What has been the fan reaction to your new album?
The response from the kids that have been watching us for some time and also new comers been really positive. They’ve seemed to really dig the darker sound we went to from to the EP we released back in 2008, which is definitely a wonderful thing because although we are still relatively a very young band in the scene, we have been touring since 2006, and so we obviously hoped that those kids who have been supporting us since we started branching out would also embrace this record, and it seems they are sticking behind it. That’s definitely something that means a lot to us.
How long have you been playing together?
The band formed in the last few days of 2004, but we didn’t actually play a show until the spring of 2005. After several months of local and regional shows, we really felt led to take this band and this message out on the road, and we haven’t stopped since.
Why Victory Records?
The Victory family houses some of today’s biggest bands and from day one they expressed their belief in who we are, what we stand for and the message that brings all of our music together. After their initial show of interest in us, we deliberated and prayed with one another, and felt it was an amazing opportunity to take our music and message to broader platforms.
Have you guys ever had any opportunities to witness to any fans or other bands?
Absolutely. That is one of the things that makes this so enjoyable to us and even what we would call fruitful. We come in contact with many people on the road who share different beliefs but still show us enough respect to watch our set and speak their minds with us, which is always a great experience. If we are ever going to truly understand each other as human beings, we have to be willing to share our opposing ideas without hostility or ridicule. Many times during the time we have been doing this, we have been blessed with the opportunity to share our hearts with kids who are truly seeking answers about God and who He is, and who He wants to be in their lives. We share our lives with anyone that asks, and we consider it a privilege to make a connection with anyone at our shows that outlasts those few hours spent at that show in that particular city. I know that every one of us has different stories about different people that have come to us at shows with whom we have been able to make those kinds of connections, and it’s truly an amazing thing.
How are you guys fed spiritually on the road?
We pray with one another. Always before we play to give glory to God and with anyone else at any other time who wishes to pray with us or for us. We also encourage our friends back home to pray for us while we are on the road, and we have many of them who take the time to send encouraging words about what we are doing and what it means to them. the poet Bradley Hathaway once said something that always stuck with me and I find it most definitely applies. “God used to send manna from Heaven, but now He uses people,” and I think that’s so very true in the sense that so many blessings in our lives come from the people placed in our path, and so often from the most unlikely of places, which helps to keep our faith focused in the right place.
Have there been any trying experiences on the road that have really tried your faith?
Absolutely. We started touring in 2006 without any kind of label support, heading to towns where we had never been, to venues where we had never played, and we completely relied on The Lord to get us through so many set backs on the road, such as being broke, being wrecked into so far from home, and even the every day necessities, such as food, shelter, and a place to sleep, all things that Christ said not to worry about, because He would handle it as long as you took those leaps of faith. On the first day of our 6 week tour in 2007, our transmission went out, and it took every bit of band money we had to fix it, and even most of our personal money as well. We had virtually no money to go on that tour, and we had to decide on whether to head home, or take that leap of faith that God would provide, and after praying together, we took that leap, and God provided indeed. We have also dealt with struggles in our personal lives such as troubles at home, friends and close ones passing away while we are away, and more things of that nature, that tend to really attack the heart, but we strive to remain faithful to our passions and to what we feel blessed enough to do.
I saw a recent tweet that your manager got his nose busted at a MCMB show, what was that all about?
Ha-ha, well our guitar player Trent happened to be dancing during MCMB’s set, and he can get a little rambunctious from time to time, and he didn’t notice our tour manager Wes dancing behind him, so when Trent lunged his arm backwards, it caught our tour manager square in the face. Wes almost passed out a few times and bled everywhere. His nose swelled and it looked kind of funny. I am actually not sure if it was broken, but it was definitely fractured. I can’t really say, because it literally happened last night as I type this, and he is still with us on this tour, and we haven’t really sought medical attention for it. So, if you’re a doctor and you want to take a look, feel free to contact us indeed.
What was it like filming the video for The Warrior?
It was so much fun. As a band, I think you always imagine what it would be like to shoot a real music video with a sweet director and a sweet plot, but watching it happen before our eyes was definitely surreal for us. I remember Trent and I standing on the roof of The Meridian (the venue we used to shoot the video) in Houston, watching director Scott Hansen ( A Skylit Drive, We Were Gentlemen, A Day To Remember) do his thing with our friends who came out to be in the video, and I couldn’t help but feel that sense of excitement that kept me anxious to see the final product. We are all definitely pleased with the end result, and we loved working with Scott, he was definitely a blast.
What advice to do you have for unsigned bands trying to make it?
Tour as much as you possibly can, and as soon as you can. Not only is the only way to really grow as a band, but it will definitely show you if this is the kind of life you want. The five of us love being on the road and meeting new people every day, in a new city, far from home, but one of the most decisive aspects to being in a band is your heart’s desire to tour. It’s definitely an amazing thing but it’s not for everyone. I say this often because it has always stuck with me: Actor Michael Caine once said “If you can imagine yourself being happy doing anything other than acting, quit acting and do that.” That’s definitely the way we feel about music and the passion we have for the message that our songs embody. Nothing else feels as fulfilling as doing what we do, and if your heart feels the same as ours, we encourage you to pray and to seek guidance, and then get yourself a van, and get on the road.
What can someone who has never seen you guys play before expect at one of your shows?
Our heart’s on our sleeves. We strive to be real and to be passionate at our shows, because it’s the best way to really connect with kids who are looking to express who they are and what they believe by being a part of their scene. We strive to bring a positive energy to any venue we come to, and even more so the new friends we hope to make, so you can expect honesty and lot’s of sweat.
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