Interview with Makari!!!

Here are the members of the band:

Brandon Cullen - Vocals
 

Lindsay England - Piano/Keys
 

Eric Stewart - Guitar
 

Matt Beljan - Guitar
 

John Tomasso- Bass
 

Kevin Beljan - Drums

 Below are their group responses:

1. What inspired you guys to play music?

Most of our parents (or family) played music of some form. It was what we were raised around, its what felt right and comfortable for us. Once you get to a certain level and start playing TOGETHER ,inspiration really seems to vary. Now, it is the followers and supporters who fuel us to take it to the next step and makes us able to share an experience with them (as fans).

2. How has music changed your life?

Music is a driving force in our life and has shaped our circle of friends as well as being a coping mechanism for our emotions. Music is an art and some would say art is one of the most honest ways of expression :)

3. What bands do you guys listen to and how have they shaped your music?

We all listen to different bands. There are certain bands that help us shape our music (such as Circa Survive, Closure in Moscow, Tokyo Police Club, Between The Buried and Me). Different things help us focus on different aspects of music. We even list Johnny Cash and Miles Davis as influential artists.

4. What advice do you guys have for others that want to pursue in music as their career?

Music is not always about making tons of money, and music isn't an easy thing to pursue by any means. Just let your love for making music be your drive and things will happen. Nothing happens overnight and success is not (always) easy.

5. Where did you guys get the idea for the name of your band?

Makari is an archaic Scottish term for "poet."

6. What do you guys want your fans to know about you that they might not know already?

We want the fans to know that no matter what we will play just as a hard for a crowd of 5 as 50,000 and that coming out to shows is more important than liking a Facebook or buying a shirt. In an age where everything is digital, dragging your friends out to a show means so much more to us :)

7. What are you guys thinking when you are on stage?

Lindsay: Do I look taller up here?

Brandon:  I worry I look stupid when I do certain movements. I am such a stickler about my looks ,sadly. I just hate thinking that someone is laughing at me and I think I am looking awesome. Also, I hate accidentally getting frazzled and forgetting words to songs.

Eric: Am I swinging my hair TOO much? Or - don't break a string! It sucks breaking a string when you are in the first 5 minutes of your first show on tour (cough).

Matt: When I am on stage I am thinking about what I play next and what song comes next. I also think about Eric Stewart a lot in a completely platonic way and hoping he does not start helicoptering during the next song (haha). I try extremely hard to not pass gas.. :)

John: I mostly try to focus on what we are doing on stage, but I often catch myself paying attention to the crowd. You never know what cool stuff you will see (haha). Oh and of course I think "Damn, Kevin is sweaty" (haha).

Kevin: I'm normally thinking "don't play too fast!" either that or " damn... I'm sweaty... that's hot!" (haha).

A poetic life is full of expression and creativity, which is what Makari is made of. Their creative aspect in their music helps inspire teens and everyone they play to, to live a life that they always wanted to. So go to their shows and tells your friends to check them out on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Makariband

Interview with To Crown a King!!!!

 Here are the members of the band:

Clayton Smith - Vocals

Samuel Rivera - Vocals

Braxton Moss - Guitar

Zack Keel - Guitar

Eduardo Sartor - Bass

Sacorey Campbell - Drums

Cameron Hawkins - Programming/Keys

Below are their group responses to my questions:

1. What inspired you guys to play music?

 Just being a fan of music made us want to play it :)

2. How has music changed your life?

How has music NOT changed our lives?

3. What bands do you guys listen to and how have they shaped your music?

We Came as Romans, In Dying Arms,Attack Attack, Woe Is Me, motionless in white

4. What advice do you guys have for people that want to make music their career?

Stay level headed and be friends with all of your fans because to me they are like my family.

5. Where did you guys get the idea for the name of your band?

By going over kings and queens in World History class gave us the idea for "To Crown a King".

6. What do you guys want your fans to know about you that they might know already?

That we are not jerks, we love our fans and we are die hard Halo nerds :]

7. What do you guys think about when you are on stage?

Clayton- Where are we gonna eat?
 

