Getting to Know: Bring me the Author
In the first-ever edition of Getting to Know, we introduce you to Bring me the Author, an Ontario-based progressive melodic hardcore collective. If you are in an up and coming band that would like to partake in a Getting to Know feature, contact editor@riffyou.com to receive the questionnaire and instructions. Thanks!
Band Name: Bring me the Author
Band Members: Craig Ireland (vocals), Jordan Busutill (guitar, vocals), Jon Busutill (bass & vocals), Jamie Stieva (guitar, vocals), and Chris Sindrey (drums)
Years Active: One, since March 2013
City of Origin: Hamilton, ON.
Who are you and what do you do?
“Bring me the Author is a progressive melodic hardcore band from Burlington, Ontario. I’m Jamie, and I play guitar and sing.”
In 100 words or less, tell us how your band has gotten to this point.
“As a band, we have worked hard to get our name out there through any means. We really just want people to listen to the music, which is why we give it away free on our webpage – we hope that this may get people to come to a show. We also have been offered a lot of unbelievable support from a lot of others inside music; we are grateful to everyone who has helped spread our name, or put us on a website, or told their friends about us. Without that, that scene support, it can be very difficult.”
What is your latest release and how would you best describe it to someone who hasn’t heard your band?
“Our latest release is a single from our upcoming record. The song is called “Prometheus.” This song, along with another called “The First Time Always Hurts” are what we are calling Act 2 teaser tracks. These songs are meant to bridge the gap between Act 1: Beginning to an End (available for free download from www.bringmetheauthor.com) and our upcoming record. Both these songs are exclusive downloads through www.puregrainaudio.com. “Prometheus” was released December 25th, 2013 and “The First Time Always Hurts” will be released on March 1st, 2014 to celebrate the one year of Act 1. Currently at our shows we are playing Act 1, which was released on March 1st, 2012. To describe the music, we are just that, a Progressive Melodic Hardcore band, we sing, scream, and play fast, technically, upbeat, and with melody.”
When making an album, which aspect of the process do you put the most time into and why?
“With all aspects, (song writing, production and rehearsing) we put about equal time in; we want our songs to be the best they can be so we will take the time to pre-produce a record…taking time to listen to the music, lyrics and vocals. To us, it all starts here, if the song isn’t good, production and rehearsing it is not going to save it. But in that same vein, once we get something that the five of us are proud off, we want it to be represented as best as it can, so we will take time with the production of our music as well. Our most recent songs were recorded by Eric Papky, he is a person we trust who wants to be involved. This helps us, [having] an outside voice to ask the dumb question.
“Same thing with rehearsing, we can’t have a great recording of the music and then play the songs terribly live. Each piece represents us; all three together can define you. Losing sight of one can cause the others to suffer and as a band you may not even be aware of it. We believe in equal attention that starts right from the first moment a song is created.”
What is the best part about your band and why?
“Our song writing, it’s the best because it is, selfishly, for all five of us the reason we are there. We love the music we make, we are proud of the songs. To me personally, why be in a band if you don’t love the music you make? People liking it is an awesome bonus.”
What makes your band unique from the rest?
“Are we unique? We are termed as a ‘progressive melodic hardcore’ band. I think today in the world of heavy music, not playing a seven or eight string guitar in a “djent” riff style band helps to set us apart from other bands out there. We are also a concept band, based around a story I am currently writing. An Act One manuscript is also available with the download. But to me, we are really an amalgamation of the bands I listened to in the early 2000s. So it is hard to say we are unique. I do think we have our take on it…our own sound.”
How does your band survive the challenges of touring/gigging?
“We enjoy playing; it is the chance to get to show everyone what we do as a band. So any of the other parts that come with gigging/touring, we just deal with. We all want to be there and we all want the band to succeed. We do fight as a band, but we try to resolve things more immediately, or we are just honest with each other immediately. That way, things don’t get a chance to fester and grow into something more.”
Would you rather be critically-acclaimed; rich and famous; or an under-the-radar band with a dedicated fan base?
“Dedicated fan base. I would rather play to 200 kids singing the songs back at me than to 15,000 that are all a blur. I want people to enjoy the songs like we do.”
If you’d have to compare your band to another one out there, living or dead, who would it be and why?
“This is a tricky question, we have gotten some interesting [comparisons] through our short career, but there has always been one we get that we as band have liked: that band is Boys Night Out. First off, I think we immediately get this because Craig is a long haired “ginger” (orange hair), second thing is we are also a concept band – Boys Night Out had a concept album called Trainwreck. We utilize singing and screaming with multiple voices and we have erratic song structure at some points, but we will also follow a formula. We like to keep our songs swingy and up tempo.”
Which band/musician would you like to share many drinks with? What would you talk about?
“For me currently, I would choose Casey Crescenzo (The Receiving End of Sirens, The Dear Hunter). I once argued with him in a bar in Rochester while the Leafs played the Sabres (by argue I mean we shouted across tables about which team was better). I would ask him anything I could think of about his life in music, or how he writes the way he does. But if anything, I would just try to absorb as much as possible [and discuss] the sheer volume of work he has put out. I mean, he wrote a symphony (If it is good, don’t know yet, not released). But with Crescenzo, I’d get him drunk and steal all his secrets.”
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