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I interviewed a few people-Phil from All That Remains, Bob from A Life Once Lost, and Scottie from Norma Jean-asking them the same questions about the tour. This is the first time I've done an interview specifically about an upcoming tour, and it was a lot different from the questions I normally ask, but the bands have some great opinions that are worth checking out. I also interviewed Maria Ferrero and Jensen Lee from Adrenaline PR about promoting the tour, and Carl Severson about creating this musical monster.
PL: What are your thoughts on the upcoming Sounds of the Underground tour?
ATR: I think its gonna be pretty sick. It covers a lot of ground band wise, and I think that it proves that the stuff thats been underground for the past five, six or seven years is not some kind of flash in the pan kind of thing. These bands have been playing a very similar style of metal for a long time, and its nice to see it have its day in the sun.
ALOL: I think the whole attitude of it so far is doing something that is pretty awesome. Its pretty cool and has a new sound with new and fresh bands. Compared to Ozzfest and Warped Tour, its a much more aggressive festival. Its much more hip and cool with a lot of younger kids now. These are all the bands that are up and coming; extreme music that are changing everything about music. Its just an overall amazing package; from start to finish. Everything.
NJ: I'm really excited about it. All the bands on it, or most of them, are all really good friends already, so its just gonna be hanging out all summer and having fun. Its gonna be awesome seeing Gwar and Clutch every night, so I'm looking forward to that.
PL: Do you think people will have a hard time choosing between this, Ozzfest and the Warped Tour?
ATR: I don't know what the ticket price is on the Warped Tour, but I know Ozzfest is usually on the pricey side. I know that Sounds of the Underground is very inexpensive considering all the bands you're getting and stuff like that. I think its a $25 or $30 ticket. So, I don't know that its gonna be a big competition between the three because I think that the lineups of the tours are diverse enough. Sounds of the Underground and Ozzfest will probably have a little competition, but at the same time, Sounds of the Underground is gearing towards a different crowd than Ozzfest. Your big headliners for Ozzfest have been around for awhile and have a really solid reputation. Most of the main draw at Ozzfest have been around for awhile, whereas the main draw on Sounds of the Underground may not have the same track record or the same kind of star power that Iron Maiden would have. I think that Sounds of the Underground will draw a younger crowd, especially with the ticket prices.
ALOL: It all depends on what you're into. Having bands like Poison the Well and From Autumn to Ashes, and then having bands like Clutch and High on Fire, and then bands like us, The Red Chord, Strapping Young Lad, Lamb of God and Unearth. You have so many bands to choose from, its just gonna bring out so many different people. Since this is only its first year, its really a test to see what is gonna happen. So far, from what I've heard, the talk of hype on this is just amazing. This is the new breed right here.
NJ: I know I would if I had to make a decision and just go to one, but I heard this tour was actually a lot cheaper, so that actually helps a lot. I'm sure a lot of kids would be down with that.
PL: Whats one band you're most excited about touring with or watching every day?
ATR: I love Unearth. I love watching that band. They've got a great live show; super high energy. They're probably one of my favorite bands going right now, so I'm pretty pumped about them. It doesn't hurt that they're also from MA. I'm pretty partial to the guys from my home town.
ALOL: I'm excited to see Clutch, High on Fire. I'm really excited about Gwar. Just seeing them-they're monsters, you know-it can't get better than that. All the bands in general. We're touring with a lot of our friends, a lot of old friends and a lot of new friends. It'll be good just to hang out and have some good times with good people.
NJ: Watching everyday would be Gwar and Cluth; I'm really excited about that. Touring with-I don't know-we're really good friends with so many bands on the tour. We're sharing a bus with Throwdown. We're really good friends with those dudes. It'll be good to tour with Every Time I Die again, and we've been with Unearth all year, so it'll be awesome.
PL: Do you think playing in an arena will be much different than a normal venue?
