name

Black Schwan!

2011-01-08T13:24:00.000-08:00

Go watch "Black Swan"

In unrelated news, I figure I'd check in with you folks. We have been dormant as of late just relaxing from a busy year, working on other projects, getting ready for this new year. Expect some actions from us starting next month. We have to shake the cob webs off, but we're excited to get back out there.

As of late both Bobby and myself have been working on some rough solo material.

Here's one of the videos of Wes:

"Segue: cette ville est le sien ce soir"

and one of Bobby:

"A Toast To The Future Kids! (Emarosa Cover)"

Check back for more later.

Been awhile...

2010-12-08T14:25:00.001-08:00

Herro, folks. It has indeed been awhile. Not much to say, we have had a great year, toured our asses off, released the record, met some great people. As of right now, we're taking it easy. Working on some new material for future Name releases, as well as some off shoot stuff (i.e. solo material, collabs, etc). Expect to hear a lot more of that soon.

For the next couple months, we will be floating around the interwebs. Come February, we shall be back on the road, so rest your weary head.

As for now, here are a few new pages we have come to aquire:

http://listn.to/name

http://www.soundcloud.com/name

http://nameband.bandcamp.com

enjoy, you sexy bitches...

Recent interview with Wes for a European publication...

2010-10-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

Name: Wes
Instrument: Words and Strings

Congrats on unleashing such a sonic fragmentation bomb that is Internet Killed The Audiostar. How’s the feedback from press and fans coming along? Are you satisfied on how your new album turned out?

Wes: Thank you. The feedback has been better then we originally anticipated. We knew varying groups of people would enjoy the record because we were very confident in what we had accomplished, but we never expected it to be so widely accepted and enjoyed. There is definitely something for everyone on the album, so I guess it had appeal to different groups of music fans. People on opposite sides of the spectrum. That has been ultimate success to us that so many different groups came together on some plain by wanting to understand what we were trying to do. It's incredibly humbeling.

Internet Killed The Audio Star is an obvious reference to Video Killer The Radio Star by Buggles. Can you clarify the connection here and is how does it translate into the lyrical themes on your latest album?

Wes: When "Video Killed The Radio Star" came out, it set the status for new music culture. It's undeniable that the existence of MTV (at the time when they still played music videos) was a defining cultural landmark. With "Internet Killed The Audio Star", we see it as the next evolutionary step. I'm not saying our record is the next step, we're just acknowledging the elephant in the room and saying "we're all aware the times have changed, there's no point living in the past". The title is pretty self explanatory, but the whole theme of the album is just a perspective piece. Throughout the lyrics, I use a lot of dialogue showing connectivity between different kinds of people in different situations. It allows you to adapt as if you we're watching a film, or overhearing others talk. The whole underlining theme is just talking about our disgust with the current sordid state of heavy music and the lack of a work ethic. So many bands rely on the available technologies and its making them lazy. It's one thing to use them as tools, it's another to completely depend on them.

On the Name Myspace there’s statement by Wes (vox/guitars) that the lyrics are just as important as the music. He also says the lyrics represent where he stands for. Where does he stand for and can you give some clear examples in conjuction with the band’s lyrics?

Wes: I just believe in honesty. Even if youre lying, there's a sincerity behind it. Making yourself be very honest that you're capable of these things. My lyrics will always be my number one instrument. I've always wanted people to take the time to read them in conjuction with the music. It's like making a film and this is the dialouge. The power of word is incredibly underestimated. As well as human interaction. In my songs, lyrically, I like to paint the picture of the situation and let you do the rest. I'm not one of those singers that commands you to do things through my lyrics "Fuck shit up!", "Party all night and all day", "Worship Satan", "Worship my shitty haircut.". I'm just a fucked up guy letting you into a vulnerable part of my mind. I've always been really interested in disorder and defiance of the human mind. It's incredible how many terrible things we're all capable of. I find peace in its simplicity. My lyrics are just an introspective social commentary on the ugly side of humans. The honest side. When I die, I'd like to be remembered for my words. It's all that I am and all I really have.

How does the writing process work in Name?

Wes: Well, we're all constantly writing and working with ideas that sometimes start off verbel, then we find the sounds in it. Jeremy and I usually have a riff, or Jeremy has sequences in his head, and I have some personality I want to convey in the skeleton of the songs, and Bobby helps redefine the atmosphere. Its an incredibly collaberative process. In a simple case, i'll write a song, Jeremy comes in with a few riffs he had, I find a way to organize and make them make sense. Then Bobby and I take a full front seat with arranging process. Then we all do what we do best and add those subtle traits here and there, which, at times, as completly reshaped a song. I've gone in with completed songs before and they always come out slightly different and gives a whole new personality to the song. I find that exciting. As an artist, it's the only way i'll grow; by collaberating with other like minded people.

How do you like back on the recording sessions of your latest album? What are your fondest and worst memories?

Wes: The studio is always a unique beast to deal with. You're under the microscope and no matter how big the studio might be, you still get a sense of claustrophobia. That's the case for me anyways. We also always feel like there's never enough time. That, in turn, has helped us because we work well under pressure. It makes us vulnerable; having us be impulsive and honest. It opens all doors for us. Most of the time, we aren't aware of it. We have to take a step back and see what the hell is going on. I, myself, can be a pain in the ass in the studio because the hardest part about recording for me is getting the sound I hear in my head onto the computer. We're all perfectionists in everyone sense of the word, thus why we never feel like we have enough time. Tensions can run high because of that, some bad, some incredibly funny. My fondest memories are the impulsive actions we make which make the song sound thst much better to us. We all start smiling and laughing cause it just worked so well. Those are my favorite moments. Also, talking shit through the talk back mic never gets old to me. Worst memories? Was just the lack of time we had with certain sections of the record. When we get into the studio, its all about our artistic integrity and having fun with our music. But, then the unfortunate realities of finances come into play and seriously threaten our mood. We find a way to make it work, like I said, we work well under pressure. But sometimes, it's just hilarious getting drunk in the vocal booth and laughing at hearing Bobby and our engineer fighting, hahaha.

Your music is a combination of many different influences from Jazz, blues and funk to deathmetal, progrock and grindcore. Is het so important for the band to be ecclectic and how do you manage to make the compositions flow?

Wes: We all listen to so many different styles of music, so we felt why limit ourselves. If we enjoy this music and we're capable of playing it, why the hell not? I feel like we'd be cheating ourselves if we left out those parts in our songs because it would take it away from "sounding metal". We never have had to force it. I know that might sound ridiculous and slightly pretentious, but I'm dead serious. We just started doing it when we were real young and we just thought it sounded good and gave the song a unique face. It didn't alienate the 3 of us because we have such eclectic musical tastes. We've never had to go "Hey! Write a jazz part cause it'll make us look artsy", haha. We just do what we want to and that will always be the basis of this band. We just don't care.

In my review I draw comparisons with bands like Mr Bungle, Cephalic Carnage, Between The Buried And Me, Fantomas and The Dillinger Escape Plan. What do you think of the aforementioned bands and are you by any chance influenced by them?

Wes: All those bands are incredible and we very much are fans of them. We get a lot of BTBAM and Dillinger comparisons. I think it's just cause they find comfort in relation by comparison. I dont think we sound like those bands at all. I think we have incredibly similair traits because we all grew up listening to the same shit when we were young. There's been countles times where Greg (Dillinger) and I have just geeked out on bands. That helped me realize why the sounds, although unique in our own rights, are still very similair. It helped put it in perspective I suppose. Im also very glad you said Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, and Cephalic Carnage. I have always been a huge Cephalic fan, so I've always been into the chaotic side of metal; and Mr. Bungle and Fantomas are definitely major inspirations. I still listen to Mr. Bungles "California" a lot and sometimes see where we might have gotten the inspiration to making things so unpredictable in the music. There's nothing new under the sun anymore. So we take the pieces we've fallen inlove with and find the sound that best describes our personality as music appreciators. We're just channeling our youth into sound. We're evolving.

Can you tell our readers some more about your own influences and musical heroes?

Wes: Shit, that could take all day. I'm already given you a novel with my answers, haha. But, off the top of my head. Soundgarden was a major reason I wanted to be in a band. Chris Cornell has a flawless voice. Ive always been into male vocalists with higher voices. Jeff Buckley is definitely another. Robert Plant from Led Zep, Joe Anderson from Yes, Steve Brodsky from Cave In, Daniel Johns from Silverchair, Steve Perry from Journey. I'm also really into female singers. Ceu, Sade, Ella Fitzgerald, Bjork, Deborah Anderson, etc. I'm very into jazz and french bossa nova. Guys like Jean Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz. Also into a lot of ambient works like Robin Guthrie and Clint Mansell. As far as heroes growing up, I was very into Chris Cornell and Scott Weiland. As well as heavier vocalists like Burton C. Bell from Fear Factory. Growing up I was raised with a lot of 80's metal and synth pop. So Motley Crue, Scorpions, Whitesnake; David Coverdale has one of the best voices in rock and roll, hands down. Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears to Massive Attack, Portishead, Aphex Twin to Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Neurosis to Refused, Candiria, Botch to The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Tom Waits. I listen to so much music it's almost disgusting. I even listen to just ambient noise like Fennesz, Zelionople, Hammock, Christopher Willits, The Holy See. Outside of music, I'm incredibly inspired by film. I've always been a huge film guy, getting involved with small projects here and there, which I would like to get more into. Beautiful films strike up a huge spark in me. I have a condition called Synesthesia, my brother and I both do, so we find inspiration in the weirdest of places in the most unlikely situations. I'm also a very big reader. I love books like "God Is Not Great, How Religion Ruins Everything", "The God Delusion", Blindness", Jim Morrisons poetry books, and especially the philosophy of George Carlin. Even as an artist, I still find myself geeking out over a lot of music, film, art, writing. It's hard to pin point just one area that I draw from. Amidst all the shit this world is offering, there's also inspiration ready to be found.

Name is touring quite a lot lately. When can we expect your guys on a stage in Europe and how “rock n’ roll” is life on the road for the band?

Wes: If we had it our way, we'd be on tour constantly. All year, every year. We definitely plan on hitting Europe as soon as we can. It's just a matter of finding the means being that we have no avenues of resources to do that ourselves. I guarantee it will happen though... A Name tour is incredibly "rock n' roll". We're self contained out on the road, we know what needs to get done, so we do it. Yes, our music is serious and what not, but doesn't mean we can't have fun. Actually, even in certain songs like "Killer Whales, Man", "Dave Mustaine", and "Mare" we stray away in showing the listener to not take themselves too seriously. Music is fun, you start writing songs and start a band because you have so much fun playing music with your friends. That's exactly what we're doing. When we're on the road, we just try create the most positive and fun experience for anyone around us, because we're all together for a common purpose. We laugh a lot and drink a lot. Sometimes, I feel our livers picked up, where Motley Crues left off haha. If we're gonna be dirtbags by sleeping in the hot van, driving hours upon hours with little to no money, eating shitty food if any, then might as well accentuate the positive aspects about tour. Like meeting new people, listening to good bands, partying hard with good people. I find myself being what some might call self destructive, but you know what?; I'm having the time of my life.

Do you guys have any touring rituals and can you share some funny touring stories?

Wes: No real rituals. We stretch A LOT. If you've seen a live show, you know that it's much needed. We look like we're in a yoga class but with beers or glasses of whiskey in our hands. I usually have a couple drinks before going up. Loosens me up. As far as tour stories, there are so many that would take up hours of reading time, haha. We post a lot of good stories on our blogspot (http://namefuck.blogspot.com) and a lot of good videos on our youtube (http://www.youtube.com/name). A couple good ones off the top of my head, we played New Orleans while on the road with East Of The Wall earlier this year and met some cool people. Long story short, they got us incredibly drunk. I mean just LIT. Gone, hammered, dead. We all seemed to keep our composure, so I thought, but Jeremy (bass) was so out of his fucking mind that half way through the set he grabs the mic and just loudly starts offering to "suck everyones dick" haha... Lines like "You guys are all so fucking awesome! I love you! Youre such good looking people, I'm gonna suck all your dicks!". Needless to stay it went from a awkward confusing, so just booming laughter. I sat there, walked to the bar, ordered a shot and a beer, and had both DONE before he gave me the mic back, haha. Later that night he asked me "...hey... did we play tonight?". To this day, he does not remember playing that set. He has no memory of New Orleans. Good, good night. Another one would have to be our roadie Donk saying as we roll into New Jersey: "You know what? I wanna face fuck me a Jersey girl". Turns out later that night, he accomplished his goal with a totally "down for the party" girl because they did it in front of us all, hahaha. I know we sound like dirtbags, but why lie about shit like that? Why keep it to ourselves? Its way to goddamn funny and you fucking know it.

As my final question I would like to know what you’re listening to on your I-pod/MP3-player and what bands can you recommend to our readers?

Wes: Right now, I've been listening to a lot of Mew, a lot of Blonde Redhead. We listened to Genesis' entire discography on our last tour and it was amazing. The new Oceanize record is so goddamn good it hurts my heart. I wish I wrote that thing, haha. As far as some new stuff, I'm really inlove with East of the Wall's record "Ressentiment" and Iron Thrones "The Wretched Sun". The new Tony Danza Tapdanca Extravaganza record is insane and heavy as shit. The new Deftones record knocks me on my ass, it's incredible. I always find myself coming back to Cave In atleast once a week. The new The Bled record blew my mind, their song "Breathing Room Barricades" makes me feel like my chest is caving in. Then theres other constant rotations like This Will Destroy You, A Storm of Light, and The Depreciation Guild. I recommend listen to a brazilian singer named Ceu, she has the sexiest voice i've ever heard. I recommend every band I just named, plus some others like: Helms Alee, Trap Them, Dead Weather, Sleepy Sun, Fleet Foxes, and if you want to know more, hit us up on our facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nameband. Guaranteed we will respond and we can geek out on music together. We're always wiling to give you new recomendations.

Thank you for your time and effort. Can you close this interview in style?

Wes: Thank you and those reading this. A good thing brought to my attention was this, I like any reaction I can get with my music. Just anything to get people to think. I mean if you can get a whole room full of drunk, stoned people to actually wake up and think, you're doing something. I love making music and I love sharing it with all of you. Keep in touch, don't be facsists. Hit us up on all our forms of social networking. http://www.facebook.com/nameband, http://www.twitter.com/name, http://www.myspace.com/name. We plan on playing everywhere the world will let us, and even some places that won't let us. Check out our record "Internet Killed The Audio Star" if you're interested in honest music. Read the lyrics, say hi on facebook and let me know your interpretations. I'm always incredibly interested in hearing what you get out of it. We're doing it together. All of it. We're here as a celebration of surviving in a time where true people are a dying breed. Enjoy. Indulge. Cheers.

name of the game

2010-09-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry for these very non-clever titles of the blogs. But whatever, it's all about substance right?...ya ya...So it's been a little bit since we updated you on current stuffs. So might as well give you a brief update. So last week, we made a trip to Southern California for a few shows and to pick up our new trailer. The shows in San Diego went amazing, especially at the Epicenter, so thank you guys for making that a satisfying show. Also, thank you to Sound Guy extraordinaire Brian Adler, for making us sound totally bad ass for being a 3 piece. (not implying a 3 piece can't be bad ass, for instance, Cream, Nirvana, Muse, Rush, etc, but it sounded as though there was a wall of sound) We will definitely be having him on board with us again, so we can deliver the best live show to you guys not only visually, but sonically as well. The trip was a success until we were driving home and our trailer became detached from the van, almost flipping it, and causing total havoc upon our lives. We managed to get the trailer in order and fixed and home safely. What's a tour without having some sort of van troubles, eh? Now we're home, finding our bearings, planning out more dates to come and see all your pretty faces across the country, we're all still in tour mood, and staying at home has made us feel a bit antsy. So, that's pretty much it. We're just finding our bearings and then heading back out. Van maintenance can be quite costly and weary. Until then, thank you for your support. love ya, mean it.

nice review on The Power Of Metal.com

2010-08-23T01:36:00.000-07:00

Remember The Buggles "Video Killed the Radiostar", big hit from the eighties. Be now ready for ”Internet Killed the Audio Star” by New Approach to Martyrs Expressions.

You may sometimes write a review with full analysis for each song. You can also take few songs as the best ones or as an illustration of what you are trying to say about the CD contents.

Here, sorry, nope! I cannot, or should I say, do not want to do it. Am I too lazy? Jeps. But I have mitigating circumstances: think about violent math metal, sludge and atmospheric pop, spiced by many other music styles, breaks, changes during 13 songs and 77 minutes. A happy chaos, for Arioch’s sake!

Because of the many variations and the length of this ”far beyond” music piece, some could fully loose the sense of orientation. NAME’s American trio do not want to ease the listener’s task: it is up to you to follow them. I am actually not sure they care if you do it or not. It is great in a way: art it is.

If you are only into good old heavy metal, NAME is definitely not for you, even a millisecond of their music. If you are more open, take a deep breath, then give a real but worth try for a good trip.

83/100

Tour 'till they're sore

2010-08-05T20:03:00.001-07:00

hello there. It's been quite a while since we updated the blog. We've had such a great experience on this tour. I'd like to first and foremost like to thank East of The Wall for being so fucking amazing, as people, and as a band. It was an honor being able to watch them play every night, and get to know them as people. So Squid, Alf, Brett, Conway and recently met touring buddy Beards, thank you all very much, we had a blast and love you guys. Enough sentimental shit. I'll probably not be able to get all these crazy adventures down in one blog, but i'll give you some tid bits. So we've been out for a month and a half and we're currently in Nebraska heading home. We started this mammoth tour in San Francisco, headed south, played shows in Texas, then cut up through West Virginia, officially started tour with East Of The Wall in Maryland. Made our way BACK through the south, heading to the West, had a day off in SF. Then continued the tour through the Northern states, and then headed east where tour ended in Brooklyn, NY. Now we're making our 2nd loop of the U.S to have this behemoth of a tour come to an end. Pretty crazy right? fuck it, we had fun. We had some pretty amazing shows in SLC, Reno, Fargo, Minneapolis, Davenport, Ithaca, Keyport, and lastly Brooklyn, which was one of the most amazing, crazy, and funnest shows of this band's existince. Thank you to ALLLLLL the amazing bands we played with and all the amazing people who came out the show and liked what we did, or let us envelope you in sonic mishap. Either way, we had a fun. Some of the places we played at had bars which gave bands free if not cheap drinks. So it definitley added to the drunken debauchery. During this 2nd part of the tour, we also acquired long time friend/crew member Donk, and newcomer merch guy extrordinaire, Rob "Danger". With a van full of deranged, stubbled faced guys in tow. The northern states were so great to us. We definitley have marked a lot of these places on the map and we will be back here shortly. We are getting our routes in order to head back out in late September, should be amazing. So look for that, I gotta get back on the road and start driving again, so I will give you the detailed info on some of these stories which include: a rave, facefucking (seriously), being "in the booth", Dirty Jersey Cougars, doughnuts, and lots of puppies. Good times had by all.

Indirectly nobodies

-J

Amazing review from the UK's "Sound Shock"

2010-07-24T12:49:00.000-07:00

Review cliché number 28 gazillion: any review of any vaguely technical metal album will at some point mention jazz interludes. This is a cliché that gets trotted out as often as the joke (or more accurately, fact) about Sarah Jessica Parker looking like an anorexic horse. But for all you chin-stroking beret-wearing clove-cigarette-in-a-poncy-holder-smoking jazz cats, there is some proper jazz influence right here, in 'My Sweetheart, The Whore': a mazy fretless bass run that evokes the spirit of Jaco Pastorius. And it's not the only highlight on a record that practically blinds you with them.

Paying as much heed to genres as England do to actually trying to win football matches in an exciting manner, Name are much in the ilk of War From A Harlots Mouth, with a metal take on a hardcore sensibility, but they push the breakdowns into even more sludgy territory, and just as suddenly turn on a sixpence into something that wouldn't be out of place on Mastodon record. The 'Empathic Communicator' suite showcases everything in the progressive metal genre that every right thinking metalhead should value in their music: power, intelligence and confidence. The forth part even has drone influences, for fuck's sake.

And here's the rub: such is the skill of this trio that it's all completely seamless. No joke, you can't spot a single weld line, just a single continuous vision, so when they shift grindcore to doom influences in 'Mare', and then onto jazz-blues on the following 'The Sycophant, The Saint And The Gamefox', you don't notice, neither care. The only clichéd thing about this record you should be hearing is a "one of the albums of the year" plaudit.

Reviewed by Steve Jones
'Internet Killed The Audio Star' is out now on Lifeforce

The road more traveled (clever, no?)

2010-07-20T19:43:00.001-07:00

So we have been slacking with this update thing. So now that I have some time, I can fill you chitlins in on what has been happening. So obviously you guys know...or those of you who care i should say, we have been on the road for a while. We are currently on tour with East Of The Wall. First of all let me say, not only are those guys an amazing band. But they are one of the nicest group of gentlemen EVER. They have been so incredible to watch and hang out with every day thus far. So, Brett, Squid, Alf, and Conway...we love you...enough sentimental hokey pokey. We started our trek from San Francisco, to Houston, Houston to West Virginia, and then WV to Maryland, where tour officially started. Driving there was a pain in the ass to say the least. The shows have been pretty good thus far. This tour is called the "name of the wall" tour, but it really should be called the "cool people" tour (i think i could have done better on that one, but ive been riding in a van for 8 hours today, so suck it) because we have met some amazing people/bands along this trail. Highlights of shows include: Morgantown, WV, ATL, Hunstville Alabama, Hattiesburg Mississippi, and I really wish I could say New Orleans was a highlight, but I was so hammered when I played that I dont remember a damn thing. Ok, so typically I never drink before shows ever. But again with this whole claim of these "cool people" we have met, they are generous to touring bands, and I couldnt be rude and not accept drinks graciously haha. So NOLA, im very sorry for my debauchery...well not really but i guess its a nice gesture. More highlights: Reno fuckin Nevada...its always amazing to play there, always...Our friends in Otis always make us feel so at home. That brings us to SLC, one of the best shows on the tour, amazing people, amazing everything. It was at the Shred Shed. We also had our set recorded with pro audio/video. So we will have that up shortly. We are currently on our way to Denver to play a house show, it should be interesting. Oh yes I forgot to mention that we have been touring with the talented, young and vibrant Jowie "JAWA" Hernandez. (no one calls him jowie, so lets just keep referring to him by his god given nickname...thanks) he stepped up for us and came along this tour to fill in on drums since Bobby unfortunetly had to sit this one out. He is a powerhouse and I suggest you all come out and see him in action. Also, during the second leg of this tour we acquired our long time friend/crew member Donk, and merch guy extrordinaire Rob Danger (ya im not really sure either why they call him that, they just do and so will we....sometimes I feel like Korn, giving everyone involved some absurd nicknames haha) we have been having a lot of fun lately and have been really excited to meet some of you that have supported us for a while, we have a couple weeks left. So come hang out and lets dance together like were online craigslist lovers.. Until then..

Awkwardly yours,
Jeremy

Amazing review from "Rock Freaks"

2010-06-17T02:00:00.000-07:00

name - Internet Killed The Audiostar
Written by: TL on 14/6-10 at 00:18:09

Hello readers. My name is Tim, and once upon a time I was a writer with this fine site. Nowadays, it's been weeks since my last real contribution, something I aim to change right now, through the production of a review I have long owed the band known merely as name, namely that of their recent début "Internet Killed The Audiostar". Truth be told, with them peddling some very ambitious mathcore, I never seemed the most apt for the task, yet somehow this record managed to force an unusual number of plays through my trusty headphones. Let's see if I can explain why that is:

For the majority of its length, "Internet Killed The Audiostar" displays as uncompromising a will to defy expectations, as a an album by a band so cheekily named could be expected. The core sound is visceral, chaotic mathcore, bringing to mind the music of The Dillinger Escape Plan, appearing purposefully ridiculous in its technicality, and changing in rhythm and structure, so fast that even the most impatient listeners should be left breathless on several occasions.

Fortunately, at least the way I see it, name are not settling for simply melting your face with a relentless barrage of insanity. Oh no, instead, they'd rather go all Between The Buried And Me on you when you least suspect it, introducing lengthy periods of easily accessible bass grooves, clean Mike Patton-esque singing, jazzy experimentation, bright tremolo riffing, majestic chord progressions, or even new rave-ish electronics. These zones of oddity appear as tranquil little oasises, eyes of the proverbial storms that make up the mainstay of name's sonic universe, and in the contrast between the two approaches, the band draws its strength.

