EMQ’s with FATHER BEFORE ME
EMQ’s with FATHER BEFORE ME
Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with NYC, USA based Progressive Melodic Punk Project, Father Before Me. Huge thanks to master of everything , Elijah Catrone, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
My name is Elijah and I currently play everything in the band lol. I’ve been playing guitar, drums, and bass for 15 years and after the falling out of my previous band I didn’t want to give up making music. I decided to take unreleased songs from my past, write a few new songs, and start a brand-new project. Finding it difficult to find other musicians, I decided to record everything on my own and look for members later. The band is only a year old. The first release was Oct of 2019.
How did you come up with your band name?
I always used to say, “ I am a musician like my father before me.” My father passed when I was young and he was a huge influence on my musical endeavours. Seeing as how I’m also a huge Star Wars fan, it just clicked one day that this was a perfect band name.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
I’m from NYC, which is famous for its history surrounding the roots of hardcore and punk rock. Going to shows here really helped shape what I wanted to do in music. There are a lot of options for venues for playing shows, from big venues like The Gramercy to loft shows and local dive bars.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
‘Until Lambs Become Lions’ is the first single off my sophomore EP “RUBY” which is due out on 12th February.
‘Until Lambs Become Lions’ (Official Teaser)
Who have been your greatest influences?
Genres from all over. Van Halen, Queen, Iron Maiden, Cacophony, Children of Bodom, Maximum The Hormone, Four Get Me A Nots, Skateboarding, The Offspring, Bad Religion, Lagwagon, AFI, Charlie Brown Jr., Mute, Silverstein, Bayside, Last Emperor, Django Reinhardt, Paganini, Bach, John Williams, Mario Lanza, Tolkien, Legend of Zelda, Star Wars, Spider-Man, Final Fantasy, TMNT, Pokemon, My Cat, My brother, my mother and father.
What first got you into music?
While my father was an opera singer and my mother a guitarist, I didn’t actually gain much of an interest in music ‘til I got into skateboarding. A lot of the skate videos and video games would feature bands that influenced me to start a band of my own. I was always drawn to guitar. My brother and I fought a lot growing up, but guitar was something we eventually bonded over in my teenage years. He showed me my first few metal records and got me into the art of the shred.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
I would love to write an album with John Williams or Maximum The Hormone.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Warped Tour or Fest. Anything in Canada , Europe or Japan too.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
I don’t find many things weird, but a fan and I have exchanged gamer tags and play online from time to time.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Be kind to one another and never give up on your dreams.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Freddie Mercury.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
The best part of being a musician is the unbeatable feeling of creating something you love. What I dislike about being a musician is that the music scene can get competitive and also ageist.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Cheaper ticket prices and more opportunities for up-and-coming bands.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Van Halen – “1984”
Iron Maiden – “Powerslave”
The Offspring – “Ixnay On The Hombre”
Jason Becker – “Perpetual Burn”
Maximum The Hormone – “Rokkinpo Goroshi”
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Anything as long as people are still listening to music.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Father Before Me has yet to play a live show but my old band used to play some of the craziest loft parties which were always a blast. That, or playing Gramercy Theater in NYC.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Chef – I have a real passion for cooking.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Bands members, tour manager, and George Lucas.
What’s next for the project?
Release the follow up single and continue writing for the next EP.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
Facebook, CD Baby, Youtube, IG and Twitter.
www.facebook.com/fatherbeforeme
www.instagram.com/fatherbeforeme/
www.twitter.com/fatherbeforeme
www.youtube.com/channel/UCATfYKbCqCocgM2lYQTQKcA
Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?
They are Jaffa cakes!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you for this opportunity and for speaking with me! Please check out the new single ‘Until Lambs Become Lions’ and thank you to the fans for your constant love and support. Cannot wait to get out there and play shows!
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
