.JS – So there are no more third parties involved in this release?
SD – We have the creative freedom and we now have the freedom of what to do with radio and marketing now.
JS – One of the things I like about the songs and draw me are
the ones that are the “relationship” type songs and you have a
certain way of writing songs. “False Alarm” and “Balance” really
stand out on this release. Tell us a little about what you were
going for on those tracks?
SD – “Balance” is pretty straight forward. It’s about somebody
else being able to balance out the person that you are. “False
Alarm” has some specific meanings to me but I would like to
leave that up to the listener. It’s kind of cryptic lyrically and can
be taken several different ways and would like to leave things to
the listeners interpetation.
JS – The one cool thing that I like about the song “False Alarm”
is that the chorus becomes the main part of the song. It goes
chorus, verse, chorus. How did that come along.
SD – This song in particular came up pretty abnormal. I came
up with it while driving. I hummed them into my phone and
wrote the song in 10 minutes. It almost wrote itself and it was like
it had to start with the chorus.
Smile Empty Soul:
Ryan Martin, Sean Danielsen, Jake Tilmer
JS – You guys like being on the road and always going across the
country. Tell us about being on the road and share with us about
being out there on the road for long periods at a time.
SD – Right now it’s one of our main tools today. It’s our most
consistent tool and it’s in our control. We love doing it and we
stay out for the last 10 years. Let’s face it. Radio has been spotty
for us and record sales these days are almost non-existent. So
the road is looking like one of the last things that rock bands even
have anymore.
JS – In my opinion, I feel that Smile Empty Soul is one of the most
underrated bands out there today. Do fans ever come up and tell
you something similar and what are your thoughts?
SD – It’s funny you say that because fans tell us all the time that
we are underrated and wish we were more well known. It would
make things a lot easier. It’s great to hear things like that because we feel that we are impacting peoples lives and they appreciate what we do and we love doing this. It’s what keeps us going
and love hearing positive feedback about our music.
Smile Empty Soul’s “Chemicals”
is available now
JS – What are the plans in 2014.
SD – We will be on tour until December 15. Looks like we will
take January off and then get back out in February. Then March
and April we are planning a tour package that will be in the works.
-Jim Santora
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