Because They Can Interview

Because They Can Interview

Sydney band Because They Can are slowly becoming Australia's next exciting Gen Y pop/rock phenomena already securing over 18,500 dedicated Facebook fans, and achieving almost 300,000 YouTube hits to their page.

Even more impressive the boys hit the road for their first ever headline shows around the country in late 2011 with Sell-Out shows in Sydney and Melbourne all while still studying for their HSC.

Now 12 months later they are ready to release their debut EP -ALIVE'

'Because They Can are a four piece pop/rock band that definitely pride themselves on creating new sound for their generation" comments bands Manager Chris Johns from Sunday Morning Records 'they are incredibly dedicated artists, that have that -Oasis' essence, I am thrilled to be working with them".

'We don't use voice tuners, or rely on session musicians to make our music" comments lead vocals and guitarist Eddie 'James and I were the first members of the band and we were on the lookout for two more members with only two credentials – they had to be able to play an instrument and have passion to write music, we found that with Jed and Jackson".

All originally from Sydney's North Shore, Because They Can only completed their HSC last year and now are focusing on their music career.

'It was definitely a challenge touring, writing and finishing year 12" comments Jackson, lead guitar and vocals 'but our manager was extremely supportive of ensuring we completed high school and gave us time to study and graduate with high scores – it sets us up for the future – but also now gives us a chance to concentrate on the band and the music with no worries!"

Because They Can are signed to Sunday Morning Records, the label behind highly successful Australian band Short Stack.

Because They Can have released their debut single -Its Not About You' which can be purchased through iTunes. Because They Can will be touring in March and April 2013.

Members Eddie (Guitar, Lead Vocals), James (Drums), Jed (Bass) Vocals, Jackson (Lead Guitar, Vocals)

From an early age the four members of Because They Can knew they were destined for a career in music.

All Sydney boys, Eddie, Jed, James and Jackson all started preforming in primary school and joined bands at the tender age of 10.

Eddie, Guitarist and lead vocals, first picked up an instrument at age 7. His love for the violin migrated to guitar and his fist band was formed at age 12.

James was a regular in his primary school jazz and orchestral bands steering towards the percussion section and was often found banging out on his drums all weekend.

Jed and vocals, has had music around him his entire life and first started on piano and clarinet performing for his primary school mates.

Jackson originally was training for sporting career but the pull for music was too strong and first picked up a guitar and saxophone at a young age.

All four boys met in high school due to a shared love of punk/rock music. They formed Because They Can at age 15 and have worked hard to evolve the bands direction focusing on perfecting their live sound in the studio while building loyal following at their shows and online with almost 19,000 Facebook fans, 300,000 YouTube views and boasting 12 live shows nationally and 4 sold out headline shows 2011/2012 reaching almost 25,000 in total audience.

Interview with Eddie

Question: How would you describe your music?

Eddie: We believe our sound is pretty unique and even we struggle to tie it down to one genre, however, we feel it is a nice mix of alternative rock and pop. We grew up influenced by our parents record collections, listening to The Beatles, The Stones, Simon and Garfunkel etc. but discovered the genre 'pop punk" in our early teens with bands like Greenday, Blink 182 and Sum 41 being major inspirations for forming a band.


Question: How did it feel to hear your song played all over the airwaves?

Eddie: Since forming the band it had always been a dream to have a song played on radio even if it was just once. The fact it has happened so early in our -career' and on national radio, is a little overwhelming. We heard it for the first time in a restaurant and were struggling to refrain ourselves from letting the whole place know it was us!


Question: Did you have any pre-conceived ideas about the music industry?

Eddie: Looking up to the rock/punk bands of the 90s/2000s the only way we saw the music industry was playing as many shows as you could and practicing in our garage as much as possible. We are now in a time where the music industry is considered the 'entertainment industry" and TV / social media are very important to ones success. We want to prove that while social networking is important and TV is great, a band can still grow and develop on the live circuit writing their own songs and having a real personal relationship with their fans.


Question: Do you write your own songs? What's your inspiration?

Eddie: Yes we write all our own material. From the beginning the band formed as a way to express ourselves [a creative output] so to write our own songs was very important. As a vocalist I write all my lyrics off personal experience. I find it is very off putting when the audience can see when a singer doesn't know what they are singing about, because they didn't write it. Our latest single 'Its Not About You" for instance is my opinion on what's becoming of the industry, a lack of focus on what it is really important; the music.

Question: What music/artists do you listen to when you are not playing your own?

Eddie: Our music taste is constantly expanding. We really aren't music snobs, so we will listen to anything from Parkway Drive to Beyoncé and everything in between. Right now we love bands like The Vaccines, Royal Headache and Weezer. However, we will always love Oasis and The Beatles.


Question: What's next? Tour/Album/Single?

Eddie: Our debut single 'Its Not About You" came out on iTunes on the 7th December and the video clip is up online and on MTV. We are promoting that over the Christmas break, as our EP will be out late January. This will be followed hopefully by nonstop touring but until then we are locking ourselves away to rehearse!


Question: Was there a moment you contemplated throwing in the towel?

Eddie: Funnily enough there was a period earlier this year where I felt a number of people close to the band had drifted away and felt like it was coming to an end. It was then that I wrote a song called 'Alive", which became the title track of the E.P. It was basically saying we can carry this forward, there is certainly life left in this project and we aren't close to giving up.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?

Eddie: There are definitely aspects we love in both of them. We love locking ourselves up in the studio and getting creative with various instruments and effects, and when a song is wrapped up or finally comes together everyone gets really ecstatic. However, nothing compares to the feeling of hearing these songs sung back to you by hundreds of people, all gathering in one place to see you perform.


Question: What/who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?
Eddie: We had always been the creative group of people through high school so while aided with inspiration from the bands we've previously mentioned like Green Day and Sum 41, pursuing music felt like the only natural path for us.


Question: What is the biggest challenge you have faced along the way to your musical success?

Eddie: The only challenges we've had to overcome so far are those that most bands before us would've faced themselves; whether its broken gear on stage, trying (and succeeding) to tour in our final year of high school or trying to get our music heard we've managed to overcome everything thrown at us. We are only at the early stages in our career so I'm sure next time we speak we will have a few more to tell you about.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Eddie: A typical day for us is really either rehearsing, writing or working our part time jobs so we can afford to keep rehearsing!


Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Eddie: Hearing stories of how your songs have helped people overcome some period of trouble in their life and also being able to travel and see places by playing our music.


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Eddie: Alive? Noel Gallagher, he's an amazing songwriter and vocalist. Someone who's passed away that I would of loved to have collaborated with, would be Freddie Mercury of Queen. He had an incredible talent as a front man.


Question: Do you have a website fans can visit?

Eddie: www.becausetheycan.com.au and we are on Facebook at www.facebook.com/becausetheycan


Question: What message would you like your music to say to your fans?

Eddie: To inspire people, let them know that they don't have to settle for mediocrity, and instead strive for extraordinary, and have fun while you're doing it'.


Question: What is the story behind the band's name?

Eddie: Throughout high school we were forever changing our band name whenever it didn't impress someone. It got to the point where a friend asked us 'why we changed it so much" and another said 'Because They Can." I guess it stuck, as it became a new mentality for us "we can do this, we can play music for a living, because we can."


Interview by Brooke Hunter