There's a new band on the prog 'scene' by the name of PRYMARY. They actually are in my area of Southern California, so I had an opportunity recently to see them live, opening for Kings X, but the history between PRYMARY and ProgRock.com goes back to before the change in management at the station. So I'm going to see if we can all get to know the band, where they came from and where they are headed a bit more. You can find out more about Prymary at their web site www.prymary.com
Q. Can you give us some background on the band and the people in it, your training, influences origin of the name?
Chris: The original PRYMARY started about 1991 with me and my brother working up some music very much like RUSH’s style. My training came from marching band and practicing to RUSH and MOTLEY CRUE albums. That’s how I got my start. I think the band slowly veered to more hard-core progressive elements at my insistence. It just felt like I was looking for something that would be very challenging and very fun. Flash forward a couple of years where Sean, James, and I were playing a show and we were sharing the bill with a DREAM THEATER cover band called AWAKE. Needless to say, we were very impressed with each other. Through intermingling with them, we got Mike to join as our new vocalist and Smiley to join on keys. It took quite some convincing to get Smiley. As far as the band name goes, I think It just came from one of those mundane situations of each band member picking a few working names, putting it in a hat, and democratically picking what sounded the best other than that, I can’t really think of any significance to it.
Sean: I am basically the sports fan of the group. I LOVE basketball and football. I grew up wanting to be a Los Angeles Laker. I played until I was around 16 (not too long after I first starting playing guitar). I kinda
decided it was one or the other. And since I am only 5'11", the choice was easy. :) I have never really had any guitar lessons. I basically learned how to play and got my style from being up in my room for 6-8 hours a day listening to Randy Rhoads, Kirk Hammett, Steve Vai and Zakk Wylde. Trying to emulate them is what got me going on guitar. I had to figure things out for myself, I wasn't told how to play or what to do. I think that was the greatest thing to happen to me as a musician. It forced me to get my own voice on the guitar.
Mike: Since Smiley and I joined the band, though, I can say that things sort of began to fall into place. We accomplished more in the last 2 years than PRYMARY has since it’s beginning, 9 years ago. The lineup is solid right now. As far as influences, each of us has their own, but, as far as vocals, mine range from guys like Ray Alder, James Labrie, Daniel Gildenlow, Geoff Tate, Bruce Dickinson, and Andre Matos. But with all those fantastic voices in mind, I am working to develop my own unique style and perfect my voice.
Smiley: I started playing keys four years ago. My first piano lesson was form Derek Sherinian (Planet X, Dream Theater). It was a great learning experience. I have learned a lot from him. After a year of playing, I joined a Dream Theater tribute band called AWAKE. I had a lot of fun with this band…. great times!! Later I went to MI to study under Carlos Campos. He was the best teacher there. He has a lot of patience to teach my sorry ass!!! I think I almost drove him insane at one of my lessons!!! Hahaha
James: My training was a self taught process and my understanding of music has taken me to a higher level and drive.
Q. The Dream Theater influence is pretty pronounced, Smiley even took lessons from Derrek Sherinian. How much do you think about your influences when writing, or does it come in to play at all?
Sean: I try to not think about any of my influences when we're writing. I mean, it's inevitable that they come through to a certain degree, but in order to find your own voice you have to listen to your own voice. And that can't happen if you have some pre-conceived sound or style that you're going for. You just kind of have to let it come out naturally. We hear the Dream Theater influence a lot from people who hear us, it's flattering to a point because we're all Dream Theater fans, but we're still striving to get our sound solid.
Chris: What can be said about the DREAM THEATER influence…... I think any progressive rock/metal band is always going to be compared to them. It is usually the first response that anyone will do whether it is intentional or not. I should say that for a time, James and I played in the DREAM THEATER cover band with Smiley and Mike. So considering our background is in a DREAM THEATER cover band, I would agree just by Osmosis that the DREAM THEATER influence is very pronounced as far as writing goes. I think my influences play a major role in my song writing in my case. A certain piece of music or a certain riff can just inspire the process. Usually it starts as one man’s vision and gets morphed into something entirely different once the other guys get a hold of it. I would hope that this process would lead to some sort of original piece of music. I have written many pieces of music which from my point of view would be directly influenced by a certain band or style of music. By sharing it with the guys and have them put there view on it, it always ends up coming out much different much more improved than what I originally had.
