NYC band Ghosts of Eden are finally starting to materialize

(L to R) Benny (drums, keys, backing vocals), Tom (lead vocals, guitar),  Rich (lead guitars),  Miles (bass, backing vocals)

"Lead singer, Tom’s voice is absolutely strong and spine tingling." 

- Tim Louie, The Aquarian Weekly (Mar 16, 2011)

"Ghosts of Eden, a hard rocking combo...slicker than an oil spill..."
- Michael Musto, Sundance Channel (Jan 11, 2011)

"As of now Ghosts of Eden are unsigned, but I predict that it won't be long at all before the record label bidding wars begin."
- A Geek Girl, Blog Critics (Jun 19, 2010)

"Unable to suppress its taste for melody, Ghosts of Eden blends elements of hard-core punk with commercially minded heavy rock. The band hits hard as its songs build to anthemic crescendos..."
- JIM FUSILLI, Wall Street Journal (Oct 13, 2010)  

That is just some of the press Ghosts of Eden has been pumping out over the last year or so, and deservedly so. GoE exudes passion and seriousness through every one of their tracks. The quality of the recording, the catchiness of the songs, and the level of musicianship is fantastic and greatly appreciated.

Ghosts of Eden have been making the rounds throughout NYC playing bigger and bigger shows as the year has gone by. Now with their release of a new ep this July around the corner, they are looking to gain new fans in whatever way possible. So go ahead, take a listen, read what they have to say, because I guarantee you won't be disappointed!

Where'd the name Ghosts of Eden come from?

It comes from a presence we felt at our very first rehearsal studio. We weren't really sure if it was a good band name or not, but we needed one badly at the time and this worked. A lot of people seem to dig it though, so I guess it's not too bad after all!

Where do you draw your sound from? Describe "Velvet Grunge".

"Velvet Grunge" is a term one of our crew members came up with. We define it as "Grunge/Alternative Rock laced with a little bit of sexy, hints of hardcore, punk and metal." Many of our fans tell us we have a unique sound which is really flattering. We're really not trying to sound like anything nor are we trying to reinvent the wheel but it's nice to be recognized as having an original sound. We just try to write songs that we'd want to hear ourselves. We're definitely children of the 90s so we're pretty heavily influenced by the Alternative and Grunge scenes. However, there are a ton of other bands that we draw from too, like: The Cure, Dream Theater, Incubus, Genesis, Pixies, The Cars, Metallica, etc.

How did you all get together?

Well we were all in our own bands to begin with, but one day Rich and Dean, our old drummer got together and started this new project called The Ghost is Lost. Originally it was post-hardcore influenced with melodic vocals. They invited me [Tom] to come jam with them since they were both tone deaf and we eventually evolved into this "Dark Pop" sorta thing, like mellow Brand New. It definitely took a while to nail down our own sound and vision but in time we had it. We didn't think it would become anything serious until we started recording demos and sharing them with people. Everyone would tell us "Damn guys, this is really good." We knew it was good but didn't know what to do. Eventually we just decided to get a bass player and make it a real band. Dean knew Miles from playing in bands together in high school so he invited him over one day and eventually we stole him away from his metal band. After a year, we were in need of a new drummer and since Benny was good friends with Miles and familiar with our music, he stepped in as a stand-in because he was already playing guitar in No Change for Machines. Eventually he came on as full time and the rest was history! It's been true love ever since!

Describe the NYC music scene, and how do you fit in it?

It's a melting pot of sound. There are theatrical bands, pop bands, metal bands, bands with violins, emo bands, etc. You wouldn't think any of those would go together, but we're all pretty supportive of each other. I think Facebook also keeps everyone in tune with the goings on of each other. There is definitely a sense of community thanks to social media and people like Gotham Rocks and No Mercy Metal. How do we fit in? Good question. We definitely have a great rapport with the people in the scene. We try our best to support everyone and help build the community. We also try to pull in other bands who aren't a part of it yet. It's a great feeling knowing that you don't have to look far to find a group of like minded artists who you can just grab a beer with, catch a show or talk music.

What are the long term goals for the band, and what have you accomplished thus far?

I think the long term goal is to play in front of as many people as humanly possible. We want our music heard by everyone. We are very proud of the songs we have written and we want to grow our family of fans who feel the same way. When we play to 100 to 200 people, we can always hear everyone singing along to our songs. I think it would be amazing to hear 10 or 20,000 people singing along. I think we've accomplished a lot considering we have only been playing live for a year and a half. We've played sold out crowds at Gramercy Theatre and Highline Ballroom. We've also played Six Flags Great Adventure which was a blast. We also sold out of the first 1,000 copies of our first record, Ignorance and Lies. I think our fans can relate to our music and that's what we want to keep conveying moving forward.

