What was the beginning pint for your music career? How did it all start?
I started playing music at age 8. Things started out for me playing the violin, which I credit most of my musical ear and fundamental understanding of music to. I then got my first electric guitar in 7th grade and started a band with my neighborhood friends. We started with a bunch of covers, but once we started writing our own music with some success I was hooked. I’ve played in some type of original band since.
Was there any bumps on the road? What kind of challenges did you have to deal with?
In the early stages of my music, there was the battle to keep projects together. People change and had different ideas about what the future held. Some moved on to different jobs or moved locations with their families. Fortunately, we found our groove with Die Tired and have been lucky enough to keep the momentum going and communicate to meet our bands goals. Other challenges include always striving to write the best music we can and challenge ourselves both technically and creatively to keep evolving as a band. This takes time, patience, and commitment. It can also be difficult navigating the road and being out playing a bunch of shows and keeping your personal and family life healthy as well.
What was the most fulfilling and satisfying moment so far?
This has to be getting the deal with our new label, SODEH Records.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
I would have to say dynamic. Our style hits so many different genres and emotions, which is why I think this description is fitting. We bring the intensity and emotion into everything we do and hope that reflects in both our recordings and live shows.
What is your creative process like?
We get inspiration from all around us. Sometimes a band member will come to practice with a fully realized idea, while other times it may be an interesting riff during a jam that we all connect with. Once we have the foundation of the song going, we will rehearse it over and over to fine tune the parts and nuances of the music. As the singer and guitar player, I will usually do some mumble lyrics as we write to start getting melody ideas. We will record our practices and then I’ll listen back and try to work lyrical themes into some of those raw vocal improvisations.
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
Fairer pay for musicians and artists to make it easier for all to have a meaningful and sustainable career.
If you were asked to give a piece of advice to upcoming bands, what would that be?
Stay true to your creative process and ideas and don’t give up. Keep working at your craft. Do your research, too! Always consume new music, art, books, etc. Pay attention and observe the world around you. What you take in from these things will become the inspiration for your future work; whether you realize it or not.
What has been the best performance of your career so far?
We played one show late last year at the Grape Room in Manayunk (Philly area) and everything just clicked. We were on fire and the crowd was incredible. We also hit a large festival this past fall and played to our biggest crowd yet. Most recently, we appeared live on TV on our regional news station as the featured musical act. That was pretty incredible to perform live on TV!
If you didn’t become a musician, what would you be doing now?
I honestly can’t think of anything else I would be doing. I could see myself working in a studio or on a sound crew somewhere.
What is new with the band at the moment? What are you currently working on and would like to share with the world?
We’ve got a good bit going on at the moment. Our first single with the new label, “Play”, has being doing really well for us. We had a music video made, which you can check out on our YouTube channel. We have a few shows coming up to finish out the year, and then we have plans to hit the studio and go on another run of shows to support the new material in early 2023.
