California rockers Swirl have kicked off the new year with a new song called “The Lift” which has reached #1 on Indie rock radio in the US and #4 on Banks Radio Australia in just the first two weeks of 2018. “The Lift” comes to you fresh on the heels of a very successful 2017 campaign for the band`s 7 song EP titled ‘SWIRL’, of which the band has 3 songs featured in the award winning movie ‘Ditch Day’. Since the release of their ‘SWIRL’ EP, Swirl the band has been the support act on several North American tours for many established rock artists including RATT, Extreme, Cinderella, Slaughter, LA Guns, Souls of We, Red Dragon Cartel, Skid Row and more or they have headlined shows in Southern California. We get a few words from the band to find out more on their music, history and the latest release.
Tell us about the process of writing and recording the new song.
“The Lift” marked a change in the typical writing and even recording process for Swirl. Just like the bulk of the songs from our previous self-titled release ‘SWIRL’, this song started with guitarist “DT” coming up with a basic structure and then working with his brother Brian “Bam Bam” Jones on the arrangement before going into rehearsals with bassist Shane Carlson and singer Alfred Ramirez. It isn`t out of the norm for Shane to create something significant in his bass parts right away and the chorus for “The Lift” is a perfect example. The new twist in the writing process came when Alfred and DT got together to work on parts for the song which resulted in a change in the music in the verse. Alfred then went to work on the lyrics and melody.
The process for recording “The Lift” was another departure from previous releases. Swirl was introduced to Emad Alaeddin (the owner of Granted Records and producer of “The Lift”) through ‘Ditch Day’ movie producer Megan Waters of Water Tree Media. “Emo” did his research on Swirl and convinced us to utilize our fan base, the “Swirl Society” by starting a crowd funding campaign. This is something we have been approached about in the past and always turned down. This time we decided to give it a shot with “Emo” guiding us on how to do it. We went into this with no idea what to expect and launched the campaign page on October 14, 2017. Within 48 hours we had the funds necessary to book the sessions for “The Lift”.
Working with Emad was a great experience and we recommend it to anyone looking to record in Orange County, CA. He was very helpful with hearing “ear candy”. Some of the guitar parts and vocal harmonies for “The Lift” came from “Emo”. He did what a good producer is supposed to do. He got the best out of each of us performance wise.
DT and Alfred had previously worked with Cinderella drummer Fred Coury on the songs “Time To Fly” and “Mad Disease” that were added to the ‘SWIRL’ ep. Fred co-wrote, mixed, played drums on and produced those two songs. Prior to that Brian and DT had other members in the band when Swirl recorded a full length 13 song debut release titled ‘Out Of Nowhere’ with guitarist Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot/ RATT) and Matt Thorr (Rough Cutt). Both Carlos and Matt collaborated on the songs from ‘Out Of Nowhere’ with Matt tracking all of the bass parts. Swirl recorded in Los Angeles for both the Fred Coury produced as well as the Carlos and Matt sessions. The band took the lessons learned from both of those experiences, left Los Angeles and went into a Lake Elsinore, CA studio with James Rieger to record 5 songs that became the bulk of the ‘SWIRL’ ep. It also marked the first recordings to feature Shane Carlson on bass.
What were some of the things you wanted to achieve with the release?
So far “The Lift” has completely exceeded our expectations and looks to be by no means done making an impact for Swirl. We released the song to our Go Fund Me investors, radio and press on December 4, 2017. The song was immediately accepted by every internet and FM radio station we submitted it to. In fact we woke up Christmas day to find out “The Lift” was #4 on Banks Radio Australia. In addition, we recently learned the song finished the first week of 2018 at #1 with 365 Indie Radio in the United States. We are in negotiations to license “The Lift” into film and television. We achieved moderate success with the songs “Rise Up” and “Time To Fly”, but they never hit #1 on any charts that we are aware of. It seems we have somewhat of a hit song on our hands. I have read reviews so far comparing the song to anything from an “early KISS” to “a heavier U2 albeit with a pop punk edge”. We are just getting started with the promo campaign for “The Lift” so the sky is the limit for that song.
