Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Sam Kohl - Vocals

Rodney Dudum - Guitar

Jakob Bray - Guitar

Johan Guerra - Bass

Daniel Larsen - Drums

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Sea in the Sky? How long has the band been around?

Sam sang in a band called Wolf & Bear for a while. (Those guys just recently signed to Blue Swan Records, if you want to check them out.) He also continues to write new material for his solo project called Songbird. The latest Songbird. EP, ‘Somber’, is available on all platforms.

Johan and Daniel originally met in high school as members of the jazz band. They went on to form a prog-metal band called Oracle, which gained a small following in the local area. After that, Johan played in a band called West of Sunset. Rodney happened to emcee one of their shows, befriended Johan, and ended up joining the band later on.

Jake played in a metalcore band called Only for Tomorrow with his brother and group of friends. It was short-lived and mainly just for fun.

Sea in the Sky originally came to be in 2012. It started as a project between Johan and Rodney after WoS ended. When it came time to find a drummer, they got a hold of Daniel and went from there.

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

Johan came up with the band name. It was just randomly thought up. There isn’t much else to it haha

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?

Johan and Rodney are the primary songwriters. Most of the time, they’ll record ideas, add some programmed drums, and then pass it on to the rest of us. Daniel will use those drums as a guide and then add his own flare to them. Once the instrumental tracks are structured, Sam writes all of his vocal melodies and lyrics.

More recently, we’ve all been pitching ideas to be developed upon. The next album will likely feature more tracks that we’ve all contributed to.

Sam’s lyrical content focuses on a variety of themes including, but not limited to memories, aspirations, doubt, varied perspectives, and appreciation for life. Of course, these lyrical themes are bound to evolve. On our new album, ‘Everything All At Once’, there are a few moments that may pleasantly surprise you if you pay close attention.

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

We all have different preferences but there are a some that stand out. Fickle Friends, Disperse, The Contortionist, Julien Baker, and Plini, to name a few. A lot of us have also gained a new appreciation for pop music and keeping it simple.

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

When Johan and Rodney started off, they definitely had a sound in mind. It was heavily inspired by CHON, Periphery, Haunted Shores, and Zelliack . All of those bands are very influential to all of us.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, etc …

Mostly just typical pre-show warm-ups; play through some scales or difficult passages in our songs, maybe use the restroom a couple of times. Sam begins preparing long before we even enter the venue. He’ll drink some tea and do vocal exercises.

One tradition we try to make time for is our all-hands-in chant before we take the stage. It’s a pretty silly one. Maybe you’ll catch us in the middle of it if any of you make it to a show of ours.

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

One of the biggest highlights for us was getting to play a show in Petaluma, CA with Intervals and Plini. A lot of our friends and family made it to that show. Plus, Aaron Marshall is one of our favorite guitarists so that was an amazing opportunity. Playing a show with CHON and our good friends in Covet was also a pretty amazing moment in the band’s history.

We’re hoping we can top those highlights with some new ones following the release of this next album. We always enjoy seeing feedback from the fans, whether it be comments online or facial reactions in the crowd at shows. All of it really gives us some much-appreciated inspiration to continue pursuing our passion for music.  

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

I know we can all agree that a tour lineup featuring Sea in the Sky, CHON, The Contortionist, Intervals, and Periphery would be a dream come true just based on the amount of inspiration all of those bands have given us.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Please check out our new album ‘Everything All At Once’ when it drops on September 29th. Keep an eye and an ear out for shows in your area, and don’t forget to spread the word!

We greatly appreciate anyone and everyone who has taken the time to listen to and find out a little more about Sea in the Sky. Thank you so much!