Interview With Eyes Set To Kill
March 5th, 2008 by Stephanie Stevens
In the last year I’ve come to appreciate the female musicians out there. I ask myself why since I am a female why I didn’t show more support in the past and I think it was because I never really found them having the passion or power to really stand out. Maybe a pretty face here n there but nothing substantial. Then I started listening to Amy Lee and Lacey Mosley and I started to feel that the talent was over powering everything else. This is what is happening with the sisters of EYES SET TO KILL. Alexia (vocals, guitar and piano) and Anissa (bass) Rodriguez. The Phoenix based band also consists of guitarist-Greg Kerwin, screamer and synth keyboardist-Brandon Anderson and drummer Caleb Clifton is making noise with their debut disc REACH on BreakSilence Records. This disc was one of the first to hit my mailbox in early 08 and to be truthful it has not left my player. The album is just an explosion of great melody, intriguing surges of aggression and angst and lyrics that can be related to your life and written so well and executed with perfection. The duo vocals of a female and male really bring the content of each song to the dramatic elements they were written for.
I’m awaiting patiently for this young band to tour the new England area so I can really talk to them in person and tell them how much there music and band have made me change my mind about the female artist.
I had the chance to drop EYES SET TO KILL a few questions via email. These are the words of a young, talented up n coming band you should all be listening too!
AT WHAT AGE DID YOU GUYS AS SISTERS FIRST REALIZE THEY WANTED TO BE MUSICIANS AND WHAT GOALS DID YOU SET FOR YOURSELVES GROWING UP TO ACHIEVE GETTING TO THIS MOMENT OF EYES SET TO KILL?
ALEXIA: We have always been fans of music but we didn’t start playing till middle school. I started when I was 14 and Anissa started the same age. All we ever wanted to do was to relate to people through our music and have fun. Sure we want to blow up and get as far as we can with this band but our main goal was to just have a good time, write good music, and connect with people on the way.
HOW DID THE REST OF EYES SET TO KILL BECOME A BAND AND ONE MAJOR ASSET EACH OF THE MEMBERS BRING TO THE TABLE INS ONGWRITING AND PERFORMING?
ALEXIA: The band started with Anissa and I when we were both in high school. We really didn’t want to be a gimmick as a chick band so we made it a goal to bring guy musicians into the picture. Basically I have always written the structure of the songs along with most of the lyrics and everyone else adds their own ideas when I’m finished. We have always done it like that because we used to go through a lot of different members. But now that we are all reliable and committed, the writing process is going to be a lot more different. Instead of me writing most of the structures we are all going to share the responsibility. As far as the screaming goes, Brandon writes all of his parts. We wanted a screamer in the band because we thought it would be a perfect way to widen our diversity and capture the emotional meaning behind the songs.
AS A BAND NOW WITH AN ALBUM OUT AND YOUR DREAMS ARE COMING TRUE DO YOU SET YOURSELVES UP AND THINK ABOUT ACHIEVEMENTS YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH OR DO YOU LIVE IN THE MOMEMT AND SEE WHERE IT BRINGS YOU? AND WHY DO YOU CHOOSE THAT WAY OF THINKING?
GREG: I try to focus on many achievements and accomplishments. At the same time, I try to live in the moment every day. Mainly, I just focus on being the best I can be. Kind of like the clich saying, you can achieve anything you want as long as you BELIEVE..
IF YOU AS A BAND COULD ACHIEVE ONE THING BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR FOR EYES WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
GREG: It would be awesome if at the end of this year every member has fulfilled their goals and dreams.
LYRICALLY ON REACH SEEMS LIKE THE SONGS ARE VERY PERSONAL. HOW DOES IT FEEL LAYING OUT PERSONAL THOUGHTS FOR THE WORLD TO HEAR AND WHAT DOY OU HOPE FANS GET OUT OF YOUR WORDS AND MUSIC?
ALEXIA: I hope people can translate any of our songs to fit their own experiences. One of our biggest goals is to reach out to our audiences and hopefully get one of our songs to help them out.
YOUNG BLOOD SPILLS TONIGHT WAS THIS THE HARDEST SONG TO WRITE LYRICALLY AND DID YOU GET YOUR MOM’S HELP WITH EMOTION AND THOUGHTS OR DID YOU GET WORDS FROM JUST SEEING AND GROWING UP WITH IT?
ALEXIA: I was never good with expressing my feelings to people I had personal problems or issues with. So I would just write down what I felt instead. Letting my feelings out on paper or through music has always been like a way to release tension or frustrations.
BEING A FEMALE MUSICIAN WHAT IS OR WILL BE, DO YOU FEEL THE BIGGEST ONSTACLE TO OVERCOME IN THIS BUSINESS? AND HOW WILL YOU DEAL WITH IT?
ANISSA: Some times for Alexia and I, it can be very tough being a female musician. If we ever play in front of a new crowd for example the audience can be very intimidating because some of them automatically think that we won’t have any talent just because we are girls playing instruments and making music. But when we do finally play it all changes and they give us respect and hopefully we’ve helped them to change their opinion about female musicians.
WHO DO YOU FEEL IS THE MOST POWERFUL WOMAN ARTIST IN THIS DAY AND AGE AND WHAT WOULD YOU TAKE FROM HER IF YOU COULD?
ALEXIA: I think there are a lot of powerful female artists today but most of them are in pop and I respect them tremendously. I think one female artist that I look up to the most is either Regina Spektor or Lilly Allen because they are both beginning to make names for themselves They are both extremely diverse and unique, which are both things that the music industry needs more of. They both stay true to their sound and influences and aren’t afraid to say whatever’s on their mind.
WHAT IS ONE GOOD AND BAD THING ABOUT THE PHOENIX MUSIC SCENE?
ANISSA: One good thing about the Phoenix music scene is that even after all these past years and past members our fans have always been supportive and loyal to us. I really don’t think that there is any bad in our Phoenix music scene. Shows are always amazing to us and we love coming back to phoenix after a long tour.
THE INTERNET IS THE BIGGEST MARKETING TOOL FOR BAND. WHAT HAS YOUR BAND DONE TO HELP YOUR CAREER LAUNCH? HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND CONNECTING WITH FANS? AND WHAT MARKETING SCHEME DO YOU FEEL IS A BIGGER PRESENCE IN HELPING YOUR BAND MYSPACE OR YOUTUBE AND WHY
GREG: Myspace is the best internet tool for new and current bands looking to expand their fan base. If we aren’t on tour, or practicing.. We spend our time replying to every fan that shoots us a message. This band is our business and our fans are our customers. So we treat it that way. Any one who talks online with us is a potential buyer.
TOUR PLANS FOR 08?
ALEXIA: To be a support band for as many big tours as possible.
ONE BAND YOU WOULD LOVE TO TOUR WITH?
ALEXIA: Chiodos
ONE SONG YOU WOULD LOVE TO COVER AND WHY?
ALEXIA: Covers are not really our thing 
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE COVERART FOR REACH AND HOW DOES IT INTERTWINE WITH THE MUSIC?
ALEXIA: Our photos, cover art, and songs all intertwined w/the same idea of an old Victorian home look. We wanted everything to have a good fusion and let the music define the art not the art define the music.
Eyes Set To Kill Links: Myspace Page | Music Video “Reach” | get music on i-tunes
