It was the end of Junior High when I first heard of Switchfoot yet they had already been making waves for a few years. This was the case for a few of us but most didn’t know the name until ‘03 when “Meant To Live” catapulted them to the top of the charts and into the lime light. That first single, and the challenging second hit “Dare You To Move”, were what gave them the name that they have today, but for those that have followed Switchfoot for the last decade know that there is much more to them than a couple big singles.
They, like most other bands, have put in their time in vans and at local shows working hard and playing in tiny venues for only a few kids. But that is not to overlook where they are now. Fame, like most things, can be handled two ways and Switchfoot has not for a second taken the low road. Holding to their convictions and beliefs, Switchfoot has made some of the most thought provoking music that our generation knows.
Challenging us to see the world differently, asking us to not follow down beaten paths because they are safe or easy, Switchfoot seems to know no limitations. And this is no exception for their newest album Hello Hurricane which is set to release November 10th. We got a chance to chat with bassist Tim Foreman over the phone before an acoustic set at the Grammy Museum in L.A
It’s well known that you guys broke into the mainstream with your album The Beautiful Letdown. I remember that being a moment of “Hey, these guys were great before this too!”
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I’m sure a lot of people were saying that along with me. Can you tell us a little bit about that leap and where you see yourselves as a band today?
Tim Foreman: Yeah, the recording process for The Beautiful Letdown reminds me in some ways of the recording process for this new release in that we made it as an independent project entirely on our own. Then when we were finished with it we figured out how to release it. I think the difference with this current project is we spent about two and a half years on this particular journey trying to figure out what type of album we wanted to make and the type of band we wanted to be for the next ten years. This was a really difficult record for us to make. We recorded over ninety songs and had a lot of freedom in that process. Trying to figure out what twelve songs fit together as a cohesive project out of those ninety songs became a real challenge. Also I don’t think we could have made the record any other way. We’re really proud of how it came out and it was quite a journey to get there.
There is a video on your Myspace that a lot of people have been talking about. It kind of goes through your struggles while recording this new album, Hello Hurricane. It was even said that there was a darkness creeping into the studio at times. Can you tell us about that and what was going through your guys’ heads as you stepped into the studio? After recording this many albums, has it become routine?
TF: We started into the project fresh out of breaking our ties with Sony and Columbia, building our own studio here in San Diego. There’s a lot of freedom and excitement right off the bat in the undertaking of this project. I think the darkness started to creep in with the sheer number of songs that we recorded; we set the bar so high for this record. We would spend all day working on a tune then come in the next day and tear it all down. We were just so brutally honest with ourselves and brutal on the artistic process that at certain points we felt like we were never going to finish because nothing would ever stand the test of what we were looking for on this record. I think we started to wonder if we would ever know the finish line if we ever saw it. Fortunately, when we finally arrived at the final twelve songs, we knew we were nearing the finish line and it actually felt like the most important we’ve ever made as a band.
Do you feel like that darkness found its way onto these new songs?
TF: There’s certainly heaviness and weight to this record that I don’t think was part of the last record. I think its one of the most hopeful records we’ve ever made but its set against the backdrop of pain. To use an illustration from the album title, it touches on the storms of this life and how we find hope to pull us through those storms.
“Mess of Me” is definitely a personal introspective song. Talk to us a bit about the meanings behind it?
TF: For me, I think of the Walt Whitman quote “Every man dies but not every man truly lives.” The punch line is “I wanna spend the rest of my life alive”. So for me this song delves into the reality of there is no quick fix. You can’t outsource living. It’s not something you can grow to a drug store and prescribe. It’s something that has to be done yourself.
When you do find yourselves going through these more gloomy periods of your life or your career, how does your faith play a part in comforting you or ultimately, maybe pulling you out of it?
TF: My faith plays a huge role in every aspect of my life. It’s a big part of the music we play. Our music really is a vehicle for us to explore things we don’t understand. It’s definitely a therapy of sorts to explore questions, doubts, pains, hopes and the darker and lighter aspects of what it means to be alive and breathing on this planet.
You guys have been huge supporters of the non profit organization To Write Love On Her Arms since its beginning. And we actually have an interview with Jamie in this issue as well as Mae so the topic has been brought up in the office a lot lately of artists getting more involved in non profit or humanitarian work. What is your guys’ opinion on that? Do you think that more artists need to utilize their position of influence to spread the word about something bigger?
TF: I think there is a lot of talk now days about artists being a part of change or enacting change in the world around them. I’ve heard a lot of cynicism about that or questioning the motives around larger bands being involved in a charity and I think that’s a bunch of crap. I think any time you see someone standing up to be a part of the difference or a part of the change, whatever the motives are, I applaud that. I think its exciting to live in a day and age where the biggest bands in the world like U2 and Coldplay are flying the banner of change and taking a hard look at the way they tour from the carbon footprints they leave to the material they print their shirts on to the organizations they are supporting that they all need to tie together with the music. You can’t just sing about it and not do it. So to see artists doing that and we’ve certainly taken it upon ourselves to always be trying to not only enact change through the art which is important because music is a very powerful way to be a part of the change, but I also think that to have a tangible thing to show for it after the tour is really important to us.
What inspires Switchfoot during the lyric writing process?
TF: I think its just life. These songs are ultimately written very inwardly. Whether its Jon writing a song at 2 A.M. wondering what its all about or trying to figure out the mystery of God or girls. Which are two of the more mysterious elements on this planet (laughs). I think that ultimately they start inwardly and that’s an amazing thing that something that is very personal can become very universal. We’ve all dealt with these issues of pain, hope or struggle. This is the human condition; it’s not just unique to me.
Jon has said that to understand this record you really have to reach back into the last ten years. Can you expound on this statement?
TF: I think this record really captures a lot of the journey we’ve been on since we’ve started this band. We almost had to deconstruct all of that and go away from it in order to come back fresh. We got off the road and felt like we needed to kind of step away from everything from the major label to the management or outside studio. We holed up, just the five of us and had late night conversations about why we make music and the type of band we wanted to be for the next ten years. I think at a certain point in that we were almost afraid to be Switchfoot. We always try to reinvent ourselves with every record but with this one we really had to do things differently. That sent us on a journey that ultimately led us to a really fresh sound and approach but it also led us to acknowledge the things we like about being Switchfoot and the things that make us unique and to hold onto those things. The idea that there are a lot of songs that are fun to play but there’s only a few that only Switchfoot can play and those are the songs we want to be playing.
