Drinks slingin’, folks singing, and guitars ringing!!! I think the only thing keeping this group in their right mind is the bass line backed up by a steady beat of the drums. Nothing stands in the way of Crash Midnight and the vision they together have created. Check out what the group had to say during our interview.
When did you start your band?
SOHO: This band has had a pretty decent run. We began forming what would end up becoming Crash Midnight in the mid-2000’s. I don’t think we really knew what the hell we were doing, but we were fortunate enough to stick around long enough to not know what we’re doing several years later.
ALEX: We’ve been around for the greater part of a decade. I moved to Boston when I was 18 and starting this band was the first order of business.
BO: I have no idea what’s going on at almost all times. I think it’s worked out pretty well so far though. Or, maybe it’s not working out at all, I haven’t really noticed.
Which instruments do you play?
SOHO: I sing and try to keep this ship from hitting the rocks. It generally ends up being about as effective as trying to herd stray cats.
ALEX: Haha, yeah I only stick to the guitar. You don’t want to hear me behind a drum kit.
BO: I can clear a room with a variety of instruments from the drums, guitar and piano but people actually enjoy it when I’m on the bass so that’s what I tend to play.
Describe your music interests and abilities.
SOHO: I’m all over the place with musical influences. I think what ties things together for me is a general vibe or swagger that you can really find in everything from other musical artists to actors to random people you meet on the street. If somebody is doing something I’m into or think is cool or interesting, I’ll throw it into the mix.
ALEX: GUITAR SOLOS!
BO: I’m the same way only even more so. One thing I’ve noticed is that I’ll get completely entranced with a specific player’s performance in a song that I didn’t really like. At first blush, the bass line of a pop song, the drum rhythm of a jam etc. I find myself incorporating that idea or style in a song that I’m writing. There are so many great artists out there that if you only listen to one style, you’re really missing out on a lot.
What famous musicians inspire you?
SOHO: I respect the ability of bands like Aerosmith or The Rolling Stones to put out album after album of quality material. That’s really hard to do. I don’t know how much the average person truly appreciates how difficult it is to write a song, let alone an album’s worth of songs. To go and do that for 10 plus albums is just incredible and rare.
ALEX: I’m big on all of the Classic British blues guys. Jimmy Page, Hendrix, Peter Green. Also, the Slash’s and Joe Perry’s. As well as the punk guys like East Bay Ray and Johnny Thunders.
BO: That’s such a difficult question to answer because it changes for me on an hourly basis. I just checked my Spotify history and Prince, Def Leppard, Wavves, The Commodores and The Bloody Beetroots are the last 5 groups I listened to today. So more than a specific style or genre inspires me, it’s listening to artists who are very passionate about their music and are able to write exactly what they want to write that inspires me to try to do the same.
What are some of your best musical memories?
SOHO: You know, the shit that goes down when all of us are together, it’s like we’re some sort of lightning rod for chaos. We were playing a show in Minneapolis and staying just outside the city at a Motel 6. It was a pretty decent place as those places go and we were in a second floor room. All of a sudden we hear what sounded like someone launching a trash can off the roof. Alex goes and looks out the window and sees this guy on the ground and goes;
“Oh, some dude just tripped outside.”
ALEX: My youngest musical memory was probably seeing the “Money for Nothing” music video by Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler is a bad ass.
BO: I wasn’t going to go in that direction since there’s a hundred stories like that one!
SOHO: Then the police show up and it turns out this guy was fighting with his girl in the room directly above ours and hotel security went to knock on the door to tell them to quiet down. This guy had an outstanding warrant or something, freaked out, and jumped out the third floor window right outside our room.
What public events do you have coming up?
SOHO: Well we just got off the road with Adelitas Way and The Pretty Reckless. It was a big North American run and we’re still adjusting to having missed the entire fall here by the time we got back home.
BO: It was kind of a mind blowing experience for me to see our album in The Newbury Comics where I remember buying hundreds of albums growing up, and to think that we created something that’s in the same space, is amazing for me.
SOHO: We also just released our debut album, “Lost in the City,” about a week after we got home so things have been real busy. We’ve been working with the label to line up a listening party in the New Year and touring and everything. Should have some announcements soon …as soon as we all get our shit together.
What would you say to beginners in the industry, who are nervous?
SOHO: Don’t be. Being able to do something like this as a career is like the biggest affront to what 99% of the world has to do for a living. If you’re fortunate enough to get any traction in this industry, even if you’re just starting out, just appreciate how lucky that really is. I mean athletes get to play for a living, but they don’t get to drink and party while they’re doing it – unless you’re Maurice Clarett, Alex!
BO: Yeah, that’s one thing about having a sports background that makes playing live a lot easier for me. Everybody in the crowd wants you to do well at a concert, it’s not like you’re playing in another team’s stadium and 90% of the crowd is there to see their favorite team beat you. It’s still a huge rush but in a much more connected way.
ALEX: Good luck! The industry has to do some reforming before it can become lucrative for artists once again.
How do you balance your music with your family and friends?
SOHO: Poorly. It’s really tough being out on the road and trying to stay in touch back home. You get so run down and every day really does blend into the next. You do the best you can. All the stuff cell phones have on them now does make it easier, but even just trying to remember what day of the week it is gets challenging. We sold out of our advance copies of the album several times on the tour and had to keep badgering the label to get us more. I was texting them all adamantly, that they ship out more immediately that day and they were like;
“Shaun, it’s fucking Sunday.” I was like, “Oh, yeah. My bad.” It gets crazy.
ALEX: The holidays have been great. Coming home for thanksgiving was awesome because I got to see relatives I haven’t seen for months.
Where can we follow your career?
You can follow us from the following links.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/CrashMidnight
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/crashmidnight
About Johnny Naylor:
Johnny Naylor is the founder and owner of 1st Shot Music and a feature writer for Jammerzine. His work can also be found on 1st Shot Music and Naylor’s Notes. You can also get his latest updates on his facebook page.
