Meet Life on the Sideline. Originating from
Before supporting fast rising Pop Punk icons "Major League" for part of their December
US tour vocalist, Nick DiCiancia took time out to sit down with Est.1987 to talk influences, recording the E.P and putting the band together via "Craiglist".
You guys formed in
2011 and you met through an online advert. You’ve been in bands in the past;
did it click between you straight away and what was it that made you know that
it was right this time around??
It's always weird meeting potential band members for the
first time, especially when you've all met each other through the use of “Craigslist”.
The band started off with Joe, Ralph, and myself (Nick). When we first all met,
the three of us clicked instantly. It was like looking into the mirror;
we all shared the same drive and passion for music. Immediately I knew that Joe
and Ralph shared the same dream I had since I was a kid. They looked at music
as much more than just a hobby, it's who they are. It's just refreshing
to see people who have the same mindset as you. Later on we met our bass
player Eddie and second guitarist, Steven. The five of us just work as a
whole.
You worked with
producer Ryan Moge and released the EP Outpatient; how was that experience? Was
it new for you guys or have you worked in that environment before?
Most of us have worked in studios in previous bands, but
all of our past experiences had been with "engineers" who just cared
about the pay check they get at the end of the day. It didn't matter what
your song sounded like, as long as they got their money. Ryan Moge from
Valiant recording and engineering, based out of Chicopee, Massachusetts, is the
complete opposite of this. He cares about the music; he cares about helping
bands to fossilize their lives. I know I speak for the band as a whole
when I say this, but Ryan has helped push us into being the best we can be.
We can't see ourselves recording with anyone else, we consider him to be
a sixth member to this band. He's a great person and an even better
producer.
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| Life On The Sideline |
Which bands/artists
are you guys influenced by?
It really all depends on what we're listening to at the
time orwhere we are in our lives; a lot of factors contribute to the bands we
listen to and have listened to. Personally, the artists that influence me
are always changing. At the moment I've been listening to a lot of “Acacia
Strain” and “Transit”. A few weeks from now I'm sure it'll change. As a
whole, our influences range all over the genre spectrum.
How do you go about
writing? Is it a group, collective effort or do you go off and do your own bits
and bring it all together at a later stage?
Each song always ends up being written differently.
It really depends on how we're feeling. Sometimes I'll be over the top
angry or depressed and that'll spark a dark song. But other times it's
the opposite, resulting in a more upbeat positive vibe. For the most
part, Ralph or I will start off with an idea and bring it to practice.
From there we work off each other and throw around ideas. The main
thing we strive for, always, is putting out the best work we can at the time.
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| "Outpatient" the EP |
You’re playing with
Major League this month; what do you enjoy about touring and playing
live?
Playing shows is the reason we're a band. I could be
having the worst week of my life, but if I know a show is a few days away it
always seems to keep me going. For 30 minutes I have the chance to let
everything I'm feeling out and am exactly who I am, and hopefully leave those
who listen to us with a positive message. Believe me, I know better than
anyone that sometimes the only option seems to be giving up. But you
can't, you just have to keep working towards the next day and doing whatever
makes you happy. That's a big thing for us, doing what we love.
I've been unhappy for 20 years and am finally starting to do what's good
for me. My point is, playing shows and being in this band, and working on
music is what makes me and the rest of this band happy.
What can fans expect
from a Life On The Sideline show?
Energy and honesty.
You’ve played shows
with the likes of I Call Fives and State Champs; who else would you love to be
sharing a line-up with?
We've had the awesome opportunity to share the stage with
great bands like “I Call Fives” and “State Champs”. Any line-up with our best
friend’s bands are always the best, but a few we'd love to play with are “Balance
and Composure” and “Transit”. There are so many talented bands out there I
could sit here for hours and list them off!
As I said, you’ve
only been together a year; so what does the next year hold for Life On The
Sideline?
A lot. It will be a busy year for sure. Expect a new
EP and some tours.
For more on Life on The Sideline and to find otu where you can catch the guys live-
