JP: I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for the readers of ION Indie
Magazine. Tell me a little bit about ACOA. Who are your current members and what instrument do they
play? What do you consider the band’s hometown to be?
JOHN CULBERSON: We have one NC native, one SC native and two Floridians, but we consider the
Hickory, NC, area to be home. The band consists of JOHN CULBERSON on vocals and rhythm guitar,
JONATHAN BYRD on lead guitar, JT SILVESTRI on drums and WES JOHNSON on bass guitar and backing
vocals. We just consider ourselves a Rock band and the kind that reminds you why you started loving
Rock music back in the day. We incorporate a lot of styles and influences to bring very groove driven, riff
heavy, straight ahead Rock music with melodic lyrics that stick with you.
JP: There seem to be some really great things happening out there right now for A Course of Action. I
know that you guys had an opportunity to play ROCKLAHOMA over the Memorial Day Weekend. How do
you enjoy playing festivals like that? I’ve always said it should be the same show whether you playing
for 30 people or 30,000 people, but the reality is, that it is different. How do you feel your show changes
playing in front of that size crowd?
JC: Oh, there’s no comparison to the energy a crowd like that brings. We try to treat every show as the
one that could be bringing something unexpected, so we give 110% to every show, but in truth, playing
a large show with an active, excited crowd–-there’s just no comparison. It does change the way we
perform, because we feed off that energy. When we were at Rocklahoma, there was a girl in the front
row singing every word to “Who We Are”. It’s humbling to drive 1,000 miles and experience that. It
makes doing this very worthwhile.
JP: I can’t help but feel a GODSMACK type vibe in your music and show. Is there a band out there that
you would say that you resemble in the way you sound or perform? What about your influences? Who
have been the band’s major musical influences over the years?
JC: Hmmm…that’s a first time for comparing us to Godsmack, but everyone gets something different
from our music. I think that is a testament to how many diverse influences we have in our collective
musical backgrounds. I love all styles of music, and PHIL COLLINS was one of my largest vocal
influences, but JT is a straight ahead Rock/Metal guy and loves bands like SEVENDUST. It definitely
influences his playing style. Wes loves stuff like DAVE MATTHEWS and Jon Byrd is an ALTER
BRIDGE/ALICE IN CHAINS fan--and you hear shades of all of that in one way or another in our music.
JP: Most who have ever played live for a period of time have a show that sticks out in their memory and
it can be for a variety of reasons. Can you tell us about that show?
JC: Our largest one before Rocklahoma was opening for SALIVA in Marion, NC. We had several hundred
people and the crowd was intensely involved in our show. We filmed two videos at that show. It was
awesome, and it definitely made us realize what we were in it for, and what we were working toward with
every larger show. We’ve had many more national shows recently than ever before, which I guess is a
natural progression when you’ve done it as long as we have. But it feels good to finally hit our stride.