One thing I really respect about you guys is that it seems you haven’t tried to adapt to new trends in music. You just write what you want and it’s always paid off. How does your evolution of sound work? Or do you feel like you just go in and let it happen?
TF: I think this record more than any record shows that sometimes art is very difficult and needs to be labored over. We recorded so many different versions of songs that we tracked for this record and of the twelve songs that made it onto the record there are four or five dramatically different versions of them on hard drives scattered around the studio. So for us it was a real journey figuring out how to make this record and that’s after being a band for thirteen or fourteen years. It almost felt like we needed to forget everything and start again.
What was the final glue that did prove as the cohesiveness that Switchfoot was looking for on this record?
TF: A big part was when we brought in Mike Elizondo We were fairly far along and we had whittled it down to maybe sixty songs at that point. What Mike did best was he reminded us of who we were. I think it allowed us to be excited again about the songs that only we can play. We went back into the studio with a fresh energy to finish the songs.
Does is seem surreal when you step back and look at how far Switchfoot has come since The Legend Of Chin? Sold-out tours, major labels, things like that? Did you ever expect Switchfoot to make it to where you are now?
TF: It’s such a gift. We really feel like we’ve got the best job in the world. We haven’t taken it for granted for a single day. I think that comes from the days we spent in a mini van driving ourselves around the country as a three piece playing with punk rock bands to twenty kids a night. We’ll always have that and nothing can take that way from us. So to be playing for a lot more than that these days, to have a thousand or more people showing up and singing a long is such a gift, such an honor that we don’t take lightly.
Where do you see Switchfoot in 10 years?
TF: I have no idea. We love playing these songs and you know you talk to a lot of bands that have had mainstream success with a single or two and those are the songs that they hate playing every night, they’re just sick of them. I feel really fortunate with this band that that isn’t the case. Those songs that really got the public’s attention whether it’s “Meant to Live” or “Dare You to Move”, those songs mean more to us now than when we wrote them. I don’t even think we fully understood what they meant when we wrote them. They’ve grown and matured with us and are really a special part of our band’s history. I look forward to that same cultivated relationship with this batch of songs. So I hope to be playing these songs for many years.
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rtists helping out those less fortunate is nothing new but in the case of pioneer indie rockers Mae, helping has been taken to a whole new aesthetic level. Mae, which stands for Multi-sensory Aesthetic Experience embarked on a very unique journey this year. Releasing songs on their own label in a way that would keep the band on the minds of their fans for the entire year, Mae set out to not only kick it up a notch in terms of musical stylings but to completely change the way we experience music. We’ll let guitarist Zach Gehring fill you in on all the exciting details.
Obviously you’re doing something pretty unique with this current album. Can you give us a brief overview of how this is all working and what sparked you guys to go this direction?
Zach Gehring: A lot of events led to the development of this campaign: 12 songs, 12 months, 1 goal--Make a difference. I would say us leaving Capitol Records, parting ways with management and losing two members really opened the door for the three of us in terms of being able to really take our music and lay out specific goals that we alone could pursue. We had no 3rd party interest weary of the idea financially which was a big factor. We simply wouldn’t of been able to do this on a record label, or at least not in the way we wanted. Also, we wanted to harness the influential capacity of music, and use it to help us get our ideas and aspirations across to our fans and anyone else who is willing to listen. Music has been such a strong force for us growing up, and we wanted to translate that into something good. To have the ability and opportunity to really affect people with music is an amazing thing and we didn’t want to shirk the responsibility if given the chance. We wanted to do something that went beyond a financial commitment, we wanted to get our fans directly involved with us in our ideas and goals we set for ourselves.
such as this."
Was this something you knew you’d be doing while you wrote the songs?
ZG: Yes, and you can definitely see that in some of the songs we have released this year, most notably, the track that we released in January of 2009, “The House That Fire Built”. Although, I wouldn’t say that every song we’ve released has implications or hidden parallels that align with our campaign. Some are just songs, and some others reflect our ambition for this year.
How has the response been from fans?
ZG: The response has been great, and honestly, if it wasn’t, it would make this much harder. The campaign was designed to get our fans directly involved in a way that requires both band and fan to be a part of it. Part of the reason for this campaign was to break down the barriers that can develop between artist and fan and display the symbiotic necessity of both in a relationship such as this. We wanted to do what we could to build a strong fan community, and if you head over to whatismae.com/maeteam you take part in what is going on with fans all over the world. We need the fans, every musician or artist does.
Musically, how do you feel that Mae has stepped it up since the last record?
ZG: With these new songs, we were able to really become self indulgent again when it came to wrong writing. We have a few songs that are over 6 minutes long which is something we had to abandon when on Capitol. The songs are more ambitious for sure, we were able to explore with more abstract ideas. We used a brass section for the first time in Mae’s history, not to mention flute.
You released the album on your own label, Cell Records. What is current relationship with Tooth N’ Nail Records?
ZG: Tooth N’ Nail is involved in the distribution of our releases, so that we are able to put them in stores. We have always had a very good relationship with Tooth N’ Nail and they very understanding of our desire to remain an independent entity in terms of creative and business practice.
Where does Mae draw their inspiration from?
ZG: The never ending scope of human experience, both personally experienced and from an outside perspective.
How has your faith played a part in your career?
ZG: Faith is a part of our architecture being that we were all raised in the church as children growing up, but throughout our career we have deconstructed our faith, analyzed it, challenged it, and really done our best to purge any conditioning that could serve to restrict our understanding of the human experience (which I mentioned above). The three of us have dealt with the issues in our own way and I will not speak for the others in my band. The term “Faith” is something I can’t speak of with finality at this point, in terms of how it has played a part in our career. I think that more importantly, it is in constant conflict with who we are becoming as individuals. It bleeds into our music inevitably, and we would never fight that because it is useless. Although, the topic of faith would be much better served by discussing it as a primal force and and evolving idea of our individuality, rather than the collective idea in relation to the entity of MAE.
Do you feel like artists need to invest more of their time in humanitarian work considering the voices and influence they have on so many?
ZG: I am reluctant to speak about the rolls that artists or musicians should play in humanitarian work, or social arenas in general. Every artists is inspired by something different and if those inspirations evoke some convictions that lead them into that realm, then they should definitely explore it. What I think is more important would be the investment of time and energy into social awareness by every individual, being that every individual is a part of the larger community.