When I listen to “The Lift” I can hear the way everyone in the band contributed. I already talked about how Alfred contributed more to the music for “The Lift” and Brian`s work on the arrangement so I will instead focus on the final mix and Shane`s involvement. Emad, Alfred and I thought the song was done and had a “listening session” for the whole band, his business partner, Tim and a few friends of theirs at Granted Records. After a couple listens Shane wanted to make a few adjustments to the guitars in the beginning of the song. It turned out that those adjustments made a huge difference for the better. It wasn`t even something I was aware of the significance of until I started sending out 2 versions of “The Lift” to radio and the overwhelming majority of stations chose the Shane mixed version.
Do you enjoy the process of creating? Are you someone who continually writes or does the best come out under a little gentle pressure?
We really do like the creative process. It is an opportunity to “try everything” and have those magical “happy accidents” that make a song. I (DT) am always playing guitar and writing songs on guitar when I am not handling the administrative side of Swirl. As an indie band we handle all aspects of our career from record label duties to being our own booking agents and of course band management. There are quite a few hats to wear at any given time of the day so I relish the times I get to pick up a guitar which was all I wanted to do when I started out on this journey.
What does it feel like as an artist waiting for the songs you’ve lived with for some time to get released to the fans? Is there a sense of excitement or a little panic in there too?
Once it is done the wait is agonizing! We can`t wait to share the new creation with anyone and everyone who wants to hear it. There is not too much panic. It is normal to wonder if anyone is going to respond positively to something you put so much of yourself into, but in our case the effort and songs are always genuine so that kind of takes the pressure off. I mean you can only do what you feel is right and IF the public likes it then great. That is the hope obviously, but If not what can you do right?
How does it compare to previous releases?
I don’t know that as a writer I can fairly compare one song to another. They are like children. They each have their own value and I love them all. Like children I think it is fair to say that at different times I like some songs more than others though LOL.
What were the lyrical themes and inspirations of the song?
What “The Lift” means to me is that we all need help sometimes, be it an emotional lift or a physical lift. We shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help when we need it. We also shouldn’t be afraid to offer to help when were able to. We are all on this planet together and we are all connected, so let’s help one another.
When I write lyrics it’s usually tied to a personal experience of mine or one that I have witnessed in the world we live in. My personal Lift was given to me by “The Minor Goddess” who lifted me out of a depressed and stressed out anxious time in my life. Thank you MG! “Your words will always stay with me “. – Alfred Ramirez, lead vocals
What should fans should about the new release?
“The Lift” is only the first song from the new business model where the fan base is the defacto record company. The link to the Go Fund Me account is still active and we still promote it. More new songs are written and ready to be recorded so how quickly we get them to the public depends on donations. We anticipate going into the studio in the spring to record more new music.
When you watch the credits scroll through at the end of the lyric video those are the friends and fans of the band that donated at the “Executive Producers” level for the first song. One or two of those names you may recognize. Anyone is welcome to participate and even the smallest amount helps. $1 goes a long way.
What can people expect at a live Swirl show?
A Swirl show is just that….a SHOW! We are a very high energy band. There is always something to see happening on stage. Brian and I were influenced by KISS very early and Alfred cites David Bowie as a big influence on him. We are all about performing while on stage. “Musicians in the studio and entertainers on stage” pretty accurately sums up what you get with Swirl live. There is a level of musicianship involved in the live show and that is never neglected, but none of us have ever been accused of “staring at the tops of our shoes”.
It has been too long since we have toured and we are itching to get Swirl back on the road. With the success of “The Lift” along with the success of the ‘Ditch Day’ movie being released into 6 countries we are excited to tour again in 2018 and are planning on going to every country where the music, the movie or both are available. We have been playing shows in Southern California since the release of the ‘Ditch Day’ movie, however, prior to that Swirl was the support band on several North American tours with established artists covering over 50,000 miles in various Ford Econoline vans with U- Haul trailers attached.