Zack- Am I in tune.

   

Sacorey- I hope I dont mess up  :)

    

Braxton- I hope I don't fall.

    

Eddie- what? (haha)

    

Sam- I hope the crowds move.

    

Cameron- Damn I wish I could look better (haha). 

To Crown a Band has one thing on their mind and that is to make sure that their fans and soon to be ones love their music because their life is to make music that has deep meanings. SO GO LIKE THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THEM :) They will love you guys forever if you did that.

Interview with Shake That Bear!!!

Here are the members of the band:

	Brandon Zemel- Lead Vocals Sean Mulligan- Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals Chris Vuoncino- Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals Jim Sabino- Bass Frank Massanova- Drums

Below are the group responses to my questions:

1. What inspired you guys to play music?

Our love for it. We all have our individual points in life where we decided “this is what I want to do with my life” ,but we all have a serious passion for music that can never be replaced.

2. How has music changed your life?

The great part about music is that there is something for everyone, literally. There is hundreds probably thousands, of different genres and subgenres. Each bringing something different to the listener. Music for me personally (Brandon) gives me a way to vent. I listen to music if I am happy, pissed, or depressed. I write to vent feelings that I have and I need to express. Writing a song is the only way I know how to do it. For me at least, it is not so much that music changed my life, but more that it saved it.

3. What bands do you guys listen to and how have they shaped your music?

We actually all have very different favorite bands and genres. I am all about the post-hardcore (A Day To Remember, Asking Alexandria, We Came As Romans, Woe Is Me, etc.) and a lot of pop punk like Mayday Parade and Go Radio.  Jim listens to a lot of that kind of stuff as well, bands like Memphis May Fire and ADTR. Chris listens to many older stuff that does not fall into our genre at all, his favorite band being Brand New. He also listens to bands like Thursday, Thrice, and then some classics like the Beatles. Sean does the post-hardcore thing as well but also likes bands like Foo Fighters and such. Frank actually does not really like much heavy music, he tends to go towards bands like Blink 182. Our wide range of influences helps us craft music that is more than cookie-cutter post-hardcore. We don't try to sound like anyone, we just play music we like.

4. What advice do you guys have for others that want to pursue in music as their career?

Work hard. It is a very very difficult career path to pursue because there are millions of people out there that want the same thing you do. There is a ton of competition.  Unlike other types of jobs, to succeed in music it is not about stepping on people to get higher up the ladder, it is about networking and making friends everywhere you go. Every single person who hears your band's name and music is one more person you have on your side when it comes time to talking to a prospective manager, label, and booking agent. You gotta have the work ethic and be in it for the right reasons. If you are in it for money, just stop now because there is not much to be made. If you are in it for the love of music, touring, and meeting new people, affecting people's lives with what you create, then that is the mindset you have to have.

5.Where did you guys get the idea for the name of your band?

There is a redneck amateur porno online in which a couple goes hunting and kills a bear. They proceed to have sex on the bear, and the guy keeps saying “Yeah, shake that bear! Shake that bear!” Originally the name was suggested as a joke, but after not being able to come up with anything better. It was decided that we would use Shake That Bear as our name.

6.What do you guys want your fans to know about you that they might not know already?

I think the better question is, what do our fans WANT to know about us? We are always down to talk to people at shows and online and answer any questions you got.

7.What are you guys thinking when you are on stage?

Brandon-“Why did we just skip that verse? SEAN!!!”

Jim-“Who should I awkwardly look at next?”

Chris-“I'm a great golden god!”

Frank-“Why did I join this band?” OR “Fuck you, Jim.” (haha)

Sean-Sean has no thoughts or emotions so this question does not apply to him.

What an interesting band and the name that came out of it is quite a comical tale. Want to know where they got their name from? Well then check out this interview because you will find the answer and go like the bands page because their music is sick!!! 

Interview with Perils Rise!!!

