The band that I am sitting with today actually was one I found on MySpace some time ago. I had sent out a message in hopes of scouting some new votes for my recent nomination as one of the top 50 blogs in the state of Indiana. These guys not only voted but also saw that I interviewed bands all over the world. No band goes without attention and after hearing them they deserve every ounce they get. These guys are screamers, that is for sure, but they add a dash of Warped Tour to the stage and some humor with some off the cuff covers. Sit with me today, as I am happy to introduce you to Arise.
Where did you come up with the name Arise?
Honestly, Ethan kind of just spit it out one day. We had been practicing for a few weeks and had countless ideas that just did not seem to fit us. So finally, we sat down after one of our practices and Ethan just said why don’t we use Arise. It was a huge transition for us, considering the trend is 2 word band names that get shortened into an acronym such as Attack Attack (AA). We have actually grown pretty fond of it though!
How long have you guys been performing?
As a band, still not even a full year. Individually, too many years to count. Ethan has been playing guitar since age 2, and started performing live in elementary school. Preston has been playing and performing for 4 or 5 years now. Cory is still the youngster but has the most confidence out of all of us on stage, he has only been performing for 2 years but has really taken to the stage. Tom the newest edition to the band has been playing drums for 11 years now I believe, as for myself (Will) I have been on the stage since age 13 doing vocals for various local bands!
What would you do if you were not performing?
Honestly, I think Preston would be doing the best out of all of us. He is really artistic, all though we are all so lazy its not even funny. Honestly, music is the one thing that we all are passionate about and it’s something we can connect with. I do not want to imagine myself not performing.
Do you guys have jobs outside of music?
Preston actually handles graphic design for a clothing company and Cory works for his father’s company. Tom has 2 jobs, one of which is being a kick ass employee at Giant Eagle! (Laughs) Ethan and myself are unemployed and on the search for work.
Any tattoos in the band?
We are all bare, for the moment! We all have piercings of sorts but no ink sadly.
Who is doing all of that screaming?
That’s me, Will! Cory’s vocals are featured on some of the old tracks before he made the transition from second vocalist to the bass. Although he still does some back up vocals for me live!
Does your voice ever get sore?
When we practice I am lucky to make it the full practice without my scream just dying out on me, however when we play live I feel like I can scream for days straight without stopping. The adrenaline kicks in and makes it all work so well.
Who writes all of the lyrics?
Me again! Although Cory, Ethan and Preston do help me revise my lyrics and make any changes to fit the music better.
Is there a ringleader in the band?
We all are on the same level for the most part. We assigned roles once we started making member changes to make sure everyone brought an even amount to the table to keep a balance.
Where do you guys get inspiration for a new song?
Life in general, we all lead such different lives, and for awhile we struggled to put it all together while maintaining familiarity on a song to song basis. But we finally reigned it all in and are starting to define our own sound!
What are your thoughts on MySpace?
Everybody in the band besides myself downplays how important MySpace can be for any up and coming artist. It’s the easiest method of reaching ALL types of people, at any time of the day without moving an inch to do so. It’s a beautiful thing, and we have been blessed to have such a great following on MySpace. Our fans are talkative, and more importantly supportive. Anytime we post bulletins, or blogs our friends respond almost immediately. MySpace was the biggest reason we got on our cities date for the PacTour Battle of The Bands. I cannot stress how important of a tool MySpace is for anybody trying to get themselves out there.
Are you on Twitter?
As a band, yes we are! @ariseoh
Individually we all are well, but those names can be found on our personal pages.
Do you guys have a favorite venue to play?
For sure, the Newport. It’s one of the best venue’s here in our native Columbus and the venue is nothing short of amazing. It has a really nice open raised up stage so we are always comfortable, and the crowd area is rather large as well, allowing a lot more people to watch then some of the other clubs we have played!
What is the largest crowd that you have ever played for?
Honestly, I would have to say Loganpalooza was our biggest turn out. I am unsure of how many people were there. Last I heard of ticket sales were past a thousand though, so somewhere in that range.
The smallest?
Definitely Springfield, Ohio. We got booked on a “huge festival” the turn out was nothing short of jaw dropping. We had maybe 20 kids standing watching us, we felt humiliated for the people who put the show on.
Who did that photo shoot with you guys I see all over MySpace?
Our friend Ethan Beazley. He is absolutely AMAZING!
Where are you guys all originally from?
I am from Florida and I still miss the heat! Preston is from Cleveland, just a bit north of us here in Columbus. Cory and Ethan are from Columbus, and Tom is from Upper Arlington.
If you could live anywhere else in the world where would you go?
We all agreed that anywhere that consistently stuck to the routine season would be nice. Ohio is an amazing place, but we have some rather odd weather which can be rather frustrating!
Do you guys have any plans on a nation wide tour this year?
We are really hoping to get out on the road, hopefully by this summer. But we have an EP in the works, and financing that will be our first priority.
Have you guys ever thought about playing on Warped Tour?
We hope to one day play every date on the main stage. As far as being voted on to the show, we will try our hand next year! Warped Tour is just an amazing experience even if you are not in a band.
How did you all react to the passing of Michael Jackson?
Very mixed reactions, but the major emotion was surprise. None of us really were following the recent news on him and just out of nowhere Ethan’s mom told all of us while we were practicing that he had passed. We seriously sat in front of the television for a solid 2 hours trying to figure it out.
Describe your genre in one word.
Progressive.
If you were told you only have a week to live how would you spend your last seven days?
Living exactly how we do now, like tomorrow is not a guaranteed. We all try to live life to the fullest, which is why we all probably click so well together. We are just trying to have some fun and make a difference in people’s lives.
Are you using a PC or a Mac?
Gah! I hate this question. I always get made fun of for having a PC! I AM BROKE! (Laughs) Preston, Ethan and Tom make up for me though by having Mac Book Pro’s though!
Do you ever forget the words when you are on stage?
Practice makes perfect. We focus on parts that any of us struggle with until it is just as solid as the recording. The live performance is just as important as the recording!
What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you during a show?
Our first show, Cory jumped up and somehow managed to lose his mic and it fell and hit him fairly hard on the head. We all laughed about it afterwords, but it was probably rather humiliating for him at the time.
Where do you see yourselves in five years?
Out on the road, with other bands that are doing the same thing as us. Playing music for anybody who will listen!
What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?
Honestly all we have ever wanted to do was travel this world, and see everything there is outside of Ohio. We write music as a way of expressing ourselves, and we want to play for everybody who has helped us along the way, whether it be kind words on our band MySpace, or for people out of our local area who have helped us get booked. We just want to play our music for the people who want to hear it, wherever they may be.
I always let the artist get the last word. Go.
Well thank you for the opportunity, and for choosing us for an interview. You have our continued support, and you have a friend in us forever. We also want to thank everybody who took the time to read this interview, not only for supporting us but for supporting the man who took the time to ask us all these questions. We have so much planned for the future, make sure to check out our MySpace for all of our other information! We love you all
