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Have an interview all set to go featuring Cincinnati based indie pop outfit Telehope. You may have caught my post about them last week featuring their live vid of "Joy" that shows their high energy live sets that has large amounts of fans dedicated to watching the guys perfect their craft right in front of them. They really seem to be tapping into the collective consciousness of the youth, and are definitely geared to be making some headway this year and beyond. I got a chance to interview the guys to get to know a little more about them, their creative process, and the energy surrounding their live shows. Here is the transcript from our chat:
Give us your names and roles in the band?
Mark Brad - Lead Vocals / Guitar
Ben Malson - Keyboard / Guitar / Producer
Adolph Goetz - Guitar / Vocals
Brett Sackenheim - Bass / Backup Vocals
Nate Trammel - Drums
How did you all meet up and when did the band form?
The band originally formed with 3 close friends - our hangout time transitioned into playing music together. Since then, we've had some members change, a name change, aesthetic changes & other things. We are now a solid 5 piece with a common goal to create music together & spread hope.
What is the origin of the name "Telehope" and how did you all come upon it?
We were searching for a unique name that stood out and incorporated the word "hope". "Tele" is greek for "looking to the distance", so Telehope essentially means to stay focused on hope no matter how far away it may seem. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Keep moving forward & don't forget to smile.
Describe your musical influences when you were younger and how they've had an impact on you to this day?
"Relient K is the band that made me first pick up a guitar. I was influenced by them at a young age & they continue to inspire me today. I really admire how deep their music is lyrically & how vastly they adjust genres over each of their albums." - Adolph Goetz
"Patrick Watson, Arjen Lucassen, Devin Townsend, and Steven Wilson. I've been heavily influenced by progressive rock and some other experimental artists such as Patrick Watson. Anything with complex time signatures or chord progressions is perfect for me." - Brett Sackeneheim
"My musical influences when I was younger were mainly The Beatles, along with many other classic rock bands. They've effected me today by widening my "musical vocabulary" because older bands contrast with today's modern style, giving me a wide range of musical influences." - Nate Trammel
Getting started in Cincinnati, how humbling is it to see bands like Walk The Moon achieve success, have you ever met them?
It's incredibly inspiring and humbling to see such successful Cincinnati bands. We haven't met Walk The Moon, but perhaps we will cross paths in the future. We are big WTM fans. There have been multiple very successful national bands that came out of Ohio-- Twenty One Pilots, Relient K, Walk The Moon & others. We strive to follow in their footsteps.
How vibrant is the Cincy music scene right now and what are some local acts that you've been digging?
"The local music scene is absolutely thriving right now. Some local acts I've been enjoying are Local Waves, Harbour, Warshful and Circle it" - Nate Trammel
How do you guys manage to incorporate everyone's influences and stay on the same page musically at the same time?
"We manage to incorporate everyone's influences by taking an influential band or group & making it our own. Especially when it comes to covering other people's songs, we like to make them "Telehope-y"' - Nate Trammel
"We all have an incredibly wide range of musical influences & love a large variety of genres. Each of us are very open to different styles & approaches so it's easy to have a smooth work flow & stay on the same page." - Adolph Goetz
Describe your live shows and the energy surrounding them, plus how you interact with fans during and after the show?
"As a band we love putting on a high energy show that is both enjoyable and musically complex. Whenever we play a show the crowd helps us get us into that high energy mood. It's an incredible experience to be displaying pure joy on the stage, and then seeing a reflection of that in the crowd. Our fans are amazing and are such a key factor in our growth. We love getting to spend time with those who can come to the concerts, and love getting the opportunity to meet them!" - Mark Brad
"Tons of energy. Anything we can think of to get people jumping with us, and just complete audience participation." - Brett Sackenheim
What's coming up next for you guys and any Boston area shows coming up soon?
"We all love to travel and can't wait to get the Telehope show on the road. We're in the beginning stages of booking shows in several cities and we plan to come to the New York, New Jersey, and New England area within the next 6-12 months. We're incredibly excited to share our love for music and our message of hope to listeners throughout the country and just might see us in Boston soon." - Ben Malson
Lastly, how has being this band changed your life?
"This band has changed my life simply by giving me some life long best friends and some great influences musically & mentally. These are probably the nicest, most thoughtful people you'll ever meet." - Nate Trammel
"I would definitely echo what Nate said. I get the incredible privilege to share a stage with my very closest friends. It's such a blessing to be able to share one of my favorite things with some of my favorite people. In addition it's such a gift to have the potential to truly impact somebody's life. That's special." - Adolph Goetz
"Not only am I playing music with my best friends and living life with them, we get to do life with our fans as well. Telehope empathizes with the hopeless ones, the dreamers, the depressed, and the joyful. When fans open up about their personal lives to us and share things as deep as that their suicidal-mind found hope and joy in our music, that's when we know we're on the right path with Telehope. This band has changed my life because it's given us an outlet to change, and even save, other people's lives." - Ben Malson
Thanks once again to Ben, Adolph, Nate, Brett, and Mark for being so generous in their time to do this interview. The guys have a carefree nature and high degree of positive energy surrounding them, and I'm so glad they're using and channeling that said energy to everyone around them to make them feel good about themselves and the way they treat each other. For more on Telehope, please 'Like' them on Facebook via this channel here, and check out their official homepage at this spot here for more in depth info, including links to their music and shows possibly coming to your area.