Seconds Before Landing Interview

Hello. It’s been a while. What has been happening in your neck of the woods?

Yes, it has been a while, and it’s nice to be speaking with you again.

 

Everything is fine here.  I’m working in the studio every day, and loving every minute of it.

 

S.B.L. 2 is your latest album. What does it add to the story that is Seconds Before Landing?

 

I am hoping that Seconds Before Landing 2 does a couple different things.

 

First,  I hope it shows the fans of the first album, that I am not afraid to branch out and take risks as a writer/composer.

 

Also, I wanted to show that I can still deal with powerful subject matter, and incorporate those style of lyrics, into music that may be more “casual listener” friendly.

We talked about your current music briefly, but what is the one song that you still go back to and think “man, I’ve done it – this is great”? Why is that?

 

On the first album “The Great Deception”, it would certainly be “Welcome, To The Future”.   That song pretty much set the entire tone for that album, and it really gave the listener something to grab hold of.  It didn’t hurt that it had a powerful video to accompany it either.  That video took on a life of its own, and has been used all around the world in different capacities.

 

On album 2, I am particularly fond of the way “Hey Dad” came out, and also “Don’t Want To Feel This Way”.   Both songs deal with very troubling subject matter.   “Hey Dad” deals with a son who is coming to terms with the fact his father is dying, and the relationship they had.    “Don’t” deals with the difficult subject matter of panic attacks, and the anguish that comes along with those.

 

That said, I have to tell you, I would never put a song on any of my albums just to fill time.  I truly like all the material I release.  I try to tell a story, or set a mood that allows the listener to go on a journey with me.

 

As far as “great” goes, I always think I can do better, so I will let the audience label them that way if they choose.

 

 

What process do you utilize concerning ordering and the ultimate decision whether to put a track on the album?

 

I like to create an album that immediately catches the listener from the first minute it starts.  Thats why I started this album with “Big Train”.  It is “completely” different from anything on “The Great Deception”, and it has such a great groove, and a killer saxophone part by Jamie Peck.

 

I also consider the tempo of tracks, as well as the subject matter, when assigning track order.  I want it to be a journey for the listener.

 

My decision as to whether to put a song on an album is pretty simple.  If i feel I could have written it better, sang it better, or recorded it better, it wont see the light of day until  I get it exactly where I want it to be.

 

 

Which sort of social media website have you had the best successes with? What about these online services are different from the traditional face to face meeting that musicians traditionally utilize?

 

I think without a doubt, social media has been a blessing for all things S.B.L.  We have close to 12 thousand Facebook followers in a short period of time.  On there, I am able to post, videos, music, and anything else I feel would be interesting to the listener.  The response has been wonderful.

 

I could not have reached as many people touring as I have reached online.   The first video did hundreds of thousands of views worldwide.

 

Now, that said, I really enjoy meeting other musicians and talking shop.  I also enjoy meeting the people who are following the music I am making, and talking to them as well.

 

The face to face interaction is enjoyable, but unfortunately, that doesn’t happen as much unless you are on the road.  I do receive a lot of emails each week, and I try and answer each of them.  The communication part of what I do, is very important to me.   I try and deal with powerful subject matter, and I am always touched when what I say touches someone in a positive way.

 

How can individuals contact you and find samples from 2?

 

The email address to contact me is SBLMusic@aol.com, and as I mentioned before, I try my best to answer every single letter that comes in.

 

As far as Samples for album 2, they can be streamed on Bandcamp @ www.secondsbeforelanding.bandcamp.com  as well as on iTunes, CdBaby, and other streaming sites around the globe.

 

 

What is the next step for you at the beginning of 2015?

 

Well, I have already started working on the material for album 3.

 

Ideas started to come to me, while album 2 was being mastered, so I figured, “no time like the present”.

 

I like to keep busy, and I love what I do, so it never seems like work to me.

 

Its difficult at times, but I love all of the “possibilities” whenever I begin writing a track.  I think its that excitement that keeps me fresh, and working the way I do.

 

 

Do you have any final thoughts for NeuFutur readers?

 

 

One thing I would like to say to anyone who reads this, is “Thank You” for the amazing support you have shown these albums.

 

Like I mentioned earlier, album 2 is very different than album 1 was, and I knew that was going to be a risk.

 

Seconds Before Landing 2 has styles of music that were nowhere to be heard on album 1.    Like “Big Train” which I mentioned earlier, opens the album, and is “very” jazz rock in nature.

 

I enjoy taking musical risks like this, and I appreciate the fact that the audience seems to enjoy it as well.

 

That said, as I begin writing for album 3, it appears that it will have the overall darker tone that album one did.

 

 

 

Thank you so much for your time. 

 

And thank you too !   It is always a pleasure speaking with you this way, and I appreciate the support you have shown Seconds Before Landing since the beginning.

 

 

Seconds Before Landing Interview