Page 21 - Black Velvet Issue 91

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Invincible

ou’ve got to have pretty thick skin to be in this band,” says Mike Protich of
“YRed Sun Rising. Mike formed the hard-working Akron, OH band with gui-
tarist Ryan Williams a decade ago, although Red Sun Rising are only now receiving
the credit they deserve. Razor & Tie signed the band in 2014 and have helped bring
them to the attention of rock fans in the US and more recently around the world.

was having us go out and support Pop Evil, 2015, and then, six months later, with ‘Emo- The band didn’t really get to celebrate it
who was the biggest band of the management tionless’. Mike says the band were not expect- because they were on the road at the time. “I
company. So it was great to have almost a big ing that at all. “Especially the first song, ‘The think the only way we got to celebrate it really
brother band of the management company Otherside’; that was a song that we were very was I remember we played a show the night it
who helped us get off the ground. We’re thank- proud of but I don’t think it was the band’s went No. 1 and we got to say that on stage. To
ful to Pop Evil for that. I think they are proud of favourite. It was just like, “Let’s put this song hear the crowd cheer for us was kind of spe-
us too ‘cause they’ve kind of watched us grow out first, let’s kind of test the water for a new cial. We just kept working. We haven’t had time
up and gain momentum. It’s cool that they can band,” and it ended up going No. 1, and it was to slow down and celebrate.”
look back and remember taking us out on our like “Wow!” We definitely had more confidence Getting in the Billboard charts has defi-
first national tour.” in ‘Emotionless’ because we thought it was a nitely helped the band. Mike says, “For us it
The band hit No. 1 in the Billboard main- little more original to us. ‘The Otherside’ was began our career. It hasn’t made our career,
stream rock charts, first with ‘The Otherside’ in definitely a shocker.” we still have a lot of work to do, but it definitely

RED SUN RISING