Catalepsy - Trust
www.myspace.com/catalepsy
www.myspace.com/stillbornrecords
www.stillbornrecords.com
www.stillbornstore.com
First off i would like to thank Ben and Catalepsy for taking the time out to do this interview with Worldwidetakeoverzine.
How did the band come to be named Catelepsy and is there any special meaning behind the band being named this?
Well The name "Catalepsy" was given to the band by Rob Walden, the guitar player and founding member of Catalepsy. He got it from a song performed by the red chord. Catalepsy is a physical condition that is often cause by muscular rigidness. It allows the limbs of the body to go limp and they stay wherever they are placed. Someone with catalepsy could be an example of how people in our society are unwillingly placed into religions and/or beliefs.
What was it like being able to be on tour with Hatebreed Emmure and Soilent Green and how long was that tour?
The Hatebreed tour was amazing. It lasted for 13 days, from September 1st - september 14th. We were so thankful to be touring with some of our long time favorite bands. Although, it was also nerve wracking considering the high volume of the shows and also considering I was drum teching for Hatebreed for the tour so i had 2 drumsets to set up everyday and tear down after our long drives... It was tuff but i did it with a smile. It was truly a BLAST.
how did the band come to get signed to Stillborn Records and how have they treated you so far especially with merch and the amount of touring that you have been doing so far this year.
Catalepsy had been a band for about 2 years when we first started to really pick up the pace and start booking tons of shows. We had some demo tracks with old members up on the myspace. Rob was doing his usual internet biz when he added jamey jasta one night at 4 in the morning. Jamey shot us a message that said "cool shit". We were startled as to why he would even notice us and good things started to arise.
Stillborn has treated us very well. Jamey jasta who owns the label, and Mark V, the label manager are very persistant in getting us where we need to be in our career. They definitely don't bullshit around. We try and do whatever we can to follow in the direction they point us in and we are thankful to be on board.
who are some of the bands main musical influences?
This one is gonna be tuff. We all have different musical preferences and also some of the same. Some of the bands who have influenced us in the past couple years.. Bleeding through, Hatebreed, The Acacia Strain, lil wayne
what are your views on fighting at shows?
Although amusing at times, we dislike fighting at shows as it can shut the show down, people can get seriously injured (has happened many times), or the cops can get involved and thats never a good thing.
are any members in side projects other than Catalepsy?
None of our current members are in any side projects. John the guitarist and i have thought of doing a side ambient project for fun considering we both love that type of music. We'll see what happens i guess.
how long has the band been together?
4 years
how many cds eps 7 inches split cds and demos has the band currently released?
One demo in late 06'
One EP "GODLESS"
One LP "INIQUITY"
what do you base your lyrics on when writing new material?
For our last album, we let our pure hatred for religion spill out. We didn't think about holding back or about what christians would think, we just acted. Trying to build a question mark in christians minds and help them be open minded about the many possibilities of the world.
is there a large and thriving scene in your area as well as throughout Florida?
It really depends on the types of shows. Florida sometimes doesn't have the best scene for more underground bands, such as bands barely getting by in the DIY touring circut. The more commercial shows do very well in the orlando area considering they are promoted much better and more ime is put into making sure the show is successful.
is this the original lineup and if not what is the current lineup?
This is not the current line up. We have had a few member changes in the past year. Our current members are as follows
- Josh Anderson(vocals)
- Rob Conover(vocals)
- Rob Walden(guitar)
- John Stephan(guitar)
- Daniel swartz(bass)
- Ben Sutton(drums)
if you could have anyone do guest vocals on your next recording who would it be and why?
It would more than likely be Nate Johnson considering we all love his mid range scream.
in only one sentence describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before?
Catalepsy will bring out the hatred in you and leave you with an unexplained sense of motivation after your first listen.
when on tour what is the most commonly eaten fast food for example Mcdonalds Burger King etc and why?
Pizza would have to be the most frequently eated food. Promoters usually buy it for us before or after we play. We often eat our pizza with a refreshing beverage of mountain dew or pepsi.
when the band is on tour in the van what is usually playing in the cd player?
