|
| Back to Press Archive |
Publication: AbsolutePunk.net
Date: August 29, 2006
Title: Meg & Dia
Author: Brandon Herbel
Original URL: http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=167092
I just wanted to thank Meg and Dia for taking the time to answer these questions
Meg's Answers:
First off, give us a little background on the band and tell us what you do in the band?
Meg and Dia has been a band now for two years. We are based out of Salt Lake city. We signed to Doghouse Records last October.There are currently four members, (soon to add a fifth). I'm 21, Dia's 18. Nick and Kenji are 22 and 21, respectively. I play guitar, sing back-up vocals, and am the main songwriter.
You are out on Warped Tour right now with the Myspace tent. How did you guys go about getting that spot?
On our myspace page there was a viris and Tom (the official myspace Tom) was going to shut down our page but he liked the music. That's how he came to find our band. I believe that it was between us and one other band for the myspace tent spot and luckily we got it.
Have you seen any changes in the amount of fans now that you are hitting so many people a day?
Slightly. It's noticable but nothing extraordinary.
What have been some of your most memorable parts of the Warped tour?
I enjoyed hanging out at the barbeques and parties every night and having conversations with other bands. It was awesome to get some feedback on their carreers and asking them questions I had about music as a whole. I loved having an all access pass and being able to watch whoever I wanted from back stage. It was amazing to see bands like Underoath, From First to Last, and Thursday so up close and personal. They had so much energy radiating off the stage.
"Something Real" comes out in stores here in a few weeks. Are you guys excited to finally have all this hard work pay off?
I'm so excited to finally have a record out. It's amazing to have people listen to it and give us their thoughts and insight on our music and what we are trying to do. I feel a connection with people I never knew existed and I feel like, now that I have my own stage, perhaps I can finally get through and sing what I believe needs to be spread.
How long have you guys actually been done with the recording and everything?
About 6 months.
I know that you had released an EP before this. Did you use any of those songs on the full-length?
Yes, Monster and Indiana are both on the full-length
Did the band write any of the songs in the studio or did you have them all ready to go before you went in to record?
I wouldn't say "ready to go" but the basic concepts, lyrics, and melodies were all there before we went into the studio.
Can you name of some influences that you had while writting this album?
Well, as odd as this sounds I don't get my influences from bands or artists.
I get them from books. John Steinbeck and George Sands are some examples that helped to shape this album. What I try to express after reading their work shapes the melody, rhythm, and overall feel of every song.
What can we expect to see out of the band in the next year?
Hopefully you can expect to see...US a lot in person because we'll be on the road so much. Expect to see a lot of dedication to our album from us by spreading our music to as many listeners as we can.
Is there a specific female vocalist that you two sisters really enjoy?
I love Joni Mitchell for her honesty. I also feel it is important in music to try to capture the spirit of the time you are living in. She did a beautiful job of painting a picture of her time period she belonged to.
Does the band have a rule that always applies on the bus?
We don't have a bus. We have our trusty van to see us through each tour. Dia is only allowed to do vocal warm-ups for no more than half an hour. No talking on the phone past 2 A.M. and the driver gets to pick the tunes.
What are a few things that you would like to say to all your friends, family, and fans right now if you could say anything?
I would say: I'm doing my best right now in this crazy crazy whirl pool. I haven't ever just taken anything for face value which is why my beliefs might seem so strange to you. I'm not just going to believe tradition. Being around for forever is in no way a form of validity. All I have is my logic and my reason which isn't much. Sometimes I'm afraid to trust in my reason because I haven't tested out and it leaves completely alone but I believe it is all any human being has. I am so thankful to be doing what I do and being able to play music. Being able to walk this path is an outlet for self-discovery. It allows me to answer all my questions. And as the answers are close to being unraveled the questions change but I'm getting closer.
Please bear with me and I promise to make some completely honest music.
When did you all realize that you wanted to play music?
When I was 16. I was a late bloomer
Did you know from the first practice that you had something special?
In a way. Although we were really bad of course. I felt something inside and that was enough.
Dia's Answers:
Can you name of some influences that you had while writting this album?
Some of the influences I had mostly came from books. I read a lot while in the studio, as well as on tour, or just about anywhere, and I pick up so many ideas and inspiration from my favorite books and authors. Lately, I've been reading a lot of Hemingway and Salinger.
What can we expect to see out of the band in the next year?
In the next year, hopefully a lot of shows on the road, as well as new recordings as the end of the year hits. I already feel like I've grown a lot musically since our last recording, that I can't wait to keep living, observing, and travelling, and put all my ideas, once again to paper.
Is there a specific female vocalist that you two sisters really enjoy?
No. Not really. I personally don't like female vocalists. However, we both respect and enjoy Tori Amos very much for her talent and music. Bjork is an obvious amazement as well.
Does the band have a rule that always applies on the bus?
Keep clean and eat your own food.
When did you all realize that you wanted to play music?
At a very early age actually. I never wanted to do anything else.......I think it was when I first heard some early Connie Francis and "The Supremes" material that I got really excited on the idea of singing for others and not just myself.
Did you know from the first practice that you had something special?
No way. The first practice as all our "first Practices" sounded horrid. It was more of a, "It's not that bad...keep on trucking," type deal.
you are always out on the road. The band has to have atleast one story that you guys always talk about. What is it? One story we always talk about?
Uhm, we don't really have stories, but we have topics I guess we like to discuss a lot. We are not your average band that goes on the road talking about hooking up with chicks/guys, or how drunk we got the night before. We don't really indulge in the average tour life for the most part and don't really plan too. We discuss religion a lot, which turns out to be, as always a pretty open minded debate considering the fact that all four of us remain agnostic. We like to talk about different musicians, styles and history of music as well as lovely people we miss on the road every day. It's always fun to get out a laptop too and search for the worst reviews on us. It's entertaining on the long drives to the next city....... |
Back to Press Archive |
|
Info
