Reverie Management

www.reveriemanagement.com

[reveriemanagement]

INTERVIEW WITH PHIL LEPISTO - GUITARIST OF “DREAMING AWAKE”

Reverie Management: What's your favorite album by another artist?

Phil Lepisto: My favorite album by another artist would have to be “Far Beyond Driven” by Pantera.

RM: Great choice, so what song by your own band are you most proud of?

PL: Well, I'm proud of all of them but I'm especially proud of “Oathkeeper”. The way I envisioned it while the band and I wrote it is exactly how it came out on the EP. But again, I'm really proud of our EP in general!

RM: Its always good to be proud of your work. Especially when you guys play your music live. Any tips for beginners on how to conquer stage fright?

PL: The one tip I can give you is to go up there, try to rock as much as you possible can, and give it your all! People won't make you feel nervous as much if they can feel your passion for the music. They came there to watch YOU! If they don't dig it, you have to know that not everyone will and there's not much you can do to change that so just have fun and kick ass!

RM: That’s great advice. A big part of playing live is your equipment, what is your favorite guitar brand?

PL: I have a lot of favorites but my favorite brand of all time has to be “Dean”! I'm a huge Dimebag Darrell fan so growing up listening to him, watching him, and modeling a lot of my technique after his really turned me onto that brand. I love the headstock style and the playability of their guitars. Nothing compares to them in my opinion!

RM: Any advice for people looking to recruit band members?

PL: Recruiting band members can be a difficult thing to do. But if I could give you any advice on it is that when you've found the right musician for your band, you'll know it. If you're really serious about your music and furthering your career don't be afraid to let people go. Sometimes your best friend won't be the best addition to the band. Never burn bridges but a serious band needs serious musicians who work well together! The things I looked for in Vaughn, Blake, and Steve when I recruited them was dedication, talent, potential, experience, and compatibility with all of the other members. And I can truly say that the current members of Dreaming Awake are the absolute right people for the band!

RM: One way to show how serious a band is, is how long they practice. How often and for how long do you guys practice?

PL: We practice about one to three times a week depending on what all of our schedules are like. Our practices can last from two to four hours!

RM: What specific thing have you done that impressed yourself?

PL: I did a double front flip at the park once when I was five and landed it. I haven't ever done it since but you have to admit, that's pretty impressive for a five year old!

RM: We've done some pretty serious questions so far. So, let’s stir it up a bit. If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?

PL: If I was invisible for a day I would probably trick one of my friends into thinking they had super powers. Then the next day when they tried to show me i'd tell them they were crazy!

RM: What would be the best thing about not having a sense of smell?

PL: The best thing would probably be how much money you'd make from dumpster diving!

RM: You win a million dollars, but you have to give half of it to charity. Which charity do you pick, and what do you do with the rest of the money?

PL: I'm not exactly sure which charity I'd specifically pick but I know it would be one that would have to do with getting underprivileged kids into music. With the other 500K I'd honestly spend it on the band!

RM: If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go and why?

PL: I would probably take a trip to Finland! I've never been there but my family is Finnish and I'd love to go see what the homeland is like. Either Finland or Amsterdam.

RM: Coming back to a bit of a more serious note, what is life?

PL: Life is the greatest thing you'll ever experience! Some people just don't realize it.

RM: Let’s wrap this interview up with possibly the most important question, what is next for Dreaming Awake?

PL: We've got a lot of shows coming up, possible tours, and we're starting the writing process for our next release! Expect big thing's because they're coming and we can't wait for you to see them!

FIND DREAMING AWAKE

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DreamingAwakeMusic

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dreamingawakeaz

[reveriemanagement]

Interview With Michael Alexander - Vocalist of “Under Paris”

Reverie Management: To start off, “Under Paris” is an interesting name for a band, especially since the band originated from Iowa. How did the name come to be?

Michael Alexander: It actually goes back eight years ago when I was a sophomore watching Scariest Places On Earth, they did a special on the catacombs and I really liked the name Under Paris, so years later when I got to start my own band it was the only name that seemed right to me.

R: How did you all meet? Some bands come together because they met at a concert or liked the same music in school. Did your musical influences have any affect on that?

M: Well Jayden, Rylie and Lucas all knew each other and when the last 3 members departed, I contacted Rylie and Lucas through social media, who then brought Jayden with them rounding out the new line up.

