Army of Me

        Thank goodness for Kermit the Frog. Not only does he sing and dance for our entertainment, but he also inspires others to do great things. When asked who is a musical influence, Vince replied, “I'd say my biggest influence is Kermit the Frog when he sang "Caribbean Amphibian" on Sesame Street. After I heard that song, I knew that I had to be a musician”.
        Vince fronts the Washington D.C. based band, Army of Me. Army of Me is Vince (singer/guitarist), Brad (guitarist), John (bassist), and Dennis (drummer/backing vocalist). It’s nearly impossible to describe their music without listing at least a dozen different bands. Essentially, if a band sounds like several bands that don’t share a common ground, then the band has an original sound. Indeed their sound is original; a blend of jazz, rock, and pop that turns heads around every time they strike a chord or drum a beat.
        They formed in the middle of 1999, and together they won WHFS’s “Big Break” contest in 2001 allotting them the opportunity to play at the famed HFStival. They now have a self-titled LP, and Fake Ugly EP in their discography. Their groove never stopped a second, even when their original guitarist, Rob, decided to part his ways with the band. Immediately, they found a replacement, Brad, and played a show at the Black Cat only 6 days after an official announcement on the band’s website of Rob’s parting. Vince’s voice continues to soar over Brad’s guitar licks, John’s groovin’ bass notes, and Dennis’s extraordinary drumming; Army of Me is in full effect.
        The first song I heard was “Frozen”, and it got me hooked instantly. Vince’s voice clicks in with the infectious beat, and each part was crafted flawlessly. It was like a breathe of fresh air, because music was starting to sound the same to me. I love the funky “Bloodshot Room” it’s one of the most unique and interesting songs that I have ever heard. “With eyes open in my bloodshot room, I rise up in the dark, pace around, lie back down, I realize how far you are” those words somehow incite a feeling of panic, and a sense of impatience. “Sally” is one of the saddest songs they have, but most of the songs astonishingly end with a slight hopeful undertone. The new MP3 of “Saved Your Life” on their website http://www.armyofmeonline.com is stunning, and if that’s just the beginning of the new songs they are fabricating, then be prepared to be amazed.
        You can’t mention Army of Me without saying anything about their live shows. You can tell that they love playing in front of an audience. They attack a gig as if it was their last show, giving out their all for every song. Every note results in a head bob, a tapping of a shoe, or a swaying of the hips. (note: see Concert Review for more on their live show)
        Their fan interaction is amazing. They dedicated a song to girls that shared the same birthday, and granted permission for a photography to go backstage to take pictures from the side. People came as far as atleast 3 hours away. Now that's a pretty dedicated fanbase. Right after they finish a set, all their fans rush up to the front of the stage to show their adoration for the band. People come up bearing gifts to the band, handing demo CDs/tapes to AOM, and congradulating them on their set. They are all humble and modest, replying with "thank you" to every single compliment. It's rare to find such a talented band dedicated to their fanbase.
        We officially don Army of Me as one of our favorite bands from D.C. Their talent is erupting all over the place. So that means you really need to check them out…now! RUN!

We were fortunate enough to have Vince answer some questions for us:

1. How did you come up with the name Army of Me?
Well, it's kind of a long story. Our history with names is pretty ridiculous, haha. We were originally called Linus, that was our first name. Then when we found out that there were 7 other bands called Linus, we changed our name to Caddis Hatch. That didn't last too long because people were always getting it wrong, so we chose a rhyming name Cactus Patch. Eventually, we got tired of Country music bands trying to take us on tour (and the Cabbage Patch jokes), and we decided on Army of Me. Army of Me comes from a Bjork song, an artist we really respect. And basically, the name Army of Me spoke to us and what we're all about. We believe that people can accomplish their dreams when they really believe in themselves, by making themselves into an "army". And we also feel that at our live shows, it's not just us creating the music, but it's our audience along with us, creating the energy and music that makes it so memorable. together, we're a creative "army".

2.How did you guys get started?
Well, I originally met Dennis, our drummer, about 7 years ago, when I was in another band (actually, I was in a different band with John, our current bass player - it was a ska band called The Sidewinders SC). Anyway, Dennis and I spoke about starting a band together, which we didn't end up doing until about three years after we initially met. John eventually became our bass player, and Brad (our new guitarist), just started playing with us very recently. Brad was in another band in Richmond, VA, but we stole him away! He rocks!! [Headcase agrees]

3. Describe your sound in 5 or more words.
Honest, Emotional, Sensitive, Melodic, and Unique.

4. What influences you to write your songs?
I have a pretty active imagination, so sometimes, I'll imagine a whole scenario in my mind, and write a song about it. Other times, I'll write it from a real experience that I'm going through. Sometimes, I even get ideas in my sleep. It's different every time.

5. What do you see Army of Me doing in ten years?
In ten years, Army of Me will be doing the same thing it's doing now, but there will be a lot of new songs, haha! We'll be putting our records, playing shows, touring the world, hopefully, and who knows, we might even make a couple babies, we'll see about that.

6. Which bands do you enjoy playing with?
Ok, that's a long list, haha...Sometimes when I'm asleep, I have a lot of fun playing with Radiohead, U2, Jeff Buckley, The Beatles, The Smiths, The Alarm, Rufus Wainwright, R.E.M. And when I'm awake, I've really enjoyed playing with Good Charlotte, Goo Goo Dolls, Superchunk, Hot Hot Heat, The Living End, Longwave, My Morning Jacket, Stars Hide Fire, Fidel, Urban Style, Washington Social Club, Cordalene, Punchline, Unsung Zeros, Hot Water Music, Stickboy, Mae, Rooney, Koufax, Elliott, Don't Look Down, I know I'm fogetting some. But that's a start.

7. What kind of advice would you give to aspiring musicians/songwriters?
I would say, just keep following your heart. I really believe that if you want to be a musician, you can make it happen. Just try to stay focused, make friends with other people trying to do the same thing as you, respect yourself and others, and keep writing writing writing...

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