Biggest rockstar moment/biggest failure?

Biggest rockstar moment was definitely playing for a sold out crowd at Gramercy Theatre. There were so many damn people. The adrenaline was insane and 30 minutes seemed to go by in 30 seconds. We can't wait to experience that again. I really don't think there are any failures if you're doing what you love. I think you can make mistakes but you should learn from them. We've played some horrible shows though where there were 5 people there. That kinda sucks, but we still go up there and play like it's the Garden regardless.

What's the coolest fan story you have?

Our fans are awesome, but hearing one of our fans say that our music saved her life has definitely got to be on top of the list. You do this stuff because it's your passion and you love to create and you love to hear back what it is that you made, but when you see someone's life actually moved by it, it's overwhelming. At first you shrug it off because you think "Seriously?" but then you think about the music that changed your life and the songs that you hung on to during tough times and you realize that it is possible. I think no matter what our future holds, we'll always be grateful for at least touching that one person's life.


Tell me a little about the new EP coming this summer?
In short: it's badass! We went in knowing what songs we wanted on it, and then we wrote a new song specifically for it and now that we're done recording we're pretty blown away hearing it all back and we haven't even began mixing or mastering yet. We knew the songs were good, but I think our fans are going to be very happy and I think we're going to make new fans because of it as well. It's definitely a bit heavier and more rocking than the first record. Also, I think there is more of a theme and the songwriting has more focus. People will definitely be able to relate more. However, you can still sing a long to all of the songs. That part of us will never go away. We like to write songs that we would want to hear. The choruses and guitars are bigger than the first record and I think that's going to stand out.

Are there any touring plans with this album?

Absolutely! We are in the middle of planning and scheduling our tour right now. We're probably only going to plan out July, August and September along the East coast, and then we have a few out of the box ideas for the fall which we hope work out the way we have planned. We're coming to a city near you though!

The EP is called, Ignorance and Lies, any story behind that?

We called our first record Ignorance and Lies for several reasons. First off, it comes from the lyrics in the song "Eliot Ness" but it certainly has its own meaning. It especially has its own personal meaning to each of us, but in short, we went into making this record after a short dark period with some people who thought they knew what was in our best interest as far as our career and our music goes. We didn't see eye to eye and we felt like they were misleading us and taking advantage of us. We felt that it was best to start from scratch and make our first record on our own; the way we wanted it to be; the way we knew it could sound. It was a risk and we lost quite a bit of money but the product we got far surpassed our expectations. To me Ignorance and Lies represents what we fought our way out of in order to get to where we are today.

Where do you guys hope to be in 5 years?

On a beach in Fiji, sipping Mojitos brainstorming the next record (laughs). But seriously, we just want to be able to be playing for more people. We want GoE to be a household name, relatively speaking. We want to be able to say we busted our ass to make our dreams come true and do what we love for a living.

Anything else you want to add?

We just want to thank you for taking the time to put this interview together with us. We appreciate the support. Stay tuned for our new record which comes out in July 2011!

http://www.ghostsofeden.com

http://www.facebook.com/GhostsofEden?sk=wall
http://www.reverbnation.com/ghostsofeden
http://www.twitter.com/GhostsofEden
http://www.myspace.com/ghostsofedenmusic
http://www.youtube.com/ghostsofedenmusic

The Full Cup and S.I. Welcome Jolly

Lineup for the night will include:
Betrayall - 7:15-7:45
Euphoria - 8:00-8:30
A Vegas Marriage - 8:45-9:15
MorningStarlett - 9:30-10:00
Four Nights Gone - 10:15-10:45
Process of Fusion - 11:00-11:30
Lenny Cerzosie of The Infinite Staircase (Front Stage) - 11:30-12:00JOLLY (InsideOut Records) - 12:00-1:00

Full Cup

388 Van Duzer Street

Staten Island, NY

After the bands are finished playing there will be a DJ keeping everyone entertained until 4AM!

Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door, so get them now!

You can get tickets in advance from the bands playing or online athttp://fullcuptickets.bigcartel.com/ . The tickets sold in advance will help determine the order of the performances, even if purchased online (as you can purchase a ticket for the individual acts online as well), so make sure to get your tickets soon!


Everyone come on out to the Full Cup to check out up and coming band Jolly, as they are making new waves with the release of their album The Audio Guide to Happiness Part 1. Check out there preview video below.



I'll be interviewing Jolly that night before their performance. For info on the band, their name is linked to their Facebook above.

