Interview: Follow Me Dark (Written)

Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life bring you an interview with genre bending rock band, Follow Me Dark.

1. Hello! Thank you for taking the time to chat to us. First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started.

Thank you as well, appreciate you showing Follow Me Dark some love! FMD got started in 2019, and after a few practices, it became clear there was something special happening. Elliott (bass), Stephen (vocals/guitar) and Sean (guitar) originally started with another drummer, but that didn’t last long, and soon Jim (drums) joined FMD to form Voltron, haven’t looked back since. We all met in Grass Valley, CA, although none of us are originally from there.

2. Someone comes up to you and asks you to sum up what kind of music you play – what do you tell them?

This is always a tricky question, and depending on which band member you ask, you might get a different answer. We are definitely a rock band, that much is for sure. We draw on so many influences and genres, there’s a lot of flavor. We go from love anthems, to doomy prog, to catchy poppy vibes, emotionally provocative, and riff aggression. On purpose, we are ticking many boxes.

3. What’s currently going on in your camp? New releases? Tours? Etc.

FMD has been hard at work for the past couple years, working on our new release, “Far From Any Shore”, a concept album coming out later this year. We have the great pleasure and honor of working with Chris Tabarez, Grammy nominated, and accomplished mixing and mastering wizard. With his help and influence, this new album will be our greatest achievement yet. It tells the tale of the hero’s journey, reinterpreted through the existential dread of 2020’s America. We have released the first single, “Acid Desert”, along with a video we shot in the beautiful Nor-Cal foothills. Check it out on YouTube for sure, and of course on all the streaming platforms.

4. What has been the most positive experience of making music to date for you?

Making music is the medicine! There are so many things happening in life, work, rent, family, friends..making music is just one of those things, but it acts as relief from the things mentioned above. The feeling of collaborating, musically, with people you trust and have grown to love is very powerful, and hopefully that shines through in our music.

5. Likewise, what has been some of the more challenging aspects and how have you overcome them?

The creation part seems to come fairly easily for us, we create well together. The challenging part is getting the music out there for people to feel. Networking and marketing and setting up shows can be challenging. We always push ourselves to do more though, we believe in what we are doing, so that helps to push through adversity.

6. How do you handle the modern expectations of being in a band? Always online, having to put out content constantly, your success measured in likes and follows?

Sometimes it’s tough, we are musicians, we write music. If you are going independent, you have to become many things though, not just a musician. We’ve gotten better at switching hats, and realizing the difference between creation time, and band management time, two different modes for sure.

7. What’s something that really ‘grinds your gears’ about the industry/business these days and what would you propose is done to combat it?

Music is art. It’s supposed to make you feel, or think differently, or shock you in a way. It’s become cold and over saturated with similar themes and vibes, basically what sells. Don’t want to sound judgmental, music is very diverse, but a more emotionally serious and intentionally focused industry would fill the gap seen in today’s music, hopefully feed the audience’s soul more.

8. Speaking directly to listeners – what would you ask they do to help support your music?

Stop what you are doing once in a while. Stop and feel what we (and all the other artists in the world) have used our time and talent to create. You don’t have to like it, but that’s not always the point. Take the time to notice and appreciate how you feel, what comes up for you, this is the point. Even if you absolutely hate it, that’s part of it all.

9. Outside of the music, what’s do you do to relax?

Disc golf is the national pastime of Grass Valley and the area where we live, and it’s an amazing culture out here. Nice to be in the trees, drink one, smoke one, and huck some plastic with the homies.

10. Where can people find you?

Our linktree has all the good stuff (https://linktr.ee/followmedark) … Follow Me Dark can be found on all the major streaming platforms. Our first, self titled album and subsequent EP release, “An Offering” are available For your listening pleasure, as well as the new single “Acid Desert”. Some music videos on youtube, and general shenanigans on Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok!