Shallow Side Part 1

Custom Graphic by Brad Owens at SnakeProductions

Hailing from the great state of Alabama, Shallow Side is a band that was suggested to me whom I have decided to make a "special" project of sorts.  I want you, my faithful readers, to follow me on a journey with this band who I feel with 100% certainty are about to really garner some major attention.  The plan is that I'm going to write this initial piece (what I'm calling Part 1), and then every few months do a follow up with them to see where they are.  The goal is to include as many details about their journey as possible.  I want the readers to really feel like they have been a part of this band's journey, as well as gain some appreciation for how much work and dedication it really takes to make it. 

I have talked to so many people who want their big break, but simply expect that one good YouTube video and they're going to hit the big time.  There is a lot of behind the scenes struggle that HAS to happen.  Not only because it's almost impossible to really make it, but because those struggles are exactly what give you strength and credibility as an artist.  Something the members of Shallow Side are all too familiar with.
Over the last couple weeks, I have had extensive conversations with both Eric Boatright and Nick Tolbert.  I've heard stories of triumph, heartbreak, embarassment, and humility.  Through all of my interactions with them, I have been truly stunned with several things about them.  Allow me to explain.

After a certain point, some bands/artists have a tendency to get into a mindset of "I've made it, now I'm better than everyone".  It's a sad, harsh reality of a very brutal industry.  The music industry will rip you apart over and over and over, and once you get that "big break", it's very easy to forget the struggle.  What impresses me about Shallow Side is that they have seemingly survived the "big break" with no personal damages.  No, they haven't signed to a major label, but they're close.  I can feel it.  For a band so close to stardom, they are humble, compassionate, empathetic, and honest with EVERY fan.  In fact, they prefer not to use the term "fans", they prefer to say family. 

I've been doing this for a while, and I can honestly say that NO other band I have written about has dropped what they were doing to call me on the phone and talk for two hours about everything from music to chocolate gravy.  I was shocked that they could so easily be so personal with a perfect stranger.  Although, I did repeatedly assure them my intentions were noble!!

"Shallow Side is not just two words that represent them as a group, rather, it is a representation of humble beginnings infused with the knowledge that life is unforgiving, but there is hope for tomorrow."  Truer words have never been spoken.  Per their band bio on their Facebook page, the song "Fear Ends Tonight" is Eric's message to the band.  "I wanted to give them something to let them know I am here for them, and we are all in this together, to just throw it out there and give it all we had.  I want them to know this is a personal message of trust.  My trust in them, and the hope they trust in me."

The first time I listened to their song "Try To Fight It", I was hooked.  It's hard for me to put into words what my initial thoughts were, but I can say that they were somewhat like "Holy shit.  How are these guys still independent?"  I truly didn't believe that they had not been signed.  They combine so many great sounds,  but my best comparison would be Breaking Benjamin or old school Finger Eleven riffs, with new Papa Roach vocals.  The guitar riffs draw you in like a fly to honey, and the vocals catch your attention like a bolt of lightning in a summer storm.  These guys bring out the fury and the mystery of the south with EVERY note they perform.  Not in a rebel flag, sweet tea, and corn bread kind of way, but more in a random tornado ripping through a cotton field in July kind of way.  One that is so devastatingly beautiful that you just simply cannot stop watching. 

Being a vocalist myself, I'm naturally drawn to lyrics and melody.  Eric has cornered the market on embodying a dark, deep, almost sexual tension in a gorgeous tenor tone.  The guys on guitar (Seth, Cody, and Johnny) pull these haunting riffs out of the stratosphere, that from the first note draw you in and make your mind and your ears beg for more.  They truly know the art of a great breakdown, and they use it to their advantage.  The first line of Try To Fight It says, "I can't stand the way you always lead me on......" which is ironic, because the build-up to the initial vocal builds in a way that literally is like a tease.  You know what's coming, but it takes a minute to explode into exactly what you expect.  The first time they broke into the heavy riff, I got goosebumps.  The lead in was perfectly accented by amazing drum beats from Heath.  I'm serious when I say that the way this music flows together is flawless.  Not only is the flow, and the music flawless, but these songs exude passion.  Every word, every note, and every beat tells the exact story and emotion that it is meant to.  You can hear heartbreak, excitement, anger, disappointment, love, and faith.  For me, it is rare to find a band that speaks to my soul the way this one does.  As much as I can gush like a school girl about my new favorite band, I would much rather you go and listen to it for yourself.  Shallow Side embodies sheer musical perfection, not only in talent, but in attitude and ethic.  I guarantee you, these guys are going somewhere very fast.

