Crimson Refuge Bio as seen on Myspace:
Crimson Refuge is a 5-Piece Indie/Rock band based out of Eastern North Carolina. Their sound is a unique blend of southern/indie rock containing elements of hardcore. Their lyrics are based on everyday situations that life has thrown at the guys both the good and the bad. The force that drives them is their faith in Jesus Christ and their desire to make Him known. Crimson Refuge has been making their way into the music scene since fall of 2007. Look for the guys at a venue near you in the future.
1.)Please give me your name(s), and state your role(s) in Crimson Refuge.
Cory Nobles- Lead Vocals
Justin Munn- Lead Guitar, Screams/BGVocals
Brian Mull- Rhythm Guitar, Lead/BGVocals
Rob Wilber- Bass Guitar
Josh Wester- Drums
2.) When did you begin playing music (not for Crimson Refuge, just in general), what bands/musicians do you hear that made you want to play music, and is Crimson Refuge your first band?
Justin: I began playing drums in 6th grade, because I wanted to be able to play Wipeout. I continued to play percussion all through high school. That was actually how Josh and I came to be good friends was from being in drumline together. I began playing guitar in 8th grade because my dad won one and never learned to play it, so I did. I have been in 3 or 4 bands playing both drums and guitar, one or two with Rob, but none of them ever got off the ground (or played more than one show). Then I started playing with Crimson and realized what I needed to do if I ever wanted to be in a good band: Skate, I mean, Play Better!
3.) According to the info on your web site, you guys formed all the way back in 2001. How have you matured/progressed since then?
Josh: Cory, Brian, and I started playing music together back in 2001. At the same time Justin and Rob were playing together in some other bands. Back in the day we practiced all the time and took ourselves way too seriously. Looking back on it, it’s kind of a trip. Crimson Refuge was born from five friends who were tired of just messing around. We started playing as Crimson Refuge in August of 2005 and became the line-up we are now in August of 2006. I think the biggest thing I can say for us and our music is that we have been in a constant state of evolution, maturing both as band and as individuals. Finally after 6 years it feels like we are starting to find ourselves as a band, and its coming through in our music in an awesome way.
4.) Back in September, you had a Myspace blog entry stating that you were in the studio finishing up demos; and just recently posted an entry saying that you are going to be recording in a couple weeks. Do you guys have your own studio, and were those songs self-produced?
Rob: Its kind of a funny story. We have a friend that runs a full service studio, with the tip-top of everything in terms of equipment. He gave us full use of it, stipulating that we had to run it ourselves, and we could not schedule time in it. So basically, we had to work around everyone’s schedules to get time in. There were a couple sessions where we would go in at like, 12:30 or 1 in the morning, and come out at like 7. There were a lot of late nights. In fact, when we wrote that blog you mentioned, we were in day 2 of a 3-day recording session. The studio had shut down for a break, and my friend gave us full reign over it. I think we were up about 36 hours straight. We were trying to get everything in for a battle-of-the-bands we were doing the next weekend. It was sick. That was also the same evening that I found out that Cory breaks out in hives if he eats beef. We walked into an Ihop at like 5:30 in the morning after being up for something like 25 hours, and Cory has just started to swell from something he accidentally ate the night before. Its not life-threatening, he just breaks out into really itchy hives. So here we are, unshowered and nasty looking, eating our pancakes; Cory is irritable and itchy, and the majority of the rest of the people in there were probably over 70. In the Summer, we are planning to head down to Atlanta to work with a really good producer. Gods got some things in the works. Its really cool to just watch it happen.
5.) You guys seem pretty serious about your music, so I assume you have aspirations of being signed. Is this true, and if so, have you sent demos to any record labels, and what other long and short-term goals do you have as far as musical careers go?
Justin: In the past couple years we just sat around and were satisfied with the fact that we were in a band and had one or two of our own songs. Hey lets face it though, we were in high school and we didn’t really take anything seriously. We’ve grown up a lot since then and as a result so has our music and how we perceive ourselves. We’ve also finally taken into account where we are, where we would like to be and what it’ll take to get us there. As far as being signed, that would be just dandy but were not there yet. Short term we are booking shows and beginning to build a name for ourselves in the NC, VA, SC area building a fan base while networking with bands and venues. We’re also recording a solid EP this summer that we will be able to send to labels and other places. Over the years we’ve gained some contacts with some much bigger bands and venues, but like Josh told me the other day it is kind of like dating a 23 year old supermodel at 16, as awesome as that would be we’re just not ready, but man we can’t wait till that day comes. Joking aside, in the long term we would love to be signed and were doing everything we can to get to that point as fast as we can.
6.) Are we going to see a full-length from you guys any time soon?
Josh: Probably not a full length just yet. Actually this summer we will be going down to Atlanta, Georgia to record our first EP with Grammy Nominated Producer Scotty Wilbanks and Brandon Swafford. Tentatively we are looking at 5-7 tracks and we are hoping to release it no later than mid-July. The cool thing is that we have just finished writing all the music for the EP and now we will tour on those songs throughout the spring of 2008. Those extra couple months will give us the opportunity to get the songs exactly where we want them which will make us much more successful in the studio.
