Converge in Bufallo,NY 5/3/10 from Colony Films on Vimeo. I reviewed the Converge show at Whelans back in July, frontman Jake Bannon agreed to an interview (via email) and between moving/starting a new job I never posted it. So here it is, long overdue -
Quick chat with Converge frontman (total legend/hero of mine) and Deathwish Inc. founder Jake Bannon.
You played Whelans last Monday, so how was your first show back in Dublin after three years?
It was a positive show, we enjoyed it for sure.
You're currently on tour with album Axe to Fall, this one sees you guys work with members of Neurosis and Genghis Tron. How did those collaborations come about?
We wanted to collaborate with some friends, and this album seemed like the perfect place to do it. It was a challenge but in the end I think we are all happy with what we created together.
Would you consider those artists to be influences?
Not necessarily no. They are just friends that we admire and appreciate. I don't think there are too many aspects of our music that are directly influenced by others at this point in our band. Neurosis definitely played a role in shaping the contemporary "Do-It-Yourself" ethic that we also subscribe to. I don't know if I would call that a direct influence, but they have helped pave the way for many artists that are out there today.
Axe to Fall features some of your artwork and is available from your own label Deathwish Inc. How beneficial is it, having that much input into the creation and distribution of your albums?
It's essential, it's the best way for us to work as a band.
Tell us a bit about a regular jamming session at the Converge camp?
It's always different. When we get together, we show each other musical ideas that we have and take it from there. Sometimes songs are just small concepts, other times they are brought to the table near completed. At that point we all work together to musically refine these ideas and bring them to their final form.
After twenty years of making music has the songwriting process changed for you?
Not really no, it's still the same process.
Tell us more about Deathwish Inc...
It's a label/brand that I founded about ten years ago with our old roadie/tour manager. Since then, we've released hundreds of releases for bands that we find to be interesting. We are primarily an aggressive music label that branches out into all of it's sub-genres, etc.
What are your hopes for Converge and Deathwish Inc going forward?
I don't really have any hopes or goals for either effort. I just want them to be as pure in what they are meant to be. Musically as long as Converge is doing something that we feel is creatively fulfilling, then we continue on. As long as their are artists out there that we want to promote and help, then Deathwish will continue as well. That's about it.
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