Artist Interview: 1-on-1 with Ironsides

It is rare to find a band who brings light to the meaning of talent. But the band that I am sitting with today does that and then some. Not only do they look and sound like they need to be on center stage at Warped Tour, but they also sound like they belong on the radio and on your iPod. These guys are from Indianapolis, Indiana and I cannot believe that it took me this long to find out about them. They scream here and there, which I usually do not like, but it is so well done that it is hard not to fall in love with it. Their lyrics are very educated and as far as I can tell come from real life situations. Sit back, relax, and get to know the guys in Ironsides.

Where did you guys all meet?

Guitar Center, Facebook, and theft of a guitar player from another band.

How long have you been playing together?

Oh…almost two years.

I am digging the MySpace page. Who designed that?

Mister Lawrence Rosinko.

Speaking of MySpace, what are your thoughts on the service?

Yes?  We love our fans, and love that they can love us via MySpace.

Are you guys on Twitter?

Josh and Robby are both on Twitter and would love to be followed, @josh9288 and @veryelaborate, respectively.  Nic has one as well but Josh and I are the only ones with the password. (Laughs)

Where did you come up with that band name?

The name of the band before was The Last Word and then Robby joined, we wrote all new music and decided that we needed a new band name.  Things were tossed around for a while and then Robby chimes in with “Hey guess what, we are called Ironsides now.”

Who is the ringleader of the band?

Well that is a bit complicated; we split it up.  Nic handles the money, Josh handles the MySpace and all that, and Robby is just…kinda…weird.

Describe your genre in one word.

Ambibrutal.

Where do you guys practice?

Casa De Ironsides, up in Carmel.  Want to hang out later?

Do you have a favorite venue?

We love any venue full of people.

Do you guys have jobs outside of music?

Indeed we do.  Nic is your friendly neighborhood Jimmy John’s driver, Josh is getting pretty good at getting fired, Robby is on welfare, Butters is in high school, and Zek cleans windows.

Who is doing all of that screaming?

That would be Josh.

Who has the most tattoos?

Robby, with four…we need more tattoos.

Tell me about White Horse Entertainment.

White Horse Entertainment is run by our good buddy Joshua “Lego” Lohrman.  He is everywhere, at every show, and sometimes he is on our couch when we come home eating Cheetos.

What are you drinking on stage?

Water, Gatorade, Monster Energy Drinks, and sometimes coffee.

What is the biggest crowd you have ever played for?

Cornerstone for sure.

The smallest?

Here is a story for you:  Josh and Robby were commissioned a while back to do a one off acoustic show at a café in Illinois.  No one showed up and we played to the guy that owned the place and his wife.  Until she left, and then he got a phone call.  We ended up playing to a 100% empty room.

If you could tour with anyone in the market right now who would you guys pick?

Oh Sleeper.  Love those guys.  Cool dudes.

You have a very Warped Tour style of sound. Have you ever thought about trying to get on any of those dates?

We have tossed the idea around; maybe next year.

Do you guys play outside of Indianapolis a lot?

As much as possible.  We hit Illinois a lot.  They seem to like us there.

If you could live anywhere else in the world where would you go?

Canada! They give bands government money!

How did you guys react to the passing of the King of Pop?

Consequently we received news of his passing while we were on our way to the acoustic show mentioned in a previous question.  We like to think that his spirit filled the empty room as we dedicated that show to him.

Where can I get some of your merchandise?

Come to a show! We want to see your faces.

Who does all the songwriting?

Most of that falls on Josh.  He brings a song idea, everyone plays around, with it, bada bing bada boom, Ironsides.

PC or a Mac?

Mac.

Who are some of your biggest inspirations?

Willie Nelson, Our Army of K-9s, and Hannah Montana.

If you could only play one song for the rest of your life, which song would you choose?

The Finisher by Oh Sleeper.  We are listening to it right now.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

On the road,  assuming Robby lives that long.  He does foolish things like picking fights with bears and jungle cats.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

That we made good music.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

Pewp.