A Dirty Dozen with ALEX OSIP from WITHOUT END – June 2021

According to a recent press release: “Hard Rock/Metal band WITHOUT END released their new single “Save You” to all major platforms today. The single was produced by Nick Reitman. After a 2 year hiatus, on October 9th, 2020 the band released a music video for 2016 single “Creature Of Habit”, which featured the bands new look and line up. The band has announced plans to tour in the near future and that they are working on new music set to come out sometime in 2021. The band currently consists of Alex Osip (vocals/guitar), Chris Silence (Sallans) (vocals/guitar), Steven Schuler (vocals/bass), and Stevie Bertetto (drums).” We get Alex to discuss new music, influences, and 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?

“Save You” is about a very close friend of mine, I won’t say any names but it’s about trying to help a close friend who is stuck in their own depressed mind and they feel like there is no way out. There’s not really any hidden messages in this one though, I’d say it’s pretty straight forward without being too graphic. The message we want to put out to fans and anyone listening is that if you or someone you know is in a dark place like that, that you are not alone and help is available. Don’t be afraid to open up about how you feel.

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

Back in middle school, Chris and I had a science project together and we worked on it at his place. He had just gotten his first guitar and was showing it off to me. I thought it was awesome and he asked me to join his band. I didn’t even play an instrument at all. So I asked my dad to buy me a bass and that’s how I started. Chris and I have been playing in a band together pretty much ever since.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

My dad listened to a lot of classic rock when I was a kid. He liked heavier music but mostly listened to 80’s metal and classic rock. My parents went through a divorce and my dad started listening to more heavy stuff like Stone Temple Pilots and Metallica. Right around the time Chris and I started jamming together, my dad came over to my moms house to pick my sister and I up for the weekend and when we got in the car, “Sad But True” by Metallica was playing on the radio in his car. I was overwhelmed by the sound. I just thought it was so heavy and sounded so huge. I didn’t know at all at the time what I was hearing but I knew I wanted to learn how to do that. I think from there I progressively started listening to heavier and heavier music.

4. Who would be your main five musical influences?

My five musical influences are probably Matt Tuck from Bullet For My Valentine, James Hetfield from Metallica, Alexi Laiho from Children Of Bodom, Benjamin Burnley from Breaking Benjamin, and Synyster Gates from Avenged Sevenfold.

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

For me it would most likely be Matt Tuck from Bullet For My Valentine because I have loved his style from the first time I heard it and It would be a dream come true if I was given the opportunity.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

I would describe our music to someone who’s never heard us before as catchy and high-energy. Sound-wise if I was going to compare us to other bands I would say we are a blend of Breaking Benjamin and Bullet For My Valentine. As far as a comparison that’s made me cringe, a fan has told me we sound like a lot like Green Day. No disrespect to Green Day, but that’s just like the opposite of what we were going for haha.

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

The best thing about being a musician is it’s so easy to make like-minded friends. I never was a popular kid back in school or anything but music brings people together and ever since I’ve been involved with making music, I can honestly say that’s pretty much how I’ve made all of my friends.

8. 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?

I love this question! Most of the time our girlfriends cook, but if It had to be one of us I think the cook would be Steven for sure. Chris is the guy getting the drinks in, and I would definitely be the first to grab the acoustic! Stevie is somewhere in between jamming with me and throwing back a drink.

9. When was the last time you were star struck and who was it?

Last time I was star struck was I got VIP passes and a meet and greet for Bullet for my valentine back in 2016 I think it was, and when I met the band I couldn’t even think about what I wanted to say haha. I was just so happy to be there.

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

I’m still not sure what I would want to do but I think my dream job would be to drive race cars or something.

11. 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?

That’s a very good question. I know we’ve made a lot of missteps throughout our career but I think if I could go back and change one thing, it would be taking a risk and going on tour right out of high school when we didn’t have bills or responsibilities hanging over our heads.

12. 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 choose The Poison by Bullet For My Valentine. That record was the first I’d heard with screaming that sort of broke me into this kind of metal. I really started following the band at that point and I watched all of their behind the scenes videos for their music videos and I really wanted to write that style after hearing that record. I aspired to be everything they were as a band from the look, to the music videos and the shows. I just thought that was so cool. It would have been a great record to be a part of.

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