Smiley: DT used to be my favorite band!! Now I’m pretty much sick of them!!! lol
James: I personally think that my influences come into play a lot of the time. The Dream Theater sound that people get from us is a mystery to me. If I’m taking influences, it’s more Geddy Lee, Cliff Burton, Les Claypool.
Mike: I believe it has had some bearing on the initial development of style for each of our
instruments, but as we continue playing and writing together more of an original sound is starting to come out. We do not try to sound like any other band, we just try to be ourselves.
Q. Your new CD has a 'thank you' to Jerry George at ProgRock.com (our
intrepid founder), how did your relationship start with him and us?
Smiley: Jerry and everybody at ProgRock.com is great!! I can’t THANK you guys enough for having our materials played here! Thank you!!
Jerry was the first person I talked to on line from ProgRock.com. I sent him a our first shitty demo, and I guess he liked it and decided to put it on rotation. I’m very grateful for his kindness and support for PRYMARY. You also rock too, Shawn! Thanks for coming to our rehearsal and the KING’S X gig . That’s pretty much how the relationship started.
Q. I had a lot of fun seeing you guys play live, and getting to open for Kings X must have been a real kick. I really felt bad for you that the sound guys at the venue were so obviously out of it, I mean leaving the mic off the guitar was just nuts. How did you guys get the gig, and how much did you flip out over the problems, or did you keep your cool? From the audience you guys appeared to handle it really well.
James: the gig was easy to get…….. ask Mike!
Mike: Getting the gig was not that difficult. I called to check up on the promo package I had sent them and when speaking to the receptionist about up coming gigs she mentioned Kings X was coming in February. I told him that would be one show that we would totally fit the bill (and I think we did more so than all of the other bands). From there, constant updates with ticket sales and hard work to sell all of the tickets, getting shirts made and so forth. The problems we were having on stage were not that big of a deal, I figure if we just roll on like normal maybe people would not notice as much. Despite the sound, I believe everyone in the building could see and hear what PRYMARY is actually capable of.
Sean: Thank you for the compliment!! The show was VERY fun. The mic being moved from my guitar amp was a bit unsettling. I had to crank my ol' 5150 all the way to 8 for most of the set. I was just hoping it wouldn't blow up. :) But, I was just so excited and pumped about so many people being there that I wasn't upset up there. It was an amazing feeling to have all those eyes and ears with us. Definitely one of the best moments in the history of PRYMARY. I am just so blessed to have been a part of it.
James: Yeah!… I can’t believe people like that work there. I got over it quickly! lol
Smiley: Sean, you turned it up to 8? It sure felt like it was on 11!! (lol) Well , I had a lot of FUN especially when you (Sean) had to turn the AMP up to 11 on stage!! I don’t let things like that effect my performance. What ever happens….. happens!! Let’s just have fun!
Q. What's on your agenda now? Playing live more? getting a record contract? working on a new album?
Chris: All of the above. I would like to be a progressive band that is always out on the scene. I see a lot of bands that release albums and then don’t tour or play shows. Playing live is a necessity and keeps our chops up. I definitely see us playing live a lot more. We are actively pursuing a record contract but we are being very selective with our choices. Tour support is a very important factor for us poor Musicians.
Q. How does your typical song writing process go?
Chris: It varies….. James is the riff man. He comes up with a lot of riffs and shows the band. Usually he will show us a HODGE PODGE of riffs or melodies and we will work though them to construct some sort of structure. The process usually starts out very chaotic but eventually settles into some sort of structured piece of music. On the other hand, I will come up with a skeleton of a song and have the guys fill in the holes. It will usually consist of someone’s notes, melodies, and or a chord pattern with the time signatures laid out. Depending on my whim, I will structure the song as a typical song structure (IE. Intro, verse, chorus, verse, bridge, chores, etc) or will completely ignore that and be all over the place! The song might have a hook and it might not. It is a risk we take each time to try and come up with something new. Whether it works or not it is up to the present listener “It’s all a POINT OF VIEW!” Finally, the song can start as a set of lyrics with which we will consciously try to match the music to and to convey a certain feeling or emotion.
