We Got This Far is one of the newest and most promising acts in the electronic rock scene. Formed in in the mid 2000s by Ollie Marsh and Jason Silva, We Got This Far have
made a critical splash with their debut album, Blunt Force Volume, currently available through Spiralchords Records. Bassist Jason Silva engaged me in an email
interview to discuss the band's history, present and future.
****
Brian Backlash: Your debut album, Blunt Force Volume, was released a few months ago and seems to have sparked a lot of positive feedback from critics and audiophiles alike. While you're obviously proud of the work you've done, has this response surprised you?
Jason Silva: It really has been, the whole experience we've gone through has been intensely positive but surprising. There has been just an ongoing level of warmth, and so much of it from all over the planet. We've spoken with people now from Asia, Europe, Africa, South America & North America. Still shocks me, the angsty ogres out there ( the kind who hate us so much they want to end our bloodline) just haven't been as bad as I had expected.
Brian Backlash: I remember getting an EP promoting Blunt Force Volume about a year before it was released. How long did it take to record the album and find means of distribution? Was it an uphill battle for you?
Jason Silva: The Bludgeon vinyl!
How and why it came about was that we were hard at work on Blunt Force Volume at that point but anticipated that when it was finished we would be left with a body of work we were proud of but no awareness of the band. So we took some time away from Blunt Force Volume and built the Bludgeon single, we did a limited pressing to vinyl, and sent it to a handful of people who meant something to us.
It definitely took a lot of effort but the alternate versions of Bludgeon that are exclusive to the single, one called "Dark Passenger", and the other titled "Draining to Nowhere", ended up being some of our most requested work. Ultimately, it did build the awareness, opened some terrific dialogue with some great people, one of which was Breda Massmann at Spiralchords Records who we eventually signed on with. It really wasn"t too much of an uphill battle, just a way to reach out and thankfully others reached back.
Brian Backlash: What song or songs are you most proud of on the record? Are there any tracks you wish you could go back and rework?
Jason Silva: Truth be told designing and creating Blunt Force Volume was emotionally and creatively exhausting in all the right ways. Every stitch, every note, every aspect was given so much care that I wouldn't take any of it back. When I'm alone though I think I listen to "So This Is Doom" most often, the subject of it is about ending, and it takes me to that place every time I hear it. Feels good to connect with, feels less lonely to share something, even if it's a reflection of something painful.
Brian Backlash: What do you feel is the most prominent aspect of your music?
Jason Silva: I hope it's the sincerity. As much as we hope to reach others, what we were able to build wasn't some disingenuous attention grab. How we measured the value was by expressing aspects of life, trying to convey things of meaning. I hope we reach people, that's our focus, that's our intent. Ollie Marsh is the band's guitarist and singer. He brings a lot of passion to his performance, but he also seems to shun the limelight a little bit. How did the two of you meet? When did you decide you wanted to work together in a creative sense?
Jason Silva: Ollie & I met while helping out the San Francisco based group Stormdrain, we hit it off well as friends & and musicians. I think I bemoaned having my heart ripped out of my chest by an ex-girlfriend the first day we met, so I think the comfort level was there from day one.
Truth be told, in between drinks one Saturday night at some nondescript trendy place or another the idea came up, and I think it'd be safe to say it wasn't taken nearly as seriously at the time as it is now. It was just a small thing, as artists we wanted to do for ourselves.
Brian Backlash: Your music seems to have a very specific balance of electronic and organic elements. Why does that combination of sounds appeal so much to you?
Jason Silva: Jason : Man, honestly from a listeners standpoint I enjoy whatever makes a connection, regardless of the instrumentation or the style, it's more about how naturally I can identify with it. It could be relating to the music on an emotional basis, or the lyrics on a mental one, maybe it excitable, maybe it is easily relatable, it could be anything but once that connection is made then it is valuable.
From an artist standpoint we really have to use anything and everything available to us to build it in a relatable way. We both come from a background of live instruments, and both have a love for electronics, so we blend them as the song demands.
Personally, I'm grateful to be an artist in a time when you have so few limitations. To a degree I believe that an artist should create purposefully and not be hamstrung by a small palate or inadequate skill set.
Brian Backlash: Do you see a possibility of going all organic, or all electronic, in the future?
Jason Silva: Jason : Nothing is off the table, in an indulgent musician way I love the musicianship challenge of full blown organic improvisational performance.
For years I had weekly improve sessions with a group called Redsession (www.redession.com) where I was lucky enough to perform with John Brearton & Matt Bowhall.
