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| Matt on the far left with the rest of his OTM Band Mates |
There's something to be said about music that just feels real and authentic and has the power to strike a chord inside of someone. Music like this is hard to come by. This sentiment is certainly a way of describing the feeling you get when you listen to rising New York based band Open Till Midnight. I've been listening to their work for a while now and with the release of their EP Stay On Me you can really hear the bands growth and depth and it's really exciting! I recently had the chance to chat with the lead singer of OTM Matthew Ballinger about the EP and OTM's exciting plans for the future! Check out our fun interview here!
Matt: Open Till Midnight has actually been a band for a while. Mike Cook (Rhythym Guitar) and Keith Gooberman (Bass) and Ross Deutsch started the band in High School. They continued it throughout college and after college they were looking for a new singer in NYC. A good friend of mine from college recommended that I should meet up with these guys and we really just clicked right away. Our drummer Zach is a veteran NYC drummer, that we had heard about it. So that completes our current lineup.
RBR: What are some of your musical influences?
Matt: They include Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
RBR: What fuels/inspires your song writing?
Matt: Mike Cook is our Songwriter. His songs are inspired by real-life situations that he has encountered with in his life. For Example 'Pass it Around Again' kind of speaks for itself and was written in college ...
RBR: How would you describe OTM’s sound??
Matt: An Alternative Pop-Rock blend. Some people compare our sound to a more modern Matchbox 20, Maroon 5 and Third Eye Blind.
RBR: How do you prepare for a show (are there nerves)?
Matt: You know, at this point we have played so many shows together that we are usually just really anxious to get on stage and play for people. I feel like we have more of an anxious feeling rather then nerves.
RBR: Speaking of shows, let’s talk a little about you big upcoming show and EP release party at the Highline Ballroom on August 11th…What can people expect from this EP??
Matt: This release party is going to be huge for us. We are expecting a huge turnout and are really excited to have a huge show in honor of our release. People can really expect a wide variety of material on this EP. We have a good mix of ballads and more uptempo tracks. I think it's a really great collection of work that really exemplifies OTM and what we are about.
RBR: What message or vibe do you hope to get across to your fans?
Matt: The vibe in our shows is really to connect with everyone and make it as fun as possible for our fans. I think that our music gives off an originality that isn't heard in a lot bands today. Our songs are really honest and when you see us play live you can feel the energy we give off.
RBR: What’s on your iPod right now??
Matt: The Script- Science and Faith.
RBR: If you weren’t making music, what do you think you’d be doing?
Matt: Ha, thats a great question. Let's just hope I don't have to make that decision yet.
RBR: What is your favorite part of making music?
Matt: I think the best part is playing shows and connecting with your fans. There is nothing better then getting that rush of adrenaline when performing live on stage.
**Check out the title track from the EP and grab the whole thing on iTunes!
ALSO...
I thought this performance and song were brilliant, so I wanted to share this with you guys as well!
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