That is something that I said one day when I was in a goofy mood. Webb: What is your favorite song on the record? That was actually part of what Fair Trade liked about us. If the schedule demands it, the money is there and it all makes sense, we would get another bus. You are lucky to have 50 kids show up at any show. My brother also played in the band with him.
We couldn't have done that without the bus. We are excited to have it. Or do you just want to say we are our own band with our own sound? It can still feel tough. Webb: Was it ever tough for you guys touring that long while being an independent band, or was it something that you knew God was calling you to do?
Josh Smith: What I've Become, when that came through my mind, it was just thinking about as a Christian coming to a place in your life where you have drifted away from who you were supposed to be and who you were meant to be. I mean, I think the industry has shifted so violently. Josh Smith: Yeah, we wrote that song in a grocery story parking lot with a guy named Paul Alan. He pretty much walked away from the business. But, [in the bus] we put six bunks in, two couches, and all of our equipment goes in there. It's talking about how so many times in our faith in America, we run into people where life isn't perfect. We don't hate the bus [laughing]. End of me lyrics ashes remain forever. Josh Smith: Man, I just appreciate your time.
That was kind of the thought behind that song. This September, we will be a band 10 years. Josh Smith: I can see the difficulty growing, but right now we are still okay. It was about 10 minutes from where Ryan lived. Josh Smith: It's both. We are not trying to sound like any other band, but that is the way music is. In the spring, we are pitched for a couple of different tours, which we won't know for a couple of weeks now which one we will land on. End of me lyrics ashes remain on youtube. Webb: Any last comments?
Drawing from a wide range of influences, everything from 3 Doors Down to Circa Survive, What I've Become is fueled by the band's accessible, rock radio sound. The 50 mph is literally becoming an issue. Josh Smith: Yeah, absolutely. It allowed us to tour a lot cheaper because we didn't need hotels wherever we went. Josh Smith: Yeah man, no problem. I know we are going to be in Canada, Ohio, Michigan and North Carolina. Writing a recording is a blast, but there is nothing like getting on the stage, and just living it out. I just remembered it impacting me deeply. Your first single "Everything Good" is really different from the rest of the album.
Relief, joy, excitement, anxiety? On their debut, Ashes Remain tackle the subjects of desperation, hope and redemption. So, I just appreciate it. He lived in Nashville in the 1970s and put out a record.
I am originally from Florida. It is so hard when no one has ever heard of you in any town you go to. I don't really see a lot of bad in it. Having the label behind us, and all the things that are going on right now is just exciting. Webb: Would you say maybe the most important part of your band is touring, meeting people and talking to fans every night? Do you find that it is harder because you now have more fans wanting to talk with you? So, I don't mind it, and I can appreciate it. Josh Smith: We really didn't aim for it; but with every song that we wrote, it just seemed to be where our heads were at. That song is just about realizing that life without a relationship in God is completely useless and empty. Could you share the story behind that song too? We are not aiming for that. Any time you write a song or put out an album, no matter how unique you think it is, someone is going to find a way to compare it to something else that is already out there. Without a record and without radio, touring is next to impossible.
Josh Smith: Yeah, it is a 1987 Ford school bus with no air conditioning, no heat, and only goes about 50 mph. We have never had that before. Webb: I do want to specifically talk about a couple of songs on the record. Probably for the last four or five [years] we were touring regionally, and then we finally started touring all over the country on our own. Those dates are starting to come in now. Webb: Since you have had this bus for awhile, is it something that you definitely want to keep or are you ready to move up to a tour bus? Webb: Were you guys touring for many years before you got signed to Fair Trade Services? It has taught us a lot of patience and a lot of just gratefulness. Is there a certain meaning or message that you wanted to convey to listeners with the title? That is a good question. He was in a house band at one of the places at Disney World. We did the van and trailer thing for awhile. It opened up a lot of doors for us to play a lot more shows.
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