It is this contrast that reveals that name are somewhat more ambitious than your regular noise-worshipers and that they are more keen on defying attempts at labeling them. By balancing chaos with calm, each appear all the stronger. However, being this hellbent on defying convention also means that structurally, "Internet Killed The Audiostar" is the nightmare of the sensible listener. I've heard this disc more times than I care to count, and while many individual bits are recognizable by now, the grand idea of it all certainly still eludes me. In the first place it's going to require of you that you're used to listening to bands like TDEP, BTBAM and The Ocean to even consider it music for your ears, and even then, you're looking on dozens of listens ahead of you, if you want to see if there's more to appreciate this for than the immediate aggression and seeming randomness. Still, though I can't quite seem to explain why, the one clear vibe I get from this record is that it is quality stuff, coming from a genre where I usually have trouble finding any. Call it reviewer's instinct or whatever, but I'll recommend this, even without really knowing why. [7½]

Download: Killer Whales, Man; Charmer
For The Fans Of: The Dillinger Escape Plan, Between The Buried And Me, The Ocean
Listen: myspace.com/name

Release Date 19.04.2010
Lifeforce Records

Actual review here: http://www.rockfreaks.net/index.php?page=albumreviews&id=2900

An incredibly kind review from web blog "Home Nucleonics"

2010-06-17T01:30:00.000-07:00

Name – Internet Killed The Audio Star
Posted on 16/06/2010 by homenucleonics

Almost a decade ago Lars Ulrich and Metallica started the download age when they dragged Napster to court and managed to get them condemned. In hindsight Lars Ulrich and Co just opened the floodgate, because nowadays there’s torrent sites available everywhere. The whole digital revolution caused of lot of mayhem between the established artists and created new chances for more innovative bands. All these events are sarcastically commented on Internet Killed The Audio Star by Name.

Name is an acronym for New Approach to Martyrs Expressions and they unleash a barrage of Fantomas/The Dillinger Escape Plan/Mr Bungle inspired madness upon the masses. At first Internet Killed The Audio Star comes across as just one big incoherent mess of musical ideas. After a couple of intense listening sessions things really start to sink in and you’ll start to uncover the raw and unpolished gem that this album really is.

Freestyle jazz, breakdowns, death metal, progressive rock, funk and even a bit of blues, simply everything is allowed to make compositions like You’ll Never Die In This Town, The Spark Of Divinity, My Sweetheart The Whore, Mare and the different Empathic Communicator parts float. Transcending musical boundaries is the message here.

The vocals are just as varied as the music and encompass everything between screaming, growling and clean vocals. A special mention should go the rhythm section, because they are the glue holding the musical lunatic asylum that is Internet Killed The Audio Star together. This album has a somewhat raw production, giving it an even harsher edge.

If you’re into Fantomas, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Mr Bungle, Between The Buried And Me and Cephalic Carnage you should give this album a go. You won’t be disappointed.

Actual review here: http://homenucleonics.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/name-internet-killed-the-audio-star/

Awesome review by "Tempelores" from The Netherlands

2010-06-17T01:17:00.000-07:00

Releasedate: 19-04-2010; Label: Lifeforce Records
By: Lara Cappelli

NAME (New Approach to Martyrs Expressions) is an American Experimental Metal band formed in 2003 by brothers Wes and Jeremy Fareas.

The experiment carried by Name is to put in their music as many styles as you can imagine, including Metal, Death, Grind and little of Jazz and Electro as well, although I’d definitely put this album into Metal. Right from the screaming start of “Killer Whales, Man” you take a deep breath and get into this chaotic and energetic atmosphere. Something that must be said is that “Internet Killed The Audiostar” atmosphere is far from being any relaxing; on the contrary, through the first couple of songs, NAME immediately demonstrate what they want to deliver: an aggressive but sometimes slightly overwhelming kind of music. The appreciable thing to point out here is the flexibility of the album that hardly gets repetitive, balancing the most brutal parts to some calmer melodies like the ones you find in the beginning of “The Sycophant, The Saint & The Gamefox” and “You’ll Never Die In This Town Again”.

There’s really a lot to find out in this album and even if initially all the elements found in there seem to be hardly linked to each other, afterwards the whole picture starts to get a bit clearer and for this, more appreciable.

Actual review here: http://tempelores.com/?p=2293

"Name Of The Wall" Tour Dates

2010-06-12T13:52:00.001-07:00

Here are the dates.. I brought them to YOU.. So now, pick a date, and mark on your calendars... Lets have some fun. It's been a long while since we've hit some of these areas up, so let have a blast like we did last time we were there!! NO EXCUSES! lets make it happen.

7/03/2010 Charm City Art Space - Baltimore, MD w/ Questioner, Old Crow
7/04/2010 *TBA/HELP NEEDED - Richmond/DC/Virginia Beach, etc.
7/05/2010 *TBA/HELP NEEDED - Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington, etc., NC
7/06/2010 The Muse - Nashville, TN
7/07/2010 Drunken Unicorn - Atlanta, GA w/ Let The Night Roar
7/08/2010 The Tavern - Hattiesburg, MS
7/09/2010 The Bar - Metairie, LA
7/10/2010 *TBA/HELP NEEDED - Dallas, Austin, Amarillo, San Antonio, etc, TX
7/11/2010 *TBA/HELP NEEDED - Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Albuquerque, etc, NM
7/12/2010 Revolver Records - Phoenix, AZ w/ Black Sheep Wall, Hellas Mounds
7/13/2010 Surf City Saloon - Huntington Beach, CA
7/14/2010 Cobalt Cafe - Los Angeles, CA w/ Black Sheep Wall
7/16/2010 The Red House - Walnut Creek, CA w/ Black Sheep Wall, Izeovasis
7/17/2010 The Fire Escape - Sacramento, CA w/ Black Sheep Wall, Journal
7/18/2010 The Zephyr - Reno, NV w/ Otis
7/19/2010 The Outer Rim - Salt Lake City, UT w/ Black Sheep Wall, God's Revolver
7/20/2010 The Old Curtis Street Bar - Denver, CO
7/21/2010 The Slowdown - Omaha, NE w/ Masses
7/22/2010 RME Hall - Davenport, IA w/ Spanish Harlem
7/23/2010 The Aquarium - Fargo, ND
7/24/2010 *TBA/HELP NEEDED - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Madison, Wausau, Milwaukee, etc, MN/WI
7/25/2010 Metal Shaker - Chicago, IL w/ Arbogast
7/26/2010 Level 2 - Lansing, MI w/ Ganon, Endless Aisle
7/27/2010 *TBA/HELP NEEDED - Cleveland, Akron, Columbus, Buffalo, Rochester, Pittsburgh, etc, OH/NY/PA
7/28/2010 The Shop - Ithaca, NY
7/29/2010 The Downtown Quarterback - Endicott, NY w/ This City Needs A Hero, And Then There Was Darkness
7/30/2010 Webster Hall - New York, NY w/ Black Cobra, Howl, Struck By Lightning
7/31/2010 Keyport VFW - Keyport, NJ w/ Abacinate, The Ghost In Black And White, An Aborted Memory, Sydbarret
8/01/2010 Broad St. Ministry - Philadelphia, PA
8/02/2010 The Charleston - Brooklyn, NY w/ Meek Is Murder

I heart EMG!

2010-06-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

So my new pickups are almost here, probably in a couple hours. Im super pumped. I feel like a goddamn kid the night of christmas eve... which is actually my birthday... no joke.. Anyways, this is pretty rewarding: http://www.emgpickups.com/artists/artist/627

Review from Denmark publication "Power of Metal"

2010-06-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

New review from "Dont Count On It Reviews"

2010-06-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Simplicity Just Wasn't An Option Apparently.

Name is a mathcore band from California. The band's name stands for New Approach to Martyrs Expressions. This is their debut record and exhibits everything you might expect from a new band within the genre.
The band site influences that range from metal to jazz to progressive rock, but some of those can be lost in the technicality of some of the songs. Within a lot of these tracks, you get a sound that is quite varied, if not on the verse of Mr. Bungle weirdness, with just the opening track, Killer Whales, Man, sounding like a mix of Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, and Seemless. This type of extreme genre shifting can be hard to listen to due to the almost disregard for any conventional structure.
The guitars on this album are quite spastic sounding, think Ben Weinman playing with members of Mr. Bungle and The Faceless. These songs move from crazy technicality, My Sweetheart, The Whore, to almost proggy, Empathetic Communicator: Part III: Your Sun Machine, Your Space Embracer (Concious Competence), with a good amount of interplay with the other instruments in the band. The main style could obviously be derived from bands like TDEP, but the influences mentioned above come into play later in the album, and are played well enough to grab you. The almost post-rock influence comes up more often than expected within these songs as well.
The bass is mixed between everything on the album rather well. While the bass isn't heard in every track as well as some; when it does come up, it's used effectively. The bass is very groovy and full of rumbles, so the bass lines on here, listen to Mare, are great sounding.
Vocals on this album are just as diverse sounding as the music. From song to song you'll get an odd mix of hardcore screams, deathcore grunts, melodic singing, and everything in between. Shifts from one style to another go in sync with the music, a lot of rehearsal maybe, and show a lot of overall ability.
Most of the songs on here are about 5 minutes long, but are similar in their spastic nature. When the band goes on a tangent, they really start to shine, like in Mare or The Sycophant, The Saint & The Gamefox, where they reach for over 9 minutes. These tracks explore a lot more territory within the jazz, progressive rock, and even the post-rock areas without being nearly as crazy sounding.
Overall, this is a decent record with some interesting parts. Whether you're into the more spastic elements of metal or hardcore, or the more melodic and experimental, you'll find at least one song on this record that peaks your interest. Maybe a bit too long for it's own good, but if you're a fan, the more, the better.
Overall Score: 7
Highlights: Empathetic Communicator: Part I: Hommage to The Hunter (Unconscious Incompetence), Mare, The Sycophant, The Saint & The Gamefox, Avaler L'océan

http://dontcountonitreviews.blogspot.com/2010/05/name-internet-killed-audiostar.html

In The Studio...

2010-05-29T16:40:00.000-07:00

Amazing and incredibly interesting review in form of a short story by "All Shools Network"

2010-05-13T15:53:00.000-07:00

It's really rare that I'm overwhelmed when it comes to music and, above all, it's even rarer that I lack the words to be rewritten and what I hear. Well, they do exist but these moments, these plates that I can hear it so often and yet I find no coherent sentence to one. NAME are fucking assholes, because they play with my intellect, because they remove me without warning me. I have admitted it, they can play with me and now I have the salad. I'm sitting here in a white room, the walls are padded with rubber and over again without wishing I could, I jump up and run with start-up against the wall. The rubber prevents that I violated, the strait-jacket, however, prevents it as well that I can support myself on impact on the ground with their hands and therefore always falls on my already battered head, lose consciousness, and again this abstruse obscure and but it must hear so calculated music. I myself am guilty, I did not want it otherwise.

So I lay there on the floor, bound, his arms behind his back and walk through my subconscious. Time and again I feel are ridiculous figures, armed with microphones, instruments and both screaming, and grunting dark and clear singing voices. You want to tell me something. A story that only they speak a language you do not understand. I only know the story is called "Internet Killed The Audio Star" and is among others of "Killer Whales, Man"! This is the info with which they leave me alone, plug in their instruments to the current, short aufhusten and then start bashing me. They seek their prey from the targeted, it can not defend. I am looking for structure, to understand. After a clue. But can not hear myself think. NAME rush around the corner disappear in an ambient nothingness and dip in the technical mess up again. They have masks on. Masks that represent the distorted faces. They provided her with a mess hall, I yell at me for minutes and then open up the art of break downs. This is the second in which I begin to understand. I think at least. Think again. What are the jazz musicians doing there in the other cell? He's still only just getting his medications that were given to me even today. I scream. NAME screams. It's getting dark, I hear the clicking of the door handle and wake up.

Men in white coats enter my cell. There are four. They talk quietly on me. Tell me that everything will be fine. I believe them. Get scared but when two of them fall on me, pressing my legs and my head on the floor. The third grabs his belt bag and pulls out a syringe, it tackles and chases me into the vein. Strange feeling. Liberating and somehow reassuring. But what about the fourth man, who stands legs apart all the time about me and grins at me? With a start he makes a face as if he had pain attacks, on the back, grabs and pulls the skin off his face. Just do the others, except that which suddenly dissolves into air, and what comes to light them, are the faces that seem familiar to me from my subconscious. I panicked eyes to tear and the game starts over. The man who abused me with his voice tells me about his girlfriend, and uses the words "My Sweetheart, The Whore". It is not I who is crazy, it's you my friend, I think to myself, while screaming at me again softly whispers into the ear without. What is wrong not only with you, I think, you're manic depressive, you have an aggression problem? I just want to express my thoughts when I first guitar neck and then a blood taste. This will be my end.

NAME can not but that I escape the chaos because, in my subconscious to become unconscious and go on with other strategy. It would have been "Empathic Communicator" that can also tell a coherent, 20-minute history. Instead, they prefer to divide it into four acts: "Part I: Homage To The Hunter (Unconscious Incompetence)", "Part II: Bee Bee (Conscious Incompetence)", "Part III: Your Sun Machine, Your Space Embracer (Conscious Competence)" and "Part IV: How To Murder The Earth (Unconscious Competence)". I am beginning to understand the intentions of the people that make me stand there and to realize that everything that happens here is cold calculus to me to destroy systematically. But not directly. For first they play me fantastically beautiful melodies, show me that they can do differently. Fast conciliatory one might think. I rely not on it. I close my eyes, I flee to another place, just to escape for a few seconds of torture. I reach for the saving hand. Realize too late that it is the wrong one and I'm back in the cell. Once again, buzzing around comic characters: "The Sycophant, The Saint & The Gamefox", rear sitting in the corner "Dave Mustaine," but I do not know who that is, strangely enough only know his name before and I know not to do as all want here.

And then suddenly everything goes very quickly. The controlled chaos is uncontrolled. NAME over themselves to take no longer me apart, but operate on each other at the open chest. They destroy their melodies, their structure, they break down into its individual parts. Add them together again. Everything is in one sense. The missing puzzle piece is found, but has called for looking his victims. The white cell is mottled red, lifeless bodies lying around me, and I'm suddenly a straitjacket more. I found myself in the room and me dripping down blood. Only it's not mine. The camera pulls back from the Close-Up in the long shot and I myself see as a bloody, grinning diabolically monster with a giant knife in his hand. One of the lifeless figures turns her head to me and with great effort she shares with me spitting blood: "You'll Never Die in This Town Again". Before he spoke the words over, I ram my knife into the neck and sacs on the wet ground, where I breathe my last gasping breath. He was right, but I said yes, NAME are assholes.

Humorous interview with Wes & Jeremy for "All Shools Network"

2010-05-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

1. Hey! This is Alex from Allschools Network. Thank you for taking the time to answer to a few of my questions. I hope everything is fine. Could you please at first introduce yourself?

Hi, Alex. My name is Wes and I'm the singer and guitarist of Name. And I'm Jeremy, Wes' brother and bassist of Name.

2. "Internet Killed The Audio Star“ is finally released? What kind of feeling is that and are you content with the result?

Wes: Its an incredible sigh of relief. It took so long to put these pieces together. Over the course of 4 or 5 years, we hit so many obstacles that held us back from finishing this record, that we started to think it wasn't going to happen at all. We wanted to get this out so badly, but we didn't want to rush the process, or else we would've just been unsatisfied and it would've defeated the purpose. But, to make a bad situation good, we managed to use that time spent and make a record that is almost the soundtrack to the trials and tribulations of us together and individually over the course of 5 years.

3. I still ask myself if the title of the album is a tribute to the Buggles „Video Killed The Radio Star“. Am I right and what was the idea behind that title?

W: The title is a play off of the Buggles song, yes. When "Video Killed The Radio Star" came out, it land marked the changing of the tide. The music industry, ethic, and aesthetic all changed practically over night. With the current state of music, we figure we'd just come forth and basically say "hey, we're all aware this is happening, so knock your bullshit off". We're just offering the moniker as a title to a new chapter.

4. I must admit, I was a over challenged by reviewing your album and I am very sorry, that I chose the words: „Name are assholes, because they play with my intellect and dismantle me without a warning.“. I hope you can live with that. Could you please try to explain to the people that have not heard of you yet in a few words how „Internet Killed The Audio Star“ sounds like?

W: haha that's amazing. I haven't actually read your review yet, but I definitely will now. I'd rather get that response from the majority then grotesque confusion without any willingness to open their mind. But, I guess, if I had to say anything about what IKTAS sounds like, I'd say "chaotic easy listening". An amalgam of everything we've enjoyed in live, not just music. So have an open mind when listening, or I guarantee intense bleeding from the eyes and probably an annoying bowel movement.

5. During listening to the album, I saw myself in a white room wearing a straitjacket. You were some kind of, yeah i think monsters, which tried to destroy me with their music and behavior. Do you see yourselves like that, too? (But let me tell you, in the end I was the monster that killed you, you made me do it, I am sorry again).

W: I don't see us so much as monsters, as I see us like obsessive, pussy, pale skinned vampires with massive foreheads that are undeniably uncomfortable for others to look at... Either way, I see us doing damage to various groups of the music scene.

6. Let me ask you a few questions referring to the album. My first one would be: Why did you divide Empathic Communicator into four parts instead of putting a song of like 20 Minutes on the album?

Jeremy: We did that for a few choice reasons; One being that we understand that the attention span of most people here on planet Earth has significantly diminished in the past few years with the development of modern technology at such an exponential rate, that can lead to distractions and what not, so by splicing it up into 4 parts gave the listener the choice of selecting the tracks that pertained to their mood, or gave the option of skipping through the "chapters" of the track. Because the song is a lot to take in at once, and we understood that. Secondly, we wanted to give 4 separate identities to the songs, they all are pretty different and it tells 4 different perspectives of one culminating concept.

7. I guess your inspiration comes from a dozen of different bands, musicians, experiences and so on. Your sound tells me that you do not want to stagnate in one genre and that you try to blast some barriers. But could you please name at least three of your most important inspirations for the music and the lyrics as well?

J: First and foremost we would have to say that one of our biggest inspirations to do anything, musically and lyrically would have to be George Carlin. He came from a place of reasoning, facts, cynicism, brutal honesty, and a way of crafting himself that could command an audience and make sure you knew what it is he was feeling and why he was feeling it. Also he was always shifting in his stand up where he could go on a serious tangent that would be offensive to most, and then offset everything by saying something completely off the wall without any transition or reason why, yet you were already captivated by his words. That kind of feeling is what we're trying to do with our art. Oh yeah, we get inspiration Tom Waits, and Pink Floyd...because they're fucking awesome.

8. Hands down, how many parts of your songs are really planned as they sound and has there been some kind of improvisation during the recording process? I´m not a musician but I can´t imagine, that everything of „Internet Killed The Audio Star“ was written in stone before you entered the studio, it´s just to screwy.

J: We had most of our songs and ideas already worked in before we had entered the studio. Some of the songs we've had for years, but decided to give them a sonic overhaul so it depicted where we are now rather than looking backwards. For example, the song "The Spark Of Divinity" was written 7 years ago, we've been playing it for so long, but we knew it was a good track, so we dismantled it and found this combination that worked and wanted to have it sound the way we do live, after playing it for so long. We're very meticulous with our sound, and sometimes it takes us a month to write 30 seconds worth of material, and other times it took us 1 day to write 2 songs. Your creative mindset can play tricks on you. But to be honest, most of the material was already written. I mean, of course the studio can act like another member of the band and gives you room for even more experimentation and development to put ideas into fruition. We like to mess around with sonic layers and weird recording techniques, but that's about it. The ground work for the album was already solidified going into the studio. It wasn't easy by any means, but somehow...we did it.

9. How long did the recording all in all take and how was the time in the studio? Fun or even hard work?

W: The recording process was an interesting gem. It seemed to span a lifetime because of how overly meticulous we are. Their were definitely fun times because its such an exciting platform for this band to finally give a heartbeat to these songs. We're birthing a new chapter into our lives, so we take it very seriously. But, we can't help but have fun with the energy in the room. It boiled down to 70% work, 30% pure fuckery. As Jeremy mentioned early, we like to take advantage of the resources of the studio, so to showcase our personality as honestly as possible via the music, we knew we needed to take a step back, relax, and re approach the pieces. Over all, the entire process was fun, but if you became a distraction, we'd eat you alive.

10. One user of our webzine said that your album is way better than the new Dillinger Escape Plan album called „Option Paralysis“. I think this is a great honor. But what do think about this statement?

W: That's incredibly flattering. We've never approached what we do with any intention of comparison. We do what we do our way, so to have someone say something like that is just so incredibly flattering. We enjoy that record and respect the DEP guys, but they're DEP. They've paved the road for a lot of bands in our genre. Its incredibly humbling.

11. Last question: What are The Sycophant, The Saint & The Gamefox and what the fuck have they done with Dave Mustaine (do you refer to Megadeth?) in my white cell?

W: They are the 3 stylists that keep his fiery, red, lava hair so shiny. Everyone needs a little suave in their metal.

12. Once again thank you very much for your time and I hope I did not insult you too much. Everything of this should be rated as a big compliment for an absolute incredible album. Thank you for that. Last words are up to you!

W: There's not a single fucking thing you could have said to insult us in any way, shape or form. We've had a blast with the interview and appreciate having a laid back approach. We're incredibly glad you enjoyed the record, but stop sucking our dicks so hard. Just joking.. Or am I? Anyways, spread the joy and majesty of the album to all of your cohorts. Everyone, give the album a chance and listen with an open mind. Also, follow us on all of forms of social networking over at http://www.facebook.com/nameband, http://www.myspace.com/name, and http://www.twitter.com/name. Add us on those pages and talk to us. Give us something to do on these websites other then become sexual predators. Cheers.

Review from French metal magazine, "Metal Federation"

2010-05-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

NAME - Internet Killed the audiostar
Released: April 19, 2010
Style: Mathcore, Hardcore epileptic
Label: Lifeforcerecords

Tracklist:

01. Killer Whales, Man
02. My Sweetheart, The Whore
03. The Spark Of Divinity
04. Homage To The Hunter
05. Bee Bee
06. Your Sun Machine, Your Space Embracer
07. How To Murder The Earth
08. Pond
09. The sycophant, The Saint, And The Gamefox
10. Dave Mustaine
11. Swallow The Ocean
12. You'll Never Die In This Town Again
13. Charm

New Approach to Martyrs Expressions, this is what the NAME means, we understand why the group has cut everything. Note that this combo is an American trio recently signed to Lifeforce Records, who released they're new album in Europe two months after released in the United States.

Founded in 2003 by brothers Wes and Jeremy Fareas, NAME is an amalgam of Mathcore, Hardcore, Grindcore, Jazz and Electro, just that you say?? As you can imagine, the music of the combo is absolutely impossible to categorize. However, I will help you so you understand what is driving NAME. You take a bit of Dillinger Escape Plan, you sprinkle Converge, add a touch of Napalm Death, a strand of Between The Buried and Me and you give birth to New Approach to Martyrs Expressions. Let me tell you that this training is unique and distant from all preconceived ideas. The main strength that gives off this album is the incredible power of the compositions, it never stops, and it surprises us, continually changing pace where we do not expect it at all. A tribute to singer / guitarist who is very strong. He managed to evolve in a variety of voices within a song while maintaining incredible vigor.
Attending a live performance of the combo should be a sacred experience that should not be totally free. Also, be aware that the pieces usually last between five and seven minutes which is huge for a group of such intensity. Imagine that same title exceeds ten minutes. Fortunately for musicians, there are long passages almost prog that give them a needed relief. The album in its entirety encompasses thirteen tracks for seventy-seven minutes of music, which is very rare nowadays. But as I said previously, NAME is the opposite of what you can expect.
It must however admit that the cake as it is not apprehended as quickly as a disk Alizée. The effort could probably be hurting you during the first few minutes of listening, but you know, without doubt, you will appreciate this album shortly after.

For a true first album, Internet Killed the Audiostar wins the challenge with flying colors. Extravagant, stamped, but especially passionate and unpredictable, NAME deserves interest in them!