How do you pick out a setlist and is that a difficult process?
We just went into rehearsals for the new setlist and so the great debate is underway. When we headline clubs there is enough time to play everything we want from the ‘SWIRL’ ep, some cuts from ‘Out Of Nowhere’ and of course “The Lift”. We are expecting to go out as a support act on larger tours so the time on stage will be limited. We have already talked about varying the set slightly based on where we are and the vibe of the audience, but all three songs from the ‘Ditch Day’ movie should make the cut. “Time To Fly” is always a crowd pleaser as well. Yes it is proving to be a difficult process indeed figuring out which “child” gets left behind.
What is your favorite song to play live?
I like them all for various reasons. Songs like “Fourth of July”, “Mad Disease” and “We Are Alive” are guitar songs so I have a little more room to indulge myself with them. “Rise Up”, “Time To Fly”, “Message” and “Spell” are bonafide crowd pleasers so of course I love the reaction those songs get from the audience. A favorite is just an impossible question to answer and with “The Lift” being added it doesn`t get any easier to pick just one.
How has the experience of playing live been like for the band so far?
The first thing the four of us did when we got together was go on the road. The song “Time To Fly” in particular led to tour offers. The first being with Stephen Pearcy`s solo band. Many people know Stephen as the voice of RATT. We learned a lot about touring together while on that tour and it went so well we just kept going. The biggest tour to date for Swirl was the 1st of 3 bands on the East Meets West tour featuring RATT and Extreme. It was just an amazing tour to be a part of. We have shared stages with a lot of other international touring bands including Cinderella, Slaughter, LA Guns, Jake E Lee`s Red Dragon Cartel, Skid Row, Lynch Mob and more.
Any favorite places to play live and any personal highlights from previous tours?
The previous version of Swirl went to Japan which is sure to be at the top of Brian`s list. The ‘Ditch Day’ movie is now available in Germany, Brazil, France, North Korea, The United Kingdom and United States. “The Lift” is doing well on a lot of United Kingdom internet sites and as we stated already having some success in Australia so I hope to have a favorite of my own by the end of 2018. Feel free to ask me then.
So many things stand out from the largest date on the headlining tour of Japan to the dates on that RATT/ Extreme tour. There was a Cleveland date at the House of Blues where Extreme was not playing so it was just us and RATT. Having toured with Pearcy, the band`s history with Carlos Cavazo and the mutual endorsement sponsorship with Charvel guitars I have in common with Warren Demartini, that was one amazing night of a completely insane tour for me personally.
How did the band form and get started?
Swirl started in the Pacific Northwest in a town called Mukilteo, WA. In fact Brian was not the drummer. He was living in Arizona and playing in another band. We had scheduled a recording session in California and days before we were scheduled to leave the drummer at that time called to tell me he wasn`t going to make the trip. I immediately called my brother who agreed to drive over, rehearse and record on very short notice. That session started out in Santa Monica, CA then Carlos Cavazo came by to have a listen to some demos, got excited about the songs (“Sail Away” in particular) and agreed to take over the producer role if we move the sessions to a studio he used in Burbank. That studio turned out to be owned by Matt Thorr of Rough Cutt.
What have been your greatest challenges to date, and your favourite moments musically?
The greatest challenge for Swirl had been the frustration of being a band with well crtiqued songs, a strong tour history, a second to none work ethic, a strong following on the indie level and licensing deals for music in full length films yet still we remained unsigned by any label. Nor have we attracted the interest of professional management. It was very frustrating to us all for a time, but that frustration led to my favorite moment about Swirl. 2018 will be the 10 year anniversary for the current lineup of Swirl! That is an accomplishment we all take great pride in. There have been no personnel changes or guys needing to take time off. There are a lot of signed bands that haven`t kept it together 10 years, let alone indie bands. We are still very much “all in” and excited about the next 10 years for Swirl.