A quote from Eric really gives life to what I'm saying.  "Being a musician isn't about picking up an instrument.  It's not about standing on a stage and basking in the glory of 'rock stardom'....to me, being a musician is about taking the fall gracefully and standing up stronger than before, as anyone should do in any career they hope to follow."

They have always written and played their own music, but when they were amidst the notorious "creative blocks", they would play cover songs from Shinedown, Tool, 10 Years, Chevelle, Seether, Breaking Benjamin, Nickleback, and a list of others ten miles long.  Eric says they even played a little country.  "Hey, we're southern boys.  It's in our blood."  The covers have never completely stopped though.  The band really enjoys playing other artists music and jamming out their riffs and melodies.  They say writing is completely different for them now though, because they feel like they've grown enough to know what direction they want the song to take as opposed to what they've had in the past.

Writing is a group effort.  Most of the time, riffs and string arrangements are done by the guys that play them (Cody, Seth, and Rocksteed), beats and bass by Heath and Cody, and Eric says that the melody and lyrics are usually "spawned from his usually unorganized, unfiltered lifestyle".  Their first professional recording session was with acclaimed producer Travis Wyrick from Knoxville, TN.  Wyrick is best known for his work with P.O.D., 10 Years, Disciple, TobyMac, and Dolly Parton.

The band has been seemingly hand picked by a higher power.  Seth, Heath, and Eric grew up together and started playing music together about a year before their first tour in 2011.  Cody found Eric at a show and said that they needed another member in the band.  After being laughed at a few times, he showed up at Eric's house at three in the afternoon and said, "Let's go to practice.  I've got something to show you."  The guy knew what he wanted and straight up went for it.  That night, they meshed so well that Cody permanently became an integral part of the band, first on guitar, and later on bass.  Johnny Rocksteed AKA Justin Smith came into the band in a similar fashion.  One night on tour, Eric received a message from Rocksteed saying, "Hey man, I really dig y'alls music.  I'm a big fan of the sound.  I'm glad music like y'all play is still being made.  Can I come spend the night and watch you guys practice?"  Being "cautious", Eric ignored him for a few weeks, but Rocksteed wrote him every day.  Eventually, the two met at a show where Rocksteed introduced himself.  After a few things were said that I'm going to keep "off the record", they laughed and joked about it, and the next weekend Rocksteed was at Eric's house.  He walked into the practice space, set up his equipment, and "lit the ground on fire".  After helping them on tour, Rocketseed finally took the stage with them, creating the five piece band that they are touring with this year.
Before their first tour, Seth was working for Rite Aid, Heath at a local factory, Cody as an electrician, and Eric for a construction crew.  A big show of committment happened when they all quit their jobs to pursue music careers full time.  The decision to quit started with all of them calling in during a practice one night because they wanted to finish a song that they were pouring their heart and soul into.  They then decided to quit because playing four days a week all over the state AND working a regular job just couldn't cut it anymore.  Eric says that it just wasn't physically possible to keep their heads up at work all day, then finish up their day at 3am in some bar.  Nick Tolbert, tour manager and long time friend, at that point said, "You guys have one month...put in your notice", and so they did.