We only use ipod's or the radio but recently we have been playing the new Acacia Strain (buy it, it's amazing), Rhianna, M I A, or Hatebreed.
how were you first exposed to the scene and what made you say i want to be in an band?
I was first exposed to the Daytona hardcore scene when i was about 14 years old. Me and my brother would go to shows almost every weekend. Usually there would be straight edge vegan bands playing. We loved how everyone got along and had fun. No one ever got in fights and sometimes random drunk guys from the street would wander in and dance around, everyone would just laugh at them. I had already started playing drums at the time and when i saw my first "heavy" shows, i knew i wanted to play heavy music because it seemed to allow a lot of aggresion to be let out in a non-violent way.
where do you see the band in 3 years from now?
I try to be a very optomisic person so i see us touring the world playing sold out shows everynight, selling tons of records and having the time of our lives.
who are some of the up and coming bands from your area as well as throughout Florida that we should be on the lookout for.
There are so many and i feel bad not mentioning them all. One band that stands out in my head is "ABOLISH" They are some of the coolest most genuine dudes ever, and aside from that, they put on an awesome live show. Check them out!
when on tour and driving from city to city what is some of the weirdest shit you have seen happen or pass by?
We passed by a "tiger" truck stop in baton rouge LA. It actually had a real caged live tiger. It freaked us out but it was awesome because we were all bored out of our minds from driving 12 hours from FL.
the term hardcore has become so overused that any band putting a breakdown into a song is considered hardcore but explain to the readers what hardcore means to you?
Hardcore to me has always just meant aggresive music that contains a message. I try not to think of it as being a really complicated thing. I don't agree with people bashing kids for the way they dress or the specific type of music they listen to.
How can the readers from around the world contact you about ordering merchandise?
Come to a show near you and buy it in person. OR WWW.MERCHNOW.COM
What is your most memorable show and why?
Probably our cd release show. Mainly because young jeezy's body gaurds were there and a kid got hurt really bad from falling off the stage. It was insane...
what is your favorite city and coutnry to play shows in and also your least favorite and why?
My favorite would be NYC. There are so many awesome people there and such an amazing scene.
My least favorite is Pulaski VA. We had a bad run in with the local inbreds.. it's a long story.
Who are some of the bands that you enjoy touring with?
Hatebreed, Emmure, American me, Rose funeral
where else besides myspace can the readers go to to findout about upcoming shows and other band related information?
www.stillbornrecords.com
or type in "Catalepsy Iniquity" in google and a bunch of crazy stuff will come up.
What advice can you give to some of the newer bands starting out that maybe having a tough time and thinking about giving up?
Keep practicing non stop. Keep booking as many shows as possible. EVERYONE wants to give up at some point. Keep touring, keep trying. Anything is possible.
what are your views on kids that talk shit on the internet or bitch about getting hit at a hardcore show?
I've never seen kids bitch on the internet about getting hit. If i did i would probably laugh really hard and lose interest shortly after.
where do you think you would be right now had you not been exposed to the hxc metal scene?
Probably working construction or doing some shitty job that i hate.
what is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to the band when playing a set?
One time on tour with hatebreed i stopped playing for a split second in the middle of a song because i blacked out. That was my most embarassing but im sure everyone has their own.
what is the worst injury that any of the band has had happen when playing show?
Our old guitarist hit our old vocalist in the head with his pointy headstock. He had to get stitches in his head.
why do you think that people always associate violence with hardcore shows and it always gives hxc scenes and shows a bad reputation?
More than likely because hardcore music is aggresive and some people who aren't too bright don't realize there is a message behind it and it doesn't mean anything violent in most cases.
Do you have any upcoming shows that you would like to tell the readers about?
We have a december florida tour coming up called the "Dominate The Sunshine State" Tour. It's 2 weeks long. Go to www.myspace.com/catalepsy to check the dates!
Is there anything else that you would like to add that i may have forgotten to ask that the readers should know about?
We care about our fans! Come to a show and talk to us. We always love talking, hanging out, and goofing around with everyone.
and thank you for everyone who read this!
