To go from
Therefore I Am to Ghost Thrower, how different was the transition?
As far as the genre goes, it was easy. Ghost Thrower
speaks to me in a much different way than therefore I am did. As far as
performance goes, it was nerve racking and completely different. I went from
playing guitar to singing and playing guitar.
Where did the name
Ghost Thrower derive from?
I have a million different ties to the name at this point
but ultimately, it means nothing. I threw a piece of cellophane out of a car
window once and someone in the car called me Ghost Thrower. Or someone else
threw it out and I called them Ghost Thrower? Either way, the name stuck with
me and weaved its way in and out of our lyrics. ("You threw me out like a
white lighter", "need to put you behind my mind in a place where I
only go to find the ghost you threw away", "Go Slower") I've
always been into scary movies, ghosts and ghouls. I really just liked the vibe
of the 2 words together. But again, ultimate, it means nothing.
How did you end up linking up with the gentleman
playing in the band now?
Chris played in Therefore I Am, Nick and I met through a
girl I used to date and Ben was from a town near me in Maine. I basically
showed them the songs and everyone really responded positively so we put it
together. Initially, our friends Robbie and Alex played Drums and Guitar
(respectively). Robbie is training in the military and has a wife and kid, Alex
has a band called "The Tower and the Fool". Both of their lives seem
to be kicking ass without Ghost Thrower so power to them and no hard feelings!
There are tons of various elements from punk to hardcore
to rock in Ghost Thrower, who influenced your music?
Both EP's from 10 songs were written solely by me when I
was super bummed out on life. At the time, I was listening to a lot of
Jawbreaker, Hole, Murder City Devils, Fugazi, Crime in Stereo. I think my biggest writing influences would be Jawbreaker and
Saves the Day. I love dark sarcastic smart punk rock and I think we're doing a
good job of carrying the torch for our predecessors.
What was it like making music on your own for the first
time?
Relieving and fun! Its nice to have a lot of input on
music but ultimately, music is art and with art, you can't always have too many
cooks in the kitchen. I also believe that a piece of art shouldn't be
criticized until its finished. How can many people collaborate without
criticizing before hearing the finished product?
The band stemmed from a series of demo’s you did in an
attic, did you find inspiration in this location?
Haha perhaps in a way, but ultimately I was only up there
because I had never really sang or yelled before and I didn't want the friend I
was staying with to hear it. I was embarrassed. But I did end up spending a lot
of time up there over the course of last fall.
For fans of Therefore I Am, how different is Ghost
Thrower?
Therefore I am stood for a lot of different things-
positivity, progression, unity... Ghost Thrower is a selfish endeavor. I wrote
these songs to help me through a tough time and every word on every song is
completely personal. Therefore I Am wanted everyone to know that we're all the
same. Ghost Thrower wants everyone to know what a bad time I was having.
Musically, we're also really dumbed down. Again, 5 heads
vs. 1. I wasn't thinking for more than just myself when I wrote these songs.
Do you still keep in touch with the guys from Therefore I
Am?
Absolutely! They're 4 of my best friends and our memories
will last forever. We were only in a rough spot immediately following our break
up. Chris plays in Ghost Thrower, I see Alex twice a week, I love seeing Jim
when he's not busy and I text dirty things to Brian on a regular basis.
How excited and /
or nervous are you about this project?
I am extremely excited about this! We have our next album
written and I'm stoked to let the world hear it. With prior bands, I used to
think "If you don't like it, its just not your thing. No big deal!"
but I can honestly say Ghost Thrower is my favorite band ever. If it wasn't, I
wouldn't play in it.
What has been the best thing about Ghost
Thrower thus far?
The no pressure aspect of playing music. We can play in
Ghost Thrower and still have lives outside of music. With Therefore I Am, my
life WAS Therefore I Am.
You also started Venture Guitars and making your own
custom guitars, what is your process on this?
We buy wood and shape it into whatever the customer's
heart desires! Nothing is outsourced besides pick ups and hardware. Lenny is
our master builder, the entire shop fits into his mom's two car garage, yet
some how, things are turning out splendidly!
What do you like better, playing the instrument or
crafting it?
Playing of course! Without the instrument, there would be
nothing to craft/maintain.
