| Interview by Burt Wolf with vocalist & guitarist, Alexia Rodriguez, guitarist Greg Kerwin, screamer & keyboardist, Brandon Anderson of EYES SET TO KILL! Interview done March 9th, 2008. |
EYES SET TO KILL IS STILL A PRETTY YOUNG BAND, BEING AROUND SINCE 2004, COULD
YOU GIVE SOME OF THE BANDS HISTORY UP TO THIS POINT? HOW YOU GOT TOGETHER?
Alexia: Anissa & I started playing music when she was finishing junior high & I was beginning high school &
not too long after, we started the band. We wanted the drummer & 2nd guitarist to be guys because we didn't
want to fall under the whole chick band cliché thing. And we wanted to find a screamer to capture some of our
most intense & emotional parts of the songs. We were both fans of the Hardcore & Screamo scenes so we didn't
want to be a band with out a screamer. We went through about 8 different members but I can proudly say that
our final line up we have right now is perfect. We are all so comfortable with each other & feel like one
dysfunctional but happy family :)
ANY PREVIOUS BANDS MEMBERS WERE IN BEFORE?
Alexia: A handful of local Arizona bands that never went outside Arizona.
WHO OR WHAT HAS HAD SOME INFLUENCE ON YOU MUSICALLY & IN LIFE?
Alexia: I grew up listening to Pop Punk like BLINK 182 & GREENDAY. But my main influences come from
bands like THRICE, MUSE, THURSDAY. Bands that are diverse & passionate.
ARE THE BAND MEMBERS SELF TAUGHT MUSICIANS OR HAVE YOU HAD PROFESSIONAL
TRAINING? DO YOU PLAY ANY OTHER INSTRUMENTS THAN WHAT YOU PLAY IN THE BAND?
Greg: I was self taught...although I did take lessons after I was in the band (just to approve my skill). I also was
a drummer at first.
YOU GIVE SOME OF THE BANDS HISTORY UP TO THIS POINT? HOW YOU GOT TOGETHER?
Alexia: Anissa & I started playing music when she was finishing junior high & I was beginning high school &
not too long after, we started the band. We wanted the drummer & 2nd guitarist to be guys because we didn't
want to fall under the whole chick band cliché thing. And we wanted to find a screamer to capture some of our
most intense & emotional parts of the songs. We were both fans of the Hardcore & Screamo scenes so we didn't
want to be a band with out a screamer. We went through about 8 different members but I can proudly say that
our final line up we have right now is perfect. We are all so comfortable with each other & feel like one
dysfunctional but happy family :)
ANY PREVIOUS BANDS MEMBERS WERE IN BEFORE?
Alexia: A handful of local Arizona bands that never went outside Arizona.
WHO OR WHAT HAS HAD SOME INFLUENCE ON YOU MUSICALLY & IN LIFE?
Alexia: I grew up listening to Pop Punk like BLINK 182 & GREENDAY. But my main influences come from
bands like THRICE, MUSE, THURSDAY. Bands that are diverse & passionate.
ARE THE BAND MEMBERS SELF TAUGHT MUSICIANS OR HAVE YOU HAD PROFESSIONAL
TRAINING? DO YOU PLAY ANY OTHER INSTRUMENTS THAN WHAT YOU PLAY IN THE BAND?
Greg: I was self taught...although I did take lessons after I was in the band (just to approve my skill). I also was
a drummer at first.
WHY THE DECISION TO GO WITH MELODIC
FEMALE VOCALS & THEN SCREAMO MALE
VOCALS?
Alexia: We thought it would make us different then all the
other bands in our genre.
HOW IS IT HAVING TWO SISTERS IN THE SAME
BAND? ANY SIBLING PROBLEMS?
Greg: HaHa no...the girls are the most mature people I know.
We are all in this band for the same reason. So no one lets
personal problems affect the band.
