Greeley Estates| The Rebirth Of Greeley Estates

Written By: Jameson Ketchum and Jeremy Seick

Going into every record as if its your last may sound a bit sorrowful. It may sound discouraging and unenthusiastic. It may sound like The Death of Greeley Estates, thankfully NOT a swan song from the consistently tenacious Arizona outfit. Vocalist Ryan Zimmerman has always been outspoken about what goes into his band’s records, whether it be questioning faith, the death of a loved one, or grizzly murder metaphors. The band boasts this record as a perfect mix of old and new Greeley material, which will serve to revitalize a band that never should have sunk anywhere in the first place.

Ryan, I read a quote from you recently about how you go into each album as if it could be your last. Where does this idea come from and what kind of motivation did it provide you with while creating the record?

Ryan Zimmerman: There’s no way to know what the future holds and whether or not we will have the opportunity to write another record so we try to go into each album with that in mind. No regrets. I think especially with this record we took our time writing and recording. Six months in all off the road.

Naming the record The Death of Greeley Estates certainly backs up this philosophy. What does the title and the album as a whole say about this collection of songs?

RZ: Honestly we used that title to grab the attention of some of our earlier fans from back when we started.  We want the people that have supported us to know that we appreciate them and we are bringing back some of the musical elements that we experimented with when we started this band.

Can fans expect this to be the last Greeley album?

RZ:  (Laughs) There’s no way to know what the future holds.

What’s your favorite track off The Death and why?

RZ: To listen to it would probably be either “The Medic” or “A Thousand Burning Forests”. I think they are both strong songs and both show how our band has grown over the years.  ”December” is probably the most personal song I have ever written.  I wrote it to my mother who passed away last year.

How have the fans reacted to the early songs you’ve released and played live so far?

RZ: So far so good. People seem stoked that we are bringing back some of the melody again and mixing it up with these new songs. We tried to write a record we would enjoy playing live and so far the reaction to the new songs has been good on the road.

You’ve said that your previous record No Rain, No Rainbow was your most personal as far as really heavy things going in your own life. Do you feel like this one may not be as intense then? Or has it just gotten more personal?

RZ: I think NRNR was a little more intense because of what I was going through at the time. A lot of the lyrics were angry and bitter. I’ve worked through a lot over the past year and I feel it shows in these new songs.  I think this is the most honest I’ve been lyrically since our first record OUTSIDE OF THIS.

You have had such a long career as a band, how do you feel you have grown as a person and musician from your first album to this most recent work?

RZ: (Laughs) As a musician I have always said I’m lucky to have the chance to do this. I still don’t know what I’m doing eight years later. I’m just thankful that anyone cares enough to listen to our music.  As a person I hope that I have grown over the years.  We’ve been through a lot as a band and as individuals, lots of amazing experiences along with lots of heartache. I guess that’s life and you just live and learn and hope to be better in the end. I’m surrounded by amazing dudes in this band that are family to me and that only makes us stronger in the end.

I think that I have heard stories about dudes closing themselves off from every outside influence when it comes time for a new album. What outside influences will you allow yourself to be swayed and affected by during the writing recording process?

RZ: I love being home in AZ when we are writing and recording. We did a record in Hollywood several years back and had to live there for a few months and even though it was a crazy experience I prefer to be home. We are gone most of the year so it makes sense to be home when we can and I love to be around friends and family when I’m writing.  “I think that statement is at the heart of our band, remembering to make each moment count because there is no way to know how long you have.” I’m constantly showing them the latest mixes and what not. I don’t really close myself off from everyone when I write I just try to stay focused on what direction we are heading musically.

Music is something that seems Greeley Estates sort of stumbled into. Could you have imagined doing anything else with your youth and now the early adult years?

RZ: Yeah, I never imagined I would see the world playing in a band- it’s been a crazy ride.  When I was younger I was a shy kid who was scared of his own shadow. I would get lost in music all the time but I never dreamed it would become something I would do for this long.  I never had much direction in my life other than this band, so I don’t really know what else I would be doing if I wasn’t in Greeley or what I will be doing after Greeley.

What do you think about the saying “live with no regrets”? Having been a neck deep in music for most if not all of your life and choosing it as a career path what would you say, from your experiences, is the point of music in a person’s life.

RZ: The first single off our new record “The Last Dance” talks about this.  I think that statement is at the heart of our band, remembering to make each moment count because there is no way to know how long you have. Even though at times it’s been difficult choosing this whole music thing as a career path, I don’t regret it at all because of the amazing experiences I’ve had and the things I’ve learned about myself and others.

How has this headlining tour and the fans been treating you thus far?

RZ: We’ve had a great time so far. I wouldn’t say we are a proper headlining band (laughs), but it’s always fun to play a longer set and bring back some of the older songs are fans are wanting to hear. We have been playing three new songs also and so far the response has been good. There is lots of competition out there with bigger summer tours but we are stoked to be out with amazing bands and new friends, The Plot In You, Life On Repeat, Miracle In St. Anna, and Everyone Dies in Utah.