A stream priority: "The Sycophant, The Saint, And The Gamefox"

My rating: 18/20

http://metal-federation.com/readarticle.php?article_id=491

Live Videos

2010-05-05T05:52:00.000-07:00

So recently, we have been getting tons of footage from shows these past few months. So figured id share them with ya:

name - "Empathic Communicator" Chapterts I - IV (Full Song) Live from name on Vimeo.

An interesting read for musicians/bands...

2010-05-01T16:39:00.000-07:00

"Does Your Band Have What it Takes?"

By David Lowry
http://lowryagency.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/does-your-band-have-what-it-takes/

So many times I have a meeting with bands after a call from one individual in the band that is carrying the load. While this can work and has happened in the past with certain groups, it is certainly an attempt at swimming up stream for the band and not fair to the individual doing all the work. Unless the band is at a point in their career where they can afford a team of management, PR, Booking, legal, graphic design, web design and photography, they need to be able to handle the bulk of this on their own, with the exception of legal of course.

A band is team of individuals that hopefully are all on the same page as to what the bands vision and goals are. It is up to each individual to carry his or her own weight and not pile all the responsibility upon one person. There is usually one person who is the "leader" but hopefully the band works on an equal basis unless ownership dictates otherwise. Each person needs to have defined roles and responsibilities and do their best to live up to them. If any individual is not pulling their weight they are slowing the band down or putting them at a stand still in the career path the band has chosen. This is not fair to the band.

I recommend that the band have a meeting or two on just business and have everyone pick the jobs they can do best or have time for. Not everyone may be able to put in the same amount of time or money, but that isn't the point. It's about taking some of the responsibility and sharing it so it isn't overwhelming one person and falling through the cracks. Things that need to be done are booking, social media, growing the fan base, email campaigns, business plans, marketing plans, tour management, press releases, endorsements etc There are so many things that need to happen for a band to have maximum impact and everyone needs to help out and do their share. If the band is not able to handle a certain portion such as writing a marketing plan, then they should seek out professional help with this particular item to help them get to the next level.

Band agreements are a great way to get everyone on the same page, explain the expectations, pay structure, touring expectations, per diem, royalties, band ownership and so on. It should be drawn up by a lawyer and signed by everyone. If any member of the band can't sign it or is unwilling, they are probably not the right person for the band. Everyone needs to be willing to put in as much as they can both time and money wise. It should not be the responsibility of just one person unless it's just their name on the band.

Wes' Interview with "Burn Your Ears"

2010-04-30T04:30:00.000-07:00

Hi. My name is Kai and im writing for the german webzine www.burnyourears.de

1. Please introduce yourself and your band to our readers.

Wes: My names Wes Fareas. I’m the singer and guitar player of the band. The others are Bobby Gibbs on drums and Jeremy Fareas on bass.

2. Whats the story behind NAME? How did you guys meet and did you know from the start, what kind of Music you wanted to play?

Wes: Our bass player, Jeremy, and I are brothers, so we’ve been playing music together for as long as we can both remember. I met Bobby freshmen year of high school. He was literally the first person I met at the school and in the town. From there, we go to talking about music, found a lot of share influences, decided to jam one day. I brought up my brother played bass, brought him out, and the rest is, as they say, history.

3. Whats the story behind your bandname? Getting tired of being asked that question?

Wes: With that band name comes the acceptance that we’re going to have to explain its origin more times then we could possibly imagine, haha… Anyways, I had the name for a long time. I was sitting on it with plans to use it at some point. After our high school bands dissipated, we formed with the original members, being us 3. We had toyed with names that would’ve made sense to our state of mind. It took a lot of trial and error, but when the name “name” was thrown into the mix, it just made to much sense to not have that be our moniker.

4. Did you ever feel the need that maybe more band members would be needed? You guys do such crazy shit as a three-piece…

Wes: We have mostly been a 4 piece throughout the bands career up until the record was recorded. We liked the aesthetic of it being a bare bones approach. But after going through more guitar players then we’d like to admit, I just took the responsibility into my own hands. I had a lot to do with the writing and arranging anyways, so it wasn’t that big of a change for me. The live aesthetic is definitely a different feel, but I enjoy it.

5. How come, you guys mix hardcore and Metal with Blues or Jazz? Does that happen organically or do you try to mix different styles on purpose?

Wes: It happens very organically. We never set out to make anything “out there”. It was never an intention to re invent the wheel, by any, means. We were very young when we started this band, mind you, so we weren’t aware of what was happening outside our realm. We just enjoyed different styles of music and thought ‘why not incorporate everything we’ve enjoyed listening to?’. Even the more straight forward bands we enjoyed always had a very wide sound. Heavy to soft and what not. It was just incredibly natural. As times went on, we kind of toned that experimentation into what you hear today.

6. You guys are on a german label and as far as myspace goes you seem to like war from a harlots mouth and the oceon. Ever been on tour here?

Wes: Not yet, we definitely plan to. We haven’t had the fortune of playing with WFAHM yet, but we did do some dates with The Ocean and they blew me away. A refreshing aggressive band for this day and age of stagnant heavy music.

7. There are some parts on the record, where its sounds, as if you guys had little problem, screaming the vocals. Did you ever think about getting a vocalist for live-gigs, that’s doesn’t have to play instruments at the same time?

Wes: I honestly don’t know which parts you’re referring to. To be honest, the screaming parts on the record were incredibly easy to track in the studio. The difficult parts were the clean vocals. We had spent a lot of time recording an organic record musically, that it slightly cut into my vocal tracking time. I felt slightly rushed in that process and definitely wish I had a bit more time. Next time we record, we’re making it a point to have sufficient amount of time to track all forms of vocals. Live though, I have managed to pull off guitars and vocals at the same time without problem.

8. Lets Play with your lyrics: Taken from “Dave Mustaine” : with Songs would you kill the world?

Wes: The central meaning behind that line is that music as an unrelenting power that people often underestimate. It truly has capabilities of destroying the world if it felt fit to. It’s just a line to show my appreciation for the art form, the language, the almost “other worldly” entity that is music.

9. Taken from “Avaler LÓcean”: In which city do you wanna die or be buried?

Wes: I don’t know what you’re talking about actually, haha. I literally don’t even use the word “city”. So, to answer your question… I don’t know, haha… The song is about someone falling in love with the ocean and eventually finding ruin in it instead of comfort. So, I guess I’d like to be swallowed by the ocean.

10. Taken from “Charmer”: What are your most “glorious failures”?

Wes: The line isn’t referring to my personal failures. Its referring to the sordid state of music and bands that have been popping up everywhere. When I say “you young cowards… you glorious failures” I’m directly and openly saying most bands are flat out fucking cowards. So many bands nowadays are afraid to do what they want musically. They fear criticism and adaptation and rely on what is “in” at the moment. It’s definitely the angriest song I’ve ever written and by far one of my favorites on the album. The lyrics are way more direct then most of the lyrics on the record. But, it’s also nothing to unique. I’m just another writer projection his disgust.

11. Can you explain the Cover to me?

Wes: The album in itself is basically a funeral for music. A tounge-in-cheek reference to the current state of the music industry. The cover just reinforces that concept. We wanted to show a somewhat obsolete instrument outside of orchestral/classical music. By adding the spine to it, we shows a more organic reference to music and it’s decay. We chose a light color scheme because we’re personally getting tired of metal records always having to be “dark and brooding”. It also shows another somewhat sarcastic trait in our personalities by showing there is a way to make an aggressive record with a dark, in nature, theme without it being straight black with fire on the cover.

12. Famous Last Words?

Wes: Thank you for taking the time to talk to me about the record. Hopefully you enjoy it and hopefully so do the readers. If you haven’t purchased “Internet Killed The Audio Star” today, give something new a chance and pick it up off Itunes, Amazon or your local record store. It’s released in both North America and Europe, so there isn’t any reason as to why you can’t find it. It’s an honest record written and recorded by 3 guys who are head over heels in love with music. A record made for true music appreciators and supporters. Also, keep in touch with us through all our forms of networking. Myspace.com/name, Facebook.com/nameband, Twitter.com/name. Check back with us and find a date near you. Cheers.

Thank you for your time and your answers
Best of luck with the record

Wes: Thank you

Kai / www.burnyourears.de

Bobbys Interview with "Metal Team UK"

2010-04-23T13:58:00.001-07:00

Name Interview questions for www.metalteamuk.net

Hey guys, cheers for the interview! First of all, introduce yourselves, and answer this burning question: why did you name yourselves Name?

What's up man, this is Bobby the drummer. You know my favourite thing about the fact that our name is simply "Name" is that it doesn't confine us to any musical limitations whatsoever. When you read it it's not gonna remind you of gore metal or pop-punk or anything. That's sort of its main purpose, to keep things less about gimmicks and more about art.

How would you describe your music, and how would you say it fits into the current metal scene?

We generally describe our music as simply "heavy music." And music doesn't have to be metal to be heavy. Obviously we incorporate a great deal of screaming and hi-gain, but that's really just one side to us. Everything we do, we do for the most part with extreme intensity, even if it's ambient or a jazz piece. That's more what we mean by "heavy". In regard to how we fit into the current metal scene, I don't really think we've even been looking at things in terms of particular "scenes." We've had the privilege of sharing the stage with a lot of awesome bands, and not all of them were metal bands. Because of the variety on our record, we've been able to adjust our set list as necessary for the type of tour it is. Now that I'm thinking about it, perhaps the metal scene may be the most welcoming of our music because they are of course more tolerant of things like screaming and more elaborate time signatures. So to answer your question, I suppose it, well, fits nicely??................?.............8=è

How did you arrive at where you are now - what sort of bands did you play in before Name, and how did they lay the ground work for Name?

The 3 of us have actually been playing music together on and off for 10 years. Jeremy and I spent a huge portion of our teenage years studying jazz and really focusing on trying to soak in as many styles as possible on our respective instruments. We've also all been in so many different types of bands growing up, including grunge, acid rock, fusion, etc. Kinda hard to take all of that and make something boring haha

What have been your biggest inspirations for what you do? The review I did picked out everything from Dillinger Escape Plan to Jaco Pastorius...

Just really everyone and everything we've ever seen and heard in our lives. DEP and Jaco were definitely big for some of us. But it's hard to list people because of course you listen to so much music in your life that it's difficult to determine which artist inspired what particular action for you. So I guess I'll just say "life" is our biggest inspiration..too cliché? Fuck...

How much of a challenge is it to write your songs? You really do seem to push yourselves as musicians and songwriters...is that something you keep in your consciousness for when you write?

I actually wasn't even in the band when many of those songs were beginning to take shape. But once we have the basic skeleton to work with (usually consisting of guitar riffs and lyrics), the 3 of us get together and really just do whatever the hell we want with it. Of course we push ourselves, but not awkwardly. We don't tell ourselves that we need to keep the bar up, because if you're a real musician, you're ALWAYS growing. You stop growing when you die. I'll probably be writing my best stuff when I'm in my 90's. You're damn right I just said that. BOOSH.

Onto to your album... There are some very interesting song titles there, but the album title "Internet Killed the Audio Star" suggests an overarching theme on the changing nature of the music business. What is your take on how the internet is changing the way bands operate?

I think the internet has made it so much easier for an artist to be heard. Many bands have been discovered and experienced great success from just internet promotion. But it's of course forcing the bigwigs to change their tactics as well. The days of signing that golden record contract and going platinum are coming to an end. This is of course due to illegal downloading, which is sorta the tounge-n-cheek meaning behind the album title. People aren't buying records anymore. It's more about the live show now than it ever has been, which is awesome for us because that's always been our bread and butter. Nowadays if you want to make music your career, you HAVE to tour. A LOT. The albums that you make are now simply promotion for your live show. But hey, just don't suck live and it won't be a problem ;)

Was it a difficult process recording "Internet Killed the Audio Star"? You had a relatively long gestation period of 4 years - was it difficult to keep focus during this time, or was it necessary for the music?

I think a little of both. One major reason it took so long was that Name went through so many members over the past 4 years, myself included. I've been in and out of this band 4 times for various reasons. In fact the musical chemistry between the 3 of us may have been a major reason for the delay of this record, because I kept leaving, ironically after each recording session I did with them. The record would've sounded awkward if it was me on a few tracks and some other drummer on some other tracks and so on. But that's just from my perspective. I can't speak for them but I know that some of the tracks were written recently, which means that they wouldn't have been on the record if it weren't for the delay, whatever the cause was.

How do you find the reaction from audiences when you're playing live?

The feedback we've been getting has been incredibly positive. People are far more open to the variety on the record than we could've ever hoped.

This'll be the last question, so thank you for your time. Now the album's out almost everywhere - and hopefully being bought by everyone - what's next for Name?

We intend to tour behind this record for a long time. We may release an EP later this year or early next year. But we wanna put the majority of our effort into promoting the hell out of this record, so see ya on the road!

http://www.myspace.com/name

Steve Jones

Jeremy breaks down 'Empathic Communicator', 'Dave Mustaine', 'My Sweetheart, The Whore' & MORE w/ "Neckbreaker" webzine

2010-04-21T14:59:00.001-07:00

-Hey Guys, how are you doing? I am writing for the german webzine called "Neckbreaker". So, at first: Please introduce this three-piece called "NAME".

Jeremy: We're a band from San Francisco, California. Consisting of myself (Jeremy Fareas) as the bassist. My brother Wes Fareas on guitar and vocals, and Bobby Gibbs on drums. Us 3 have been playing music for 10 years together and put together "name" since 2003. We're a band that is trying to revive integrity in music and show as much conviction as 3 guys in a band could.

-I rated your CD "Internet Killed The Audio Star" with 8 of 10 Points. I was quite stunned of all the musical influences you assimilate in your music. I guess you listen to all this different music styles also in private? What are your favorite artists of Jazz, Blues and the other extraordinary styles?

Jeremy: Aw..this question, I could literally post 7+ pages full of noteworthy artists/bands, but I can pull out a select few that we put in constant rotation, we're very much into artists such amazing jazz guys like Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Brubeck, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Count Basie, Jaco Pastorius, and outside of that a lot of Wes Montgomery, Pat Metheny, and Stu Hamm. We listen to A LOT of Tom Waits, for he gives us so much inspiration every time we listen to him. Wes frequents a lot of female vocalists like Sade, and Scarlett Johansson, also Massive Attack, Telepopmusik, Portishead and Ceú. Then we have our abstract listens like Zu, Squarepusher, Aphex Twin, Sigur Ros, Zombi, and The Bird and the Bee. Right now I'm really into The Dead Weather, Atoms For Peace, Jay-Z and Old Crow Medicine Show. I had a chance to see them at the Coachella festival, and all of it was brilliant. Most of the time we really don't listen to heavy music. We like to gather our inspiration from the oddest of places.

-How long took the songwriting process for "IKTAS"?

J: We took the span of 4 years to write this record. But not all the songs took that long. We're so incredibly meticulous with our sound that sometimes it'll take months to write 15 seconds worth of material, and other times it'll take a day to write 2 songs. Everything we do has to be felt and not forced. For example we had our song "Spark of Divinity" written for 7 years, but we re-worked the song to make it have more life than ever. And the last 3 songs on our album we wrote in a matter of 2 days, and worked out beautifully. We took a chunk of time to gather a lot of material we had and the songs that have been completed to make sure that they were up to our satisfaction. Like I aforementioned, we are our worst critics, so we needed make sure we were 110% happy with what we had.

-Coming to the title of the CD. This reminds me of the BUGGLES-Classic "Video Killed The Radio Star" and I think this is not casually. On the one hand you're right because a lot of music listeners don't have the original CDs (or even Vinyl) of the interpreters on their rack but use digital media on iPod, Handy etc. But on the other hand, the distribution of music is much faster via internet and a band may reach more people. What's your opinion about this matter?

J: Well the title is a play off of the Buggles song. But for us, the title of the cd marks the end of a generation, and the start of a new, ambitious, and uncertain future. That song "Video Killed The Radio Star" at the time was describing how times were changing and how different forms of media were coming into fruition, and it left people wondering what was going to happen with their music. Well, fast forward a couple of decades and its history
repeating itself. The way we hear and receive new music is completely different now then it ever has been. Everything in media is so accessible, and so fast. Everyone is connected at once, and its both positive and negative. Positive being that some independent artists are receiving credit where they rightfully should and is helping people find new music or discover genres they wouldn't normally listen to. At the same time, especially with bands, is that they rely too much on their myspaces, or digital downloads and forget how essential it is to tour and make your art come alive.

-What's the story behind "Empathic Communicator" which is parted in four tracks?

J: I researched the concept of "The Empathic Communicator" and discovered some amazing information pertaining to the mind and how it processes its own ideas. The mind is apparently split into 4 states of consciousness and I thought it would be an incredible way to play on this theme. So I gave the idea to Wes, he loved it. I really wanted to write a 4 part song, giving 4 individual identities to one centralized theme. I had some general ideas sonically where I wanted to go. Wes helped gather a lot of transitions into play to have it make more sense. He also really ran with the concept lyrically and created this whole story, all nepotism aside, I thoroughly enjoy his lyrics and really loved what he did with this song. It definitely gave the songs more life. We split up the tracks into 4 parts because collectively its almost 23 minutes, so for the sake of the listener's attention span, it was easier to make 4 separate tracks to have the listener go to the song pertaining to the mood they were feeling at the time. It was definitely one of the most exciting and challenging pieces we've ever worked on.

-One track is entitled "My Sweetheart, The Whore". Did one of the bandmembers have bad experiences with women?

J: No. Haha, but good question. Wes's lyrics are very cryptic and never usually to be taken for face value, which is why they make for interesting and thought provoking reads. The title of the song basically shows duality, not necessarily love, or passion in any regard.

-What can you tell about the song "Dave Mustaine": Is it a homage or a malapropism for the legendary MEGADETH-Frontman?

J: I'll give the rundown on that title, it seems to create a lot of confusion. Everytime we put a song into motion, giving it a basic structure and what not, we give the songs working titles of Sigourney Weaver movies (this is no joke by the way), we do this because its easier trying to come up with a working title, and also because Sigourney Weaver is fucking brilliant. So that song had the working title "Dave"...after the song was completed and we had written this very serious metal song with this completely almost inappropriate dance part at the end of the song that made it seem a bit silly. We enjoy that kind of feeling haha. But I believe we watched the "No More Mr. Nice Guy" video from Megadeth and what we saw seemed to make sense for the song. That video is incredibly corny and seems wildly out of context and doesn't make sense for Dave Mustaine, because he's supposed to be this serious metal musician, but had this very un-serious video and you couldn't help but laugh at it. So it just stuck. We like it, and its neither an homage nor insult to him.

-Will there be a chance to see you in Europe on stage?

J: Well our album was just released in Europe on April 19th, and this year we hope to be out there very very soon. We thank all of you for the amazing responses and support and we can't wait to see all of your wonderful faces, just so we can blowtorch them off with our music. Until then, thank you for this interview and thank you to all the readers.

-Thank you very much for answering these questions, the last words are yours:

J: Anyone who has taken the time to listen to our music or to try and understand where we come from musically, we appreciate all of you. Your support means everything to us. Please help support independent artists all over the world, and go to shows, discover new music on your own. Gather inspiration from odd places, you'll never know what you'll find or how they will affect you. I'll get off my soap box now, thank you all.

-Take care, Brix

Wes sits down w/ "Rock Tribune Magazine" about the social networking sites, art, the comparison game w/ DEP & BTBAM, and a Korn referance

2010-04-21T13:58:00.001-07:00

xINTERVIEW for Rock Tribune magazine - NAME

Off course it's a cliché, but it is also the most logical question for a band that is new to our ears:

Can you give us a short description of what this band stands for, the history and so on? What do we need to know about the band Name?

Wes: We're a band based out of San Francisco, CA consisting of myself on vocals and guitar, Bobby Gibbs on drums and my brother Jeremy Fareas on bass. The 3 of us have been playing music together for over 10 years and have remained steadfast in our music regarding always creating the music we enjoy hearing. The heartbeat of this band is that we are artists and truely care about what we're doing. Our music is an amalgam of everything we've ever enjoyed and respected involving music, film, literature, etc. We are trying to restore honesty in music and so far, we feel we've succeeded.

Apparently, NAME is not just the band name but also an acronym. What does it stand for and what does it mean to you?

Wes: It stands for "the new approach to
martyrs expressions". The name is self explanatory in a way, but it was meant as a statement that we believe in what we're doing and the moment that changes, we'll be dead. It seems like integrity has been replaced by a nervousness to cross boundries like bands used to. We're trying to revive that approach to music as much as possible.

Is there also a statement with the fact that you go for such a vague 'name'? Did you take inspiration from the punk rock band No Use For A Name who also seemed to kind of mock band names (or disguise a lack of inspiration)?

Wes: Actually, none of us listen to them, we're familiar with them, but in no way did our name derive from them. To be honest, we enjoy fucking with people. As serious as we take our music, there isn't much else we take too seriously, so calling ourselves "name" is kind of tounge-in-cheek. Like it or hate it, you don't forget it.

Sometimes you know what to expect musically just from a band name, but you obviously can't with your band. Was that also an aspect you considered?

Wes: Definitely. Going by "name" showcases our personality, I suppose. It sort of forces you into a position to listen for yourself, rather then assume what we sound like. Its not hard nowadays to premptively pin point a bands sound based off the name, almost as if they're trying to make that happen. Thats just incredibly dissappointing.

On to the most important thing: the music! If I have to describe the sound of 'Internet Killed The Audio Star', I can't get around the term 'math core' and I would point out The Dillinger Escape Plan and Between The Buried And Me as references. Could you agree with that, are those bands you like or are inspired by? I can imagine it being a boring question to you, but I always like to get a feel for the influences of a band.

Wes: Its not a boring question at all, it allows us to speak out about the comparison game. Both The Dillinger Escape Plan and Between The Buried and Me are amazing bands and incredible people. All of us in the band are fans of both groups, and similair groups within the "mathcore" genre. But, we are not directly influenced by them. We know some of them personally and what we've gathered is we are all influenced by the same bands, which would make sense to the similair styles. The artists of the past have created a slew of musicians these past 15 some odd years within a relating realm, including DEP and BTBAM. Actually, they do inspire in a way. They help us feel confident in the fact that honest, aggressive music can find a home. As a new band, we can only offer ourselves as the next generation.

Off course, there is more to your album than that - and I definitely consider the comparisons to those bands as a compliment because I love the fact that they always evolve and incorporate so many musical styles in their sound. Where do the diverse influences in Name come from: do you all listen to music ranging from metal and hardcore to jazz and blues and post rock and so on?

Wes: I could take up hours of every readers time going into all the bands we're inspired by. But, what I can say is that as long as any of us can remember, we have been fans of some many different styles of music it almost seems unrealistic. We never saw it as odd that we could listen to Dave Brubeck, Cannibal Corpse, Depeche Mode, Sade, Soundgarden, Tom Waits, Jean Carlos Jobim, Napalm Death, Failure, The Allman Brothers, Refused, Sinatra and Bjork all in one sitting. There are others who don't see that as weird either and we find those are the ones who appreciate what we're trying to do.

One of the tracks that surprised me most, is the second one on the album 'My Sweetheart, The Whore' because for some reason I hear some Korn and System Of A Down like elements - which evokes some nostalgic feelings J. I am especially impressed by the part where there's just some cymbals and whispering: there are not many 'heavy' bands who have the guts to go 'quiet'. Did you even think about that or does that come very naturally for Name?

Wes: That song actually came really naturally for me to write musically and lyrically. Not at all influenced by Korn and S.O.A.D though, haha. Although Korns first 2 records fucking destroyed. As far as the cymbal part, that seriously was just Bobby and I throwing out the idea and making it happen. We just felt it added to the unique personality of the song. There are parts like that throughout our album, but it all came naturally. We don't set any boundries for ourselves whatsoever, so we never look at it as crossing a line, thats just who we are.

The latest album of The Dillinger Escape Plan is a true masterpiece in my humble opinion. It shows a band that has evolved immensely and matured into a very accomplished band, the album ebbs and flows naturally. I really do LOVE 'Internet Killed The Audiostar' but it is not on the same level YET, because while the songs are good they are also very different and they do not necessarily form one cohesive unit (some songs sound like they could be from different bands). Could you agree?

Wes: I understand what you're saying. We are aware of the fact that our album has tracks that differ from each other entirely, but we wanted to portray the record almost as a soundtrack. We wanted to showcase different styles, but authentically. That's a major underlining standpoint with us: authenticity. If we're going to do something, we're going to do it right and with complete conviction.

