VersaEmerge | Interview 5.24.2010

Interview: Kris Maseri

Lushbeat’s Kris Maseri recently sat down with Devin Ingelido, bassist for Versa Emerge to discuss the upcoming album due out 6/22, as well as get some information on the band parting ways with some members.

Lush Beat: You’ll be releasing your debut full length, Fixed At Zero, on June 22nd. What was the writing process like for this?

Devin Ingelido: The writing process, I feel like it is always a little rushed but for the full length we actually had a couple of months between doing tours. Last year was so crazy from the We The Kings tour, to Craig Owens, to doing Warped tour, and Europe. Finally, we had about three solid months to just get home and brush up on material that we had. It was cool because Blake (Harnage, Guitars/Vocals) and Sierra (Kusterbeck , Lead Vocals) actually went to California a lot and did a good amount of preproduction. They did a lot of writing with some different people like Kara Dioguardi from American Idol, Matt Squire, and Dave Bassett who actually did the record. He’s such a great producer and he’s so good at writing. We had a lot of time to just right and get in together and just jam it out.

LB: Have you decided on a single yet?

DI: Well, “Fixed At Zero” is actually the title track of the cd and it happens to be what we made as the title because it just feels the most fitting. “Fixed At Zero”, we felt is relatable term especially to the kids these days; being “Fixed At Zero” meaning from one to ten. you are stuck at zero. There is no way of getting out of it and you feel like there is no hope for anything. We felt like having the vulture, this vulture that people have been seeing…

LB: It’s very symbolic.

DI: Right and it’s actually lyrics in the song so it really works out.

LB: Will you be having a video treatment for this single?

DI: Maybe! We’re just kind of talking about it. We might be getting some together before Warped Tour. I think that might just be the first single that we push really hard.

LB: Do you have any directors in mind?

DI: We have some people. We didn’t really get to talk about it too much yet. I heard that someone that did one of the last Panic At The Disco videos was really interested. We’re going to start narrowing it down within the next upcoming weeks.

LB: Is there a universal lyrical theme that is prevalent on Fixed At Zero?

DI: I feel that we are really good at just being very hopeful. I feel that a lot of bands that comes out now just speak about relationships and this and that. Honestly though, it’s really about our own journey about getting to the point that we are out now with our first full length record. It’s about that journey, hope, and trying to prevail through any type of trial that you are going through. Whether it can be family, your own personal issues, or in general.

LB: Like an introverted, optimistic feeling?

DI: Exactly! We also did that with the E.P. and stuff. I feel like it’s almost the E.P. on steroids. We’re really trying to take it and try to bring it up to a lot people that we haven’t brought it to before.

LB: Musically, Versa Emerge has been very eclectic. Both the Perceptions E.P. and Self Titled E.P. are considerably different. Is this evolution still prevalent on Fixed At Zero? Would you be returning to that orchestral sound found in your last E.P.?

DI: The orchestral sound is definitely there. I feel that it’s now just something that really represents us. We have this kind of girl rock mixed with this whole cinematic kind of feel. We want you to listen to the cd, we want you to grab your own feel for it. Not just song by song either but for you to listen to the cd collectively and really have this whole vibe that you can get from it. I definitely feel like it has orchestration, we just tried to just basically be the best that we could. We delivered the best we could in each of us, like my bass playing just being what it needed to be for each song; especially with the orchestration and her vocals. We really honed in on melodies as well and just trying to really grasp a feel so everyone will be able to catch that.

LB: You’ve recently slimmed down to three members. Will the band be a permanent three piece with touring members or are you looking to add to the Versa family?

DI: Right now, we actually have this guy named Chris Pollock out of with us. We did a little run up to Bamboozle with I See Stars and Let’s Get It with him. Everything has been great. This is actually the last day of tour with Eye Alaska and he’s been filling in for us all this time. He’s going to be out with us on Warped as well. He’s actually been meshing so well too. Honestly, for near future, we would love to be able to just be like “You’re in. You can be another part of the Versa family.” so there can four of us. For right now though, it’s just the three of us and he’s been there helping us and what not. I feel like every time we get so close… For example, we had Jerry (Pierce, ex-guitar) and he had his conflicts that he had to deal with. Even when we had Jerry, he wasn’t like officially in. It just shows you that even though he was with us for a year, he had to eventually go and do his own thing. It’s really hard to try and put that initial faith in having that person but we would really love to eventually have a core four lineup.

LB: Would you guys ever add another guitarist? Or would you prefer sticking as a four piece?

DI: I think it’s great because Blake is such a smart guy and he is really the mastermind, I would say, behind a lot of the music. As far as making sure he knows what making the guitars what he wants to be. Currently, we are not even having another guitarist, we just have our samples. On the new cd, there wasn’t anything that was really that apparent that we needed a second guitarist for either. We have these things that are like fillers but honestly Blake takes care of most of that stuff and does vocals on top of that.

LB: You’ve released a unique pre-order package in the form of a signed laminate. What can this laminate be used for?

DI: We just really wanted to try something different with pre-orders so kids can get stoked. We have the usual deluxe package where you get a t-shirt and maybe a sweater/hoodie. The cool thing about the laminate is, it’s a digital pre-order. On June 22nd, you have your download code and you put it in, you have the album. Not only do you get the album, you get discounts on online merch and since its a laminate, you get to cut in line at our signings at Warped Tour. You can harness it for a couple of other things.

LB: Any plans after warped tour? Possible Headlining tour?

DI: It’s so up in the air right now. We just don’t even know what the album is even going to foreshadow. We just really hope the best and that kids really dig it. Maybe we can jump on something cool. Honestly, we would love to do a headliner maybe, just a small one.

LB: Like a club run?

DI: Yeah! Just with some other bands that have a good draw and that we could have some good solid shows at some b-list venues. Or maybe just do an awesome co-headliner with someone. We would love to go out with Circa or someone like that. Someone else that has some new material kind of within the same genre. We’re just really up for anything and we just want to tour our asses off.

LB: Any final thoughts for Lush Beat? Anything you’d like to say to fans?

DI: Just buy the record!

:laughter:

DI: I couldn’t ask for anything else. I feel like we have something a little different to offer. I feel like kids can really dig it and maybe we can start seeing music begin to evolve. We don’t even care if you download it, just experience it somehow. Get it, listen to it, and come out to a show.

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To pre-order Fixed At Zero and listen to the title track, check out www.fixedatzero.com

Written by Kris Maseri
www.twitter.com/xduckiex

*This interview was conducted in Person by Kris Maseri on the 15th of May, 2010