EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Brandon Conetta and Joe Pine - In Every Breath

(Brandon and Joe in front)

There are a number of professions one might find it easy enough to make a living in- music ain't one 'em. 

San Diego natives In Every Breath know this better than most. Since 2005 the kinetic alt-rock four-piece have weathered countless hardships, numerous line-up changes, and, of course, one of the nastiest economic downturns in recent decades- all for the sake of doing what any self-respecting artist longs to do: make something great.

In 2008 the group released their debut EP, Distrust, a collection of six adrenalating modern rock songs packed to the brim with youthful energy and emotion absent from many of their better-known peers. After three tumultuous years, the guys have finally returned with their four-track sophomore release, "Awakening."

It couldn't be more cliche to pull the "quality over quantity" line, but In Every Breath does more with the pithy twenty-minutes of the EP than most rock bands do over the course of multiple albums- heart-wrenching hooks, instrumental chemistry that grips and fascinates, and a songwriting style that shows their maturity in spades. I recently got to sit down (via facebook chat) with the group's long-standing members, Brandon Conetta (vocals) and Joe Pine (drums) to discuss their current direction and the band's new lease on life.

BS: In Every Breath’s story up to this point has been one of perseverance and survival through a number of years and many trying times. You have two new members aboard, but in a more general sense, what’s happened since the release of Distrust?

BC: We would say it's been a definite rebirth of the band as a whole. [It's] Somewhat of a process to find people that you have chemistry with and can write songs with. Being in a band is about perseverance fo sho!

BS: It's great to see that you and Joe rallied to reassemble the band and create the really remarkable music on Awakening, but did the idea of dissolving In Every Breath ever cross your minds during the down period?

JP: To be honest, sometimes it got really rough, but me and Brandon always wanted to make something great, and have always worked well together ... so we knew to keep it going, we had to stay strong, and look for the right people.  Lucky for us, I already knew Joe Ray [bass] and knew he was itching to get back into a good project ... so getting him on board was pretty quick.

BS: How did Justin come into the fold?

BC:  Well, at first it was Joe, Joe and I. I was learning guitar parts for songs and playing them live in the room just so Joe Ray could get the songs down and get used to playing 'em live.  He and Justin happened to work together, so he approached us one day and told us to check out Justin's previous band (the Brotherhood of Daihan) out of Colorado. Justin had been here for a year just working and starting over after his last band broke up.  After a few sessions with him and getting to know him, our styles just started to click.  He was definitely apprehensive at first 'cause he was unsure if he could commit time wise. But we started to write together and I think he really started to like what we were coming up with.

BS: Joe and Justin's integration into IEB was apparent right away to my ear. Their chemistry throughout the EP really brings something fresh and new to your sound that is very distinct from the material on Distrust (perhaps a little post-rock I'm hearing in there...)

You’ve mentioned in a number of your update videos that the new songs present on the Awakening EP would take In Every Breath’s sound in a more progressive direction. Was this the original idea or a function of the new influences carried by Justin and Joe?

JP: The new sound came very organically between us. To be honest, the talent level in the new lineup was a drastic improvement, and allowed IEB's sound to go in a more progressive direction.

The four of us right away wrote "Back to Symmetry-" first thing that came out of us four being in the same room together. When you hear the song now, you can hear it start the way we wrote it. Joe Ray started with a bass line, I jumped in with a beat, Justin added his guitar line, and Brandon came in on it. That song means a lot to us because it is kind of "the start" of the NEW IEB.

BS: A very cool track indeed; a rebirth/"seizing the day" vibe is very apparent in the chorus. What is the "digital parasite" Brandon mentions in the prechorus?

BC:  To be honest man, the idea of that song was about an Ayn Rand book that I read called The Fountainhead.  [I] Kind of extracted some of her ideas and philosophies in the story and put them to lyrics. 

Digital parasite refers to how some people just feed on rolling with the crowd and not thinking for themselves, not marching to the beat of their own drum, shall we say. In this day and age, people are glued to their phones, computers, televisions, etc. Doesn't seem like we take time to appreciate some of the finer things in life. It's a crazy world we live in.

BS: Your new single and the opening track of Awakening, “Temptress” is a really cool tune. Could you get into the meaning behind the song?

BC: When the riffs were being written, I got the idea of the transition from boyhood to manhood with the discovery of women.  I'm usually apprehensive on writing songs about chicks, love and a broken heart, but the riffs just gave me that picture in my head of how we all come to that age where we discover women and how it changes our thinking in a lot of ways.  We love 'em, but we hate 'em. I suppose as teenagers, there comes a point where we want women to be attracted to us and we'll do whatever it takes. Sometimes it's overwhelming for some, thus  "I loose my self control in the act of desperation ... and I cover my eyes."

BS: That's a pretty interesting angle on the standard love/relationship song. I noticed that Joe Pine produced the video. How did it come together?

BC: Joe's a professional, and that is his business now. We talked long and hard about doing a video, so while Joe was visiting family in detroit, he placed ads for volunteer actors in the detroit area to help out. He brought all his gear and filmed the people that responded in some warehouse out there.  We never even got to meet them.

At first, we were just gonna do the whole thing live, but decided that a small skit to go along with the vid would be best. There is a meaning behind the song, so why not? Afterwards, we took a drive out on the 8 and just happened to find the building we filmed it in. It's about an hour outside of San Diego. We thought there would be problems with highway patrol and border patrol, but we knew it was the spot. We said "fuck it" and went for it one morning-  rented a generator, brought out extra camera men, our gear and a PA and just went for it. The coolest part of the whole thing was border patrol was rockin with us the whole time. They were all into it.

BS: That's awesome man! You guys have been very persistent with your gigging in the San Diego area. Do you have any plans to venture out of state?

BC: Absolutely. The only problem is we don't have any financial backing. We fund everything ourselves. In this economy, it's difficult. We'd love nothing more than to travel and play music.  Even if we just broke even. People are interested in helping, but it's a long process, I suppose.  

A company named Music Deal out of LA really thinks that we could license some of the instrumentals for our songs in short films and commercials, so if we made money off of that we'd finance a tour ourselves. The problem is, not that it's a problem, is that the internet has changed everything over the years. Labels just don't play so much of a part, I guess. We do what we can.

BS: Is there anything else big on the horizon?

BC: Well, this licensing thing is looking good. They actually called us, so we'll see. It would be cool to see the melodies for "Temptress" on a Chrysler commercial or something. But like I said, we'll see. We try not to look too far ahead and just focus one day at a time. You get to thinking about the future too much, you could burn out. Eventually, we'd like management and to be able to play shows all over. 

BS: That'd be a pretty dark crystler commercial. That's awesome, though.

BC: Right?

We have a few more shows lined up here, but are in the process of heading out to Arizona on a few weekends comming up. Got some buddy bands that we play with out there. Also, looking into getting into Northern Cali, which is where I'm from. Until then, we keep doing what we do and try to keep it real.

BS: Totally. On that note, and by that, i mean totally unrelated- I was wondering if your beards enhance your musical prowess.

BC: LOL. I suppose in one way or another. We all wrestle lions and hunt kodiak bears ya know.

BS: Anything else you’d like to add?

BC: Well, just that we're always gonna stay true to ourselves. If we're happy with what we've written then that's all that matters. We just hope that others will enjoy it.

BS: Thanks for taking the time to chat. I hope Awakening gets the attention it deserves.

BC: Thanks brotha. On behalf of the rest of the band and I, we wanna thank you for taking the time to get to know us. Means a lot.

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To stream In Every Breath's new EP Awakening visit their www.myspace.com/ineverybreathmusic. The release may purchased here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/awakening/id419147314