We're very excited to bring you an exclusive interview and stream for Rust Belt Lights' Haters Get Hated, in anticipation of their upcoming tour. Sponsored by Vitamin Water, the band will be heading out on The Walmart Super Centaur tour, as of tomorrow with The Tired And True and Legend Has It. The song is featured on the band's new split, with I Call Fives, which can be purchased on Broken Rim Records' webstore.
Firstly, let's start off by introducing yourself and your role in Rust Belt Lights.
Tom: Hey, my name is Tom and I play guitar!
So back in April the band released a split EP with I Call Fives on Broken Rim - since then, what kind of reception have you received for the songs?
Tom: I think the feedback has been good so far. The songs are both really fast and energetic, so I think they translate really well live and are a great sample of what we are all about.
Have you guys written or recorded any new material, and are there any plans for a future release yet?
Tom: We literally just started writing again this month. We have gone through a member change recently and it took some time to get back up to speed and practised up for tour. We leave again in 2 days though, so we won't be really getting into it hard until this coming fall. I have no idea when we will release something new again, but it will definitely be next year.
The band also released These Are The Good Old Days last year on Paper + Plastic. I understand Vinnie approached you after Reed, of We Are The Union, showed him your EP - what's your relationship with the label been like since?
Tom: Well, These Are The Good Old Days came out last year and we still haven't received the vinyl for it yet and neither has anyone who pre-ordered it. I don't even know what the hold up is or why it isn't out yet because they don't really respond to our emails our phone calls. Other than that very small, minor issue, our relationship is great and we couldn't be happier! <3
The tour with The Tired And True and Legend Has It, covering the Eastern half of the country, is just around the corner - are you anticipating anything in particular for this tour?
Tom: This tour is going to be a lot of fun I think. We are going out with two good bands and the package has a good mix of styles I think. We are hitting up a lot of places we like to play, so I am just excited to play for old friends and make new ones. The goal for any band is to grow and get their music out to as many ears as they can and it is no different for us.
You'll also be playing this year's Punk'N Fest, in Watertown, with a list of other bands - how much are you looking forward to this? Do you have any plans yet for the break in between the tour and this?
Tom: Just want to keep working on the new songs in between and continue writing. We haven't been to Watertown in a while and it really ruled hard last time, so I can't wait to get back.
Rust Belt Lights' sound is very traditional, yet original in many ways - who would you say are your main influences when it comes to writing the music?
I think that our band is really influenced by the brand of Punk Rock that we grew up on from the late 90's and early 2000's when labels like Fat Wreck, Epitaph and maybe even Jade Tree were kind of running shit. I am sure people can hear modern influences in our music as well, but it is always the best compliment when someone tells us they remind of us of the music they grew up on or loved when they were younger. As for the younger kids now, I hope we can bring them a little taste of that as well.
In general, I find the band's music to be very heart-felt - what type of themes or subjects would you say the band's lyrics delve into?
Tom: I would say our songs mostly deal with the ups and downs of all different kinds of life relationships. We usually try and put a positive spin on it I think. You go through hard times, but so does everybody and you gotta try and remind yourself that it could always be worse. Surround yourself with the good things in life.. the ones that make you happy and the things that are fun and the things that you are passionate about. That's what you live for. I think we just write what we are feeling and when you write an honest piece of music, there are always going to be people who can relate.
Throughout the year, the band has remained quite active, playing countless shows. Have any specific dates or possible tour stories stood out for you?
Tom: Well, I could probably come up with all kinds of stories if I sat here long enough, but the first good one that comes to mind is when I was in a casino in Detroit last tour. I had never played roulette before and I wanted to give it a whirl. I didn't really know much about how it worked other than you could put money on black or red, because I thought that you were supposed to pick the color and a number and that you just won extra money if you hit the number, but if you got the right color you doubled up. (You really don't double up if you pick a number and don't hit it.) So I ignorantly put $20 down on 17 black with a 1/35 chance of not losing my $20... and guess what... that shit hit! I got a $700 payout and took everybody out for breakfast.
Haha, that's an awesome story!
Do you have any favourite songs to play live, or even listen to?
Tom: Haters Get Hated, the song we are streaming right now, is really tons of fun to play live. Short, fast and to the point with tons of energy.
What sort of artists would we find on your iPod at the moment? Do you have any recommendations you'd like to make?
Tom: I have tons of stuff on my iPod. Punk, Hardcore, Indie, 90's alt rock, Jazz, Hip Hop, female pop stars. There is a time and a place for everything I think. Recently, I have gotten pretty hard into Cavalcade by The Flatliners. That record is so good!
Thanks for your time, we appreciate it. Would you like to add anything else?
Tom: Not that I can think of. I think that just about about covers it. Thanks and nice chatting with you!
 Click here to view the full-sized image.09/07 - Clifton, NJ @ TBA 09/08 - Richmond, VA @ The Hospital 09/09 - Fredericksburg, VA @ TBA 09/10 - Greensboro, NC @ The Karate Dungeon 09/11 - Greenville, NC @ The Channel 09/12 - Jacksonville, FL @ Warehouse 88 09/13 - Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum 09/14 - Orlando, FL @ Hoops Tavern 09/15 - Cocoa, FL @ The 321 Local 09/16 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Here Today Gone Tomorrow 09/17 - San Antonio, TX @ The White Rabbit 09/18 - El Paso, TX @ TBA 09/19 - Midland, TX @ The Pine Box 09/20 - Tulsa, OK @ The Reverb 09/21 - Conway, AR @ Soundstage 09/22 - Decatur, AL @ Planet Avalon 09/23 - Cincinnati, OH @ The Back Lot 09/24 - Natrona Heights, PA @ The Roadhouse    |