The August Infinity Interview and Album preview of "To Whom it May Concern"

(L to R) Frank Grullon, Ian Pierce, Joshua Hawksley, Chris Moss, and Peter Strzelecki

Every once in awhile you hear a local band that you swear is famous or at least should be. The August Infinity is definitely a band on the verge of greatness. A.I. has been making the rounds through countless big shows in the NYC area and gaining ground and new fans in the local music scene. They are instantly grasping the ears of listeners who are itching for unique yet mainstream sounding pure adrenaline infused rock. Banking on the good reception of their first album, A.I. and their fans are anticipating the release of To Whom it May Concern this summer.


Getting a chance to preview the album was pretty special because of how good it was this early on. The record starts off strong with "Make You Crazy." The aggressive and catchy chorus resounds with "Fire Fire" and hits you with that same intensity. "So Long" turns down the amplitude a bit, but still carries plenty of weight with a strong chorus. Track 3, "Mother Mary" starts off with an instrumental punch and transitions into a climbing verse with yet again another solid chorus. This powerhouse song moves through until the end when it ends with an almost breakdown like scream. "Fever" is the song that is most flashy on the musical end. It boasts a few guitar solos through out the bridge and ending. The album ends with "Some Kind of Lullaby" which is aptly titled due to the soft nature of the song. It's refreshing to see the album come together like that. Up until this point the band smashed through your speakers, now they take a turn and show a lighter side. It proves that this upcoming band is very versatile and their sound works either way. 

The August Infinity will most certainly become a favorite on your iTunes playlist. They have mastered the art of the catchy choruses and added powerful instruments and just plain good songwriting to the formula. The August Infinity is going to be around for a long time, get to know them while their fairly local before they take off!


INTERVIEW


Where'd you guys get the name August Infinity?
The word august is more of a take on August with the emphasis over 'gust' which describes something or someone full of majesty or grandeur. We pronounce it like the month but the meaning is different. And infinity of course is the endless scale of august-ness, if you will.

I read the singer and drummer met in the subway, how did the rest of the band get together?
Chris was the only bass player we auditioned back when we were writing the first record. Peter and Frank used to come to all of our shows when we had our first guitar player. We actually have pictures of them rocking out in the front row back in the day. When we lost our first guitarist, they were a very natural addition and kind of came as a package deal.

Where do you guys draw your sound from and what do you classify yourselves as?
The band definitely has a passion for heavy, aggressive grooves but loves hooks and strong melodies. We do our best to explore the balance within that spectrum. Individually, we all have incredibly different influences. Chris is a Tool guy. Frank loves the shredder-proggy metal. Ian's an old school punk fan. Peter digs a lot of sublime and 311. Joshua grew up on Silverchair and Our Lady Peace type stuff.

How does the song writing process work, and what's it like recording at home?

Usually one person will come to the table with a spark or a sketch of an idea, record it and pass it along to the rest of the group. Everybody tosses the idea around, builds upon it, and works it up to the point where Joshua starts to finally write some vocal parts. It’s a real-life melting pot of ideas. We have learned a great deal about writing with each other and individually through home recording, but we really hate that sh*t. It’s incredibly stressful wearing so many hats.

What makes you guys unique from other bands around NYC?
We have an incredible, true loyalty to our fans, and vice versa. There is an energy that we share with the people in any given room that draws us all together; the guys performing on stage and every member of the crowd. We have a fun, energetic stage shows and at the end of the night we don’t take ourselves too seriously. It’s all about connecting with people. Community, bro.

What did you guys do differently this time around for the new ep, and are we going to be experiencing anything new as far as sound?
We updated our recording technology and technique; a lot more live sound as opposed to direct digital methods. We took our time and learned from our past mistakes, as opposed to the first record which was more rushed. The biggest thing of all though was spending more energy on great song writing.  Sonically, you’re going to hear much fuller drum sounds, better vocal layering, and the addition of two new guitar players with fresher playing styles.

How do you prepare for a tour, what goes into making it worthwhile and successful?
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. We spend all our damn time rehearsing and working out. Take care of your bodies and your instruments.

What is the biggest show you guys played, and roughly how many people?
We headlined at Gramercy Theatre for over 600 people, but we’re about to top that by far on July 21st when we sell out Irving Plaza!

Biggest rock star moment, and biggest failure?
Seeing our name on the marquis at Gramercy Theatre was pretty sweet. Biggest failure would have to be when we got blacklisted from Southern Hospitality after management made the mistake of giving us an open bar. We ran up a $600 bar tab, and were asked not to come back.

What goals does the band have, and where do you hope to be in the next 3 years?
We want an island in the shape of our cloud logo... but first we want to give up our apartment leases to go on the road full time and see crowds of people singing along with us every night.

Anything else you want to add?
Once again, we plan to sell out Irving Plaza on July 21st. We’re in the works of creating the biggest, most fantastic live performance of our career. It won’t be a show to miss.


CONTACTS
www.theaugustinfinity.com
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Twitter
Reverbnation
Youtube
iTunes