1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
Well it may be easier to say what is NOT going on with the band these days... We have been receiving an incredible amount of global interest in Swirl lately and the buzz around the band is a tremendous feeling. We are very blessed and humbled by it all. A few examples include not only this interview opportunity so THANK YOU, but we are the Band of the Day in the UK today (4/12/15)! http://forksterocks.net/2nd-fleet-up-on-bands-of-the-day-with-swirl/
We are ranked #2 in Tokyo, Japan here
http://www.breath-fresher.com/2015/03/07/swirl/
We debuted on Coast FM in Japan April 3 and have been no less than the #3 band on that Japanese website since March 8, 2015. We even have distribution for teh 'SWIRL' ep in Japan.
We are featured in Saudi Arabia here (4/10/15)- http://paper.li/aalsaad/1322395853?edition_id=fd6c8190-df72-11e4-b0cf-002590a5ba2d
Do you see what I mean? That is just a small sample. To get the big picture check out the "Swirl Press" button on the official Swirl website here. We are constantly updating.
2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?
We are a hard rock band. We have a lot of melody and harmonies in our vocals to go along with the loud aggressive guitars, and pounding rhythm section, We simply like to call it the Swirl sound and then let the listener decide what it means to them.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
A lot of what we have created with the 'SWIRL' release is inspirational and emotionally uplifting or empowering lyrical content. I can`t say that we set out to do that and all the credit really goes to Swirl singer Alfred Ramirez for the lyrical direction the songs took. Songs like "Rise Up", "Time To Fly" and "Message" speak to overcoming obstacles we all deal with in everyday whereas "We Are Alive" is more of a stick it to your boss rant. Great energy in all the songs.
There are a couple love themed songs done Swirl style with one that will be our summer 2015 single and it`s called "Fourth Of July".
A song like "Spell" while still in the love/ relationship theme is a darker song.
"Mad Disease" deals with some very personal issues that some people will pick up on right away once they give it a listen.
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Swirl'?
When the band started it was pretty self evident from our photos and while that is still part of it the real meaning is the way the band members all came together from different personalities, backgrounds, interests and yet we all coexist to create this band. We are all very close.
5.Originally the band was from Washington what was the decision to re-locate to California and also how would you compare the music scenes in both states?
The band was started in Washington, but had a singer living in Canada while myself and the former bassist lived in Washington State. Swirl drummer Brian "Bam Bam" Jones was already living in California.
We released a full length CD called "Out Of Nowhere" then toured the US and Japan on it for 2 years before things just fell apart with that incarnation of Swirl.
When it came time to reform Swirl I was already living in California. I needed a new singer and bassist to move the project forward with Brian when the touring opportunities came for Swirl again.
6.What are some of the best shows that the band ha splayed over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
There have been so many great shows. Of course there were some bad ones along the way, but let`s see....Headlining in Japan over a 9 day traveling festival was a great time. Supporting RATT and Extreme on the East Meets West Tour had many amazing nights on it. Getting back on stage with the new lineup after the 'SWIRL' ep was finished opening for Skid Row was great and opening for Red Dragon Cartel twice in So Cal...there have been some amazing club headlining shows as well. We love getting on stage. Swirl is a very high energy show for sure. We believe 100% in engaging the crowd and breaking a sweat. Our on stage motto is "whatever it takes to win the room".
7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Coming up April 18 we are part of the 4th Annual Kosher Metal Festival in Santa Ana, CA.
We have plans to tour in as many places in and out of North America as we can after the release of the film 'Ditch Day Massacre' for which we are the featured band (http://thefilmditch.com/music-artists/). The film stars Emmy Award winner Bill Oberst Jr and won "Best Feature Film" at the Burbank International Film Festival on September 7, 2014. The producer is working on getting distribution for the film as we speak. Swirl has received a couple other movie soundtrack offers as well as a television licensing offer as well so once the dust settles and things are finalized we can look at touring again. We are itching to get back on the road. It`s what we live for, but we have to be smart about touring. Naturally if the right opportunity came along we would jump on it even if it meant going out prior to the release of any of the movie.
8,You have had some well known musicians produce your first album and another one playing drums on your ep, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and their contributions to the recordings?
Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot and later RATT) produced the "Out Of Nowhere" while Matt Thorr (Rough Cutt) engineered CD and Fred Coury (Cinderella) played drums on the songs "Time To Fly" and "Mad Disease" that appear on the current 'SWIRL' ep.
9.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Naturally we would be interested if the right label came calling with the right offer, but we are comfortable aggressively building the Swirl brand on our own. No offers have come our way yet, but in the age of the independent artist that is really not a surprise. We have to get our music out to the people, let them decide if it`s worthy and then if the masses deem it so then the labels will take care of themselves. The good news is that it is so much easier for bands willing to put the work in to get the music out to the people. We are fond of saying "Let the people decide"!
