THE NEXT BIG THING: TO THE WIND

Talk to me about the story of the band!
We are five guys from Seattle, Tacoma, and Oak Harbor Washington. Three of us are family members (Ryan is my older brother who started the band and Cory is our cousin) Tron and Matt were good friends of ours who played in other bands. We started early 2008. Ryan and Cory played in a band together a few years prior. I did vocals on my own at a young age. When I was 15 years old Ryan asked Cory and I to join the band. Shortly after we got Matt on guitar and Tron on bass. We all just wanted to tour a lot so that’s what we’ve been doing the past 3 to 4 years.

What did you do in the last six months?
We’ve accomplished big goals that we’ve set for ourselves, toured with some cool bands, went to Europe for the first time, played Warped Tour for the first time, and have been working to keep ourselves on the road since.

What have you got in your wallet now?
I have a lot of business cards, an ID, “lucky” coin, whole foods card, and a bank card (no-ne of that money is from the band if that’s the question).

Why have you chosen this name for your band?
We came up with a few names that were really bad. Cory came to us with the name To The Wind. It was the best we had and made the most sense at the time so that’s what we went with.

How important is the look/appearance for your band?
When we started we thought wearing black on stage might look more professional. It was dumb and that idea didn’t last long at all. We’ve always dressed and looked how we want.

Tell us about the new LP “Block out the sun & sleep”. Are you fully satisfied with it?
I think we are all satisfied with how the record came out. We had lower expectations before we went in the studio. We knew we didn’t have much time to write it. After we got into the studio with Kyle Black it started coming together quicker than we thought. At this point I still wouldn’t change anything about this record but that’s just me. We are all happy and very satisfied with it regardless.

Which is the highest point of the LP?
I think it starts strong, has a good transition in the middle and ends strong as well.

…And the lowest point?
With our old record I could tell you a low point but for this one I haven’t found it yet.

How would you define your sound?
Heavy, Melodic, and Honest.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rfvk7PNgGI[/youtube]

Hardcore. Describe for me this word!
More than just a genre of music. It’s different from any other scene. It’s about going to shows, supporting bands and expressing yourself. It’s personal and aggressive. It allows people an outlet they couldn’t find anywhere else. It’s not about talent or how you look. It’s about the message in the songs and connecting with others. It makes you feel like you’re apart of something and not just a fan in the crowd. That’s what hardcore is to me.

Which bands have influenced your style?
The first bands to influence our style of music are bands like Remembering Never, Terror, Have Heart, Love Is Red, Comeback Kid, Deftones, Bury Your Dead, Champion, Tupac, Notorious BIG, X-Raided, Verse, Killswitch Engage, Killing The Dream, Pantera, Brand New, and a bunch of other bands from all sorts of styles.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Having all my family around, traveling with my family and best friends, hearing new bands that inspire me, playing sports and skateboarding, and meeting new people.

What song is in your head right now?
Kid Ink ft. Chris Brown “Show Me”.

Name 3 words that describe your band.
Honest, Emotional, Driven

Which are the best and the worst qualities of your band?
Best quality is our positive attitudes. Worst quality is procrastination.

And of your local music scene?
Venues close down a lot but there are so many great bands and great people who care about the music scene. I wish some bands would tour more often.

What is the most embarrassing situation you’ve ever been with To The Wind?
We’ve had some embarrassing interviews and things like that but I think me saying an awkward dumb joke in Atlanta when there were a couple thousand people there takes the cake.

Have you got a good reason to be in Behind Magazine?
I don’t know exactly but we’re a hard working band with good hearts.

The new LP “Block out the sun & sleep” by To The Wind is out! Check https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/block-out-the-sun-sleep/id887974790

Listen “Block out the sun & sleep” on Spotify: https://play.spotify.com/album/48NKoWOpro3ToXor4UX46F

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tothewindnw/