I assume 'Internet Killed The Audiostar' is an obvious pun on 'Video Killed The Radio star' and if that is the case, I understand what you're saying. On the other hand, I do not completely agree because I don't think internet killed audio stars at all - on the contrary, some have thrived. However, if you would have said something like 'Internet killed the music industry / album star / major labels' . What's your opinion on this? Do you want to expand on this?

Wes: We always like to shed light on this. First off, the title in itself is very tounge-in-cheek. Since 'Video Killer The Radio Star' was the beginning of a new musical era, we offer 'Internet Killed The Audio Star' as a title to the new era, which is something we're all aware of as an unevitability. True, the internet as helped an overwhelming amount of artists, more specifically new artists, but we feel you should use the resources as a tool, not a dependancy. Use the tools given to spread the word and make yourself more accessible to those who wouldn't otherwise have access to your band, but don't base all actions off how many Myspace friends you have. It seems as though integrity is a lost art.

Art in general seems to be very important to Name. Do you express yourselves in different ways than music? Are you for example very involved in things like artwork and layout for the cd, merchandising, website or profiles on social networking sites?

Wes: Of course. On top of Name, we keep ourselves incredibly busy musically. Always writting and exchanging ideas, even without a definite intent with the songs. I tend to write a lot of short stories, free writes, etc. The written word is incredibly facinating to me. As far as being involved with other aspect of the band, yes, we are incredibly involved. We worked very closely with our good friend Mike Stitches on the artwork for the album. We have worked with him in the past for many years, so it just seemed natural, being that we knew we worked well together. Every bit of merchandise or website design we have had has stemmed from a concept or scheme we already had in our heads. As a band, we are aware that anything and everything involved with us reflects on another, so we make sure we are projecting our ideals and personalities in ways other then just music.

A couple of years ago the main topic for discussion was about the whole downloading thing. These days phenomena such as Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and the likes are omnipresent. I guess you can't deny the fact that these are really helpful tools for any band, but what is your personal stance? I have always refused to make any profile because it all feels very artificial to me and I would feel like I'm not making genuine connections with others but a lot of people say it's exactly the opposite.

Wes: They have been incredible tools for us, but like I said before, they are tools. It allows our fans to stay connected with us. So they can stay updated with shows, new merch, new songs, or just having an open forum on whatever we found funny that day. We enjoy being able to share ourselves with our fans other then them listening to our record. We're fun guys and enjoy meeting fun people. Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter and all helped push that ideal to a bigger platform. Touring, getting out there, is the way to make it really happen, not just comments or a friend count. This just allows us to stay connected to those who truely care about what we're doing. It is incredibly upsetting to see those who base their lives off of these social networking sites. Theres an overwhelming illusion that these websites dictate real life and thats where we say things are going terribly wrong. I feel these are just good outlets for artists on any platform.

Feel free to add anything you want to get across if you feel like the questions did not cover everything you would want to talk about.

Wes: I think if anyone wants to know more, take a chance with an open mind and listen for yourself. Come to a show and strike up a conversation. It's the only way you'll know for sure. We're incredibly honest guys just trying to show this stagnant state of music that their are options in life. Check out our new record "Internet Killed The Audio Star" and there will be something for everybody on that compact disc. Stay in touch with us on your favorite social networking websites such as Facebook.com/nameband, Myspace.com/name, and Twitter.com/name. Come hang out with us at an upcoming show in your area. Pick up the album at your favorite record store or digital web store. Support honest music.

Thank you for taking time to do this!

Wes: Thank you so much for your time. I had a lot of fun and I hope I answered all your questions.

Your album is very impressive and I am very curious to where all this could lead in the future.

Wes: Sincerely, thank you so much and you'll definitely be hearing a lot more from us, I guaruntee it.

Joris Smeets

Jeremys Interview with "Stormbringer.at"

2010-04-20T20:13:00.001-07:00

1. How did you come to the idea of mixing so many different genres by still playing mathcore?

Jeremy: I don't think we ever set out to be so eclectic with our sound, it was and has always been a natural progression for us. We just believe that we shift ideas, thoughts, moods from day to day, and that's just the way we approach our music, its always interesting to see how a song we start to cultivate together turns out completley different from the initial "intent". Of course, we love the aspect of heavy music and the endearing feeling of hearing a powerful song that moves you, whether It'd be through intense guitar work, or down tempo shifts. But sometimes you just have to yell at someone to get their attention nowadays, hence the screaming in our songs. Haha. Also with the "mathcore" term, its funny because I'm the only member in the band that's pretty decent at math. Haha.

2. Which bands do you like the most? Did these ones inspire you?

Jeremy: We've always admired and respected the work ethic of bands from the late 60's early 70's. Bands like Led Zeppelin and Yes, they were so ahead of their time for what they did. They could have a complete metamorphosis of their songs live and turn a 6 minute song into a 30 minute opus because they felt it was a natural thing to do. Also the idea of that time period was to tour until you're almost dead. Led Zeppelin never had a myspace, the accessibility to the world was only through shows, or if your friend played you the record. Definitely an admirable work ethic.

3. What do you like more? The quiet or the aggressive parts of your songs?

Jeremy: Honestly, I don't want this to be a cop out, but I'm pretty proud and love most of the material that we come up with. We rarely repeat or reprise anything in our songs, so our songs become these movements or constantly shifting parts that move so fluidly, you'd almost have to rewind a part to fully grasp what's happening. I can say though, I'm a big fan of parts of our songs that feel so powerful (not necessarily "heavy") that make you want to grab your chest as if someone punched you. For example the end of our song "Charmer" or the end of "Your Sun Machine, Your Space Embracer". Those are a couple of segments in those particular songs that I always enjoy hearing and playing.

4. How important is a good performance to you during a concert?

Jeremy: We're very proud of the music we create, but our live show is our bread and butter, our tour de force. It's a natural setting for our songs to translate to our audience and let them get the full "experience". I'm starting to sound like pretentious hippy haha, but really, we never hold back at our shows, and we expect our audience to do the same.

5. Name means "New Approach To Martyr's Expressions". What does this band name exactly mean and how did you get this idea?

Jeremy: Wes had the "new approach" title for years, I think he had it written on his notebook for grade school and it was floating around for a while. It wasn't until our childhood band had dissolved (which still consisted of me, Wes and Bobby) about 7 years ago. We reformed with a more aggressive work ethic and we came back to "the new approach to martyr's expressions" title. In hindsight it is a bit self explanatory, but overall it was meant for us to be a representation of our ideals and how we would constantly challenge ourselves and have this band as an amorphous group that always needs to look ahead and grow and change so our ideas as a band would never grow stagnant. We wanted to show that with enough conviction, and honesty you can make something work. Also going by "name", it leaves the title with a bit of anonymity that intrigues someone. With band names like Cannibal Corpse, or Dying Fetus, you'll pretty much assume it'll be a death metal band. "Name" is a bit more shapeless, blurring the lines of titles and genres. We understand its a bit harder to find online or for curious people to investigate us, but we know if they do find us, it was because they REALLY wanted to haha.

6. How do you spend your time apart from making music? What are your favorite activities?

Jeremy: Most of us like to stay pretty healthy while not on tour, working out, getting outdoors, eating decently. But honestly besides not constantly writing music, we usually go to shows all the time, to not only support the music scene, but to be inspired to find new ideas, hear new sounds. Wes works at a couple of venues in San Francisco when not on the road, so he's always hearing new music. San Francisco has such an amazing array of music, so much to choose from, so much to discover, its easy to find inspiration in the city. We apply a lot of these different ideals into our music. Besides that, I know Wes writes screenplays, free writings, lyrics, and is always trying to plan ahead.

7. Which bands do you like to have on tour with you?

Jeremy: We always like to be on the road with diverse bands. It keeps the show interesting and special, also lets the fan base crossover and connect to other genres, and creates dynamic. We've toured with death metal bands, punk bands, jazz groups, alternative bands, hardcore bands, and even noise artists. I really enjoy going to shows with eclectic line ups, so we like to give that same feeling to our fans.

8. What meaning has the saxophone due to your artwork? Why did you choose that?

Jeremy: The instrument is actually a French Horn and we thought of it as an interesting representation to the album as a complete entity. It shows a slightly unconventional instrument with a vertebrae which plays on the theme of "Internet Killed The Audio Star". Its kind of an obsolete instrument outside of the realm of classical music, and its a symbol for an end of an era and the start of a new. Just like the music industry and the way we hear it is completely different now then it was 10 years ago. Its a bit tongue-in-cheek.

9. Where do you take all that creativity according to your complex songs from? Who is doing what while you write songs?

Jeremy: Well our writing process is interesting. My brother, Wes (the singer/guitarist of name) and I are constantly writing, and we usually send each other files of some riffs we have, and it gives me time to put my thoughts and ideas into fruition and challenge myself to add my take on it. Eventually we'll get together and play our parts and share our ideas with each other. Its been that way since we were kids. But as far as the complexity of the songs go, we never purposely go out of our way to try and make a song complex for the sake of just doing it. I grew up playing jazz, and retained some general ideas and core movements and applied them to my style of writing. I've always enjoyed interpreting my influences from movies, literature and life to creating my parts. Also, I love odd meters like Dave Brubeck used to do in his songs, and had these constantly shifting parts that never really repeated themselves. Most people don't know that I played guitar on half the album, but if you listen carefully, you can depict a lot of changing styles. My brother and I write all of the music so we combine our different backgrounds of influence and create something, in my opinion, that is unique. Wes is more of the dark, polyrhythmic, ethereal, bluesy, "just-got-out-of-the-70's" style writing. Where as I'm more of the mechanical, riffy, jazzy, "does-this-time-signature-even-exist?" type player. That's why we sound a bit all over the place.

10. Are there any other things you wish to tell your fans out there?

Jeremy: Our album was just released in Europe on April 19th so please go and listen to it, we put a lot of hard work into it. Thank all of you for your support, a lot of bands say this type of shit, but really, we thank you so much. Its so amazing when other people actually enjoy and understand what we're doing. Your support only keeps us going. We hope to see all of you this year in the States as well as all of you in Europe, we'll be touring for the rest of our days and coming to a town near you to melt your faces off. Till then, thank all of you guys, and thank you for this interview.

Interviewer: Gruï¿œ, Philipp

Conducted with Jeremy Fareas (bass)

"Internet Killed The Audio Star" NOW IN EUROPE!

2010-04-19T14:01:00.000-07:00

Our album comes out today in Europe, so if you live across the pond, get into it!!!

Also, it's almost Earth Day. Or, as you know it, the day Google somehow works a tree into its logo. Anyway, remember not to change your behavior or the Earth wins.

To truly celebrate Earth, buy our new album (America: http://www.alexamachine.com. Europe: http://www.lifeforcerecords.com Or for you Itunes fanatics: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/browserRedirect?url=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStore.woa%252Fwa%252FviewAlbum%253Fid%253D351470902%2526cc%253Dbe.)

Proceeds go to me, then my neighborhood liqour store, then some guys I don't know, and ultimately end up in the hands of a Mexican drug lord. If that's not eco-friendly, I don't care what is.

So, check it out! Roughly 10 bucks for 13 tracks and a fucking soundtrack of music. Give it a clicky clicky.

Also, I know you folks have them. Add us on Facebook. If thats where its at, then ADD us.

Http://www.facebook.com/nameband

And if you have a Twitter, dont be a fuckin' prude, add us there too!

http://www.twitter.com/name

We've been shooting out clues as to how and get free shit via our Twitter, and not enough of you are listening up!!

So do it up.

Also, if you want a FREE autographed copy of Outburn, send your info to namebooking@gmail.com

Yep!

Thats all I got.

Europe! GET INTO IT!!!

Song by song review of IKTAS by "Exception Factory"

2010-04-14T15:23:00.001-07:00

Band: Name
Title: Internet Killed The Audio Star
Label: Lifeforce Records
Written by: Chris Egger

The Bay Area has not necessarily only provided Thrash Metal, established in 2003, California band NAME present their new album "Internet Killed The Audio Star". Therefore, what a surprise. Lifeforce Records offers the next album on the market.

"Killer Whales, Man" offers an equal mix of grindcore, hardcore and some thrash. Instrumental wise the guys are quite on it, but somehow it all sounds as you would not know what we want.

"My Sweetheart, The Whore" is basically at the point where you started before. Grindcore, somewhat progressive death metal, then again something hardcore to you then even floats in Porcupine Tree like spheres. However, it remains in spite of the instrumental masterpiece just a tough mix.

"The Spark of Divinity" start again as a Hardcore song increases, but in the course of the song through the use of clean vocals and its powerful piece of modern metal before it again turns to the very progressive sound from the start.

"Empathic Communicator: Part I: Homage To The Hunter (Unconscious Incompetence), Empathic Communicator: Part II: Bee Bee (Conscious Incompetence), Empathic Communicator: Part III: Your Sun Machine, Your Space Embracer (Conscious Competence) and Empathic Communicator: Part IV: How To Murder The Earth (Unconscious Competence)" provide a relatively diverse, but still quite busy sound that is best in the Mathcore direction to plug end. Instrumentally good, somehow just vocally demanding, as this cry was heard in some way to ever better quality. It also drifts into something jazzy and progessive rock parts, where again the clear singing provides some cheer.

"Mare" has actually gone where they have already started where the other pieces were. Partial Mathcore then jazzy sounds. Musically, certainly a great challenge for the listener.

"The Sycophant, The Saint & The Gamefox" offers some quiet guitar sounds but then again harder. With 10 minutes clear the longest piece of the album.

Why the next piece is probably only "Dave Mustaine". NAMEs brand of grindcore / hardcore mixed with synth-pop song and cruel at the end. On to the next song.

"Avaler l'Océan" again shows the versatility of the Americans, from hardcore to progressive rock is again much about it.

"You'll Never Die in This Town Again" is very quiet, very close to Porcupine Tree.

This style is continued at the beginning of "Charmer", before being bludgeoned properly.

Conclusion: can be exhausting for the listener, but musically very first cream (top notch). The guys showcase a lot on it, but maybe a little work on the mix.

01. Killer Whales, Man 03:45
02. My Sweetheart, The Whore 05:40
03. The Spark Of Divinity 06:22
04th Empathic Communicator, Part I: Homage To The Hunter (Unconscious Incompetence) 02:32
05th Empathic Communicator, Part II: Beebee (Conscious Incompetence) 03:56
06th Empathic Communicator, Part III: Your Sun Machine, Your Space Embracer (Conscious Competence) 06:26
07th Empathic Communicator, Part IV: How To Murder The Earth (Unconscious Competence) 07:00
08th Mare 09:00
09th The Sycophant, The Saint And The Gamefox 10:13
10th Dave Mustaine 07:00
11th Avaler l'Ocean 05:02
12th You'll Never Die in This Town Again 05:24
13th Charmer 05:15

MySpace

www.myspace.com / name

Line Up

Wes Fareas (vocals & guitar)
Jeremy Fareas (bass)
Bobby Gibbs (drums)

http://www.exception-factory.net/underground/name_-_internet_killed_the_audio_star_.html

A review from the European "Aristocrazia Webzine"

2010-04-14T04:12:00.001-07:00

NAME is one of those formations which the adjective is the only test that can define a sound that defined everything except monotonous or static.
They live on bluster and finishes, and funky jazz, grindcore and moments of death, in practice they do not really miss anything.
Lifeforce Records debut in "Internet Killed The Audio Star" album out by conventional, seventy-seven minutes of madness unleashed swinging that always manages to surprise, but unfortunately not only in a positive way.
We are facing a band that technically is nothing short of excellent cooking of mixing genres and with a view that aims high but ends up looking over at times stuck with their solutions in the long run tend to weaken the real value of the pieces.

Diversifying is the key word, it begins with Mathcore "Killer Whales, Man" to then find themselves thrown into the world of funk / jazz of "My Sweetheart The Whore" combines shares of a violent alternating soft like souls possessed by much contrasting yet need each other.

The combination of "The Spark of Divinity" / "Mare" is torn by aggression, breaks clean when the sudden voice in clean takes off, becoming noted for the blues that flows in the veins of riffmaker. Strange that the quartet of "Empathic Communicator" almost smell the epic highlights in full compositional skills and extensive development of NAME but sometimes limps for passages that tend to involve imploding on themselves on the potential of the route.

The second part of the disc does not have big drops, relegating the task of raising your head to the final trio, coupled with the closing on their shields.

"You'll Never Die in This Town Again" is an instrumental inspired and intriguing and "Charmer" leads straight to the setting of the work with its psychedelic sound expressions.
Regarding enforcement, there is little you can complain about kids, though its very risky to go ahead and blows up, the more styles and influences combine in a single frame carrier still has some edge to polish: especially the aspect of voice prompts when scratching and screaming is a real gun, but when it shows as clean and yes sussurante can even move all the obsessive variety of songs.
"Internet Killed Star Audio", as the first album is more than enough. It has laid a solid foundation on which to define and elaborate the riffing and vocal lines in the future.
We could call it premature, such as living by instinct and instinct I suggest you do not miss the pleasure of listening to and understanding Name: we'll hear more about them for sure.

http://aristocraziawebzine.blogspot.com/2010/04/name-internet-killed-radio-star.html

Review by Austrian metal mag "Stormbringer"

2010-04-14T03:31:00.001-07:00

NAME, which also stands for "New Approach to Martyrs Expressions" make their name with this album credit. The California Chaos-core trio delivers a concoction onto a high standard. Whoever here thinks this is another frequently reported, unspectacular Mathcore group, that is totally wrong.

NAME are very chaotic, very varied and catchy. Sometimes they recall bands such as War From A Harlots Mouth and The Dillinger Escape Plan, but have their own distinctive, sophisticated style. "Internet Killed The Audio Star" has become an experimental album that offers both harmonious and disharmonious parts and sent these alternates.

Besides jazzy parts and blues components, there are, on one side, very quiet songs like tracks "Empathic Communicator: Part III and IV" that are reminiscent at times very strong in the post-hardcore, and brutal, energetic tracks like the opener "Killer Whales, Man''. Even the subsequent song "My Sweetheart, The Whore" is provided with a lot of energy and bustle. Overall, the 13 tracks are mostly quite long, so the album has a running time of almost 78 minutes. Overall, it is to say that this album offers much more variety and would thus provide longer lasting listening pleasure. It is certainly not something for everyone, but there are certainly many are found who like the album.

Rating: 4.0 of 5.0
Author: Philip (07 April 2010)

http://www.stormbringer.at/reviews.php?id=5001

Review by French Mag "Addictif Zine"

2010-04-14T02:45:00.001-07:00

(I translated this directly, made only a few edits to have it make a bit more sense.)

"Internet Killed The Audio Star"
(Lifeforce)

Besides the title track, nice nod to the old tube of 80s Buggles, this group from the Bay Area of California is not in irony and lightness. Quite the contrary. Its metal has more to do with mathematics or music schools. You know the type?

After the math rock, mathcore, the math metal? Why not. It is not a label closely. Especially since it corresponds to NAME. Its metal has nothing in common. Instead, it is almost everything but metal. Pop, thrash, jazz, blues, free-rock, death metal, hardcore, emo, screamo, progressive... NAME is mixed into a menu with exotic flavors and sometimes innovative. Inevitably, during this gargantuan meal, savor the food balanced, subtly flavored, while others, too fat or too spicy, we will return the flop. Thus, we like the NAME foutraque, which casts a grindcore athletic like The Locust, Death or stuffed jazz elements recalling Painkiller... We also appreciated the progressive NAME during his "Empathic Communicator" piece in 4 movements turn spicy or sweet when he borrows the ways of Neurosis, Coheed And Cambria or Dillinger Escape Plan. In other experiments, the grub is hard to pass, but it remains a matter of taste. Generally, NAME is doing well behind their stove. Their eccentricity is an advantage (they leave the ground) as a disadvantage (it becomes a group for musicians), but it is undeniable that it distracts as much fun. And that's not bad.

- Jose Maria

http://www.addictif-zine.com/accueil/item/1605-name-internet-killed-the-audio-star-chronique

Very kind review by German Metal Zine "Neakbreaker"

2010-04-09T18:05:00.001-07:00

Why now do you bother to think up a possible original band name, if afterwards you all sound the same somehow? The NAME of the Californians make it easy as can be seen obviously.
Yet behind the subtle, at first, name stands for the "New Approach To Martyrs Expressions," makes the whole thing again look more complex - could be what we would have already reached through the musical aspect: So extravagant are all the band songs, so is the Music this in every way. Intermediate mathcore, jazz and blues have set up their tents and are camping in NAME, then in your heart.

Since 2003, the team of the Fareas-brothers, after having a few EPs and a full-length disc, the renowned LIFEFORCE Records has fished these chaotic delicacies - with success I think!
For in these almost 80 minutes so much happened that the listener needs some time to be able to grasp and understand the complete spectrum. To be honest, this is not even succeeded, although "Internet Killed The Audio Star" (a more than true title, "The Buggles revisited" one might think, but a discussion would inform certainly beyond the scope) is now already the number two-rotation in the player behind him!

An extravagant four-part called "Empathic Communicator" has its place, as well as a ten-minute opus called "The Sycophant, The Saint & The Gamefox" attracts chill lounge atmosphere with which the listener could think he was only on the wrong track, then surrounds him with the chaotic, unpredictable, but however always comprehensible structures. Puff! A really heavy lump, that!
Nevertheless, the catchiness dominates NAMEs: Alone at the End-Riff Opener "Killer Whales, Man" grooves into fat DOWN-manner, the same thing happened to part two of the above-mentioned four-part, "Bee Bee (Conscious Incompetence)". They are joined by many a clean-sung part, ambient-offsets, blues excursions ("Mare") and everything in between... I would still make tame, tagged "Internet Killed The Audio Star" has already done it anyway - I dare to even approach this more as an exceptional piece of music! What does it but with the track "Dave Mustaine" is all about, I can hardly understand because of the song does not understand now - the strange humor of the trio after a corruption rather than an homage ... whatever!

Be Thankful that there are bands that are able to break the boundaries of the genre, clever and courageous, this one big "Chapeau!". With a lot of patience, a sense of extraordinary ideas and the necessary openness, NAME will be able to inspire you.

8 out of 10

(Brix)

http://www.neckbreaker.de/CD-Reviews/NAME-Internet-Killed-The-Audiostar/

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Awesome review by "MTUK 'Zine"

2010-03-31T12:54:00.001-07:00

Imagine the scene: you're just had a jam, setting out your musical agenda. You know everything is ticking over just nicely, it's just you can't think of a name. Especially so if you're an immensely talented, intelligent and versatile trio, who solve the problem of what genre to occupy by simply ignoring such petty concerns, and simply playing whatever you like. I imagine the conversation of a name went thus:

"Hey man, what name should we give our band?"

"Huh? Sorry, I was busy putting in this 17/5 time signature. What were you saying?"

"We need a band name"

"Fuck it, we'll call us Name"

"Hell yeah! 17/5 you say? Let's hit it!"

To say there's a lot to get your teeth into is a bit of an understatement. Never mind the kitchen sink, they also throw in the rest of the showroom, the car park, and the retail park slip road in too. In contrast to that tortuous metaphor, the music here is as seamless as a lycra catsuit. The base style, as it were, will be instantly familiar to those whose tastes run towards the likes of War From A Harlot's Mouth and Dimitri-era Dillinger Escape Plan: dense riffing in a compressed hardcore mode, together with the occasional jazz-esque free-roaming breakdown that borders on the progressive.

Where Name stand out from the crowd is the generous dollops of other genres they spread tastefully among the songs. The close-out of opening cut 'Killer Whales, Man' builds up a furious head of steam, but then someway, somehow, seamlessly segues into a riff that could easily have Phil Anselmo growling over the top. 'My Sweetheart, The Whore' makes use of that aforementioned breakdown, but the intricate bass wanderings echo the late Jaco Pastorius; a technique further used on 'Charmer', together with delicate cymbal strokes, suggests something more is going on here.