Can you tell us a bit about what this tour is going to look like?
ZG: I don’t want to reveal too much, but I will say that we have been able to introduce a new aspect of the MAE experience into the show. We have sonic, visual, and now TOUCH. We are playing a good mix of songs from all of our releases.
The “TOUCH” theme extends itself into community projects our fans are organizing across the country in each of the cities we play. To find out more about this and to get involved, please visit www.whatismae.com/maeteam and become a part of our 2009 campaign: 12 songs, 12 months, 1 goal--Make a difference.
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ast fall I was fortunate enough to spend a few months interning at To Write Love On Her Arms and I can tell you that there is much more to it than popular bands and stylish tees. If you don’t know what its aim is then I would suggest visiting www.twloha.com to learn about the seemingly never ending issues of addiction, self injury, suicide and depression. TWLOHA exists as a light, a net, a conversation telling people that they are not alone and that there are people out there who want to help or maybe even just listen.
We, along with founder Jamie Tworkowski, recently braved the cold night air of the small town of Monmouth, Oregon to discuss everything TWLOHA. The result is one of my all time favorite interviews. Thank you Jamie for your time and continuous support.
TWLOHA has been active for a few years now. When you started this organization did you have any idea you would have come this far?
Jamie Tworkowski: No, I mean we didn’t even mean to start a non-profit and I tell people that a lot like it just started as small as something can. We just wanted to help a friend and tell a story. Quickly, it started to be more than that, more than a story. We thought we could probably help more than our friend Renee so pretty quickly we started to step back and kind of dream a little bit. But then a lot of it was happening on its own just where so much of it was this surprising response from people. There was none of that kind of language on the site like telling anyone to send us questions or anything. Really, a lot of it happened on its own.
A lot of people don’t know this but TWLOHA is actually run out of small bungalow in a Central Florida. You have recently relocated to New York. Any plans of moving the entire organization?
JT: I think potentially someday. The thing with New York is that it’s just so expensive. It makes sense for me for right now for my role just ‘cause there are things that happen in New York compared to Cocoa, like you lived there, its this really sleepy Florida town. It’s where I grew up. Part of it is personal you know just trying to get away and be in a place where I feel inspired and alive. Then even for work it’s been great, just so many companies and media outlets and so many people that are based in New York. It’s been great to be around the corner from that. While in Florida it can get to be a bit lonely, not just personally but I think for the organization ‘cause it feels like there is not all these people that we should or would connect with or partner with so even the last few weeks its felt like it made sense for me to be in New York on our organization’s behalf. I know there are some folks on our team that would love that ‘cause Cocoa’s not the most exciting place.
You left Chris (AKA “The Amazing Intern) down there, right?
JT: Yeah. And we talked about him maybe potentially being the next to try it. I’m close with the guys at Charity Water, especially Scott Harrison and I think it makes all the sense in the world that they’re based in New York. I was at their office a few days ago and it was cool to see a non-profit based in New York City and it kind of makes it easy to imagine us being there. There’s a lot to like about it.
Why do you think that the issue of self injury is such a taboo subject?
JT: I think we have a hard time with things we don’t understand. I think a lot of people have a hard time getting their head around “why would someone hurt themselves?” I’ve heard it said “there are so many problems in the world, why would you add more?” People don’t understand the idea of it being an expression or a way to cope. For most of us the idea of using pain to deal with pain is really foreign so I think over time, a stigma and a stereotype gets built up. More than anything it’s just been something that people don’t talk about. It’s been a privilege over the last couple years, on some scale, to be invited to talk about it and potentially invite other people to talk about it. I think for us to believe its more like a symptom, that there is something deeper to it, there is something there and self injury is the outlet to cope with that. It’s been cool to let people know that they’re not crazy or not the only one who thinks like that or does that. It’s been cool for people to find a sense of community in realizing that. We just think so much of this is being human. We all deal with pain and addiction in different ways.
A big part of TWLOHA’s popularity has come from the artists that support the cause. I know that it began with your friend Jon Foreman of Switchfoot but did you ever think that music would become such a huge part of the cause?
JT: Obviously it was really foundational in terms of us getting off the ground. I think going back to the beginning with it getting off the ground with Jon being the first to wear one of the shirts and the five nights I spent with Renee going to shows a couple of those nights, I think myself and the team just kind of feel like music is something that is powerful and I know you guys can relate to that. We don’t look at it as filler or just entertainment, it can be something that really moves people and compliments this message. It reminds people that they’re alive and it’s okay to ask questions and to know that sometimes there are things to scream about. I think we really see a ton of value in it and seeing the influence in it and people being generous with that influence. I feel like so many bands have sort of carried us on their shoulders and introduced us to their fans and be a part of their story and its cool because now we have a little bit of a platform to introduce artists who we believe in but may not have a big name.
There are people who criticize this type of support saying you shouldn’t involve things that are trendy such as bands or styles of clothing because once that trend wears off in a person then they might drop the causes as well. How do you respond to that?
JT: I don’t think we’ve paid a ton of attention to it. For the most part the bands we’ve connected with are our friends or personally my friends. These are guys whose couches I sleep on when I’m in their town and guys who we really believe in the music that they make. I think we really try to focus on the heart of the matter and say we believe in music and we believe that t-shirts can be meaningful. Fashion doesn’t have to be the enemy of good. I don’t really consider our t-shirts fashion but they can be something significant. It doesn’t all have to be shallow or meaningless. I think you can get distracted down any of those roads but I think if its all for a greater goal of introducing hope and help and a message that we think is legitimate to people then I think its okay. I think if you give people a reason to keep coming back that’s greater than this band or that band or this shirt then hopefully people see that as well. And I think it’s been good as well that we haven’t married ourselves to one big artist or celebrity where everything is riding on that relationship. Some folks are probably more excited on some bands more than others but I would love it if our website could be a source of hope and encouragement for someone who digs hip hop or country music. It shouldn’t be us only making friends with people who go to Warped Tour or shop at Hot Topic. I don’t want it to be that way.
There are 33,000 suicides in America alone each year. Do the overwhelming numbers ever get you down? How do you keep your head up when it feels like TWLOHA is a drop in the bucket?
