Interview: Jonny Craig

A few weeks before the announcement of his Indiegogo, I emailed Jonny a few questions about his background and growing up in Canada. You can catch him on his upcoming headline tour with Kurt Travis, Hail the Sun, and The Seeking.

Let’s talk about your roots. I’ve never been to Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada before. What’s it like up there?

Cold and shitty, it rains a lot. It’s only like three hours away from Seattle so the weather is pretty similar. 

What was the very first concert you attended and how much of an impact did that have on you musically?
   
I saw Boys II Men at a fair, it definitely influenced the way I put my harmonies together and what I hope to deliver in stage presence.

Is it true you’re gonna be on The Voice?

They made me sign a confidentiality agreement, so I’m not really sure how much I can say on that…

Can you elaborate on what you’ve been up to for the past few months?

Writing and organizing ideas I have to put down in the studio, listening to all sorts of new music to keep up on the game. In my downtime I watch a lot of Netflix and try to put a baby in my girlfriend.
    
How is Diamond Monroe different from your self-titled solo work?

Diamond Monroe is who I am in the sheets.

If you did a R&B record, who would have as guest vocalists? Justin Timberlake, R Kelly, Tyler Carter, etc?

I really like the way Barbara Streisand can break down a track. No one else really has that polish. Plus I don’t think any up and comers have appealed to a Jewish crowd since Matisyahu.
 
What has your experiences been like being in several successful bands?

We obviously all parted ways for our own reasons but every stint in a band definitely proved to be a learning experience. Whether it be vocally, technically in the studio, or just learning how to communicate with people.
 
Any word on when “The Blue Print For Going In Circles” is gonna come out?

A 6 song EP is coming out before Blue Print, slated before summer if all the pieces fall into place. I’m focusing mainly on that right now.

What happened to the filming of your documentary? Will it be released soon?

I am filming this entire upcoming US tour, trying to release a video every few days to give the fans a look at what it’s like on the road, and just the day to day shit.

Have you ever thought about rewriting/reworking some Westerhalt songs into solo songs?

No, that was definitely just kids playing shows so we could afford to buy weed. Nothing serious.

What hair products do you use for your mullet?

I don’t have a mullet at the moment, but if i did, I would use Murrays Pomade.

How did your association with Hunter Moore come about?

He’s from Sacramento, I met him when I first moved here, he came to Dance Gavin Dance shows.

What do you think about these newer bands trying to emulate your vocal style?

They have big shoes to fill. but not really because my feet are incredibly small.

What’s the most interesting thing about you that has never been revealed in an interview before?

My right thumb is double jointed.

At this point in your career, is there any uncharted territory that you haven’t been able to get to yet?

I would love to collaborate with Justin Timberlake or Usher.

5 Albums That Influenced Me: Coastline

Today’s contribution of our 5 Albums That Influenced Me feature comes from Coastline.

1. Jimmy Eat World: We love Jimmy Eat World because they are so diverse and you never know whats coming next , they are probably the biggest influence on us as a band because that’s something we aspire to do… we all grew up listening to Clarity and Bleed American.

2. Blink 182: I think i can safely say that Enema Of The State and TOYPAJ were the soundtrack to all of our teenage years , we have all been in a band at some point that tried to covered a Blink song.. and listening back to those albums now is the most nostalgic thing ever. Good times.

3. The Get Up Kids: As far as 90’s emo bands go , one of our favorite albums is definitely The Get Up Kids “Something To Write Home About” its one of those few albums where you don’t feel the need to skip a track and is full of relatable lyrics.

4. Nirvana: I love Nirvana because Nevermind basically taught me how to play the drums , i remember my Dad playing it all the time when I was 6 or 7 years old, and trying to learn the songs on my first drum kit.. nobody plays as hard as Dave.

5. The Foo Fighters: A few of us recently saw them at the Milton Keynes bowl , they played for 2 hours plus an encore and every song was a hit..covering all grounds with songs like Monkey Wrench then  Everlong their live show is an emotional roller coaster! Probably the best live band in the world right now.

 

Monks of Mellonwah - Sky and the Dark Night

Australian alternative rock/progressive group Monks of Mellonwah have posted a full stream of their brand new EP “Sky and the Dark Night”, due out April 1st on vinyl and digital. The 3 track EP marks a departure for the band, showcasing a darker, more experimental new direction that was only hinted at with their 2012 release “Neurogenesis”.