Here are the members of the band:

	Tyler Christiansen - Vocals Kyle Mishk - Guitar Travis Tompkins - Guitar Gene Arvisais - Bass/CleanVocals Tobin Kelleher - Drums

Below are their individual responses to the questions:

1. What inspired you guys to play music?

Tyler: Gene and I had been looking to start a band for a long time and I had just started screaming. We all fell together and it clicked. Personally my inspiration was mainly the lyrical value that many bands bring to the table, it was always something I admired.

Gene: My dad :). He used to fill in for some local acoustic bands, but was more a solo performance. I am in a band and it is pretty sweet.

Kyle: Ever since I picked up a guitar as a 13 year old and I always wanted to start a band. I searched and jammed with countless musicians and nothing really felt comfortable for me until I met Travis, who introduced me to the rest of the guys. We all got along great and are still together today.

Tobin: I remember explaining to my father about all of the doubt that I had about finding a band. Coming from a small town, I never had much luck finding other musicians. My father kept my hopes up. Every chance he got, he express his belief in me. I finally found a band that I belong to.

2. How has music changed your life?

Tyler: Writing the lyrics to our songs helps my feelings come out and it allows me to get my voice heard to the public. I know none of us are doing this for that attention, but it is really nice when someone approaches us and tells us how much they love our stuff. Words can't scratch the surface when it comes to how much that means to me. I love my fans <3!!!

Gene: I am in a band and it is pretty sweet. It has changed my whole life, for the better. :)

Kyle: Music is like my lifeline. I would be a completely different person without it. It is still shaping me as a person everyday and I mature from it.

Travis: Music has always been my life. If it was gone, then my life would be changed.

Tobin: I am in a band and I won homecoming king (haha).

3. What bands do you guys listen to and how have they shaped your music?
Tyler: I am a big The Devil Wears Prada fan. Vocally: Mike Hranica and Austin Carlile have a big impact on my sound. Lyrically: Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die is definitely my main source of inspiration. The man is clearly a genius and I try to be as great as him. As a whole, we just write what we think sounds good :)

Gene: Oh man :), so many: ETID, TDWP, MMF (haha) just to name but a few. I would like to think we have our own style of music, but we are definitely mostly influenced by MMF.

Kyle:  My favorite bands when I was growing up were: The Deftones, System of a Down, Korn, Slipknot, and Funeral for a Friend. These days I am heavily influenced by TDWP, Our Last Night, WCAR, AA, Blessthefall, and of course Memphis May Fire.., just to name a few (haha).

Travis: Anything from Pantera to Jerry Reed and Glenn Miller of course. Everything I play is just a big collaboration of everything I listen to.

Tobin: My style of play is loosely based off the late Jimmy Sullivan, formerly of Avenged Sevenfold. People make fun of me for that sometimes because I listen to A7X, but they are always the same people that compliment me on my play. They are silly people, but I still love them.

4. What advice do you guys have for others that want to pursue in music as a career?

Tyler: Persevere, Persevere. (Hahaha). But seriously keep at it!!!. Nothing comes easy in life.

Gene:  Do it. Just do it, there is not much more to say. The community behind fresh bands is awesome.
Kyle: PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! I used to practice EVERYDAY at least 3 hours a day, wish I still had time like that. (haha)...but seriously, never give up on a dream.

Travis: Keep on keepin on!!!. It's not easy, but it can pay off big time in the end :)

Tobin:  Follow your dreams (haha cliche). But seriously, do that. It has worked well for me so far.

5. Where did you guys get the idea for the name of your band?

Our name is actually part of a line of a The Devil Wears Prada song, Sassafrass. The dictionary defines perils as "the dangers or difficulties that arise from a particular situation or activity". We took a lot of risks putting our all into the band and suffered many difficulties along the way, but we are still here. It seemed fitting to what we were going through and still are today.

6. What do you guys want your fans to know about you that they might not know already?

We are all nuts and entirely insane (haha). We host occasional duck walk races. Contrary to popular belief, we are ALL straight. Not that there is anything wrong with being gay :)

7. What do you guys think about when you are on stage?

Tyler: People have asked me this before, and I don't really have an answer for it. I'm not thinking of anything. Definitely the best feeling in the world :)

Gene: My hunger for french onion soup. Some one please bring me some :) Love you forever if you do <3

Kyle:  I never really thought about it. I know it's difficult to explain...It's total euphoria. I love to see people moving. I can not explain what it is like to create music and watch people go totally insane over it. I am just thinking, I love this feeling.

