Inhale Exhale - What’s in a Name?
Guitarist John LaRussa explains the meaning behind the name Inhale Exhale.
Track-by-Track: The Last Names - ‘Wilderness’
Justin Rice of The Last Names details the duo’s debut full-length, ‘Wilderness.’
Thoughts in Reverse - What’s in a Name?
No, we’re not here to chat about Destroy the Runner songs. Thoughts in Reverse is the name of a metalcore act out of Syracuse, NY. Formerly known as From the Ashes, the quintet decided to switch things up after parting ways with singer Anthony Phillips. Now fronted by vocalist Brian Magee, the group is determined to take their ferocious sound to a stage near you. The band’s aggressive new EP, ‘Sightings,’ comes equipped with thrash-worthy riffs courtesy of guitarists Nicholas Panagakis and Scott Garland, the bloodthirsty voice of Magee, and inerrable playing of drummer Kory Stuhler and bassist Jon Page.
Head below to find out how Thoughts in Reverse picked their name and whether or not they have any regrets about it.
Who came up with the band name?
Brian: Kory and Scott were the driving force there. I wasnt in the band yet, so it’s my understanding that Kory saved us from being named something really terrible. I won’t mention the name because I’m 90% sure there is a band out there using the name they didn’t choose.
Kory: The band name was collectively voted on between myself, our bassist Jon, our guitarist Scott, and our former vocalist Anthony. It was down to a few names.
Was there a selection process?
Brian: I think Kory put a bunch of words on a dartboard and threw three darts.
Kory: We asked a magician to pull a random name out of a hat! [laughs] We just voted! Democracy rules, and it took us a few weeks to settle on a name we were all okay with.
Is there a particular meaning behind the name?
Brian: It’s just another way of saying “to think differently.” To, like, approach your normal thought process backwards.
Kory: It basically means to think differently or to have a different way of thinking, and not to just follow the same treaded path. That’s the basic meaning.
What’s the best name that you considered but rejected?
Brian: Brian Magee and The Dudes.
Kory: The other names it came down to were Misfortunes and The Escape Artist.
What’s the worst name that you considered using?
Brian: The Debbie Downer Boner Jammerz.
Kory: We voted on A Shotgun Opera for a day then realized how awful it was! Smartest move we ever made! [laughs]
Any regrets about the name you chose?
Brian: Nope!
Kory: We are all happy with the name we chose, so no real regrets, no. The only unfortunate aspect is now due to the success of the band Falling in Reverse, who happened to come around after us.
Pick up Thoughts in Reverse’s new EP, Sightings.
For the band’s upcoming tour dates, check out their Facebook page.
Case in Theory - What’s in a Name?
San Francisco-based rockers Case in Theory are a testament of Kickstarter’s ability to successfully fund musical projects. Just last year, the group was able to raise over $4,500 towards their debut full-length, ‘Cinematic.’ But, as we all know, simply having some capital and talent won’t get you too far without a good name. Whether it comes about by a matter of fate, or is decided upon from the beginning, choosing the right name is an obstacle every band must face. Luckily, Case in Theory stumbled onto theirs with no problem, and it just so happens to be a perfect fit.
Who came up with the band name?
Jamin Bracken, our drummer, is the one who gets the credit for coming up with our name. We were still very new, writing our first batch of songs, and we had all been making suggestions, but nothing stuck. One night, he and I were headed out of his apartment for a night of drinking in downtown San Jose, and as he was telling me a story, he said the words “case in theory” in the same context as if someone were to say “case in point.” Before he finished his sentence, we both looked up at each other, eyes wide open and thought the same thing — that “case in theory” had a nice ring to it. I think we even called up Ben [Everett, bassist] and Tadeo [Ramirez, guitarist] and mentioned it to them. Needless to say, we kept it.
Was there a selection process?
I remember we made it a point for each of us to come up with a few names before practice. We would write them on the board and would keep the list growing, but there was definitely nothing cooler than Case in Theory.
Is there a particular meaning behind the name?
No meaning at all. It just sounded cool. And I think at that point we were simply fed up of thinking up names.
What’s the best name that you considered but rejected?
To be honest, I would’ve loved to see that list again, but it’s been so long that none of us can even remember any of the names we suggested. So, I texted everyone to make up some names so that I could answer these two questions. For “best rejected name,” the winner is: Son Named Aiden.
What’s the worst name that you considered using?
…and for worst name: Bob Saget & The Porno Vixens, or La Vic Sauce. [laughs]
Any regrets about the name you chose?
None at all. For some reason, to me, our name matches our sound quite well. I also love how “Case in Theory” isn’t suggestive to any particular genre. Hopefully it intrigues people enough to want to take a listen. And if you do, thank you, we hope you enjoy and appreciate the tunes.
Pick up Case in Theory’s latest album, Cinematic.
For the band’s upcoming tour dates, check out their Facebook page.
Smoke & Jackal - “No Tell”
Kings of Leon bassist Jared Followill and Mona frontman Nick Brown recently announced the formation of their side project, Smoke & Jackal.
The duo’s new single, “No Tell,” which debuted on Zane Lowe’s show on BBC Radio 1, will be available through iTunes and other digital music stores on August 28. Smoke & Jackal’s debut release, ‘EP1,’ is set to arrive on October 16 via RCA Records.
Longtime friends Followill and Brown recorded the six-track EP in Nashville while both of their respective bands were on break. Smoke & Jackal is a refreshing take on both Kings of Leon and Mona’s styles with an infusion of indie rock and alternative roots.
“Coming together just worked,” remarked Followill in a press statement. “I think it’s because we took such an easy approach to it, we didn’t bring any egos to it. We just talked about each other’s ideas, neither one of us got our feelings hurt. It just worked.”
“It was all about tone and vibe and what felt right in that moment,” Brown added. “Not second guessing, just having fun in that moment.”
EP1
01. Fall Around
02. No Tell
03. You’re Lost
04. Road Side
05. OK OK
06. Save Face
