Against The Current – In Our Bones

By starrymag | November 23, 2016

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) We actually kind of came up with our own term for this since we were asked it a bunch. We felt the pre-existing answers didn’t really speak for us and described what we thought it was. So, we started calling it with alternative-pop and pop-alternative. We thought yes, we were probably technically a pop-rock band, but it has such a specific connation to it that we didn’t want people to pass judgment on us before they even listen to us. So, we started using alternative-pop so that way people would have to listen to it to figure out what it was all about.

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) We kind of take influence from anything and everything, not just the bands that have come before us. I know for Will [Ferri], one of his biggest influences was, and still is, Andrew McMahon and Counting Crows. For Dan [Gow], it was Green Day and they really inspired him. For me, it was bands like Dangerous Summer inspired me lyrically. I love really good lyrics. That is really important to me. Bands that I love have lyric content even if the genre isn’t what I’d typically listen to just because they have a specific way of writing things.

Q) Where do you get the inspiration for your lyrics?

A) We typically try to write about what we know and what we are experiencing and going through. What we are feeling and watching around us happening. We try not to force ourselves to write about something that we don’t know.

Q) How much of a hand does the band have in the production of your music?

A) We are hands on from literally start to finish. Every part of the project we are really involved in. Will, especially, who likes the production aspect of it so he is really into it.

Q) What were some challenges you faced while progressing as a band?

A) Mostly because of our age we weren’t really able to tour because we were all still in school. So, we were trying to finish that up. It was hard to put all of the energy into it that we wanted to because we were only fifteen years old at the time.

Q) Do you feel like you frequently get compared to other bands like Paramore just because they also have a female lead singer?

A) In the beginning more so, but I think now people have realized our bands are really different. There are a lot of female bands breaking out more now. But we used to get that a lot more.

Q) What can fans expect from a live Against The Current performance?

A) Definitely a lot of energy. It is definitely a rock hard show and it is a very energetic, lively set.

Q) You are headed out on the In Our Bones Tour. What songs are you looking forward to playing live?

A) I really love “Wasteland” live. I think that song is really fun and has some really cool elements to it.

Q) You recently toured with Good Charlotte and All Time Low on their UK dates. What did you learn from touring with these bands?

A) They were awesome! Even from the perspective of just being in a band and how you act around other bands, they were so nice to us and hospitable to us. They were welcoming and they gave us some real life advice. Joel and Benji [Madden] sat down with us at catering sometimes and kind of let us know what the deal is. They were like, “Hey, we’ve been at this for a while now. Here are some tips we can give you.” That was really great for us to hear and they never said anything in a condescending way. They were always like, “You guys are really talented and we respect you as musicians. We have more experience so here is our take on this.”

Q) You have three singles out now. Is there more to come?

A) Yeah, for sure. We’re actually probably going to be writing more songs and releasing. And the album came out in May so we’re excited about that.

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from checking out your albums?

A) I hope they find something that they haven’t found yet in other music. I hope there is something they can connect to on a personal level. We don’t want to tell people what to hear when they listen to our music so we just hope that there is something for them in whatever way it speaks to them. We hope they find their own message in every song.

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) I really would love to work with Ryan Tedder. He’s the lead singer of One Republic and is such an awesome songwriter.

Q) You are a part of social media and frequently interact with fans. Why is that contact so important for you?

A) I just think it is really important, especially in this day and age where instant gratification and easily accessible communication are so available. So, I think it is really important that you are taking advantage of that it is so possible to make fans feel connected to you and welcome to you by reaching out to them. I think if you are not taking advantage of that you are passing up a really easy opportunity to make a real connection with real people who are supporting you and want you to win. So, I think making those connections are important to them and to you, too.

Q) Are you looking forward meeting those fans face to face now that you’re heading out on tour?

A) It’s awesome! There are a bunch of fans that we know really well by now. Some of them have bene around since day one and it is always awesome to see them, especially when you’re on tour. They will keep in touch with us in whatever state we’re in and it is a different state every day. So, seeing familiar faces in any capacity is always a really welcoming feeling. It’s very relaxing.

Q) Is there anything else you want to be sure fans know about your music?

A) Just our first album ever is out and we put so much of ourselves into this record. We worked our butts off to make sure this was a record that well represented us and what we were trying to say. So, hopefully they listen to it or want to listen to it. Hopefully, we’ll also see them next month!

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of Against The Current?

A) Thank you so much for getting us to where we are now and for being a part of this family that just keeps on growing. We hope when they come out to shows and are hanging out with us that they are enjoying it as well.

 

 

*ALL QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY VOCALIST CHRISSY COSTANZA*