That being said, up to this point it has been essential to WGTF to have a dominant element of electronics. People often suggest we use a live drummer, but what few people know is that during our first live performance we did. The sound of the band changed dramatically due to the live drum element and the way the mixture with the live drums, the electronics were restrained, the band sound was very different as a result. In what we do the electronics are essential, and we have a love for them, we would never want to take away from them.
Brian Backlash: What influences have fueled WGTF? Do you feel those influences are evident in your work?
Jason Silva: Finding passion in listening to something moving, that feeling of listening to something meaningful, and knowing that it can be done is always something you hope to find in other artists. We probably draw on a lot of artists for that influence of "what can be done." But the main influence is life, and a desire to express certain points of it in a relatable (sic) way. I love the direction of groups like 16VOLT, Dismantled or King Crimson, when I listen I get where they're coming from. I just recognize that we need to have the same degree of vision when expressing where we are coming from.
Brian Backlash: Who do you see as your peers in the current musical climate? Are there any newer bands that have really caught your attention?
Jason Silva: Man there is a lot of talent out there Slave Unit, Arcane Dimension, The New Slaves, Switch (Philippines), Insect (Sacrament ), Needles Eye, c.db.sn, ManufraQture, Commercial Friendly, Android Lust.
One of the best aspects of the state of music today is that you can discover new talent almost constantly, especially with radio shows like Cyberage, The Razorblade Dance Floor, Dark Horizons, Radio Godmode and so many amazing others.
You find these groups, you connect with their work and you can typically reach them on a personal basis. There is an accessibility to musicians now that hadn't been there in the past, you know that your support has an impact.
Brian Backlash: How long have you and Ollie been musicians? Have you worked in different bands prior to forming WGTF?
Jason Silva: Being a musician has been a part of both Ollie's life and my life for a long time. Most of my lasting friendships have been with former bandmates, a lot of memories were built because of it.
Ollie actually was heavily involved with several groups, my favorite of which was the Canadian group Claymouth with Darren Grainger. Claymouth really had some terrific material, and were truly a great band (www.claymouth.com).
I was heavily involved with a lot of groups but one that really stands out is Enclave, it was very heavy coldwave, we produced an ep called Artificial Hell. I was lucky enough to be working with Terry Cordell & Jarek Tatarek at the time (www.cdbaby.com/cd/enclave).
Brian Backlash: Over the summer, you took part in a mini-tour with 16Volt, Rabbit Junk and Cyanotic.
What was that first tour like for you? Did it prepare you for the string of shows you've put on since?
Jason Silva: It was a terrific experience, it's funny how we tend to have so few tech issues normally but during that series of shows we had these freak issues every step of the way. After a while it became laughable, the more that lights exploded over our heads, or power amps went out, or monitors blew, the more we would just shake our heads and grin.
That being said, what we really came away from it with was an understanding that no matter what you just enjoy the night. If equipment explodes, bursts into flames, it doesn't matter I enjoy the night and just consider the chaos as part of it.
Brian Backlash: What's been your best or most interesting experience on the road so far?
Jason Silva: There have been a lot of wonderful experiences really, to be honest though I think the one that I will remember most years later won't be the more spectacular ones. Not the drunken drama unfolding with people at shows, not the stunts people have pulled.
What stands out most was that final night when we finished the album, when it was written and there was nothing left to do. Going out and having a drink and feeling a sense of "where things could go". I think the optimism when looking ahead in life is one of the sweetest tastes to taste in life.
Brian Backlash: The bay area music scene seems to be thriving these days, and your manager, Geoffrey Smith, is a promoter and photographer who's quite active down there. How did you come to work with him in that capacity?
Jason Silva: Geoffrey has been a godsend, every direction he has nudged us in has been the right one. Truth is he is probably one of the best parts of this subculture in Northern California. We met while Ollie & I were performing in Stormdrain, Geoffrey and his partner in Elevator Down Productions, Billy, had put on several of the shows.
Brian Backlash: Have you and Ollie been working on any new material recently? If so, do you have any concrete plans on when it might come to fruition?
Jason Silva: We have definitely been, we've both spent months collecting a reservoir of lyrics, music, thoughts, hopes & production ideas. Also we are testing the waters with a few different programs to use during the next album build. We still need to exhaust ourselves a bit with Blunt Force Volume, to get to the following album it will take moving through the atmosphere of BFV. It will take some time, those who would take the time to listen deserve that it be what it needs to be.
Brian Backlash: What else do you have in store for the future of We Got This Far?
Jason Silva: We've got a ton happening for 2K10, we're hoping to tour Europe and North America closer to the summer. The live show is being reworked in a large way for the upcoming tour, it's a huge undertaking in both design and execution. Also we are hard at work on the next album, and we are firming up the tools that we will use to create it with.