EYES SET TO KILL KINDA GOT THAT STEREO
TYPED CHICK BAND THING IN THE EARLY YEARS.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A FEW
YEARS & TOTALLY SHOWED THEM, DO YOU STILL
RUN INTO THIS PROBLEM?
FEMALE VOCALS & THEN SCREAMO MALE
VOCALS?
Alexia: We thought it would make us different then all the
other bands in our genre.
HOW IS IT HAVING TWO SISTERS IN THE SAME
BAND? ANY SIBLING PROBLEMS?
Greg: HaHa no...the girls are the most mature people I know.
We are all in this band for the same reason. So no one lets
personal problems affect the band.
EYES SET TO KILL KINDA GOT THAT STEREO
TYPED CHICK BAND THING IN THE EARLY YEARS.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A FEW
YEARS & TOTALLY SHOWED THEM, DO YOU STILL
RUN INTO THIS PROBLEM?
Greg: Of Course. I think any new & upcoming band is always stereo typed. In fact, every band is usually talked
about unfairly. The world is too big not to have stereo types.
EYES SET TO KILL WAS THE MYSPACE #1 UNSIGNED BAND FOR AWHILE. HOW DOES THAT
FEEL, ESPECIALLY BEING THAT THERE ARE MILLIONS OF MILLIONS OF UNSIGNED BANDS
ON MYSPACE?
Greg: It feels great & well deserved. We put all we have into this band.
YOUR NEW ALBUM "REACH" DROPPED ON FEBRUARY 19TH BY BREAKSILENCE RECORDS.
HOW DID YOU GET HOOKED UP WITH THEM?
Brandon: Our manager is friends with everyone at SUBURBAN NOIZE RECORDS & we happened to be in
California, so we stopped by their office & dropped off a CD. They liked it & offered to give us a deal. They
gave us the opportunity to start our own imprint label (BREAKSILENCE) & that's how that went down.
WHAT HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN LIKE SO FAR FOR THE ALBUM?
Brandon: So far it has been awesome. We get hit up by tons of people everyday on myspace saying they picked
up a copy in stores. It seems like it is catching on & spreading & we couldn't ask for anything more than that.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE MEANING BEHIND THE ALBUM COVER A BIT?
Greg: It has a lot to do with the lyrics of our single "Reach" & the video for that song as well. It symbolizes
hope & the ability to "reach" out & overcome anything that gets thrown at you in life. It's also about how an
outside perspective is usually different than actuality.
WHAT IS SOME OF THE LYRICAL CONTENT IN YOUR SONGS? WHO WRITES THE MAJORITY
OF THE MUSIC IN THE BAND OR IS IT A WHOLE COLLABORATION THING?
Greg: The lyrics are written by Alexia & Brandon. As far as the music goes we all contribute in our own ways.
about unfairly. The world is too big not to have stereo types.
EYES SET TO KILL WAS THE MYSPACE #1 UNSIGNED BAND FOR AWHILE. HOW DOES THAT
FEEL, ESPECIALLY BEING THAT THERE ARE MILLIONS OF MILLIONS OF UNSIGNED BANDS
ON MYSPACE?
Greg: It feels great & well deserved. We put all we have into this band.
YOUR NEW ALBUM "REACH" DROPPED ON FEBRUARY 19TH BY BREAKSILENCE RECORDS.
HOW DID YOU GET HOOKED UP WITH THEM?
Brandon: Our manager is friends with everyone at SUBURBAN NOIZE RECORDS & we happened to be in
California, so we stopped by their office & dropped off a CD. They liked it & offered to give us a deal. They
gave us the opportunity to start our own imprint label (BREAKSILENCE) & that's how that went down.
WHAT HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN LIKE SO FAR FOR THE ALBUM?
Brandon: So far it has been awesome. We get hit up by tons of people everyday on myspace saying they picked
up a copy in stores. It seems like it is catching on & spreading & we couldn't ask for anything more than that.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE MEANING BEHIND THE ALBUM COVER A BIT?
