Ryan Imhof
03/09/06, 04:03 PM
Ryan: Before we get started, introduce yourself to the readers.
The name's Brian and I play guitar and sing in the band Adrastos.
Ryan: You guys have been receiving a lot of attention recently, how does it feel?
Sort of shocking, really. I've been in a lot of bands and never have I seen such a response in such a short amount of time. We've only been together since October yet we're receiving attention that a lot of bands don't see within their first year. We absolutely love it. It's very encouraging.
Ryan: How did the band form?
Well, Greg and Nick were in a band together last year, called Catch Her In The Eye and they had split before college started again in September. I had been playing solo for about a year and was itching to get in a band again and Max had been looking for a band to play in for a while too. Greg and Nick had originally planned to just record an EP at NADA by themselves but luckily they found Max and I. We wrote some songs in about 2 weeks and then dove head first into the studio.
Ryan: If you could compare your band to any band in the “scene” right now, who would it be and why?
That's a great question... I don't know what band I would say we're like, but I can say that our influences, bands like Say Anything, TREOS, and Brand New (as well as about a billion others)-- bands that are striving for something different-- play heavily into our writing.
Ryan: Where do you see the band Adrastos going?
We are a group of very ambitious young men. Greg and Nick have more heart than any musicians I've played with before and we get along as if we've known each other forever. I hope we go as far as possible while still having fun, because this is what we love to do. I hope we play a ton of shows with some amazing audiences and bands and continue to write music that is, to us, very honest and straight forward. I wouldn't say that I'm dying to be famous; but I just want to make this a very memorable experience.
Ryan: What is the inspiration for your lyrics? Does the whole band contribute to the writing process or is it just one person that writes?
To answer your first question, I can only speak for myself. I grew up doing a lot more reading and writing and listening to music than I did playing sports and video games (I know, what a nerd!) My family has always been very big on literature and the arts, so I've been exposed to it for quite a long time. I've been writing stories, poems and music for pretty much my whole life. My inspiration in terms of lyrics comes to me usually right before I go to sleep or right when I wake up, and, of course, in the shower. I'm obsessed with phrases and when I hear someone say something I like or if I read a sentence or phrase that really gets to me, I tend to go off and write a couple songs based off of it. I also write a lot of my lyrics based on not only my experiences but experiences my close friends have had. To answer your second question, our writing process is sort of crazy....Lately; it's been one of two ways. One way is that Greg or I will come to the table with lyrics and / or music, sometimes in fragments. We'll play it and mess with it and come up with different ways to play it until we decide we like it. Then we bring it to Nick and Max and we just keep jamming on it nonstop for over a week until we like the way it feels. The other way is that we'll just be rehearsing and decide we want to jam instead of playing songs we've already written, so someone will start playing a riff, or nick will start playing a drum beat and we play until we do something that makes us stop and go "wow that was sick" and then we build off of that. It takes us forever to write songs because we have obsessions over every part of them. We change parts of songs and parts of our set all the time.
Ryan: What kind of equipment do you use?
The bass head is an SWR-900 going into an Eminence custom cab, the drums are Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute, the cymbals are Paiste Signature Series, the sampling pad is a Roland SPD-S
Ryan: How did you come up with the name “Adrastos”?
Well we needed a name before we went into NADA and we had been messing around with a lot of options. I had this Greek Mythology book by Edith Hamilton lying around my room so I started to flip through it and in the back it had the greek meanings of the names of mythological characters. I scanned through looking for a meaning that I really liked and I came across Adrastos, which means "not inclined to run away" and I thought that was really solid, so I showed it to the guys and we sat on it for a few days and then decided to keep it.
Ryan: What was it like working with a great producer like John Naclerio? When you listen to your music, do you feel it is some of your best work?
We were SO excited and SO nervous to work with John. I remember sitting outside his house (which is next to his studio) because we were like ten minutes early and nobody was answering the door and we were freaking out because we thought we were in the wrong place or something. Once we got in there and settled down and met John though it was incredible. That man knows what he's doing. We went in there with rough ideas of songs that we wanted (remember, we had been together for about 2 weeks!) and he helped us focus our music into something more coherent that we loved. I remember the first time we heard "coming back" was when we were in the living room playing Super Mario World (by the way, Max is so good at that game it's questionable) and we heard him mixing it through the wall and we all just stopped and looked at each other and said "wow" almost in unison. We'd heard the songs when we'd played them, but it's completely different when you hear your music recorded for the first time. I feel like it was a really positive moment for the band and it really encouraged our writing. I can't say it's some of our best work because we've written a ton of songs since, but it's definitely up there. I also remember Paul (guitarist for The Ataris) coming in and John introducing him saying "yeah, he's in this band you might know, The Ataris" and us being like "oh cool" until he left the room and we were like "WHAT? WE'RE WORKING WITH A MEMBER OF THE ATARIS?!" It was really awesome. We had a blast working with those guys, it was like a dream.
Ryan: Who did the artwork for your album?