Travis: On stage, all I think about is jammin out, having a good time and entertaining those who came to see us.

Tobin: My mouth becomes very dry when I am on stage. Besides putting on the best show possible, the only thing I think of is water :).

Want to listen to something that has meaning and makes you happy every time you listen, then listen to Perils Rise. They make music because to them that is all they see doing in their life and so if you love music, then check them out?

Interview with Ties To Jersey!!!

Here are the members of the band and their twitter pages (get connected!!!):

Kenny Day- Screams/Vocals @kennethjamesday

Alex Vorhies- Guitar/Clean Vocals @alexvorhies
 

Kevin Borrello- Guitar @HiimkevXD
 

Pat Moran- Drums @PattTTJ
 

Johnny Saccone- Bass @johnnysaccone

 

Below are their group responses to my questions:

 

1. What inspired you guys to play music?

Ghandi!!! (haha), no in all seriousness we all just loved listening and hearing music of different genres. That is what encouraged us all to pick up an instrument.

2.  How has music changed your life?

 

Music has changed all of our lives because it helped shape who we are today :)

3.  What bands do you guys like and how have they shaped your music?

 

A Day to Remember kind of a given (haha), D.R.U.G.S., Chiodos, Asking Alexandria, The Devil Wears Prada, The Word Alive, A7x, The Plot in You, and of course Of Mice & Men. We will listen to bands like D.R.U.G.S who is softer, but still fucking rock and then take a band like The Word Alive who goes the fuck in. Then we kind of mesh the two together and get ideas off both, which helped create the amazing band that we are today!!!.

4. What advice do you guys have for others that want to pursue music in their career?

 

Play lots of shows!!!. Make sure your always building a fanbase and don't think you are gunna start off as a huge band cause it takes time, but it will all pay off. =] p.s. save your money! you are alwayssss blowing bills on something (haha), last but not least: Do not do it for money.

5. Where did you guys get the idea for the name of your band?

 

We always joked about this and how we would not give her any credit when we got interviewed for   stuff like this, but Sarah, Alex's girlfriend, thought of the name Ties To Jersey. We had a bunch of names picked out and we pulled one out of a hat and it was taken already or some shit like that and it just ended up being Ties To Jersey. The meaning behind it was that we will always be Jersey boys at heart even if we are out on the road or touring. We will always have our roots in Jersey and we wanted a name that explains who and where we came from at the same time. It helps us remember where we started from and how we will never forget our New Jersey fans because they have our hearts <3 :)

6. What do you guys want your fans to know about you that they might not know already?

 

Even though we can all decide on stuff that we all like to put together in a song we all have very different tastes in music that "hopefully" gives us a unique sound... at least we try! :)

7.  What do you guys think when you are on stage?

 

Kenny (vocals)-I constantly think about how the crowd is gonna react to us. Since we are not too well known and that we have a really unique sound. I also hope that some kids start moshing to our stuff and go nuts!!! We love to see that :)

Johnny "Golden Eagle" Saconne (bass)- Have fun. Go Ham (haha). Fuck shit up ;). Contact me fans: #goldeneagle

Kevin Borello (lead guitar)- I get easily in the fun and energetic mode and then when I go home, I am my funny self.

Alex Vorhies (guitar vocals)-First and foremost, go out and have fun. Without fun this is all a waste. When  I am on stage I hope that our fans enjoy listening to us and much as we enjoy playing it. I kind of go into my own little world, when I am on stage. Everything else goes away and it is all about the music. I guess it's somewhat of an escape :)

Pat Moran (drums)- Let us get fucked up and die. Open the flood gates and KILL EVERYTHING! Don't you dare fucking stand still for a second of our set.

