Interviews: Faith & Scars

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Rock band Faith & Scars from the USA. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

A little bit of both actually! When we were first forming, I remember having a notebook full of potential names & none seemed to really fit with what we were going for. Thinking back, the list was quite ridiculous. One of the names that I remember being tossed around was “MissFire.” I believe that would’ve been a ‘misfire’ for sure!

We were heavily influenced by Rock bands of the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s. Bands that came to mind were Guns N’ Roses, Alice in Chains, Shinedown, Black Stone Cherry, & Art of Dying; most of which shared a common theme: 3 words per name. We took note of this, and set out on our journey to find our brand.

Digging deeper we soon realized we were molded & driven by 2 things. One was dark & heavy. The battles we’ve been through with ourselves, or oftentimes 3rd parties. The failures we’ve experienced, individually & as a group. Collectively, we summed these experiences into one word: Scars.

Our other motivation was quite the contrast. It was & is what gives us the will to get up & push forward when life knocks us down. Our drive has always been pushed by Faith.

We’ve found that if you hold Faith in something, and hold it tight - be it your dreams, Family, a significant other, yourself or God - You’ll find yourself possessing a force that will push you to be the best you possibly can be. We took a hard look at both sides of that coin, and created Faith & Scars.

We were definitely planning and putting a lot of thought into what would become us. But what we became was much more than a name to us. We created a mantra. A code that we live by: Faith will see you through, and the scars make you stronger. Learning from our mistakes, and keeping the Faith in our future.

One thing is for sure, I couldn’t imagine us being anything but Faith & Scars.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

We were brought up in the late 90’s and 00’s. I think most of us were children of the radio, and found a comfort in the songs that came roaring through the speakers. Songs like: “Gets Me Through” on Ozzy’s 2001 ‘Down to Earth’ record. No matter what we were dealing with early on, we knew that we could flip on the FM, or pop in a CD and let it all melt away. I believe finding this comfort so early on made us students of the genre, and inspires us to give our own comfort to those who are going through similar trials & tribulations.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Yes & No.

Our singer Roger, & Bassist Brandon, have been lifelong friends since meeting in grade school shortly after Brandon moved to NC from California. The two quickly hit it off, and started dreaming of having a band of their own, life on the road, and being on stage. All of this, well before they had instruments of their own, or even knew how to play one.

Our Guitarist Logan, is originally from Florida, and moved to NC at a young age. He’s since been in many projects local to North Carolina and crossed paths with Brandon & Roger more than once on their journey.

Our Drummer Lee, is originally from Virgina. He ended up in NC by enlisting in the Army and being stationed at Ft. Bragg. We got in touch with Lee through a website called BandMix. After a quick phone call, we met up for our first jam, & the rest got us here.

4. Each band member's favourite band?

Roger (Vocals / Guitar): It’s so hard to narrow down. There are so many that stand out. If I had to choose an All-Time favorite, I’d have to say Shinedown.

Lee (Drums): Sevendust

Brandon (Bass / Vocals): I have many favorites, and it’s hard to choose. If I had to choose one that has had the most impact on me, it would be Nothing More.

Logan (Guitar / Vocals): Metallica

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

We’ve all taken inspiration from every band we’ve watched on the big stage, bands we’ve listened to on our own time, and bands we’ve had the honor of opening for. Inspiration comes from every angle. It’s never ending, and it’s a collective. It drives us to be better at our craft.

6. Where was your last gig?

The last show we played was with Texas Hippie Coalition at The Tarheel in Jacksonville, NC. This was right before we started production on ‘Revolver’. It seems like ages ago now! To say we’re ready to get back out there is an understatement!

7. Where would you like to act?

I think our dream gig coincides with many aspiring artists. Wembley Stadium in London, UK. It holds such history, and energy. Hearing 90,000 people singing back to us would be the pinnacle. It’s been a dream of ours since we were kids, and we’re in the market of turning dreams into goals, and goals into reality. All remains to be seen, but we’ve got our sights set high.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

We love to create & perform. We try to jump on every opportunity we get to do so. That being said, if the opportunity came up to open for Shinedown, we’d probably have a collective heart attack. We are all huge fans of Shinedown and would be taken away at the opportunity to warm the stage up for them.

9. Whom not?

To quote our last response, we love to create & perform. There aren’t any artists or bands that we can think of, that we wouldn’t love to work with. At the end of the night, it’s the music that matters. The music, and the positive effects it can have on the human spirit.

10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

Of course! I think everyone starts off with the butterflies. We all have at one point or another. I think the key is to use that nervous energy to drive the show. Jitters are just passion overload. When you care so much about something, and you put your everything into it, you’re making yourself completely vulnerable. That’s a scary thought! Our view on it ties back into our band name really. We confide in each other & push one another to be better musicians and people. Honesty & repetition are key. The best way to break stage fright is to keep doing it, and don’t worry about making mistakes. Everyone is going to make them once in a while. We’re all human. Except our Bassist, Brandon.

In all sincerity, the best way to learn is to make those mistakes. Make those mistakes, and when you do, mess up big. Play into it so no one knows that you did. Own it! At least then you’ll know you were performing with your whole heart! If you’re like us, you'll learn to laugh at the mistakes, appreciate the experience, and grow from it.

We’ll never forget the time Roger fell through Lee’s drum kit in front of the first capacity crowd we’d played to. We were opening for Gemini Syndrome & Drowning Pool, and we were already nervous. Our first instinct was to hide in shame & embarrassment, but a quick laugh from Lee lifted us right back up to finish the song & set. It’s hilarious to us now!

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

We find inspiration through many bands & musicians across many generations & genres. We proudly wear our 90's/00’s rock influence on our sleeves, while trying keeping classic rock sounds alive in our arrangements. A short list would have to include: Shinedown, Guns N’ Roses, Black Stone Cherry, Lynyrd Skynyrd, AlterBridge, & Jimi Hendrix

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Not necessarily weird, but definitely a cool interaction we had with a couple fans one time was the time we were asked about Faith & Scars custom shoes. It’s worth noting that we don’t have custom Faith & Scars shoes. Haha

We had a couple of young fans, who’s parents graciously bought every item of our merchandise one night, & later asked us if we had custom shoes. We let them know that we didn’t have FS shoes, but that it was a great idea! We did a little brainstorming & shortly after turned a pair of all-star converse into custom FS shoes with sharpies & signed them for the kids.

The kids and the parents lit up with joy, and thanked us but at the end of the day it was our pleasure. Seeing that family walk away smiling was the highlight of our night, and a fond memory we still hold close.

13. What do you think of your fans?

We’re forever grateful. When it’s hard to keep going, the people that follow what we do & enjoy our music make up all the difference and more.

We consider fans of our music family. It’s mind blowing. We’re just 4 guys trying to chase a dream, do what we love, and spread a positive message. The thought that our music can reach out to other people... and actually does? That’s a feeling we can’t describe. We’re humbled by each interaction, and grateful beyond words that our music can make that connection.

14. What do you think of our site?

We dig it! Breathing The Core is a helpful media outlet to let bands and artists tell their story behind their music and themselves. In addition to providing its own personal insights, opportunities for artists, and being a haven for music to be shared and enjoyed by everyone. If we could sum up what we think of Breathing the Core in one word it would be unifying.

15. Something to add?

We say this at the end of every show, and it never fails to ring true. We love this. It’s our passion and our livelihood. We’re forever grateful for all the overwhelming support we’re getting. So from the bottom of our hearts: “Thank you so much! Peace, Love, Rock & Roll! Until the next time we meet, y’all Keep the Faith”