How do you guys feel you matured/grew as a band since you first started creating music together?
Well we learned so much about how a full time touring band operates, simply by being on the road and in the thick of it. We have literally been a family of brothers together for the better part of a decade, living and working together. We are closer than I think we probably even realize. We have learned how to work together to put on a live show, how to write music together, how to run a business together. Really, there is so much that has transpired between all of us since 2006 when this line up was solidified. I’ve been honored to experience so much with these guys.
Jake has an organization called HeartSupport that has been growing quite quickly. Could you tell us a bit about this organization and how it will make an impact on not only ABR fans but the music industry?
HeartSupport is a non-profit that Jake funds and operates with the help of a small team of people. Together they run a website that is a community for people who feel they have nowhere else to turn. Victims of domestic abuse, rape, addictions of all kinds, etc. are all welcome with open arms at heartsupport.com. It’s changing lives in a good way and we are proud of Jake for taking the time to do this.
What else can we expect from ABR in 2015?
2015 will be a busy year upon the release of our new record. We will be hitting the road hard, all over the world. It’s too far out for me to give specifics, but we will be much busier than we were in 2014 as far as touring is concerned.
If you were forced to rename the band, what would you call it?
Redd’s Ashes, referring to Jon Hershey’s dog, Red, who was burned alive by August.
What would be one thing your fans would be surprised to know about you?
I’m really into collecting and organizing my baseball cards. It’s a hobby I had as a kid and rediscovered as an adult. It’s silly but I love it!
If you had to choose 1 song from any album that you have released to a new fan who has never listened to ABR before, what song would you choose?
I think I’d pick the song “Provision.” It’s one of my favorite tracks and is a pretty good representation of our sound, encompassing the fast, the heavy, and the dynamic, all in one neat little package.