Search/Rescue Interview:

First off, how did Search/Rescue become a band?

Our formers bands Acceptance and Gatsby’s American Dream disbanded around the same time. Bobby and I (Ryan) had been talking for a long time about doing a new band and Kaylan was into the whole idea. We started writing and working on songs in Bobby’s house. It only took us a year and a half to find the right drummer (Jerrod). We convinced him to move up here from Colorado. We fooled him!

You guys just released your first album entitled “The Compound”, any plan to tour in support of it?

We would love to hit the road but things are tough right now in the music industry let along the economy. Tour packages are shrinking with fuel prices. There could possibly be a small Canadian tour this winter.

If so, when can we expect to see you guys hitting the road?

Hopefully, next year we will be able to start out doing west coast stuff and then slowly start spreading out across the country.

More importantly where would you guys like to focus your touring? East coast? West coast? Nation wide perhaps?

I think we need to start regionally and then build on that. Nationwide is definitely the goal.

I know between all the members in the band there’s quite a bit of history in the music profession, so there has got to be a juicy tour story or two. So what’s the worst or most horrifying tour experience of your careers?

Gatsby’s first national tour was a disaster. I booked it for us and it was just sketchy. We would get paid $4 to play a show or there would be 4 people at a show. Our van broke down at least three times and then at the end of it we rolled our van 3 times and totaled it. At least it makes for good stories.

Best tour experience?

The last two tours Gatsby’s did were amazing. One was with the Starting Line and the other was our headlining tour. They both had amazing and fun bands on the tours so we just had a complete blast. It was no doubt the best time of my life on that Starting Line tour.

When I first brought up the idea about a Tom Petty cover you guys decided to cover “Don’t Come Around Here No More”, then you changed last minute to “You Got Lucky”. Was there any particular reason for the change? Or did “You Got Lucky” just fit your overall sound scheme a bit better?

The only reason we changed it is because some of the guys liked “You Got Lucky” more. I had never heard it before but I felt it was a little more up our alley. Now I love that song and it’s weird when I hear it on the radio.

Here’s the final five, they’re just a few random questions that will help readers and fans get to know you guys a little better:

Football seasons coming up...any sports fans? If so who and what team?

I am a huge football fan. Of course I am 100% a Seahawks fan. Good luck trying to beat us this year!

First band you were ever in?

Good for Nothing. We were a pop punk band of course.

First instrument you ever learned to play?

Guitar when I was 8 years old.

Favorite song of all time?

This is ridiculously hard to answer. Let’s say “Eleanor Rigby” for now.

CDs or vinyl?

I love the way vinyl sounds but I don’t have room to start a collection. I still enjoy buying CD’s at the store but mostly just off of iTunes these days.

Echo Screen Interview:

How and when did Echo Screen come together?

Echo Screen came together way back in the summer of 2003. My first band had just broken up, and Tim and Nick were in a band that had broken up that summer as well. They asked me to play with them, and the rest is history I guess…The funny part was that Mike actually wanted to play drums for us. At the time I don’t think he was listening to anything but Dream Theater. Then we said “hey you want to come play in our pop punk band?” and for some reason he decided to give it a go.

Did you play in any other bands before forming Echo Screen? I mean it seems everyone has an embarrassing band somewhere in their history. Anything like that?

I guess I sort of just answered this one but we were in bands before Echo Screen. I wouldn’t say they were embarrassing, just really raw and really fun. I was way into Millencolin at the time so I wrote a bunch of funny songs about playing poker and weird veiled references to really dumb stuff…and the other guys were real into Blink and NFG so they were really riff based pop punk. In a way your first band is just that initial experience of playing music with friends, and you only give yourself a name because coming up with a name is about the most fun thing about being in a band. Speaking of that, how great is name of Nate from The Format’s new band…Fun…I wish I had thought of that…he’s gonna sell a million albums.

I read that your wife actually laid down some vocals for the cover of Mary Jane’s Last Dance by Tom Petty? How did that go?

About a month before we were asked to do the comp, she had made a joking comment like “why didn’t you ever ask me to sing in your song”, and I just said “hey Yoko settle down over there” (kidding of course, my wife supported the band more than anyone on earth) But then when we decided to do “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” I had this concept for a female vocal in the chorus. It kind of gives Ms. Mary Jane a persona in the song, as if she’s calling to you in the chorus. We recorded the track with Angus Cooke and he was real awesome about coaching her through it since she had never recorded her vocals before and didn’t even mention Yoko once…it was a good time.

I did a little research and found out that you have a degree in History. What made you choose that particular major?

After spending a year at a business school and feeling horribly out of place, I just took a step back and said “What do I really want to study?” and it was History. For all you aspiring history majors, unless you’re going to teach don’t plan on using the degree for a job…I have yet to use it.

