What are your names?
Cody Kohler
Frank Facompre
Eddy Barrera
Cory Brown
What is the bands name?
An Old Friend
How did you come up with the bands name?
We were about to play our first show at the time and needed a name to be listed on the set, so we literally sat in a circle and bounced words off each other until An Old Friend came about, and it stuck with us since.
What is your genre of music?
Alternative Rock, some say Progressive Emo, some mention Indie Rock, we’re all over the spectrum.
Give us a little bio about you..
Conventions are meant to be subverted. An Old Friend is a band that makes this idea the cornerstone of its collective sound. The band makes compelling guitar music by choosing to eschew many of the typical verse-into-chorus songwriting hacks that lead to paint-by-numbers rock and roll, preferring a more fragmentary approach that exudes mood and color without pounding one single hook into the dirt. Anyone can destroy what came before but it takes a small bit of genius to make the results listenable, which is just what AOF has done and doing.
What made you go in to music?
We were all generally surrounded by music, whether listening to it religiously, in a music program at school, or going to shows monthly. We all feel it was just something that beckoned us naturally.
Are you a signed?
Currently a DIY band.
You released your new Music Video for your song “Lady” tell us more about it.
Our song “Lady” holds a special place for us as it was written to foreground the feeling when something in a given time may feel right, perhaps meant to be, yet something still pulls you away. A complex of the right place yet wrong time, which most have experienced. This video emphasizes the mood and colors of this song and underlying meaning, it was a pleasure shooting it with Tom Flynn, he is our go to guy and always brings our song visually to life.
What was the writing process like?
The writing process was fun to say the least, it started with Eddy bringing the riff that plays in the first half of the verse to us and we all fed off it until it started to bloom.
What was the recording process like?
Very eye opening, this song definitely blossomed in the studio more so, especially with harmonies and vocals.
Who did you work with in the studio?
We worked with Frank Mitaritonna over at VuDu studios in Port Jefferson, New York, knowledgeable guy who really dives into your music as opposed to just recording it.
What message are you trying to get out?
If we were to have a message we wished to convey as a band or through our music it would simply be for one to just be themselves, stray from being caught up in the crowd, and just do what makes you happy, what makes your soul thrive as an individual, oh, and don’t be afraid to feel, society is numbing at times.
You are also working on your new record, tell us more about it.
Well, we released our 6 song EP “I am, I was” a little over a year ago, which is where the track “Lady” comes from, however, we have at least 8-10 new songs we plan to bring to the studio in the winter and hopefully have out by spring/summer!
Describe each track in two words.
Ever changing
What is the message you want to get out.
We have no set message with this new album yet, however, our new music is open terrain for ones own interpretation.
What was the making process of it like?
We are still in that process, but it is always fun/challenging ourselves to not write the same song twice.
You also have ‘I Am,I Was’ released, tell us more about it.
“I Am, I Was” we released a little over a year ago, and have had nothing but good reception with it since, we feel this next album will be a cohesive follow up to that album but on new levels for sure.
Do you have gigs coming up?
As of now we may book a run of East Coast shows, but currently have nothing booked, we have been grinding on the new music.
If so where are you thinking of heading?
An East Coast run down to Florida would be Ideal for starters.
Do you have any collaborations coming up with any up coming artists?
Nope!
Would you be up for collaborations if other musicians wanted one with you? and who would they have to contact?
We certainly wouldn’t be against it!
lianoldfriend@gmail.com is the best email to reach us!
What else do you have planned this year?
Honestly, just really grind out this new album.
Do you play any other instruments?
We all basically play what we play (guitars, bass, drums), nothing more than out side of some keys.
Who are your influences?
Too many to list, as a band our influences are very electric, but that’s what brings our sound at bay!
Which TV channel would you like one of your songs to be played on?
At this rate most music channels don’t play enough good quality music any more, but I guess it would still be cool to have one of our videos up on MTV or Fuse.
How do you get inspiration to write songs?
At the most random times, simply just going through certain motions of life can spark inspiration.
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
Playing plenty of shows/tours, releasing plenty more music.
When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
We are all busy dudes, but as of late we have been brewing our own beer together, which is a fun process.
What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more in to the music scene?
Definitely different for each of us, for example a big influential band on Frank was Between The Buried And Me, & Tool, for Cory, Minus The Bear, Eddy’s first riff learned was from a System Of A Down song, and Cody was heavily into bands like Taking Back Sunday, & Circa Survive.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
Simply just do what makes you happy.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not about the industry and just as an artist?
Get out there and do it, go to shows, support local bands, mix yourself into that atmosphere. Find people that have the same vision as you, and make music that feels right for you, if it’s good music people will follow.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
Nothing in particular, just keep a positive head space.
Where in your hometown is a must go to visit?
On Long Island, most people end up going to the beaches, Hamptons, Montauk etc. We would say there’s a lot of nice sights towards the eastern end of the Island, that’s always a nice venture for starters.
Your coming off tour;
1/ Where do you go first?
Probably Home
2/ Who do you see first?
Friends, Family, or Spouses
3/What do you eat first?
Food, plenty of it.
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
Water, water, water, beer, water.
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Of course!
An Old Friend – Lady (Official Music Video):
