Interview with Pete Devine of Pete’s Rock News and Views (http://petesrocknewsandviews.com)
PD: How would you describe yourself or your band as an artist?
Barrage: I really think we ride the line between Rock and Metal in a way that uses the best of each Genre. Committed to representing the songs well live, there is a lot coming from the stage as a three piece with multiple vocalists. We like to keep our finger on the pulse of what’s going on in music in the present as well as all of the great music that’s been created before us so we can create good songs that are full of originality. We are all students fueled by the love of music, and I don’t think that’s going anywhere anytime soon. The three of us have a wide array of influences that affects a large portion of our sound, but our first priority is to always serve the music.
PD: Can you tell us briefly about your background – i.e. where you’re from, how you came to make music, etc.
Barrage: We are located in Kansas City. Each of us have had interest in Metal for many years & have had years of experience playing our instruments prior to forming Barrage, so when we found each other, there was a common bond from the start.
PD: Who and what inspires you to make music, both in terms of musical and other influences? What do you like to write about in your songs?
Barrage: All 3 of us pull our influences from different places but we all agree that we don’t want to limit ourselves when it comes to sound or subject. We want to tackle themes musically that challenge our playing and writing capabilities to make us better musicians. We also want to talk about subjects that are personal or interesting to us but can also resonate with others and hopefully reach people in a way that’s impactful.
PD: What are your aspirations as an artist?
Barrage: We want to create art that we enjoy and hope that our music will reach others to be just as meaningful to them whether you connect through lyrics, music, or just by getting to know us as people.
PD: What is the proudest moment in your music career so far?
Barrage: The proudest moment in our music career is by far opening for the band Crowbar this year.
PD: Promoting one’s music is such a challenge these days, especially with so many new artists emerging from bedrooms
in the day of the home studio. How is that going?
Barrage: It has been a huge challenge. Trying to get our material to be seen through a sea of content on different platforms & navigating the ever-changing world of social media is hard to pull off while still taking time to create. We have come to greatly appreciate our local community and the friends we’ve made in the Metal scene. Their support alone means the world to us.
PD: And how do you book and promote your live shows and tours? Any performances coming up?
Barrage: Anyone is welcome to reach out to us (either personally, or through the band’s pages) if you are putting together a show and would like us to play. We love playing live, so we are very eager to promote our shows online and by word of mouth. If it’s in our area, we’ve always enjoyed making it out to talk to people in the community at local shows and using physical advertisements.
PD: What do you think about downloading music online? What about streaming sites like Spotify?
Barrage: Downloading and streaming music are two of the greatest tools of all time to access music. Hopefully there will be a way for them to benefit the creators more.
PD: What song do you wish you’d written and why?
Barrage: Surprise! You’re Dead, of course. What can I say? It’s a fantastic song that gets straight to the point.
PD: Is there anything you don’t like about the music industry, which you would change if you could?
Barrage: That’s a tough question to answer. There are always going to be things we find frustrating as a newer band trying to make a name for ourselves. To name one thing: It is very hard to find other successful artists to learn from and follow in their footsteps. Our ears are open and we love chatting with people that have gone before us anytime we get a chance.
PD: So, what are you working on at the moment?
Barrage: At this time, we have a new single that will be available in early 2023. After that, we have a 12 song album almost completely written that we cannot wait for everyone to hear! We have spent the past year pouring our time and hearts into this album.
PD: Where can we learn more about you and buy your music/merch online?
Barrage: You can find our merch and music on our store at https://barragekc.bigcartel.com/ or https://linktr.ee/barragekc
Barrage links:
Band/Artist location – Kansas City, Missouri
Website – Facebook – You Tube – Bandcamp – Merch –
Twitter – Instagram – Apple – Spotify – Amazon – Deezer – LinkTree –
Check our page for Barrage