About the inspiration for “Sky & The Dark Night”, Joe de la Hoyde says “We are each riddled by our own curses and battle our own demons. There are diseases and syndromes, and many things that we can’t understand let alone hope to control. Sky And The Dark Night, to me, is the journey from the beginning of our battles to their fruitless ends; the ups and downs, the triumphs and the failures. It is the undying hope that maybe somewhere along the way, we might find ourselves.”

Monks of Mellonwah are currently celebrating signing a new development deal with A&R Worldwide (Adele, Muse, Coldplay), booking extensive live dates and preparing their full-length release due later this year. In 2012, they toured nationally and traveled to the United States twice, winning AIM Awards (Best Indie Rock Artist) and LA Music Awards (Best International Artist) respectively. To stream “Sky and the Dark Night” in full, visit the Monks of Mellonwah Bandcamp page.

Track by Track: Wired For Havoc - "Reckless"

Wired For Havoc released their new EP - “Reckless" February 10, 2013 and now, lead vocalist/guitar player, Andrew Conner has the lowdown on each track!

Sword & Shield

This is a song I wrote about faith. Not necessarily faith in a particular God or belief, but faith in general. As I was writing Sword & Shield, I wanted everybody to be able to relate to it whether they’re religious or not. Sword & Shield is really about anybody who has felt alone at times and even lost to the point of being scared but knowing that invisible force, whether it be a “God”, a person or a powerful feeling will be there to lift you back up. To me personally, this song is about my faith in God and how I believe he has helped me get through different trials in life when I have felt alone.

Anchor

Anchor is a song about being held back or being held down by others from the things you want to accomplish in your life. It’s funny because when most people hear this song for the first time, they think it’s a cute love song because of the last line in the chorus, “I’m the ship and you’re the anchor to me” which is probably one of the catchiest parts in Anchor in my opinion. Everyone that we’ve talked to at our shows think that it’s talking about a girl and somehow relating it to love or something completely different which I don’t really understand. This song could be about a girl but it could also be about a boy, your parents, your teachers or your boss. This song talks about people in general that hold you back from your full potential and getting in your way. They are the Anchor in your life and they keep you from moving forward.

The World…

Now, this one is one of our softer songs on the EP. I remember over a year ago that I was online watching videos on YouTube when I came across a video of a little boy in Africa, about 6 or 7 years old, carrying an AK47. I just sat there and pondered, just thinking to myself that this is the only thing this boy knows. That this kid has been brain washed by whoever handed him that gun and who knows what he has already seen or experienced. That’s when the line “The world we know revolves around our hearts” popped into my head. That line can pretty much sum up the meaning of this song. Everyday, people get killed out of others from greed and selfishness. There are people out there who think the world revolves around them and are seriously willing to hurt others to obtain what they want. The World… is just about trying to better yourself and realizing not everything is going to be perfect, but you can make a difference if you put your heart into it.

From My Heart to My Hands

This song is my favorite “lyric wise” off the EP. I wouldn’t say that each song I write are based off of events that have happened to me, they are either motivated or inspired. I like to write about different scenarios someone might encounter. Anyways, I wrote this song after I got in a huge fight with somebody close to me. It’s about feeling sorry for the things you have said and done. The song talks about how you would do anything for someone to prove you care and that you’re loyal. The chorus of the song, “Tell me if I need to be more penitent, I’ll bleed my heart out to my hands” really shows that emotion that I want to portray.

Colorado

So, this is the last song off of our EP and in the song Colorado, some might say that it’s considered a “love song” but in reality, It’s about living far away from somebody you really care about. I really like this song because many people can relate to this sort of scenario. As I was in the process of writing Colorado, I pictured a guy who went crazy for a girl that he’s known his whole life. Unfortunately, this girl moves far away. They both still keep in touch everyday and they even visit each other once in a blue moon, but I can just see that guy sitting on his floor staring at pictures of her and feeling the pain of reality hit him knowing that things could be different but they aren’t. Knowing that, “This story ends” and my personal inspiration for writing this song is Colorado.

The Winter Passing stream ''Scrapbook'' EP, Pre Orders for the new Record

The Winter Passing have launched three different 7” pre-order packages through View From The Attic Records,Struggletown Records and Something New Records.