A real great guy named Justin Ryan (http://www.justinryan.org) did not only our album work but our website (http://www.adrastosrock.com). He’s a really talented guy and I highly recommend him. He's designing a tattoo for me right now too.
Ryan: Are there any plans for an LP, and are there any chances of this being released on a label?
We've got a lot of material and we'd love to get back in the studio and record it but right now we don't have the time or the money to do it. In terms of labels, we've talked to a few but we haven't made any decisions. I'd love for the EP to be released by a label and I'd love to put out an LP too, but we can't do it right now.
Ryan: You guys as of now are unsigned. How does it feel for your EP to be given such high scores from sites like Absolutepunk and Breed Different Media?
Honestly, when we got those reviews I was really surprised. I don't usually care for reviews because, as Connor Oberst put it, "I do not read the reviews / No, I am not singing for you" but it was really encouraging to have such great feedback right away. Also, those reviews really helped us gain some ground in the industry because people were now more willing to give us a listen. It was really flattering and encouraging.
Ryan: Being an unsigned band, it is definitely harder to get your music out to people. How do you go about promoting your band?
It's really tough. The internet is a really valuable tool and has really helped us. Also, being in college, we've advertised a lot on campus and we just recently played a show here so the word is out here. Playing shows is obviously one of the best and most organic ways to promote your band, so we've been trying to play as much as we can, and so far it's really helped. Through that, we've made a lot of friends along the way who have given us shout outs and helped us get the word out. I think we're on XM radio too.
Ryan: What are some of your goals as not only a band but a musician?
As a musician I just want to keep writing genuine music. I want to keep writing music that's very real and tangible to me, and if other people like it, then that's fine, and if they don't, then that's fine too. I've always strove to write really honest lyrics that mean a lot to me and accurately portray my take on life. It's self expression and it's my art and I'm going to keep making it as long as I'm feeling and living.
Ryan: Are you happy with the current situation the band is in?
Absolutely. A little stressful, but it's fun; I love challenge. No regrets thus far.
Ryan: If you could sign to any indie label right now, who would it be?
Haha, I don't know. I think Dog House is a really cool label and it's got a lot of my favorite bands on it. Do I think that is at all realistic? Hell no. But that would be fun. Saddle Creek would be awesome too, but I don't think we'd fit in on their roster. They've got some geniuses though. Same with Team Love.
Ryan: Anything that I missed or you want to tell the readers and fans?
Thanks so much for the time and questions, and we hope you enjoy our music. We're working on a tour for this summer and the EP arrives any day now, so stay tuned and we hope to see you all at a show. Don't take your ear off our music too, because we write and rewrite more than any band I know hahaha. Thanks so much Ryan and AP.Net!
The name's Brian and I play guitar and sing in the band Adrastos.
Ryan: You guys have been receiving a lot of attention recently, how does it feel?
Sort of shocking, really. I've been in a lot of bands and never have I seen such a response in such a short amount of time. We've only been together since October yet we're receiving attention that a lot of bands don't see within their first year. We absolutely love it. It's very encouraging.
Ryan: How did the band form?
Well, Greg and Nick were in a band together last year, called Catch Her In The Eye and they had split before college started again in September. I had been playing solo for about a year and was itching to get in a band again and Max had been looking for a band to play in for a while too. Greg and Nick had originally planned to just record an EP at NADA by themselves but luckily they found Max and I. We wrote some songs in about 2 weeks and then dove head first into the studio.
Ryan: If you could compare your band to any band in the “scene” right now, who would it be and why?
That's a great question... I don't know what band I would say we're like, but I can say that our influences, bands like Say Anything, TREOS, and Brand New (as well as about a billion others)-- bands that are striving for something different-- play heavily into our writing.
Ryan: Where do you see the band Adrastos going?
We are a group of very ambitious young men. Greg and Nick have more heart than any musicians I've played with before and we get along as if we've known each other forever. I hope we go as far as possible while still having fun, because this is what we love to do. I hope we play a ton of shows with some amazing audiences and bands and continue to write music that is, to us, very honest and straight forward. I wouldn't say that I'm dying to be famous; but I just want to make this a very memorable experience.
Ryan: What is the inspiration for your lyrics? Does the whole band contribute to the writing process or is it just one person that writes?
To answer your first question, I can only speak for myself. I grew up doing a lot more reading and writing and listening to music than I did playing sports and video games (I know, what a nerd!) My family has always been very big on literature and the arts, so I've been exposed to it for quite a long time. I've been writing stories, poems and music for pretty much my whole life. My inspiration in terms of lyrics comes to me usually right before I go to sleep or right when I wake up, and, of course, in the shower. I'm obsessed with phrases and when I hear someone say something I like or if I read a sentence or phrase that really gets to me, I tend to go off and write a couple songs based off of it. I also write a lot of my lyrics based on not only my experiences but experiences my close friends have had. To answer your second question, our writing process is sort of crazy....Lately; it's been one of two ways. One way is that Greg or I will come to the table with lyrics and / or music, sometimes in fragments. We'll play it and mess with it and come up with different ways to play it until we decide we like it. Then we bring it to Nick and Max and we just keep jamming on it nonstop for over a week until we like the way it feels. The other way is that we'll just be rehearsing and decide we want to jam instead of playing songs we've already written, so someone will start playing a riff, or nick will start playing a drum beat and we play until we do something that makes us stop and go "wow that was sick" and then we build off of that. It takes us forever to write songs because we have obsessions over every part of them. We change parts of songs and parts of our set all the time.
