Twice a month, we feature Sonicbids members who are releasing albums, videos, EPs or other cool things.
The Burning Of Rome is a band that was once described thusly; “as if The Jesus and Mary Chain did a Spaghetti Western produced by Todd Rundgren.” Honestly, we could stop the profile right here because that is probably the best description of a band that’s ever been conceived. However, we continue, because when we chatted with frontmant Adam Traub, we learned a lot.
The band is fresh off a tour with the legendary Psychedelic Furs where a lot of sage advice was soaked up.
How was it going on tour with such a legendary band?
It was a life changing experience and one that was completely mesmerizing. These guys freak out on stage and they’ve been doing it for 30 years. I was a pretty big fan before and now I’m a diehard. They’re some of the most genuine souls we’ve ever met.
I imagine it was quite the learning experience.
Just getting to watch Richard Butler interact with the crowd was a learning experience. I took note of how he’s able to pull on the strings of the audience like a marionette commander. He has absolute control.
We learned a lot at the shows and in-between the shows. Getting into towns on time, checking in on time. We’re used to a bunch of tours where they say, “You go on at 10, get here at 9:45.” With the Psychedlic Furs it was like, “You guys go on at 9, get here at 4.” There was a lot of professionalism and meticulous prep work to make sure every show is the best show.
You don’t just hit the stage and that’s that. Before I just went out and played, now I need to start practicing an hour before we hit the stage.
What’s next for The Burning of Rome?
In March we recorded about 20 songs with Paul Leary at the Sonic Ranch in Texas so I’ve been flying back and forth between the West Coast and Texas putting our new record together. Right now we have about 20 songs, so we’ll need to cut that down.
What’s the cutting down process like?
That’s the toughest part. You get so attached to these songs. Every song is a child and it’s like sending a child down the river when you have to cut it. Our last record went from 15 songs to 10 songs. It was a painful process. Everyone’s fighting for that one song.
Do you have any advice for bands that might be heading to the studio for the first time?
Trust your producer. Don’t let your ego get in the way and act stubborn.
Be patient and focus on the pre-production. Spend enough time before you get to the studio honing in on songs, getting them as perfect as they can be before you hand them to the producer.
Don’t say, “Oh, we’ll figure it out in the studio.” Studio time is expensive. It’s a trap that a lot of artists can fall in to.
What other tips do you have for bands just starting out?
No gig is a bust. You’re going to have to sleep on flows and not shower for a week on occasion. But, that gig you might have thought was a bust will lead to another gig and so on. The shows get more frequent and the number of fans get bigger.
Speaking of fans, you guys really seem to connect with yours through social media
We love interacting with fans through both in person and online. You need to hold your fans closer to your heart than fans just being part of a job.
You have to breathe this. You have to live this and you’re all living in this together.
When we get a merch order I don’t just put a shirt in an envelope and send it off. I’ll write them a letter and just say, “Thank you for digging the music.”
The fans are just so important to us.
The Burning of Rome has booked more than 10 gigs through Sonicbids. You can follow them on Twitter HERE and like them on Facebook HERE.