JT: I don’t know the exact quote but I remember something that Mother Theresa said because they asked her how she did it because she was faced so much poverty in Calcutta with people literally dying in the street and at their doorsteps. She basically said that you help the next person, you just put your attention there and maybe you don’t know how great the need is. People could have said to her that she was only helping in Calcutta, what about every other city in the world? I think she just felt called to these individual people, you know? It’s interesting because there are days and moments that feel small. Maybe it’s an email with one person and it’s very private and simple then there are opportunities where we’re on NBC Nightly News and it’s in front of nine million people. You never know how big of stage you’re going to be handed. I think we’ve been surprised and grateful at some of the opportunities we’ve had to try and introduce the message we believe in. What keeps us going and what keeps me going is those folks where maybe you meet them on the road or read a message and they say they’re still alive and encouraged. Maybe they got help for the first time or got help they hadn’t had in awhile. I think those remind you the heart of the matter.
Earlier this year you attended The Suicide Prevention and New Media Summit. The media seems to always be the first to blame when it comes to issues such as these. What are some ways that media can be beneficial to people who suffer from depression or thoughts of suicide?
JT: It was more about how can we use the internet to save lives. I was one of the youngest people in the room. There were researchers and doctors who had been in that field for decades so it was really humbling. I was kind of scared like it was the first day of school. There were a lot of these people who are considered experts in the field of suicide prevention and kind of wrestling with how we use MySpace, Facebook and Twitter. They kind of thought that I might be the young guy with the key to city and I think I surprised some people because I really didn’t talk about the technology or internet. I really said that the heart of the matter is just trying to move people and really the Twitter or Facebook or whatever platform is just a platform. The stage is one thing and you might walk into your favorite venue and it’s sort of interesting but how much cooler is it when your favorite band is playing. It matters what you put on that stage. I think I try to encourage people more than telling them to make a Twitter account. Lots of people have Twitter accounts that no one visits and aren’t compelling. To me, what keeps people coming back is that they find something significant there.
When one reads the original story, it is clear that you have a strong faith based background but some people find those undertones alienating. How do you ride that line?
JT: I think we try to know our audience so I might speak differently at a church than I would at a college maybe. There are going to be folks in the room with different backgrounds and I think as an organization and maybe even me as a speaker, we really try to communicate in a way that is comfortable for people. If we are going to get criticism I’d rather it come from the church. Maybe there is a guy who comes and doesn’t believe, I want that guy to leave comfortable and be encouraged. I just don’t believe in the pressure that everything has to end with a come to Jesus moment or it doesn’t count. I think that’s the reputation of the church a lot of the time. We don’t even know how to have a conversation without the come to Jesus moment sometimes. It’s kind of a slap in the face to some people that we don’t even earn the right to speak into people’s lives. Sometimes the language is used that the church known for being excited about their answers, like we tell people how to vote and live and think but we’re not really known for being good at meeting people in the questions. So whether it’s a blog or the website or speaking we try to create an environment where people can bring their questions whether it’s about faith or getting help or whatever it may be just that they feel valued as a person.
I know a lot of people will say “How can you even present the idea of hope without mentioning Jesus”.
JT: I’ve heard it said that all truth is God’s truth so whether you label it that or not I think people’s lives and stories matter to God so if you’re doing a work that engages that idea then I think God is interested. Bono says stuff like “God is in the room” when we talk about stuff like this. So it’s not like you have to play certain music or use certain words for it to count. I think we’re all called to be different expressions of the body of Christ or however you want to say it. I think we’re not pretending to be a church or a youth group. I think we’re called to be something unique and we’re just trying to do it well. The cool thing is that some of my heroes from the church have been really complimentary so it’s not like we’re just going alone with our noses in the air. It’s been neat to be encouraged and validated by guys we respect and look up to. And you see that in the Bible as well.
What is Renee up to these days?
JT: She’s working on her second book. Purpose for the Pain was what she published herself as her first book which was a collection of journals. She is working on what will be her first memoir so I know that is taking up a lot of her time.
In these tough times, have you seen much of a decline in donations?
JT: We’re kind of unique in that most of our donations come in the form of t-shirt sales so we’re surprising in that way. It’s kind of a freak thing in that about 90% of our support comes from those sales, that doesn’t really happen in the non-profit realm. Retail has been a really cool surprise too having our shirts in Hot Topic, Zumiez, Ron Jon’s and West 49, which is a chain in Canada that is going to start carrying them. As much as it’s a really tough economy it’s been really cool that some other doors have opened.
What will the next year look like for TWLOHA?
JT: We’re partnering with 1-800-SUICIDE to create an element of live help. IM ALIVE is the title for it. So we are committed to that. Post Secret is a partner in that as well. Live help is something that we’re really excited about, just for people to meet with other people who are qualified to help them in a moment of crisis. We are trying to get 1000 people to go through the training to become qualified before we launch. There are a lot of opportunities at colleges like speaking events and concerts. For the fall we launched fifteen university chapters and we plan on more. So for me, that’s a perfect fit though I’m a few years removed. It feels really open minded and you can talk about anything.
I’m curious about you getting older and just how you feel about maybe starting to feel more and more removed from the scene that TWLOHA is so big in.
JT: The cool thing is that I feel so comfortable just being myself. I don’t have to pretend to love every band on Warped Tour. I think that’s part of why New York feels so good is that there is this whole big world out there beyond Warped Tour. Like with The Woodie Awards, it’s an honor just to be invited into that with those artists. It’s a circle that is new for us because it is outside that other realm. I’ve been proud of what we and I have been able to accomplish at 29. I’m totally psyched on how things have gone. If my whole life and my whole identity was wrapped up in what people think I could lose my head but I don’t have to pretend I love every band that every other staff member likes.
Explain a bit about The Woodie Award.
JT: I came across something on Twitter a few weeks ago and a girl had mentioned that she had voted for me and I figured it was the kind of thing where you could vote for anyone in the world and she was being super kind. So I followed this link then it was this page that was an extension of MTV.com. Its The Good Woodie award which is for artists and in the realm of social justice so basically the artist’s dedication to a cause has made the biggest impact. Its Alicia Keys, John Legend, Wyclef, an artist named Kenna and Ra Ra Riot. I actually found it before our publicist did and she was really embarrassed. I think it really speaks to our story and audience, for all these folks around the world who have gotten excited about this. I was at MTV in Time Square a few days ago filming something for the nomination video. The whole thing is like waiting for someone to pinch me. I think I have to remember that I’m walking through all of this on behalf of the people that we represent and even beyond our audience to the families who have lost people to suicide or addictions. I’ve been trying to take it out of the realm of some individual award and just trying to use language that invites people into it.