Even when they are being somewhat conventional, there's a breathtaking control to their music. While the songs might serve, it's clearly all tightly under control, rather than just madcap careering: 'Dave Mustaine' does have a bizarre synth breakdown that sounds like they're taking the piss out of New Order, but it still fits in among the fearsomely drilling music. It's a mark of craftsmanship that you scarcely notice the seven minute running time, nor indeed the running time of any of the songs, such is the absorbing talent on display here. As incongruous as the name Name is, they have a damn good sound here that may even prove to be one of the highlights of 2010.

http://www.myspace.com/name

Steve Jones

http://www.metalteamuk.net/mar10reviews/cdreviews-name.htm

Review on "Cosmos Gaming"

2010-03-28T14:19:00.001-07:00

Our Take

"My first encounter with California's NAME came back in late 2008, when the band sent me over a couple preview tracks of their upcoming album Internet Killed the Audio Star. It was clear from the songs that I had access to that these guys took a great deal of influence from mathcore and hardcore bands but also had plenty of their own ideas. Internet Killed the Audio Star was originally due out last year, but finally came out this past February. Offering over an hour's worth of material, it appears that the group ended up being even more ambitious than I initially anticipated and the results are stunning.

As you might expect from a mathcore act, NAME's vocals do tend to favor intense screaming/growling. However, listeners might be surprised to discover that the group has also included quite a bit of clean vocals as well. This gives many of the songs on the album a nice level of variety and also gives listeners a bit of time to breathe, because even the screaming/growling can start to get so aggressive that it tires listeners out. When one considers how long the album is (it clocks in at around an hour and seventeen minutes), the decision to offer some mellower vocals from time to time seems like a smart one. However, it is worth mentioning that when clean singing is utilized it sometimes seems a little weak and this is one area that NAME could certainly keep working on. It isn't a very big issue, but if the group was to tighten up this style a bit they could probably utilize more often and add even more variety to their material.

NAME's instrumentalists have clearly been influenced by a wide variety of music styles and it comes out in their music. As I mentioned earlier, the entire album lasts for over an hour and in this period of time the group offers everything from spastic mathcore to jazz inspired experimental metal. There are a few moments here and there where things feel slightly disjointed, but for the most part things flow very well. The four part "Empathetic Communicator" is a perfect example of the group really hitting their stride, as there is a perfect blend of atmospheric melodies and heavy hitting riffs. Compared to many of the other metal bands out there, NAME is easily one of the most unclassifiable due to just how many different elements they are able to combine. It may be a lot to take in all at once, but once you've given this disc a few spins it becomes clear of just how brilliant it is.

There are some slight issues with the clean vocals, but that shouldn't stop anyone from checking out Internet Killed the Audio Star. NAME may have taken a long time to get this album out, but the wait has certainly been worth it. If these guys can keep this kind of experimentation up, they could end up being one of the most exciting bands that the scene has spawned in the past few years."

http://www.lifeforcerecords.com/

Chris Dahlberg

March 26, 2010

http://www.cosmosgaming.com/articles.php?id=2584&articletype=review

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Amazing review by Decoy Music

2010-03-26T21:51:00.001-07:00

First off the 4 bands they compared us to were Napalm Death, Karsh Kalae, Mare, and Botch... Which, in my opinion, are the best bands we've had named dropped YET. So, that already pumped me up. But read on:

"Wow. After taking a listen to this album I am a little bit dizzy and feel like I've been bludgeoned to death five times over. This is not Phil Collins, and this is not James Taylor. There is no easy listening here. Name's Facebook page states the following credo, "Repetition is the death of art... Tradition is the enemy of progress." Internet Killed the Audio Star is a strikingly bold debut manifesto by a band that is not only ambitious, but able enough to deliver on those high-minded goals.

The top two reasons that I'll write a negative review for an album are that the artist doesn't seem to have any passion for what they're doing and that the artist doesn't challenge their abilities. Name will not get a negative review from me. Name is amazing in that they constantly challenge not only themselves but the listener, and they are all passion. I will be honest. I don't like music that consists of a singer just screaming maniacally over squealing guitars with double kick drums spewing out 64th notes all the time. It seems to me to be a sonically limited muse to follow. On first listen, I thought that's the kind of band I was dealing with here, but I learned quickly that although there is a lot of that, Name is so much more.

Check out the song "Mare." There are great angular guitar lines peering out from underneath the screaming at the beginning. Then it turns into a poppy ditty, then into a bluesy swing. "The Sycophant, The Saint & The Gamefox" begins with jazzy cymbal riding and guitar noodling. These people are not butchers, but are instead one of the most boundlessly versatile bands I've heard.

There are a couple things that I love about this album. First off, there are the song titles. You've got to love a band that entitles their songs, "My Sweetheart, the Whore" and "Killer Whales, Man." Also, the fact that they named their four-part mid-album suite "Empathic Communicator" when I couldn't understand five lines of lyrics on the whole album was amusing to me. Secondly, unlike most music that sticks very well to a chord progression repeated over and over with maybe a bridge thrown in to add some variety, this band seemingly doesn't repeat itself at all. It's as if they're just taking two minute long snippets of music they've created and pieced them together to create a "song." Very prog. Very good! Finally, there is a mellow jazzy instrumental near the end called "You'll Never Die in This Town Again" which is a much needed break in the intensity-fest that is this album.

The major qualm I have with this album is that it is too long. I cannot listen to this album in one sitting. It is 79 minutes long. Especially with all the brutality and violence that it brings to the ears, I can only listen to about ? of it until I just have to turn it off and go to sunnier music. In fact, I can't say that I really like more than half of the music on the disc. It reminds me of My Bloody Valentine and Stereolab in that way. I can't take long stretches of their music, but they have a definite creative vision and stick to it. And I absolutely respect Name for their vision. I just hope that they never lose their creative restlessness or energy. Name is a band that aims to shake up the stagnant nature of commercial music. If this album reaches a lot of ears, they just may do it.

4 out of 4 stars"

http://www.decoymusic.com/reviews/name-internet-killed-the-audio-star

A laid back interview...

2010-03-26T04:27:00.001-07:00

(a more laid back interview with SMNnews.com)

Hey Wes, hope all is well. Looks like the response to Internet Killed The Audio Star has been great so far. It is such an expansive yet monstrous release. You guys must be pretty proud, huh?

W: Incredibly proud. We spent years trying to put the pieces together to make the album and when it finally fell into place, I wanted to just go on a celebratory drinking binge and smash things out of joy. We're definitely pumped about getting the record out there and especially pumped about the response its been getting. We've put so much of ourselves into this record, that every positive aspect surrounding it has been twice as rewarding.

My favorite song on Internet Killed The Audio Star is "Charmer". It's quite charming and I love the melody and its intensity. What are some of your favorites off of Internet Killed The Audio Star?

W: That's very cool that you brought that track up. "Charmer" is one of my personal favorites. Its dark and ugly, definitely the angriest song I've ever written. It was actually the last track written for the record and at that time, my frame of reference was incredibly clear and focused to the atmosphere we converged around the album. So at that point, I was incredibly disappointed in the genre/scene, so that came out lyrically. Which is funny, because that's what "Killer Whales, Man" is about as well, haha... But, as far as favorites, it's hard to choose, being that we had basically 30-40 demos and narrowed it down to the tracks we used. If I had pick some, I'd have to say I love the "Empathic" chapters. It was an incredibly fun and challenging piece to work on. Another one would have to be "Avaler l'Ocean". I had that song for YEARS and my brother just ask about it towards the end of the writing/rehearsal process. I think it showcases a direction we always toyed with but never went the complete distance with. Then theres "My Sweetheart, The Whore", "Mare", and "The Sycophant, The Saint, & The Gamefox"... Like I said, its hard to pick just one, haha.

I know this is a generic question, but how did NAME get their band name?

W: I just had the name for awhile, was writing a lot of poetry, short stories, and music under the name, but nothing big time. We didn't rush the process, we just kind of worked with the songs until a name felt right. The name "name" just made so much sense to us, we knew it was the right pick.

Who / what are some of your main influences when composing?

W: That's always a hard question to answer directly. Musically and ethically I usually refer back to the aesthetic of the late 60's, early 70's. I just respect music then because people were so open minded to the genres involved and the bands were just touring monsters. They wrote such cerebral music it blows my mind to this day. So ahead of it's time. But if I had to name bands, I'd say Led Zeppelin, Yes, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Massive Attack, Deftones, Faith No More, Napalm Death, Sepultura, Silverchair, Soundgarden, Cannibal Corpse, Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode... These are just a few of my personal influences. Every one of those bands are just burned into my mind and influenced everything from my vocals, guitar playing, lyrics, writing and composing in general.

You recently played a show on the METAL AS ART Tour with our bros in Hypno5e, Revocation, and The Binary Code. That must've been a fun one, eh?

W: It was a fucking blast to say the least! All amazing bands. It was refreshing as hell playing with like minded people. We all played large and loud and then had the after party at my place, which lead to drinking literally every last drop I had in my place, which is a lot, mind you. I always keep reserves around and it just led to loudness, punching, cougars, Michael McDonald ("she drives my rapey!"), man cuddles (Phil!), and drinking a shit load of Tapatio in their sleep (Todd!)... Goddamn that was a fun night. Homies for life, those guys.

When we come to San Francisco, where are some good places to catch a show, grab a bite to eat, party it up?

W: That's one thing I love about living in SF, there's so much to do here. It's such an amalgam of culture and art. For shows, you want to hit up Slims and Great American Music Hall. I actually worked for the company for a long time and GAMH is literally right across the street from me, so I'm never without music. Theres also Thee Parkside, Submission, Bottom of the Hill, and about 50+ other places. This whole fucking city is surrounded by it. Food, man oh man, you have the best around. Bobby and I are vegetarians, so there are so many options for us out here, which can usually be harder. Burritos, hit up Chunkys on Hyde & Ofarrell. Best goddamn burritos ever. Lahore, best Indian food in town. Shit, I could go on forever. Bars, theres my "Cheers" on Polk called Hemlock. Its a punk bar which seems to be the central hub for all musicians, tattoo artists, writers, etc. So theres always someone interesting to talk to, awesome music, cheap beer, endless whiskey, and an awesome staff. Definitely check that place out. You also got Whiskey Thieves, Nitecap, Beauty Bar, Kilowatt, and my house, haha.

So have you got some tour plans in the works?

W: We have plans in the works which we hope to announce soon. We're trying to keep as busy as possible, but it's more difficult then one would think. We just want to tour this album into the ground, so once we take off, don't expect us to stop anytime soon.

What are some guilty pleasures that one might not expect to see on your ipod?

W: I never really feel guilty about anything I listen to, but there ARE some artists people give me shit for like Sade, Justin Timberlake, Dido, Sara Mclachlan, Bjork, Inara George, my collection of vintage bossa nova, Brian Eno, etc. I love it all. I'm very into female vocalists and synth pop, so people tease me for it. Fuck 'em.

Here's a fun and tricky question. If you were to organize a dream tour, who would be on it?

W: Oh man, that is tricky. Dead bands, I'd want Yes, Led Zep, and Pink Floyd. Just cause each band could have an hour set each and still only play 3 songs. Or Soundgarden and Faith No More. Without those bands we wouldn't exist. Ooo, Sepultura. OG though, with Max and Igor. Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorious, Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin. That's a goddamn tour... I could seriously go on and on. But, I won't. As a musician and a professional music appreciator, it's an endless well of unearthly possibilities.

Again, congrats on your success with Internet Killed The Audio Star so far. How does the future look for NAME?

W: The futures so bright, I gotta wear....those thing..what are they called? You put them on your face and the lens' dampen the rays of the sun. Creating a shade like effect... Eh, I can't think. But yeah, gotta wear those... Keep an eye out.

Review on "Blistering.com"

2010-03-23T00:51:00.001-07:00

[7.5/10] Math metal is forever going to keep chasing the tail of Dillinger Escape Plan. We know that already. Yet if the scene wants to have any success, there has to be some attempt at branching out, whether it's through more shoe-gaze avenues or going the industrial pop route like Dillinger themselves. Considering the two options, San Francisco's N.A.M.E. (which stands for New Approach For Martyrs Expressions) took both and ran with it on The Internet Killed the Audio Star and ran with it they did.

In terms of the math metal structure, N.A.M.E. don't pelt anyone with a flurry of notes; rather they operate in frazzled, noisecore regions on "Killer Whales, Man" and the humorously titled "Dave Mustaine." Sure, there's a lot of what has already been done going on here, yet N.A.M.E. keep things interesting by adding melodic flourishes to their music, something that drives home the four-part "Emphatic Communicator" series. EMO territory is partially, if barely explored during these portions, although one has to say the melodies present are too strong to lambast with such a tag.

Additional passages of the shoe or metalgaze nature are unveiled during the gentle "Avaler l' Ocean," while a brief techno ditty pops up on "The Sycophant, the Saint, the Gamefox," thus warranting those Dillinger-circa 2007 comparisons. The kitchen-sink approach is in full effect, obviously.

For a scene that is so accustomed to aping one another, N.A.M.E. has gotten off to a promising start, primarily because of their melodic tendancies. Bear in mind they don't sound like your Johnny-Come-Lately mathcore band; this more disciplined, expansive metal of the math variety that is a few sticks of dynamite away from full detonation.

www.myspace.com/name

By David E. Gehlke

http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/link/1/templateid/18402/tempidx/4/menuid/2

Review on Slugmag.com

2010-03-23T00:39:00.001-07:00

Name
Internet Killed the Audio Star
Lifeforce Records
Street 02.10
Name = Psypus + Cursed + The Chariot
If you like Between the Buried and Me half as much as the members of San Francisco's Name do, then you'll get a kick out of Internet Killed the Audio Star. That's not an insult-Name truly have crafted an album worthy of your time, combining legitimate musicianship with smart songwriting and unconventional lyricism. Wes Fareas' versatility as a vocalist is apparent, and though his attempts at melodic singing come across a bit emo, he hurls everything from a guttural growl to a strident screech like a pro. The album opener, "Killer Whales, Man," dazzles with technical prowess, then ends so thunderously that after first listen, I had to restart the track just to get my fill before moving on. I will say that this album is long, at almost an hour and 20 minutes, but despite the fat, IKAS is a healthy portion of tasty metal worth the chewing.

-Andrew Roy

http://www.slugmag.com/article.php?id=2096&page=4

Interview w/ "Lords of Metal Magazine"

2010-03-18T04:45:00.000-07:00

INTERVIEW from LORDS OF METAL

Name of the band: name

Website band / artiest: http://www.myspace.com/name

Magazine: Lords Of Metal

Website LoM: http://www.lordsofmetal.nl

Questions by: Richard G.

Answers by: Wes Fareas (preferably)

(This will be published in their next issue.)

Interview:

First off many congratulations with the Lifeforce release of your new record ‘Internet Killed The Audio Star’. The music that is on display there blew my mind completely! Could you give a short description of what our readers can expect when they put on your record?

Answer: First off, thank you sincerely for the kind words. But, the record encompasses the long, hard road it took to complete this beast of a record. Its an amalgam of everything we've ever been influenced by. That being said, we feel there is something for everyone to appreciate on the record. We've never limited ourselves from taking in influence of all the music we've come to love, the art we appreciate, the films we relate to or adapt to, the literature that inspires us, etc. We just reflect the product of this melting pot of influence. If you listen to it with an open mind, you will definitely be able to understand where we're coming from.

The title of your album asks for a short explanation as well. The play on words and reference to ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ is obvious, but what is the theory behind this idea that the internet is responsible for the death of music?

Answer: The concept of the record focuses on the obvious evolutionary step we've come to take in music. I feel the internet has damaged the integrity of artists. Yes, it has opened so many doors and created a wonderful platform for exposure. Yes, it does make it easier to connect with your fans. But, I feel it also limits the work ethic behind being in a successful band. Some "bands" don't tour at all, they just make music on a home recording device, upload it to myspace and add a million people. All of a sudden, this false sense of legitimacy takes over, others believe that bullshit, and then suddenly they're making money. I just feel its a slap in the face to those who get out their and work to make it happen. I do believe the internet is a great tool to take advantage of and use in your favor, but not to rely on.

I am sorry to be the umpteenth interviewer to ask you this, but another aspect of your band that begs for some explanation is of course your band name. Could you enlighten us what it stands for and why you chose this as your moniker?

Answer: The name itself is an acronym for "the new approach to martyrs expressions". The name applies to us with the aspect of how we treat our art. Its part of us, we have no say in the matter. Our bodies and minds and infused with art and music. We accept it and find peace in it, regardless of what style we choose to approach on any song. Or from now until the future, for that matter. That being said, the name "name" though allows us some breathing room with our genres. We feel some names can limit you in your genre. "name" just implies you'd have to listen to us for yourself to decipher it, in some sense, and call us whatever style you may.

Stylistically you guys are all over the place, though musical extremity seems to be at the core of everything you do. What is your philosophy behind making music?

Answer: We believe in honesty. The mind of anyone with a vision or goal is as sporadic as any of us could imagine. The music simply represents that trait. The chaos and extremity behind our music is as cerebral as the ideas that put these sections in our music in the first place. We believe to make any good thing work, you need to do it with total conviction. That's why, when we apply odd styles in our aggressive, metal sections, we try to make it as authentic as possible. From the gear we use, to the state of mind we're in when we write and record. But referring back to the aforementioned point, I feel if you aren't honest in your music, you're just going to look back at your body of work and wish you had done things different. No one should feel guilt because of their art.

How do you feel about bands that adhere to different principles?

Answer: There are going to be varying, unique views on their music and art as a whole. I think its refreshing to know that can't be controlled. Even if they are opposing views to my own, as long as they believe in what THEY are doing, I can respect it. I don't respect those that deliberately set out to be a carbon copy. But alas, there will always been new bands with an identity crisis.

Are there any bands out there that you feel stylistically, or maybe philosophically related to?

Answer: Not really any bands specifically as it is more the aesthetic we feel related too. We respect the bands from the 60's and 70's big time. We usually make that pretty apparent, because we really respect their ethic. They played honest music. Didn't matter if the songs were 3 minutes or 27 minutes. They were a band of musicians on a similar plain. They had to be, they recorded the tracks all together because they felt it. They toured for years on end behind the music. I just appreciate how hard the pushed to make it a career. Nowadays, they aesthetic is alive and well in certain bands that are aware that they have to go out and make it happen. But for the most part, bands have just gotten lazy.

While composing songs, does the thought ever occur to you that all those styles might be experienced as incoherent by your listeners?

Answer: Yes, we're totally aware of that. We make music for us. It is kind of selfish in a sense, but that's what has made us fans in the first place. Which, in turn, forces us to be more selfish every time we go back to write more material. Its kind of a funny cycle. We commonly make the joke that we love fucking with people. Which more means we like the fact people don't know what to expect. By applying different styles into the album collectively, we feel people can approach the record as somewhat of a soundtrack. Listen to the album as a whole or listen to the tracks that pertain to your mood at the time. It also allows us to play with different genres of bands, giving us the ability to adjust a set list to whatever we feel is necessary to the bands involved.

One piece that stands out on your record is the four-partner ‘Emphatic Communicator’, why did you decide to cut this up into parts, whereas ‘Mare’ and ‘The Sycophant, The Saint and The Gamefox’ are pretty long (nine and ten minutes respectively)?

Answer: "Empathic Communicator" is roughly 22 minutes in length. It is intended to be looked at as a story with 4 chapters, musically and lyrically. As natural as it would be to make it 1 track, we're aware of some peoples attention spans not being able to handle it, so we felt it was smarter to split the tracks up so listeners could experience all 4 songs equally, in their own right, rather then get impatient and anxious 14 minutes in and skip a track. We feel it worked better this way.

Should we consider you guys releasing an album of 77 minutes length with so much diversity on it as a statement against the current state of music?

Answer: To be honest, we just happened to have a ridiculous amount of material. Upon choosing the songs for the record, we still had a shit load of songs that we didn't even get to. We're constantly writing at home, on the road. So, expect EPs and what not probably happening next year... But, the aspect of making a statement still stands relatively true. We understand that its incredibly easy to just download the album on some torrent page, but we thought by putting as much music on there as possible, it would be easier to pay $10 or so. I can understand if the album costs $13 and there's only 9 or so tracks on there. We approached it with the "more bang for your buck" ethic.

Is there a way back according to you guys? What should change?

Answer: Due to evolution, art will always be an adaptive element. I don't think theres a way back and I slightly take comfort in that fact. Its frightening, but exciting, since we don't know how music will be 10 years now. In retrospect, we are slowly learning as a culture about where these subtle influences come from, and I'm not limiting it to just music, and applying that ethic. I have my own theories as to what should be different, but its more introspective with a sense of opposition than a demand towards our current music makers. We're ready for whatever the future brings. I just hope we progress as a culture, rather then treating music like a fashion show.

So when looking at your MySpace, it seems that name is actually a three-piece, how the fuck do you pull off that wall of sound live?

Answer: I don't really know how to answer that, haha. Sonically, we've seemed to find the sound we wanted to make it sound warm, honest, and big. But other then that, we've never really looked at it as anything other then just play the songs how we wrote them. We are proud that we've successfully managed to re-interpret our record to the stage, while still giving the songs a unique personality live.

Speaking of which, what can we expect from an average live show by name?

Answer: You can expect one of the most intense shows you've ever been too. We love music and enjoy the music we make. Yes, we have a serious standpoint on our music, but that doesn't change the fact we became involved with music in the first place because it was so much fun. We make sure to keep that trait live. We have fun every show, every night. We're just happy to be up there. Being that we play aggressive music, it definitely fuels the ol' proverbial fire. Especially if the crowds respond in turn with intensity. We guarantee you'll have fun at a 'name' show. Just do yourself a favor and don't hold back. Never hold back.

And the most important question, of course, is when will we be able to see you guys play over here in Europe?

Answer: A big goal for us is to get out over seas before the end of the year. We're hoping to get that email or phone call sparking the opportunity being that its figuratively and literally foreign territory. Like I said, we just need that spark that can take us over to you folks and play everywhere possible.

These were my questions for now. Thanks a bunch for your time, but even more so for your music! Hope to see you guys soon over here and good luck promoting ‘Internet Killed The Audio Star’! If you have anything to add, please go ahead.

Answer: We sincerely appreciate anyone who takes time out of their day to just learn more about 3 music nerds from the bay. Thank you for checking out the record, thank you to those who will be checking out the record and an extra special thank to those who have already purchased it. Keep in touch with us through our various streams of media and keep checking back for tour dates as the WILL show up. Thank you again and spread the word to your friends. Cheers.

Happy little green irish guy day!

2010-03-17T12:18:00.001-07:00

Spring Break is here, St. Patrick's Day is here and the court just took away my daughter. My rampant alcoholism has never felt so validated. See you at graduation, Pookie! Save an awkward hug for mommy.

SOOOO, other then jokes and false information, another thing has landed, so strap in for some self-esteem boosting words, some laughs, and the next generation of stereotypes.

If you haven't noticed by now, our new record "Internet Killed The Audio Star" is slowly but surely contaminating music bins everwhere, so make sure to pick that up!!

Tour dates will also be announced soon so you little kiddies better be prepared for a sonic raping of sorts.

I'd like to also add at this point that we have landed a deal with Orange Amps, so youll be seeing the big, bright beautiful Orangey orange color on stage soon.

Last thing, just because we love you lots and lots, visit our merch store over at http://www.alexamachine.com.

Find something you like and input the code "audiostar" to get an addition 20% off!

Thats right, get 20% off of ANYTHING in the store!!

Just put in the code "audiostar" and help yourself!

Also, spread the love and have your friends add us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/nameband) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/name).

More reviews and interviews on the way.

Thank you chitlens.

Wesley's Interview w/ Fuze Magazine

2010-03-16T04:11:00.000-07:00

(The interview was with European publication, Fuze Magazine... The theme of the short interview revolved around our name and the idea behind names in general. This is to be somewhat of a teaser to a bigger piece that will be written later on. The interview is with myself, Wesley.)

1) How important is the name of a band in general?

- I feel, weither you like it or not, it plays a vital roll in the perception of your music and nature to others.. Regardless if people are aware consciously or sub-consciously, it places a pre conceived notion at the forefront of their expectations of you. A lot of bands disregard that and, basically, just recycle the same names over and over again, especting people to take them seriously. By time they realize it, its to late.

2) What’s the meaning behind your band name? What do you want to
express with it?

- I always say it has 3 basic meanings. 1) It means "the new approach to martyrs expressions".. Which means we have always approached things with our art OUR way and we believe in it enough to die for. 2) Its slightly tounge-in-cheek. Who names their band NAME? Haha people either like it or hate it, but they never forget it. 3) The name clouds the listeners assumption of what we sound like. If you hear the names Cannibal Corpse or Dying Fetus, you think death metal.. "Name" makes you have to listen to know what we're about.

