Blessthefall | A Long Intermission
Written By: Levi McCallister

’m going to go ahead and do the un-professional, maybe-not-too-cool-thing here, and say that I have never once listened to Blessthefall before this interview – despite the massive buzz they’ve had since they sort of exploded into things. To those of you that may view this as a mortal sin – do forgive me. I have finally come to my wits and caught up with the rest of the world. These guys have it. They have that thing that’s appealing to the hopper-upper-and-downers and the sing-along-ers and the dancers and the dancers – if you know what I mean. Despite a long intermission, several member changes and Lord knows what else happened since they released their first record, Blessthefall hit the ground running again with Witness, and they haven’t fallen out of anything. You better pray that someone blesses your fall after you get kicked in the face!

Before anyone knew about Blessthefall, where were you guys? Tell me about your very first practice. Was it in a garage? A bedroom? Give me the nostalgic memories that formed the start of this band.

Beau Bokan (Vocalist): WE ALL MET IN HIGHSCHOOL AND THROUGH MUTUAL FRIENDS. THE FIRST PRACTICE EVER WAS IN ERICS MOM’S BEDROOM. WE PRACTICED THERE FOR A WEEK BEFORE MOVING INTO THE DINING ROOM, THEN EVENTUALLY THE GARAGE. ERIC’S MOM WOULD MAKE US DINNER EVERY NIGHT AFTER REHEARSAL. I KINDA MISS THOSE TIMES. SHE’S AN AMAZING COOK BY THE WAY.

So Witness is super heavy and I’m sure it’s gets the dancers going crazy, but it’s also got that melodic, poppy, sing-along flare to it that gets the hearts of the girls… Please know that I’m not inferring that you wrote this album for anyone but yourselves (I think that some people could take that as an insulting statement, but it is meant to be a compliment), but you guys obviously know how to write music that appeases your audience. This was also true on the first album, and I’m sure it had a lot to do with you guys blowing up like you did. How did you develop your sound so quickly? What does your writing process look like?

BB: WELL, WE ALL LIKE SUPER HEAVY MUSIC AS WELL AS POP, HIP HOP AND R&B. OUR INFLUENCES ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE, SO WE TRIED TO SHOW THAT IN THE NEW RECORD. SOME OF OUR FAVORITE BANDS HAVE THOSE TIMELESS, HUGE, SING ALONG CHORUSES AND WE WANTED TO KIND OF DO THE SAME THING AND REALLY GIVE KIDS SOMETHING TO SING ALONG TO AS WELL AS ROCK OUT TO AT THE SAME TIME. WITH THIS RECORD ERIC WOULD WRITE THE GUITAR PARTS THEN DRUMS, BASS AND 2ND GUITAR WOULD BE ADDED. WE WOULD RECORD A ROUGH DEMO OF THE SONG AND I WOULD ADD THE LYRICS, MELODIES AND SCREAMING PATTERNS.

I feel like Witness explores a depth that His Last Walk never touched, lyrically. Are there any concepts – which might be specific to certain songs or to the album as whole – which you explored, specifically? When you write the lyrics, do you go in with an idea or with a certain message that you want to convey before you start, or do you just let the words come as they come?

BB: USUALLY ONE OF TWO THINGS HAPPEN WHEN I WRITE A SONG. 1) I WOULD HEAR THE SONG AND GET A FEEL FOR IT THEN GO A CERTAIN DIRECTION WITH THE LYRICS. 2) IM ALWAYS WRITING LYRICS OR SHORT LINES DOWN AND THEN I’LL HEAR A SONG AND FIND A LINE THAT WOULD SUIT THAT PARTICULAR SONG.

You released a single called “God Wears Gucci” – which seems to be, at least with the voicemail left at the end of the song, about a broken relationship? Would you care to elaborate on that song at all? Or its significance in being released as the single for the new album?

BB: WELL THAT VOICEMAIL IS SUPPOSED TO LEAD INTO THE SONG AFTER IT (HEY BABY,HERES THAT SONG YOU WANTED). “GWG” IS A SONG ABOUT PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE MONEY OFF GOD’S NAME. I GOT INSPIRED ONE NIGHT AFTER SEEING A FEW INFOMERCIALS ABOUT PEOPLE TRYING TO SELL HANKERCHEIFS THEY CLAIMED TO BE BLESSED BY GOD AND THAT WOULD HEAL PEOPLE. IT REALLY RUBBED ME THE WRONG WAY.

Perhaps more than anything, you guys pride yourselves in the live show and you’re on some huge runs recently. How have they been going? Are you happy with the response you’ve gotten to the new material after such a long break? It was said that this release “reflects the positive energy that now enfolds this band” – has that positivity continued to grow and flourish now that you’ve come back and are sharing this art with people again?

BB: WE’VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE PART OF A COUPLE HUGE TOURS THIS YEAR. THE SILVERSTEIN TOUR AS WELL AS THE AUGUST BURNS RED TOUR WERE AMAZING. WE PLAYED TO SO MANY KIDS EVERY NIGHT AND HAD SUCH A BLAST. THE RESPONSES HAVE BEEN INSANE FOR THE NEW MATERIAL. WE COULDN’T HAVE ASKED FOR. WE ARE SO THANKFULL FOR ALL OF OUR FANS THAT HAVE STUCK AROUND THIS LONG, THEY MEAN THE WORLD TO US.

Fearless Records has a great roster and have seemingly been doing some awesome things for their artists. How has it been working with them?

BB: FEARLESS IS AN AMAZING LABEL, THEY BUST THEY’RE ASSES FOR US AND THEY’RE ALL GREAT PEOPLE. WE COULDN’T BE MORE STOKED ON THEM.