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Blessthefall | A Long Intermission
’m going to go ahead and do the un-professional, maybe-not-too-cool-thing here, and say that I have never once listened to Blessthefall before this interview – despite the massive buzz they’ve had since they sort of exploded into things. To those of you that may view this as a mortal sin – do forgive me. I have finally come to my wits and caught up with the rest of the world. These guys have it. They have that thing that’s appealing to the hopper-upper-and-downers and the sing-along-ers and the dancers and the dancers – if you know what I mean. Despite a long intermission, several member changes and Lord knows what else happened since they released their first record, Blessthefall hit the ground running again with Witness, and they haven’t fallen out of anything. You better pray that someone blesses your fall after you get kicked in the face!
Before anyone knew about Blessthefall, where were you guys? Tell me about your very first practice. Was it in a garage? A bedroom? Give me the nostalgic memories that formed the start of this band.
Beau Bokan (Vocalist): WE ALL MET IN HIGHSCHOOL AND THROUGH MUTUAL FRIENDS. THE FIRST PRACTICE EVER WAS IN ERICS MOM’S BEDROOM. WE PRACTICED THERE FOR A WEEK BEFORE MOVING INTO THE DINING ROOM, THEN EVENTUALLY THE GARAGE. ERIC’S MOM WOULD MAKE US DINNER EVERY NIGHT AFTER REHEARSAL. I KINDA MISS THOSE TIMES. SHE’S AN AMAZING COOK BY THE WAY.
So Witness is super heavy and I’m sure it’s gets the dancers going crazy, but it’s also got that melodic, poppy, sing-along flare to it that gets the hearts of the girls... Please know that I’m not inferring that you wrote this album for anyone but yourselves (I think that some people could take that as an insulting statement, but it is meant to be a compliment), but you guys obviously know how to write music that appeases your audience. This was also true on the first album, and I’m sure it had a lot to do with you guys blowing up like you did. How did you develop your sound so quickly? What does your writing process look like?
BB: WELL, WE ALL LIKE SUPER HEAVY MUSIC AS WELL AS POP, HIP HOP AND R&B. OUR INFLUENCES ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE, SO WE TRIED TO SHOW THAT IN THE NEW RECORD. SOME OF OUR FAVORITE BANDS HAVE THOSE TIMELESS, HUGE, SING ALONG CHORUSES AND WE WANTED TO KIND OF DO THE SAME THING AND REALLY GIVE KIDS SOMETHING TO SING ALONG TO AS WELL AS ROCK OUT TO AT THE SAME TIME. WITH THIS RECORD ERIC WOULD WRITE THE GUITAR PARTS THEN DRUMS, BASS AND 2ND GUITAR WOULD BE ADDED. WE WOULD RECORD A ROUGH DEMO OF THE SONG AND I WOULD ADD THE LYRICS, MELODIES AND SCREAMING PATTERNS.
I feel like Witness explores a depth that His Last Walk never touched, lyrically. Are there any concepts – which might be specific to certain songs or to the album as whole – which you explored, specifically? When you write the lyrics, do you go in with an idea or with a certain message that you want to convey before you start, or do you just let the words come as they come?
BB: USUALLY ONE OF TWO THINGS HAPPEN WHEN I WRITE A SONG. 1) I WOULD HEAR THE SONG AND GET A FEEL FOR IT THEN GO A CERTAIN DIRECTION WITH THE LYRICS. 2) IM ALWAYS WRITING LYRICS OR SHORT LINES DOWN AND THEN I’LL HEAR A SONG AND FIND A LINE THAT WOULD SUIT THAT PARTICULAR SONG.
You released a single called “God Wears Gucci” - which seems to be, at least with the voicemail left at the end of the song, about a broken relationship? Would you care to elaborate on that song at all? Or its significance in being released as the single for the new album?
BB: WELL THAT VOICEMAIL IS SUPPOSED TO LEAD INTO THE SONG AFTER IT (HEY BABY,HERES THAT SONG YOU WANTED). “GWG” IS A SONG ABOUT PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE MONEY OFF GOD’S NAME. I GOT INSPIRED ONE NIGHT AFTER SEEING A FEW INFOMERCIALS ABOUT PEOPLE TRYING TO SELL HANKERCHEIFS THEY CLAIMED TO BE BLESSED BY GOD AND THAT WOULD HEAL PEOPLE. IT REALLY RUBBED ME THE WRONG WAY.
Perhaps more than anything, you guys pride yourselves in the live show and you’re on some huge runs recently. How have they been going? Are you happy with the response you’ve gotten to the new material after such a long break? It was said that this release “reflects the positive energy that now enfolds this band” - has that positivity continued to grow and flourish now that you’ve come back and are sharing this art with people again?
BB: WE’VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE PART OF A COUPLE HUGE TOURS THIS YEAR. THE SILVERSTEIN TOUR AS WELL AS THE AUGUST BURNS RED TOUR WERE AMAZING. WE PLAYED TO SO MANY KIDS EVERY NIGHT AND HAD SUCH A BLAST. THE RESPONSES HAVE BEEN INSANE FOR THE NEW MATERIAL. WE COULDN’T HAVE ASKED FOR. WE ARE SO THANKFULL FOR ALL OF OUR FANS THAT HAVE STUCK AROUND THIS LONG, THEY MEAN THE WORLD TO US.
Fearless Records has a great roster and have seemingly been doing some awesome things for their artists. How has it been working with them?
BB: FEARLESS IS AN AMAZING LABEL, THEY BUST THEY’RE ASSES FOR US AND THEY’RE ALL GREAT PEOPLE. WE COULDN’T BE MORE STOKED ON THEM.
You guys took a pretty decent break in between albums, and I know that you’ve had some internal problems over the course of your history which added to the delay, so I’m not going to ask about that. However – I am interested to know how you’ve seen the music industry change in that time span? Everyone is constantly talking about how fast things are moving, and about the chaos and over-saturation of the music business, and blah blah blah.. Did you guys notice a significant change even in the amount of time that it took for you to put out that second album, and, in your opinion, was that change for the better or worse?
