10 Quick Ones with STEPHEN BEERKENS of THE FAIM – October 2018

According to a recent press release: “The Faim have teamed up with Ones To Watch to premiere the official video for their latest single, “A Million Stars.” The video was filmed in Berlin, Germany and follows frontman Josh Raven as he reminisces over a past love interest. “A Million Stars” also appears on the band’s debut EP, Summer Is a Curse, which serves as a prelude to their hotly-anticipated first full-length album, slated for release in 2019. “ ‘A Million Stars’ isn’t only about appreciating the person you’re with or the location you’re in, it’s about being free of the world’s distractions and valuing the little details that make a memory unique. I believe we’re defined by our reactions to these moments,” says Josh. “This video represents the double-edged sword of sharing perfect memories, but being thrust into a situation where cherishing them might not ever be possible. It’s a reality anyone faces when you’re away from loved ones, friends or even a familiar place.” We get bassist Stephen to discuss new music, influences, and much more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Our new EP, Summer Is A Curse, is very diverse in its sound. We’ve drawn upon many different musical influences when writing these songs so that we can express ourselves through an array of different genres. There are many faint layers of production in each song that you might not hear on the first few listens that give the songs more of a musical edge.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I don’t think there was one specific moment when I realized that I wanted to be a musician. It was more of a case of having a real passion for music from a young age, that grew and grew as I got older.

3. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Coldplay, Twenty One Pilots, The 1975, Fall Out Boy, and Imagine Dragons.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

I would love to work with Chris Martin as I have so much respect for him as an artist and a writer, in the way that he has developed his sound and stayed relevant over the course of his long career.

5. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before?

Our songs are like letters that we write and share with the world. Our music is very real and reflects who we are as a band and as people.

6. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

To me, the best thing about being a musician is the personal joy you get from your own craft. We all started playing or writing music because we simply enjoy it, and the beauty of being a musician is that this love becomes the basis of our profession.

7. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Our guitarist, Sam, cooks a mean chicken tika masala. We all like a drink now and again, and I would usually be the first to start a singalong (most often Disney soundtracks)!

8. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

Most likely something to do with food. I love food!

9. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”, even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I think that even in a situation where I’ve made a misstep, I wouldn’t want to go back for a “do over.” We learn from our mistakes more so than our successes, and it’s from these points in our lives that we develop into the people we’re supposed to be, even if the initial result isn’t one that we’d counted on.

10. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

I would love to have an insight into the recording sessions of any record of Queen. However, I don’t know if this is my inner comic book nerd speaking, but I wouldn’t want to go back and be in the recording session because if I did, the songs wouldn’t be the same masterpieces that they turned out to be. There’s a magic that happens when the right people are in the studio together and I think it’s nice to step back and acknowledge the work and creativity which is out of our control, but results in a product that can positively impact our personal lives.

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Category: Interviews