Music Monday is ready to rock out, and sell out the Knitting Factory [Boise] this Friday, with Roses Are Dead!
In January 2016 founding member Alexander Jones (Xander)(Guitar) and Weston Eriksen (Drums, Programming) met during a music session. “I [Xander] was in AsFireFalls at the time, and Weston was doing YouTube covers, and we met at this live music session. We both wanted to start our own project, and I showed him a demo I made, then he moved down to Boise a few months later.” Xander said. Soon after they began the process of writing and throwing around musical ideas that would lead Xander to bring on his childhood friend Stevin Skinner as the other guitar player. From there Stevin would bring on a vocalist he knew from Pocatello, Alex Tighe. Finally, during the 2017 radio contest show at the Knitting Factory the band met Dakota Sakariason and soon after, he joined Roses Are Dead as the bassist. With all the pieces in place this band has been quickly making their way to becoming a big name in the metal community around Boise and beyond.
Stevin and Xander have been jamming on the guitar together since they were in their early teens! These guys have found their devotion of music and have strengthened their friendship through their craft. Stevin brings to the band the influence of progressive metal and metalcore bands like Veil of Maya and As I Lay Dying. Xander enjoys a more classic rock vibe brining in influences like Van Halen but also incorporates the modern rock mood of AFI and Avenged Sevenfold. Weston found his love of drums during the 6th grade when he started as a percussionist in a concert band. He finds inspiration from progressive bands like Rush, Dream Theatre, and Dance Gavin Dance. Dakota started as a classical cellist in grade school and is a self-taught guitarist. From there he expanded his musical prowess to the bass upon joining Roses Are Dead. He is influenced by a lot of pop-punk bands like Paramore and Tonight Alive. Alex was forced to take piano lessons as a child and from there he taught himself to sing! Being influenced by a wide variety of bands like The Foo Fighters, Motionless in White, and 30 Seconds To Mars, Alex strives for a unique, complex sound. All these widely different influences create the exclusive sound that Roses Are Dead provides the local Idaho scene.
The band originally formed under the name Roses but longtime friend of Xander, Jeffrey Carel of Living In False Eyes, suggested the name Roses Are Dead. This name changed allowed for the band to be easier to find online and created the acronym RAD which has become a fun adaption among the band, as well as the Boise scene. Though the band name may not have any real “meaning” behind it, the lyrics are very meaningful to its members. The band pours their personal struggles into the music they so passionately perform. They also look towards friends and family experiences they have witnessed to allow others to feel the weight placed on their shoulder and lift it into the world. “We believe that no matter who you are, or where you come from; everyone can relate to suffering or loss at some point or another in their lives, and music is the best way to come together over those hardships.“ The band concluded.
Each of the band members has chosen to pursue a career in music which has caused them to leave behind friends, family and loved ones to move to Boise. The band draws from these long-distance relationships as a source of strength to eagerly complete their goals. One long term goal they are working towards is to expand their reach by doing tours and shows that are outside of Idaho and in states they have yet to melt faces in. Another goal they would like to reach is: “Making the band as a whole, a sustainable source of income would probably be the end goal. (That and pushing ourselves to make better music, of course)” The band added.
Music Monday has had the pleasure to see this band perform several times, first during the Chapter Black release show at The Shredder. and most recently during the 2019 Boise Music Festival. This crew has yet to disappoint, each band member is extremely passionate about their music and the local music scene. This is one band that can easily fit in light and heavy music gigs. If you are looking for a band that includes their audience, that visually loves what they are doing, and provides an epic show make sure you check out Roses Are Dead. “We're lucky to have a great community that's hungry for heavy music and we have so many wonderful ready to support that demand.” The band ended.
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