Bullets Over Beauty is a band with a great skill for pairing driving rock tunes with gripping lyrics, resulting in some really awesome and original music. This BC foursome sounds a lot bigger than they first appear, especially on the live stage where they tend to leave a memorable impact on a growing base of fans.
On Friday December 3rd, 2010Bullets Over Beauty will celebrate the release of their latest EP: “Blue Hour Highrise,” at The Media Club in Vancouver. Produced by Evan Morgan, the new EP promises a more focused sound that plays to the band’s already strong melodic style.
Ahead of the release (and because they’re just an awesome group of talented artists) I grabbed an interview with Bullets Over Beauty; for those who aren't familiar, let me introduce:
(re nicknames)
Don't ask how we got them, like most bands they just happen.
Fair enough. So what is your band’s history; how did you get your name?
Steffyn really liked Bullets Over Broadway but we weren't too sure about copy right laws with titles and names (plus there were a bunch of bands from the States that were using that name) so we changed the latter to Beauty.
What it means is that the world is inundated by negative things before anything positive. For example you always hear about the negative stories on the news prior to any happy events, hence Bullets Over Beauty.
What got us where we are today is a collective passion for music. We love playing, performing, writing, and even recording the music we create even though our influences are so diverse. Our influences range from theatre to metal and everything in between from the Deftones to Muse. It also helps that there aren’t any egos in this group and we are all friends that like to have a beer and some food outside of rehearsal.
How would you describe your sound?
This is a question most bands have a difficult time with or at least the bands that we know. Let's go with melodic rock with a sense of urgency.
Was there any particular moment that made you realize you wanted to pursue music full time?
Steffyn - Learning Nirvana over theory as a teen
Glenn - Listening to Metallica's 'Master of Puppets'
Jay - Listening to Seattle's grunge bands (Alice In Chains, Screaming Trees, Soundgarden, Nirvana) and witnessing how their music and lyrics would affected a generation.
Adam – Knowing that he had to learn how to play the drums after conquering the guitar.
What is the most rewarding thing about being in a band?
Seeing people rocking out and singing back to us the lyrics word for word is unbelievable, also the brotherhood that has evolved over the last few years. Every band goes through it's ups and downs but in the end we are friends.
What is the biggest challenge facing ‘new’ artists?
Trying to make a career doing something we love during a time where the music industry has no idea what their really doing. There used to be a formula and now because of how fast things can happen and change they can’t keep up. There isn’t a way for them to control it anymore so they can dictate to all the unsigned bands what it is they are looking for. This in turn makes it very difficult for us to know what we need to do to achieve a career let alone "make it" in this industry by record label standards of today.
What would be your band’s ‘recipe’ for putting on a good show?
You've got to believe in your songs and love them. When performing live you have to be a tight unit because the fans will know when you are off, especially the ones that know you and your music so well.
Where is your favourite place to practice or play?
You can also check them out on BC’s Home of Independent Music, where the band has a bunch of tracks for new fans to check out. If you like what you hear, remember to hit the ‘Heart’ button and show your support for the music!
Was there any particular moment that made you realize you wanted to pursue music full time?
What would be your band’s ‘recipe’ for putting on a good show?
What other artists do you look up to?
