interview with Sons of Providence
How is it that you started playing music? I believe my bandmates both really started just before becoming teenagers in grade school band; though, possibly younger. I started at 5 years old. We had a piano in my home and my parents also forced me into the church youth choir. For anyone that gives us a listen, I've obviously diverged from those church days.
What are your names? / Who plays what? / How old are you?
Memphis Roarke (28) - Vocals, upright bass, piano, programming
Alex Bartnett (23) - Guitar, piano, programming
Zebulon Jessup (24) - Drums, percussion
Have you had other previous members? I've had one previous drummer and two previous guitarists; though the second, I think, ultimately became more of a stand-in while we searched for a more permanent member.
Did you make music even when you were young? Yes, as I stated, we all started relatively young. I think we all really started to get our hands dirty in the industry in high-school.
Where are you from? Sons of Providence is based in Phoenix, AZ, USA
What year did the band form? 2011
What's your style of genre? This has been hard to place ever since our inception. We really evolved from a gypsy punk/stoner metal mash-up to a more gothic/doom sound to our current sound which is really some mix of gothic, industrial, progressive metal. We essentially call our style Avant-Garde Metal, at this point, because we are always evolving in our sound.
What inspires you? Its a combination of personal feelings and experiences and my own world-views. It's certainly dark, but I think that's the way things really are if you aren't blind to the world around you. As far as the sound, our influences are all over the place and I think that comes through. I don't want us to sound like anybody else but I always don't want to force a sound. I feel that would ultimately come out unauthentic.
How often and where do you rehearse? Usually three to four times per week all together.
How have you developed since you started with the music? Aside from the sound progression as I mentioned a few questions back, I think our music has really matured and refined. And it will keep evolving. I think good art should. The final product might not always be what you wanted or even what you end up liking, but if you aren't trying to grow and to better your previous works... well how boring.
Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that? We would love a booking agency! Booking is one of my least favourite parts of running this band. Its all a matter of finding an agent or agency that sees our potential and is willing to work with us as we continue to build and spread our name.
Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that? We aren't opposed to a label, but that is an area where we would likely be more cautious. Labels don't exactly have the best reputations for treating artists right. Some labels, especially smaller, are certainly better about truly nurturing and supporting their acts, but at the same time with the industry like it is these days, it's something that must thoroughly be examined.
What value does any particular label bring to the band? How will they help, how will they treat you? Anybody can run a label, slap it on your work, and take a cut of profits from what you've created, so it's really important for us to know the partnership is in all ways mutually beneficial and won't leave us screwed over at the end of it all.
What made you decide to make this music? For me, there is no other reason to get out of bed every day. To do anything. It's the only thing that makes life, momentarily, a little less miserable. Particularly being on stage. Maybe my head is screwed up or maybe my eyes are just too open, but that's essentially how I feel.
What are your songs about? A lot of it is personal. Struggles, depression, suicide. Pondering what truly comes after death. Then there is the other side of it which involve issues with politics, religion, humanity (or the all-too-often lack-of).
Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? The lyrics I write. The music is an overall collective effort.
Do you start with the music or the lyrics? Each song is different. Sometimes I come up with partial lyrics or lyrics for an entire song and have at least the melody in my head. Sometimes we just openly jump and like something we stumble upon. Other times its a combination of simultaneously coming up with a riff and some lyrics.
Do you compose in a certain environment? We practice in the same space, always, but I don't think I would really say that's our creative environment. For me, my brain is always going. I come up with ideas in the most ridiculous places and times. I'm always rearranging our practice space, anyhow, because suddenly the set-up there bothers me.
Have you done any covers live? We covered "Astonishing Panorama of the End Times" by Marilyn Manson once. The song is a lot of fun to play and one of those kind of deeper cuts. We just got on to creating new music and recording our newest album immediately after that one show we played it, so we had our own fresh material to play and haven't really done it or any other cover again since.
What language do you sing in? English
What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs? Starting out, not counting the other bands and venue staff, I think 6? Haha. The biggest crowd we've played to so far was somewhere between 3,000- 3,500.
Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary? We definitely try to change up the sets. It depends on how we're feeling from show to show. It's important for us to be able to change things up so we don't get bored just as it is to change the show to keep return fans guessing and entertained.
Do you have a regular place you play live often? No.
What was your first gig like? The first gig ever was actually pretty good. A nice sized crowd and a decent stage. We were opening up for one of my friend's bands that was touring and already a bit bigger.
What was your latest gig? The latest gig was actually a big one for us. We were opening up for John 5 (formerly guitarist for Marilyn Manson, current guitarist for Rob Zombie) and Doyle (which featured members from The Misfits and Cancerslug).
Where have you played live this year? We've played all over just Arizona and California this year as we spent much of the year getting our new guitarist up to speed, writing new music, and recording the new album.
Where do you plan to gig the coming year? As many places as we can. We are actually routing a bit of a U.S. tour now.
When did you start to sell merchandise and what do you have for sale? We've had merchandise since show one in January of 2012. We have CD's, t-shirts, and stickers always. Currently, we also have some limited edition posters from a 2014 tour and a couple of busted-up autographed drum heads.
Where can people buy your merchandise? The best place, for those that can't currently catch us live, is here: https://sonsofprovidence.bandcamp.com/merch
What do you think of my work? I think it's great that you reach out to artist really trying to create something unique and make their way! It's probably harder now than it's ever been to make it in this business and people like you really help us out.
How do you think and know that this interview will help you in the music business? Hopefully, we reach some people that may never have discovered us. Fans and industry types alike. Even some other bands that we could fit with and work with down the road.
Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today? We really pull inspiration from such a vast span of music. I don't know that there is any one generation that has influenced us more than another.
What have been your biggest obstacles? Just getting noticed. Getting people to care. To give us a chance and try something new.
What advice would you give other bands or artists?
Be something unique. Don't be another imitator. And just keep pushing. This business is extremely volatile and a constant struggle, but you've got to keep pushing. This world needs a new Renaissance. I've been homeless and relied heavily on the kindness of strangers and those who saw how passionate I am a few times over the years, just so I could keep the music going.
How do you get psyched for a gig?
I really don't even think about it. The stage is my favourite place to be; especially when the sound is on-point and the crowd is feeling what we're doing.
Do you have any new material?
We do! We just put out a new mini-LP called "A Conscious End To Suffering" just a few weeks ago! I say "mini" because it's six songs; but it's also 40 minutes long. And we're already working on the next album, which I am planning to make eighteen tracks or more.
That new album is available to order or download here: https://sonsofprovidence.bandcamp.com/album/a-conscious-end-to-suffering
What are your web sites?
http://sonsofprovidence.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/SonsOfProvidence
http://www.youtube.com/user/SonsOfProvidence
https://www.instagram.com/sonsofprovidence/
https://twitter.com/SonsofProvidenc
How can people reach you?
It depends on what you need to reach us for. There are various emails here: http://www.sonsofprovidence.com/contact-us.html
Or you can always reach out to us on Facebook.
What are your plans for the future? More new music, new albums, hopefully some new music videos, and lots of ever expanding touring.
Do you have something to add? Thanks, again, for finding us and giving us the time of day! Let us know what you think about Sons of Providence. Love us, hate us, or anywhere in-between. Share us with your friends and your enemies!
Tack