Ties To Jersey will blow your mind with fun and energetic kind of music. If you want this feeling every time you listen to them, then like their page and listen to their music. It is the only way to live a fun life, since fun life needs great music. If you like their page, they will love you forever and ever :)

Interview with DECODER!!!!

Here are the members of the band:

	Keith Jones - Vocals / Aux Jack Burns - Guitar Brent Guistwite - Drums Spencer Pearson - Vocals / Keys Bryce Sipes - Bass Anthony Sepe- Guitar   Below are their responses to the questions:

1. What inspired you guys to play music?

I think we all just fell into playing music because it was something we enjoyed doing. I started playing music just because it was fun and it was something to pass the time. It helps get your mind off of things. Not much has changed since we started, but there are many people we meet with these incredible stories of how our music has helped them and that definitely fuels us to keep going :)
2. How has music changed your life?

Music has allowed us to travel all over the country and meet so many amazing people. We are all really thankful for the chance to tour and bring our music to new people. The support we get is just so amazing and we are all very thankful for our success.

3. What bands do you guys listen to and how have they shaped your music?

We all listen to different types of genres. I think the bands we all really enjoy most are the bands who are just doing their own thing and are not afraid to go against the grain by trying something new. Bands like that definitely inspire us to do our own thing and be ourselves.

4. What advice do you guys have for others that want to pursue in music as a career?

Our best advice would be to have fun and enjoy what you are doing with the people you are doing it with. If you are not having fun, then there is no point in it.

5. Where did you guys get the idea for the name of your band?

There really is not anything behind our name other than it sounded cool. Just brainstormed for a name and that is what we came up with and liked it, so we kept it.

6. What do you guys want your fans to know about you that they might not know already?

We are regular people. None of us have big heads or think we are better than anyone else because we are in a band. Never hesitate to talk to us because we love to get close to our fans :)

7. What are you guys thinking when you are on stage?

I think the best part about playing is that we are not thinking anything. It is 30 minutes of our minds just empty and not worrying about any of the stress of day to day life. My mind is always running, but when we start our set everything leaves my mind and we just have fun. It is a way for us to escape all the problems we have been feeling before the show or even in our past.

Want to learn more about DECODER? Of course you do. Check out this interview because it will blow your mind of how great the DECODER band members are :))))

Interview with Don't Wake Aislin!!!

Here are the members of the band:

Deena Jakoub - vocals
Brandon Brown - guitar
Kalen Orr - guitar
Jordan Landers - bass
Guerin Williams - drums

Below are the responses to the questions:

1. What inspired you guys to play music?

It would have to be: life, experiences, faith, and other musicians. We are called to play music as a form of ministry, so I guess overall that is what inspires us and causes us to continue moving forward as a band.

2. How has music changed your life?

How has it not changed our lives? Our lives revolve around the band! We all live in a house together (spouses included); that may give an idea of how much we put into our ministry. At times music consumes our life so much we have to work to separate ourselves from it, in order to focus on relationships, family and other important things.

3. What bands do you guys listen to and how has they shaped your music?

We all listen to drastically different styles and genres of music, everything from blues, dubstep, 80's Music, rock , and death metal. So it is hard to mention a few musicians to represent the whole band, however bands like Memphis May Fire, Thrice, August Burns Red, Oh, Sleeper, For Today, Lamb of God, Earth Wind and Fire, P.O.D., Switchfoot, House of Heroes, are great bands who constantly influence us.

4. What advice do you guys have for others that want to pursue in music?

Only do it full time if it is your calling and your absolute passion because chances are you are not going to make money playing music, especially in this industry. We are fortunate enough to finally be able to break even after 6+ years of existence. It is about the art and creativity first, money is only a small part of it.   

5. Where did you guys get the idea for the name of your band?

First, I will say Aislin is pronounced with a long "A" sound and has nothing to do with the Chronicles of Narnia or a specific lion. The word "Aislin" is an Irish word that means "dream". So our name means: "Don't Wake The Dream." It is a message of encouragement to every person, by telling them to pursue their calling and passions in life, which God has provided for everyone.

