written by Marko Jakob | 04.04.2022 |
Pix666: Hello Patrick. Thanks for taking the time for the interview. How are you doing?
Patrick: We’re good! We’ve been keeping extremely busy between the album release, touring, and working on new material. But things have been going really well for us lately.
Pix666: Please tell the readers how it all started with If Not For Me and what kind of music you make.
Patrick: The project started probably around 2015. It went through a couple different iterations of sounds, styles, and members, but the core group that makes up If Not For Me came together in 2018. We’ve all known each other from playing with or seeing each other’s bands in our local scene, so Hayden ended up recruiting Zac and I when the band started to become much more serious. We play mainly metalcore with big active rock influences as well. We definitely like to mix the heavy with the melodic.
Pix666: Have you been involved in other bands or projects before?
Patrick: I’ve been involved with a handful of different bands in the past, but mainly as a guitar or bass player. Most of them were some variety of metal, but also some pop punk and singer/songwriter kind of stuff as well. I never really saw myself as a “front man” or vocalist, but if the shoe fits!
Pix666: You’ve been on the road with If Not For Me for some years now. What have been the most memorable moments with the band so far?
Patrick: Yeah we’ve definitely had some pretty wild rides over the years! Some of the most memorable things always happen when you least expect them; things like meeting fans from across the country, hanging out with your heroes, making mischievous and… questionable decisions, etc. But the first thing that always comes to mind is being stranded and homeless in Massachusetts for about a week after our van bit the dust on our EP release tour back in 2018. That was a nightmare.
Pix666: Some weeks ago your single ‘Bury Me‘ was released. How have the reactions to the song been so far?
Patrick: The response to ’Bury Me’ has been phenomenal so far. The feedback we’ve received online has been so good. People seem to be really vibing with the lyrics and hooks, and we’ve had tons of fans belting the words back at us at our shows. Best feeling in the world.
Pix666: Hello Patrick. Thanks for taking the time for the interview. How are you doing?
Patrick: We’re good! We’ve been keeping extremely busy between the album release, touring, and working on new material. But things have been going really well for us lately.
Pix666: Please tell the readers how it all started with If Not For Me and what kind of music you make.
Patrick: The project started probably around 2015. It went through a couple different iterations of sounds, styles, and members, but the core group that makes up If Not For Me came together in 2018. We’ve all known each other from playing with or seeing each other’s bands in our local scene, so Hayden ended up recruiting Zac and I when the band started to become much more serious. We play mainly metalcore with big active rock influences as well. We definitely like to mix the heavy with the melodic.
Pix666: Have you been involved in other bands or projects before?
Patrick: I’ve been involved with a handful of different bands in the past, but mainly as a guitar or bass player. Most of them were some variety of metal, but also some pop punk and singer/songwriter kind of stuff as well. I never really saw myself as a “front man” or vocalist, but if the shoe fits!
Pix666: You’ve been on the road with If Not For Me for some years now. What have been the most memorable moments with the band so far?
Patrick: Yeah we’ve definitely had some pretty wild rides over the years! Some of the most memorable things always happen when you least expect them; things like meeting fans from across the country, hanging out with your heroes, making mischievous and… questionable decisions, etc. But the first thing that always comes to mind is being stranded and homeless in Massachusetts for about a week after our van bit the dust on our EP release tour back in 2018. That was a nightmare.
Pix666: Some weeks ago your single ‘Bury Me‘ was released. How have the reactions to the song been so far?
Patrick: The response to ’Bury Me’ has been phenomenal so far. The feedback we’ve received online has been so good. People seem to be really vibing with the lyrics and hooks, and we’ve had tons of fans belting the words back at us at our shows. Best feeling in the world.
Pix666: Where can people buy the album? In which versions is ’Eulogy’ available? Are there also shirts or something from If Not For Me?
Patrick: ’Eulogy’ is available on every major streaming platform! I’m a physical copy kind of guy myself, so if that’s more your style then physical copies of the album are available in our main online store at https://www.ifnotformeband.com, as well as some additional album exclusive merch in our label’s online store at https://www.theoriarecords.com/collections/if-not-for-me. And of course, we also have plenty of cool stuff at the merch table for our fans that are able to come hang out with us in person!
Pix666: How did your album release show go and are there further plans for live shows in 2022?
Patrick: We just wrapped up the Eulogy Tour, and our hometown release show was an absolute blast. We had some of our favorite bands in the area share the stage with us at one of the coolest places in our area, and we honestly couldn’t have asked for a better start to the tour. Definitely a lot of cool stuff coming up for us for the rest of 2022, including a fun tribute show where we’ll be performing as Bring Me The Horizon, and also an awesome tour we’re stoked to announce for this summer. We’re going to be breaking into some new markets for us and can’t be more excited for it!
Pix666: How big are the clubs you usually play and how big is the metal scene in your region?
Patrick: We generally play anywhere from 200-1000 cap rooms. Occasionally we’ll play much larger venues depending on the market, but we often find we have the most fun performing in more intimate, packed clubs or bars. There’s something so electrifying about having your fans crammed up against the stage and singing every word back at you. Our local scene has definitely had its ups and downs the past couple years due to Covid. We’ve seen the closing of a handful of some pretty beloved venues in our area. However there are a couple places, such as J.B. Lovedraft’s and their sister location where we hosted our album release at Lovedraft’s Brewing Co, and the Lovedraft’s brand has been keeping the scene alive and hosting some of the coolest shows in our area. We’re also fortunate enough to have some really talented and unique bands to share the stage with, ranging anywhere from pop punk to hardcore to death metal.
Pix666: What do you do to stand out from the quite large number of metalcore bands in the USA, how do you draw attention to yourselves so that music fans can find you in the jungle of the internet?
Patrick: We try to stand out by incorporating big, melodic hooks with really meaningful and relatable lyrics. I try my best to write lyrics that are personal to myself, as well as touch on topics that will resonate with people from all different walks of life. When I hear from a fan that was really able to connect with and get something meaningful out of my lyrics, it’s honestly the most rewarding feeling in the world for me. I often write what I write for me; it’ll just come out based on whatever I’m feeling or going through at the time. So when I’m able to touch somebody else’s life that may be experiencing something similar to myself with these songs, there’s really nothing like it. I couldn’t be more grateful for the platform I’ve been given.
Pix666: Tell me a little bit about your dreams…. In which locations or at which festivals would you like to perform and with which band(s) would you like to go on tour in the future?
Patrick: We honestly just love touring. The lifestyle and grind is absolutely not everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s nothing the three of us would rather be doing. We weren’t quite ready with the record to hop into the festival circuit for 2022, but we’re hoping to potentially branch into SXSW, Blue Ridge Rock Fest, and other similar festivals next year! Some of our favorite bands crushing it right now include Like Moths to Flames, Dayseeker, Polaris and Alpha Wolf, and we’d be thrilled to hit the road with some of these heavy hitters.
Pix666: Do you have any other news about If Not For Me that you would like to share with the fans?
Patrick: Yeah! We’ve been very busy working on some new material with Ricky Armellino of Ice Nine Kills that’s coming out killer so far, and we also have some cool additional content for Eulogy, including a potential deluxe release of the record that we absolutely cannot wait to share with you guys!
Pix666: Thanks for the interview, good luck with your new album – and above all, stay healthy.
Patrick: We appreciate you guys so much for having us and accommodating our insane schedule lately. It’s been an absolute pleasure having this platform to speak with you about what we’ve been up to!
https://www.facebook.com/IfNotForMe
https://www.theoriarecords.com/collections/if-not-for-me
https://www.instagram.com/ifnotforme/
photos © by If Not For Me
