How will your third album be different, or similar, to your last two albums?
One thing that people will notice after the first run though the new CD will be that it is all acoustic. My last two CDs had kinda a mix and match feel to them meaning that there was a mix of full band songs and acoustic songs. Also this time around the record should sound sonically more streamlined. What I mean by that is the last 2 CDs were recorded in several different places, one being my bedroom, and so the songs all had a different mix to them. Not this time. This time it will all flow like a real CD should with the songs being mixed in a similar fashion. Other than that the overall music will be higher quality. I spent what turned into 6 months making this cd. I started out only being a 4 song EP and then I wanted my fans to have more so I dove into making it a full 9 song CD called cream Surrender. Aside from sound quality and acoustic, this CD is also my most transparent yet because my previous ones were about me being fed up with people and this one is more self analytical and about being fed up with myself.
Why did you decide to release your music under Ladybug Landslide instead of using your name?
There's a two part answer for this one. I guess first off I'd feel weird about using my own name. I feel like the only people that works for is country and rap artists. The main reason though I use Ladybug Landslide is because the name means a lot to me. I guess I'll explain that. In high school I had 2 good friends who were twins and one of them was in a touring band. We always joked about making this super heavy band and giving it a sissy name such as "Ladybug Landslide." I guess I had just turned 18 when we found out that one of the twins had gotten a rare form of cancer and he spent the next 3 years fighting remissions. He finally beat it as far as I know like 2 years ago after numerous surgeries and having a massive toll taken on his body. Before all of this I played drums in bands for 8 years and when I quit that and started playing solo I knew I had to find a name besides my own. I also knew that nothing would fit except Ladybug Landslide. I wanted to name it this because it reminded me of the days when everything was still so simple and before the reality of death came in and overshadowed life. I also wanted to pay respect to a good friend who showed me what really living was about. So that's it. Sorry for the essay there.
Where do you get your inspirations when writing music? Who would you consider your biggest influences?
I really don't know. I'll be going about my day and all of a sudden for some reason I'll just know that I have a song that I have to write. It hits me fast and I have to jump on it right then and there or else I lose the inspiration. Usually the song will come out fully written within 2 hours. I usually just think about what is bothering me at that specific point and try to form it into a song. As for musical influence for my solo stuff I'm influenced by Dallas Green of City&Colour, Dashboard Confessional, Jimmy Eat World and The Spill Canvas. When I write full band music it's more along the lines of Hot Water Music, old Green Day, Rookie of the Year, Further Seems Forever and stuff like that.
What, if any, touring plans do you have to support the new album?
That's a good question. I'm supposed to be going out with some friends of mine from Atlanta and playing a week in Florida this August as kinda like a southern CD release tour. However, every time I'm supposed to have a tour someone on the management/booking end of things doesn't do their job and ends up screwing me so we'll see how that goes I suppose. I love touring and I'm upset that I haven't done much of it in the last year. The last tour I did was up to Alaska and back last August so I'm due for one, a good one, soon.
Suppose someone could listen to only one track you've released. Which would best represent you as an artist?
I know most of my fans would say that it would be my single from my last EP called "What's the Point" but I'm going to go ahead and say that in my opinion it would be my full band version of the song "Cover Story Kids" from my first CD. I'm actually re-releasing that song on this album as a purely acoustic song.
[CO]