3) Whose idea was it to call your band NAME?

- It was mine (Wes). At the time, we had an old band that had broken up. When we had decided to get back together (most of the originals anyways) we agreed that it was a totally different band, just with familiar people. So when we had looked for a name to describe where we were at and after a few choices, I happened to have this name that made a lot of sense.

4) What are the advantages/disadvantages of naming a band NAME?

- Haha more then youd think. It has made it hard for others to find us online, being that we live in a digital age. But its allowed us to be part of most social networking sites out there, making it capable to be in contact with anyone who enjoys our music directly. But there inlies an advantage. We enjoy the fact we can remain connected with anyone who has given us a chance.

5) If your band name wouldn’t be NAME how would you call your band?

- One of the original names we were writing under for awhile was called "The Rise and Fall of Liars", which we obviously abandoned. But that title will definetly pop up very soon.

6) What are the best/worst band names you’ve ever heard?=

Band names that bug the shit out of me include all these carbon copy bands that include 2 or more of the following words, such as "bleeding", "blood", "autumn", a girls name, a word with complicated spelling and no relevance to the music itself in an attempt to confuse you into thinking theyre metal, etc. Names I DO enjoy personally, are usually the 1 word names or somewhat sarcastic names, which I feel shows personality. Such as, Them Crooked Vultures, Converge, Isis, Cynic, Muse, Baroness, I Am The Ocean, Intronaut, Swallow The Sun, Mono, Neurosis, Old Man Gloom, Cave In, Pelican, A Storm of Light, Year of No Light, Narrows, Young Widows, Yes, Wolves In The Throne Room, and others I cant think of at the moment. Let it be known I am jealous of every single one of those names, haha.

Incredible Review on "SMN News"

2010-03-12T14:39:00.001-08:00

San Francisco experi-metallers NAME have created one of the most creative releases of the year so far. The way NAME takes metal with such an open mind is incredible. If one were to compare, think a mixture of The Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, and maybe some Genghis Tron, and NAME takes these influences, combines them, and finds a way to make their own sound. Their latest Lifeforce Records release Internet Killed The Audio Star is beautiful with all of its rich melodies and elaborate soundscapes, while at the same time on the heavy side, absolutely craaaaazy! The album is a great play from start to finish, and is definitely a thinker. Do you really think you know what metal sounds like?

Internet Killed The Audio Star mixes progressive metal, technical and obscure structures, groovy jazz rhythms, and pretty much everything in between - these guys aren't your average musicians. And would you shit yourself if I told you that NAME is a threesome?! Yes, the 3 band members create this colossal of a sound. Guitarist/vocalist Wes Fareas puts on one hell of a performance with his bluesy and jam-based clean vocals, and he's tearing off faces the next second with deep and sincere screams. NAME's transitions are really going to catch you off guard (in a good way).

Like a bull in a china shop, NAME opens up Internet Killed The Audio Star with "Killer Whales, Man", and bring back that crazy and techy mathcore sound, and sprinkle on some mean distortion, too. Next up is "My Sweetheart, The Whore", and holy shit does NAME catch you off guard! The approach here takes some polyrhythmic breaks, tons of speed, and the delicacy of the clean rhythm almost explains the song title as if you had to deal with this sweetheart/whore, sweet (clean rhythm) one second, whore (brutal mathcore) out of the blue the next. Brilliant song! The 4 part epic of "Empathic Communicator" shows an expansive NAME, and each part lets loose all sorts of hell. Sometimes I wonder if these guys are on speed, because of their off tempo mathcore greatness, then a Deftones influence pops up, then later some ambiance, and like I've said before, they really catch you off guard. Point being, there is so much good influence being drawn into Internet Killed The Audio Star that hell, you could just call this release as a tribute to music as a whole. The heavier more straight forward side of NAME comes out in such songs like "The Spark Of Divinity" and "Mare", but keep in mind these still aren't your average metal songs.

NAME saves the best for last on Internet Killed The Audio Star with "Charmer", and let me tell you this is the jam right here! An eerie and experimental soundscape claws along in the intro complimenting Wes Fareas' creepy yet catchy clean vocals, to only be blasted away by some huge melody. The verses go psycho, and "Charmer" is quite the charming song (yeah, pun intended) for those metal minded. The guitar tones in this badboy are different, and I love the production done here. Anyways, "Charmer" is going to move you, and this is a side of NAME I'd like to see some more - possibly a new musical direction, boys?

ee, I like those metal albums that I'm not going to expect when to headbang, unlike much of the generic metal these days you already can tell when the heavy part is building up. Internet Killed The Audio Star is bloody fucking brilliant, and this is the type of album that will grow on you. I mean, you're not going to catch every single detail within first listen, though NAME will create a great first impression. Keep this one in constant rotation to witness its true beauty. There is a difference between want and need, and I'm telling you with all honesty, you NEED to go buy this album now! NAME could very much brand their name (no pun intended) in the future of metal; the future by keeping the unique side of metal alive.

9/10

http://www.smnnews.com/2010/03/12/name-internet-killed-the-audio-star/

Movinnnn' onnn UUUUuuuUUUPPP!

2010-03-12T12:31:00.001-08:00

We just made the top five releases in the current issue of FUZE Magazine! Pretty sweet.

Also, interview w/ Wes posted: http://www.metal-revolution.com/plugins/content/content.php?content.2865

And please visit http://www.savewolves.org Or http://www.defenders.org

031310

2010-03-11T03:42:00.001-08:00

This Saturday will be our CD release show for our new record "Internet Killed The Audio Star". We will be playing the entire record (well we hope to atleast) so don't miss it. Chances are something like this won't happen again. Please come have fun with us. This is going to be one of those shows where youll be at home and say "goddamnit! I shouldve gone. What the hell was I doing that night?..ahh fuck, I cant remember.... But shit... Goddamnit... I wish i'd gone". That night will rock so much cock, not even Apache Chief can handle the thunder. Don't be that guy.

An in-depth interview with Metal Revolution...

2010-03-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

I recently had an interview with Metal Revolution Magazine which ended up being the most in-depth interview i've done to date. It felt good answering different questions for a change. It dives into a few things we've never touched base on in previous interviews.

(Metal Revolution is a zine from Denmark)

Read on for an idea of how the band NAME came to be, why they chose
such a name and why their latest album is called Internet Killed The
Audiostar, as I have a talk with them about these and other things.

(This interview is with, myself, Wes Fareas. Ill be labeling my answers "WF".)

MR: Let me first thank you for taking the time to do an interview, as
you are undoubtedly busy around the release of your new album - an
album I hope to understand a little better following the next hours
time.

WF: Thank you. Hopefully I can shed light for you.

MR: So, NAME, eh? How did you end up calling your band this? And more
importantly, does it ever provide any, say, logistical problems, for
lacking a better term. I know searching for it on the net, at least,
can be a tad difficult.

WF: More often then not, we are asked what it means. But the meaning and means are closely related. First off, name is an acronym that stands for 'the new approach to martyrs expressions'. It made sense for us to name ourselves this because of how we felt about the music we make and our love for music. Names are labels. Branding if you will. I feel if you aren't careful you can limit yourself from a natural progression in art. Musicians, particularly, will always excel, subconsciously or consciously. Its inevitable. Being involved in an ebb and flow that is music, sound will change. A basis of music in itself will change. We're aware of this and applied it to the name of the band. It allows you to experience who we are through the music, not a name that implies we're "brutal" or "we're sensitive" or "I tuck my penis between my legs". Yes, its does pose a problem being an entirely un-"google-able" name. But we want the section of the bands personality to be represented from album to album. We have been very vocal about the fact we are going to make a different record everytime. For the time being, it definitely will be on an aggressive side, but doesn't mean it always has to be straight metal. But, that being said, we feel a more efficient way to find us online is putting in "Internet Killed The Audio Star" or both "name" then the album title. You'll find results more involved with the band during that time period. Trust me, its definitely easier that way. As far as telling people our name in person, I feel like we're in the Abbot and Costello joke "who's on first?".

MR: And on to your album, titled Internet Killed The Audiostar, which
I am very interested in hearing more about - other than asking why it
was named such. Right off the bat, screaming vocals and menacing tunes
assault the listener, engulfing them in the firestorm that is "Killer
Whales Man." Actually, the vocals are immensely strong throughout the
album, leaving very little wanting. How did you come from the idea of
making music to that point?

WF: We've always been absolutely head over heels in love with music for as long as the 3 of us can remember. Every aspect of it. Aggressive music stood out to me personally because I got chills when everything aligned. I say this a lot to those around me, but my body and mind react to when everything falls into place in a song. The perfect words with the perfect melody, the perfect notes over the perfect rhythm, in this case the perfect words with the perfect scream. I think based off of how we are naturally, certain things can just be said normally. When we get angry, we say hurtful things by screaming them at another person. Same thing with metal and all forms of aggressive music. A very applicable quote to us is from John Doe in the movie Se7en: "Nowadays, to get someone's attention, you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to beat them over the head with a sledge hammer, then you'll fine you have their full attention"... We named the album "Internet Killed The Audio Star" because of current sordid, stagnant state of music today. It obviously is a parody of The Buggles song "Video Killed The Radio Star". When that song came out it put a title to the chapter of an ending era and the birth of a new one. MTV used to be the next evolutionary step from where radio was. Nowadays, its your myspace, or facebook, or weither or not you can buy the album on Itunes or download a torrent for free. It seems music has become more of a fashion show then the music itself anymore. So the title is a somewhat tounge-in-cheek offering to the elephant in the room. We're all aware its happening, but no one wants to talk about it.

MR: Before leaving names behind totally, I must also ask to the song
titles, for no other reason that they are wonderfully different. Where
do you guys come up with this?

WF: Well I approach song titles in usually 2 similar forms. 1, its a title reflecting the concept of the song or 2, its a sarcastic, cynical commentary to the message in the song. As random as some of them can be, it has something to do with the song in nature, no matter how unlikely it might seem. The titles are as big a deal to me as the lyrics themselves. I look at my lyrics as my main instrument, so I don't half ass anything. When I die, of course I want my music to be connected with me, but I want my lyrics to be remembered over anything else ive done.

MR: I am having a hard time drawing parallels between you guys and
previously established bands. Where do you get your inspiration from?

WF: We more pull inspiration from the aesthetic of music itself. How its progressed (for better or for worse) over the course of time. Bad or good, it is an evolutionary progression. We also feel things come in patterns, it seems. The hair metal aesthetic seems to have come back. Big hair, guys wearing makeup, you project the illusion of success and how life is a 24 hour party. Things like that. We're big fans of the late 60's, early 70's aesthetic of making music naturally. Getting out there and making things happen. Led Zeppelin never had myspace, or couldn't burn CDs to pass out even. You went to a show, you liked it, you bought the record, you went home, showed your friends, they liked it, then came to the next show and bought the record, and so on and so forth. Of course we pull specific musical influences as well, but a lot of them aren't metal. For instance, we apply our jazz influences to our metal style. Odd progressions and meters, unpredictable changes, even jamming on certain sections of the piece. We apply 90's rock to the drums of an obvious death metal riff. Euro electro-pop vocals to the doom sections. We could name artists we're inspired by all goddamn day, but that would get tiring for the reader.

MR: Also, please tell me about you guys and when you were younger -
did you always know you'd end up playing in a band with NAME for a
name, shredding and tearing violently as the music progress into a
cascade of controlled noise? How did you come together and form the
band?

WF: We've all been playing music for a long, long time, but when we originally came together, we were 14 years old. My brother, Jeremy (bass), and I were living in the central valley of California at the time and eventually were separated where he stayed in the valley and I moved to the bay area. I knew no one there. Bobby (drums) was literally the first person I met in the bay area and we just got to talking about music and jamming together sometime. I brought up my brother, who at the time has just picked up bass, and the rest is history. So we've basically been a family for over ten years. When we started writing music it wasn't named "name", we had a similar style then as to now, but not as... Mature, I guess is the word I could use. When "name" came into play, we were still very young. We just wrote what was natural and it ended up being aggressive and heavy, it pumped us up just to practice. But we still applied sections of jazz, bossa nova, trip hop, etc. We don't get asked about the noise sections very much though. To be 100% honest, it just felt natural to apply it to the song. It gave it a personality and we never looked at it any different. Simply put it sounded "cool" and just seemed right. Now we seem to apply that a lot into our songs. We hadn't really noticed it for this record until AFTER the record was completed. I know at times a lot of our responses could sound pretentious, but we're just being honest. We could lie and say "its just brutal, bro!" but that would go against what we believe in the first place. We don't take ourselves to seriously, either. Our music is serious, but as people, we enjoy having fun, smiling, laughing just like everyone else. That in itself is going to come off in our music, which in certain spots on the album you can hear it. But, then again, it is simpler to say we just love the music we make and love playing intense, cinematic, expansive, sarcastic, violent, honest, massive music.

MR: There can be no doubt in anyone who listens to your album that, in
concert, you guys must be quite a spectacle. How do you like playing
live?

WF: As I've said before, we love what we do. I believe, in a band, you need to be a fan of your music or else why are you making it? What else do you have to offer? Ive also mentioned before that the songs just pump us up when we're rehearsing them. So live is a totally different beast. To be honest, that's our baby. Yes, we're proud of our record, we put a lot of ourselves and a lot of time on it. But live is our bread and butter. We are aware we're playing intense music, so if the crowd picks up on that vibe, we feed off of them and its just fucking insane. We put on the same show if we're in front of 3, 300, or 3,000 people. We just have fun up there and are just welcoming you to join that energy. We can guarantee it will be one of the most intense shows you've ever been to. We don't want you to hold back. We sure as hell don't, or else we just feel cheated. There's going to be a time when we can't physically do this anymore. Its going to catch up with us. So, until then we'll make it worth it.

MR: Who is your typical fan?

WF: We've noticed musicians have been the most vocal with their appreciation for what we're trying to do. We were once referred to by a friend/musician as a "bands band". At first, I thought of that negatively because his comment immediately following that was "but those aren't the ones that are gonna come to your shows or pick up your record". But, I realized he was wrong. Fellow musicians have been there, hanging out with us, purchasing the record and enjoying it. I think they understand that in a dying scene, we could use all the comradery we can get. We also have fans that aren't musicians, just die hard music appreciators. They've also been overwhelmingly supportive. We sincerely appreciative of every single person who has come to a show or bought the record. Being that its so easy to download the record for free and listen to it from the comfort of your home. Its nice to know that their are people out there who understand being in a band in this era is an uphill battle. Every record bought helps push the integrity of music and allows us to defend the idea that heavy music will always have a home.

MR: So what are your plans now? What can we expect from NAME in the future?

WF: We plan on touring this record into the ground. The bedlam of creating the record is now done and the next chapter is getting out there and making everyone listen. They don't have to like it, but just acknowledge that its out there... We will be around for a long, long time. Regardless to the constantly changing tide of music. We'll always do what we love and will continue to make honest music/art. Nietzche once said "we have art in order to not die from the truth.". I feel that makes more sense now then it ever has.

MR: I wish to thank you for your time and wish you the best of luck
from here on. Looking forward to hearing more from you guys.

WF: Thank you very much for taking time out of your day for this. You could of been doing anything else. It was refreshing to not have to answer the same ol', run-of-the-mill questions. Thank you again and you'll definitely be hearing a lot more from us. Weither you want to or not...

Pop Rocks VS Fury Rocks... An interview with Wes.

2010-03-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

Name's Wes Fareas' Interview with the European Magazine Furyrocks

FuryRocks: You probably get this one a lot; how did you came up with your band name?

Wes Fareas: We always give a few reasons as to why, but basically, its an acronym which means "the new approach to martyrs expressions". Its direct, no real mystery to it. We strongly believe in what we do as artists and that will not faulter. Another reason is that in a sea of ironic names for bands, we felt something as basic as 'name' would just imply that you had to listen to us for yourself. No real attempt to sound clever or brutal. We like it, we dont care what others think, haha.

Furyrocks: You’ve been busy for 10 years before releasing this Debut. What took you so long?

Wes Fareas: Well we formed around 2003, released a record called "Portrait" in which we sold and distributed ourselves. Then it was just a series of EPs over the course of years. But it did take years to complete this record. We went through member changes and just kept re-working the songs until everything fell into place.

FR: How are you feeling about the record?

WF: We're incredibly happy with it. We put a lot of ourselves into every bit of the process and wouldve spent more time on it if we could. We're meticulous as hell so we would pull an Axl Rose and spend forever on it if time and money permitted, haha. But we're just excited to play behind this thing for awhile now. The record, as a whole, showcases the different styles we're capable of, so it allows each performance to sound unique with a shifting set list.

FR: Are you happy with the reception it had?

WF: Definetly. We've been getting a lot of positive reviews and feedback from fans. We understand our record is not for everyone being that we've been told certain people don't have the attention span for it. But what is refreshing is that it's finding its way to the openminded people. Supporters of integrity. We tried to make the album seem more like a score or soundtrack to a series of circumstances and human connectivity. A lot of people are picking that up and finding the dynamics sonically so it makes for an intense live experience.

FR: There’s a lot of comparisons made with bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan, how do you feel about that?

WF: Comparisons will always find its way into any style of music, no matter how unique. We are aware of our influences (which are usually not the first comparisons made) and we are aware of the similairities people will place on us because those bands are influenced by the same artists WE are. People find comfort in relating anything, we just kind of sit back and let it happen.

FR: I can imagine you don’t write songs overnight, could you tell us how you guys build up a song?

WF: The 3 of us are constantly writing. It just seems right with the sordid state of things. I usually base the instrumentation on a perceptive feeling. Such as relating the feel of the music to the ocean or the desert and slowly build around that concept.

FR: And how long does it take you guys to write a new song?

WF: Its taken us 3 months to write 15 seconds worth of material and sometimes its taken a day to write a full song. We just work with the song until it feels right. Thus why some songs are 3 minutes, some are 10. Some are raw, some are swimming in layers. We just like to jam on the song until it reaches a conclusion naturally.

FR: When did you guys decide, "I want to be in a metal band"?

WF: We all grew up listening to so many different styles of music. From 80's hair metal to synth pop to death metal to 90's rock to free form jazz to 70's progressive. But we found ourselves always making our way back to aggressive music. The intensity is overwhelming and its part of great community that led to, in my opinion, the most expressive form of music. Yes, it does apply to other styles of music, but in its own way. Which is why we apply outside aesthetics into aggressive music, including multiple types of "heavy".

FR: How are you feeling about the metal scene today?

WF: To be honest, im disappointed. Well, im more upset with what is passing off as metal nowadays. I can believe its aggressive, but metal, no. There are so many subgenres that it just waters down the idea. I believe in different forms of metal, which is how I see us, but when we start inventing our own genre titles, please, beat me to death in the head with a piece of heavy mining equipment.

FR: What inspires you to make music?

WF: So much. Interaction, environment, opposition. This record, lyrically, is mainly commentary on a series of introspective and retrospective thoughts. I like providing an open forum for the landscape I hope to paint for the listener. I dont write whiney "woah is me" shit. It gets old even listening to it. I know its cliche to say, but in its own way, everything inspires me. But more specifically, its what I pull out of the situation.

FR: I’m really interested to see you guys play live, any chance you’ll be doing any shows in Europe soon?

WF: Our album comes out in Europe on April 19th, so we're hoping to make our way out there sometime after then. We've been wanting to make our way overseas for a long time now. So we're hoping we get a call soon with a good tour offer, haha. But seriously, we plan on making it happen before the end of the year.

FR: Any last words for our readers?

WF: Thank you so much for those who have been supporting us for some time now and who continue to support us. We love what we do and we're glad there are people out there who share the same love for music as we do. If youre reading this, please visit us on line at www.myspace.com/name and say hello. Keep supporting underground music.

FR: Thanks for your time!

WF: Thank you very much

Perry Rodenrijs for Furyrocks

Michael Keaton

2010-03-02T16:49:00.001-08:00

March is finally here, which means it is officially "Stripper Season." Just make sure you bag one of those "middle of the day" strippers. No reason to murder part of the strip club's starting lineup just because you can.

If stuffing and mounting "Stretch-Mark Betty" doesn't take too much of your time, check out the tunes over at www.myspace.com/name. It's got a fresh batch of noise that we will be playing at our upcoming CD RELEASE SHOW out in Walnut Creek, CA on Saturday, March 13th from our seemingly inexhaustible supply of intolerance for current music. Also come to experience potential jokes about whatever the media is calling "news" this week, and some children's books that are sure to be soul-crushing classics.

Or you can shoot right over to our shirts at http://www.alexamachine.com. They're even better the second time around. Like Chinese food or Chinese panties.

On another note: Now that Jay Leno is once again gainfully employed by NBC, you could use a distraction. That's where we come in. Enjoy the tunes. Add us on those social networking websites that we all know youre a part of.

New goal. If we reach 300 Facebook friends (http://www.facebook.com/nameband) & 350 Twitter friends (http://www.twitter.com/name), we'll start giving oppurtunitys to win free shit. Including our brand spankin new compact disc. So, dont try to lie. We know you have these internet social networking website profiles, so might as well join in the fun. Have your friends join the fun as well... It'll be sexy. And once again, if youre a bay resident, come out to our CD release show. Its gonna be a fucking blast. We'll be playing a good portion of the record, including songs we havent played live yet.

Love you, you little fuckable faces, you..

- W

"Metal Revolution Webzine" Review

2010-02-27T18:05:00.001-08:00

Jeremiah found another review of the record on the Metal Revolution Webzine page. You can click the link below, or (since i'm so nice) take the lazy route and just read it here. Read on, readers.

http://www.metal-revolution.com/plugins/content/content.php?content.2839

"Blasting off with a truckload of penned up energy being released in a cascade of raw metal power, the first few seconds of this album promises much. And live up to those expectations it does, most certainly. An irrepressible feeling of awe as the vicious vocals perfectly mix with expert musicianship spew forth from every song on the album, ensures that one cannot help wanting to hear more.

On a few songs they experiment a little with changing the style a little, adding a sequence or in other ways doing something different from the main theme of the album, with mixed results. While I think the entire album is actually really good, there are a few parts that I think they could have left out, if for no other fact that it just isn't as powerful as the grander part of the album.

I must admit that I was wondering what sort of music it would be when I looked at the promotional the first time. A band called Name? An album called Internet Killed The Audiostar and a cover that looks very calm (for a lack of a better word,) all shrewdly shrouds the fact that this is a metal album that deserves both recognition and appreciation. The lyrics are perfect for the phenomenal vocals (or perhaps they are made so through that,) and the production leaves little waning. The sound all in all will to a professional musician perhaps not be perfect - there may be parts where some things are not technically perfect. But to hell with that, I like it!

I strongly suggest checking out "Mare," "Charmer" and "The Spark Of Divinity" all of which can be
heard on their MySpace.

http://www.myspace.com/name

70/100"

(also, the whole album wont be up for much long to stream on our myspace, so soak it up.)

<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/browserRedirect?url=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStore.woa%252Fwa%252FviewAlbum%253Fid%253D351470902%2526cc%253Dbe">Have Itunes? Click here!</a>
<a href="http://www.alexamachine.com/brands/Name-Merchandise.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn109/namemustaine/namebannerbrand.jpg" border="0" alt="CHECK OUT THE AWESOME NEW SHIT!"></a>

Review snippets

2010-02-22T17:02:00.001-08:00

Found some fun review quips I figured i'd share with you all.

"When discussing Name's debut album Internet Killed The Audio Star, one word comes to mind: unpredictable. For 77 minutes, the band goes through a wide spectrum of genres, from progressive metal to jazz-fusion. Name is comfortable with pushing songs into lengths usually reserved for bands like Between The Buried and Me, especially with the four-part epic "Empathic Communicator." Clocking in at 20 minutes, it is the centerpiece of the album and one of the clear indications that Name has immense talent."

"Their talent is evident on much of the material on Internet Killed The Audio Star. "The Spark Of Divinity" starts out aggressively, but deviates into a melodic breakdown with soaring clean vocals. "Mare" is in the same vein, highlighted by bluesy guitar work and a piercing screech at the end that could make a baby cry. Throughout all the madness, the rhythm section is the stand-out. Bassist Jeremy Fareas channels Dan Briggs, Geddy Lee, and Les Claypool with his funky leads and slap work, while drummer Bobby Gibbs is versatile with his jazz-infused fills and loose playing style. The clean vocals are a mixed bag. They are a perfect backdrop, lush and emotional. "

"Name will be a big band to look out for in the near future; their debut is proof of that."

