– What’s new in the world of Strings Of Atlas? Hope all is well?
If there were ever a band born for the end of times, it’s Strings of Atlas! I’m not sure how long you’ve been following the history but the album artwork says it all haha. The largest impact we’re facing is losing our CD release party to social distancing but this also provides new opportunities to work within the digital world and reach out to our listeners. We are still releasing our EP on April 10, 2020, and have a music video for the title track which (the single was released on Friday March 13, 2020). We want our fans to know that even when the worlds falling apart, we are thinking of you.
– Let’s talk about your EP “How Far We’ve Come”. How was the recording experience?
It all started with a conversation I was having about Strings Of Atlas. I found a box full of old posters, flyers, newspaper clippings and stickers while moving and my fiance asked me what the stories were behind them. As we went on, I started to realize just how much I have been able to do as a musician and filmmaker and in essence, just how far I really had come in the past 10 years. Thus began the first few guitar riffs of the album. I teamed up with long time friend and head engineer of the Sonic Ranch recording studio and founder of Scary American to shape the groove of the album. I’m no stranger to the recording process and we went into it headfirst. The result? Another hard hitting album straight from the vein of real life.
– Having a band name like Strings Of Atlas, does it sometimes cause confusion online? Which makes it harder to find you perhaps?
Oh all the time. And you think that’s bad? You should see how many folks keep ending up in Strings Of Atlas, Georgia (it’s a small town with a lot of tourists…very metal).
– Could you describe some of your earliest influences in life and in Music?
When I was a kid, I was very into rock and videogames. I think the first soundtrack I ever picked up was to the PS1 version of road rash which had a lot of punk and thrash music. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games always had amazing artists. It was the first time I had heard Pennywise. I think the first song I ever co er though was Eye for an Eye from a brazillion group called Soulfly and the first “parental advisory” CD I ever got was Hellbilly Deluxe from Rob Zombie. 70’s bands had a big impact on me as well. My mom has a huge vinyl collection.
– Is it important for you to be active on Social Media as a musician?
Absolutely! I spend a lot of time managing social media presences, and I think it’s important to have as much authentic connection with your audience as you can. While social media is not the most important thing, it is definitely the vehicle of our generation. There’s also a whole science behind how these algorithms work so you don’t just get lost in the shuffle, so I’m always learning more about that.
– With the music industry shutting down presently. How are you dealing with these issues?
It has been an interesting challenge. Since Strings Of Atlas is not dependent on live performance at the moment, we weren’t affected too much at first. We had some events planned with artists during SXSW that were unfortunately cancelled. Most recently our single “How Far We’ve Come” from our forthcoming EP was lined up for airplay on college radio stations across the country, but with many campuses closing down, that was a big financial hit. As far as how we are dealing with it; one day at a time. Everything is so unsure right now it’s hard to plan for anything. But as long as people are feeling our music and keeping the streams alive, we will continue to rock. That’s the only way it can be, despite whatever curveball life wants to throw at us.
– How important is it for a musician in these difficult times to spend time on social media to self promote. It seems there’s lot’s more live living room broadcasts on social media going on since there are no more concerts?
- There are tons of concerts, they aren’t being done in a traditional way at the moment.I think social media is an important tool right now but not just for promotion. One of the most important things to be as an artist is adaptability. When fate closes a door, find a window (or an air vent, and spiderman your way through it) . I don’t think social media is important in itself but it’s the primary vehicle for reaching your audience right now. That is bound to change in the future. The way a musician reaches their audience has a lot to do with the time period in which they exist. At its core, music, or art of any kind, is about connection with an audience. While one may see living room broadcasts as a form of self promotion, or a reactive move to stay relevant and financially viable, I see it as a creative outlet and means of communication with an audience.
– What would we be surprised to find in your music collection at home?
The first thing that comes to mind is Hank Williams III. A lot of folks get surprised by that one but I have such a wide variety of jams ranging from Tech N9ne, K. Flay, Billy Idol and whatever else catches my ear. There are only two kinds of music, good and bad. All the other stuff is just labels.