Bryan Shortell interview vocals and guitarist fro Northern Faces. Interview August 30, 2015.
Northern Faces Interview
– What’s new in the world of Northern Faces?
We just put out our first full length record back in April, and have been hitting the road hard in support of it. We have a video for our song “Cops Come” that will be coming out soon, and have some other cool things in the works for the album we haven’t announced yet.
We’re in the middle of tour now, and still have some killer festivals to play (Riot Fest Chicago, Fashion Meets Music Festival, Audiotree Music Festival, etc.) and then when we get home we will be recording a live album for the “Woodstock Sessions” in Woodstock, NY. We’re super pumped on that. Fans can get tickets and come watch us track, we’re gonna hang out and bbq with everyone – should be a good time. That’s Oct. 3.
– How is the current tour and life on the road for the band?
Tour is amazing so far. We’re currently in Denver, at Riot Fest, and in about a half hour we are going to hop in the van to go play on the biggest stage we’ve ever played on. After us Modest Mouse, Kongos, and the Joy Formidable are going to play on the same stage. Surreal. And we’ve still got three more weeks of this to look forward to. We love the road in general, but this tour is one of our favorites so far.
– The band must be all pumped up for the Riot Fest concert in Denver?
Most pumped I’ve been for a show in a long time. Doesn’t get much better than this.
– How many shows do you play per year on average, and how crazy does the schedule get?
Every year is a little different, but after this tour we will have spent about 4 months on the road so far this year. The schedule definitely can get a little exhausting, but at the end of the day, I’m getting on a stage and playing my guitar and singing for an hour, then driving to another cool city to do it again.
– Does the band write music on the road at all?
We may bust out the acoustics and jam a little bit after a show when we get to the hotel, but we don’t really do much writing on the road. It definitely does happen, but usually we’re too busy to have much time to work on material. When we are home we are pretty much writing constantly.
– Could you describe some of your earliest influences in life and in music?
The first time I knew I was going to be a musician was when I was 10 and I got a copy of Green Day Dookie. Something about the energy of the record and the band live really connected with me. After that I discovered Oasis, Blur, and some other brit-rock 90’s bands. I think 90’s alternative music might still be my biggest influence musically.
– Without social media could bands today manage to survive?
I think it would be almost impossible. Fans like to engage bands, and keep up to date with what they are doing, and social media is the easiest way for them to do that. Sometimes bands are way too focused on that stuff, and I don’t think that’s in anyone’s best interest. It really just comes down to the songs, and the rest is all secondary
– In your opinion, which album would be essential to have if someone were stranded on a deserted island?
Easy. Beatles White Album.
– How important are music videos in the industry today? How do they compare to videos from 20 years ago?
I don’t think they are necessarily quite as important as they were 20 years ago when MTV was at the top of their game, but a good video can still be huge for a band. People love discovering music on YouTube. And from a bands perspective, it’s a visual representation of the song, and it can really help bring a song to life.
– Any words of wisdom to share with aspiring artists?
Music first. Listen to the bands who are where you want to be, and then listen again. Always trust your gut.
Check out Northern Faces online https://www.facebook.com/northernfaces