Interviews: Die Tired

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Rock band Die Tired from the USA. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name? Did you plan it, or did it just come out like that?

Jim Lee: The adage of Die Tired originates from the Marines, as well, and it suggests that fleeing a difficult situation will not save you, but rather exhaust you before the inevitable outcome. Bassist Jim says, “There was a point in time where Matt and I couldn’t come up with a band name at all. I started thinking back to my military experience, and we thought of Die Tired.”

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Matt Orlando: We all love the power of rock music and its ability to connect and unite audiences. We love the dynamics, a big guitar riff, and sharing the emotion with our fans on and off the stage. Our sound is also a combination of all our musical influences. Of course, we want to play and strive to keep pushing the boundaries of what our favorite musicians started.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

My name is Matt DeAngelis, and I am the guitarist/vocalist for Die Tired. Our project first started with the bassist (Jim Lee) and me working together in a previous band. When that project dissolved, we continued to write, play shows, and work on our craft. Once we started to find a groove, our trio knew we needed to bring in a drummer. Believe it or not, I found Brandon on a local musicians group on Facebook, where he posted a video of himself playing a cover of a deep cut of the band The Used. I reached out to him, and the rest is history. Matt Orlando is the newest member of Die Tired. Matt joins the band as a multi-instrumentalist and backing vocalist whose talent elevates the band's live sound and beyond. Matt has vast experience in the Philadelphia music scene, where he and Matt DeAngelis had previously joined forces in the indie rock powerhouse Enter the Rooms. Matt's creativity and energy will help propel Die Tired to new heights. With Matt now on the team, it's another great day to Die Tired.

4. Each band member's favourite band?

Jim Lee: Pink Floyd, I think.

Matt Orlando: Cave In Brandon

Ballantyne: Silverchair

Matt DeAngelis: Alice in Chains

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Jim Lee: There's an itch that only writing music can scratch. Like a gym rat missing a workout, I'm not myself without writing and performing music.

6. Where was your last gig?

Matt DeAngelis: Die Tired recently played the Porch Fest Music Festival in West Reading, PA.

7. Where would you like to act?

Brandon Ballantyne: Rock in Rio in Brazil. We are still dying to get to Brazil and play shows for our fans.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Matt Orlando: Jerry Cantrell, Alice in Chains, Thrice, Jimmy Eat World, Wilco, and Incubus.

9. Whom not?

Brandon Ballantyne: We will share the stage with anyone. We have even been featured on festival lineups with major mainstream pop-rock acts such as Phillip Phillips and Lukas Graham.

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

Matt DeAngelis: I look at this potential anxiety as energy. That nervous feeling you get before hitting the stage could get in your way. But, with a mindset like "I can use this energy to fuel me," you can turn that from a potential negative to a driving force to make sure you nail the performance.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Matt DeAngelis: Alice In Chains, Cave In, Megadeth, Tool, Deftones, and, most recently, Karnivool.

Matt Orlando: NIN, QOTSA, Deftones

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Matt DeAngelis: To give them a ride to the closest Sea World.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Die Tired: There is nothing better than sharing the music experience and interacting with fans. We will continue to push ourselves to write the best music we can and put on the best live shows for you. We can’t make this all happen without the fans.

14. What do you think of our site?

Die Tired: Breathing the Core is an exceptional publication that offers a wide range of visibility for emerging artists and focuses on the most important aspect of broadening the reach of music, which is the delivery of content in the most creative, epic, and groundbreaking way. Breathing to the Core also offers continuous support to help them gain exposure and reach new fans. The site's dedication to shining the spotlight on bands and giving them a chance to be heard is outstanding.

15. Something to add?

Brandon Ballantyne: Die Tired is a rock band built on resilience. Our mission is to use music as a force for mental health awareness and emotional recovery, creating a space where truth, struggle, and hope collide. We believe in the beauty of imperfection, the power of connection, and the courage to keep pushing forward. Because life’s meant to be lived spontaneously, free, to the fullest, and relentlessly until you die tired knowing that there were no regrets and no potential left unseen.

Support independent metal journalism — Visit the official BTC store