Any future plans for Echo Screen? More albums? Tour?

Me and Tim have been kicking some stuff around lately, and have really hoped something could work out so that we could record an EP, but for now we’re just kind of getting the material together for when it does work out. When we release that, we’ll make sure that there are some shows involved…but it’s all speculation for now.

What was more difficult to record, the Blink 182 cover or the Tom Petty cover? Why?

I’m glad you asked this question, because I get to say thank you to Pacific Ridge for asking us to do both of these covers. I would never use the word “difficult” to describe either of the recordings we did. I think everyone would agree that recording covers is about the most fun we have in the studio. We get to try out crazy ideas (like that party scene we did in “First Date”) and we can kind of take the pressure off ourselves and just make a kick ass recording. The Tom Petty song took longer, though, so I guess you could say it was more difficult.

Here’s the final five, they’re just a few random questions that will help readers and fans get to know you a little better:

Favorite Genre of music?

If good lyrics were a genre, that would be my favorite genre. Hearing a line in a song that makes me say “shit, why didn’t I write that” will usually keep a song in my player for months.

All time Favorite band?

Oasis (Please do an Oasis tribute album!!!) If the only thing you know of Oasis is “Wonderwall”, I suggest you go download the songs “The Masterplan” and “Whatever” immediately. You’ll wish it was 1997 all over again…or was that 1996??

Best theme park you’ve ever been to?

Hands down, Disney World in Florida. That place is its own zip code…I go every year.

Yay or Nay on the recent Batman flick The Dark Knight?

I don’t see intense movies in the theaters because they make me pass out (seriously, it’s a long story), but I will answer for the other guys in the band and give it a big Yay.

Historical event that interested you the most?

I was always enamored with the Middle Ages as a kid. Chivalry, knights, castles and all that jazz. Of course I went to college and found out that nothing was like they show it in the movies and on TV, but I still love it. And the way medieval Christians acted is the reason I don’t go to church anymore.

Foreverinmotion interview:

First off is the band still going strong? I recently checked 111 records website and they claim you’re no longer an active band.

Ha, I think you mis-interpreted that! I did recently part ways 111 records. I think they have FIM listed under the "Former/Inactive Artists" on their website. I fall under the "former". You can read all about my split from 111 in a blog on the Foreverinmotion myspace. However, the band is going strong. I'm writing a lot of new music, and I hope to release two new albums next year.

What’s the history behind Foreverinmotion? How did it begin, and how has it gotten to the point it’s at now?

Foreverinmotion began as a side project when I was 16. When I was 19, I recorded and released the first FIM record. Around the same time, the other band I was playing in broke up, and Foreverinmotion started to take off. I had a little buzz on the internet and people were getting into it. I felt really good about the music I was writing, so I went for broke, toured a ton, and wrote the most moving and honest songs I could. Everything that has happened from that point on is a product of that.

Do you plan on releasing any new material this year?

Yes! Two CD's. The first will be the epic record. The other will be the bare bones folk/blues/country record. The first. will be released in the winter of '09. The second will be out in the summer most likely.

What made you choose the song ‘A Face In The Crowd’ by Tom Petty? I mean there were several other popular choices left. Did it just fit your style the best?

I just dig the feeling of that song. It has this haunting sound that stands out on the album (Full Moon Fever). When Pacific Ridge asked me to do the compilation, I thought about doing one of the more popular Petty songs, but once I listened to "Face In The Crowd" again, I knew I wanted to record that song.

What would happen to be your most exciting and positive tour experience?

This is non-specific, but its at the end of any night when I've played a great show, and everyone is sharing that high feeling. You forget that you're far from home. You're just out there with your friends, playing music and living in the moment with no obligations but to make it to the next show on time.

Most horrifying tour experience?

The time a kid almost died from an overdose RIGHT NEXT to my van at a show in Miami. He collapsed out of a parked car. He was not breathing and turning blue. It was unreal. His friends were freaking out. Luckily paramedics hit the scene quickly and revived him.

What would you say is the best venue you’ve ever played at?

Higher Ground in Burlington VT. Aside from the fact that Vermont is home for me, they take better care of their bands than any place I've ever played. Their catering is out of this world. Their coconut curried tofu is insane. The sound is great too, haha.

Here’s the final five, they’re just a few random questions that will help readers and fans get to know you guys a little better:

-Hamburger or Veggie Paddy?

Veggie!

-All time favorite band?

Bob Dylan

-All-time favorite Foreverinmotion song to play live?

Hot Air Balloon

-Sports fan?

At one time.

-Favorite leisure time activity?

Hiking.