 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| ::Interviews:: |
 |
|
| review & interview content, as well as web site graphics & design, copywrite 2003-2004 Euphonia Online. use of materials granted only with reasonable purposes. |
 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
 |
| interviewed by robby sumner |
|
 |
Ryan Keaton - Vocals, Guitar Alex Sophocles - Vocals, Guitar Kevin Lichtfuss - Bass Tom Haller - Drums |
|
| Interview with the whole band April 22nd, 2004 |
| E: The latest news for Adelphi, of course, is your recent sign to Drive-Thru Records. What do you think it is about your band that made the label interested in signing you?
Alex: I really have no idea... I ask myself that every day. I guess something about our band really clicked with [DTR co-owners] Richard and Stephanie. Whether it's our music or our voices... something made them love us, since they only sign bands that they love. All I know is that I'm really happy. Tom: Me too... happy happy happy. Kevin: Well I personally think the vocals have a lot to do with it. We have unique dual vocalists--Alex and Ryan. Alex: I know the vocals are what make me love a band. The Early November could release any song ever, and I'd love it because it's Ace's voice. Tom: This is very true. Alex: There's something intimate about loving someone's voice... it's a comfort thing. If you don't have that, you can't love a band. Kevin: And our music isn't as typical as others. At least, I don't think so. Alex: Yeah, we like to think that we are different. Tom: Different strokes. Kevin: Even though we've been compared to every "emo" band on the planet. Alex: Yeah, I don't even like to drop the word "emo." Kevin: Me neither. Alex: I want to get away from that... we might be "emotional," but we're not emo at all. Kevin: We're not sad. We're happy. Alex: Tom makes this band, too. His drums and Kevin's bass are sick together. They drive our sound. E: When the band was first started, what goals did you have? Where did you hope to get? Ryan: We always dreamed of this... getting signed to Drive-Thru Records and living out the dream. Alex: When Adelphi first formed, we were getting really serious. We all wanted it like crazy. Within three months, we had a van and stuff. We've always dreamed about being on Drive-Thru... since we were 14. Ryan and I have, anyway. Ryan: And now it's here, and I can't believe it. Tom: Yeah, seriously. Kevin: Me too. Tom: Drive-Thru was our dream... and now we are on it. Kevin: I remember last year, around this time... looking at the DTR website, at new signees Senses Fail. And I stayed up all night and thought about how badly I wanted it and how I knew I could do it if they could. And a year later, here we are. Things have been a little different than I could have imagined... but they're amazing. Alex: When we started the band we were pop-punk, but we weren't happy with our sound and started developing. So we decided to improve our style by kind of just... letting go. Ryan: It's awesome, though, and can only get better. E: What changes do you expect to occur over the next couple of months? Tom: People are going to actually know about our band. Alex: We are all going to have to go on tour and be away from the people that we love. It's going to be hard to cope with that. Tom: Yeah, that's gonna be rough, to leave home. But touring is going to be so much fun with these three crazy people. Ryan: We'll get a lot of exposure. I can't wait to tour. Alex: Me either. E: What's one thing you think fans should definitely know about you before they hear you or see you live for the first time? Tom: Don't make assumptions. Ryan: They won't regret checking us out... I hope. Tom: Check us out... and if you don't like us, it's fine with us. Just don't go bashing. Alex: Have an open mind. Ryan: Yeah, be open-minded. Tom: Listen to the music you like and be happy. Alex: Yeah... and please like us. We need to feed our children. E: What are your current greatest concerns for the band? Alex: I just hope that people love us for who we are. Kevin: Yeah. Alex: Like we love bands. Kevin: I hope people give us a fair chance before they bash us. Alex: I don't care about being famous. Kevin: Me neither. Tom: Yeah, I just want to play shows. Alex: I just want to know that I've helped someone how Tom Delonge and Ken Vasoli have helped me. Tom: And have kids sing our songs. Ryan: Yeah... we just want to make a living doing what we love, which is the opportunity that we have right now. Tom: And meet lots of new people. Kevin: All I care about is that we continue to make awesome music that we love. This is our dream come true... what we've wanted for so long. And now we have the perfect chance to give back to the thousands of kids like us. And that's what I can't wait for. Alex: I hope people love us enough to come to our shows and sing! Tom: And crowd surf! And mosh. Alex: My dream is to have the crowd shout lyrics back in my face. E: What sort of people do you think are likely to enjoy your band? Ryan: Drive-Thru Records fans, and hopefully a lot of others. Kevin: Well, hopefully there won't be one group of people. Alex: Someone who can relate to our songs and the lyrics. Tom: Hopefully a lot of people. E: What aspects of your band do you think have to remain strong for that band to be successful? Kevin: Friendship. Tom: For the band to love each other. Kevin: And that we do. Ryan: We all need to be tight with each other. If there's any dispute, it has to be brought up. Tom: Yeah, and it needs to be worked out. Ryan: Can't be held back... otherwise it builds up. Alex: We have to all be level-headed and not get full of ourselves... stay awesome friends, and be faithful to the people who helped get us this far... you see the same people on the way up as you do on the way back down. Kevin: We still are all best friends. And we gotta keep pushing ourselves, musically. Making ourselves better... changing and evolving. E: Why do you think that all of you work together so well as a group? Kevin: Because we all know each other so well, and we all get along so well personality-wise. We are all so much alike. Alex: We were all friends before the band, and when Tom joined the band he clicked perfectly. Kevin: Yeah, I felt like I'd known Tom my whole life when I first met him. Alex: I know a lot of bands who don't really hang out together outside the band. We aren't like that. We live together. Kevin: Yeah. Tom: We all just click together really well. Kevin: I can't imagine not being around these guys for too long. I wouldn't have much to do. E: What's more important to you--a stable fanbase at home, or a more widespread national fanbase? Alex: Can we have both? Tom: Yeah, both. Ryan: I think a national fanbase is better. Alex: Yeah, national. Kevin: Stable fanbases are good, in case you don't make it out there everywhere else. Ryan: But if you have that, then you're bound to have a strong hometown fanbase. Alex: 'Cause they will tell their friends, and spread the word. So essentially, you get both. Kevin: At least you know you have someone you can go back to that you know will be there for you. Obviously national helps you a lot... but I think you gotta start and finish somewhere. Just my thought. E: One last question... when it comes right down to it, how would you argue that the world is better off because Adelphi exists? Kevin: *Laughs* Tom: I'll leave that one up to Alex to argue. Alex: Well... I just hope one day we become one of those bands that people depend on, like I depend on so many bands. That's all I can really say. Kevin: Yeah, I agree with you. Tom: I just hope that we influence some people. People like us. And kids will play music because of us, and that we help people through their lives with our music. |