Greg: It has a lot to do with the lyrics of our single "Reach" & the video for that song as well. It symbolizes
hope & the ability to "reach" out & overcome anything that gets thrown at you in life. It's also about how an
outside perspective is usually different than actuality.
WHAT IS SOME OF THE LYRICAL CONTENT IN YOUR SONGS? WHO WRITES THE MAJORITY
OF THE MUSIC IN THE BAND OR IS IT A WHOLE COLLABORATION THING?
Greg: The lyrics are written by Alexia & Brandon. As far as the music goes we all contribute in our own ways.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
TOURING PLANS FOR THIS
ALBUM? WHERE & WITH
WHO?
Greg: We are doing a bunch of
tours coming up, both headlining &
supporting. They are still in the
works, so I'm not telling :)
ARE THERE ANY COOL OR
INTERESTING BAND STORIES
YOU COULD SHARE WITH US?
Brandon: Caleb just got a
megaman tattoo. I find that cool &
baby at Warped Tour last year. I
don't think many people can say
they have done that.
TOURING PLANS FOR THIS
ALBUM? WHERE & WITH
WHO?
Greg: We are doing a bunch of
tours coming up, both headlining &
supporting. They are still in the
works, so I'm not telling :)
ARE THERE ANY COOL OR
INTERESTING BAND STORIES
YOU COULD SHARE WITH US?
Brandon: Caleb just got a
megaman tattoo. I find that cool &
baby at Warped Tour last year. I
don't think many people can say
they have done that.
ARE YOU INTO ANY OTHER STYLES OF MUSIC BESIDES WHAT YOU PLAY? WHO HAVE YOU
BEEN LISTENING TO RECENTLY?
Alexia: I have been listening to THE FORMAT, COLDPLAY, RADIOHEAD, CAMERA OBSCURA...more
on the mellow side of Rock I guess you can say.
WHAT DO THE MEMBERS OF THE BAND DO WHEN NOT DOING ANY WORK FOR THE BAND?
Greg: Haha well, when home from tour I catch up with my friends...but other than that we practice every single
day.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU THINK PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT ABOUT YOU?
Greg: A lot of people don't know Alexia & Anissa are sisters.
WHAT CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT FROM EYES SET TO KILL?
Greg: Many more albums, lots of tours, possibly overseas sometime in 2008.
WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE ANSWERING THIS INTERVIEW? WHAT WILL YOU DO NOW
THAT IT IS OVER?
Greg: I was at my parents house eating dinner before this. And in about four hours we leave for L.A. to play a
show with UNWRITTEN LAW & have a blast at Disneyland.
THANX A LOT FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ANSWER THIS INTERVIEW. GOOD LUCK WITH THE
NEW ALBUM & MUCH SUCCESS!
Thanx!
BEEN LISTENING TO RECENTLY?
Alexia: I have been listening to THE FORMAT, COLDPLAY, RADIOHEAD, CAMERA OBSCURA...more
on the mellow side of Rock I guess you can say.
WHAT DO THE MEMBERS OF THE BAND DO WHEN NOT DOING ANY WORK FOR THE BAND?
Greg: Haha well, when home from tour I catch up with my friends...but other than that we practice every single
day.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU THINK PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT ABOUT YOU?
Greg: A lot of people don't know Alexia & Anissa are sisters.
WHAT CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT FROM EYES SET TO KILL?
Greg: Many more albums, lots of tours, possibly overseas sometime in 2008.
WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE ANSWERING THIS INTERVIEW? WHAT WILL YOU DO NOW
THAT IT IS OVER?
Greg: I was at my parents house eating dinner before this. And in about four hours we leave for L.A. to play a
show with UNWRITTEN LAW & have a blast at Disneyland.
THANX A LOT FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ANSWER THIS INTERVIEW. GOOD LUCK WITH THE
NEW ALBUM & MUCH SUCCESS!
Thanx!
