Exclusive: Still Rings True Interview

Still Rings True recently released their second full-length album, entitled Tear Down The Walls, through Third Time Lucky Rekords. In support of the record, we brought you a pre-release album review and an exclusive track-by-track guide. The band is currently on tour with Broadside and have answered a few questions for us regarding the record release, the band's message, and everything else in between.

Can you start off by introducing yourself?

Josh: I'm Josh, I play guitar and sing in Still Rings True.

Your new full-length, Tear Down The Walls, was only just released on the 10th of June - what has the reception to the album been like so far?

Josh: It's been absolutely amazing man. Nothing but good words from everyone we know, and kids seem to be really stoked on it. Things are looking very good right now for us, and we're so happy and excited to keep it moving.

There was also a release show held at The Dungeon in Watertown, NY supported by Atlas, Broadside, Landslide Victory, and The Heisman Hopefuls - what was the turnout for this like?

Josh: As with every time we play home, the turnout was fucking amazing, and kids went straight ape shit. We had a blast, and it was an awesome way to kick off this tour.

Speaking of, you guys have just embarked on your Eastern tour with Broadside - how've you been enjoying this so far? Any stories to tell, yet?

Josh: The tour's been going awesome so far, shows have been bigger, kids have been super supportive, and we've been getting a lot of records out there, which is all awesome. We're only 4 or 5 days in to a 25 day run right now, so thankfully, no crazy stories yet hahaha. I'm confident that within a week or two that tale will change..

There are a number of differences and similarities between Tear Down The Walls and your first full-length, I Wouldn't Call This Living. How did writing and recording both albums compare to one another?

Josh: We recorded both records with Matt Corey of Sidetracked Studios right at home in Watertown. When we wrote I Wouldn't Call This Living we were definitely more in to putting out just a super fast super heavy sounding Melodic Punk Rock kind of record. In the end, it definitely came out amazing, and we toured on that for a while before we wrote new music. With this new record, we've just grown a little, and we realized that we don't feel like the music from that earlier stuff matched the vibe of the lyrics and the message we were trying to get across. We've watched as Pop Punk has kind of been consumed with mediocrity, and it seems like these days bands only desire to sound like what's successful at the moment. No one's reaching for anything new anymore. Needless to say, we really wanted to get away from Pop Punk and create our own space as a band. When we set out to write the new record, we decided to just fully let go of what we were expected to sound like as a band in this scene, and really just write the music we wanted to play and hear. This new record is the sound we want to define our band with, and we're extremely proud of how it came out and the response it's been getting.

You guys got together with our friends over at Third Time Lucky Rekords in between your first full-length and the Anger Is A Gift EP - how did this come about and how much has it benefited the band in general?

Josh: The dudes at TTLR are the most supportive, real, sincere and committed people I have ever met in my life. They completely changed what it is to be in this band for us, and I couldn't imagine working with any other label. These dudes are straight revolutionary in their approach to this 'business' and they don't give a fuck about what other places are doing, they completely stand alone. We're backed super hard, supported super hard, and not only are they there for us as a band, they're there for us as people. Friendship at its realest man, it doesn't get any better than that.

Josh, your lyrics are very deep in a socially conscious manner, what would you say fuels your passion for writing the music you do?

Josh: I write and play music as a way to say the things that I feel I have to say. The way we live on this planet is killing it. We have no regard for each other as human beings. Capitalism has turned everything we know in to a commodity. Knowing this shit keeps me in a constant state of anxiety/anger/sadness, and this music and this band is not only a way of venting those feelings, but also an attempt at creating meaningful change with the people we come in contact with every day.

How do your fans generally react to your music? Have you ever received any negative feedback?

Josh: 99% of the time, we get nothing but love and support. We've never really had any negative feedback in terms of people responding to what we're saying, but I mean, we've definitely had instances where people just weren't in to our band. That's part of this though, and it's something you have to understand: this music isn't for everyone. You kinda just have to take it person by person and try to make this biggest impact you can every chance you get. On the other end of the spectrum, and especially recently, we've had a lot of people reaching out to us, telling us how much a song or a lyric has affected them, or opened their eyes to things they didn't really think about previously. When I hear shit like that, I know I'm doing my job.

In the past you've mentioned your dissatisfaction with certain aspects of the posi movement attitude - do you believe ignorance is bliss?

Josh: Man, when I read that question I just wanted to give you a big high-five haha. Perfect way of describing how we feel about that particular mindset. Ignorance is definitely not bliss, and that's really our whole problem with this little movement... It just seems so fucked up to acknowledge that yes, the world is fucked up, yes, we're all sad and unhappy, but hey, we've got our friends, so fuck it! It's all good! That's just such a defeated way of looking at things, almost a kind of laziness in failing to act on things that you see wrong in the world around you. We don't need to be ignoring this shit, we need to be facing it down and acting on it. We are young, and we can create change. It's not an opinion, it's a matter of truth. Until we realize that, we're just going to keep repeating the mistakes of every generation before us.

If you could change one thing with today's local/DIY music scene, what would it be?

Josh: If I could snap my fingers and change one thing in this scene, it would be to get rid of all the wonder-weeks and para-less out there in this scene these days. It seems like at this point, the only people are really pushing for right now is conformity and mediocrity, and it's just sad to see a music and scene that spawned rebellion and individuality kind of grow in to this super exclusive, super watered down kind of place. There's way too many bands trying to sound like the bigger bands in the scene, and it's just sad. It's getting to the point now where it seems like most kids just don't even know that there's more out there. We definitely need a new sound, and a new wave of bands to come through and stir shit up a little bit.

Great play on words there, nicely said.

Who've been some of your favourite bands to play shows with?

Josh: I really love playing shows with our boys in Atlas, they're from our hometown and they're our buds. Lie Captive is gnarly, and those dudes are super good friends of ours too. Another amazing band I always love playing with is Alive and Well out of Burlington, Vermont. Gnarliest Melodic Hardcore band out there right now, and mark my words, you'll be hearing of these dudes real soon...

To end on a light note, how 'bout a joke?

Josh: America is a democracy.

Badum-tish!

Thanks for your time, man, would you like to add anything else?

Josh: Just wanna say thanks for checking us out and supporting us, and to everyone reading, hit us up this summer and come out to a show, we're out all summer long with some really amazing bands. You can pick up all our records on iTunes, Big Cartel, and through our label's site. Stay up, we'll see you on the road..

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