You guys took a pretty decent break in between albums, and I know that you’ve had some internal problems over the course of your history which added to the delay, so I’m not going to ask about that. However – I am interested to know how you’ve seen the music industry change in that time span? Everyone is constantly talking about how fast things are moving, and about the chaos and over-saturation of the music business, and blah blah blah.. Did you guys notice a significant change even in the amount of time that it took for you to put out that second album, and, in your opinion, was that change for the better or worse?

BB: WELL IT SEEMS THAT KIDS THESE DAYS ARE VERY A.D.D. …THEY WANT MUSIC ASAP ANYWAY THEY CAN GET IT AND GET OVER BANDS PRETTY QUICKLY. SO WE AS MUSICIANS NEED TO WRITE THE BEST MUSIC POSSIBLE AND STAY OUT ON THE ROAD AS MUCH AS WE CAN, AS WELL AS THINK OF NEW WAYS TO GET KIDS TO WANT TO ACTUALLY PURCHASE OUR ALBUM RATHER THAN DOWNLOAD IT. ALSO, HAVING A GREAT LIVE SHOW IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS HAVING GOOD MUSIC. YOU NEED TO BE ENTERTAINING IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THEY’RE ATTENTION.

If you had the opportunity to tour with anyone, anywhere, anytime (dead, alive, past, present or future), who would it be? What are some of your main musical, lyrical, or generally creative influences?

BB: I WOULD LOVE TO TOUR WITH AT THE DRIVE-IN. THEY ARE A HUGE INFLUENCE ON ME PERSONALLY BECAUSE OF HOW AHEAD OF THEIR TIME THEY WERE AND THEY TOUCHED ON IMPORTANT SUBJECTS.

How does spirituality play into the makeup and motivation of Blessthefall, and how is that represented/how do you want it represented to BTF fans? What would you say is the most difficult part about doing the whole “band thing” – spiritually – and what do you guys do to overcome it? And, on the opposite side of the spectrum, what is the most rewarding thing for you guys?

BB: WELL FIRST OFF WE ARE NOT A “CHRISTIAN BAND”.WE ALL BELIEVE IN GOD BUT WE DO NOT PREACH ONSTAGE OR TELL KIDS WHAT OR WHAT NOT TO DO. WE HAVE GOOD MORALS AND TREAT OTHERS HOW THEY WANT TO BE TREATED. WE DO NOT LET POPULARITY OR ANY SORT OF FAME WE MIGHT HAVE GO TO OUR HEADS. WE WILL ALWAYS BE THE SAME KIDS WE WERE BEFORE WE WERE IN THE BAND. THE MOST REWARDING THING IS TO BE ABLE TO TOUCH PEOPLE’S LIVES WITH OUR MUSIC. ANYTIME SOMEONE SAYS OUR MUSIC GOT THEM THROUGH A HARD TIME IN THEIR LIVES IT MAKES ALL THE HARD WORK WORTH IT. TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR RENT IS A BONUS AS WELL (LAUGHS)

It’s funny to me how little I knew about the business of music before I started working with it. I honestly can’t say I’ve been incredibly impressed. This is not an overall generalization, but I think that for a band that’s been a part of it for this long, and being so involved, you would agree that a lot of this industry is pretty sketchy, somewhat corrupt, and involves a lot of people backstabbing a lot of other people. How have you guys maintained – physically, spiritually, emotionally, practically – the strength to keep going through it?

BB: WE TRY TO KEEP A LEVEL HEAD ABOUT THINGS. WE SEE MAJOR LABLES COMPLETELY RUIN BANDS SO WE’RE GLAD WE CHOSE THE PATH WE DID. WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THINGS GET BETTER FOR ROCK N ROLL MUSIC SOONER THAN LATER.

On the opposite end of the previous question – I have noticed a lot of people rising up to the occasion of creating positivity in a difficult culture and genuine love and care in this skewed demographic. Where have you guys been the most encouraged as of late, and are there any people/companies/ministries that you have been specifically blessed and excited about the positive change that they’re making? Where do you stand in all of this as a band and the people that you are?

BB: WE’RE STOKED TO SEE BIGGER BANDS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH CHARITIES. I KNOW FALLOUT BOY WORKS WITH INVISIBLE CHILDREN, WHICH I THINK IS AMAZING. FOR A BAND THEIR SIZE TO GIVE BACK THE WAY THEY DO IS REALLY INSPIRATIONAL. HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO THE SAME SOMEDAY.

I recently asked another band this question, and thought it interesting enough to repeat here: I think that one of the most interesting things about becoming an artist or a group of artists that people know and recognize is the idea of influence. The fact that, suddenly, people relate to or scrutinize or agree with or criticize your opinions and viewpoints, and that spotlight becomes ever brighter as you gain more fans, etc. Is it difficult knowing that you are under the radar at times, so to speak, and how have you seen yourselves grow and mature as musicians and as examples that people look up to and recognize?

BB: WELL WE’RE ALL SUPER IMMATURE BUT I THINK THAT’S WHAT MAKES US MORE RELATABLE TO OUR AUDIENCE. WE’RE ALL KIDS AT HEART AND THAT WON’T CHANGE. ON THE OTHER SIDE WE ARE VERY RESPECTFUL AND DON’T HAVE THAT “ROCK STAR” ATTITUDE I THINK ALOT OF BANDS HAVE.

Is there anything else that you’d like to add to the conversation? Anything I forgot, or that you’d just like to say or bring awareness to regardless of whether or not it has anything to do with anything at all?

BB: HMM…ALL I CAN SAY IS PLEASE GO GET OUR ALBUM ANYWAY YOU CAN AND THANKS TO ALL THE FANS THAT HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH US. WE LOVE YOU AND WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU IN YOUR TOWN!!

Thank you guys so much, again, for taking the time to run through this with me, and I hope that things continue to climb for you. Have a fun time on The Atticus Tour.