Interview With Haste The Day

July 16th, 2007 by Romperchic

The song WHEN EVERYTHING FALLS was my first introduction to HASTE THE DAY. A band based out of Indianapolis who have a brotherhood bond; they are proof that changing a vocalist can re-ignite a band and push them further up the ladder of success in the music world. When longtime vocalist Jimmy Ryan left the band to focus on his marriage the guys?were left at a standstill until the thoughts of one Stephen Keech came to mind. With him in tow the band ventured to Europe where Keech got his first taste of a touring experience. With big shoes to fill he was accepted and encourage by the bands’ fans.

Fast forward to the bands latest offering?PRESSURE THE HINGES. Keech was put to the test again with his writing ability and contributing to the process took the band into a new level.? The band has come out dramatically ahead with songs like STITCHES, WHITE COLLAR, SERVANT TIES and CHORUS OF ANGELS. The heaviness is still apparent but the melodic tones have flourished and made the album more passionate and makes the disc a pleasure to have in your collection.

With some phone service issues I was not able to chat with Brennan Chaulk on the phone but he was sweet enough to take the time to answer everything via email. So read on and look for HASTE THE DAY in a town near you.

PRESSURE THE HINGES WAS THE FIRST TIME YOUR SINGER WENT INTO THE STUDIO? WITH YOU TO RECORD, BEFORE THEN HE HAD TOURED WITH YOU. WHEN TOURING WAS THERE ASPECTS THAT? HE HAD JIMMY DIDN’T THAT MADE? YOU BEGIN TO GET IDEAS FOR THIS ALBUM?
Absolutely, Stephen is an amazing singer both melodically and well aggressively (haha) but because of that we wanted to use that in the new record. He also wrote a few of the songs musically on the record, some of my personal favorites. That made writing a lot easier having another person contributing to the music. We were so excited about writing.

WHAT WAS YOUR MINDSET GOING INTO WRITING FOR THIS RECORD,? MUSICALLY AND LYRICALLY?
It was a lot of fun actually, not stressful like it had been in the past. We really wanted to keep our faith very much in the forefront. We also wanted to make it comfortable for those who don’t share our faith. We just wrote about real life situations and issues that way everyone can relate, but just keep the positive message throughout the record.
?

SEEING YOU HAVE A VIDEO FOR STITCHES WOULD YOU SAY THIS WAS THE FIRST SINGLE FOR THE BAND AND DO YOU FEEL THIS WAS THE STRONGEST REPRESANTION OF THE ALBUM?
Umm, actually no. I don’t think it is, but we thought it had a great? message and also just a better song for people to relate to than our heavier songs so we thought we would ease in new fans, or at least we hoped it would.
?

THE SONG THAT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF ON THE RECORD?
I am most proud of CHORUS OF ANGELS. That song is really powerful to me. It is the final song on the record, just didn’t know it would turn out so? well. I love it (haha) sounds arrogant but seriously it rocks (haha).
?

THE SONG THE JOURNEY ON THE SEA LION, DID THAT START OUT AS JUST AN INSTRUMENTAL AND EXPLAIN? HOW THAT SONG CAME TO BE.
Yeah we just wrote it as a pretty song to break up the record a bit. I like when bands do that, it is a nice break sometimes.
?

HEARD YOU GUYS HAVE VIDEO TWO IN THE WORKS HEADING TO MTV 2 SOON. WHAT IS IT FOR AND DO YOU FEEL THAT AS A BAND YOU LIKE TO TRY TO HAVE A CONCEPT TO A VIDEO CLOSE TO THE STORY OF THE SONG AND DO YOU FEEL THIS CURRENT SONG A LONG WITH YOUR OLDER VIDEOS DID CAPTURE THAT?
Yeah we have the song “STITCHES” as a video we hope to have it played soon on MTV2. I love this video. The video captures exactly what the song is about. It is our first video with a real concept. I love it.
?

TO YOU, WHAT MAKES A GOOD VIDEO AND DO YOU FEEL THIS DAY AND AGE THAT THE VIDEO IS A HUGE ASSET FOR A BAND BEING THERE IS SO MANY FACETS ON THE INTERNET ALONG WITH VIDEO STATIONS THESE DAYS?
I think a good video like most people is an original idea mixed with just? plain great cinematography. I think a video is very important. People like? to watch videos. Some people would never hear us unless we had a video on? the Internet and like video stations.
?

YOUR BACK ON THE ROAD. HOW IS THIS TOUR GOING? YOU’VE TOURED QUITE A BIT, HOW DO YOU KEEP THE SANENESS ON THE ROAD?
Honestly, I feel like I am starting to lose my mind. Right now we are in a? bus so if feels a lot better but still I am getting weirder everyday. Seriously.
?

SUMMER TOURING- BEST ADVICE TO STAY COOL ON THE ROAD?
As a band I couldn’t do it without a bus. At least not on the Warped Tour,? but for attendees just keep drinking water and don’t wear black. Who cares? what you look like just make sure you are keeping cool.
?

NEXT YEAR I HEAR YOUR DOING SOUNDWAVE FEST IN AUSTRLIA. THIS YEARS LINEUP WAS PRETTY BIG. HOW DOES ONE BECOME A PART OF IT? ARE YOU ASKED OR PUT A BID IN TO GET ON THE BILL?
Oddly enough I don’t know how it happened. I just found out that we were on? it and we all seem a bit dumb about it. No one knows what’s going on. (haha)
?

AUSTRALIA, HAVE YOU PLAYED BEFORE AND IT SEEMS LIKE OVERSEAS HAVE SO MANY HUGE OUTDOOR FESTIVALS. IF YOU HAVE PLAYED THEM DO YOU FEEL YOU NEED A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE STEPPING ON A STAGE THERE VERSES A SMALL AMERICAN CLUB?
We haven’t been blessed to play in Australia yet but we have done Europe and the UK. it is way different. I love it. While I am there I have a great? time. I love playing in the US. I miss it when I’m gone for a while for sure. I like the personal close feeling with the fans.
?

JIMMY RYAN’S LAST SHOW WAS TAPED AND WAS GOING TO BE ON A DVD. HAS THAT BEEN RELEASED AND IF NOT WHEN ?
Yes it was released with a special ed CD of Pressure The Hinges. So it is out now. it was a really great show.
?

HAVE YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT MAYBE JIMMY DOING SOME HOMETOWN SHOWS WITH YOU OR HE IS TOTALLY OUT OF THE MUSIC SCENE NOW?
We are really close with Jimmy still but we have a new vocalist now and Stephen is absolutely amazing. We don’t really want to make things confusing. I know jimmy is doing new things now musically. We will let him do that and let Stephen rock.
?

WORKING ON ANY NEW MATERIAL AS OF YET?
Yes actually we are already working on new stuff. Just so when the time comes we will have a few songs to start with.
?

FAVORITE ALBUM OF THE SUMMER THUS FAR?
My favorite album of the year is the new Brand New. I know it didn’t just come out this summer but still mostly all I listen to. If I don’t listen to? that I listen to the new Circa Survive. That is an awesome CD and it did? just come out.
?

DONT KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE BASEBALL FANS BUT IF YOU ARE ANY PREDICTIONS OF THE WORLD SERIES??
Toronto Blue Jays. I am? Canadian so that would be amazing. (haha) I don’tknow? if they are even any good.
?

LAST COMMENTS?
I am sorry we couldn’t do this on the phone. Service was horribleyesterday? and I tried calling but it kept giving me the busy signal, but glad we could do this now and these were great questions. You rock.