View From The Attic:
- ‘Scrapbook’ 7”
- Polaroid of the band, numbered /25 
- The scrapbook itself - illustrations / handwritten lyrics / other musings from the band 
- A 7 x 7 hand pulled and numbered screen print from artist John Pearson (johnjpearson.co.uk)
- Sticker 
- Whole package will be wrapped classically in brown paper and tied with string, with an old postal tag.

Struggletown Records:
- ‘Scrapbook’ Risograph printed artwork 7”
- The Winter Passing Doctor t-shirt

Something New Records:
- ‘Scrapbook; 7”

You can stream the entire record here: thewinterpassingsongs.bandcamp.com

The New Lows re-release The Free EP on Bandcamp

Today, The New Lows announce the re-release of that old nugget: The Free EP! This is a collection of earlier versions of songs that came out on our albums, some of which we find preferable to the album versions. Judge for yourself! It’s FREE!!

http://thenewlows.bandcamp.com/album/the-free-ep

Review: Senses Fail - Renacer

Screaming. While it’s certainly nothing new for Senses Fail, it’s definitely prevalent on this album. I wanna applaud the band for trying something different and not making another “safe” album like The Fire. The album opens with the self-titled track, “Renacer" (Spanish for "revive" or "to be reborn), which takes you by the hand and throws you into the mosh-ready songs on the rest of the album. The lyrics on the record are more to the point this time and less vague; also understandable for your friends who can’t stand "screamo" music.

The first single from the record, “Mi Amor" is sung almost entirely in Spanish (80% of it anyway) was the result of spontaneous inspiration while recording in the studio. "The Path" finds vocalist Buddy Nielsen singing a message of hope; "Don’t be afraid to stumble and weep, enjoy the journey even when it’s steep. The mountains teach us to rise up and reach, enjoy the journey even when you’re weak." It’s fitting that the band would choose "to be reborn" as the title cause they sound like a completely different band on this release, which isn’t a bad thing. Songs like "Closure/Rebirth”, “Holy Mountain”, “The Path”, and “Mi Amor" are sure to become crowd favorites in the band’s set. This is by far the band’s best work and is sure to be a classic similar to the rest of the band’s catalog.

8/10

Caricature 'A Long Term Illness' Single Now Available Via Bandcamp

Allston, MA groove heavy prog metallers, Caricature, have made their new single, ‘A Long Term Illness,’ available for purchase via their official Bandcamp page at: http://caricature.bandcamp.com/.

 

Band mainman Joseph Spiller created the artwork for the single and had the following to say about the new single and choosing Bandcamp over other digital retailers:

“With the launch of the music video over the weekend, we’ve had fans asking about buying “A Long Term Illness” to jam on the go, so we decided to move forward with making the song available for .99 cents on our Bandcamp page. We chose to stick with Bandcamp because basically we think that some of the other digital retailers prices are a bit wonky, and also because people should be able to download whatever quality they want. Also, for anyone who hasn’t bought anything from Bandcamp yet, buying a track allows you to make a fan account. Woo!”

The bandteamed up with BlankTV last Friday(March 1st) for the worldwide premiere of their music video for the aforementioned single. Fans can head on over to this location to check out the video and get the run down on the filming of the video from Spiller. The track is taken from their forthcoming debut album, “The Sound of One Man’s World Collapsing.” The band is currently in the process of securing a label home to release the album a bit later this year.

As They Burn Release Music Video For “Dream Collapse”

Paris, France’s, AS THEY BURN have released a music video for “Dream Collapse”, from their new studio album, Will, Love, Life (2/19). An introduction to their blend of groove-oriented technical-death metal, “Dream Collapse” is an ode to crashing dreams and forgotten plans for the future. Watch the music video for “Dream Collapse” here.

Dark Sermon Release First Single

Tampa metallers DARK SERMON have dropped their first single called “Imperfect Contrition." The single is the first off their all new LP, "In Tongues," due out later this month. The fast, riff-oriented track will instantly cause spontaneous headbanging in metalheads around the globe, particularly with its hooky breakdown.

“The lyrics tell the story of a man who can no longer live with himself,” explains front man Johnny Crowder. “A man whose future has been shrouded by his sinful past. All he can do is beg for forgiveness from God, who has witnessed every wrong move he has made.”