Future Static began as a project between friends in 2016, but their powerful attitude and genre fusing energy has been chipping away at the alternative music scene.
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Brianna Marsh - Vocals
Ryan Qualizza - Guitar/Backing Vocals
Kira Neil - Bass/Backing Vocals
Jack Smith - Guitar
Jackson Trudel - Drums
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Future Static? How long has the band been around?
R: Before FS, I was in a few high school bands, with brutal names like “Heathercross” and “March of Bethlehem” (I grew up in Christian education, give me a break). Recently I’d been a part of “Bridge the Border” whilst playing in Future Static.
B: I come from a musical theatre background, so Future Static is my first band. We’ve been playing together since the end of 2015.
K: Like Bri, this was my first band too- I didn’t even play bass when we started! I only played guitar and my main performance experience was in dance and choirs.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
We’ve gone through a few name changes in the early days. Starting out, we called ourselves “The Kanye Best” for the purpose of booking rehearsals, we spent a few weeks arguing over what to call ourselves. The name “Malibu Radley” was thrown around, before Bri found the words “Future Static” jotted down in an old notebook of hers. We felt like it perfectly encapsulated the sound we were going for, looking ahead, while staying grounded in the present.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
Lyrics and Vocal melodies are all written by Bri, with a little bit of input from other members. Our recent work explores the philosophy of Fatalism, the idea that we, as humans are powerless to do anything other than what we actually do. Because of our upbringing and experience, our “destiny” is set not by some higher power, but by our actions and interactions with the world around us.
While none of us consciously subscribe to the ideas conveyed by the Fatalist philosophy, at that time, we all found ourselves trapped on a set path by our own actions, self destructive or otherwise, and that mood really informed the song writing, both instrumentally and lyrically.
Our first record dealt with a relationship breakdown, whilst our newer songs deal with the decay of a relationship with oneself. These topics will definitely change as we grow as people and as artists, there are too many ideas to explore to be stuck on the same topic for an entire lifespan.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
Bring Me The Horizon, Polaris, Thornhill, Architects, Dream State, Wolf Alice, Stand Atlantic, Pagan(RIP). The list goes on and on!
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
R: Silverchair was a massive inspiration to get the ball rolling with a band. Their live shows looked incredible, and the songwriting in their later days was the best reason to get going!
B: I saw My Chemical Romance play in 2012, one of their last shows before the hiatus. There are so many bands I could put here, but I think that was the concert that showed me it’s possible to bring this element of theatricality to the music, whilst still having a genuine connection with people.
K: I think my first Soundwave in 2015 cemented my love of the scene and want to get the ball rolling with Bri. Seeing bands like All Time Low, Tonight Alive and Fall Out Boy having a ball and connecting with their audiences was a huge inspiration.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
We cannot stress enough how important deep heat is to our guitarist Ryan. On any given show his skin will have a thick layer of burning gel on top, he will reek of an AFL locker room, and his blood will run hot and white as it becomes at least 78% deep heat. Bri warms up her voice before each show to get those big notes out. This in conjunction with basic stretching of the legs, arms and back allows us to play a really high energy show with minimal soreness the next day. We try to keep it loose and fun backstage before a show, we’ve practiced our instruments, we’ve rehearsed our performance about 20 times over weeks in advance, the important thing right before a show is to relax and enjoy our time at the venue.
Usually at a licensed venue, we’ll have a shot of tequila about five minutes before we play to stay cool and sharp.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
Probably playing a show with the band Belle Haven, it wasn’t the “Biggest” show we’ve ever played, but it was such a good feeling for all of us to support our local heroes.
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
There’s no doubt that we’d tour with Bring Me The Horizon in a heartbeat. Apart from the fact that we love their music, what they’re doing in the industry right now is absolutely second to none. We feel like they’re becoming living legends, and to be part of that process would be nothing short of incredible.
Other than that, touring with bands like Pat Benatar or The Runaways would be terrific, just to see the trailblazers of female fronted rock bands doing their thing, and not giving a fuck about any kind of gatekeepers or boy’s club mentality.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We just released our single “Choke” and we have an EP release around the corner! Check out “Choke” below!