IWrestledABearOnce

Het vijfkoppige IWrestledABearOnce staat bekend om hun vele tempo en zelfs genrewisselingen. De band heeft via het internet (MySpace!) en de release van een gelijknamige EP in 2007 al een redelijke fanbase opgebouwd, vooral in de States. In Europa kennen we de band meer van horen zeggen, en van de videoclips van ‘Tastes Like Kevin Bacon’ en ‘Ulrich Firelord: Breaker of Mountains’, inclusief Inspector Gadget breakdown. Onlangs stond de groep in Nederland en wij spraken met de 24-jarige Steven Bradley.

From what do you know each other?
Long story short, our other guitarist John and I have been in bands together for ten years now… and we have known our bass player for probably six years. I met Krysta on tour in our last band and we started dating and then formed IWABO! And we met our current drummer on the first IWABO tour we ever did three years ago and then stole him!

How do your parents react know that you’re in a band?
My parents are extremely supportive and amazing people. They are proud we have done so much and that I’ve gotten to live my dream in life!

What is your biggest show ever?
I’m not even sure! Probably New England Metalfest with about 3,000 people

Where would you like to have a show (again)?
Everywhere! We’re definitely excited to come back to Europe... All the shows there were nuts!

With which band you don’t want to be compared with?
We don’t really care… people have trouble accepting bands doing their own thing, so comparisons will always happen. We enjoy what we do, so who cares what people say we sound like!

With Imperial Never Say Die, you did your first European tour. Liked it?
The tour was amazing! We met tons of awesome people and played some of our favorite shows ever! We can’t wait to come back in April/May to see more countries and do it all again. The most part people were way more excited about music and shows in general. The US is over-saturated with bands and tours, whereas Europe seem more excited about US bands since we don’t come over there as often.

Liked the Dutch?
The Netherlands was insane! I’m told that I had a good time haha. Needless to say, it was an experience! Can’t wait to come back!

Your band has been described as avant-garde metal. Do you agree with this?
I suppose so… We’re definitely not your typical 4/4 radio friendly rock band.. although I definitely think we have more cohesion than a lot of avant-garde bands. Who knows! Fuck genres and labels!!

What bands do you listen to at home?
Radiohead, Minus the Bear, Led Zeppelin, Animals as Leaders, Tears for Fears, Glassjaw… just a wide array of stuff!

Your debut record It’s all happening has been released earlier this year. Did it all go like you expected?
It definitely has sold way more copies than we expected! We are beyond stoked at the response we have received!

How do you look back at your first show?
Oh man.. It was terrible! We were a 4-piece band and played an iPod with drum tracks instead of a real drummer! Definitely not quite the same as what we’re doing now haha. And since then.. I have no clue. A couple hundred shows!

If the band wouldn’t grow in the way that you hoped for, would you have peace with it and continue?
We would be doing this no matter if it was on a small scale, or on the big scale it is at now. We just love music and meeting cool new people who appreciate what we do! We have already reached above and beyond any goals I once had! Now I just want to play every country on earth!

What is the best thing of being in a band?
Sure beats all of my other jobs in life!! Nothing compares to being able to pay your bills by doing what you truly love every day. It’s awesome. We aren’t rich, but we survive and don’t starve so we’re happy.

Are you able to combine it with your other hobbies?
My only other hobby is recording bands, so I still do that from time to time when we’re home from tour.