Conditions
By Jackie Cular
The VA-based rockers of Conditions have recently dropped a new album, Fluorescent Youth. Fresh off a stint at this summer’s Warped Tour, this band is primed and about to rock and was recently named one of Pure Volume’s “100 Bands You Need to Know in 2010.” Bassist Alex Howard answers questions about this band on the rise.
TheCuttingEdgeCulture: “Describe your album Fluorescent Youth for our readers?”
Alex Howard: “Fluorescent Youth is our first full-length album, and we think it's the best representation of Conditions to date. It's full of high-energy and fast-paced rock, as well as catchy melodies with lyrics with real meaning behind them.”
TCEC: “For readers that haven’t heard Conditions yet how would you describe your sound and your musical influences? What bands do you think YOU sound like?”
AH: “Most people say we sound similar to Saosin or Anberlin, which I'd say is a fair comparison stylistically. Of course I would say that we sound a little different than those bands, but we're in the same genre for sure.”
TCEC: “How did your band’s name come about?”
AH: “It comes from a quote from the composer Nadia Boulanger. ’The essential things conditions of everything you do must be choice, love, and passion.’”
TCEC: “What motivates you when writing and performing?”
AH: “I think it's as simple as our love for playing music. We love getting in a room together and creating new music that's exciting to us. That initial excitement comes out in a fresh way every single time we play it to people that is singing along.”
TCEC: “Members are from Virginia, how has this influenced your song writing?”
AH: “I think we came up in an awesome scene coming from Richmond. I think it has unfortunately lost a lot of its steam, but we grew up around bands like Strike Anywhere, Avail, Denali, Engine Down, etc. Seeing bands like that growing up I think definitely had some sort of impact on our style. We're pretty proud of where we're from.”
TCEC: “What bands do you look up to?”
AH: “I think the list could go on forever, but some bands that we look up to that have really helped us along the way are Paramore, New Found Glory, Thrice, A Day To Remember, The Receiving End of Sirens, Beloved… There are tons, but those are just some that we've come in contact with that have been supportive of us.”
TCEC: “In the future, who would you like to tour with?”
AH: “This is a total dream question, so I'm going to shoot for the stars on this one. Thrice, Jimmy Eat World, Anberlin, Circa Survive, Muse, 30 Seconds to Mars, Taking Back Sunday, Foo Fighters… That's another list that could go on forever, but those are a few big ones.”
TCEC: “How do you reach out and stay connected with fans and/or reach out to a broader fan-base?”
AH: “Social networking has done wonders for staying in touch with fans for sure. It used to be Myspace, but now Facebook and Twitter have taken over as the primary sites that people use. It has also helped in expanding our fan base, because word of mouth definitely spreads on those sites when you see people talking about a band, others will check it out.”
TCEC: “What’s the weirdest thing a fan has done for or near you?”
AH: “Haha, I can't think of anything particularly "weird." We are extremely lucky to have some amazing fans that are totally dedicated, and we've seen a lot. There are familiar faces we see all the time with Conditions tattoos and people that bring us gifts, which is amazing. Chipotle, cakes, clothes, etc. It's pretty awesome.”
TCEC: “What’s up next for the band?”
AH: “We're heading on tour with VersaEmerge, Anarbor, and The Dangerous Summer throughout October and November. We're also doing two short tours in December with some different packages that I don't think I'm allowed to say yet, but we're very excited to stay so busy on the road for the next few months.”
TCEC: “Are there any social causes the band supports? Why are these causes important? How do you use your voice to spread the word?”
AH: “I think if you read our lyrics you can find out a lot of things we believe in, and I think Brandon has a special gift with being able to find the right words to say to get those messages across. I think our song "Miss America" particularly stands out. That song is really about America's fashion and celebrity obsessed, and the lack of true role models for girls growing up. They're being told what's "beautiful" and "sexy," but today's society's definition is so far off. Keep your clothes on and demand some respect.”
Read more about the band www.myspace.com/conditionsband