Q. What music is really grabbing your attention today? what are you playing your car?
Chris: I have to say that we are listening to a lot of Pain of Salvation. We cannot get enough of that bands. I Also love Spock’s Beard. Currently in the car is the new Enchant album "BLINK OF AN EYE", Pain of Salvation "REMEDY LANE", the new REDEMPTION album (GOT TO START LEARNING HOW TO PLAY THOSE SONGS FOR PROGPOWER), and the live KANSAS album "TWO FOR THE SHOW".
Sean: I've been playing a lot of music from "The Corrs" (Irish pop-group) and Michael Jackson. I don't really listen to much Progressive music outside of Pain of Salvation (probably my favorite band).
Mike: Right now, and this is probably unanimous, Pain of Salvation is all that is on in any CD player I have right now; and PRYMARY, of course. PoS is the freshest sound out there and their style is so down to earth. No commercialism there, yet they become more popular everyday. We are very proud of our first CD and personally it is one of my favorites in my collection. Other than that, some Fates Warning, Dream Theater and Dali’s Dilemma every now and again.
Smiley: Lately, Christina Aguilera has been grabbing me in the car as well as J-Lo.
James: MUDVAYNE, MUDVAYNE and more MUDVAYNE!!!!!
Q. James is credited with playing Balalaika on your web site. I didn't see him play it at the show, but then again, I don't know what the hell it is:). Care to tell us?
James: The Balalaika is an instrument from Russia. It has three-strings and triangular shaped. It’s on Seclusion.
Q. You dropped some hints about some other projects that various members of the band are involved in, can you give us some details about any of them?
Chris: Currently, Smiley and I as well as members of Fates Warning are going to be supporting REDEMPTION for a couple of shows including the opening slot for PROGPOWER IV. This should be very exciting as well! We will be recording some music for an upcoming X-Box video game being done by our producer Chuck Mitchell. Not sure if it will be as PRYMARY or if we will be used as individualists on certain tracks. We will also will be recording one song for an upcoming compilation album which should be very cool. And we will be playing the PRE-PARTY at PROGPOWER and hopefully doing a mini-tour in the week before.
James: I’m in a side project called Funkin’ A. It’s just a rock band.
Q. Who's the guy that is always late to practice? :)
Sean: Oh….no!! We might be getting into some trouble here! Everyone comes to practice when they're able to usually. But sometimes a couple guys are late... occasionally. I'll just leave it at that.
Chris: Smiley is late for everything!! If he says be there at 6:00, he will be there at 6:30. I suppose I am guilty of that sometimes as well.
Smiley: Oh, well.
Q. OK, it's now your opportunity to sound off on any subject you like, as long as it is legal. Help us get to know you guys some more.
Chris: Get ready for the new PRYMARY album. So far it looks like we will be entering the realm of the concept album. I am writing the story now and working out the lyrics. This will definitely be a song writing situation where the music will be there to enhance the emotion and feeling of the words…….very dark and very heavy. It will deal with the effects of abuse and tragic lost love. A lot of it is coming from true life experiences. Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far. You are all getting on at the ground level and we really appreciate it.
Mike: Well, now that the forum is open ... Just a shout out to the people of the world to keep an eye out for PRYMARY. We will be coming your way sooner or later. Perhaps Europe(?) by the end of the year. But definitely a lot of shows across the US. and the second CD by early 2004.
A HUGE thanks to all those who are helping us get this rolling, it will come back to you tenfold. I can see only bright things to come for everyone working with us. Looking forward to meeting all of you on tour! Keep posted for dates on the PRYMARY website. Peace.
