buffaBLOG: How would you guys define your sound?
JG: We’re a mixture of the old and the new in a lot of ways.
We have roots in the newer metalcore style and we have a lot of traditional
rock roots as well. Ronnie Lepine is our metal-type guitarist and I’m more of a rock
singer. It’s a very mixed type of sound, for certain, where all sorts of
influences have a place to play.
buffaBLOG: Buffalo has huge hardcore, metalcore, and post-hardcore
followings. How do you feel about being a part of that scene, about the fans
and the bands you’ve been around?
JG: I love it. I couldn’t think of a better city to be from.
It’s just awesome to be a part of the whole movement. We’ve worked very well
with other bands; we’ve had a lot of good success with other bands. The more bands that are willing to work together,
the better any scene will be.
buffaBLOG: Now, you played at STEMM’s farewell show and were
on their record label?
JG: Yes, we were on Catch 22. Since we’re not an actual
touring band anymore, we’re not hitting the road as much as we used to. We’re
still with Catch 22 in a manner of speaking, but not in the same capacity.
buffaBLOG: Do you foresee yourself touring more in the
future?
JG: We will eventually, once certain things come into play.
We won’t go out alone at the moment; we prefer to go out in support of a headliner.
It’s just too hard and there’s not enough money out there to go out by yourself.
It’s fun and I love it. I had some of
the best times of my life. At the same time, it’s a great way to stay very very
broke and have a very hard family life when you get home.
buffaBLOG: You’re working on new material though?
JG: Definitely. I record all the vocals for our new stuff at
home in my studio [in Alabama] and send them to our producer in Buffalo. We’ve
got quite a few new songs in the works. But I don’t think we’re going to do an
album. I think we would rather release them as singles. Releasing singles is
just way more cost-effective and the best way to interact with our fans. We’re
modeling this strategy after bands from the fifties. Making an album is such a
long, extremely expensive process. We just want to write songs, release songs,
and get them out there for everyone to hear. By putting tracks out on hisnamewasyesterday.bandcamp, fans can choose how much they want to pay. If
they want to get it for free, they can get it for free. If they want to pay
fifty cents or three thousand dollars, great. (laughs)
buffaBLOG: What was the recording process like for your previous
albums?
JG: We recorded at DWS Studios in Niagara Falls with Mike
Hatalak [It Dies Today guitarist]. He’s an awesome producer. It’s a very long
process, the recording and mastering, and there’s quite a bit of money that
goes into the press aspect. Hatalak will keep mastering the new singles and
then we’ll send them out on the road without too much hype, and there they’ll
be.
buffaBLOG: Where did the band name come from?
JG: A lot of our lyrical
content points to it. Everyone has things in their past, things in their life
they deal with. “His Name Is Yesterday” is our take on that. For me, there’s
things I’ve struggled with, things I’ve overcame, things I’ve done. I look back
on a lot of the trials and tribulations I’ve been through, and I use a lot of
that my lyrics, hopefully to help others see that they’re not alone in this world,
this fucked up place we live in. Things are easier when you look back on them,
but while going through them they’re hell. Our music is open to interpretation,
but we try to insert a lot of positive lyrics with positive music behind it.
buffaBLOG: If you could send one message to your fans what
would it be then?
JG: Whatever you’re faced with, don’t quit, step up. Power
through it, man. Avoid “defeation,” that’s my word. Avoid the “defeation.”
(laughs)
buffaBLOG: Do you feel like your experience with the band
has led you to that philosophy?
JG: Absolutely, absolutely. We’ve all been through some of
the roughest times together as a band, and we’ve all been through rough things
individually. Without each other, I don’t think any of us would have made it
through absolute hell. It brought us closer and made us more of a band, the
stuff we’ve experienced and had to deal with. We couldn’t have done it without
the support of each other.
buffaBLOG: How did you guys come together and start making
music?
JG: I auditioned for STEMM a long time ago and I didn’t make
the cut, but Steve Crowl, STEMM’s bassist at the time, said he knew of a band
looking for a vocalist. He connected me with Mikey Kauffman, our drummer. And
it all began through a Myspace message. I think I still have the message
actually.
buffaBLOG: What’s the best concert experience you’ve had?
JG: ROCKSTAR Mayhem tour was amazing. Rob Zombie, Korn, Five
Finger Death Punch, Lamb of God. It was unbelievable being on such a big stage,
in front of that many people. Our stage contained Shadows of the Fall and
Hatebreed too, and we were the only three bands on that stage. Times Square was
amazing also. I got to play with Vinnie Paul from Pantera and Hellyeah. That
was surreal.
buffaBLOG: So you’ve played with a lot of the major groups
associated with your genre?
JG: Yeah, we’ve played with All That Remains. We’ve played
with Korn twice, once in Rochester at the Main Street Armory for a sold out
show. We’ve supported a lot of big acts and a lot of really small acts. I’ve met
so many childhood heroes with this band.
buffaBLOG: Who would you name as those childhood heroes?
JG: I’m a nineties kid. When Korn first came on the scene I
thought they were straight-awesome, and it was unbelievable sharing the stage
with them. And getting to meet Rob Zombie and Sheri Moon, and getting to be
part of their concert, it was just such an experience.
buffaBLOG: Any closing thoughts?
JG: We’re so happy to be back. We took a year off and
everyone thought we were breaking up. We even thought we were breaking up.
After a year of stepping back though, we all missed this too much. And we are
definitely back. We will be releasing new music. We are happy and honored to be
a part of the Buffalo music scene and you can look forward to much more to come
from us.
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