Standing on the Edge of Success
Dallas' Edgewater are back with a new record and fresh philosophy.
CraveOnline: What's new with Edgewater?
Matt Moseman: We're putting together our tour plans for the fall and take it to the east coast. We have continued writing and playing some shows in the south.
CO: When do you plan on going on your major tour?
MM: Our tour will begin in November. The tour will hit several states such as Alabama, Georgia, Texas... eventually, we will end up in Vegas.
CO: Are you planning on bringing the tour out towards California?
MM: At the end of January, we plan on doing a west coast tour.
CO: Your new record, We're Not Robots, has been out for a short time and it is your second national record to date. What can you tell us about how it differs from your debut?
MM: We decided to go a bit heavier than we were used to on the new record. We spent some time up in Pikes Peak, Colorado in a cabin. We set up shop there for few weeks and wrote a bunch of songs. We came back to Dallas to end up our little run with Wind-up Records. We started recording the record during last October and spent about 8 months recording. [Since we had our own studio], we wanted to take our time with [the record] and not rush [the creative flow]. We obtained a national licensing deal with Rock Ridge and got our record out [in stores nationwide].
CO: “Caught In A Moment,” is your current single. How have music listeners taken to the song?
MM: I think that everybody really digs it because [our older fans] can still relate to it. It’s similar to the mold setup for our old music, but we decided to go a little harder on our latest record. There were a lot of other fans that liked the lighter side of our music, but overall the reception to the new material has been really positive. The websites and the Myspace page have [received much more attention]. It appears that we are getting fans from all over the world via the Internet now.
CO: There are other songs on your record like “I Can’t Breathe” and “Apples And Oranges” that are definitely heavier and less mainstream. So with the combination of the pop music and the more abstract flavor in some of the other songs, what inspired the creation of this record?
MM: We weren’t really listening to any music at the time that we were making the record because we were so focused on making something that didn’t sound like anyone else. I know that there will always be something influencing our music, but we were trying to do something fresh. Wind-up [Records] gave us some great opportunities to come in and make some music. We weren’t really interested in making pop music like you hear from bands like Alter Bridge or Drowning Pool. If the creative process took us that direction, then that would be great. However, that musical approach is not what we are all about. We always are writing music and seeing where it takes us.
CO: The goal of most musicians is to get their music out there. It doesn’t appear to be a problem of yours.
MM: We are just having fun with music and trying to grasp at what we set out to do. I didn’t really want to bring anything particular or special in terms of subject matter on the album. We just wanted to capture what we were going through at the moment that we recorded it. Everything that we were going through seemed so typical and everything that we were hearing on the radio was just a one big commercial. All the music on the radio just blends together and I can’t really tell who is who anymore. We are making sure that we break out of that mold. The band, together, has written some really great songs and I doubt that we could be compared to the pop bands out there.
CO: The majority of the bands that I hear, particularly on TV and the radio, tend to sound the same and lack substance. Do you feel the same?
MM: It’s really sad. There are a lot of kids out there playing music and they could be so creative with it, but they don’t find a way to make a stamp like Nirvana, the Beatles, Michael Jackson or Zeppelin. Anything! There’s some cool retro material coming out lately, but in the rock world, I don’t see anything special yet. Once somebody comes out with something new, it’s just gonna get blown out into the commercial scene by the time.
CO: On that tip, what would you say needs to change in the music industry?
MM: I think that it’s already changing. Record companies aren’t signing bands as much as they used to. Everybody knows that! They’re not developing bands anymore and bands need to already be developed and ready to put out a product. With everybody downloading music, the record companies don’t know how to keep up and control their markets. One thing that may change is that there won’t be as much touring and that is sad. Kids in their teenage years need that kind of experience. Finally, once everything is downloadable in digital formats, we will see the demise of radio, as we know it. People now are making Podcasts and it is creating an avenue for people to not listen to the same ol’ sh*t on the radio anymore. Clear Channel has killed the whole radio thing with their repetitive formats and uniform presentation. There is no diversity. There is typically something really cool that happens in every decade and we’re still waiting for it. In the 90’s, there was Nirvana. In the 80’s, there were “hair” bands, Red Hot Chili Peppers and new wave bands. In the 70’s, we had Aerosmith, KISS and other classic rock icons. In the 60’s, there were a lot of bands that [took the lead and made such an impression on the development of music, that there is no modern competition]. In our decade, we are going to see the fall of music as we have all known it. Instead of a great new genre of music, we will most likely see great new bands that come out [of this transition in the music scene].
CO: Since we have been discussing trends in music, the topography of the business over the years and other potential influences, what makes Edgewater the band that it is today?
