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Indie Magazine caught up with Amy Meyer of upcoming pop-punk group, Riot! In The Boulevard. Here's how it went. Q: Your band have recently signed a two album record deal with the indie label Nomad Records, how did it feel to be offered your first ever record deal? Amy: It’s great, it’s really incredible. We decided that this is what we want to do for the rest of our lives so to get the chance to build, hopefully a succesfull music career is really great. We’re really grateful to the label for taking a chance on us and having just finished school last summer we’re kinda surprised that we’ve been signed so quickly. But the real hard work begins now and we’re not planning on letting anybody down, we’ll make the music that we’re capable of making and we’ll give it our all in the process.
Q: And what can fans expect from Riot! Musically? Amy: I think we’ve got some really great songs which we plan to debut in the next few months and that will give people a chance to see what we’re all about. But musically I think, we’re a real mix to be honest. I think our trademark sound will be a pretty loud and energetic kinda thing. We’re from that generation of pop-punk, alt-rock, the generation that kind of led way to current bands like Suburban Sunrise and Fathers Of Fury. But we can do all the artsy stuff to like Infinite and Reckoner and I think we can even go stripped down and more mainstream like Michelle Green. I think it’s just a case of wait and see really.
Q: So lyrics, presumably play a massive part in the development of the band, are you the primary songwriter? Amy: I think subconsciously yeah, I guess I have maybe more of an input in the song writing than the other guys. But we work together on almost every song to perfect it so it’s really a team effort. But the majority of the lyrics generally come from me, and I’m not just being egotistical or arrogant in saying that because the band is pretty open to things. If one of the guys comes to me with a song they’ve written and it’s good then I wouldn’t hesitate in recording the song or whatever, it’s just they’re not so obsessed with the song writing part of it. But we work well together and I think that will show in our music.
Q: When should we expect to hear music released from you guys? Amy: It’s not 100% confirmed or anything, but we’re hoping have an E.P recorded before the end of the month. It will be like a 5 song thing and it’s just to show like a sort of taster of what we can do. Plus it gives fans something to buy at a show, if they like the show and want some of the songs then it’s good to have something for them to buy. But yeah, I’d say we could have an E.P out by the end of this month.
Q: And an album? Amy: That wouldn’t be happening until after the tour. I think we’ll start the recording process around June/July and maybe have an album released around September/October, but we’ll see what happens. We’ve got a lot of material to work with already and I’ll be wanting to write some more for us to choose from. We don’t want to rush things too much so the album may be a little while away just yet. But that’s kinda why we’re gonna be doing the E.P. Just to tie people over for a few months.
Q: Do you ever argue with your band members? Amy: As a band No, but as friends … constantly. It’s a good thing to argue, I think, because it’s a form of self-expression and I’d imagine it get’s better results. I’m not a particularly quiet person to be honest, so if I think there’s something that needs to be said then I’ll be the first to say it, but the whole band works well together and we’re all very open with each other, which I guess is due to the fact that we’ve known each other since we were like eleven years old. We know each other well enough to realise when we’ve gone too far and we know how to get the best out of each other. It works for us but when we do argue it’s not as a band it’s just as friends.
Q: Are you looking forward to touring with Fathers Of Fury? Amy: Immensely. We love that band. They came around when there wasn’t really very much options to choose from in terms of rock bands, you had Suburban Sunrise, Infinite, Dead Roses, Reckoner and Mind and they sort of came along and they definitely took over my ipod. But in all seriousness, we know that the kind of venue’s we’re gonna be playing are way too big for us but they said they wanted an unknown band or an undiscovered band to support them, someone the crowd wouldn’t have every heard of and it gives us a chance to gain some fans along the way. I think we’re similar musically to Fathers Of Fury so I think it’s a good thing and hopefully we can do a good job.
Q: What do you like doing when your not with the band? Amy: I like to go out and do something maybe a little unexpected, I’m really into water based activities at the moment. I like rock climbing and things a little different, you know. I did sky-diving on my 17th birthday last year and it was pretty incredible. I also like the normal things too, shopping, cinema. I’m a kinda obsessive music collector, I read a lot in my spare time. I live in Vegas so I have to occupy myself otherwise I’d be in a casino all day long.
Q: Is there any plans for a solo career somewhere down the road? Amy: I haven’t thought about that at all. I guess yeah, someday I’d like to think about that, like if we take a couple of years off from the band and do our own thing then I’d definitely have to seriously think about that. I always sort of wanted to be in a band, I never really wanted to be a soloist or anything like that but if the opportunity came up at some point down the line then I’d have to seriously consider it, although I’m not sure how I’d make a solo album sound different from a album with the band, But that’s definitely something to think about.
Q: What would you consider to be your contemporary’s in music right now? Amy: I think Suburban Sunrise are a pretty obvious comparison, they’re a sort of alt-rock group with a female singer and I definitely look up to them as musicians, Dead Roses are gods, in my opinion, of course we’re not gonna sound like Dead Roses but they’re heavy influences on me personally. I guess Fathers Of Fury are maybe the most similar band to us in terms of the kinda music we create. But you know, I do shout a lot when I’m performing but I can calm it down a little every now and then and I can do the whole, Brittany Knox thing. It’s not a particular preference but every now and then, it’s good to strip things down a little bit and sing a pretty little song or two.
Q: And what don’t you like in modern music? Amy: I’m not gonna come out and slate people in the music industry, there’s some music I love and there’s some music that I just don’t like, it would only be my opinion, If I don’t like someone’s music, it doesn’t mean I don’t like the person making the music. I’ll admit I’m not a big rap fan but I’m sure Matty is a very nice person, I wouldn’t by his single because it’s not my kind of music and I’m sure he won’t mind that because it’s nothing against him. But I do respect everything he’s achieved so far and he seems like a good guy. He’s cute too.
Q: Do you have any final message for fans? Amy: Well I’d imagine we wouldn’t have any fans just yet. But I guess I’d say Hi and thanks for being our fans.Edited by user 15 March 2011 07:59:32(UTC)
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