The Life Underfoot Interview

By RingMaster Review on December 7, 2018 • ( 0 )

Hello and thanks for taking time out to talk with us.

Can you first introduce the band and give us some background to the band’s beginning?

We’re Life Underfoot from Owego New York. Our guitarist and vocalist Andre and bassist Emory went to school and graduated with each other so we’ve known each other awhile. James our drummer we met through local shows and just clicked!

Have you been in other bands before? If so has that had any impact on what you are doing now, in maybe inspiring a change of style or direction?

We all have different musical interest, James is more of a progressive kinda guy, Emory listens to a lot of underground and grunge music, Andre listen to a lot of music a lot of punk/emo stuff. We’ve all been in other bands as well. James is currently in this rad band called Tom Jolu; check them out.

What inspired the band name?

Our 10th grade bio teacher had a poster on the wall of a cut out section of the ground. On the side it said Life Underfoot and Andre always thought it was a sick name for a band.

Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

We all just really wanted to be in a band where everyone is dedicated and wants to play shows and tour!!

Do the same things still drive the band from when it was fresh-faced?

We haven’t been a band very long so it’s still pretty fresh faced! But you do start to understand it is not as grand as it always seems!!

Since your early days, how would you say your sound has evolved?

Hard to say cause we’ve only been a band for going on 2 years, but we played with this awesome band called Vitamin K from Iowa, check them out cause we wouldn’t mind going that route eventually.

Are changes within the creativity of the band more organic or deliberate moves to try new things?

Everything is organic, Andre brings his ideas and demos to practice then we just kinda go from there. James has a lot of knowledge in music so he really helps shapes and perfects our songs.

Presumably across the band there is a wide range of inspirations; are there any in particular which have impacted not only on the band’s music but your personal approach and ideas to creating and playing music?

A lot of the Warped Tour band from like 2001-2006; we’re big fans of just timeless music that everyone loves and can sing along to. Bands like Taking Back Sunday and Brand New have songs that when they come on everyone sings and has a good time.

Is there a process to the songwriting which generally guides the creation of songs?

Typically Andre write the music, then Emory and Andre sit down to write the lyrics, then James gives pointer where to tweak and make the songs flow better. Really nice process that seems to work for us.

Where do you, more often than not, draw the inspirations to the lyrical side of your songs?

Well it could be anything; Emory and Andre tend to work on the lyrics together, one line could be from Andre’s life or Emory’s life. From a song either of us really likes. Or just something one of our friends wrote and thought it we’d like it!! Andre’s friends Orion and Connor have both written lyrics for some unreleased songs we’re still working on!

Give us some background to your latest release.

Peaks and Valleys EP…We recorded it at the Lumberyard in New Jersey. Really great EP and had a blast recording it. Wanted to go for an acoustic sombre emo vibe.

Give us some insight to the themes and premise behind it and its songs.

Andre wrote it as a story, not a love story but about any relationship ending in track 1, Our Swan Song, then the protagonist starts to talk about it in track 2, Clock Face, and finally with track 3, Chroma, the character moves on and realises that no matter how hard life hits ya don’t lose ya shade of color that makes you special, hence the line “through all the hardship and pain, that only stain black and grey, think all of that you can gain, just gotta look to the next day.”

Are you a band which goes into the studio with songs pretty much in their final state or prefer to develop them as you record?

We like to have our idea for the song complete and ready before we hit the studio but are always still open to ideas, that’s how great songs are made! Everyone has something that can always bring and take away from parts of a song so never be afraid to at least try out suggestions.

Tell us about the live side to the band, presumably a favourite aspect of being in a band?

We just like to have a good time on stage and rock out! That’s our favorite part and biggest reason for being in a band! Just that feeling of being on stage and people watching is thrilling.

It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it?

Well where we’re from Emo and Punk music are the most popular. Mostly Country, Bluegrass, or cover bands. But Binghamton and Syracuse have always been great to us and the scenes are awesome. Same with New Jersey and Connecticut we’ve had more shows out in those states than Owego.

How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date?

Social media is a great thing for musicians, bands, and artists!! Without that we wouldn’t have had as many of the opportunities we’ve gotten. We’ve gotten the chance to talk to and work with many of our idols because of things like Bandcamp and Facebook!

Once again a big thanks for sharing time with us; anything you would like to add or reveal for the readers?

Check us out on Bandcamp all our music is free on there!!

https://lifeunderfootny.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Lif3Underfoot/

Pete RingMaster 07/12/2018