Wait, is it Tuesday already? Where is the week going?! Time to settle down and catch up with a new band before next week kicks in…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We’re from Orlando, Florida, US.
How did you meet?
After I moved to Orlando from Jacksonville, FL, I reached out for a lead guitar player on Craigslist I think…maybe Myspace? Lol. That’s where I found Danny Foote and we really hit it off.
How long have you been playing as a band?
We’ve had several members come and go over time, but as Our Future Leaders we’ve been together since about 2010-2011 and we released our first EP “Machines” in 2011.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
The name Our Future Leaders essentially came from asking the question “Who is the music for?” There are a lot of political themes and world views because I write about my world around me. Hopefully, the idea is to inspire people who may someday become our future leaders.
What are your influences?
My first favorite band when I was about 8 was Rush. I would listen to A Farewell to Kings on cassette and they’re still a huge influence today. I’m also heavily influenced by a lot of 90’s bands like Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains, Live, Soundgarden, Silverchair. It would be a long list!
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Our music is dynamic. We’re a rock band, but I think it’s important for music to have ups and downs and to lean into different genres. The “scream to a whisper” concept really resonates with me. I also avoid clichés because I feel it taints the art of it and people who really appreciate the art of music can see through that. I want the experience to be genuine.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
A lot of the lyrics are written out of frustration or anger which I think happens to make awesome rock music. As I mentioned there are many political themes and world issues which are important to me. “Kill the Youth” for instance, is about our broken education system and consumerism affecting young people. Our latest song “You’re the Void” is written about the current disconnect between people and that feeling of worthlessness. Music is a good outlet to voice those kinds of thoughts and ideas without isolating groups of people. It can bring all types of people together and that’s a special thing.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
We haven’t played a live show in a while but that’s because we’ve been working on new stuff and it didn’t make sense to just play a bunch of shows with old songs, but we’re planning to do some touring soon. Our live show is loud and no-nonsense like I think a rock show should be.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
I wasn’t there personally, but watching videos of Eddie Vedder climb up the trusses on stages then diving off into the crowd is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen at a live show. That guy has balls of steel.
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
My main go-to guitar is a white Epiphone Les Paul Custom with EMG pickups, it looks like a Stormtrooper. That guitar has such a flexible sound and it plays great. I also have a purple LTD ESP Deluxe with EMGs that I use for most of the heavy stuff and a Takemine acoustic which is one of the best sounding acoustics I’ve ever played. My main rig is a Peavey ValveKing VK100 amp head played through a Marshall 4×12 cabinet. That cabinet is a workhorse. I also have a Peavey 6505+ 112 combo amp.
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
We just released our new single “You’re the Void” last week which is available on Spotify and all digital retailers. There’s also a cool lyric video for it on our Facebook page and YouTube. It was a collaboration with a very talented friend @therealjeremus on Instagram.
What are your plans for the rest of 2019/2020?
The next song is already finished and we’re planning to release that within the next few months along with some live show dates, maybe a small tour schedule. Either way, we’re planning to release a lot of music over the next year.
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
I think it would be really cool to be direct support for our buddies in the band Fitness, they’re making some killer music and doing big things. To open, I would have our friends in BackstabberPunk. They’re a newer band with incredible musicianship and we always have a blast hanging out. Go check both of those bands out!
What is your dream venue to play?
I always wanted to play at the Bonnaroo Music Festival. There’s something about the diversity of that festival that really appeals to me.
Our Future Leaders: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | soundcloud | youtube