6. What do you guys want your fans to know about you that they might not know already?

We always try to be very personal with our fans and connect with them as much as possible, so it is difficult to think of something they might not already know. We all live in a house together, that is really unique! 

7. What do you guys think when you are on stage?

Before we play, we always pray that God will touch someone during the show. Other than that we always get really anxious to get on stage and perform. It is such an adrenaline rush!

Don't Wake Aislin is a band that wants to rock the night away, while making sure you appreciate what you have because having a little faith will take you far in life. So go like Don't Wake Aislin because they just want you to follow your dreams!!!!  

Interview with Westallis!!!

Here are the members of the band:

Andrew
Chris
Carlos
Tim
Nick
Kyle

Here is a little information about them, just so you know who they are and what their fundamentals are:

We hail from Palm Coast, Florida where 6 friends came together and had the same dream to make music. We started in November of 2008 and never stopped making brutal breakdowns and catchy riffs. We have been through alot of drama and line-up changes in the past but we stuck it out and it made us who we are today. We are sure that all of our fans are going to enjoy the style of music we have for you guys. All of the members have been working very hard and dedicated to bring this music to a different level. So get ready for this adventure you will never forget.

Here are the questions and below are the responses from Andrew, that is representing the band:

1. What inspired you to play music?

I was 12 years old and punk music was exploding in the small town I was living in. Watching Pennywise and Anti-Flag music videos allday and seeing them on stage made me want to be just like them "being a famous rockstar" as us young kids say (haha).

2. How has music changed your life? 

Music in general is a huge part in my life and always has been. Music and lyrics teach me so many different things from relationships to real life situations and how to embrace what life has to offer. Music has changed my life tremendously getting me through the good and bad times in my life.

3. What bands do you listen to and how have they shaped your music?

I am the black sheep of the band because I listen to everything. I feel you have to be very open minded to be a successful song writer, but the biggest influences that inspire me to play guitar are: The Ghost Inside, For The Fallen Dreams, Hundredth, Whitechapel. I take in everything from these bands because they are so unique in many different ways, from the structures of their songs to the off timing measures to the chords. You will hear tons of my personal influences in our upcoming Full Length "Brotherhood", which I recommend everyone buy!!!

4. What advice do you have for others that want to pursue in music as a career?

My advise to everybody who wants to pursure a music career in a band is that I have realized that the 1st year as a band is the hardest cause you have to establish a relationship with all the other local bands. Produce fans from your music!!!. I have always had the mindset of pretending to be in a huge band and always asked myself what would they do. The biggest thing that was always on my mind was appearance and professionalism. I will tell you this, if you can stick it out the first year as a band the sky is the limit then. Make sure you have the most professional recordings possible even if your band has a budget, then promote, promote, promote them lastly tour, tour, tour!!!!!

5. Where did you get the idea for the name of your band?

We were formally known as The Plague Awakening, but that is another long story. We were on the internet one day just doing the wikipedia thing just to give us a few ideas, since we have talked about changing our name in the past. Well Westallis a city of Wisconsin came up as one of the cities with the worst crime and we all looked at each other at the same exact time, we just smiled at each other. It had a nice ring to it and easy to remember. Since that day we have been Westallis.

6. What do you want your fans to know about you that they might not know already?

I have alot of guilty pleasures that the other band members "my best friends" dont even know lol... I love the show One Tree Hill. I have watch every season since it has come out.

7. What is racing through your mind when you are on stage? 

"Dont mess up, Dont mess up" (haha)

My heart is pounding and so excited and wanting to see everybody go crazy in the pit while we are playing, but unfortunatly when I am on stage I black out and dont see anything. I am just so pumped and totally loving the music that comes from our hearts. I always wonder if they will like us, but I have always get amazing feedback and all that worrying that I have before we play is just nerves. When I hear all the cheers and our fans loving us makes up for all the dedication and hard work me plus other band member have done.


Jamie King who has worked with A Skylit Drive, For Today and other amazing bands is working with the next soon to be hit called Westallis!! Check out "Purgatory", which is on itunes.