Carrying Torches, a band originated from the suburban city of Chicago and the farmland fields, has been setting itself apart since 2016. Their music which fuses synth wave, Americana and heartland rock has attracted an ever expanding and quite a diverse audience.
One of their recent releases is the song “All For Nothing,” which shows the band’s talent for creating great, easily accessible songs that explore deep and intense emotions. In All That Remains, the following musicians form the band’s musical line-up: Justin Daniel, Jon Paul Gray, Misty Okroi, Taylor Smith, and Mike Bass The band reflects the stylistic and generational variety within their music and playing style.
It is an interview of Carrying Torches that focuses on the band’s journey, or in other words, the evolution of the band from its school days being only involved in bands to it being quite famous now in the Midwestern region.
We discuss about trends they took from other bands, such as Alkaline Trio and Blink 182, and how those have influenced their current sound while staying true to themselves. Whether they are avid followers of Carrying Torches’ music or just casual listeners, this conversation gives a deeper understanding of the love that fuels their musical journey.
This is your invitation to stay with us as we explore more of a band’s history that has remained prominent in defining the future of music in the Midwest and beyond.
Listen to All For Nothing
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What is your stage name
Carrying Torches
Is there a story behind your stage name?
In our beginning phase of writing songs, there was a song of ours entitled “Carrying Torches.” The song may have been about carrying a torch for someone, holding a love for all eternity. The lamplighter as a source of illumination is inspiring and carrying something is also a burden all must endure.
Where do you find inspiration?
Life, relationships and experiences can be a great source to draw from. Additionally, other bands and art inspire.
What was the role of music in the early years of your life?
Most of our members participated in the school band so a lot of fundamentals were impressed then. We would go on to have teenage bands and have found a way to keep going after all this time.
Are you from a musical or artistic family?
Justin, our singer, was largely formed by his grandfather but as for the other members, they find themselves as the musical one.
Who inspired you to be a part of the music industry?
Favorites among our band include Alkaline Trio, Blink 182, The Killers and Kings of Leon.
How did you learn to sing/write/to play?
Some of us cut our teeth in school band, but it is largely self taught or learned from peers or the internet.
What was the first concert that you ever went to and who did you see perform?
From Jon Paul Gray, drummer, it was Green Day and Blink 182.
How could you describe your music?
Electric heartland garage rock out of Chicagoland
Describe your creative process.
Justin, our singer, will come to the band with more or less the bones of a song and it’s on the rest of us to fill in the guts of the body.
What is your main inspiration?
Writing the best music we possibly can
What musician do you admire most and why?
From Jon Paul Gray, drummer, Travis Barker from Blink 182. His skills and resilience have wowed me since i was a young man.
Did your style evolve since the beginning of your career?
Yes, it takes any band real time to find their voice.
Who do you see as your main competitor?
The mainstream music industry which easily finds millions of streams where the indie artist earns each stream the hard way.
If it wasn’t a music career, what would you be doing?
We all have day jobs- chef, caretaker, teacher, machinist and others..
What is the biggest problem you have encountered in the journey of music?
Discouragement from lost opportunities or feeling passed on.
If you could change one thing in the music industry, what would it be?
Better pay for streams
Why did you choose this as the title of this project?
It seemed a fitting name for a rock project
What are your plans for the coming months?
Writing, recording, multimedia, playing out
Do you have any artistic collaboration plans
Yes we play with many other bands and we collab with a film crew based in our area to make videos
What message would you like to give to your fans?
Thank you for being there we will do our best to keep delivering!
