Jen Janet, vocalist and keyboardist of Blind Revision answered Nem’s questions.
Can you give a little biographical and historical info; who is involved in the band, and how did you guys meet up?
Myself and our guitarist, Kirk met at college. Phil, who is our bassist, was Kirk’s roommate at the time. We all decided to jam one day and we realized we seemed to mesh well together, so we decided to start a band and play shows. The rest is history. Our drummer went to high school with Kirk and we met our other guitarist, Jake, from a mutual friend in the Rhode Island music scene.
What your genre means to you, or why you chose this genre basically?
Our genre is a blend of all the music we like. We got lucky because although each band member has different influences, it all came together really well. For example, Phil and Jake love progressive rock. Kirk comes from a punk rock and classic rock background. Jamie likes progressive metal/rock and I listened to a lot of alternative rock and pop music when I was growing up. So we have some very progressive rock verses and some catchy choruses. We like to say that if the bands Paramore and Coheed and Cambria had a baby, that would be us.
How did the initial musical and thematic elements evolve?
A year ago we got a new lineup and began writing new music. For the most part, the guitarists came up with small ideas and riffs for songs. The rest of the band then built off of those ideas.
Are you happy with your product? I mean, what aspect of it do you think you guys nailed, and what parts do you think you could improve upon?
We currently have “Fight or Flight” available for free on our Bandcamp page and it was our first release. We are very happy with it, but we are excited to release new material this spring. Personally, I feel like we have grown a lot since that release, and we are capable of a lot more. I think the newer material is a better representation of who we are presently (it is not released yet, but it will be this spring).
How has the overall reception been?
Overall, we’ve gotten a lot of compliments from people in the music scene, especially because we use keyboard in some of our songs. Not many hard rock or progressive rock bands in the New England area use that instrument. We also feature a lot of guitar harmonies, and instead of having one guitarist always playing the lead or rhythm, our guitarists switch off with those parts, so their talents are always showcased during our shows. A lot of people appreciate that, and I think it keeps it interesting.
Is the band going to get more involved in performing live at some point? What’s next? Album? Touring? Any international tours?
This May we are doing an east coast US tour. We will be releasing a 5-track concept EP with psychological subject matter. Each song will represent one “demon” that some people face in their everyday lives. Examples include anxiety and addiction. We are very excited! We are looking to play a lot of out of state shows, as well as (hopefully) doing a music video.
What do you see for your future? How is it looking?
We’d love to play as many shows as possible and gain a larger online presence. We love instagram and facebook, so if anyone wants to follow us, please feel free! (Scroll down for the links)
Could you tell us about the lyrics / themes /concepts you focus on or plan to focus on? How did the ideas come about, and how do they influence the writing process?
In “Fight or Flight,” the theme of the entire EP revolved around tumultuous relationships, whether they are romantic, involving family, or political. The song Fight or Flight described overcoming obstacles and having the choice between running away from something or not.
In our next EP, the theme will be the human mind, and how far a person can be pushed before they snap.
Which is more exciting? being on the road or studio?
Both! Being in the studio is great because it’s comfortable and you are quite literally making art out of an idea you hear in your head. Having that become tangible right before your eyes and having control of what you make: that is amazing. When we were in the studio recently we goofed around a lot and created tons of inside jokes- it was very cozy, friendly and fun.
Being on the road is also exciting because you get to meet a lot of new people and see some great bands. It can be a bit stressful but they’re both great- just in different ways.
Who is composing the songs? Writing the lyrics?
I write the lyrics, but the rest of the band each starts with their parts. Usually the guitarists provide the initial idea for the song, and then the drummer adds his part, bassist adds his part, etc. Once most of that is done, I’ll write the lyrics or add keyboard parts if that fits in with the idea.
So what bands do you guys draw your inspiration from?
So many! Coheed and Cambria, Paramore, Scale the Summit, Periphery, Animals As Leaders, The Pretty Reckless. I could go on and on.
What’s more important to you? Catering to the audience or music for its own sake?
I think both are very important because without fans, you wouldn’t be able to perform at all. No one would care and no one would ask you to perform. So the audience has a lot of power. But then again, if you don’t make music YOU want to make, you won’t be happy and you’ll lose your motivation. So I think finding a happy medium is essential. Ultimately, I think we tend to make the music we want to make and we haven’t thought much about what will please the audience. Luckily audiences seem to like it though.
When you look back your music career, what do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?
We opened for Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Hawthorne Heights and the metal band Revocation. Those shows were really fun, so I’ll definitely remember those for years to come.
Anything else you think your fans should know? Add questions and answers to them as you see fit!
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