BB: WELL IT SEEMS THAT KIDS THESE DAYS ARE VERY A.D.D. ...THEY WANT MUSIC ASAP ANYWAY THEY CAN GET IT AND GET OVER BANDS PRETTY QUICKLY. SO WE AS MUSICIANS NEED TO WRITE THE BEST MUSIC POSSIBLE AND STAY OUT ON THE ROAD AS MUCH AS WE CAN, AS WELL AS THINK OF NEW WAYS TO GET KIDS TO WANT TO ACTUALLY PURCHASE OUR ALBUM RATHER THAN DOWNLOAD IT. ALSO, HAVING A GREAT LIVE SHOW IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS HAVING GOOD MUSIC. YOU NEED TO BE ENTERTAINING IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THEY’RE ATTENTION.
If you had the opportunity to tour with anyone, anywhere, anytime (dead, alive, past, present or future), who would it be? What are some of your main musical, lyrical, or generally creative influences?
BB: I WOULD LOVE TO TOUR WITH AT THE DRIVE-IN. THEY ARE A HUGE INFLUENCE ON ME PERSONALLY BECAUSE OF HOW AHEAD OF THEIR TIME THEY WERE AND THEY TOUCHED ON IMPORTANT SUBJECTS.
How does spirituality play into the makeup and motivation of Blessthefall, and how is that represented/how do you want it represented to BTF fans? What would you say is the most difficult part about doing the whole “band thing” - spiritually - and what do you guys do to overcome it? And, on the opposite side of the spectrum, what is the most rewarding thing for you guys?
BB: WELL FIRST OFF WE ARE NOT A “CHRISTIAN BAND”.WE ALL BELIEVE IN GOD BUT WE DO NOT PREACH ONSTAGE OR TELL KIDS WHAT OR WHAT NOT TO DO. WE HAVE GOOD MORALS AND TREAT OTHERS HOW THEY WANT TO BE TREATED. WE DO NOT LET POPULARITY OR ANY SORT OF FAME WE MIGHT HAVE GO TO OUR HEADS. WE WILL ALWAYS BE THE SAME KIDS WE WERE BEFORE WE WERE IN THE BAND. THE MOST REWARDING THING IS TO BE ABLE TO TOUCH PEOPLE’S LIVES WITH OUR MUSIC. ANYTIME SOMEONE SAYS OUR MUSIC GOT THEM THROUGH A HARD TIME IN THEIR LIVES IT MAKES ALL THE HARD WORK WORTH IT. TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR RENT IS A BONUS AS WELL (LAUGHS)
It’s funny to me how little I knew about the business of music before I started working with it. I honestly can’t say I’ve been incredibly impressed. This is not an overall generalization, but I think that for a band that’s been a part of it for this long, and being so involved, you would agree that a lot of this industry is pretty sketchy, somewhat corrupt, and involves a lot of people backstabbing a lot of other people. How have you guys maintained – physically, spiritually, emotionally, practically – the strength to keep going through it?
BB: WE TRY TO KEEP A LEVEL HEAD ABOUT THINGS. WE SEE MAJOR LABLES COMPLETELY RUIN BANDS SO WE’RE GLAD WE CHOSE THE PATH WE DID. WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THINGS GET BETTER FOR ROCK N ROLL MUSIC SOONER THAN LATER.
On the opposite end of the previous question – I have noticed a lot of people rising up to the occasion of creating positivity in a difficult culture and genuine love and care in this skewed demographic. Where have you guys been the most encouraged as of late, and are there any people/companies/ministries that you have been specifically blessed and excited about the positive change that they’re making? Where do you stand in all of this as a band and the people that you are?
BB: WE’RE STOKED TO SEE BIGGER BANDS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH CHARITIES. I KNOW FALLOUT BOY WORKS WITH INVISIBLE CHILDREN, WHICH I THINK IS AMAZING. FOR A BAND THEIR SIZE TO GIVE BACK THE WAY THEY DO IS REALLY INSPIRATIONAL. HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO THE SAME SOMEDAY.
I recently asked another band this question, and thought it interesting enough to repeat here: I think that one of the most interesting things about becoming an artist or a group of artists that people know and recognize is the idea of influence. The fact that, suddenly, people relate to or scrutinize or agree with or criticize your opinions and viewpoints, and that spotlight becomes ever brighter as you gain more fans, etc. Is it difficult knowing that you are under the radar at times, so to speak, and how have you seen yourselves grow and mature as musicians and as examples that people look up to and recognize?
BB: WELL WE’RE ALL SUPER IMMATURE BUT I THINK THAT’S WHAT MAKES US MORE RELATABLE TO OUR AUDIENCE. WE’RE ALL KIDS AT HEART AND THAT WON’T CHANGE. ON THE OTHER SIDE WE ARE VERY RESPECTFUL AND DON’T HAVE THAT “ROCK STAR” ATTITUDE I THINK ALOT OF BANDS HAVE.
Is there anything else that you’d like to add to the conversation? Anything I forgot, or that you’d just like to say or bring awareness to regardless of whether or not it has anything to do with anything at all?
BB: HMM...ALL I CAN SAY IS PLEASE GO GET OUR ALBUM ANYWAY YOU CAN AND THANKS TO ALL THE FANS THAT HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH US. WE LOVE YOU AND WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU IN YOUR TOWN!!
Thank you guys so much, again, for taking the time to run through this with me, and I hope that things continue to climb for you. Have a fun time on The Atticus Tour.
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Holding Onto Hope | Giving It All Away
ou don’t have to tell these dudes what dedication is. Selling off everything they owned to fully and whole heartedly follow their dreams, Holding Onto Hope is the epitome of what their label, Come & Live, promotes; live simply. These are some of the most solid and honest guys I’ve seen take the stage in this scene. Vocalist Cory Okeefe and I sat down at a recent festival to go over the band’s history and why they have chosen to start down this potentially rough road.
Tell our readers a bit about how Holding Onto Hope got started and what you guys are all about.
Cory Okeefe: The band had been around for a little awhile. About three years ago some friends got together to play as Holding Onto Hope. A lot has transpired since then. There are no original members from that band. It pretty much started over as a new band in August 2008. We were going re-name the band but we thought it was pretty relevant to what we’re doing as a band so we kept it. We started fresh in August and wrote the EP we have now Of The Sea in August 2008 and recorded it in January. So the band is only about a year old.
What is your mission statement and some of your overall goals?