R: On the subject of musical influences, what are your favorite bands?

M: The toughest question ever! There are too many to count but lately I've really been digging Real Friends and Texas In July.

R: Any bands you would like to tour with?

M: There's a lot of those too, but having seen them live myself multiple times, Secrets and Capture the Crown would be the top two.

R: Have you guys gone on tour?

M: Unfortunately we've never been able to put one together but we are currently booking a tour for this May, hitting up the Midwest and some of the East Coast!

R: What’s some of the craziest things that have happened at a show?

M: Funny you should ask, we played a show with City of the Weak in Moline, Illinois, not long back and I had a tooth pulled about 2 hours before the show, having not eaten all day, on painkillers and jumping around on stage, in the middle of a song I jumped off the stage pushed through the whole crowd and projectile vomited blood into a trash can behind our merch table. Finished the set still, rock and roll!

R: There are a lot of funny photos on your Facebook page, some Walking Dead based ones. What are your guys’ favorite TV shows?

M: You nailed it! The Walking Dead is definitely at the top of list. Arrow and Game of Thrones are a couple of my favorites. I can also say there's a Supernatural inspired song on our new album! Also Yu-Gi-Oh! 

R: Back to more serious questions, you guys signed onto Imminence Records this month. You’re releasing a full-length album in March. How are you guys feeling about that?

M: We couldn't be more excited! The guys at Imminence have our backs 100% and that support system is something we've never had before. They love the album as much as we do and we can't wait to share it with all of you!

R: Were there any challenges for you, in particular, with the vocals? Nowadays fans and critics dissect every part of the song, and the vocals are the first.

M: I like to challenge myself. Especially in the studio, if you're not pushing yourself to be the best you can, you're not doing it right. People will always dissect everything you do, some will love it, some will hate it. I love what I do and wouldn't change a thing about it!

R: What inspired “Transitions,” lyrically and instrumentally?

M: Lyrically, it's definitely inspired by my life. The good and the bad, aside from the Supernatural and The Walking Dead themed songs. Instrumentally, we definitely tried to get the sound to match with the the theme or name of each individual song.

R: You mention on your Facebook that you want fans to be able to connect to your music. Is there anything you’d like to say to your fans?

M: It gets better. I attempted to take my own life, twice. For some reason I made it through, and you can too. I'm here for you. We are here for you. We push through everything!

R: Sometimes fans get a bit crazy or obsessive, have you had any experiences with that?

M: Actually we've gotten off pretty easy with that so far! I have a feeling once we get out on the road that will change quickly.

R: What’s been the best fan experience so far?

M: We played a show with our buds in Armageddon Awaits and that entire crowd was absolutely mental! It was the first time I had fans up in my face screaming my lyrics back at me. I'll never forget that moment or the people I shared it with!

R: Have you guys yourselves had any embarrassing moments as fans with bands you like?

M: I haven't myself, surprisingly! I'm actually very nervous and anxious in public so I'm sure it'll happen sooner or later.

R: You have a couple of music videos already, how has it been recording them? It’s a different experience completely than performing live or recording a song.

M: We've recorded all the videos with our good friend Joe Gibbs from the band Sleepwell. He's a fantastic photographer and helps us through everything, which makes what would be an awkward, hard time into some of the most enjoyable memories I have.

R: Do you plan on producing another video for the new album?

M: We actually just recorded a music video for the next single off the new album, expect that out sometime soon!

R: You have some pretty attractive merch for sell, do you plan on releasing more once “Transitions” releases?

M: Absolutely! We've been working with Imminence Records to come up with some awesome new designs to go along with the theme of Transitions.

We’re coming to the end of our interview, so let’s get a bit more personal.

R: What goals has your band set?

A: Tour first and foremost. We feel like we have a lot to prove and that all starts with hitting the road hard!

R: How do you define the word 'living'?

M: I think the words 'living' and 'happiness' coincide. If you're not happy, or working hard at what you love, you're not living, you're just breathing. Might seem harsh but that's just my view.

R: Thank you very much for the interview, do you have any final statements?

M: First of all thanks so much for the interview! I love all the work you do for so many bands. New song "At Peace” feat. Garret Rapp out now. Support your local scene!

FIND UNDER PARIS

Facebook: www.facebook.com/underparisband

Twitter: www.twitter.com/under_paris