Fort Lauderdale based A New Way to Live Forever are known for soulful riffs, hooky melodies and intelligent lyrics all delivered with a modern, rock and roll punch. Their new five-song EP entitled Monument has dropped and contains a few soon-to-be classics including “Fall or Follow” and “Not This Time”. ANWTLF will be playing The Whisky in Hollywood on July 29th with LA Guns.
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We’re excited to see A New Way To Live Forever back on the scene and going stronger than ever. Tell me what inspired you to make a comeback after your hiatus. What challenges did you face while reinventing the band?
Well, the main factor for the band’s resurgence is the amount of viable music that Russ has written and his desire to have a channel for the output. After some personal challenges (which also acted as a catalyst for the writing spree), Russ re-christened the band as a vehicle for his songs. The name fit perfectly with the band’s desire to leave a lasting legacy of music and a return to form for rock “songs” in general.
How do you feel ANWTLF has changed or improved since you started in 2008?
The most obvious change is the departure (or non-return) of original guitarist, Todd Evans. He and Russ wrote the first EP, Avalanche, together. During the band’s hiatus post-2008, Todd moved to Washington, DC, and pursued a career as an architect. So, the subsequent releases Rumoura and Monument have all been Russ. As a band, however, the current lineup has ANWTLF in tighter form than ever.
Tell me how everyone plays their part in making the band work as a unit. Does everyone contribute to the songwriting?
The general process involves Russ introducing a demo of a new song to the band at which point they work together to make it their own. Everyone’s influence is different so by the time a given tune is worked out enough, it has the band’s sound and not just Russ’s.
Tell me what the inspiration was behind the song “Not This Time’’.
Russ: More or less, it’s about a one-night-stand. Although said one night stand may have been quite memorable, the desire to not repeat the action is stronger than the temptation to do so.
Tell me about how you felt the first time you read a review about yourselves or saw yourselves featured in a magazine.
Russ: Prior to this band, Phil (drummer) and I were in a band on Cleopatra Records called The Numb Ones. When our album came out, we were on the cover of our hometown entertainment magazine City Link. That band’s journey was a long one and that cover marked a milestone and proved a very good recognition of our persistence.
ANWTLF is truly finding a way to live forever through music. What message do you hope your music leaves for people in future generations?
The world today can be a dark place on a multitude of levels. We hope that, if someone were to look back at this time, within all the chaos, there were some who carried a certain light and positive message. Balloon from our Rumoura EP is a good example.
What are some of your favorite artists or albums to listen to lately? What music do you like to listen to in order to get yourself pumped?
Daniel: I’ve been listening to Eliot Sumner’s new album quite a bit. It’s pretty great. Kind of like if The Foals produced a new Police album. I think Eliot carries a bit of her father’s soul and uses it in new ways. The new Filter album is cool too. A bit more like their early music, with some Ministry influence, I thought. Right now in my CD player is our producer Peter Klett’s new band Apollo Under Fire. Good solid songs with a positive vibe. ‘So What’ by Ministry has always pumped me up, that or Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself’…
Russ: Prince – Lovesexy and Slayer – Christ Illusion
What type or brand of gear do you prefer to use? Has that type or brand always been your favorite?
Daniel: Russ and I have been stuck on Blackstar amps the past few years. I play through the Series One 45, which I can toggle between US and Brit sounds with the turn of a knob. We both are also primarily Fender players. I prefer my Strat, a 94 MIJ, with some custom electronics installed by S Florida’s premiere luthier, Mitch Weinstein. Russ is usually on his custom tele, also pieced together by Mitch, featuring a Kubiki neck.
If you could collaborate with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be?
Daniel: The first instrument I learned to play was the drums. The first songs I played them to were by the Beatles. Through them, I had my first introduction to great songwriting both musically and lyrically. So my answer is actually a songwriting duo, one dead and one alive: Lennon and McCartney.
Russ: Todd Evans our original guitar player or my friend and former bandmate Scott Putesky (aka Daisy Berkowitz, original guitarist from Marilyn Manson)
If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and what would you do?
Abbey Road Studios. See Above 😉
Tell me what has been the highlight for the band so far in 2016?
Releasing our new EP Monument was a big achievement for us this year. Despite being an EP, it was a long time in the works and we’re extremely pleased with the outcome. Celebrating its release at The Whisky in January with Orgy was icing on the cake.
What’s coming up for ANWTLF in the near future and what do you hope to achieve by the end of the year?
Right now, we’re planning some South East US shows for this summer and leading up to our encore performance at The Whisky a Go Go July 29 supporting LA Guns. This night will be epic!! After that, we’d like to continue with some touring in the fall. We’ve also begun working on new music so we foresee a follow up to Monument; maybe in 2017!
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