20 Questions with Rising Tides

With their new 4 song EP out this week, Rising Tides will be making their first ever tour this March with their framed photo of Clint Eastwood to envelope you in a wave of sound of real music.

Tell us about the name of the band. What were other names considered for the band?
Ryan Came up with the name. We were trying to think of a name that implied hugeness, something that we felt fit with the sound of the band and the vibe of the music. I'm sure we ran through quite a few names before deciding on Rising Tides, but I honestly can't remember any of them.

So with the name in place how did you become a band?
It was an odd and laid back process. Ryan and I had been friends for awhile, and had discussed doing a project together, mostly for ourselves. We started jamming together and put together the songs that are on the EP, along with a few others, and decided to record them. We liked what we were doing so much that we decided to play a few shows, and invited Brad to play guitar and our friend Ken to play bass. The shows went really, really well, and in September of last year we decided that this would be our full time band. Ken was a little busy with life things and his day job, so, he gracefully bowed out, and Steve joined us on bass, he had recorded the EP, and was already hanging out with us at shows, so, he was a natural fit.

On your myspace you have a one line bio that reads “Headlights shine, lead designs in winter skies.” What does this mean collectively to you all as a band?
It's a line from "the floor says hello" It was put up in lieu of a bio, because we felt that everything we needed was in the vibe and sound of the music. It's my favorite line in the song, to me it's just about the cold gray damp weather that we're living in all the time.

How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard you before?
That's a hard one. I usually find it hard to try and describe what we sound like. People usually connect something new to something they know, so, I usually throw out the names of a few bands that people have said we remind them of. Or, "loud melodic, sometimes spac-y rock"

Who would you say are your major influences?
Lots of late 80s and 90s music. Smashing Pumpkins, Failure and Swervedriver are all big influences on me personally.

So we guess your first EP will be dropped on February 26th and it’s kind of a big deal. What can you tell us about the process of recording it? How long did it take you to write and record it? How many tracks are we looking at?
The EP is really a teaser for the next record, that will be out in early summer. There are four tracks on it, and were some of the first that Ryan and I wrote together. Those came together pretty quickly, and the recording process was involved, but, relaxed at the same time. We ended up doing a lot of production and arranging in the studio, as opposed to just going in and laying down tracks. We'd record basic tracks and then listen to them and Steve and Ryan and I would talk, discuss Ideas, figure out what we felt the song needed or didn't need, and then go back in and lay down more tracks, the pre-production demos, especially of "the girl who loved aeroplanes" sound much different than the final tracks on the EP.

What is your favorite song on it?
I keep going back and forth between "aeroplanes" and "the floor says hello"

What can fans expect from this EP?
Really, it's an introduction to Rising Tides. We kept it at four tracks so people could get a sense of who we are and what we sound like, without having to get real deep into a full length album. I think it's a well put together little record, and that people who dig it will end up being excited and ready for the next record.

What is it that inspires your lyrics, and is there one particular lyric that means the most to you?
I think I quit writing songs that are about specific things a long time ago. I tend to draw from memory, from what I see or hear, or just a particularly good line, and try to sort of paint a picture as opposed to telling a story. To convey emotion and imagery, but leave the lyrics open enough to allow for personal translation. It's not something I really try and do on purpose, just the way I write. It keeps me interested in the lyrics, because the meanings I attach to the songs constantly change depending on what's going on in my life.

After two cd release parties you’ll be hitting the road for a tour throughout March to Oregon, California, Nevada, and Utah for the first time. How are you all feeling about this? Excited? Nervous? Indifferent?
Oh, all of us are really giddy. It will be Ryan's first long tour, so, I know he's stoked, and we all love being on the road. When you're out, you just have to worry about driving, playing shows, and finding a place to sleep. All the everyday, day to day worries just sort of fade to the background, and you're just doing what you love to do day after day. To me, being transient is therapy. I like waking up in a different place and interacting with different people every day. We will be doing the tour with our friends Microtia, and that makes being on the road even more fun, having another band that you really like and get along with playing every show with you.

If you could choose anyone alive or dead. Who would be on your dream tour?
Hmmmmm....dream tour. I think as far as the band goes, It would be amazing to tour with Team Sleep. I love the vibe of that band and their music, and they just look like they get really into their stuff and have a good time on the road. Personally, if I could be on ANY tour, alive or dead, I think I'd really like to be on one of the very, very early rock and roll tours. It would be awesome to be on the road in those days, before all the big buses and big business, getting to play with and watch guys like Eddie Cochran, Roy Orbison, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry. All the guys who pioneered the way rock bands tour and act. If I wanted total insanity, I'd choose Butthole Surfers or Black Flag back in the early 80's.

For those who have never seen you live before and want to decide whether to go check you out or not, what can you tell them they can expect to see or experience at one of your shows?
Sonically, a wall of sound, for sure. We like to really try and envelop ourselves(and by proxy, the audience) in a blanket of sound, and all four of us just get into the groove of what we're doing and the sounds we're making. It's nothing heady, nothing really elaborate, no lasers of smoke machines or anything like that. Just us playing music and having a good time.

How do you get ready for your shows? Do you guys have any pre-band rituals?
usually sitting in the van and taking a few shots of Bulleit and talking. tuning guitars. Just relaxing and getting loose.

What song do you enjoy playing live the most?
I think I like to play a newer song called "aspect ratio" the most. It's a heavy, dron-y, shoegaz-y kind of song, and really easy for me to just loose myself in.

What do you guys plan on doing to kill time while on the road?
Most of the time killing will be driving or sleeping. I'm sure we'll hang out with some friends we haven't seen in a long time, and maybe see some sights. I like going to the Ocean when we're in San Diego.

What are 3 of the most unnecessary items you plan to bring on tour with you?
Everything we bring, from the hair product to the booze to the framed picture of Clint Eastwood, is an absolute, undeniable, necessity!

What kind of sacrifices have you made for your band?
Being in a band, and making that band your life is a sacrifice in itself. God, I've made too many to really count. Going far beyond money or time, you kind of give your life to music. Lots of people don't understand musicians....it's like a drug or a religion, it becomes something that you just don't love, you need it, can't live without it, so, you sacrifice thousands of tiny things and hundreds of big things, and usually the only payoff is writing a song you love, or playing a good show, but, that's enough to keep doing it and keep sacrificing for.

What advice would you give someone who wants to form their own band?
Don't worry about all that "life" stuff. Throw yourself into it 100% there's always time for girlfriends or school or a job or a career or whatever. If you want to be in a band, and you really want to do that, just go for it, play what you love to play and write how you want to write, regardless of what's popular. Get on the road, make friends with other like minded people, and have fun.

What are your plans for after your one-month long stretch of a tour?
We will be playing local shows in April and May, and doing demos and pre-production stuff for our next record, and I'm sure that we'll probably write more songs in that time too. we try to write constantly, regardless of how busy or free the schedule is.

What are the major goals you hope to accomplish with your music this year?
I want to make another good record, and I want to get the music out to people who like what we're doing. I try not to over-plan things, and just go with the flow. I just want to make good music and have people hear and appreciate that music.

So in honor of this being one of our last “20 Questions with…” series interviews. We’d like to give you the last word. Feel free to shamelessly promote yourself or leave a message for current and future fans.
I just want to thank everyone who's gotten on board with us. We've only really been a band since September of 08, and we've had so many people who have gotten involved with us, doing sound, designing shirts and posters, spreading the word, and being supportive. It's a great feeling to have a network of people around you who feel as passionate about what you are doing as you do, so, thanks!!! and thank you guys very much for the opportunity to rant and give longwinded answers to your questions!