"German Metal Hammer" Review

2010-02-22T05:08:00.001-08:00

We recently received an album review in Europe for this months "German Metal Hammer" issue. The review was scanned and sent over to us, so bare with the rough translation from German to English. Even though there was a language barrier, they had some nice things to say. Check it out:

"With 'Dave Mustaine' name, from San Francisco, so far have an unconventional tribute (including the indie/dance-part) for the Megadeth front-man/composer. But that suits the trio to go against every rule. Thus INTERNET KILLED THE AUDIO STAR is certainly not for everyone. Here, one must grasp it piece for piece, every note, every scream and every sonic disintegration, in order to understand the overall work. With songs in the "short" ten-minute field is no easy task. Namely name knows how to make "Horfeinde" [?]. Wes Fareas' voice oscillates between the glass shattering screams and grungig tinged vocals. This supports the strings of his group with an experimental, sometimes staccato-like riffing. The spectrum ranges from about jazz and grindcore to post individual sound collages. However, the Californians do take breaks from the hyper-intellectual look from the original cause, so theres always good straight sections for pure entertainment value. With INTERNET KILLED THE AUDIO STAR, they have managed to name a ten-year odyssey and finally publish an impressive, striking debut, which satisfies one's own creativity.

Songwritting: 5 Sound: 5 5/5"

"German Metal Hammer" also listed '...The Audio Star' in the Top 30 Albums in their "Soundscan" segment.

Pretty awesome.

(ill post the scanned image of both the soundscan and review soon)

THE ALBUMS FINALLY HERE!

2010-02-16T12:24:00.001-08:00

I have a funny anecdote to share. Last night, same as every night, I was minding the local glory-hole. Long, short, smelly, curved, same old routine. But then, well, you kind of had to be there. But long story short, Gary Busey no longer has a penis.

Anyway, the album is FINALLY here! Such a long fucking time in the making. We were hoping this wasnt Chinese Democracy 2. It's packed with unintentionally awesome riffs, intentionally awesome cowbell, and an a theme that either supports or mocks homosexuals. People see what they want to see, you know. Now I'm going to go see some new XBOX360.

We also have 6 new shirt designs available as part of our "WE HAVE NER MERCH" program. So, check those out at www.alexamachine.com.

On a sincere note, thank you to everyone who has ever supported us while we've worked on this record in anyway at ANYTIME. I know bands rant like this a lot, but a lot of you dont know how much of a uphill battle this whole thing was. Its been a rough few years but we kept moving forward. Now we have this piece of our hearts on disc to share with you folks. We're very proud of this record and hope you listen to it with an open mind. Im sure I speak for Bobby and Jeremy when I say we sincerely appreciate literally every single one of you who have either asked us about the band, came to a show, bought us a drink, bought a shirt, sang the songs, drop our van, plugged us in, ran our sound, gave us couches to sleep on, hugged us after the show or listened to our songs with an open mind and open heart.

We love you. We wish there was more we could do for you... But we now have the rest of our lives to make it up to you.

"Internet Killed The Audio Star" - OUT NOW!

Cheers,

Wes

Ragin' pit an' shit...

2010-02-08T13:59:00.001-08:00

Just found this on raginpitmagazine.com. Never seen it before, but sure as hell made me laugh in the middle.

"Bay Area spazzes NAME (New Approach to Martyrs Expressions) have announced that they have signed a deal with Lifeforce Records. The band is continuing to work on their new album, Internet Killed the Audio Star, with eyes on a summer release. The irony of this is that several of the regional bands that shit on them for years are either unsigned or broken up. Ain't karma a bitch?.. Also, they will embark on a short string of West Coast dates in March alongside Battlefields and Irepress."

Pretty funny while equally true.

Also, on that note, albums almost out, get the presales while you have a few days left.

http://www.alexamachine.com

---

Wes Fareas

(415) 269 3534
http://www.linkedin.com/in/wesfareas

name
http://www.myspace.com/name
(New album in stores February 16th)

Sent from my HTC TiltT 2, a Windows® phone from AT&T

Kickin' off the month

2010-02-04T02:11:00.001-08:00

February is finally here, and you know what that means: Alcohol, flog a homeless guy, more alcohol, sleep... And at this point it's really up to you.

The new album has almost arrived. And in addition to jokes from a bitter cynic (yours truly) and "tweets" from the dumbest common denominator, we've also got some new ideas for February, now that Obama has made Black History Month obsolete.

And we have once again topped ourselves with our new shirts. If you don't think these are the greatest shirts ever produced, my Messican momma will stab you.

http://www.alexamachine.com

Stalk us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/nameband

Review from Pandemonium TV (Costa Rica)

2010-02-01T13:25:00.000-08:00

Our new album was recently reviewed over at Pandemonium TV. The whole thing was written in Spanish, so here is a rough translation. (the original version is found at the link below):

http://www.pandemonium-tv.com/2010/01/name-internet-killed-audiostar-2010.html

"Often a disc requires time to be digested completely. In the case of New Approach to Martyrs Expressions (or NAME, for the not initiated), the assimilation process was something long, mainly because its quite complex and dissonant music, with a particular structure that can be aberrant until for the most abierto from listening. And it is that basically the style of these musicians is a mixture of so many different sorts that in many occasions their subjects feel like a kick to the brain; the route of sounds includes from Death Metal to Jazz, happening through Progressive, Environmental Metal, Hardcore and Grindcore, although a simple way to describe it is like Math Metal. Given the very particular nature of each one of the styles that NAME incorporates, it is easy to imagine why all will not be very consenting as to give an opportunity to this album, but does not fit doubt that if they have in them to listen this band they will give account that here is quality given. The subjects generally are not extensive and that is something that works without doubt in favor of the band, since it helps to make it easy to listen to all the album by parts when simply the musical madness cannot be resisted that is present during the hour that includes this recording. Concerning songs, each one is quite different from the other and the unique thing thats shared is that manic and eccentric sound, but one of the memorable moments on "Internet Killed The Audiostar comes" comes in the form of a tetralogy called 'Empathic Communicator', where we can appreciate of complete way as these boys make an unfolding of technical abilities. Four threaded subjects, of discreet way, shows an influence of bands like Muse and Tool. If somebody likes of changing material and underground enough, NAME would have to be an excellent election, since as I said previously propose a very eclectic style and until certain point transgressor. It is very good music and with an even better execution, but the amount of present elements in the disc are in such a volatile form, that with which a subject perhaps changing on a second, could be too much for most preservative. Internet Killed The Audiostar is a disc that takes time to appreciate and to digest since he is extremely angular. But give them the opportunity and you would find an excellent material to strengthen the great form with which this 2010 is starting. A purchase forced for followers of bands like Between The Buried and Me or The Dillinger Escape Plan.

- Qualification: 80/100"

PRE-SALES POSTED!

2010-02-01T04:48:00.001-08:00

Click the banner below to take you to our merch store which has a special bundle deal which is pretty goddamn cheap. We also posted 6, yep, count 'em, 6 new shirts. So click the link and check it out! The deal only lasts for a couple weeks, so dont miss out.

Also, with every CD purchase, we'll be writing a hand written thank you note to YOU.

Seriously, thank you so much for everything folks! Its been a long time in the making, dont miss out on this 1 time deal.

http://www.alexamachine.com

The first review...

2010-01-29T19:49:00.000-08:00

This is the first review we have found on the record, so far. This is at least the first one WE'VE seen. But we take it as a good omen. So here's the link to the write up, or, if you're lazy, we posted it below. Also, our OWN pre-sales on the way. With the albums release being weeks away, we will be offering some super special deals. Check back this Sunday!... But,, here ya go.. read on.:

http://hearwaxmedia.com/3387/name-internet-killed-the-audiostar

"We all set about to discover ourselves. Upon inspection of our endless introspection, it is likely we all search. From the lowliest cells to the firing nodes in our brains, our entire being seeks a place where it can settle, comfortable and content. Everyone goes through phases. We experiment with drugs and alcohol, we adopt new principles, we shed light on innovative policies; we open ourselves up to new things. No one knows for sure, but one could wager a bet that most of us will never rest easily in our own skin, just as most bands and artists will branch into new and unexplored territory. You’ve seen it a million times: a band you admire takes a complete 180-degree turn and polarizes its fanbase with a completely different record. The band doesn’t want to be pigeonholed, but they don’t want to admit that they’re stroking their collective ego either. So many artists struggle and stumble in their exhausted (and exhausting) attempts at finding “themselves,” experimenting and identifying the niche they can comfortably and contentedly snuggle into. Interesting, then, how a little band called NAME will never, ever have to worry about such a dilemma.

The New Approach to Martyrs Expressions (hence, NAME) hail from San Francisco and are currently a three-piece outfit. Keep this in mind as this reviewer attempts the difficult task of not slipping into gushing and endless hyperbole. First off, the band could technically be classified as technical metal. Second, it’s refreshing to hear a group from the Bay Area that doesn’t want to wear denim jackets and acid-washed jeans. Third, there is no way in Jesus this group could pull off their 2009 debut, Internet Killed the Audiostar, off live. With some research and surfing time logged (hello, Myspace), the tracks on here that have appeared elsewhere, namely album opener “Killer Whales, Man,” are actually pulled off successfully in the live atmosphere. Take a breath and prepare for the future of unbridled aggression.

Internet Killed the Audiostar is something of an anomaly; a top-tier mindblower that comes straight out of nowhere to knock its fortunate listeners flat on their face as it proceeds to assault them mercilessly (oh hey hyerbole). Lifeforce Records had to have taken stocks on this one because, just two weeks into the new year, a contender for the top 10 records of 2010 has already arrived. Interesting too, how three paragraphs into this review nothing has been mentioned of the sound of the record. It’s because words can’t do it justice. Internet is so deftly executed and so overtly theatrical that it demands a listening in full out 5.1 surround sound with a glass of wine and a taste for technically insane fusion.

Listeners don’t need to be savvy to hear The Dillinger Escape Plan during the opening moments of the aforementioned “Killer Whales, Man.” The first 20 seconds of the track rip into mathcore like it’s 1999 all over again, with jagged rhythms, offtime instruments and brink-of-insanity vocals aligned with the masters of the genre. The track twists and turns through a roadmap of Deadguy’s technical prowess, guttural slams by way of Wormed, tasteful breakdowns, early Converge harmonizations (see: When Forever Comes Crashing) and a wave to Pg. 99. Oh, and there’s a southern rock riff that features a cowbell and tremolo-picked muted chords. Every one of these styles is pulled off already by another band. NAME are fully aware of this, and they use this opener as an opportunity to dissect the clichés and fallbacks of metalcore while turning every rule on its head (read: It’s really GOOD). It’s as if the song is included on the album to expel all pretense and get all the influences out of the way. The rest of the album follows in a similar tradition, but this is the track that allows the band to tell its listeners that they will fuse many genres and styles into one song, but they laugh at the same time because they prove that they are actually able to do it well.

It is safe to say that Internet Killed the Audiostar is lofty in its ambitions. At 80 minutes, NAME maximize disc space to create an album (looks like they didn’t buy too heartily into the title) that evokes the chameleonic shiftiness of Between the Buried and Me (there are so many genres tinkered with on this record) but they do it much better than those waning prodigies. There is simply too much going on in this record to describe. Pages and pages of notes have finally illustrated to this author that the only rational thing to do is to actually pick this up and support the artists. The band experiment with varying styles including grind, death, post-metal, and jazz fusion, the last of which anchors the majority of this opus and proves not only that the band has chops, but that they are able to structure a coherent and consistent recording from such a disparate pool of ideas. The only weak spots include the uninspired introduction to the otherwise fantastic “Mare” and a quirky electronic interlude midway through “Dave Mustaine.” But still, this is one of the best recordings in recent memory and will no doubt make quite a splash in modern metallic hardcore. 2009 saw hardcore explode to new heights. Whether 2010 will see metal catapult once again is unforeseeable, but regardless of its status in the coming year, we can rest assured knowing there’s at least one document observing the revolution.

(9.5 out of 10)"

News and Notes, and an AMAZING review of the record.

2010-01-29T11:45:00.001-08:00

Hey chitlings, just checking in with all of you. We have a couple weeks
until the album is released, we're pretty excited to finally have this
monolith of a record released to you. Its been a long time coming. We're
finalizing booking our cd release show, so all you locals to the bay can
watch us play most of this 80 minute opus for all of you. Anyway, we got
an amazing review of the record, kind of a morale booster. Its nice to
know there's someone out there who gets it. Read it, its well versed.

http://hearwaxmedia.com/3387/name-internet-killed-the-audiostar

The merch store should be up soon. With our new website layout as well.
Thanksssss

-name

namesucks

2010-01-19T03:48:00.001-08:00

Hello, and welcome to the latest version of our blogs. New features include a font that looks exactly the same but is actually 25% more Hispanic, and the unnecessary use of the percent sign. %

Speaking of whiskey, the new record is almost here. It contains proof that 3 monkeys at 3 instruments produce something far great than Paranormal Activity.

We've also got some new shirts on the way. Get them all and they'll form Shirtron: the mega-robot that disguises itself as a pile of shirts at all times.

We've revealed the covert art and track listing. If you haven't seen by now, here ya go:

The track listing runs as follows:

01 - "Killer Whales, Man"
02 - "My Sweetheart, The Whore"
03 - "The Spark Of Divinity"
04 - "Empathic Communicator, Part I: Homage To The Hunter (Unconscious Incompetence)"
05 - "Empathic Communicator, Part II: Beebee (Conscious Incompetence)"
06 - "Empathic Communicator, Part III: Your Sun Machine, Your Space Embracer (Conscious Comptence)"
07 - "Empathic Communicator, Part IV: How To Murder The Earth (Unconscious Comptence)"
08 - "Mare"
09 - "The Sycophant, The Saint And The Gamefox"
10 - "Dave Mustaine"
11 - "Avaler l'Ocean"
12 - "You'll Never Die In This Town Again"
13 - "Charmer"

We also had some nice things said about us on Metalsucks.net. Check it out here:

"Ohmylordee, have you heard of Bay Area noise-prog-metallers Name? Most likely you have, as they've been around for a few years and are signed to Lifeforce Records. Whether you have or haven't isn't the issue. it's that they've got a new album coming out in about a month and you ought to pay attention.

The cover art and track listing for Name's new album Internet Killed The Audio Star have surfaced, along with a tracklisting and two brand new songs on Name's MySpace. Name are cut from the same sonic cloth as Converge and The Dillinger Escape Plan but I'd say they verge a bit closer to traditional metal and more wholly endorse Prog with a capital "P." There's plenty of raw motherfucking aggression but no tough-guy hardcore posing and no spazz-outs that are basically un-followable. I'd wager that a whole lot more folks would know about this excellent band if not for their awkward and un-Google-able band name moniker.

Internet Killed the Audio Star will be released on February 16th in the US and April 19th in Europe. Listen to two tracks from that album pronto, then come back here and let us know what you think.

-VN"

Check out the hate and love comments about it here:
http://www.metalsucks.net/2010/01/12/no-use-for-a-name/

So, we'll be posting alot more shit soon. Info on the albums, tour dates, videos, etc. So keep checking back! Love ya mean it.

- W

Mare-Y Fucking CHRIST(no)mas

2009-12-25T01:56:00.000-08:00

as a gift to you all, we posted another song for all of you, it's entitled "Mare" (hence the horrible play on words with the holiday, the song was originally called "Spring Break" but we decided Mare has a little more of a meaning to us, it's about our singer almost dying twice in one year, you can ask him about it any time, or just scroll down to a few blogs ago). We've had this song for a bit, (we posted a video of the song being performed in Miami last year) but now, HERE IT ISSSSS. Encompassing all of it's sonic variety, is "Mare" so enjoy......

Your Mom Is A Whore, Merry Christmas

2009-12-22T00:35:00.001-08:00

Christmas is here and it's time to chug some nog and go caroling. Which is not that different from what I do every other week of the year. Just switch the nog for whiskey and the carols for random Tom Waits lyrics.

New merch coming soon. We will be taking down some of the current designs and then they're gone for good. Even if we did try and stage some kind of reunion tour for these shirts in the future, at that point they would all be old, wrinkled, and hooked on Heroin.

We're gonna be taking it easy for the rest of the year and in the beginning of the new year. Look out for tour dates around then. But, until the albums release (out February 16th) we'll all be doing our thing. Jeremiah shall be selling expensive things to people who dont need them, I shall be surrounding myself in cords and pedals writing like a hermit, and catch Bobbo filling in on drums on tour with the band Ellsbeth for the next couple weeks. So, make sure to catch a date, buy him a drink, fuck him, and don't call him back. Guarunteed to provoke binge eating and a fully clothed rape shower.

So, on an honest note, merry christmas to everyone. I hope you all gain several pounds from an over consumption of food and you all get shit you want.

Love you. Mean it.

....buy our album "Internet Killed The Audio Star" on February 16th, 2010....do it..

- Wes

Merry ChrisFUCK YOU!

2009-12-11T06:19:00.000-08:00

It's December and I am dreaming of a white Christmas. Actually, I'm dreaming of a melty turquoise Christmas. And sugar plums are fighting lesbian dragons in my head. This LSD-nog is fantastic.

Anyways, Christmas, it's that time again. I hope everyones keeping warm and not freezing their genitals off like im NOT...

Recently, we've been kind of quiet, thats because we have been hard at work prepping for next years plans, being the album comes out FEBRUARY 16th, 2010! So, mark it on your calendars folks... Maybe you'll luck out and get an Itunes Download card for christmas... Or a Best Buy gift certificate... Either way you ca use it to attain the record and turn your plastic into a mere drug tool...

IF you haven't noticed (which I doubt at this point) we have posted a new song entitled "Empathic Communicator, Part II: Beebee (Conscious Incompetence)"... So, if youre not hearing it as you read this, head on over to our myspace and listen to it at deafening volumes... Because how else are you going to get the point of the song...

New merch store over at alexamachine.com HERE. Soon, we'll be giving out ways to get cheap OR FREE merch this holiday season.

For those who listened in to our radio appearence this past Sunday, THANK YOU! For those of you who havent, you can STREAM or DOWNLOAD the show HERE.

Here are some pics from the show:

Also, since our youtube is down at the moment, here is an old video, if you so choose to watch it:

Thank you for actually stickin' around. A lot of good things on the way!

- W

Bloody Zombies > Zombie Turkeys > Turkey...Presents?

2009-11-11T18:01:00.000-08:00

You're not going to believe this. I was trying on my Halloween costume again and now I can't get it off. Oh well... I guess I'm stuck being "naked alcoholic" the rest of my life.

Hey, the middle of November is finally here. That means it's time for you to read this blog we just posted. And it's time for me to shave, "down there". That stuff is going to make a great Christmas present...

Make sure to follow the website to get details on new music and album details! By now, im sure you know all the necessary places to visit, but im not sure... Who knows. People are still huge morons. Didn't see that coming.

Makre sure to check our merch out, chances are some shit wont be reprinted, but there WILL be a slew of new swag for your sexy asses.

http://alexamachine.bigcartel.com/category/official-name-merch

Make a bold fashion statement or just throw them in holy water and watch the church burst into flames. Up to you.

Anyways, hope you all are enjoying your days. I, personally, love this time of year. The birds finally shut up, the leaves are dying, the homeless are about to freeze and be scraped off the sidewalks... Plus I'm drunk. That puts a bright sheen on every season.

Love you, mean it.

- Wes

2 out of 3 of us are Vag-itarians...

2009-10-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

Recently, Bobbys rant on vegetarianism was posted on Peta2's myspace page. The BLOG was originally posted here on OUR bog, but they got wind of it and spread the word. Heres what they posted on their blog:

"I like my metal like I like my food... vegan. So you can imagine how stoked I was when I recently came across a pro-vegan blog from the drummer of the Lifeforce Records metal band, Name.

Name's drummer, Bobby Gibbs, wrote the blog debunking the myths of a meat-free diet from a vegan perspective—touching on topics like protein deficiency and canine teeth, and responding to comments like "you shouldn't talk, cause you kill plants." If you like your pro-veg arguements on the crude, albeit humorous side, look no further than this blog.

Here's one of my favorite exerpts from the section on protein deficiency:

"There is no such thing. Look into it. And look at me. You can tell I work out. You wouldn't be able to tell if I wasn't getting enough protein. Cause I'd be hella skinny and wouldn't be able to flex my boobs at people like a total douche. But let's get into the science of shit ..."

See what I mean? Aside from being funny, Bobby makes some good points, so check out the rest of the blog here and visit their MySpace for music and tour dates. If you're interested in seeing how we would answer some of the same questions Bobby addresses in his blog, check this out.

xo
Shan

Disclaimer: The opinions of Bobby Gibbs do not necessarily reflect the opinions of peta2. However, we did laugh ... a lot."

OR, if youre lazy, you can check out the link HERE.

More news and junk and stuff on the way soon. Keep in touch.

(Listen to Porcupine Tree - "In Absentia")

Photoshoots....among other things

2009-10-04T04:09:00.000-07:00

I had a very lengthy post, and it got deleted, i'm not typing it again it's late (or early....4:30 a.m) we had an awesome photoshoot with Flip Cassidy, good times had by all. The release date for the cd is either going to be at the end of january of next year, or the beggining of february. Either way. it'll be nice to have a shrink wrapped cd in my hands. good times. i'll post the link for the photoshoot so you can check it out.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/avantgardenias/sets/72157622368562371/

That Goods: Part Deux

2009-09-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of our recent adventures on the road over the cource of the past month or so... Enjoy. Lots of new shit on the way.. you will experience the ol' proverbial kick to the teeth with the information we are going to drop on you..

being douches

some "soon to be aquired" toys to add to the arsenal

guardian of the liqour store

Puppy!

Jeremy!

Duckits! (being a douche)

another puppy!

Cholo Chewbacca

Bobbo kickin' it, wookie style

We love you, Josh.

\m/

Out with the old, in with the new I guess.. yeesh..

ya dig?

Pabst out numbers the Hamms.. Hamm genocide.

XTREME!

"IM NOT ON HEROIN!!"

Sacramento, CA

Backstage

Best part about being in a band... woot..

damn right

The baron rehearsal studio

Boyface

Jay-Meezy

Hopefully you enjoyed the random fuckin' montage...

Youre probably thinking: "Why did they post so many random pics?"

My retorte: "Because I can"

Goodnight everybody, see you soon.

Follow us on www.twitter.com/nameband

Follow us on namefuck.blogspot.com (yes you can do that)

Fan us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/business/dashboard/#/pages/name/7722337052

Subscribe to us on: www.youtube.com/name

Some VLOGS for your VAH-HEENA

2009-09-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

and come hang out with us on our upcoming dates this weekend!

9/12/2009 6:00 PM *1st Show* HARDCORE FESTIVAL
@ Club Retro - 6521 Hazel Ave., Orangevale, CA 95662

9/12/2009 11:00 PM *2nd Show*
@ Whiskey Dicks - 2660 Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

9/13/2009 7:00 PM
@ The Broken Spoke - 71 S Wells Ave, Reno, NV 89502

9/14/2009 8:00 PM Armed For Apocalypse CD RELEASE!
@ The Downtown Eatery - 1344 Market St., Redding, CA 96001

www.myspace.com/name
www.twitter.com/name
www.youtube.com/name

We all need more backbone and less wishbone

2009-09-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

Conscious rejection of objective measuring sticks and periodic tests suggests the decline and fall of mankind. Today we’re a species of pretenders, and wanna-bes, and (in this country) obesity. I say bring on the killer cockroaches and whoever survives can start this party over.

Burn the bridge, nuke the foundation, cut yourself off so there's no going back. Once you're committed the truth will come out and the truth is pointless when it is shallow. You talk about security? What you need is uncertainty and the desperateness of the Samurai...something that backs you up against a wall and forces you to re-invent yourself...

Never underestimate the power of idiots in large numbers.

No amount of intellect saves the dreamless.

Happiness lies in realizing it's all a big strange dream...

"Come an' knock on my ddooooooorrr"

2009-08-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

Hey folks, figured id drop in and just acknowledge that we have a pulse. Just want to let you all, we appreciate the continues support even though we havent had much to offer of the course of these recent months. We have been hard at work on the record, which pretty much took this whole year to work on (off and on from touring). We didnt want this thing to be a "Chinese Democracy II", but we promise you won't be dissapointed with the end product... and trust me, my words stronger then Axls. That guy dropped the ball like 12 years ago. Anyways, I digress...