Their very first tour is one for the books.  They say it put them in their place very quick.  The tour started out being booked by a "nameless company" that more than once left them stranded on the side of the road, not knowing where their next gig was going to be.  They had played for three weeks and saw a mere $200 in pay out.  Many of their venues weren't even aware that the band was supposed to be there, and the few that did weren't aware that the band was supposed to be paid.  They kept going though, often even without food.  Miles from home, they spent hours outside of Wal-Marts and malls selling their CDs for $2-$3 each just to get enough money to travel to the next venue. 

"To say it was hard would be an understatement.  Sometimes, when the shame and humiliation became overwhelming, we all could sense each other's desire to run home...beaten."

They were sitting in Parkersburg, WV when they found out that the next two weeks worth of bookings were fake.  Chalk one up to a really horrible booking company.  They decided at that point to just sell as many CDs as they could and pack it up and go home.  That entire day, though, they had been begging for a chance from literally anyone on the internet.  They got a call from their good friend Bruce Tuck in Battle Creek, MI.  Bruce told them that he had heard what had been going on, and that he was doing what he could to change things up.  He said, "You've got a show Friday in Parkersburg at the 5th St. Pub".

The band decided to give it one more shot.  They stuck around, and stood on street corners, outside of every McDonald's, mall, Wal-Mart, club, restaraunt, venue, and bar in town telling people about their show that Friday.  It was a shot in the dark, but they dug in deep, and that Friday night, it paid off.  Two hundred people were standing outside of a small bar in West Virginia just to see what these guys from Alabama were all about.  They then did the same thing in every city they played.  Eric says that had they given up in that little town, they wouldn't be where they are now, and that he wouldn't be who he is today.

Since then, they've had the honor of sharing a stage with bands such as One Less Reason, Pop Evil, My Darkest Days, Trapt, Crossfade, Deuce, 3 Pill Morning, New Medicine, Zack Myers of Shinedown (on his solo tour), Fuel, Mark Tremonti, Sevendust, and NonPoint. 

Eric said that playing with such big bands is a real factor in where his mindset of humility comes from.  He said he can remember being a kid and mowing grass for weeks in the hot Alabama sun just to buy a CD, then getting to meet that band and being very let down because of the attitude that he was shown.  He says that it's his goal to welcome that grass cutting kid with open arms, and make him feel like the most important person in the world.  It's very refreshing to hear such positive goals from an artist, when the industry standard is body guards, and no contact, and stamped autographs. 

All of the members have loved ones that they leave behind when they go out on the road, though specifics will be kept confidential for obvious reasons.  Just understand that being on the road and away from home is very difficult and emotional for each of them in their own way.

The band is gearing up for their third tour with Super Bob and Prospect Hill.  They are being sponsored by Puncture Wounds Clothing and Wicked Hammer Energy Drink.  Their single "Fear Ends Tonight" (2010) and the 5 tracks from their EP "Home Today" (2012) are likely to be featured in the set list, as well as plenty more new stuff.  Tour dates will be posted on the blog so that you can keep up with them.

"I have honestly met a ton of bands through my photography, and these guys are at the top of my list for overall best band when it comes to collaboration of music, live performance, attitude, personality, work ethic, and relationship with their fans.  They are seriously like family to me."  - Tracie Chanady

I have the utmost respect for each member of this band and their management team.  I am beyond grateful at the opportunity to write about them, and so excited to see where they go.  Shallow Side is proof that there truly are good and genuine people in an industry that is notorious for fakes and phonies.  Kudos to you guys for keeping a good head on your shoulders.  I hope and pray that you never lose sight of it, and I wish you every bit of luck in the universe.  You are truly something special, and every one of my readers is going to love following you every step and stumble of the way!  Mad love and respect from the Red Lollipop herself.  Keep an eye out for Part 2 very soon!

https://www.facebook.com/ShallowSideBand
http://shallowside.bandcamp.com/track/out-of-reach
http://www.youtube.com/shallowsidemusic
https://twitter.com/shallowsideband

You can also find their music on Spotify!!

Photo Courtesy of Dennis Calvert

 ***Have a band?  Know a band you want to see reviewed?  Send me an email and some links @ redlollimusic@yahoo.com***