interview with SACRED 13

What´s the name of your band? SACRED 13
What made you call the band "SACRED 13"? It symbolizes a new begining to us. Some Ancient cultures calendars were based on 13. So for us it is a sacred number because for most people 13 is unlucky, and while we have had our fair share of bad luck, we keep pushing forward.
How was the band formed? Josh and I are cousins and started taking guitar lessons and it just progressed from there.
Can you tell about your band? SACRED 13 is a 3 piece metal band from Edinboro, Pennsylvania. We have branded our style of music "Beard Metal", a blend of pure metal with an emphasis on musicianship and high energy performances.
Where are all band members from?/Who does what in the band?
We are all from Edinboro [PA, United States].
Josh Karickhoff- Lead Vocals, Guitar
Gus Ward-Bass, Vocals
John Karickhoff-Drums
What was the ambitions of the band when you started? To play the music we wanted our way, to as many people as possible.
Could you explain your music to someone that haven't heard you? I think metal music is a universal language, but just like language, people have their own accents/styles. Our style is heavy, yet melodic. We try not to let trends, or other outside things influence what we do.
Where was your first gig? At an amphitheater in Erie, Pennsylvania. It was for a festival with a lot of bands. The show had a large crowd, and it was crazy playing our first show to a lot of people! It went well and we were hooked!
Where was the latest gig? At a large regional metal festival called Metal Massacre. It was an incredible show with an amazing crowd!
Who writes your songs?/Who writes the music who writes lyrics? Josh and I (Gus) do the writing of the music and lyrics.
Who has the best since of humor in the band? I think we all have a good sense of humor and enjoy a good time.
What are your songs about? Our songs are about all kinds of things. I think we write songs based on our own experiences, and things we see in the world that we want to talk about.
Do you write your own material or mainly covers? We write our own songs, but at shows we always do a cover of some of our favorite songs as tributes to bands we like.
Have you made any albums?/If yes what are they?
Yes we have four albums:
Remanence (debut album)
Tattered Memories
Jagged Regrets
Black Days Behind Us (latest release)
Do you have any clips on YouTube? Yes! You can find us by searching for Sacred 13 on youtube! Our page is- sacred13band
How old are you?/What got you started in music? I am 25. I started taking guitar lessons, and when i switched to bass everything just clicked!
At what age did you start playing? I was 11 when I started.
What year was the band started? Josh and I started playing shows in 2002.
Best/worst gig you've played? I would say our best shows had to be on tour when we were direct support for Alice Cooper! As far as worst, I don't think we have had a "worst" Shows are a blast!
What places will you be playing in in the imitate future? At the moment we are in the studio, but we do have some upcoming shows in about a month. They can be found on our website; www.sacred13.com
Is it always the same songs live? No, we change our sets around every few shows. We have a core group of fan favorites/singles, but we try to mix it up.
What are the plans for the rest of the year? Write new songs and play some shows so we don't get tired of being stuck in the studio!
Where do you usually play? All over. We mainly are touring the eastern U.S.
How do you get psyched up for a gig? There is just such a charge you get playing for a crowd. Our fans are amazing and really we just feed of their energy.
What are your goals with your music? To continue to grow and play the music we love.
When did you decide to go all in for the music? I honestly think since day one. We wanted to be good at what we do and you have to commit to it.
Is it easier to get your inspiration from older bands or from bands more modern? I think both, it is all in what the individual likes. For me, I listen to all kinds of music so I draw from everything.
What are your sources of inspiration? Life, the experiences we have are the things I draw from when I write.
What's the first step when making a new song? For me, I am usually just messing around on my bass, then I play something I like and try to expand on it. Once I have a general outline I go from there, adding the rest.
How do you feel about the downloading of music instead of buying albums? Well legal downloading is definitely convenient! However for some people I guess the artwork and the physical copy is really cool to have. I usually just buy albums and download them so I can listen to them on the go.
What would be your dreams for the band? To be able to travel all over the world playing our music for fans.
Besides your own music, what genres and bands do you listen to? I really do listen to all kinds of stuff. Mostly metal and rock, but there is stuff from all styles I like.
What do you hold most dear? Being true to one's self.
What would be your greatest fears for the future? Not being able to play shows!
When you are on stage, what do you fear most then? Falling on something! 
Have you been part of any other projects? Josh and I are in an acoustic side project we do for fun called The HighLife.
What would you do if there was no music? I really can't imagine a world without music.
How important are your fans? Fans are everything, period! Without them we are nothing.
What's the funniest/most memorable thing a fan has done for you? We have had people give us some awesome gifts that they spent a lot of time / money on and it is really awesome!
How often do you rehearse? Depends on our tour schedule. But usually once a week.
Where do you rehearse? We have our own studio where we record our albums and rehearse.
Name 2 of your own songs you like at the moment? Whisper In The Wind and Black Days.
What do you feel is the best live band you've seen? Metallica, Lamb of God, Dream Theater, and Fear Factory are tied! 
What drives a band that isn't all that famous and renowned to try to make a living on their music and to keep playing? I think the fans and the awesome feeling you get on stage.
Do you have any webpages?
www.sacred13.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/SACRED-13/208979212825
http://www.reverbnation.com/sacred13
http://www.twitter.com/sacred13band
http://www.youtube.com/sacred13band
http://www.instagram.com/sacred13official
http://www.myspace.com/sacred13band
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sacred-13/48/2b3/359
Any pearls of wisdom for all other bands out there? Be ready to go through a lot of hardships and struggles, but always remain true to who you are.
Describe your show, visually and musically We try to make it a high energy show, and get the crowd involved.
How do you view the music industry of today? It is kind of a mess honestly. I think the best thing a band can do is be its own everything. Create a model that works for you and stick to it.
What advice would you like to give other bands? Play the music you love, because at the end of the day it is all that you have.
What are the biggest obstacles for a band? I think the economy right now is not conducive to what we do. Entertainment is not a need so it suffers in hard times. Also, there are so many choices out there, breaking through and standing out can be difficult.
Tell us about upcomming gigs and why we should be at them? We have our shows listed on our sites, but our next show is at Basement Transmissions in Erie, Pa! You should be at them to have a good time with us!
How would you describe your sound in one sentence? Heavy and intense, with melodic parts to add contrast.
Whats your Pre-show ritual?Get into the right headspace. Usually just find my own little corner and take a minute and get mentally ready. Also stretching and warming up.

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