Spring Break
Exclusive interview with Senses Fail
Buddy Neilson, lead singer of Senses Fail, discusses band's past, present, future
Gail Cole
Issue date: 3/13/09 Section: Diversions
Senses Fail isn't the band you would expect at first glance.
Their tracks have screaming. Their album covers are dark and depressing. Their name is cryptic.
It definitely took me a while to actually want to listen to them, but on a hot, boring summer evening, a friend introduced me to Senses Fail with the song "Choke on This." Ever since I've made it a ritual to listen to "Still Searching" each Friday morning while getting ready for class and to hear "From the Depths of Dreams" when I'm feeling nostalgic. When people call at me while on campus, chances are I can't hear them since I have some Senses Fail song killing my eardrums.
Obviously I was excited beyond belief to hear that Senses Fail will be coming to Oregon. The band will be in Portland on Wednesday, April 1 as part of the Saints and Sinners Tour. The show will be for veterans and new fans alike, showcasing their latest album, "Life is Not a Waiting Room," along with tracks from previous albums that made them who they are today.
"We're a live band," said Buddy Neilson, singer of Senses Fail. "The whole point of a live show is that it's energetic and it's aggressive. The songs actually come alive and there's a lot of power behind them, and it's more meaningful."
Instead of bemoaning the fact that they won't be playing in front of only their die-hard fans, the mix of bands on Saints and Sinners is giving Senses Fail an opportunity to introduce their music to new fans.
"This tour isn't a lot of our fans," Neilson said. "We're playing in front of a lot of new people - kind of the goal - which has really been great for us."
To see Senses Fail live is to really experience the band and see how they distinguish themselves from everyone else.
"Our live show is fun and exciting and energetic," Neilson said. "I think people enjoy it. I think people are seeing something they normally wouldn't go see."
Originating from Ridgewood, New Jersey, Senses Fail - whose name stems from the Buddhist belief in Nirvana - formed in 2002 in a scene that is unique from most, where they were surrounded by live shows and a different attitude towards their music.
Their tracks have screaming. Their album covers are dark and depressing. Their name is cryptic.
It definitely took me a while to actually want to listen to them, but on a hot, boring summer evening, a friend introduced me to Senses Fail with the song "Choke on This." Ever since I've made it a ritual to listen to "Still Searching" each Friday morning while getting ready for class and to hear "From the Depths of Dreams" when I'm feeling nostalgic. When people call at me while on campus, chances are I can't hear them since I have some Senses Fail song killing my eardrums.
Obviously I was excited beyond belief to hear that Senses Fail will be coming to Oregon. The band will be in Portland on Wednesday, April 1 as part of the Saints and Sinners Tour. The show will be for veterans and new fans alike, showcasing their latest album, "Life is Not a Waiting Room," along with tracks from previous albums that made them who they are today.
"We're a live band," said Buddy Neilson, singer of Senses Fail. "The whole point of a live show is that it's energetic and it's aggressive. The songs actually come alive and there's a lot of power behind them, and it's more meaningful."
Instead of bemoaning the fact that they won't be playing in front of only their die-hard fans, the mix of bands on Saints and Sinners is giving Senses Fail an opportunity to introduce their music to new fans.
"This tour isn't a lot of our fans," Neilson said. "We're playing in front of a lot of new people - kind of the goal - which has really been great for us."
To see Senses Fail live is to really experience the band and see how they distinguish themselves from everyone else.
"Our live show is fun and exciting and energetic," Neilson said. "I think people enjoy it. I think people are seeing something they normally wouldn't go see."
Originating from Ridgewood, New Jersey, Senses Fail - whose name stems from the Buddhist belief in Nirvana - formed in 2002 in a scene that is unique from most, where they were surrounded by live shows and a different attitude towards their music.
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