How was Clap For Alaska formed, how did you all get together from different bands?
Justin and Mitchell have played in various bands together over the years, the most significant being Beauty at the Least. Matt followed in Mitchell's footsteps by picking up a guitar and also developing dreams of being a professional musician. Justin went his own way for a while playing in various metal bands with the former lead guitarist of Beauty at the Least while Mitchell and Matt started piecing together projects from the remnants of that band. Mitchell and Matt put together a final project and were joined by Brandon Meadows as their vocalist. Jeremy Rising, a.k.a. Remy, joined the band as the bassist shortly after. Lindsey Bibeau completed the band's roster on drums.
A few months into writing, the band and Brandon decided to go separate ways. Mitchell gave Justin a call after years of not playing music with each other and asked if he would be interested in trying out as the band's vocalist. Justin tried out and everyone really felt like the band was finally going in the direction they wanted. The members really clicked. The writing process was smooth and the band started playing shows all over North Carolina. Around September of 2011, Lindsey parted ways with the band on good terms. The band went through several drummers after that and continued playing shows. Chris got in touch with the band one day in November of 2011 and said he was interested in trying out as the band's drummer. He joined half way into the recording process for the EP, but picked the songs up quickly and fit right in.
How would you like to describe your sound?
We all have many influences. Our inspirations range anywhere from classic rock, pop punk, post hardcore, metal, and jazz. If we had to put a label on our sound it would be a blend of pop punk and post hardcore with a lot of classic rock influenced guitar work.
What are your plans for 2012?
We plan on releasing the EP and playing as many shows as possible. We also plan on meeting a lot of new people in the business and getting our music out to our fans and anyone else who would enjoy it. We are also going to enter the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands to try to get on Vans Warped Tour, so be sure to cast your vote!
You guys started recording your new EP on October of 2011, how is the work going on so far?
We have all enjoyed the recording process. We already had the songs we wanted on the album written and already had a pretty good idea of what we wanted them to sound like, so we just went straight into the studio and started laying down tracks. The EP is being recorded and produced by Chris Thomas. Everyone has had a great experience working with him.
Have you decided the album title yet? How do you plan to release it?
The EP will be called “Anchors Away” and will feature the song of the same title. We are going to set it up for free download on our Facebook and physical copies will be available for free from any member of the band.
Was there any change in the writing process after the addition of Chris?
The writing process has always really just been someone coming to rehearsal with an idea and us jamming on it until we eventually have it exactly the way we want it. Everyone has an equal say in writing. We all fit so well together musically that we can play off of each other and come up with the kind of music we want to play as a whole. That didn't really change once Chris joined. He fit so well with everyone else. After just a few weeks of playing with him, it felt like he had been our drummer for years.
What has been the greatest achievement as a band so far?
Definitely getting the support that we have from everyone around us and all of those who have helped spread the word about us and getting people out to our shows.
What can fans expect from Clap for Alaska?
We are constantly writing and rehearsing so there will definitely be tons of shows and new songs. Merch is also coming soon!
What does 2012 holds for you?
Lots of jamming, shows, writing, meeting people, recording, and as for the rest, we'll have to wait and see!
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