I recently caught up with R&B/Rock boys in The CMDWN to talk about the things they have in store and to shine upon them playing So What!? Music Festival this Sunday!
- Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Chris - Vocals, Devin - Guitar, Blue - Guitar, Andy - Bass, Tyler - Drums
- It states in your bio on Facebook that you guys are a new band. When did the band form?
We started as a heavier band under a different name, but after about a year we weren't completely happy as artists doing that sound. So we wanted to break out of it and decided to try something different based collectively around what influenced us as musicians. In deciding to leave that sound behind and trying and to do something new in the scene, we felt that changing the name was a good way to start fresh on a different path. So it's only been since May of 2015.
- The CMDWN is a pretty hip name if you ask me, how did you come up with it? Is there a story behind it?
We were listening to the new material and sound we were creating, and spent a few days thinking about how the songs made us feel, and the atmosphere they created. The Comedown refers to coming down from a drug or sexual high and dealing with the consequences. A lot of our songs relate to feeling the highs, or the lows, i.e. This High. You gotta have those lows and the bad times, to understand and appreciate the good. We really liked the name for that reason and wanted to make it unique, so we dropped the vowels.
- Can you explain a little bit about the music you make?
We try and write songs with an R&B edge that still have that anthemic Rock vibe, Like a sexier Linkin Park.
- Stylistically you guys are doing something that is very fresh and different than most, what was the inspiration for that? Or was it more so a vision that one of you had?
Obviously Linkin Park, as well as The Weeknd and The Neighbourhood. We just wanted to break away from the heavy scene and do something that didn’t leave a cap on our creativity. With heavy music you can either write songs that sound sad or mad and we didn’t want to be limited to those. We’re not just trying to write a few songs with a few catchy parts, we want to write songs that people form memories and feelings through. We want to write songs with substance and we felt taking such opposite genres and putting them together left that spectrum wide open.
- That being said, who are some artists that have been inspirational to you?
Definitely the groups listed above. Tons of others though. Bring Me The Horizon and PVRIS have definitely inspired us since they broke out of the heavy scene and started making mainstream leeway with songs that have substance and meaning.
- If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
PVRIS hit up our manager please. It honestly bums us out that we’ll never be able to tour with people like Nirvana or Michael Jackson, though. Those artists were icons for a reason and I’m sure we would learn so much just being around them while they do their thing. Those are definitely the top picks.
- What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
Last summer we played the LoudWire Music Festival! We opened for bands like Nothing More, Chevelle, A Day To Remember Linkin Park. Huge bands that we've looked up to and known since we were kids. Being a part of something that big and with artists that influential to us was definitely a huge highlight.
- What exciting things have you planned for the future?
We’re working on a ton of things. We’re talking to some labels right now and we’re currently recording a new full length album. We have a lot of plans for this year though, we just can’t talk about all of it yet. But if you like our stuff, go follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and all that so you can stay in the loop. This year is gonna be real tight.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Keep an eye out for a full-length. We don’t have an estimated release yet, but it’s really close to being done and we love every single song we’ve finished so far.
You can find more from The CMDWN on social media or check out their set at So What!? this Sunday at 12:20pm on Main Stage 2!
https://www.facebook.com/thecmdwn
https://www.twitter.com/thecmdwn
https://www.youtube.com/thecmdwn
Instagram - @TheCMDWN