. I try not to think about it too much. I just try to get stoked and move.
2. Music has given me purpose. Before music was a big part of my life I had never really had any goals or anything to shoot for.
3. What bands do i listen to? Too many to list, but I could give you some favorites: Alexisonfire, Architects, Born of Osiris, Dead and Divine, The Devil Wears Prada, Fall City Fall, Horse the Band, The Illustrated, Into the Ocean, Norma Jean, Oh Sleeper, Structures, Texas in July, Unicron, Underoath, Word Alive and honestly they've shaped my music in every way possible. Everything I hear seeps into the way I play. So I try to keep my music pretty diverse. Eventualy I get a fun little blend of everything and my music style becomes sort of unique.
4. Biggest advise possible, DO NOT DOUBT YOURSELF! ever. It is much harder to get things done when you just assume that no one will take you seriously. The city I live in (Medicine Hat, Alberta) pretty much had no music scene when my band started. So rather than wait for a scene to just materialize like so many bands tend to do, we made the music scene. Now, we have shows with awesome bands. We are still confined to the western canada underground scene, but we are starting to play with bigger bands like Dead and Divine.
5. I wasn't even involved. I think it involves a frozen dog thats retarded and named Alaska.
6. Nobody talks to me. I guess i'm either too shy or people think i'm intimidating or something, but they should talk to me because I am actually a cool guy.
7. Nothing because thinking makes you screw up. I try not to think about it too much. I just try to get stoked and move.
Next up, Brad Dowler:
1. Music is something I have been surrounded by as far back as I can remember. I grew up in a house that always had some form of music playing. I suppose that as I got older I began to appreciate it more. Music is a powerful "force" because it can show so many emotions and have a major impact on people plus society. It is awesome to have a voice and get it out there.
2. Like I said, I grew up with music. Once I hit high school and got introduced to bands I could relate to, I then began to surround myself with it. There is certain music I listen to when I am upset, sad, or happy, etc. It is something that I feel I can express myself through and has literally helped me through some super hard times. It can also give a person different views and shape their ideas.
3. My music tastes are all over the board lol. When I was really little, it was new country and 80s rock. I started listening to different styles heavily in high school. Thats when I got into the whole alternative punk/screamo/metalcore scene. Some bands I listen to that really inspire me musically are:
- Alesana
- Brand New
- Protest The Hero
and a whole stack of others lol. The bands I listen to define the kind of music I enjoy playing today. They also give challenging guitar riffs and throw some ideas out that can be played with. It can even be changed into an original song.
4. Advice for people who are interested in starting: find an instrument you like playing and just be persistant with it. There was many times I almost threw in the towel and called it quits. Looking back now I would regret it. It takes a lot of time and practice, but it pays off in the end. Also, find a group of people that enjoy playing and listening to the same type of stuff you do then you will have more fun playing with them Plus learn way more than you will in any guitar lesson.
5. The band name: We Found Alaska, was actually in place before I got the position as bass player. Basically the three founding members of the band were out one night, just cruising and having a good time. It was pretty cold out (like -40c) and they happened to find this dog wandering around in like ankle deep snow. After chasing it around in their socks they caught it and took it to a vet, were sadly it had to be put down because it was suffering badly. The guys decided to name the dog Alaska and that was it. We Found Alaska.
6. This is a tough one... lol. Were not too big, a small following locally and a couple fans in surrounding areas (and at least 1 in florida I know about). I suppose I would like the fans to know that were not only playing music because we like to, but also for their benefit. Without people listening to us, the whole project would just be a tremendous waste of time lol. So I guess I like them to know that I personally appreciate the support.
7. The first time I ever did a show was at WFA and I was terrified. It was my first metalcore show and I had no idea what to expect. The kids tend to get a little out of hand (mosh pits and such) and theres always the fear of failing. After a show or two of feeling like that you kinda get used to it and get to know the people that continually come out. Then its more about doing your best and putting on a good show for the kids. Without them, we would just be jamming in a basement somewhere.
Last, but not least: Nathan Pope:
1. It kinda just happened, I just bought a drumset one day and it was the funnest thing ever!!!!!
2. I honestly think music has shaped who I have now become. If I was not in a band or never learned to play drums I don't know where I'd be now. Music is something that I can always rely on.
3. I dont really have any favorite bands, but I really like: stray from the path, fall in archaea, architects, fall city fall, between the buried and me, dead and divine. As for bands that have shaped me as a musician I would say I am inspired by every band I listen to, but as blood runs black, the human abstract, texas in july, underoath, oh sleeper, Norma Jean, sky eats airplane... I could really go on forever with this haha.
4. Never worry about the money! Just do what you do because you love it :). Always try to push yourself past what you think are your limits.
5. Well the band name came from this dog that me ad Josh found a while ago. It is a really long story, but basically it was like -40 outside and this dog had icicles hanging off of it, so we called it Alaska.
6. Can we skip this one? I'm really not that sure hahaha.
7. I just think about how excited I am to play. I don't try to think about playing to much cause I don't want to over think things and freak myself out. Also, when I'm about to play I just think about ways that I can add some stage presence. I always try to get into the music as much as I can, by the end of the set I'm dead tired. That's just how I know that I did good hahah.
We Found Alaska is an amazing band that really takes the time to grow and make sure that fans love their music all the way through. Each band member has a personality that is amazing and unique.
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