Keeping Secrets

Having formed in early 2005, Keeping Secrets managed to create a unique sound by bringing their wide range of musical influences and passionate songwriting together. Determined to make a name for themselves, they worked quickly to write and perfect their songs and within a few months they had recorded a three song demo. This gained them recognition from local papers such as The Boise Weekly, Idaho Press Tribune, and Thrive along with the opportunity to open for such acts as; From Autumn to Ashes, Armor for Sleep, A Fall Farewell, MXPX, The Presidents of the United States of America, Vendetta Red, Art of Dying, Alesana, Kane Hodder and On Broken Wings.

Keeping Secrets later embarked on their first tour of the North West, and then again in early 2006 with a string of dates throughout the West Coast. One of Keeping Secrets most gratifying experiences to date has been winning the 15th annual Boise Battle of the Bands, and being selected to play X-fest, a musical festival sponsored by 100.3 the X (a local radio station) both of which were won by popular vote.

Your new album came out this week.
Lucas: We've waited a long time for this. We worked really hard.

So, what were some of the songs about on this cd?
Cody: A lot of life experiences, a lot of pinned up stuff. This album for me, like with my lyrical writing spans like in the past 8 years. You know, typical girl, then there's like regular life experiences, friendships... you know... good and bad. God, stuff like that.

What's the song writing process like for you guys?
Cody: Someone usually brings an idea. Occasionally, Jordin will bring a song or Nate will bring a song or I bring a song, but that's only happened a few times. Its like "hey I got a riff, lets build off it" and everybody puts their own input.

Nathan: We'll freestyle it. That's how the best songs come out.

Of all the songs on the new EP, which one stands out the most for you?
Lucas: For me personally, its The Sacrifice. Just the way the harmony and everything comes together during the build up.

Nathan: I'd have to say The Sacrifice too.

Cody: Yeah I'd probably agree. That's a very personal experience I have with that song, so every time it kinda brings me back to that moment. What about you Jesse?

Jesse: I like The Sacrifice for the message that it portrays, about all of our faith and what we do and why we're here.

Jordin: I'm also gonna have to say The Sacrifice. Its a good one! Its got everything!

You guys recently moved from Idaho. Is there a difference between the 2 music scenes?
Cody: Yeah! Huge! Very closed minded in Idaho. Its so small that one scene can only exist, really. A lot of the kids always jump from scene to scene, there's never a variety. Like when we left, it was Hardcore. And if you weren't hardcore, you probably wouldn't be accepted there too well.

Nathan: We weren't heavy enough for the scene there.

Cody: Yeah, and when we left, there was really only one underground venue that all the kids could go too and play at and it was just very closed minded there. The venue was cool and the owners were cool, but the kids that went were just like..."you gotta be tough or else..." so here is definitely cool because opportunities are endless and there's huge variety of just different kinds of scenes. We can play here tonight, and then if we had a show in maybe Hollywood tomorrow night, it'd be a totally different scene... like all new people. That's the problem with Boise. You build up and you build up and we probably peeked there within 8 months of being a band. We'd done what we could do there and that's it.

Nathan: And its all downhill from there.

Keeping Secrets accomplished a lot in Idaho. Since moving to California does it feel like your starting over as a band?
Jordin: Yeah, you have to get your name out there and its a lot harder here. Definitely a lot harder! There's a sea of bands and you feel overwhelmed at first.

Cody: The coolest thing I'd say about Idaho is we had the opportunity to play with a lot of bigger acts because there weren't as many bands around, so we got to play with a lot of cool acts like MxPx, From Autumn to Ashes, Armor for Sleep and it was a really cool experience, where down here, its a lot more difficult, not to mention, its all pay to play here.

You all go freakin nuts on stage! How often are you guys walking off stage with battle wounds?
<everyone laughs>
Nathan: Oh yeah! Plenty of times!

Jordin: Luckily not as many as you'd think we would!

So, nobody's been knocked out?
Lucas: Well, Nate got a bloody nose out in Pomona... what was that? About a month and a half ago? a month ago?

Nathan: Yeah about a month ago, but that was from a kid. I got a little too close to the dance pit and caught a fist to the face. It was cool! <laughs>

Lucas: But as far as actually getting hurt, nothing too bad. He takes a head stock to the face every now and again, no big deal. <laughs>

Cody: I tripped and rolled my ankle once and fell into a wall. That was kinda funny.

Nathan: Usually you don't realize it happens until you get off stage, look down and i'll have a bloody arm and see strings across from Lucas's head stock and like "OH! don't you remember? I hit you with my head stock". Generally you don't even notice it.

Any last words? Jesse, how's the food?
Jesse: it was goood!
Jordin: Yeah, Arby's plug!
Jesse: They better give us free food for life!

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For more info, show updates and music,
check out Keeping Secrets on Myspace!
www.myspace.com/keepingsecretsmusic