7.) Could you please explain to us, what your song ” New Way to an Old Idea” is all about?
Brian: “This song is a play off of Psalm 56: 3-4. In the passage, David says that he will only trust in God and that no mortal man can do anything to him. The song reverses it saying that I won’t trust in anything that the world can do for me. ”
8.) Who writes most of the lyrics, and while you’re writing, do you purposely try to include direct Biblical references in your lyrics, or would you say those come naturally?
Brian: I do a lot of the writing. The Biblical references come when they come. If I read a verse that inspires me, I write it. If God gives me a song that’s not based in Scripture, that’s cool too. Lyrics seem hard to come by when I need to write a song, but seem to flow at work or in class. It’s really weird.
9.) What is Crimson Refuge’s writing process like? Do you guys just get together and write, or do you write your music on your own?
Brian: A lot of the music writing is done by Justin and I. The lyrics are somewhat collaborative. We have makeshift think tanks where one has a base idea and we all branch off of that. Justin has this crazy thing where he writes two lines. That’s it, just two lines when we can’t finish a verse. But it always works out.
10.) What passage of Scripture would you say has effected you the most recently?
Rob: For me personally, its had to have been 1 Corinthians 10:13.
“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (NLT) In high school and college, and truthfully, life in general, there’s so much drama and crap. As Christians, we sometimes let the world get to us. We forget that for us, the race is already ran. Our victory is already sealed. God has our backs. Really, its amazing to think about. I know that I have a tendency to box myself up sometimes, and I become my own worst enemy. In that passage, God is speaking to me, through Paul, saying, “Rob, every problem and issue that you’re going through right now, I’ve got you. At some point in time, another Christian has gone through it. You’re not the only one. Also, I’m not going to put any more on your plate than I know you can handle. use all of this to grow stronger in me.” Knowing that God has our back, no matter what, in all our daily struggles big and small, is amazing. As a band, its probably a little harder to nail down, but (if I can) I want to say pretty much Colossians 3. Like, the whole chapter. There is just so much there. Like really, a person could spend months in just this chapter, and really get something out of it every day. Highlights would be verses 11 through 17. Its like the blueprint for being a Christian band. First and foremost: God is number one. Period. Next, be kind to each other and everyone around you. Forgive each others faults. Show each other Christ-like love. Be thankful for what is given to you, and remember that just as it was given, it can be taken away. Stay in the Word, and use it to power your lives. Every aspect of life should be drenched with it. Finally, be a representative of Jesus Christ our Lord. Its all just like, BAM. There it is. This is how it should be done. Follow these and you’ll be blessed immeasurably. It has something for the members of the band personally, something for the band as a whole, and then something for the band as a ministry
11.) What occupies your time outside of music?
Justin: Well the first thing that comes to mind is school since all five of us are in college. Then we just keep in touch with each other. After all we’ve been friends longer than we’ve been playing music together, so we like to keep up to date on what is going on (Isn’t that cute?) and keep each other accountable. Honestly though, outside of that, we spend most of our time outside of music trying to find ways to spend more time playing music, like booking shows, making friends and promoting the band.
12.) What’s playing in your iPod/stereo right now, and what is your favorite record of 2007?
Underoath, Mayday Parade, akissforjersey, Sunset Greets the Moon, Anberlin, Farewell, The Everybodyfields, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Emery, Taking Back Sunday, Copeland, Norma Jean, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown, Shiny Toy Guns, Liam and Me, The Chariot, Chiodos, The Almost, Paramore, Mercy Mercedes, Sullivan, Dashboard Confessional, mewithoutyou, and the theme to Mrs. Pac-Man.
Mayday Parade: “A Lesson In Romantics”– really good album, a lot of influence from this album. Plus we love to dance.
As Cities Burn: “Come Now Sleep” The lyrics are amazing. This album and Son, I loved at your darkest are big influences to the edgier sides of our music.
13.) How can I and the readers of IVM pray for Crimson Refuge?
Cory: The main thing that we need prayer for it to stay strong and focused in our faith as people and as musicians. It can get tough sometimes playing all the time and very easy to loose focus on the main goal of our music which is to bring glory to God. We also now that God has a big plan for Crimson Refuge and we could always use prayer to stay in constant humility of whatever God chooses to do with us, regardless direction we would like to go.
14.) Final thoughts or comments?
Cory: First of all we would like to thank Matt and IVM for allowing us to do this interview. Secondly, the guys and I are very grateful for this opportunity we have been given, to play music and tell people about our lord and savior Jesus Christ. Thank you so much for listening in on what is happening in Crimson Refuge’s present and future plans. Look out for us in the near future as we may be coming to a town or city near you. We can’t wait to meet you and hang out with you.
Go check these out, and don’t forget, their song “New Ways to An Old Idea” is up for download in the ‘Hot Downloads’ section.