MM: I’ve watched us all grow as musicians. I have had Micah [Creel, Guitar] as a guitarist since he was fresh out of high school. So, to see everyone in the band come into their own and when you think about all of the musical influences in each of us, it’s a huge mixture of musical influences. Micah and Justin [Middleton, Guitar] are both huge Metallica fans and that’s [what drove them] to learn how to play guitar. They were perfect together when the band formed. Ricky [Wolking, Bass] is a big funk and disco fan. On the other hand, he’s way into Mudvayne and bands like that. Ricky used to play for the Nixons and has played with various bands since then. As for myself, I am really into bands like the Smiths, Metallica and several other types of bands over the years. I think the wide range of where everybody comes from and the extensive music tastes that all of us has, creates a fun environment when we come together to do music.
CO: How does Edgewater’s music come across in your live show?
MM: I think the live shows are always better than our recordings. There is so much intensity and energy. I love our records and how they’ve been put together, but I have been told time and time again that in our live show, the energy is much better and different. When you are in a live show, you see the band on stage and feed off of the energy of the crowd, the live experience is far more superior than listening to a record.
CO: Every band is different in the way that they perform and how they put on the live experience. What do you guys do to make your live performance unique?
MM: At our shows, everyone is involved. When you see 500 people at your show singing your songs, that’s what makes it personal. Especially when we play shows in Texas in front of audiences that have been coming to see us for the past nine years, we have up the ante every time in order to keep our show interesting. Our goal is to make everyone part of the show and at every show that we have the crowd always goes nuts. Sometimes when I am singing I can’t hear over the crowd’s singing. We don’t walk off and leave in our tour bus right away. We like to stay after the show and make new friends. Constantly meeting new people and bringing in as a family is what makes us feel like we are being personal. I have done things for kids that are so under-appreciated like buying them dinners, sitting down with them and introducing them with the rest of the band. Taking actions like that can change one’s life forever and they will never forget about that kind of thing. No matter how big or little I think I am, I can make a difference that way as well.
CO: What do you feel is most rewarding about music and being a musician?
MM: For me, it’s therapy. I think that I would be pretty messed up if I didn’t have music. I get a lot out, leave out on the plate and move on with my life. Instead of worrying about all of the things in my head or in my life, I get to throw it all out by doing my music. Even if it’s just writing a song that doesn’t get recorded, it’s still therapeutic for me. Another thing that is rewarding is touching fans with our music. There are a lot of times that I pass an individual on the street and without that musical connection there would be no middle ground to meet on.
CO: You have been on the road quite a bit. What is the most memorable experience that you have had in your musical career?
MM: Honestly? Well, one of the funniest experiences that we have ever had was when we were on the road with Three Days Grace. Our tour bus broke down in Little Bighorn (Montana) and it was Custer’s Last Stand Anniversary. We were on sacred ground and were being harassed by Indians in their headdresses to get off of the sacred ground.
CO: That’s wild!
MM: I would have to say the most fun shows that we have ever had have been in Cleveland (Ohio), Dallas (Texas) and Spokane (Washington). After a while, all of the shows just blend into each other. What really defines our experiences is after our shows when we get to spend time with our fans. Its nice to look back at all of the pictures and videos of us and our fans. Whatever it is, it all was a lot of fun and we created a lot of great memories.
CO: What songs mean the most to you on the record?
MM: In a political sense, “Rock Is Dead” is one of my favorites. It basically throws the middle finger up at commercial radio. I am not trying to be the saint that saved rock n’ roll by any means, but it’s a reminder for people to step back and really accept art for what it is. I really dig “Apples And Oranges” for the bridge and how passionate I am about that song. We all have those friends that fall into a funk with life and they have a hard time getting out of it. I had a friend going through a lot of shit at the time and it was the bridge of this song that really helped him get out of his situation. He could finally understand where he was at in his life and what was going on in his head. The song helped him through tough times and it was definitely something that I was really proud of. You’re not always being judged! Your friends are not there to judge you. Your friends are there to help you through tough times. Your friends are still going to love you and embrace you. Accepting who you are is important and this person was having trouble accepting who he was.
CO: Do you think that your music has affected other people in a positive manner?
MM: I hope so. Every song has dialed into a situation. The song “U” is about how somebody took advantage of me after giving to them more and more. One morning, I woke up and said to myself “what the hell am I doing?” It’s songs like that where I feel that people can identify with. “Get It Right” has everyone in mind. We all have an addiction or we have that circle that we always follow. It’s about how people sometimes never learn the first time and then they make the same mistake twice. When you listen to music and really listen to the message behind the music, it can affect the listener. In doing that, I hope it is positive.
CO: Being in the music business and doing what you love, what is the most valuable piece of information you could pass on to people coming up in the business? What makes it all worth it?
MM: There was a long time that Edgewater wasn’t signed to a label and it was definitely an uphill battle. I think that the most important thing that I have learned while being in the music business is that hard work actually does pay off. You must be true, passionate about your goals and give it everything you’ve got. There are those people who will quit so easily and only put half of their effort into it. If you do things that way, nothing is ever going to work out for you. There are several times in people’s lives where they have to start over, take what they’ve learned from their past experiences and move on with more knowledge as they grow towards the future. I’ve had to start over several times and bounced right back. Life will always push you around and it’s when you push back that makes life so worth living.
