Alternative rockers FOLLOW ME DARK have a debut album out, with an EP that followed that, along with an all new single! Some shows have been played as well as much else in the works currently for the future! The band discusses it all right below!
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
Follow Me Dark first started when Stephen Kozak (vocals, guitar) and Elliott Grove (bass, vocals), coworkers in a local taphouse, started getting together and jamming on alt-rock and metal covers. Sean Delphi (guitar) soon entered the mix, and it became evident that the three of us had a lot of ideas for original songs that covered a wide range of emotional territory within the rock genre, ranging from dancey, punk influenced new wave to doom metal to soaring alt-rock sing-along type songs. Drummer Jim Boots soon entered the picture and he brought a muscular approach that locked us in as a live band. We started playing shows locally in Nevada City, California in early 2019 and have been going strong ever since. The pandemic obviously hampered our ability to play live shows, so we focused on recording and songwriting, and resumed playing shows heavily in 2022, and recorded our second album in 2023.
2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?
The band name came from an automatic writing session where Stephen was just jotting down ideas. Sean gravitated towards it and we collectively decided it was memorable and unique enough to stick. We have to sometimes remind people that “dark” can mean frightening, but it can also mean unexplored or mysterious.
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
We are based out of Grass Valley/Nevada City, a pair of very unique small towns in the foothills of Northern California about an hour away from Sacramento. It’s a small enough scene that we have shared bills and supported a lot of bands in very disparate genres - indie rock like Park Street Riot and Weapons of Jones, punk (Slutzville), singer-songwriter (Bodhi DuLac). Just outside of our town we have found kindred spirits in other alternative rock bands like Dreaming Ghosts out of Santa Cruz, and from the Chico/Redding area, we love Furlough Fridays, Stoic Before Dark, Entendu, and the Chemicals.
4. How would you describe your style?
Our music draws on the radio-ready yet emotional songwriting of 90s and 2000s alternative rock, while also weaving in post-rock style guitar textures, metal riffs, new wave influences, and some of the sprawling ambition of 1970s album rock. Fans of Deftones, Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, Queens of the Stone Age, Failure, and Tool will find a lot to enjoy. That said, we are not a nostalgia act and our music reflects the times we live in and is geared for all listeners.
5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
Our self-titled debut album released in late 2020 and covers a lot of musical ground. It’s the first batch of songs we wrote as a band. We released a follow-up EP, “An Offering”, in 2022 and that represented a step forward for us - the sound is more evolved and cohesive. I think our music is for people who love bands that can go all over the map and still retain a unified identity. We like being catchy and satisfying, but work very hard to not repeat ourselves or make the obvious musical choices. Our progressive rock influence comes through with the way we structure songs and handle arrangements - just slightly off kilter and unpredictable.
6. Do you have any new music in the works?
Our new single “Acid Desert” is the first taste of a new concept album we are just wrapping up. The video is live on YouTube and we are quite proud of it- it’s like a mini-movie. The new album is produced by Chris Tabarez who has been just a joy to work with, and brings a very different sensibility to the material - he has the old-school gear and knowledge, loves R&B and blues, and has really pushed us as musicians, and encouraged us to go into some really unique and interesting directions. The album is called “Far From Any Shore” and the concept is based on the Hero’s Journey of Joseph Campbell, so it has a lot of literary and mythological references, and we are quite proud of it. We hope to get it released later this year.
7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
We have managed to play about 50 shows in the last five years despite dealing with a pandemic, and love to do it. We are eyeing a tour in late 2024 so keep your eyes peeled!
8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
We are excited to release our new album and just continue to grow our listener base. There aren’t a ton of rock bands doing what we are doing - writing concept albums and progressive songs, yet still maintaining a pop sensibility and having that heavy metal edge. Older fans of 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s rock appreciate the music, and younger fans are also clicking into the emotional rawness of what we do.
9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
Our music and merch are available for purchase on our Bandcamp (https://followmedark.bandcamp.com/) - and our music is also streaming on all streaming services.
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
That, in 2024, it’s still worth taking the time to get off social media and streaming and take a musical journey, whether it’s listening to a full album with headphones on, or going to an underground rock show. And that creativity is its own reward. We don’t fit easily into a genre box, or sound like a lot of other current bands, and we like it that way.
Post a Comment