CO: This band is 100% for the people. The label we’re on, Come and Live, it fits exactly what we want to be. People, kids, whoever likes music can have our music for whatever price they want and it means something to them to come to shows and vent the problems of their life. I think we are for the people, we legitamently want to love people and give as much of ourselves as we can and show an ounce, even a hair of the love that Jesus has for us. I think that’s what we want, give people music for whatever they want to pay. If what I can write can apply to their lives and we can have that friendship and bond, that’s what music in general should be about. Its become very jaded over time.
What kind of response have you seen from your album?
CO: Good, we’ve seen a cool response. We recorded it in five days, it’s a bit rough around the edges and there are things we’d like to change but overall I think we’re pretty happy with it. I think people get it. As far as our sound I think that its still being found and established with new members in the band and stuff. I think its went over well. We’ve gotten a decent amount of interest. God has done some cool stuff in people’s lives. People have given us some cool testimonies about it.
Tell us a bit about how you came to be on Come & Live?
CO: I’ve known Chad (Johnson) for four or five years now. My old band played for Tooth N’ Nail back in the day and it didn’t really work out but God’s plan really worked out. We kept in touch over the years and right in January when he left Tooth N’ Nail I was hitting him up about what I was doing. We had just released the EP so we sent it to him. It’s a pretty crazy story, I was going to school full time and I also got offered a really cool job for a label in LA. So I either had to leave school and do the job or stick with school. I was praying super hard like “God if you want me to leave music I’ll give it you, if you want me to drop school…what do you want me to do?” That day it was just like a weight lifted off of me because I gave what was most important to me away like “God, if you want to take it take it.” The next day Chad called me and said he wanted us to be a part of Come and Live. It was just crazy ‘cause its like God saying “Here’s what you’re supposed to do.” So since then, we’ve all sold our stuff and we’re all ready to do it full time. Its awesome.
What are your current plans for HOH?
CO: A lot of the money for Come and Live is just getting their feet off the ground. For us, we’re not stopping a bit. We’re working twenty times harder like we’re slowly selling our possessions to get money. We’re on this first tour, we’ve been out for a month, we just want to tour nonstop. January, tentatively, is when we’ll start writing for the full length album. We’re really excited to do something and do a real record. All God willing of course.
stoked on it."
Tell us a bit about how we can acquire your record and why you’re doing it that way?
CO: Like all Come and Live bands I feel so strongly about this and its one of the coolest things as a band that we’ve been able to do. So many kids don’t want to pay for music and they’ll download it illegally or whatever. It’s been such a blessing to us because there are people who will pay like a cent for it but they’re so stoked on it. I would so rather have that one person have our CD and enjoy if they like it than worry about the ten bucks I didn’t get. I think art in general should be so freely given, art in general but music especially. People have definitely given us some money for it and we’re so stoked to be able to put our hearts and money and ask “What is it worth to you?” Music should be so much more centered around that than money. I’d rather impact people’s lives than worry about money.
Come & Live is label but not a label so walk us through your band’s through process when it came to signing with them? Was there any hesitation as far as maybe holding out for another more traditional label?
CO: That’s a good questions man, we were struggling with that. Its so low key you know? But those guys’ hearts are so amazing. But from the early stages we’d had a peace about it. We have shopped, we have had interest from other labels and stuff and it’s been tempting to go that route and make something happen. But these last few months we’ve just been praying and we’ve been more stoked on it than anything. I think the do it yourself gives bands such a good idea of hard work. I think that when a lot of bands sign to labels they lose a lot of that drive and they think its going to be smooth sailing. Come and Live has such a huge potential for growth that it makes us want to work so much harder. We want to work super hard with it and bring it up with us. We don’t want to rely on it to bring us up, you know? God’s provision will let it go to where it wants to go rather than some label saying “Okay you’ll be on this super trendy label and you’ll go from the bottom of the line to here and you’ll stay here for five years then break up.” There is so much of that that happens.
But back to the question, with Come and Live it was definitely tough at first but I think we all still, to this day, like I’ve never felt so confident about anything in my life. This is where God wants each one of us. This is like the future of something even when it seems impossible at this point.
You can catch Holding Onto Hope on tour with Ascend the Hill as well as this winter on The Wake Tour winding its way through the Southwest. They will be working hard on writing a new record before heading back out on the road in March.
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Confide | A Constant Reinvention
Joel Piper is the man behind the kit for Confide. He also puts his soaring pipes to use in the less brutal side project Avery Pkwy. Piper constructs some upbeat hits and at least one stellar cover in his newly released collection of tracks. This motivated young rocker took some time out of preparing to write a new record with Confide to answer some of our questions on his solo endeavors.
You’re in two bands and you’re a producer. How do you balance your very busy life?
Joel Piper: It can be very hard sometimes balancing everything out. I work about 100 hours a week in my studio when I’m not on tour. Lets just say I’m super passionate about my goals, or super stupid (laughs). I don’t sleep very much at all. But I always make sure I can hang out with my friends too.
What made you want to start a project like Avery Pkwy?
JP: Basically after God healed my stomach straight up and gave me a new sense of hope in my life when I was going through a depression in my life and running an audio company at 19 that was too much for me to handle.
You have a great quote on your page from C.S. Lewis. How important is originality and truth to you when it comes to creating music? Do you think that these ideals are something that are lost in today’s music scene?
JP: I love that quote so much because originality isn’t really important to me. I just like writing what truly moves me. People worry so much and hate on so many popular bands these days calling them unoriginal and it really doesn’t matter to me because they are obviously doing something right if kids are connecting with the songs. That quote reminds me to keep focused on just staying true to myself and writing from my heart and try to put it in a song that will be easy and interesting for kids to take in and catch on to.
What made you want to cover “Love Story” by Taylor Swift?
JP: My guitarist Joshua Paul in my other band Confide is obsessed with her. And I was like dude this would be a funny joke. So we tracked the acoustics and bass just for fun, since he already knew the chords (laughs). I didn’t know that it would end up being so popular. Also, the fact that I got a response from her when my good friend showed her cousin the song. He freaked out and sent it to her and she loved it and sent me her kisses (laughs).That was pretty cool hearing that from the number one CD selling artist in America.
You have a foot in both the hardcore camp as well as the ever growing dance pop craze. Where do you see music trends heading in the future?
