With
Song River
The
Art of Busking. Really it would be a book many musicians could write
and so many would be able to relate to it on so many levels. From the
street corners of Canada in 2004, lead vocalist Jonny Hetherington
would staple his flier to the rock n metal pole and a drive for a
signature style along with a definite bred who burns his candle at
both ends was born.
Currently
out on tour, Art of Dying, is out sharing their new
record, NEVERMORE and burning up every dark lit pub,
saloon, cantina, lounge, pin, theatre, center they can find.
Song
River: I was reading that street corner playing was really the
inception for what would become Art
of Dying.
Would you, Jonny Hetherington, former street corner performer,
recommend it to anyone wanting to begin performing in front of
crowds?
Jonny
Hetherington: Absolutely. That’s how I really learned to play and
sing together for the first time, Playing on the street teaches you
valuable lessons that you simply can’t learn behind closed doors.
Real music, real people.
Song
River: Busking surely has its pluses and minuses would you do it for
the sake of just doing it at random presently? Why or why not?
Jonny
Hetherington: I would still busk, for sure… if I had the time.
Between Art of Dying and running my food company
(JonnyHetheringtonEssentials.com)
I’m burning the candle at both ends these days.
Song
River: Hetherington it would seem you are the only founding member
now. What happened regarding lead guitarist Greg Bradley?
Jonny
Hetherington: Greg left the band during our 2015 recording “Rise
Up”. It was a tough decision that he felt he had to make. We’re
still great friends and run a record label together. It was just time
in his life to move on.
Song
River: Tavis Stanley who came in around 2008 as rhythm guitarist has
now filled the lead. How was the transition? Tavis's guitar
abilities are astounding... how is it handling the bridges, the
breakdowns and the rhythm working? Is that a lot of responsibility or
is no question let's get this done?
Jonny
Hetherington: Tavis truly stepped into the lead role when he joined
in 2008. He’s an amazing player live and also in the studio. He
kind of lives and breathes guitar, it comes out of him like a natural
emotion. Being a 4 piece now is something we all dig a lot.
Song
River: Three studio albums in pocket, the last even having an
extended play release in 2015 Rise Up- how much of you as a band is
studio and how much of you as a band is live performances? In
other words some bands feel more comfortable on stage and their music
is them revealed, yet others still like that protective cocoon of the
studio where everything is controlled.
Jonny
Hetherington: We balance these two worlds quite well. We have great
fun making records and really enjoy the studio, but we also love
playing live on stage. A lot of our fans comment that we sound better
live, which I hope is compliment. There is something great about the
live energy of a show and hearing 3 voices harmonize live as well is
pretty moving. Something we do a lot of.
Song
River: When you listen to 'rock' from other places outside of Canada
what, if any, are some of the nuances yourselves notice that are the
same or different?
Jonny
Hetherington: It’s pretty much the same everywhere.
Song
River: Is your sound harder per se than what it used to be?
Jonny
Hetherington: Our Rise
Up record
is our hardest to date.
Song
River: How has headlining this tour with Children 18:3 & Letters
From The Fire been so far?
Jonny
Hetherington: We hand-picked these bands, they are both really cool
and different from each other. It's amazing for us to be in the
position to help new bands get on our tour. I love the idea of our
fans getting an earful of new music before we hit the stage.
Song
River: You've a great relationship with Disturbed. Talk a bit about
how that relationship occurred and developed.
Jonny
Hetherington: Disturbed signed us to their imprint on Warner Bros in
2009 after Dan became a fan of our self titled indie album. We warmed
the stage for them in 2008 and unbeknownst to us, the entire tour was
a live showcase. I guess we did alright!
Song
River: Dan Donegan's signature metal style is prevalent on the tune
"Rise Up."
Jonny
Hetherington: Ya, he cut half of the solo in an epic guitar battle
with Tavis. Dan also joined us in a snow bank outside of Toronto for
the video. Check it out on YouTube.com/artofdying
Song
River: In the video for "Rise Up" the ending says... "to
be continued..." what does the not so distant future hold for
the Art of Dying?
Jonny
Hetherington: New Music! We just released a brand new record called
NEVERMORE that's on iTunes, Spotify and all the other digital sites
out there. We have the CDs at our live show and you can get hard
copies at www.artofdyingmusic.com.
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/artofdying/
Website:
http://www.artofdyingmusic.com/
"Torn Down"
Check
the video for #TornDown
Tour
Dates:
Aug
31 Halethorpe MD @ Fish Head Cantina
Sep
1 Jacksonville NC @ Hooligans Music Hall
Sep
2 Fayetteville NC @ Drunk Horse Pub
Sep
3 Hickory NC @ Wizard Saloon
Sep
4 Clarksville TN @The Warehouse
Sep
6 Austin TX @Dirty Dog Bar
Sep
7 Houston TX @Scout Bar
Sep
8 Dallas TX @Trees
Sep
9 San Antonio TX @Fitzgeralds
Sep
10 Tyler TX @Clicks
Sep
11 Lubbock TX @Jake's
Sep
13 Tempe AZ @ Club Red
Sep
14 San Diego CA @The Irenic
Sep
15 Las Vegas NV @Count's Vamp'd
Sep
16 San Francisco @DNA Lounge
Sep
17 Santa Ana CA @Malones
Sep
18 West Hollywood CA @Whiskey a Go Go
Sep
20 Seattle WA @Studio Seven
Sep
21 Portland OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
Sep
22 Spokane WA @ The Pin
Sep
24 Jerome ID @ Diamondz Event Center
Sep
27 Grand Junction CO @ Mesa Theater
Sep
28 Denver CO @ City Hall Event Center
Sep
29 Colorado Spring @ Sunshine Studios
Sep
30 Merriam KS @ Aftershock
Oct
1 Omaha, NE @ Lookout Lounge
Oct
2 Iowa City, IA @ Gabes
Oct
5 Minneapolis MN @ The Cabooze
Oct
6 Rochester MN @ Wicked Moose
Oct
7 Moorehead MN @ Garage Bar
Oct
8 Sioux Falls SD @ Bigs Bar
Oct
14 Ringle WI @ Q and Z Expo Center
Oct
15 Janesville WI @ The Back Bar
Oct
16 Toledo OH @ Realm
Oct
18 Kent OH @ The Outpost
Oct
19 Columbus OH @ Al Rosa Villa
Oct
20 South Bend IN @ Cheers Pub
Oct
21 Flint MI @ The Machine Shop
Oct
22 Battle Creek MI @ The Music Factory
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