Universal Buzz Interview with Red

1. How does being from Nashville, Tennessee affect your music and following?

Only one of us is actually from Nashville(Hayden) but as far as the band being based out of Nashville, we met here. It is a melting pot of undiscovered talent. We played the local scene for a year before we started touring professionally.

2. Your music is very diverse. Songs like "Breathe into Me" and "Let Go" are hard rockers that are structured around distorted blues guitar riffs. But on songs like, "Already Over," the listener gets to see the softer side of your music, with a powerful but dark string arrangement
along with a compelling but simple piano part. Where does the inspiration come from to write such diverse songs?

Life in general is diverse. We wrote about things that have happened to us along the way and how we came out of those situations. The inspiration comes from within those times that we all have been through and know people are going through also.

3.What, if any, is the significance of the name of your band, Red? What emotions do you want your listeners to feel when they hear 'Red?'

For us, RED is the color of life and what alot of our music embodies. Passion,pain,anger,etc. are all emotions that are incompassed in the record. We hope that our fans will face those emotions on a very personal level when they hear our music.

4. Who are your main musical influences?

We all come from very diverse musical backgrounds so we have a broad range of influences. We wanted to write songs that were different and combined different types of music more so than bands that have influenced us individually or collectively. If I had to name a few I would add bands such as: Muse, Chevelle, and many Classical composers.

5. It seems just about everyone is collaborating with everyone these days.
Do you have any aspirations to collaborate with anyone?

At this point in our career, it is important that we establish who RED is, but collaborating with
different bands at some point would be really cool. When the time comes, we would definitely be interested in doing something musically that hasn't been done before. As far as who that is, it just depends on where the music has evolved to and what makes sense.

6. The texture in your music is very unique, specifically in "Break Me Down." The sound of loud distorted guitars is heard along with a powerful but melodic vocal line, while string arrangements are layered on top. How else do you keep your music unique?

"Break Me Down" is one of our more "cinematic" songs. When you hear other band's music, alot of the time you can tell what band it is before the singer begins to sing. We want to
establish that "sound" that everyone will recognize immediately because it is unique. We are also story tellers in this business, so we want to do that as melodically and powerfully as possible. We don't feel that we have redefined music in any way, we have just tried to take it where others haven't gone before. So being different is what we aim for as a band.

7. How rewarding is it to be nominated with a Grammy on your first album?

It is something you always hope for but never imagine happening. To be nominated the first time around is both a humbling and amazing feeling, but it also puts some pressure on the sophomore album, to live up to the expectations that have been created by the success of the debut.

8. When do you plan on getting back in the studio?

As soon as possible. We are going to be touring pretty heavily this year so to find time off to record will be a challenge but we are writing and getting prepared for when the time comes.

RANDY ARMSTRONG BASS GUITAR/BGV

www.redmusiconline.com
www.myspace.com/dropofred