Lots happening, Ollie just flew in from Canada yesterday, so we'll be mapping out the year - fun stuff !
Thanks Brian !
We Got This Far's Official Website
We Got This Far on MySpace
We Got This Far on Twitter
****
Brian Backlash: Your debut album, Blunt Force Volume, was released a few months ago and seems to have sparked a lot of positive feedback from critics and audiophiles alike. While you're obviously proud of the work you've done, has this response surprised you?
Jason Silva: It really has been, the whole experience we've gone through has been intensely positive but surprising. There has been just an ongoing level of warmth, and so much of it from all over the planet. We've spoken with people now from Asia, Europe, Africa, South America & North America. Still shocks me, the angsty ogres out there ( the kind who hate us so much they want to end our bloodline) just haven't been as bad as I had expected.
Brian Backlash: I remember getting an EP promoting Blunt Force Volume about a year before it was released. How long did it take to record the album and find means of distribution? Was it an uphill battle for you?
Jason Silva: The Bludgeon vinyl!
How and why it came about was that we were hard at work on Blunt Force Volume at that point but anticipated that when it was finished we would be left with a body of work we were proud of but no awareness of the band. So we took some time away from Blunt Force Volume and built the Bludgeon single, we did a limited pressing to vinyl, and sent it to a handful of people who meant something to us.
It definitely took a lot of effort but the alternate versions of Bludgeon that are exclusive to the single, one called "Dark Passenger", and the other titled "Draining to Nowhere", ended up being some of our most requested work. Ultimately, it did build the awareness, opened some terrific dialogue with some great people, one of which was Breda Massmann at Spiralchords Records who we eventually signed on with. It really wasn"t too much of an uphill battle, just a way to reach out and thankfully others reached back.
Brian Backlash: What song or songs are you most proud of on the record? Are there any tracks you wish you could go back and rework?
Jason Silva: Truth be told designing and creating Blunt Force Volume was emotionally and creatively exhausting in all the right ways. Every stitch, every note, every aspect was given so much care that I wouldn't take any of it back. When I'm alone though I think I listen to "So This Is Doom" most often, the subject of it is about ending, and it takes me to that place every time I hear it. Feels good to connect with, feels less lonely to share something, even if it's a reflection of something painful.
Brian Backlash: What do you feel is the most prominent aspect of your music?
Jason Silva: I hope it's the sincerity. As much as we hope to reach others, what we were able to build wasn't some disingenuous attention grab. How we measured the value was by expressing aspects of life, trying to convey things of meaning. I hope we reach people, that's our focus, that's our intent. Ollie Marsh is the band's guitarist and singer. He brings a lot of passion to his performance, but he also seems to shun the limelight a little bit. How did the two of you meet? When did you decide you wanted to work together in a creative sense?
Jason Silva: Ollie & I met while helping out the San Francisco based group Stormdrain, we hit it off well as friends & and musicians. I think I bemoaned having my heart ripped out of my chest by an ex-girlfriend the first day we met, so I think the comfort level was there from day one.
Truth be told, in between drinks one Saturday night at some nondescript trendy place or another the idea came up, and I think it'd be safe to say it wasn't taken nearly as seriously at the time as it is now. It was just a small thing, as artists we wanted to do for ourselves.
Brian Backlash: Your music seems to have a very specific balance of electronic and organic elements. Why does that combination of sounds appeal so much to you?
Jason Silva: Jason : Man, honestly from a listeners standpoint I enjoy whatever makes a connection, regardless of the instrumentation or the style, it's more about how naturally I can identify with it. It could be relating to the music on an emotional basis, or the lyrics on a mental one, maybe it excitable, maybe it is easily relatable, it could be anything but once that connection is made then it is valuable.
From an artist standpoint we really have to use anything and everything available to us to build it in a relatable way. We both come from a background of live instruments, and both have a love for electronics, so we blend them as the song demands.
Personally, I'm grateful to be an artist in a time when you have so few limitations. To a degree I believe that an artist should create purposefully and not be hamstrung by a small palate or inadequate skill set.
Brian Backlash: Do you see a possibility of going all organic, or all electronic, in the future?
Jason Silva: Jason : Nothing is off the table, in an indulgent musician way I love the musicianship challenge of full blown organic improvisational performance.
For years I had weekly improve sessions with a group called Redsession (www.redession.com) where I was lucky enough to perform with John Brearton & Matt Bowhall.
That being said, up to this point it has been essential to WGTF to have a dominant element of electronics. People often suggest we use a live drummer, but what few people know is that during our first live performance we did. The sound of the band changed dramatically due to the live drum element and the way the mixture with the live drums, the electronics were restrained, the band sound was very different as a result. In what we do the electronics are essential, and we have a love for them, we would never want to take away from them.
