EKEN IS DEAD - PHONE INTERVIEW

I had the chance to talk with Chris from EKEN IS DEAD. And I am definitely impressed with the band, the music and how humble and dedicated they are to their fans and their music.

Let me start by saying that I had never listened to EKEN before Tuesday, I had the chance, but I decided I would let the music speak for itself. And on my ride down to the LaDep house, I did just that. I listened to what the music had to tell me. And I never would have expected it to tell me the story it did.

I usually like to compare bands to each other, its the easier way to identify their sounds, their behaviors, their personas and their vibe. I also like to hear the bands live before I interview them or even think about writing a review. So I'm sitting here listening to their reverb nation account listening to them. I think one of the reasons I am writing the review without listening them to live is because of how last night's phone convo went with Saddy, Chris and myself.

If you like Sepultura, Soulfly, Megadeath, White chapel or H20 you will enjoy EKEN.

Me: Where did the name EKEN IS DEAD come from?
Chris: haha That is the million dollar question. EKEN IS DEAD....Vic was in a band, Called EKEN and he is actually the sole survivor of that band, hence EKEN is semi dead...so that's what is stood for at the time. But was we toured and grew with our music, EKEN IS DEAD became what you think is dead, or what has moved on. Its about overcoming hardships, your beliefs and values. EKEN IS DEAD can be personal.

Me: Who has influenced you personally?
Chris: Nirvana, and a lot of the 90’s style rock bands, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, punk is where my roots are. Sound wise, I would say Tool, Deftones and Rage Against the Machine. Vocally, I would say more like Rise Against and Pantera. Its not just a scream, its something more.

Me:What are you long term goals?
Chris: Bigger tours. Touring with Authority Zero has been amazing. The entire band is amazing. Extremely down to earth and definitely a great experience. We really want to continue to tour and definitely continue to work with Authority Zero and LaDep. We want to go all the way. As far as we can possibly go. We practice 3 times a week, perform at 60-70 shows, dedicate ourselves and our lives and put up with angry girlfriends while we are on the road. Taking turns driving 5 hour legs from Vancouver to get to a show in Cali the next night. That's dedication to our band to our fans.

I didn't ask him directly what the inspiration for the lyrics were, we kind of stepped into it haphazardly, but I could tell that the words and lyrics to each of their original songs was personal. It came from experiences, life, and personalities.  One of the biggest things with EKEN IS DEAD is that there isn't just one person who writes the songs, the entire band has input and collectively they write the songs as one.


Saddy: Do you have any advice for bands looking to make it?
Chris: Show up. Dedicate yourself to the band, but more so to the fans. Always find a way to not cancel. Show commitment and dedication.

Saddy: What drives you the most to keep going from one show to the next?
Chris: Finding out what you're made of. Pushing your limits, knowing your boundaries. We drove in 5 hour shifts on a Friday night after a show in Vancouver to make a show in Cali. It took us 16 hours to get home, but we kept going. We refused to cancel. I think in 5 years we have cancelled once. That says a lot, not only about our dedication, but our love for the music and our fans.

I have to say it was an honor to talk with him and while I regret that I didn't get the entire interview recorded, I will have the honor of talking to the entire band on Friday. Something about EKEN moves me. So until I see you in the mosh pit Friday, keep it real. 

If you want to hear more from EKEN IS DEAD you can check out their Reverb nation page at
www.revernation.com/ekenisdead

Their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ekenisdead?fref=ts

and you can watch some of their videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/ekenisdead

Tune in Friday from 6-7 while we interview EKEN IS DEAD at KUKQ.com you can also download the app to your phone (available for iPhone and Droid) if you have something you want to ask the band email Alle at undergroundalle@gmail.com  

Thanks for reading and stay posted for more events and band interviews and reviews!

Poolsyde - Demo tracks

Emotion.
Feel good vibes.
Inviting.
Irie.

These words describe the feel good sounds of Poolsyde. Mixed with a blend of unique, witty, funny, and a slightly sarcastic cats Poolsyde send those feel good vibes up your spine. They sound exactly what fusion punk should sound like. Harmonizing delicately but melodiously making the sounds come to life.

Their stage presence is unique. You can tell they are ready to move when the band starts to move in unison. Todd (guitar/vocals) does a quick tune, closes his eyes and starts to sway, James scans the crowd finding the one person he can serenade, Carmen looks out and it seems like he prepares himself and Levi is ready.

The music starts, and the band sways. The music pumps through your veins and all of a sudden you want to be on the beach, listening to the waves crash, a cold beer in your hand and Poolsyde singing just for you. Gypse and The Love Around You are the two songs that really define the band their sound and their vibe.

Hanging out with these cats and being honored to hear them live, I've learned that they each bring the right amount of rock star to the stage. They have nailed the idea and sound of fusion punk and there is definitely room for improvement. Id like to hear more from them in the future. I've been privy to private sounds, I am impressed at the talent brought together to make Poolsyde. With the drive and desire they can make their name a household commodity.

Check out their tunes at http://www.reverbnation.com/Poolsyde

This video features Mike Malekar and Evan and is definitely one of my favs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sAwR9F2oy8

Like their Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/Poolsyde480?fref=ts