ATR: Yeah, it'll be a little different. Its kind of weird because some places have a high capacity. Some places can fit 5,000-10,000 people, and I know that there will not be 5,000-10,000 people when we go on. It may be kind of weird, but overall, I'm kind of pumped about it. Its gonna be one of the first times that we'll be in front of such a large audience that are hungry for new music.
ALOL: Yeah, it will be because of the size. Its not everyday that you get to do that. Its progression-its a band growing, and these are things that we're gonna have to do eventually, so we might as well do it now and have a good time with it. We're one of the smallest bands on the tour. We're just planning on going out there and blowing everybody away, and there's not a better setting than such a large place like amphitheaters and arenas.
NJ: Yeah, definitely. Its already weird playing in bigger clubs than a bar or smaller clubs. Barricades and huge open places-the energy is different. Its definitely gonna weird too because (some shows-not every venue) its gonna be outside and during the day, so it'll be kind of interesting to see how that goes. It'll be fun, but it'll be a different feel.
PL: Are giant tours like this intimidating to be on?
ATR: Not really. I'm pretty excited. Like I said, there's a lot of bands that if I don't know the dudes, I'm looking forward to getting to know because I'm a fan. I'm a huge Clutch fan. Lamb of God, I know a little bit and they've been really cool every time I've hung out with them. We've done a lot of shows with the guys from Gwar. We know the guys from Gwar and they're really cool. Every Time I Die are cool dudes. We just did a month and a half with Throwdown; I know those are all great guys. Its not so much intimidating as I'm just psyched to get back out on the road and hang out with some cool people and play some shows.
ALOL: You're not sure how the kids are gonna react to you. Especially with our record just coming out now, there isn't much time and press and radio to really lay into the kids. We're not touring with the record. We just did a tour for the record, before it came out. Its just weird because you're not sure how people are gonna react to it. I'm nervous and excited to see what happens on this tour, with our CD (Hunters) coming out right at the beginning of tour, and just watching it grow, and hopefully not blowing up in our face.
NJ: I don't know. This is the first tour like this that we've actually done. I'm not really intimidated by going in; its just gonna be a lot of fun. I'm excited about hanging out all summer with all my friends, but I haven't really thought about being intimidated. I don't know-maybe the first day when we see what it'll be like, it might be.
PL: Is there anything else you'd like to say about the tour or anything?
ALOL: Just pick up our CD on June 28. It'll be in stores everywhere. Come out and support Sounds of the Underground wherever you might be.
NJ: I don't know. No (laughs). We're just gonna go hang out and have fun all summer.
Here is an interview that I did with Maria Ferrero and Jensen Lee of Adrenaline PR, who have been promoting the hell out of this show. Its cool to see the opinions from people pulling strings from behind the stage as well as the from the bands.
1.What is your involvement with the Sounds of the Underground Tour?
MF: Blowing it up as huge as we can in the media so everyone knows and everyone goes!
JL: We are basically doing publicity for the event within the United States. We are setting up press in publications for the event. Setting up interviews and previews.
2. How is doing promotions for a festival sized tour like this different than doing promotions for a single band or a small package tour?
MF: We have done this before we can do it in our sleep or at least in our pajamas!
JL: A LOT! Let's say i'm working one band on a tour. Now, let's say i'm working 20 bands on a tour. You do the math!
3.Is someone from Adrenaline PR going to be at each show? If so, how do you decide who goes?
MF: It would be a perfect world but no budget to be on the road that long time wise or fiscally.
3a. Does going on tours or big events like this feel like a job?
MF: Always work but we love what we do so it’s a Labor of love.
JL: No, we don't have the staff or money to have a member of Adrenaline PR out to each show. When i go to shows that involve my bands, work comes first, then enjoyment. But they usually run hand and hand.
4. Do you think people will have a tough time choosing between this, Ozzfest and the Warped Tour (or even the Megadeth tour that's happening)?
MF: No...Sounds of the Underground is the best package out there for it's price! Similar to Warped Tour, but with a heavier sound!
JL: For me I am bored by rehashed festival bills – this is a diverse awesome best of the best and a good mix of bands known and unknown so it offers a lot to the crowd plus it is so damn cheap -!