Brian Backlash: What influences have fueled WGTF? Do you feel those influences are evident in your work?
Jason Silva: Finding passion in listening to something moving, that feeling of listening to something meaningful, and knowing that it can be done is always something you hope to find in other artists. We probably draw on a lot of artists for that influence of "what can be done." But the main influence is life, and a desire to express certain points of it in a relatable (sic) way. I love the direction of groups like 16VOLT, Dismantled or King Crimson, when I listen I get where they're coming from. I just recognize that we need to have the same degree of vision when expressing where we are coming from.
Brian Backlash: Who do you see as your peers in the current musical climate? Are there any newer bands that have really caught your attention?
Jason Silva: Man there is a lot of talent out there Slave Unit, Arcane Dimension, The New Slaves, Switch (Philippines), Insect (Sacrament ), Needles Eye, c.db.sn, ManufraQture, Commercial Friendly, Android Lust.
One of the best aspects of the state of music today is that you can discover new talent almost constantly, especially with radio shows like Cyberage, The Razorblade Dance Floor, Dark Horizons, Radio Godmode and so many amazing others.
You find these groups, you connect with their work and you can typically reach them on a personal basis. There is an accessibility to musicians now that hadn't been there in the past, you know that your support has an impact.
Brian Backlash: How long have you and Ollie been musicians? Have you worked in different bands prior to forming WGTF?
Jason Silva: Being a musician has been a part of both Ollie's life and my life for a long time. Most of my lasting friendships have been with former bandmates, a lot of memories were built because of it.
Ollie actually was heavily involved with several groups, my favorite of which was the Canadian group Claymouth with Darren Grainger. Claymouth really had some terrific material, and were truly a great band (www.claymouth.com).
I was heavily involved with a lot of groups but one that really stands out is Enclave, it was very heavy coldwave, we produced an ep called Artificial Hell. I was lucky enough to be working with Terry Cordell & Jarek Tatarek at the time (www.cdbaby.com/cd/enclave).
Brian Backlash: Over the summer, you took part in a mini-tour with 16Volt, Rabbit Junk and Cyanotic.
What was that first tour like for you? Did it prepare you for the string of shows you've put on since?
Jason Silva: It was a terrific experience, it's funny how we tend to have so few tech issues normally but during that series of shows we had these freak issues every step of the way. After a while it became laughable, the more that lights exploded over our heads, or power amps went out, or monitors blew, the more we would just shake our heads and grin.
That being said, what we really came away from it with was an understanding that no matter what you just enjoy the night. If equipment explodes, bursts into flames, it doesn't matter I enjoy the night and just consider the chaos as part of it.
Brian Backlash: What's been your best or most interesting experience on the road so far?
Jason Silva: There have been a lot of wonderful experiences really, to be honest though I think the one that I will remember most years later won't be the more spectacular ones. Not the drunken drama unfolding with people at shows, not the stunts people have pulled.
What stands out most was that final night when we finished the album, when it was written and there was nothing left to do. Going out and having a drink and feeling a sense of "where things could go". I think the optimism when looking ahead in life is one of the sweetest tastes to taste in life.
Brian Backlash: The bay area music scene seems to be thriving these days, and your manager, Geoffrey Smith, is a promoter and photographer who's quite active down there. How did you come to work with him in that capacity?
Jason Silva: Geoffrey has been a godsend, every direction he has nudged us in has been the right one. Truth is he is probably one of the best parts of this subculture in Northern California. We met while Ollie & I were performing in Stormdrain, Geoffrey and his partner in Elevator Down Productions, Billy, had put on several of the shows.
Brian Backlash: Have you and Ollie been working on any new material recently? If so, do you have any concrete plans on when it might come to fruition?
Jason Silva: We have definitely been, we've both spent months collecting a reservoir of lyrics, music, thoughts, hopes & production ideas. Also we are testing the waters with a few different programs to use during the next album build. We still need to exhaust ourselves a bit with Blunt Force Volume, to get to the following album it will take moving through the atmosphere of BFV. It will take some time, those who would take the time to listen deserve that it be what it needs to be.
Brian Backlash: What else do you have in store for the future of We Got This Far?
Jason Silva: We've got a ton happening for 2K10, we're hoping to tour Europe and North America closer to the summer. The live show is being reworked in a large way for the upcoming tour, it's a huge undertaking in both design and execution. Also we are hard at work on the next album, and we are firming up the tools that we will use to create it with.
Lots happening, Ollie just flew in from Canada yesterday, so we'll be mapping out the year - fun stuff !
Thanks Brian !
We Got This Far's Official Website
We Got This Far on MySpace
We Got This Far on Twitter