THE WIDOW Band interview

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Now for some questions for the band, The Widow



Who are the members of The Widow?

Dan Bartlett – Vocals, Keys

Mitch Simpson – Vocals, Keys

Joel Danger McCarty – Drums

Brandon Bornhoft – Guitar

Mike House – Bass

Former member: Dan Gast – Drums

What does the name of the band mean?

In the beginning when the band first got together we were having trouble finding a name for ourselves. We honestly didn't have any ideas going around. A few people were asking us what our name was and we need something temporary until we came up with a real name. One of the bands we were all really into at that time was As Cities Burn and one of their songs off of their 1st album was called The Widow. One of us was like, “Hey, lets call ourselves The Widow like the song.” It just kind of stuck.

What music inspired the members of The Widow?

We all listen to a lot of of different styles and eras of music. Everything from 60's and 70's Psychedelic Rock to Metal and Hardcore. In the beginning of our project we were listening to bands like Emery, As Cities Burn, and Showbread. Especially Showbread's albums Anorexia and Nervosa. Those two albums were a major influence to us. Other influences include Radiohead, Pink Floyd, The Listening, The Devil Wears Prada, Underoath, and many, many more.

For those who haven't listened to your work yet, how would you describe it?

It's melodic, and yet very dark. We tried to bring both soft and hard together into one. The music leaves you feeling anxious and relaxed at the same time. Someone once told us we were the Pink Floyd of metal. We thought that was a pretty generous compliment! It's very synth driven, and we use a lot of off beat rhythms with a mix of screaming and clean vocals. There are also elements of organized chaos.

What events or decisions led to the creation of the band The Widow?

Dan, Mitchell, and Dan Gast (who was the original drummer for The Widow) had been in a small Christian rock band called Not About Us. That band broke up at the end off the summer of 2007. There was some talk of starting a new band but they didn't have a guitar player. Dan met Brandon who was the roommate of a friend. Dan lived in a small 2 bedroom apartment and needed a place to store his equipment. To make a long story short, Brandon ended up letting Dan store his equipment in his basement and Dan soon learned of Brandon's love for music, guitar, and recording. Dan asked Mitch and Dan Gast if they wanted to start writing new music and asked Brandon if he'd help. The band formed in early in 2009 and began writing.

What are your goals for your creative work, and if you were to suggest a model for your band to follow, who would it be and why?

We really just want to make music and share it. We love music. We haven't set out with any crazy goals for our work other than we want it to be genuine and have quality. We don't really have any models we follow after. We strive for originality and uniqueness. We like to do things different, and don't mind causing people to think.

What are the backgrounds of the individual talents on the Widow

Dan was classically trained in piano for seven years, and taught himself how to play guitar. Mitchell played Clarinet in band in High School, and taught himself bass which he played in the band Not About Us. Brandon taught himself guitar, bass, and audio engineering. Mike picked up and taught himself bass when The Widow formed. Joel taught himself drums and has played for various bands in the past as well as working for Victory Records.

Who is God?

Every member of The Widow believes that Jesus is the express image of the invisible God. Jesus is God, and is our Lord. If you want to know who God is, than you must read the gospels and study Jesus' life, ministry, and message.

Artistically do we create to reflect our creator as we create, or do we create to express our humanity?

Both. When we write, we strive to reflect reality. We try to reflect how we see the world, and what's important or real to us. Some times that comes out reflecting our humanity and sinfulness, and some times it comes out reflecting our Creator. An important thing to remember is that no one in this world can reflect their Creator perfectly because of our fallen state. All art in the world has elements of humanity in it.

Is the world ready for The Widow?

Sure! However, our music appeals to people who listen to music for it's artistic appeal. Our music isn’t flashy. It's slow and tells a story. It takes patience. Most people in this day in age want something quick, and has a “catchy” melody (radio friendly music).

When can we hope to see the next new CD of music from The Widow?

We are currently working on a new album and are 4 songs into it. We are hoping to release a full length album that has at least 10 tracks on it. We are super stoked on the new stuff! Hopefully we can release it some time in 2012, if not early 2013.