10.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of rock and metal?
The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Every review comes with an "8/10", "9/10" or "4/5" score and positive comments. See for yourself here http://www.reverbnation.com/socalswirl/press/
Not only the critics, radio personalities and the press, but the fan on the street that hears Swirl`s music has been very supportive. It is all very rewarding for us.
11.When can we expect a full length album and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Well we have to remember that we are still a baby band in this business so our opportunities to promote music will be limited if/ when we get an opportunity to be a part of a larger tour so we want to make sure we have gotten all the exposure we can out of this 'SWIRL' ep and the undoubtedly 30 minute support slot we would receive. For any headline shows we are doing now in clubs we have more than enough material.
When the tour/ promo cycle for this tour is officially exhausted we will put out the next release and hopefully it will reach a larger audience. One that we earn with 'SWIRL'.
We have very big goals for Swirl. We have been lucky enough to have been helped by artists who have been to some pretty lofty heights of success in their careers and we are trying to mimic their achievements while staying true to who we are as men and the music we create. I suspect Swirl will always be a hard rock band. I am sure we will evolve like any band does, but I don`t see us going contemporary or country at all in terms of our musical direction.
12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Everybody in the band comes from a different place musically... Alfred is a big David Bowie fan; Brian and I share a love for all things early KISS, but he went into the progressive direction and is a huge Rush fan; Shane tends to like more obscure artists, but if you ask for a dream tour scenario with an an established band he will say Metallica. I tend to gravitate towards guitar players that gained their fame in the 80s, but are still great players today (Jake E Lee, Warren DeMartini, George Lynch, Carlos Cavazo, Matthias Jabs and Nuno Bettencourt etc...).
As a band we really do listen to it all and we are always introducing each other to music whether that be the newest bands or some older material. Let`s just say the CD player gets a real workout when we are all together.
13.What are some of your non musical interests?
I think we are all sports fans in various professions. Football at any level is a topic for us all, NBA, NHL and MLB. Brian and I grew up in Alaska so fly fishing is near and dear to Brian. Alfred has a theater background so he would engage in a conversation about that. Shane was part of a horror themed podcast show.
14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for your time and interest in Swirl. We are hoping to get back on the road, entertain then shake your hands as soon as we can.
Well it may be easier to say what is NOT going on with the band these days... We have been receiving an incredible amount of global interest in Swirl lately and the buzz around the band is a tremendous feeling. We are very blessed and humbled by it all. A few examples include not only this interview opportunity so THANK YOU, but we are the Band of the Day in the UK today (4/12/15)! http://forksterocks.net/2nd-fleet-up-on-bands-of-the-day-with-swirl/
We are ranked #2 in Tokyo, Japan here
http://www.breath-fresher.com/2015/03/07/swirl/
We debuted on Coast FM in Japan April 3 and have been no less than the #3 band on that Japanese website since March 8, 2015. We even have distribution for teh 'SWIRL' ep in Japan.
We are featured in Saudi Arabia here (4/10/15)- http://paper.li/aalsaad/1322395853?edition_id=fd6c8190-df72-11e4-b0cf-002590a5ba2d
Do you see what I mean? That is just a small sample. To get the big picture check out the "Swirl Press" button on the official Swirl website here. We are constantly updating.
2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?
We are a hard rock band. We have a lot of melody and harmonies in our vocals to go along with the loud aggressive guitars, and pounding rhythm section, We simply like to call it the Swirl sound and then let the listener decide what it means to them.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
A lot of what we have created with the 'SWIRL' release is inspirational and emotionally uplifting or empowering lyrical content. I can`t say that we set out to do that and all the credit really goes to Swirl singer Alfred Ramirez for the lyrical direction the songs took. Songs like "Rise Up", "Time To Fly" and "Message" speak to overcoming obstacles we all deal with in everyday whereas "We Are Alive" is more of a stick it to your boss rant. Great energy in all the songs.
There are a couple love themed songs done Swirl style with one that will be our summer 2015 single and it`s called "Fourth Of July".
A song like "Spell" while still in the love/ relationship theme is a darker song.
"Mad Disease" deals with some very personal issues that some people will pick up on right away once they give it a listen.
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Swirl'?
When the band started it was pretty self evident from our photos and while that is still part of it the real meaning is the way the band members all came together from different personalities, backgrounds, interests and yet we all coexist to create this band. We are all very close.
5.Originally the band was from Washington what was the decision to re-locate to California and also how would you compare the music scenes in both states?
The band was started in Washington, but had a singer living in Canada while myself and the former bassist lived in Washington State. Swirl drummer Brian "Bam Bam" Jones was already living in California.