JP: I see it getting a lot more technology based as society progresses but the I honestly don’t know where it will go. I know screaming is finding its way into more commercial and mainstream areas which is kinda cool to see.
hether change shows its face as a new vocalist, a genre switch or as an always elusive scene Confide has proven time and time again that they will stand firm in the face of it. Over the years Confide has made a switch from what could be described as death-core to more of a screamo flavor but lead man Ross Kenyon assures us that they will not sit there long either. Most fans would not be able to handle so much change but as long as Confide continues to produce quality music then we will continue to listen intently.
Confide has been around for awhile. Can you tell us a bit about your origins and how you decided on this style of music?
Ross Kenyon: When I was a kid, all I listened to was whatever was on the radio or TV. It was when I started high school I was introduced to different types of music. A bunch of kids at my high school liked heavy music and I slowly got into it. I went from a Blink 182 cover band to an Incubus cover band to being in a metal band and now I’m in Confide.
Choosing to re-release an album can be a bit of a gamble sometimes. How did you spice up this release to ensure that fans were getting something new and exciting?
RK: We decided to re-release our album because we felt it didn’t get enough of a push the first time we released it. We went back into the studio and our drummer, Joel re-did the singing vocals through out the whole album. We also added 3 bonus songs, one of them being our cover of “Such great heights” by The Postal Service.
What inspired you guys to create that amazing cover?
RK: To be honest, that was the only song we could all agree on. Every band is doing cover songs these days and we thought it couldn’t hurt to give it a try. We were all sat in the studio one night trying to think of songs to cover and the only song we could all agree on was “Such Great Heights”. We managed to cover the song and record it in one night and we’re super stoked on how it came out.
We saw that you guys had to cancel your UK tour, so what is happening instead?
RK: We’re really bummed out that our UK/Europe tour had to be cancelled but I think it was a blessing in disguise. We’re going to be at home and in the studio writing for our second album which we are recording in December. We’ve got around half of the album written so far and it sounds amazing.
What direction do you see the next record heading?
RK: Our next album is going to be heavier but catchier at the same time. Our verses are going to be heavy and our choruses are going to sound like pop ballads! (laughs) I would be lying if I said it was going to sound anything like Shout the Truth. We’ve been through a lot in the past year including member changes, record label changes and we’ve grown up a lot too and I think all of it is going to reflect on the new album.
I would say that you guys really stand out in this genre. Where do you see this scene heading as far as trends go? Where do you see Confide fitting in?
RK: That’s a hard question. I’ve noticed a lot of kids are into electronic types of bands ranging from Breathe Carolina to Owl City and I can see the scene heading in that direction for sure. I’m not sure where Confide will fit in but I’m sure when people hear our new album, they’ll decide for us.
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Gwen Stacy | Furthering The Dialogue
e want it fast and we want it now. We hate to wait and if it doesn’t work out right away we are quick to do away with it. Gwen Stacy, however, has armored themselves with some old-fashioned perseverance and it seems to be paying off for them. After a rough year they have refused to give up and with the recent signing to Solid State and the release of their sophomore album A Dialogue, Gwen shows all signs of being back on their way to the top. Brent Schindler (original bassist and vocalist) gave us a few minutes of his time to catch us up on what is new, their crazy 2008 journey and even the death of Michael Jackson.
So 2008 was a pretty crazy year for you guys, a lot of people thought you guys might be breaking up.
Brent Schindler: Uh huh, including us.
Can you tell us a little about what went down and how you over came some of the obstacles.
BS: Honestly, a lot of perseverance as cheesy as it sounds. We thought that when our vocalist Bob left on the Unearth tour that that was it. The three of us kind of sat in a circle on tour when we found out and kind of said what are we going to do? Throw in the towel? The stress with Cole was really hard. God played a part in it you know? It’s crazy to think that God will be there even when you’re not. I don’t think we ever gave up on Him but there were some times where we were like “where are ya man?” But He hooked us up with Geoff and he’s here and going strong. We got a new album coming out soon.
What can we expect from that?
BS: It’s heavy. It’s catchier. Its fun, a lot more mature and better, at least from a personal standpoint. It’s really honest and real. We explore a lot of things in it like addiction and if you had the chance to stare God in the face and say “Where have You been?” It’s all on there. We really needed to put a record out like that after everything we went through. We needed to get it off our chest.
Tell us about the new Gwen Stacy lineup and what we can be looking forward to?
BS: The new lineup is awesome so far. We’re going to try out some people next month for guitar. But right now we couldn’t ask for a more solid lineup. As different of people as we are its working, its awesome.
How did you feel about Michael Jackson’s death?
BS: You got that from the guitar blog I bet (laughs). I was shocked. I hadn’t heard anything about him in a long time so that’s why I was more shocked. He kind of fell off the face of the planet then he fell off the face of the planet. I know that he allegedly did some bad things and everyone makes mistakes and it’s hard to overlook those things but he was the king of pop. That dude was awesome. He was awesome enough that one of my best friends ever got married and we all learned the dance to “Thriller”. It sucks, it might be good for some people. Its unfortunate, no one deserves to die.
You dudes did the Scream the Prayer Tour this summer, it is becoming a bigger and bigger deal every year, tell us about that experience.
BS: Wow. Scream the Prayer was long. It was amazing on a lot of levels but it was also very frustrating at times. Everybody on that tour as far as bands were just awesome. We had so much fun with the bands and we made really good friends and rekindled friendships. It was a good experience as far as that. And it was a good reminder of everything we went through that there are people that are there if you need to talk. A lot went on at Scream the Prayer, bands losing members…
The stop I saw, Micah (Kinard of Oh, Sleeper) was really sick.
BS: Yeah Micah was really sick. Mattie from For Today, his mother in law passed away on that tour. Chris from Agraceful had to fill in on that last week. A lot of hardship happened. Part of it had to of been you know when you’re doing something right that’s when something starts to go wrong. It was cool because there were a lot of people there to talk about things that needed to be talked about. Mattie and I talked a number of times. I believe his dad passed away from cancer when he was a kid and my mom had cancer but she’s all better now. It was just cool that there were a lot of people there to relate. It was long though, twelve hour days, ten bands. I don’t know if I’d do it again just because of that, but you never know. It was a lot of fun despite everything that went on. It was a good tour for us.
Thanks so much Brent for taking a few minutes out of you busy schedule to chat with us! Gwen Stacy just released a new album titled A Dialogue which is available everywhere, so be sure to go grab yourself a copy and help make 2009/10 their best year yet.