Emanuel

Paul: Can you please just run through who is in the band for those not yet familiar with Emanuel?
Bryan: Matt Breen, vocals and guitar, Mat Barber, guitar/vocals, Anthony Brock, drums, Bryan Whiteman, bass.

Paul: You’re from Louisville, what’s the local scene like?
Bryan: It seems to come and go in waves, but right now it seems to be coming around.

Paul: You’ve wound up on Vagrant Records – how did they become interested and what attracted you to them?
Bryan: “They came to us late in the game as we were starting to really narrow down label choices. I don’t know how they got our record but they liked it and flew us out to meet and hangout at their offices. We liked what they had to say/offer so we went with it.”

Paul: “The upcoming album is called ‘Soundtrack To A Headrush’, is there any specific meaning behind the name?”
Bryan: “Well Matt writes the lyrics and it’s kind of a story of a fucked up year for him and everyone of us I guess, but it’s his soundtrack.”

Paul: A friend of mine who has heard the album described it as a cross between The Bronx and The Bled, but with more melody”. Do you think that’s a fair description?
Bryan: I don’t know that we sound anything like the Bled, maybe abit Bronxish at times. But certainly a lot more melody.

Paul: What can the rest of us (who haven’t heard the record yet) expect from it when it comes out in the New Year?
Bryan: It’s heavy and catchy; I don’t really know what to say. How about you will like it?

Paul: Your album was produced by Machine, what was it like working with him?
Bryan: Machine is awesome, he was great to work with and an amazing producer.

Paul: ‘The New Violence’ seems to be about televised violence and reality TV. Is this true? What do you think to reality shows like Big Brother? Would you ever appear in one?
Bryan: I don’t dig the reality TV, its all bullshit. I really don’t buy it, I’m sure that very little of it is actually reality. I couldn’t be on a reality TV, I’m not cut enough.

Paul: What can UK audiences expect from the live show when you tour here next month?
Bryan: You can expect to dance! We are gonna move your body, with mind bullets.

Paul: Are you looking forward to the tour? Is there anything you want to see/do in particular while you’re over here?
Bryan: I’m already in Germany, it has been fun but I’m ready to move on to the other countries. Everything here is tough to get used to. We haven’t been able to use our phones and rarely check email so we have no contact with our friends and family. But it’s cool, I like talking to the German girls.

Paul: Have you toured with any of the bands before? Any funny on-the-road anecdotes to share?
Bryan: We have played random shows with Moneen before, those guys are awesome. We just got off the Senses Fail headlining tour in America so we know all them well and are definitely happy to be back on the road with them.

Paul: What can we expect from Emanuel in 2005, other than the album release? Any new songs/releases and do you expect to be back on UK soil?
Bryan: I doubt we will be releasing anything else this year. But I’m positive we will be back to the UK pretty frequently next year.

http://www.thisisemanuel.com/