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BAND PROFILE: Interview, Free Downloads + more: Sanction the Radio (Atlanta, GA)
Sanction the Radio is Johnny Shumate – Lead Vocals and Guitar, Will Strawn – Guitar, Jake Walski – Bass, Adam Mitchell – Drums. Sanction the Radio on FaCeBOoK.
Band Bio: It doesn’t matter if you’re diving into an angry mosh pit or pushing your car speakers to their limit on your daily commute, Atlanta rockers Sanction the Radio, seek to move you.
Launching a punk influenced sound into a landscape littered with cover bands and country artists may seem like career suicide, but the quartet proves that music doesn’t have to have limitations. Since its inception in 2011, Sanction the Radio has received both local and national praise as an up and coming rock band. Working with gold record recipient, Daryl Phenneger ( Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Evergreen Terrace ) in 2012, their self titled EP yielded them a strong local following.“This truly is emotion-provoking stuff. Sanction The Radio’s EP’ is full of good things and I can’t wait for a debut album.” The EP also garnered them attention from venues and touring acts in the south east region.“This record is the product of our punk influences, counterbalanced by our love of melody” says front man Johnny Shumate.
The title of the band’s latest studio release, “Catechism”, may seem exclusive to only religious doctrine, but the lyrics speak to a much deeper interpretation. Recorded with producer/engineer, Lee Dyess ( Against Me!, Mayday Parade ), “Catechism” juggles both punk and indie influences while keeping a tight grip on the driving melodies that carry you from one section to the next. “Each of us had a hand in the writing process for Catechism”. “It felt like we were building the Frankenstein monster”. “We each took turns putting on different bolts and body parts”.
With plans of releasing a new single from the same recording session as “Catechism” in the summer, the four piece is also planning to release a second EP in the near future consisting of their 2014 singles. “We’re crafting the evolution of Sanction the Radio”. “ Testing our boundaries and exploring new sonic territory is what drives us to push forward”
“For fans of Alkaline Trio, and maybe a dash of AFI. Both live and in the studio, STR does not disappoint. Will Ferrell dressed as the devil himself would say “Where did this tasty lick come from??” Shedding the restraints of their debut EP with their latest single, Sanction the Radio are ready to knock down the doors of the music industry and leave an unforgettable mark on every fan they meet.
===STREAM AND DOWNLOAD THEIR SELF TITLED EP===
===THE INTERVIEW====
B: When did the band form? (I’ll get who plays what, etc. from your Facebook and add that).
(Johnny) Sanction the Radio was officially formed in the summer of 2011.
B: Can you explain your band name?
(Johnny) Radio is antiquated. Basically dead. Practically forgotten. When I was a kid, my dad would quiz me on different bands that came on the radio while riding in his truck. I would get so excited when I got one right. Now, I cant even bear to turn the damn thing on….With the band name, I wanted to give the gift of Interpretation to our fans. I’ve always love it when bands have lyrics and titles that beg the question.The word Sanction seemed perfect since its an autoantonym holding two opposing meanings: Imposing penalty or granting approval.
B: Do you find it helpful when folks compare you to other bands?
(Johnny) It’s very helpful. People need categories. They need a reference. Of course, when someone says “Sanction the Radio?””Who do they sound like?”. Our goal is the make that question as difficult as possible to answer. We create music to be distinct. If you can easily put us in a genre, we’re doing something wrong. If people can get the same experience elsewhere, why would they listen to us?
B: Is there a band you like to be compared to?
(Johnny) No. not really. We’ve been compared to so many different punk, rock, and alternative bands that we really dont have a favorite. as long they’re doing their own thing and not a “bandwagon” band, we’re glad to be compared.
B: Describe a Sanction the Radio show?
(Will) It’s a bit difficult to exactly describe our shows. Every show seems to have
a different vibe to it. Playing with different bands brings in
different crowds. So for certain shows, especially ones that are rougher
and louder, you get a lot more crowd movement. However performance wise, we always try to go all out on stage and truly give it our all. Our band mentality is to play every show like it’s our last and I
believe it comes across during our performance
B: What do you hope potential fans leave your show thinking about your band/show?
Will) Well first and foremost I hope they were thoroughly entertained. Musicians are entertainers…. its our job. When people come to our show there are other ways they could have spent their night, but instead they chose to come see live music… our music. So our hope is that we made their night the most fun and entertaining thing they could’ve chosen to do. As a band we strive for uniqueness. When it comes to a fans opinion of us, I hope they can’t pigeonhole us as any other band. I want them leaving a show under the impression that they’ve never heard anything like us. I believe thats how you make true fans.
B: What is your latest release – can you tell us about it? (song or album)
(Johnny) Our latest single is “Nocturnus”. We wanted to write something ominous and dark for a change. We worked with engineer/producer lee Dyes (Mayday Parade, Against Me!) We had recently lost our bass player and were forced to go into the studio as a 3 peice. I got to write and record bass for this one which was so much fun. We all took turns adding different layers, piano, group vocals etc. During preproduction, Adam even took his computer into his back yard and recorded the sounds of nature. Listen closely around 3:03 and you can hear the sound of crickets and frogs chirping.
B: Are you working on anything new right now (we saw your practice pic on Facebook)?
(Johnny) Yes! We are working on a new single with plans to release a new music video early this year! I’m so stoked about this I can barely keep my mouth shut about it. What I can tell you is the song will have subtle electronic elements.Anger and curiosity are thematic to the song. It’s very close to me. Hopefully, people will connect and relate to it more than anything else we’ve created at this point.
B: Why do you play music?
(Johnny) We play music because Its what we know. It’s a drug. Exploring and manipulating different sounds is a challenge. There’s no other feeling like it.
B: We noticed you give all your music away as free downloads…how do you feel about giving your music away? How do you feel about the atmosphere for ‘indie’ bands on tour right now? What about the industry in general and your ability to make money for your art?
(Will) This is a topic that has sparked quite a lot of past discussion within our band. We would love to profit off of our music, however at the current stage in of our band’s life it just doesn’t make sense to put a price tag on our songs. A local band’s top priority should be to gain as many fans as possible. By putting a price on your music you are losing opportunities and possible fans. We want there to be the least amount of friction possible between potential fans and our music. Now if a fan downloads our music and really enjoys it, they always have the ability to support us by buying merchandise from us or buying tickets to one of our shows. This is where we intend to make up for the lost sales. If we lived in a perfect world everyone would pay for music, just as you would any piece of art. However it’s quite obvious that the music scene just doesn’t work that way.
11. Do you wear “skinny jeans”? Explain. (just for fun)
(Johnny)Bruh….. Jake and I rock skinny jeans on the reg. After all, why would you hide your best ASSets?
12. Enter the question you’d wish I would have asked here and then answer it.
(Johnny) ” How do you guys manage to stay in such good shape?” Great question. I’m glad you asked. We all adhere to a strick diet of nuts, legumes, and raw vegitables, coupled with 3 hours of daily yoga and intense meditation.
===FREE DOWNLOADS===