We released a full length CD called "Out Of Nowhere" then toured the US and Japan on it for 2 years before things just fell apart with that incarnation of Swirl.
When it came time to reform Swirl I was already living in California. I needed a new singer and bassist to move the project forward with Brian when the touring opportunities came for Swirl again.
6.What are some of the best shows that the band ha splayed over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
There have been so many great shows. Of course there were some bad ones along the way, but let`s see....Headlining in Japan over a 9 day traveling festival was a great time. Supporting RATT and Extreme on the East Meets West Tour had many amazing nights on it. Getting back on stage with the new lineup after the 'SWIRL' ep was finished opening for Skid Row was great and opening for Red Dragon Cartel twice in So Cal...there have been some amazing club headlining shows as well. We love getting on stage. Swirl is a very high energy show for sure. We believe 100% in engaging the crowd and breaking a sweat. Our on stage motto is "whatever it takes to win the room".
7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Coming up April 18 we are part of the 4th Annual Kosher Metal Festival in Santa Ana, CA.
We have plans to tour in as many places in and out of North America as we can after the release of the film 'Ditch Day Massacre' for which we are the featured band (http://thefilmditch.com/music-artists/). The film stars Emmy Award winner Bill Oberst Jr and won "Best Feature Film" at the Burbank International Film Festival on September 7, 2014. The producer is working on getting distribution for the film as we speak. Swirl has received a couple other movie soundtrack offers as well as a television licensing offer as well so once the dust settles and things are finalized we can look at touring again. We are itching to get back on the road. It`s what we live for, but we have to be smart about touring. Naturally if the right opportunity came along we would jump on it even if it meant going out prior to the release of any of the movie.
8,You have had some well known musicians produce your first album and another one playing drums on your ep, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and their contributions to the recordings?
Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot and later RATT) produced the "Out Of Nowhere" while Matt Thorr (Rough Cutt) engineered CD and Fred Coury (Cinderella) played drums on the songs "Time To Fly" and "Mad Disease" that appear on the current 'SWIRL' ep.
9.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Naturally we would be interested if the right label came calling with the right offer, but we are comfortable aggressively building the Swirl brand on our own. No offers have come our way yet, but in the age of the independent artist that is really not a surprise. We have to get our music out to the people, let them decide if it`s worthy and then if the masses deem it so then the labels will take care of themselves. The good news is that it is so much easier for bands willing to put the work in to get the music out to the people. We are fond of saying "Let the people decide"!
10.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of rock and metal?
The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Every review comes with an "8/10", "9/10" or "4/5" score and positive comments. See for yourself here http://www.reverbnation.com/socalswirl/press/
Not only the critics, radio personalities and the press, but the fan on the street that hears Swirl`s music has been very supportive. It is all very rewarding for us.
11.When can we expect a full length album and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Well we have to remember that we are still a baby band in this business so our opportunities to promote music will be limited if/ when we get an opportunity to be a part of a larger tour so we want to make sure we have gotten all the exposure we can out of this 'SWIRL' ep and the undoubtedly 30 minute support slot we would receive. For any headline shows we are doing now in clubs we have more than enough material.
When the tour/ promo cycle for this tour is officially exhausted we will put out the next release and hopefully it will reach a larger audience. One that we earn with 'SWIRL'.
We have very big goals for Swirl. We have been lucky enough to have been helped by artists who have been to some pretty lofty heights of success in their careers and we are trying to mimic their achievements while staying true to who we are as men and the music we create. I suspect Swirl will always be a hard rock band. I am sure we will evolve like any band does, but I don`t see us going contemporary or country at all in terms of our musical direction.
12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Everybody in the band comes from a different place musically... Alfred is a big David Bowie fan; Brian and I share a love for all things early KISS, but he went into the progressive direction and is a huge Rush fan; Shane tends to like more obscure artists, but if you ask for a dream tour scenario with an an established band he will say Metallica. I tend to gravitate towards guitar players that gained their fame in the 80s, but are still great players today (Jake E Lee, Warren DeMartini, George Lynch, Carlos Cavazo, Matthias Jabs and Nuno Bettencourt etc...).
As a band we really do listen to it all and we are always introducing each other to music whether that be the newest bands or some older material. Let`s just say the CD player gets a real workout when we are all together.
13.What are some of your non musical interests?
I think we are all sports fans in various professions. Football at any level is a topic for us all, NBA, NHL and MLB. Brian and I grew up in Alaska so fly fishing is near and dear to Brian. Alfred has a theater background so he would engage in a conversation about that. Shane was part of a horror themed podcast show.
14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for your time and interest in Swirl. We are hoping to get back on the road, entertain then shake your hands as soon as we can.
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