5. How hectic is the office the week before big events like this start?
MF: Don’t ask!
JL: Incredibly hectic. We run around like chickens without heads. But we get our work done!
6. Are you expecting Sounds of the Underground to be different from other events you've been a part of? How will it be different?
MF: I really think the difference is we all have worked together and have each other all figured out and there is a lot of respect from the bands to the crews to the labels etc. so you don’t have to walk on eggshells like you do on some other festivals.
JL: It will be different b/c there will be less politics. Everyone has the same goal. Bring undergroung music to the masses!
7. Anything else you'd like to say about the tour?
MF: Come on down and be a par of history this is a traveling “Woodstock festival” of the cream of the crop in metal and hardcore –and after the last show has come and done the damage the show is not over this is not the end but the beginning .
JL: Go to it, you won't regret it! oh, if you plan on getting sweaty wear a lot of deodarant b/c i don't want to smell you.
Speaking of string pullers, no one has more pull than the people who organized the show; getting all the bands and venues together, not to mention a whole bunch of other stuff that most people don't even think about while attending a concert. Carl Severson, who people may know from Nora or Ferret Records, also got this show rolling, and was kind enough to answer these questions:
1. What made you decide to set this tour up?
CS: We realized that in order for this type of music to grow beyond the club level someone needed to provide a place for it to thrive. Ozzfest has restrictions against bands playing twice in a row (which makes sense) and most of these bands are too heavy to do warped. So we decided we'd create one. Bamm - SOTU.
2. How difficult is it to get so many bands, as well as securing venues and anything else together to play a tour like this? Is this your first experience setting up an event like this?
CS: Larry Mazer, one of the partners of SOTU, has been at this longer than the rest of us. He was instrumental in figuring out all the logistics for this. Really long story - short; It's real real hard, I've got a whole new respect for Ozzfest and Warped after this. We've got a great deal of talented people involved in making this happen, and everyone involved is working harder that we imagined. It's great to see it come together, but there's a ton of work that goes into it. I've watched and been involved with some weekend type festivals... it didn't come close. Oh, and we're going to Canada, try that shit on for size, 18 bands, 12 or so vendors, and an entire festival crew crossing the border - Good stuff.
3. Will you get any free time to sit and enjoy the bands?
CS: Oh yeah, I can't wait for the tour, I'll be able to spend a bunch of time enjoying the music. We know there will be daily, if not hourly, headaches, but that's part of the fun. When all is said an done we can stand there and watch thousands of kids go nuts to some amazing bands and think 'hey, we did that', it's cool.
4. Was it difficult deciding the bands that you wanted to play on the tour?
CS: We had a very strong idea of what we wanted from the get-go. We didn't open up submissions or anything like that. Especially with this being the first year we figured we knew what we needed to make a successful run, and who we needed there to do it. We put together a line up that you can step back and look at and think 'damn, that's a great show'. It's not overwhelming, it's not 50 or 200 bands, it's 18 top notch bands that represent all the sides of aggressive music.
5. Whats one situation you don't want to face on this tour? How would you handle it if it did?
CS: Violence, a date with horrible attendance, rain dates, all the standard stuff you don't want to see happen at any show you go to. We'll deal with it all as it comes. No one involved in this tour is new to any of the downsides of touring.
6. Do you think people will have a tough time choosing between this, Ozzfest and the Warped Tour?
CS: We wanted to make sure that this wasn't going to be hard for people to go to. Tickets aren't more than $25-30 for any of the dates. That's huge. There are no merch restrictions, bands can sell merch for whatever they want. This an affordable day for kids to spend with music. We wanted this to be something kids can go to without having to plan an extra week of work.
7. Is there anything else you'd like to say about the tour?
CS: It's going to be a great time. The line up of bands is amazing. It's an amazing group of artists who all get what we're trying to create here. It's been put together by people that live for music. Watching this tour transform from an idea to a fully functional touring festival has been amazing. Come out, hang out. The shit's gonna be fun. We'll see you on the road.
Written by: RF