Interviews: Kesem

We have had the opportunity to interview the Progressive Metal band Kesem 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?

Jay: My exgirlfriend was from Israel, and she was supposed to be the original singer for the band. She came up with it. It didn’t work out with her, but we decided to keep the name.

2.Why did you want to play this genre?

Jay: We have been fans for years of this type of music, I guess it just took this long to finally make it happen

Ben: because it rules!

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

Jay: Coincidentally, our previous bands have all played shows with each other. Josh: Jay and I were friends of friends, played shows together, and tried a few times to get a band going, this one has stuck.

Ben: Yes. We knew each other through previous bands and the underground la metal scene

4. Each band member favourite band?

Josh: My favorite of all time is probably Unwound, there are so many though from the old SST days, Replica Records has some amazing releases, it changes a lot, but Unwound is one of those deserted islands bands for me.

Jay: Hard to say, Acid Bath? Napalm Death? Morbid Angel? I could go on for days, but those are at the top for sure.

Scott: its always hard to list a Favorite but my all-time favorites are Black Sabbath, Blag Flag, The Misfits, and Miles Davis

Ben: My favorite bands right now are atomic rooster, thin lizzy, Boris

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Josh: For me, I’m inspired by so many things, from movies to books, so many different genres of music.

Ben: the hard life and hard times

Josh: yes, like Ben said, this whole album is based on the hard times and escaping from them to make our own future life away from all the ridiculousness going on.

6. Where was your last gig?

Jay: We played this cool little spot in Santa Ana with some good bands at the end of 2019. It was a fun show!

7. Where would you like to act?

Jay: Europe and Japan!

Ben: ON TV!

Josh: Pompeii or some awesome old theatre in Europe

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Ben: Umbra Vita!

Josh: Krallice would be amazing, F.Y.P. I grew up on (and we just got added to a show with them and Mike Watt in August), Goblin, there are so many more, my bloody valentine, Beak>, i could keep going on and on...

9. Whom not?

Scott: we don't really like saying No to gigs but if it was lame tough guy beat down hardcore band... I would probably pass.

Ben: Dream Theater

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

Josh: There is definitely a feeling playing live, a rush. Normally when playing live it helps to play songs that the band enjoys playing, as long as the band is having fun, it’s fine. The only advice I can give is if you like your songs, go for it and don’t let anything worry you, just go for it and it gets easier the more you do it.

Jay: I definitely get nervous and anxious before shows, I don’t know if I could call it “fright” though. It usually goes away once I am playing. Its the build up and waiting that gets me. Personally, what I found that works best is getting a decent amount of rest and good food before the show. And remember that playing shows are fun! Enjoy yourself!

Ben: I don’t get stage fright really. I’ve been performing since I was really young. Maybe local shows to people that I know well.

Scott: I usually like to get a like 20-30 mins to my self before we play and just sit by myself with my practice pad and warm up.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Jay: Black Sabbath and Led Zepplin are the reasons I started playing guitar.

Josh: Pink Floyd, Amon Duul II and King Crimson continually inspire me, when I was younger and even now. Mixed with Unwound and Fugazi for atmosphere and how the bass and guitar interact with each other. 

Ben: the bands I listed as my favorites.

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

Ben: Nothing really. We put our fans to work shooting our music videos

Josh: One of our fans is an artist named Albert Reyes and he has us play these fun backyard halloween parties. One time he asked us to play at one of his art exhibits. We showed up, and when we started playing, we were so loud that all the people that came to see the art went outside to watch us from the street while the curator of the place wrote a sign telling us we were too loud and was freaking out. After the show, everyone came back and we got paid with these awesome Freddy Krueger prints from Albert that now adorn our practice space walls.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Josh: They are great, we usually enjoy talking with them.

Ben: I love our fans!

14. What do you think of our site?

Ben: It’s great!

Josh: I like the amount of content and will definitely check it out to find some new bands.

15. Something to add?

Josh: Our first full length is coming out in September and we are super excited to get out there to play these songs, have a crew

Ben: Thank you for the support.