Page 8 - RockRevoltMagazine-FebruaryMarch2016

connecting everyone in that room, as well as feeling like
we bettered ourselves as musicians and performers! Plus
coming home with enough money to support ourselves
until the next tour is nice when it happens, haha!
Do you feel more comfortable playing festivals vs
touring on your own and why?
They’re different beasts. Festivals are usually pretty
frantic, with short sets, lots of friends about or bands to
see, and you get looked after well. But, touring on our
own is more focused, more consistent, and especially
with headline shows, it’s a lot of long days between
load in, sound check, and your set. Also, audiences are
typically more familiar with you on tours over festivals,
so there’s a vibe there that you don’t get otherwise!
Every tour has its ups and downs, from mechanical
issues to fans throwing their clothes onstage in drunken
fervor. Do you have any interesting stories from the
road that you would mind sharing?
Our stories are mostly in jokes. We’re not a wild party
band with regular shenanigans! We enjoy the simpler,
finer side of being traveling musicians over rock stars.
What were some of your favorite bands that you’ve
toured with?
I’d say Tonight Alive, Beartooth, and Pierce the Veil. All
legendary bands, people, and friends.
What’s the music scene like in Australia?
It’s a strange one - it feels very decentralized, so building What’s next for Hands Like Houses?
an audience is tough. But that said, once you win them
over, they’re incredibly loyal and supportive as long as
you don’t burn them out, so we’re lucky to be in a great
spot in our career here!
What are some of the pros and cons of being in the
music industry in the digital age?
I think it’s just the constantly changing values and
expectations around music and the internet. On one
hand, everyone is a critic, piracy is rampant, and you
have to basically sacrifice your social privacy to reach
an audience, but at the same time, you can build such a
strong community around your music (in fact, in many
ways it builds itself) and you have a constantly fresh
array of tools and media to be creative with. It’s always
a “lifestyle job”, but those challenges are what make it
rewarding.
If you had to give one humongous piece of advice, to a
new band, what would it be?
Patience and practice are everything. Refine your art,
and enjoy the process - that way you can never fail. Hard
work is only half the puzzle - the rest is luck, but if you
haven’t put in the hard work and enjoyment, that luck is
worthless when you get your “shot”.
If you had to give one piece of advice to a legendary band,
what would it be (or would you dare to try to give it?)
Haha, I can’t say I’d be daring to assume I knew better
about anything, but if anything I’d encourage them to
remember where they started and use that to foster the
generations of musicians coming after. Respecting the
journey means respecting the journeymen, no matter
where they are on the path.
Finally getting Dissonants out to the world, getting back
on the road in the spring, and enjoying the time we have
to relax and enjoy the ride after a monster 2015! 