E: Jonathan, what were your expectations and goals when you first joined the band Spend The Night?
Jonathan: Well, when we had our first practice, none of us really knew each other. Seiya and I had been in other bands previously, but that's pretty much all we knew about each other. I never really expected a lot from the band, to be honest. It wasn't really until we played our first shows that I realized people were actually taking interest in the music. That's about when I quit my other band and put all my effort into Spend The Night.
E: When the band first started writing and playing songs together, what did you watch being formed?
Jonathan: As soon as we met, Seiya and I clicked instantly. We knew exactly what the other was thinking, and whipped up a structure to one of the songs on our full length, as well as our EP called 12:23. We do the majority of the writing together, and we always seem to amaze each other.
E: How quickly did you notice the band getting a fanbase?
Jonathan: Pretty much instantly. People had high expectations for us. When we first started, we won second place at the local battle of the bands about a month after we formed, and it just took off from there. It wasn't until recently that people started singing along. We had our CD release show this past Friday at Chain Reaction in California with Sherwood, and it was amazing. About two hundred to three hundred people were there, and tons of them were singing along, song after song.
E: Do you think that someone's opinion of you would change at all after learning that you're a musician? If so, how?
Jonathan: Some people expect me to to be some huge rockstar. Like, for example, last week we went to the local Best Buy during a New Found Glory signing to pass out samplers and fliers to promote our CD release show. KROQ (the local rock station) was there, and we convinced them to play our demo. As soon as people heard that KROQ was playing our song, they all wanted pictures and for us to sign the CDs. It was kind of weird, but I guess that's what the radio does for you. Other people that get to know me before they know I'm in a band realize that I'm nothing special just because I'm in a band.
E: Would you say that you've earned the amount of success you've gotten?
Jonathan: Yes... we never stop working. We all know that being successful isn't going to come to us. We are constantly promoting online and passing out demos and fliers. Our goal has always been to just make people see our name over and over again. Eventually they'll take the time to listen.
E: Do you think you'd rather have a band that is consistently popular on the indie scene, or a band that is fleetingly popular for a short time on the major scene?
Jonathan: I'd rather have a band consistantly popular in any scene, but if I had to pick, I guess I'd rather have a nice fanbase in the indie scene.
E: As the band's singer, what do you think of the focus that is generally put on the vocalist as the "frontman" and head of the group?
Jonathan: I think the whole "frontman" image is ridiculous, but absolutely needed these days. I mean, up until about four or five months ago, I was not the lead singer. I still wrote a good amount of the music and all of the lyrics, but we had another member in the band who just sung. People always thought that he was an "amazing writer" or the "heart of the band." It wasn't until I became the singer that I finally got the recognition for any writing whatsoever. And even now, I have to stress that every member in the band does a fair amount of writing. Not just the "frontman."
E: What do you think many people often lose sight of when it comes to the music they listen to?
Jonathan: I think for the most part, people know exactly what they like. Whether they admit it or not, they like the music they listen to. My favorite bands are and have almost always been: Third Eye Blind, 311, No Doubt, and The Movielife. And no matter what someone says, I absolutely love these bands whether or not they are huge or small.
E: What sort of impact do you hope to have on listeners through your words and music?
Jonathan: I don't expect to impact people. My music is for me. My lyrics are from real experiences; I don't try and candy coat them with metaphors and stuff. It's my way of being able to express any emotion possible. When it comes to our fans, I want them to love the music, and if the lyrics happen to impact them, more power to them. We play music we love and if we want to change something, we do it. It's as simple as that.
E: Well, thanks for talking. What you do is definitely appreciated.
Jonathan: Thank you for the interview. |
