I chatted with Wes from Big Infinite about some band changes and their new EP.
Talk about your childhood, where you grew up, etc
So I actually grew up in the Toledo, Ohio area. Got my first guitar for Christmas at age 10 and haven’t stopped since! I started taking lessons and doing competitions through junior high and school while playing in my band. People in Ohio are super supportive of original music so I actually think it was a great area to develop my chops and start getting my feet wet in the music scene there.
When did you know you wanted to be a musician?
I believe it was the summer of ’96. I was saw 311 – Down on MTV and got hooked. I remember thinking “that’s what I want to be”. I think I got the music bug pretty early and still love playing now just as much as I ever did before.
Why did the band change its name? Is there a story behind the new name?
We were on tour in Florida a few years ago and got a call that Jordan’s dad had actually passed away. It was a devastating experience, so we took some time off. Stylistically, the music we were writing was going in a much different direction than the more reggae/rock people were used to hearing from us. That’s the short answer, but it was more of a combination of a lot of factors and it just felt right. Like we didn’t force it. I think the new name & sound has re-energized us as a band and we are better than ever!
You started recording Volume One a year ago. Was it a struggle to finish it?
I wouldn’t say it was a struggle, but we definitely took our time with it lol. We have adopted a ‘less is more’ attitude, so while Volume One is only six songs, we spent A LOT of time developing the songs, challenging ourselves with different writing approaches, and never settling until we thought it was the best piece of art we could possibly put out at the time. I think the biggest struggle was selecting which songs we wanted to put out. During our down time, we locked ourselves up in the studio and probably fleshed out 15 songs that we eventually cut to 6.
What is the Ed Lally Foundation?
It’s an organization that Jordan and his family started in honor of his father who lost his battle with depression. The foundation promotes the removal of the ‘mental health stigma’ while promoting alternative healing methods like yoga & meditation. The whole band has done charity style events for the foundation and it’s definitely a cause we are very passionate about. I think it’s really special how the cause and our music ties in together for a greater good.
What is the song “Still An Animal” about?
You may have to ask Jordan for the meaning behind the lyrics ::laughs:: but I can tell you what it means to me. I think it’s our introduction as Big Infinite, and a war cry if you will of who are we. Like no matter what the universe throws our way, we are always going to bounce back and ‘still be animals’. That relentless passion and drive to stay true to yourself and do what you love no matter how difficult of challenges you encounter.
Are you excited for your release party this weekend ?
Hell yes! It’s Saturday, October 21st at Metro Gallery in the Station North neighborhood of Baltimore. Applefeast, Hammocks, Luna June, and our new friends Gotham Theory will be joining us on the bill.
Big Infinite’s EP release party is Saturday at Metro Gallery!
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