Sunflower Dead
Photo by Neil Zlozower
Sunflower Dead is an awesome rock band doing some awesome stuff. With It’s Time To Get Weird the new album on the way. It was time find out more. So read on.
1. What was the inspiration for the upcoming album?
Sunflower Dead’s main goal was to be ourselves 100%. It’s amazing what you learn about your art and yourself when you tour constantly. We did this by making a list of everything we had learned, everything we that worked, everything that didn’t and what we wanted the songs to be. Thematically, the songs are about my journey to become my full self through the life lessons of my ups and downs.
2. How did the songwriting process go for the album?
Very natural. SFD sits in a room, together and writes the songs very democratically. There is no emailing or writing via technology. It’s all chemistry based. What we found is that when everyone finds that right balance of what we all think the song should be and it sits right in the middle of what everyone wants, the song gets to its strongest point.
3. What was the recording process like for the album?
Recording was a blast. We did a few days of preproduction with producers Dave Fortman (Evanescence, Slipknot) and Mikey Doling (Snot) and then tracked the record out in the desert of California for a grand total of 12 days. We had an entire month booked and we used less than half. It was extremely comfortably, creative and inspiring to see all five of us come together without ego.
4. Did you prepare for the recording process or what is it a case of see what happens in the studio?
Preparation and letting yourself go with the unexpected is what leads to great results in the studio and life. We were extremely prepared but also very willing to let the songs take on a life of their own in the studio.
5. How was the recording process different to earlier material?
The first album was done in stages. “It’s Time To Get Weird” was done in one fell swoop. It’s very coherent all the way through. Also, working with such talented people as Dave Fortman, Mikey Doling and Jonathan Davis from Korn (who shares vocal duties with me on the title track) helped us grow so much.
6. What did you learn from recording the album that you will take away for future releases?
Don’t sweat the small stuff, go with the flow and say the word “RAD” after every sentence… Dave Fortman, ha.
7. Are you happy how things have gone so far for the band?
Very happy and it’s only getting better.
8. What buzz do you get out of playing live?
There is nothing and I mean nothing that fires me up like playing a sold out huge venue. The bigger the venue, the better. There is something about SFD that is just better in bigger venues. It’s like we can fully unleash with the room onstage and it translates to the crowd.
9. Do you have rituals before playing a show?
I do. My ritual starts hours before the show with steaming my vocals, then doing a vocal warm session. I move onto an hour of makeup to look so sexy ha and then another quick vocal warm up. I then always text a special person that it’s time to go, strap on my accordion and get WEIRD.
10. Will see you play Australia soon?
One of the bands main goals has always been to be a world wide band. A lot of bands get stuck in North America and don’t break out. This is why we starting our touring cycle for this record in Europe this summer with Korn and Snot. The band will tour all over the world on this album cycle including Autralia. Our bassist is from the Gold Coast for god’s sake, we have to go there!