With technology changing so much over the last few years and seemingly not slowing, and TV force-feeding us the lowest common denominator, what hope is there for rock & metal music?
The great thing about rock n roll music is it comes from the streets. Rock n roll is not dependent on technology at the very base level. It`s about an attitude that goes against the grain and a desire to change the world with a guitar, a pissed off vocal and an angry rhythm section.
We don’t subscribe to the “rock is dead” theory. In fact we are very well aware that rock n roll is alive and thriving even if it is not the “flavor of the day” so to speak. You are absolutely right about the amount of technology being used, but there is a shift coming and it started at the level where people couldn`t afford to keep up with the technology, but still wanted to create something. That is where rock n roll never went away and I am finding more and more people are bored with the music made by “technology”. People are ready to see people playing real instruments again. I take nothing away from anyone doing whatever they want and if they are successful more power to them, but the tide is definitely turning.
From what you’ve learned so far what is the most valuable advice you’ve been given so far as a musician?
“Enjoy the ride because you will spend much more time trying to climb this mountain than you will ever spend at the top of it.”
Who are some of your main influences?
I have been lucky enough to share a stage with so many of my favorite guitarists including Jake E. Lee, Warren DeMartini, George Lynch and Carlos Cavazo. Those players influence a lot of my playing style, but my song writing style in Swirl is more influenced by current bands. I wondered what a band like Shinedown, Seether and maybe even Five Finger Death Punch would sound like with one of those guys joining them. That was in the back of my mind as I recorded guitars for the ‘SWIRL’ ep. With “The Lift” I was able to use so many of my influences in one song. I was telling a guitar playing friend of mine “I had my AngusEddieAce DeMarSchonLeeCavazoVaiLynchStanley moments in the track!”
Who or what inspired you to be in a band and/or play music?
I started out on playing violin thanks to an introduction to classical music by my father. Then a classmate introduced me to KISS and it changed my life. Brian and I both started off on this rock n roll journey as KISS fans. So far no KISS tours for Swirl, but both bands are still around so who knows.
How do you feel about the current music scene right now?
I absolutely love it! I am confident from speaking to many artists who have had success in the music business from decades past that there is NO WAY Swirl would have been able to achieve what we have so far as an independent band. In the past there was not the access for anyone creating music that there is today with regard to getting your own music out there. The licensing deal for the ‘Ditch Day’ movie came to us directly. We became the featured band in a 2 time award winning full length movie that features an Emmy Award winning actor in Bill Oberst Jr. Not bad for a self-contained band. We are working on more licensing deals for film and television right now. Swirl will have the opportunity to tour and to a degree we will have some control over who we tour with. With the internet the world is literally 3 feet from your face. It`s a phenomonal time to be creating music. The cream rises to the top and as an artist you get to keep more of what you earn for yourself.
Do you believe music can still change the world?
Absolutely! If I didn`t believe that I wouldn`t still be trying to get to the level of success I envisioned for Swirl when I started the band.
If you could be a fly on the wall for the recording of any album in history, what album would it be?
Wow! Any album? So many great ones immediately come to mind from Michael Jackson`s ‘Thriller’ to ‘Back in Black’. This is such a great question and so difficult to answer. As of this writing I am thinking about the 1987 ‘Whitesnake’ album just so I could listen to David Coverdale do his vocal takes, but as I finish writing my answer I am thinking about the ‘Hysteria’ album. One thought starts another with a great question like that.
What is the meaning of life?
Life is to be enjoyed! If I am not happy doing something then I stop doing it or change it up in a way that I can enjoy it. Our time here is pretty short when you think about it so even on my worst days I try to smile through it, find the positive and look forward with optimism.
Support Swirl through their Go Fund Me campaign – www.gofundme.com/launch-new-music-by-swirl-the-band