Nevermind The Posers

The 2010 Warped Tour held a lot of promise this year with another amazing lineup and packed draw.  The first band I was able to speak with was Tomorrows Bad Seeds, a rock reggae group from Hermosa Beach, California whose name was abuzz all over the tour this year.  I had the distinct pleasure of speaking to Matt McEwan and Sean Chapman, both guitarists and vocalists for the group.

Angela Blasi: I was doing my homework on you guys and I had read that you fused many different styles together, I got a little bit of a sublime feel at first listen…in terms of influences, what is your main goal with what you are trying to do with that?
Tomorrows Bad Seeds: There is no real aim…we kind of just take of all the influences we have and try to mend them with the talent that we have.  There are some bands that we like and we draw from their influences without copying.  Absolutely Sublime is a big influence and being from Hermosa beach area, them being right next door,  it’s an obvious influence…but we’ve also been influenced by bands like Pennywise, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, all those LA bands that have influenced us to create an edgier sound as well.  We kinda just do whatever comes to us.  There’s no one thing that we try to do.

AB: As far as Warped Tour goes, how’s it been treating you?
TBS: It’s been great.  Really, really good.

AB: What are some of the highlights?
TBS: Being a part of it and meeting the other bands and all those bands coming to check out our sets and everybody being really humble.  Everyone is really equal, it’s all about the tour, not just one band, one headliner.  Everyone has to work and put in their time, from doing press to waiting in line for lunch.  Our set times are randomly picked every morning, everyone is all the same.

AB: Your tag line – Conscious music for your mind – how could you define that for me and tell me how you embody that running motto?
TBS: That’s exactly what our music is- music that stops and makes you think about everyday life.  We write about our life experiences and we try to bring that out, maybe other people can relate to it.  There are a lot of  things in the music industry and the entertainment industry that go on that are really desensitized and are really shallow; we try to dig deeper with our music and really affect (people).  We want someone to listen to one of our songs and not only let it dig deep so that it sticks with them, but also make what they want out of it as well.  We write pretty broadly where it’s like: ok, you can listen to a song and imagine it how you want it.  It doesn’t necessarily mean one thing or tell a certain story, it’s more like: here’s a song, how does it fit into your life?  But at the same time we want to spread a message with our lyrics of positivity and consciousness.

AB: As far as the creative process goes, do you write collectively as a group?
TBS: Yea, for the most part.  If one of us gets an idea we’ll bring it to the table and work it out; whatever works best for the song is what happens.  There is always the obvious, one guy may write the song but it gets finished and arranged by the whole band to make it what it is.

AB: Are there any bands that you as fans are excited to be sharing the same venue with?
TBS: All of them.  Reel Big Fish, All American Rejects, Sum 41, Fight Fair, Suicide Silence…especially the bands we don’t even know.  We get to hang out with them and then we become instant fans.  Everyone is really, really cool.

AB: What are your plans post Warped Tour as you gain momentum and things happen for you?  What are you plans from this point forward?
TBS: Touring and touring and touring.  We love playing live, it’s what we love to do.  We’re also involved with this film, Lions Gates “The Expendables”.  We do a signing with them every day.  That’s another huge highlight coming up.  And we’re also getting ready to hit the road with a band from New Zealand call Katchafire, a great roots reggae band.  We’re gonna headline a tour end of September into October.  We also just came out with our second album Sacred for Sale and have been touring for that since it came out.

AB: What could someone whose new to your music, and has never seen you before, expect to see standing in the crowd at your live show?
TBS: Feel good music that you just want to groove to and dance, hang out and try to relate to it; not just go out there and slam your head against the floor.  A high energy performance, for being a mellow band, we do mix it up.  Our set goes up and down; we bring a lot of energy to the stage but we also bring a groove.  We don’t just come and blow your head off, . . . it’s like reggae up your ass.

AB: For my last question, and being that we are Nevermind the Posers, what’s your definition of a poser?
TBS: Someone that switches their style up every couple of weeks, whether it’s listening to a different type of music or the way you dress, the lifestyle you lead…someone that isn’t true to themselves.  Someone who basically will change everything about themselves to what they watch on TV or the music they listen to instead of just being themselves or genuinely liking the music or maybe something they saw.

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