We have some touring plans in the works, nothing to major, but trying to get out there to you all to experience the new material live before the records release. We will be announcing dates and areas soon. There will definetly be alot more regional love as it seems that we have neglected you for a little bit and we apologize. We will make it up to you my little booboos.

We have some bigger dates to announce soon too, of the fest persuasion. So look out for that.

Also, we've noticed alot of bands these days have all forms of media and networking going on at the same time (i.e. Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, etc).

We do as well, but we're trying something a bit different. If you befriend us on ANY of our pages, we're making it a point to give you EXCLUSIVE material. Exclusive pics, videos of funny shit, interviews, maybe that page will get their OWN track off the new record. Ya never know. but I suggest you follow us on all th aformetioned pages, cause we're making it a point to put them to use and give ALOT to the people who have supportd us for so long.

So the links are below, enjoy. Pass them to your friends. New merch on the way as well as well as music samples.

Anyways, we love yous guys.

Enjoy.

WOW...

2009-08-17T19:10:00.000-07:00

"Internet Killed The Audio Star" is done...

13 songs

79 minutes, 57 seconds...

3 seconds away from having a FULL CD (CDs can only hold 80 minutes)

You are all in for a treat...

Bobbo-Rant, Vol 1: Vegetarianism

2009-08-16T04:31:00.000-07:00

[Disclaimer: The opinions of Bobby Gibbs do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ‘name’ collectively or their associates.]

Hey fucktards! This will be the first of many rants from yours truly. I’ll cover many subjects over time, but as you could see from the title, the main focus of this rant is (pro)-vegetarianism. If you’re rolling your eyes right now, eat 3 dicks. If you’re down to hear me out, sweet. Today I’m gonna debunk some irritating myths just to get em out of the way, so here ya go. (Note: I’m always going back and fourth between Vegetarianism and Veganism for various reasons, but for the sake of the following arguments I will address all of these myths from a Vegan perspective)

Myth 1: Protein Deficiency

There is no such thing. Look into it. And look at me. You can tell I work out. You wouldn’t be able to tell if I wasn’t getting enough protein. Cause I’d be hella skinny and wouldn’t be able to flex my boobs at people like a total douche. But let’s get into the science of shit. Protein consists of different combinations of these things called amino acids. There are 20 total. There are 11 that the body doesn’t need from outside sources because we naturally produce them. The 9 that you DO need are known as “essential amino acids.” Most plant-based foods contain combinations of at least several of these, and you can effortlessly mix and match foods to get what you need. When a food contains all 9 essential amino acids it is known as a “complete protein.” Soy and hemp are both complete proteins. If you eat tofu, different types of beans, rice, nuts, grains, you know, important shit that you should be eating regardless of your “dietary status,” then you are getting an abundance of essential amino acids.

On the other side of the coin, there IS such thing as getting TOO MUCH protein. I’ve read in a lot of bodybuilding magazines and heard from personal trainers who have no idea what the fuck they’re talking about that the average adult needs about 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. Maybe if you’re shooting massive amounts of Dianabol (an anabolic steroid with the primary function of dramatically enhancing protein-synthesis). Either way, enjoy liver failure. Whatever proteins your body can’t use get broken down no differently than alcohol. FUCKS yo shit UP. If you don’t lift weights, your body needs, on average, 50-60 grams a day. You get that NO PROBLEM on a vegan diet and especially on a vegetarian diet. A vegetarian who consumes dairy and eggs gets all the same shit that meat-eaters do but in more reasonable amounts. There is not one nutrient in meat that you can’t get from dairy or eggs. But I’m currently vegan and still get everything I need (without supplementation), so eat another dick.

Myth 2: “It’s better to eat animals, because plants are better for the environment.”

I’ve heard this more than a few times, and the stupidity of this argument runs so deep that it actually hurts my balls to think about.

Yes. Plants are amazing for the environment. Yes, livestock is horrible for the environment. Now let me pretend for a moment that you’re all fucktarded and remind you that the meat industry is just that: an industry. (This goes for the plant industry as well) There’s also this crazy concept known as “supply and demand.” Now, if you eat a plant, the individual(s) responsible for manufacturing that plant will see that you are demanding said plant, so they will make even more of that plant due to a raise in demand. So ultimately, the more plants you eat, the more plants will exist. The same goes for the meat industry. The more cows you eat, the more cows the farmers will force-breed, so the more methane-shitting cows ultimately exist. And here’s a fun fact, it requires a fuckload more land to keep livestock than it does to grow crops. They have mowed down millions of acres of rainforest to make room for those cows, and the more you demand the more wildlife they will destroy to make room for the extra livestock you’re demanding. So in conclusion, the more animals you eat, the more animals exist, the less plant-life exists, and the more fucked our environment becomes. That’s why it’s considered “green” to be a vegetarian. According to the U.N., we’d be better off getting rid of the meat industry as a whole and giving everyone an SUV.

Myth 3: “Vegetarians have horrible gas.”

Just hang out with us for a day. I definitely burp a lot cause I drink way too much beer and soda, but I’m not much of a farter. Come to think of it, neither is Wes. He’s a vegetarian. The guy with BY FAR the worst gas? Well I won’t say who, but he’s a meat-eater. Is there a pattern here? Probably not. If you’re gassy you’re gassy, regardless.

Myth 4: Canines

Yup. We have canines. So do deer, horses, camels, gorillas, and other herbivores. Infact our whole mouths are absurdly similar to all of those animals. Omnivores, like dogs and pigs, have much sharper canines and an entirely different tooth/jaw set-up. So why don’t you try that shit on and see how it fits.

(Note: I’m not saying that this point ends the whole omnivore/herbivore discussion, I’m merely pointing out that particularly the “tooth argument” is a shitty argument and actually works against the “omnivore” side of the debate.)

Myth 5: “You shouldn’t talk, cause you kill plants.”

Amazing. So life is life regardless of infinitesimal little things like brains and a central nervous system. The act of ripping the face off of a cow while his legs still kick should be considered morally equivalent to mowing your lawn…..amazing…..

Guys, any research regarding plants “responding” to shit has been abandoned. There is ZERO conclusive research supporting that they can feel or comprehend a damn thing. They are inarguably unaware of their own existence, same with things like bacteria. Life does not automatically equal sentience.

Animals, particularly mammals, reptiles and birds, are aware. They have relationships with each other and can even have real relationships with human beings. Dogs and cats are not special. Cows, pigs and even chickens are just as if not MORE significant, cognitively, than common domestic animals. This is backed by science, but you wouldn’t need that if you were to meet one of these animals.

And even if they defied logic and were to somehow prove inescapably that plants ARE sentient, that wouldn’t stop me from consuming them. Why? Because while I do value the life of all sentient creatures and will continue to protest the UNNECISSARY harm of these creatures, humans still come first with me. This is why I’ve been known to be pretty wishy-washy regarding the subject of animal testing for medical research. The concept of death and suffering is rotten, no matter what species we’re talking about. But if one of us HAS to suffer, I’ll go with killing a lab rat to save the life of a little boy dying of cancer.

Consuming plant-life IS necessary for human survival. Consuming other animals is not. If an animal’s suffering is going toward the greater good that is human preservation, I’ll agree with it. But short of that, I strongly protest it. Suffering should not be wasted. Burgers are a pretty big fucking waste.

Myth 6: “Stop forcing your beliefs on me!!”

I’m not. You came to me. Bitch.

Guys if you’re a meat-eater I don’t hate you. It’s been part of our culture forever. I get that. Most of the people I would die for (or kill an animal to save) are meat-eaters. So basically, if you don’t wanna hear about it in person, just don’t ask about it. There’s plenty of other awesome shit to talk about. Like…..pussy farts…. I’m not gonna slap a burger out of your hand if you eat one in front of me. If you’re curious about vegetarianism or have questions, I’m totally down to answer it without being a douche. If you’re gonna be an asshat and make some kind of condescending, declarative statement regarding vegetarianism being wrong or stupid, I will fuck your mother. TWO times. And I can. The cougars love me.

Anyways, that’s all I got for now. I recommend you stop being such a faget. I love you, and I don’t play golf.

-Bobbo the Carpathian

The Goods (thus far)

2009-08-12T23:54:00.000-07:00

So here are some pics of us finishing up the mixing to the new record and a few randoms we encountered in the days surrounding. Enjoy.

So you think you can dance/tan/blog/fuck?

2009-08-03T13:44:00.000-07:00

Hello Internet people, just giving you the happenings. We're going back
into the studio to make some tweeks on the album so it sounds nice and
pretty. Then it will be ALL done. So then we can finally release some
tracks and all will be well, then you guys can like us again (insert
internet smiley face or wink, or whatever else "emoticon" you need to
validate your emotion) We're also mapping out our tour for the fall,
because once the album is released....we're going to be out there on the
road till we hate everything and end up doing Billy Ocean covers...which
wouldn't be ALL bad.....(maybe?)..I digress, the album, as we
aforementioned will be about 13 songs, and about 79 mins worth of
music...(a cd can only contain 80 mins) so you'll definitely be getting
your money's worth....that's assuming you BUY the album instead of
burning it or downloading it...in which case...I should remind you that
the album is called "Internet Killed The Audio Star", for good
reasons....so don't be a dick, and support underground heavy music and
purchase it, when it comes out, I guess I'm just getting an early start
on my Lars Ulrich-type mentality. Anyways, that's it for now. Until
then..

-us

To Wong Foo: I Posted a Blog

2009-07-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

Blowing shit up for america...

2009-07-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

Happy couple of days after Independence Day. Wasn't it great? The fireworks, the cookou-- I can't do this any more. Everyone is out of work and pretty soon California will be part of Mexico. What could we possibly have to celebrate?

Hey, I know - Name is here! We're like twenty Independence Days, Arbor Day and Boxing Day all rolled into one.

But if you truly want to feel American you'll skip all that reading and check out our shirts.

Click here: NAME MERCH

Internet Killed The High Priced Swag

2009-07-02T16:16:00.001-07:00

One of our shirts is up for $7.00!!! Not even Michael Jackson could BEAT IT.

Yeah, for that joke being made, I'm thinking you would appreciate this shirt a lot more if it was laying on your bedroom floor. So make it happen.

We're just trying to spread the love of a sale that won't be going on forever.

This is one of our personal favorites, so atleast check it out.

http://alexamachine.bigcartel.com/product/n-a-m-e-internet-killed-the-audio-star

Gainin' our side card...

2009-06-29T20:22:00.000-07:00

Its true, we're on set for some Russian Mob type Psychological Thriller film being the "dark jazz band". We're taking a meal break and having exotic meats and shitty bread. Ohhhh to be a "star".....kidding.....its really not that glamorous, but its a lot of fun...well free food and drinks...kinda cool, we'll be posting pictures up later today...

Proposition H8

2009-06-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

Some of you may not know this, but today the gay pride parade and celebration was held today here in San Francisco...

Its incredibly heart warming to see people proudly enjoying themselves in a time when we are involved in yet another civil rights movement...

If anyone was around during the election, you wouldve seen our stand against Proposition 8...

We have a special PROP 8 shirt that we released around that time. We encourage you support the cause with the shirt, for all proceeds go towards the repeal of Proposition 8.

The shirt is a limited editon, hand screened, double sided shirt printed on American Apparel.

You can find it here:

http://alexamachine.bigcartel.com/product/name-proposition-h8

PLEASE support and check out the shirt. Thank you.

Donkey-man Jackson.. WOOO!

2009-06-28T02:23:00.000-07:00

As I sit here, watching 1987's Hellraiser, drinking Bud with a Jim Bean chaser, I felt inclined to exploit Aaron "Donk" Luchts hilariously eratic fear of bees... Please.. Enjoy.. and laugh at him.

Stay tuned for an obnoxious slew of Michael Jackson covers... Not necessarily on our part, but dont rule us out.

Cheers,

Wes

Meet our tour manager, Jason Myles...

2009-06-17T18:46:00.001-07:00

NEW TOUR VIDEOS: PEOPLE, PROBLEMS, AND PROSTITUTES

2009-06-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

newest (taken yesterday)

older:

Viva Lost Wages

2009-05-24T15:30:00.001-07:00

So, its been awhile since we have posted anything and we apologize for that. We have been hard at work being human beings and working for the man to make way for this upcoming tour.. This shits gonna make the "Oregon Trail" look like "Win a Date With Tad Hamilton"...

Here are a few fliers.. For one, we have a last minute added show in San Francisco with Embrace The End and our home skillets in Rise Of Caligula, so come hang out. Its gonna be insane. We'll be playing alot of new tracks. So come here the smallest orchestra in the world tear it up.

And heres the Vegas show, which you BETTER fucking be there for, NEVADA!!! Its gonna be pretty much retarded how insane its going to be.

Here are all the current dates.

May 25 2009
The Elbo Room w/ Embrace The End, Rise of Caligula in San Francisco, California

June 5 2009
Whiskey Dicks in South Lake Tahoe, California

June 6 2009
East Side Joes w/ I Am The Ocean, Destroy All Operating Systems in Las Vegas, Nevada

June 11 2009
Paradise Lost w/ Armed For Apocalypse in Chico, California

June 13 2009
Lucky’s Pizza in Dublin, California

We're trying to fill the gaps with more dates, but we'll let you know when we know. If you can help out at all, hit us up on myspace.com/name

Come hang out, you know you want to. No reason not to.. So stop being a bitch, man up like John Connor, and make it out!!

HUGE tour shit coming your way, so keep your eyes open.

love you mean it.

- the Resistance aka .W.

It's been cold and rainy all day, and when we first started posting these blogs it was rediculously hot... Fuck me, right?

2009-05-01T20:48:00.001-07:00

Alright so we're done with day 10, we've still got some mixing and mastering to do but as far as tracking and principal mixing goes we are DONE. I've been making video logs over the past few days, we really need to start uploading them damn things. I'm really glad I stuck around to co-produce this record, I'm so happy with the end result of all the extra work I and the rest of us put in. No compromises. Samuel Pura is the most hyper pothead I've ever seen in my life. He just runs around the studio acting like a crackhead all day, yet takes frequent bongload breaks. He's the exact reciprocal of drinking copious amounts of coffee and then falling asleep. It's weird. Soooooo can't wait for you guys to hear this shit. We'll be posting the release date within the next few weeks. Thanks for reading, assbags.

-Bobby

2009-05-01T20:26:00.000-07:00

This album is zero bullshit...

Day 10: The End Is Nigh...

2009-05-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

So, im done with all my vocal parts. We're mixing the record. Im making it a point to be overly critical and meticulous because of the the weight on my shoulders to ensure the best possible record. We're incredibly happy with the tone and personality given to these songs. The album as a whole is going to sound more as a soundtrack, then a record. We're cutting it incredibly close with the time limit on the CD, but hey, fuck it. More bang for your buck.

You really need to keep in open mind with this record, or else you'll get lost. Undeniably. We'll definetly be posting lyrics as the songs hit the public because the lyrics coincide with the musical journey. This isnt just me screaming over heavy parts and singing over soft. This is an amalgam of every idea we have had over the course of years of working together and writing. So much so, that we have material to cover a little over half of the next record... and thats if we continue writing epics..

We havent been taking very many pictures these past few days as it has been more me either singing, or critiquing. We did have my good friend/photographer Lynneth come in and take some shots of the atmosphere and us being goof balls.

We also have had video going for this week, so youll have some footage up within due time.

Keep checking back though, even though we're done with the record, doesnt mean we arent going to update you on the release, artwork, merch, and................TOUR! BOOM, there it is. That just happened.

Feel it, feel it.

If youre in the merced area next week, come out and hear some tunes..

"If youre fighting, you've already one"

"Why breathe if you have nothing to fucking say?.."

2009-04-30T19:59:00.000-07:00

Day 9 nom-nooooms

2009-04-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

Alright so vocals are totally done, we're adding one last guitar part and then we start mixin this ma facker. We got Topcat comin in tomorrow, he's a badass street saxaphone player that we're having do some improv for one of the tracks. I've been getting pretty lethargic over the past week so I know my blog entrees have been getting shorter and shorter. Sorry? No, fuck that. And fuck you. Because you have a mullet, and mullets are awesome. And I like cheese. No I don't. Because I'm vegan, and vegans don't have mullets. Except maybe a few of them. Er, us. Which is awesome. Like cheese. No, it's not. See, lethargic. Wes likes cheese. He's not a vegan. He doesn't have a mullet either. Cock sauce.

-Bobby

Groundhog's Day

2009-04-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

Day in day out here...feels much like the movie "Groundhog's Day"..minus waking up to "I got you babe"...but we're in here again, finishing up some vocals, doing some noisey parts, touching up some shit, and gettin' on with it. We're having some more additional musicians come in today to give some extra flavor. I'll talk to y'all later. k? bye.

-Jeremy

fuckin-a-right-mommy thats a hot record

2009-04-29T21:48:00.000-07:00

so Wes is a fucking champ, we got 6 songs done today. He fuckin belted out these songs with a demonic possession....or something evil like that...it went very very well. We also just finished some of our drum circle tracks, we had a few friends come in and jam along to one of the empathic parts....You guys...I'm telling you...this record is going to trip you all the fuck out, its wayyyyyyyyyy different, and it won't dissapoint any of you, it's been a long time for this record to be made and it's ALMOST here, I can't wait to get it out. Only a couple more days....the final stretch is on the horizon.

-Jeremy

Day 8

2009-04-29T19:19:00.000-07:00

So 99% of the instrumentation is done. We have amazing tones coming from this studio. I'm so fucking anxious for this record to come out. We've moved onto vocals right now. So far we've knocked out "the spark of divinity" and "dave mustaine", and it sounds infinitly better than the previous recordings. Maybe playing the songs for years and years have definetly made it slightly more seasoned. We're trying to work really efficiently right now, it's kind of crunch time. We can see the finish line, we just have to run harder. And Wes's lyrics to this album are amazing. I say that without any nepotism, he's definetly stepped up his game, he'll post some writings in the near future and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. k? bye

-Jeremy

Panda Vid

2009-04-29T16:48:00.000-07:00

I was writing the first blog when he made this........yeah....

-Bobbo

Roaming Boca Burger

2009-04-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

Alriiiiiiight so we're just finishing up some last minute guitar caca and then we're on to vocals. Empathic Communicator sounds re-fuck-diculous. We really can't wait for you guys to hear this shit, this album covers so much. I'm gonna post more later, here's some more pics for ya:

-Bobby

Day 7:...............Day 7....

2009-04-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUUUUUUUUUUUUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCUFUCKKFUCKFUCUCKFUhi. So we finished up bass today. Right now we're just working on some additional guitar parts and then we're on to vocals. Shits comin along man, seriously. The end of the album is so nuts Wes and I laughed hysterically the first time we heard it on record, and its not even finished. We've also been planning our Summer tour, we're trying to cover all major areas, so that you can't have an excuse to not see us ;)... Anyways here's some more pics:

-Bobby

Week 2

2009-04-27T13:18:00.000-07:00

So we're back.... Ozium is really fucking strong......my eyes are burning..... So today we're gonna knock out some more guitar, then on to bass. We've switched amps, Before we were using a Hughes and Kittner with a Gibson SG for our chunkier stuff, and now we've got an Orange stack with a Telecaster, sounds very Led Zep. We'll post a blog covering all of the gear we've used for this record for any gear-heads who read this thing. I'll post more later.

-Bobby

N00dz I

2009-04-25T03:39:00.000-07:00

Day 5: "Bomb Sauce"

2009-04-24T14:35:00.000-07:00

So, were in this cave for the 5th day, got a week to go, then we'll have ourselves a finished little compact disc for tunage for ya. We are sans Bobby today, as Jeremy and I track all second guitars and eventually moving to bass. The guitar tone we have is almost TO fucking good. Sam did his research and got the heavy tone we have craved. Not METAL, just HEAVY as hell. Crystal fucking clear.

Anyways, we're working on the Empathic tracks right now. I just did the 2nd geetarz on Part 2, while Jeremy is now working on Part 1. We should be done with all of them soon..

(2 hours later..)

So Empathic is done, we're on to the re-recording of Dave Mustaine (yes, the secret is out, we are re-recording the track named after that lovable character with bright red lava hair). It sounds a lot more in the direction we wanted to, originally.

We should be moving to bass soon, getting a couple noise parts out of the way. Having fun with a few vintage, maniacal sounding pedals. Its helping the songs sound incredibly evil... WOODOO METAL!..

Ill be posting pictures soon, so keep checking back. Love ya mean it.

- Wes

Day 4: OH MY GAAAAHHHHD OH MY GAAAAAHHHDDD

2009-04-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

So today we start tracking guitars. We're trying to get everything right with what guitars and amps we wanna use for different songs and parts... lotsa options in this hurr studio. We gots an Orange halfstack, which Wes seems particularly excited about cause it's got that infamous Brit-rock tone that he was wanting to use on a few tracks, we got a Hughes & Kettner that we'll probably be using on the majority of the tracks, we've got an array of guitars, and an engineer that likes to watch youtube videos of dudes rippin bongloads (Disclaimer: No one in name smokes weed, but FUCK if we don't have a lot of pothead friends).

-Bobby

(2 hours later...) The guitar tone is rediculous. Rediculous.

Day 3: "NEVER GONNA' GIVE YOU UP! NEVER GONNA' LET YOU DOWN!"

2009-04-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

Wes: So, we're on the 3rd day and the drum tracks are done, just punching in some parts and we're on our way. Working "Charmer" right now, then on to guitars. Its sounding great. Im pumped for the next few days when these skeletons start to take on more life. At the end of this blog we'll be sharing some pics with you from yesterday and then later tonight we will post todays haps. Alot of fun toys to use, so you'll be seeing all that. Go listen to the tunes, while you can ;)..

-------------------------------
Jeremy now: like you care. So i'm currently sitting around listening to drum tracks....really boring....too many blastbeats.....I think we'll be getting to guitars later...hopefully.... (I love long pauses by using an obsessive amount of periods, it gives it character and makes one seemed annoyed or absent minded, curious how the new SPLING LOL UV UHMERIKA IZ these days) But I digress. I can't wait to get all these songs layered up and done, it's quite exciting...we're WAYYYYYYYYYYYY ahead of schedule right now, which is weird for us because we never get anything done early....ever....in the world. I'm slightly distracted at the moment....so i'll write more later.

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Bobby: So you all already know what we're doing right now, cause Wes and Jeremy just told you... Anyways, I took out 8 drum tracks yesterday bitches. Who does that?! This guy, right here. Fuckin done, tracking drums for an entire album, with no compromises, in 2 days. Why? Cause that's how a G does it, girl......yeah.... Yeah so I'll still be here doin my thing and helping produce this ma fucker, cause this record is our lil baby. For those of you with youtube accounts (cause who doesn't?) you should start subscribing to our page at youtube.com/name, because pretty soon we're gonna start posting daily videos of us talking to you about the album as the release date closes in, as well as tour info/footage and other shit. Do eeeeett....................that's all I got....

For more pictures, visit: www.myspace.com/name or www.photobucket.com/name

The Entertained Singer

2009-04-21T15:49:00.001-07:00

Jeremy looks like an asshole... I love it. The tracks sound awesome. Bobby and I are masters of the universe. Enjoy.

- W

The Early Drummer

2009-04-21T15:08:00.001-07:00

Wes and I have just read the previous blog written by Jeremy, so we wanted to take this opportunity to state for the record that he is still not here yet, and that I have infact finished all 4 tracks of Empathic Communicator without his scratch guitar tracks, and in one big take. I did this for 2 reasons: Authenticity, and to further establish my bad-ass-ness. We haven't called him and told him yet either, so he's still on his way, stressing over the parts. Excellence.

-Bobby

The Late Bassist

2009-04-21T14:35:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, just checking in with you folks. I'm currently on my way to the studio to meet up with the guys. We're apparently recording all of empathic communicator today (parts 1, 2, 3 and 4) should be insanely busy. Actually, just the drum tracks. But I need to record most of the scratch tracks for that song....at this point I'm feeling very anxious, I'm sitting here taking the subway to San Francisco and I'm trying to go over all the parts in my head, but I just want this record to be so fucking solid so all our listeners can be wowed, I can't wait to actually have this album in the hands of our audience and see this amazing amalgamation of emotion and pure chaos. So....more from the studio soon.

-jeremy