Ryan: What kind of equipment do you use?
The bass head is an SWR-900 going into an Eminence custom cab, the drums are Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute, the cymbals are Paiste Signature Series, the sampling pad is a Roland SPD-S
Ryan: How did you come up with the name “Adrastos”?
Well we needed a name before we went into NADA and we had been messing around with a lot of options. I had this Greek Mythology book by Edith Hamilton lying around my room so I started to flip through it and in the back it had the greek meanings of the names of mythological characters. I scanned through looking for a meaning that I really liked and I came across Adrastos, which means "not inclined to run away" and I thought that was really solid, so I showed it to the guys and we sat on it for a few days and then decided to keep it.
Ryan: What was it like working with a great producer like John Naclerio? When you listen to your music, do you feel it is some of your best work?
We were SO excited and SO nervous to work with John. I remember sitting outside his house (which is next to his studio) because we were like ten minutes early and nobody was answering the door and we were freaking out because we thought we were in the wrong place or something. Once we got in there and settled down and met John though it was incredible. That man knows what he's doing. We went in there with rough ideas of songs that we wanted (remember, we had been together for about 2 weeks!) and he helped us focus our music into something more coherent that we loved. I remember the first time we heard "coming back" was when we were in the living room playing Super Mario World (by the way, Max is so good at that game it's questionable) and we heard him mixing it through the wall and we all just stopped and looked at each other and said "wow" almost in unison. We'd heard the songs when we'd played them, but it's completely different when you hear your music recorded for the first time. I feel like it was a really positive moment for the band and it really encouraged our writing. I can't say it's some of our best work because we've written a ton of songs since, but it's definitely up there. I also remember Paul (guitarist for The Ataris) coming in and John introducing him saying "yeah, he's in this band you might know, The Ataris" and us being like "oh cool" until he left the room and we were like "WHAT? WE'RE WORKING WITH A MEMBER OF THE ATARIS?!" It was really awesome. We had a blast working with those guys, it was like a dream.
Ryan: Who did the artwork for your album?
A real great guy named Justin Ryan (http://www.justinryan.org) did not only our album work but our website (http://www.adrastosrock.com). He’s a really talented guy and I highly recommend him. He's designing a tattoo for me right now too.
Ryan: Are there any plans for an LP, and are there any chances of this being released on a label?
We've got a lot of material and we'd love to get back in the studio and record it but right now we don't have the time or the money to do it. In terms of labels, we've talked to a few but we haven't made any decisions. I'd love for the EP to be released by a label and I'd love to put out an LP too, but we can't do it right now.
Ryan: You guys as of now are unsigned. How does it feel for your EP to be given such high scores from sites like Absolutepunk and Breed Different Media?
Honestly, when we got those reviews I was really surprised. I don't usually care for reviews because, as Connor Oberst put it, "I do not read the reviews / No, I am not singing for you" but it was really encouraging to have such great feedback right away. Also, those reviews really helped us gain some ground in the industry because people were now more willing to give us a listen. It was really flattering and encouraging.
Ryan: Being an unsigned band, it is definitely harder to get your music out to people. How do you go about promoting your band?
It's really tough. The internet is a really valuable tool and has really helped us. Also, being in college, we've advertised a lot on campus and we just recently played a show here so the word is out here. Playing shows is obviously one of the best and most organic ways to promote your band, so we've been trying to play as much as we can, and so far it's really helped. Through that, we've made a lot of friends along the way who have given us shout outs and helped us get the word out. I think we're on XM radio too.
Ryan: What are some of your goals as not only a band but a musician?
As a musician I just want to keep writing genuine music. I want to keep writing music that's very real and tangible to me, and if other people like it, then that's fine, and if they don't, then that's fine too. I've always strove to write really honest lyrics that mean a lot to me and accurately portray my take on life. It's self expression and it's my art and I'm going to keep making it as long as I'm feeling and living.
Ryan: Are you happy with the current situation the band is in?
Absolutely. A little stressful, but it's fun; I love challenge. No regrets thus far.
Ryan: If you could sign to any indie label right now, who would it be?
Haha, I don't know. I think Dog House is a really cool label and it's got a lot of my favorite bands on it. Do I think that is at all realistic? Hell no. But that would be fun. Saddle Creek would be awesome too, but I don't think we'd fit in on their roster. They've got some geniuses though. Same with Team Love.
Ryan: Anything that I missed or you want to tell the readers and fans?
Thanks so much for the time and questions, and we hope you enjoy our music. We're working on a tour for this summer and the EP arrives any day now, so stay tuned and we hope to see you all at a show. Don't take your ear off our music too, because we write and rewrite more than any band I know hahaha. Thanks so much Ryan and AP.Net!