Interviews: The Rift

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Hard Rock/Metal band The Rift 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?

The band name The Rift came to me when I was listening to an old Disturbed record. It wasn't actually a lyric in the song, but just something about the song Stricken made me think of The Rift & I thought it'd be a cool name for a band. Nothing crazy, but it seems to have stuck for some reason

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Rock & metal have had me hooked since I was a kid. I grew up in a household where classic rock was played constantly. To me, there's nothing like the energy of a rock concert & that you get from being a part of it. It's one of the best feelings in the world; big show, small show doesn't matter. We had backstage passes when I was a kid to Deep Purple & Dio, man, after that, that was it.

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

Originally, my brother started playing in bands, drumming for punk bands mostly. After that, I picked up a guitar & started to try & figure it out. The band has gone through many incarnations & versions over the years. We didn't play out a heck of a lot due to lineup issues. The last two years or so, we've stumbled onto a great thing with Janaway, our bass player, who is flat out incredible & a heck of a drummer in Garrett McGaugh.

4. Each band member's favourite band?

This is always impossible to answer lol there are too many! Metallica, System of a Down, Muse, In Flames, Trivium, Iron Maiden, Dio, Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, Rise Against are all up there for sure!

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

I take inspiration from different things sometimes something happens in my own life, or the state of the world, or a killer new song I hear That gives me an idea. I'm always striving for the challenge of writing that perfect song, or at least getting a song as close to that level as I feel it can be. That's what I love about songwriting and playing no rules, anything's possible, & sometimes you just need to make your own rock & roll revolution

6. Where was your last gig?

Our last show was at the Anthology IO Short Film Festival in Hollywood at the Old Kodak Theater. Was a great evening

7. Where would you like to act?

Never did much acting before, but I imagine being on SNL would be pretty crazy. I used to try & think up sketch ideas for that Farley was the best.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

I feel fortunate to have had some great features with the likes of some of my colleagues, Sam Bam Koltun did the solo on Skeleton's Key & is a friend from my M.I. days, & recently we had Chaz Leon (Kings of Thrash, Ex Megadeth) on guest vocals on our track Lightning. There's a new generation of rock and metal that's killing it out there; those guys are definitely a part of it. If I could do a feature with Tom Morello that'd be rad, he's still one of the most unique players, I think.

9. Whom not?

At our last show, someone asked if we knew any Sade. I said we knew her music, of course, but we're the wrong band for you if that's your favorite artist lol. She's great, but ya can't see us meshing musically,  so there you go.

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

Ya sometimes it can get to you, or if someone says this person is here to watch you, that can add a level of pressure. It's taken me years to get through that, but I think once you start playing, you start to relax and lose yourself in the show.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Been on a Queens of the Stone Age bender lately, but that is also a changing question. I think the biggest impact in my early days was getting Ride the Lightning by Metallica, & later In Your Honor by the Foos. Those had a big impact on my writing.

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

Don't know if I would call the guy a fan, but one of the weirdest comments I got after a show one time was that I was "No Eddie Vedder" haha keep in mind I love Pearl Jam, but we don't cover any Pearl Jam.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Anyone who has given us a listen & supported us, I truly appreciate & all are welcome. This is a hard road to pursue, so when someone tells me they loved one of our songs or seeing us live, it's inspiring & means a lot! We recently got a show request in Hawaii, which I wish we could get out to do, but pretty tough at the moment! So if you happen to be the one reading this who requested us to play there, thank you & hopefully we'll get out there. Keep on rocking, Rifters!

14. What do you think of our site?

Breathing the core is rad, thank you for having a voice for the rock & metal community, these spaces are too few, so keep up the great work

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