Finding Fiction makes its home on the road
Finding Fiction. Photo by Melissa Goodman.
There are plenty of bands on the scene in New York City, and like so many others who flock to the City, the members of Finding Fiction found their way there from homes across the country. Right now the melodic foursome makes its home on the road, traveling from city to city sharpening their sound before returning to the studio to record a full-length album.
They’ll stop in Birmingham tomorrow night, setting up shop at The Nick. Last week I caught up with the band between tour dates and learned what makes this New York band unique.
Birmingham Box Set: First, tell me a bit about your background. How long have y’all been together?
Mario Santana: About six months.
Tim Farr: Me and Mario joined up about six months ago, and Josh and Scott are pretty new, like in the last month or two. We found Josh on the Jersey Turnpike. … We told him he would get a can of soup per diem for touring.
Josh Coleman: They told me there would be per diem but I didn’t know it would be a can of soup.
Scott Eisenberg: The funny thing is they didn’t even promise me a per diem at all.
Tim: Mario started the band and recorded some stuff, and we’ve been writing new material and are recording next month. So we’re still playing some of the songs off the current EP but we’re looking forward to recording a new CD, which we hope will be a full-length, in Nashville.
BBS: With so many NYC bands on the scene, what sets y’all apart?
Tim: Josh has really stinky socks.
BBS: (Laughs) I suspect you’re not the only band who could say that about a member!
Tim: I kind of feel like it’s just level of work ethic. We’re not in New York a lot, actually. We play way more shows out of New York than we do in New York. We’re pretty much working 24/7 on the band, whether it’s working with our interns for doing PR or whether it’s more working on booking or sitting in the studio working on material for new shows.
Josh: There’s a ton of great bands in New York. There’s a ton of great energy. Every town has a bunch of bands that don’t really leave the town, that don’t really get out.
Tim: Just last night, we’re in Indiana now, we played with a great band last night. … They’re not traveling a lot just because they’re tied down… one’s married, one’s got a fiancée.
BBS: Have you played in Birmingham or at the Nick before?
Mario: I used to play in a band called the Winter Sounds out of Athens, Ga., and we actually played the Nick a couple times. Then right before this band came together, I played just acoustic, I played the Nick there.
BBS: And y’all are also stopping in at the huge music industry festival South by Southwest, in Austin, Texas, on this tour. You must be excited about that.
Mario: We’re really excited, even just getting down there to see other bands. We’re still trying to set up different stages that are officially with SXSW and some that aren’t. It’s just exciting to catch up with old friends.
BBS: Will the upcoming album include previously released material or all new?
Mario: It’s pretty much all new. We’ve got 10 to 12 new songs. We’re only doing two old songs off the EP [in concert].
Tim: That may or may not make it into the new album. I think all of us are interested to hear how we come together. I think it’ll be a lot different than the EP.
Finding Fiction plays The Nick on Tuesday, with Imaginary Planes, The Goodnight Nobodies and the Cancers opening. Cover is $5. Preview the band on its MySpace page.
