Here is my interview with Kevin Skaff of Victory Records band Four Letter Lie. Their debut full-length Let Your Body Take Over drops on October 31st...spooky. But seriously, if you don't pick it up, all of your myspace friends will be deleted.
Curt Baker: Well first thanks for doing this.
Kevin Skaff: No problem.
CB: Ok..let’s talk about the new record Let Your Body Take Over. First of all, why was it delayed until October?
KS: Our record was finished June 30th and was slated to come out on August 22nd which is a super fast turn around. Another band on Victory (On the Last Day) had a finished record that was coming out on Halloween so Victory just switched the two dates so that we could get good promotion and not be so rushed and the other band wouldn’t have to wait so long for their release.
CB: That makes a lot of sense. So far I've heard good things about the record, are you guys happy with it?
KS: We are all super happy with it. We definitely worked with all the right people for it and it really was just a band with some producers, no middle man pre production, no co-songwriters. It’s raw emotion from the band and the producers really knew how to bring out the best of us.
CB: How did the recording process change this time around? How much more were you able to do with the backing of Victory as opposed to doing it on your own?
KS: We have never recorded a full length before. It has always just been us going into the studio with friends to record a few songs here and there. We finally wanted to make ourselves better by getting into a real studio with a good producer to see if we were capable of making great sounding music that could stand with the best of them. This was actually our first REAL studio experience and none of it would have happened without Victory.
CB: How has being with Victory been so far?
KS: Victory has been great. They are good to us and everyone on the staff is amazing. We just recently got to hang out with a lot of them and that is something that doesn’t happen with some labels. Knowing who you’re working with on a personal level is great and we're super glad to be on their roster.
CB: How do you feel about
KS: It's all part of theirs’ and Victory's business. I don't really see myself getting my head around it too much.
CB: Now obviously you guys have done a lot of touring recently which contributed to your signing with Victory, how has that been?
KS: Touring is the best part about being in a band. Meeting new people, seeing new places, and living in a van with 4 or 5 of your best friends! One constant party. And we rarely ever fight, it’s pretty amazing.
KS: We like to be on the road constantly
CB: What are your favorite cities and venues to play?
KS: I really like the House of Bricks in
CB: How about favorite local venues? You guys used to hit up the old Toybox quite frequently.
KS: Yes now we hit up the new Toybox frequently. Andy is a good friend of ours and he always puts on great shows. Another good place to play is the Triple Rock. Great venue + drink tickets = awesome.
CB: Who are your favorite bands to play with? Locally and touring.
KS: Locally (this could get me in trouble if I forget someone) definitely With Dead Hands Rising, Everest, Crashing By Design, Gloria, The Semester, and Death Sentence. Touring I always have a good time with An Airbag to Save My Life (IA), For Your Eyes Only (IL), Glory of This (everywhere), Novella and Westcott (MO)
CB: How was playing at Warped and Taste of Chaos? How much do you think that helped you guys?
KS: The first Taste of Chaos was a big boost for us. We were still kind of new and that was a huge contest to win. Things started getting bigger from there. Playing Warped was funny because we just showed up and got on a week of Warped Tour, kind of just the right place at the right time. But that helped us meet a ton of new people in different states and we still hang out with most of them when we get out on tour.
CB: Any tour stories you would like to share?
KS: Umm we keep those under wraps, haha. But it usually consists of drinking, partying, and tornadoes.
CB: Sounds good. I'm sure the readers can use their imagination.
KS: I'm sure they will.
CB: Although touring is as you said a "constant party" what is the worst part of it? Does it ever get old?
KS: Sometimes you get home sick. You can't wait to get home. But then you’re home and you can't wait to leave again. But the worst part of tour is not having a comfy bed, home cooked meals, and never showering
CB: There is one local bill I’m surprised you're not on, Sharkfest at Underwater Adventures in the Mall of America. You guys should see if you can play there, give the kids a chance to "swim with the sharks"?
KS: This is true. There’s a strange obsession with sharks going on right now with us and Dead to Fall. Hopefully sharks take over the world soon enough.
CB: Haha agreed. Anyways, both you and Brian do vocals, who is the main lyricist? Or do you collaborate?
KS: We collaborate on a ton of stuff. When I first joined the band he wrote everything and he taught me a lot on how to release through writing, and ever since we have been writing together.
CB: What influences you lyrically? Things that happen to both of you or things you’ve seen happen to people?
KS: A lot of it is personal experience, but there are also stories that never happened to us but we think a lot of people go through. It helps more listeners relate to songs and gives them a voice so to say.
CB: Definitely. Now how does the writing process go? Do you have one main songwriter that usually will write a part and you build off of that?
KS: It usually is a song that I will be working on for a while on guitar. I’ll bring it to practice structured in some way and then John, Connor, and Derek finish it up with their parts and we polish it at a ton of practices to make it the way we all want it. No matter how stressed it makes us.
CB: You guys are definitely a hard working group of guys that bust their ass for their band. Is there any advice you would give other bands hoping to get signed?
KS: Don't break up, the longer you’re around the better. And play any show you can.
CB: Who are your guys’ influences musically?
KS: I was influenced by classic rock legends. Then somehow got into this genre called metal and hardcore. The rest of them were already into metal and hardcore so I had to get used to their styles but it all just kind of clicked.
CB: If you guys could play a show with anyone who would it be, what would be the ultimate line-up?
KS: Me personally, I would have to say Every Time I Die, Codeseven, and Def Leppard.
CB: Haha, that would be absolutely nuts.
KS: You better believe it.
CB: What are your goals for the future, especially the new record?
KS: To make a name for ourselves. This is our debut and we just want to be a settled band. We’re gonna tour our asses off for this record and we wanna meet everyone.
CB: A reader of the blog wanted me to ask what's up with the sleeveless flannel?
KS: It’s the only article of clothing that makes you totally awesome.
CB: Haha good answer
KS: Haha for sure.
CB: Another reader question, how did you decide to be more involved in the vocals?
KS: It was just a natural change. Nobody really said "You should sing more," it just kind of happened.
CB: And another, they asked, "I, as well as several other people, have noticed that during “Let's Call It A Night", you stopped singing the, "tonight, tonight, tonight" part of the song, or only sings part of it, or someone else comes up to sing it. Is there a reason for that?"
KS: Haha. There’s no reason. It’s probably because it’s a good sing along and I’m feeling the crowd. Or I’m just tired and don’t have enough breath to sing it. Haha. Nobody’s perfect.
CB: Ok, we'll see how these next reader questions go, they're quick.
CB: Do you like Justin Timberlake?
KS: He’s the greatest.
CB: Do you play a lot of Guitar Hero?
KS: Haha DUH.
KS: Challenge me I dare you.
CB: Is the new single about the girl from 8th and Ocean?
KS: Haha yes, I love Britt.
CB: And the last, do you really hope to bring back those white V-neck t-shirts?
KS: Viva la V-neck (aka the v-neck never went out of style, they just don’t realize it yet).
CB: Haha good call. You're so fashionable.
KS: I do what I can. Gotta love GQ am I right?
CB: Of course.
CB: Well, that's all I've got. Any last words?
KS: I don’t want to die
KS: Haha.
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