Page 22 - Black Velvet Issue 91

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put us on the map and made them. “Specifically Moscow,
people notice, especially hav- because they were so intense.
ing an actual No. 1 on a debut I’ve never been in front of a
record, it’s making everyone crowd like that before. And
look at us. I wouldn’t say it’s then on top of it, to be in a
pressure, but it’s given us more country that I’ve never been in
fuel for the fire to keep pushing before. There were moments
hard and maintain that level of when, between songs, they
excellence, I guess, if you will, would chant, clap and cheer. I
so we don’t slack. Now that don’t even know what they
everyone’s looking at us, we were saying but it filled you
have their attention. This is with emotion, you almost tear
what we wanted and we need up because it was so powerful.
to deliver.” They were so appreciative of
you making your way there.
ushing hard is some- That was pretty amazing.”
Pthing the band, which While in Europe, the band
now includes Dave McGarry took trains to various cities.
(rhythm guitar), Ricky Miller Mike posted one photo on In-
(bass) and Pat Gerasia stagram saying, ‘Taking this
(drums), do. Mike says, overnight Harry Potter train
”There’s always that next thing from Saint Petersburg to
that we strive for. I remember Moscow, Russia’. “I live in
when we were just pushing to Chicago so I take the train a lot,
open for a national act. I re- public transportation, but I’ve
member when we were push- never done an overnight train
ing to get our name out to a where I had to sleep on it and
magazine and I remember there was a food car and
when we were pushing to fi- everything. I’ve never experi-
nally get to Europe and now all enced that and I don’t think any
those things happen. At each of us have and that was cool.
level of success what you’re I’ve done the Eurostar but
pushing for changes and I think that’s different to an overnight
that’s what keeps you chang- train and that was a really cool
ing.” experience.”
They push each other as a He says they have a tour-
band, with Mike saying, bus but use city transportation
“You’ve got to have pretty thick when they’re in a city. “We’ve
skin to be in this band. We’re been trying to take advantage
constantly busting each other’s of the public transportation. Not
balls, as we say. But it’s in a only the cost for everybody to
healthy way. If someone’s get around but I think it’s a cool
slacking, we’ll let each other way to be more indulgent in the
know and make sure that culture of each city.”
everyone’s on the same page.
It’s all out of love. We’re con- he band’s debut album
stantly watching film from the Ton Razor & Tie
shows just like an athlete Records was ‘Polyester Zeal’.
would watch a game film and But it’s not their first ever
be like, ‘How can we improve album. The band released two
the show? What is everybody independent albums before
doing? Let’s get everybody on getting signed – a self-titled
the same page. I think just little album, followed by ‘Making Of
things like that and analyzing Kings’. One song from ‘Making
and being honest with each Of Kings’ made it onto ‘Poly-
other is just how we push each ester Zeal’ – ‘Blister’.
other.” “That was the first time we
were working with a real pro-
he band have worked ducer; Bob Marlette,” says
Tso hard that they’ve Mike. He was like, “Sometimes
just completed their first Euro- the best songs don’t need to be
pean tour supporting Skillet. on the record. Sometimes the
They had an amazing time, best song for the record, if you
with shows in Moscow and want to make a good record, is
Saint Petersburg being a defi- something that fits the vibe,
nite highlight. something that the record
“Paris was our first Euro- needs. The album needed a
pean show ever. We were very strong, dark ballad.” We were
nervous. I haven’t felt nervous like, “We have this song from
for a show in a very long time. 2010, do you want to hear it?”
We didn’t know what to expect. and he was like “Yeah, I love
It was our first time playing in it.” We didn’t change much, we
Europe. First time in front of a just made it sound better. Me
European crowd, we didn’t and Ryan came into this with
know how they’d react to us. over 100 songs, just from all
We didn’t know what to ex- the years of writing, so that was
pect.” probably the hardest part, ci-
But Russia really wowed phering what songs would be

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