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I Am Ghost

The ghost is coming back to haunt you and you're going to love it.
By: Gian Erguiza - - March 28th, 2008 - 1:21 pm PST



I Am Ghost has been on a successful reckless rollercoaster ride ever since their inception. With line-up changes, extensive touring in 2007 and a new album on it's way, I Am Ghost is basically on track to make their careers more successful than ever. We got a chance to talk with Steve of I Am Ghost about the new album and what their plans are for 2008.

Hey Steve, can you please give our readers a quick history lesson on the band?

Well, in short we started very quickly as a band. Some may say too quickly in their eyes. We played our first show April of 2005 and before we even had our second show we already had labels beating down our doors to work with us. We were a band for maybe a month and had recorded a 8 song demo which was basically just to get shows in our hometown. Needless to say, it caught on very quickly, and we were selling out a lot of our local shows. None of us could believe all this was happening. 4 months into the band, we then signed with Epitaph Records who re-released our demo into stores, and we quickly went back into the studio to record our first full-length called "Lovers' Requiem." We have been on tour ever since.

So I hear that you guys are writing new material for a sophomore release with Epitaph and I’m pretty sure it’ll just be fantastic! How’s the whole process coming along and what can we expect from the new material?

It's almost like a movie, or a VHI behind the music special on I AM GHOST. We have seen more in the past year than most bands see in their entire careers. We lost a few members due to our constant touring schedue, and we have now taken a few months off to write another album. The funny thing is, we all feel very at peace right now and very eager to write a more aggressive album then the previous. We all felt held back with the last album with past members, so its pretty exciting to say the least.

What are you guys hoping to accomplish with the new record? Any goals or expectations from the new record?

Really, all we care about our just writing good songs and doing something different then whats out there today in our scene. We have always been thankful to kids know we are a band with our own style and you know an I Am Ghost song when you hear it... we don't sound like anyone out there which is great. We want to keep that epic I Am Ghost sound with keyboards and orchestras, but want to step it up and get a little darker.

So would it be safe to say that you guys are going to be hitting the road to support the album? Details please!

Well, we were on tour almost all of 2007, and our biggest goal is to write an awesome record, record it, then start thinking about touring soon after. We have a few local shows here and there, but no touring until this album is fully done. We have been offered tons of other tours but have turned them all down. Touring will come in due time.

What is the usual songwriting process like for you guys? Do you guys write a hundred songs and pick out the best ones? You guys ever had to deal with writer’s block?

In the past two CD's we did, we always just recorded what we had. This time around it's very different. We are doing more than 20 songs and gonna see which ones really stick. I have been more into the writing process this time around, meaning I have really been in the studio this time with our bass player and guitarist. I'm really working with them this time developing the songs from stratch.

Are you guys planning to do anything special for the new record when it’s released?

The same as most bands; we will start setting up a nation wide tour and possibly go over-seas to Europe or the UK. We really hope to hit Japan this year. We have a lot of fans there and really want to meet a lot of them.

Do you guys ever pay any attention to the radio or the charts?

Well, it really is not our goal but if it happens we are not going to be upset. I think radio (at least nowadays) is very important to get your band out there, and if it helps turn peoples heads and know more about I Am Ghost, then I am all for it.

Alright, let’s get down to real business here. Who’s the myspace whore that gets to answer all of the messages and do you guys ever take anything to the heart when it comes to nasty messages or comments if any?

When we were on the road, a lot of our Myspace was run by our manager. When we are home, like we are now, I tend to handle the entire page. I reply to kids messages only if it is super important or really deserves a reply. I would love to reply to ever single person who emails us or leaves a comment, but its

"We dont really get too much hate mail... I think the last one was a few months back and it was really just some 14 year old kid who thought he was so punk rock. He had TSOL and the Germs all over his page, and he basically hated everything that was recorded after 1983. I got a good laugh though. "

just impossible. We dont really get too much hate mail... I think the last one was a few months back and it was really just some 14 year old kid who thought he was so punk rock. He had TSOL and the Germs all over his page, and he basically hated everything that was recorded after 1983. I got a good laugh though.

Let me ask you guys, in your opinions, what does a band need to be or do to stay alive in the music industry these days, especially with the whole digital downloading revolution underway?

Learn to market your band and your music, and keep touring and get your name out there besides selling your CD in stores. There is such a huge world out there. Just a year ago I thought it was all about the United States, then we toured and saw Canada, the UK and it was a huge awakening.

Speaking of the digital revolution, what are you guys’ thoughts on the subject of the Internet ‘Killing Music’ with the artist having no control of their music? Gene Simmons recently had this to say about the Internet. Does it feel like you have more control or less control of your music and how its released?

This is for sure a huge problem, but I dont know how we can really stop it. I have fucked up and burned bands CD's before and now I really regret it. Kids and adults will never just stop "burning" CD's to their computers and are sharing... no matter how many commercials you do saying how bad it is, it still gonna happen. Someone will just have to create CD's that can not be ripped and burned.... thats the only way I can see it stopping.

Being in a rock band definitely has it’s perks. What is the best thing about being a member of I Am Ghost or the I Am Ghost crew?

Well, honestly, I just love the fact that our music affects peoples lives, and changes peoples outlooks on life. I get emails from kids saying they were sad and upset about something in their lives, they put on our CD and they were again happy. I think thats just awesome. I just hope to go out with a bang one day and know that I affected people lives somehow.

What’s the biggest misconception about I Am Ghost?

That we are all dark/sad gothic boys. We don't listen to much goth, and we are pretty much the happiest dudes you will ever meet.

Aside from a new record hopefully by this year, what else can we expect from I Am Ghost for 2008?

We will for sure be hitting a city or state near you this year. Our goal is to hit every state in the US this year and get out and about over-seas. Again, it takes time but it will happen.

Any additional comments or shout-outs?

Please take the time to check us out at: myspace.com/iamghost or our labels site at: www.epitaph.com

Thanks Steve!



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I am Ghost's Myspace

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