Interview: DEAD SIDEWALKERS

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

All of us started playing music from our early years. The need to express ourselves, the need for creativity and our love for music is what got us here. Music remains a side project for us since we all have our full-time jobs and somebody's gotta make the doughnuts! If it wasn’t for the band, we probably would be just struggling with our 9 to 5s so we feel fortunate for the chance we get to create music.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

Our schedules are tight so when we get together we try to get the most out of it. Discovering new music and rediscovering old music can sure help with the creativity process.

How long has your band been around?

We formed the band in September 2016.

Where are you based and how did that influence your music?

We are from Athens, Greece and this is the place where we all grew up and the city we love to hate! We often write about the urban jungle and the craziness of today’s life so it definitely has an influence in our music.

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?

Our name is a pun, a sarcastic remark about our city but in a more abstract approach is our message to not take life for granted.

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

It has to be our first show. It was in September 2016 in the center of Athens in front of a great crowd.

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

We don’t actually have a favorite. Every stage has its own unique atmosphere. In general we prefer small venues of 200-300 people where we can actually interact with our friends. In another dimension we would love to be able to play at CBGB’s in NY and at Rodon Club in Athens.

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

The Wipers, The Stooges, Sonic Youth.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

Just try not to overthink it.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

Creating the whole album “Ahead”, especially during these turbulent times that even being able to get to the studio was sometimes challenging, was a huge milestone for us. So we are not going to pick a song, the whole album means a lot to us.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

“Cut & Dried”.

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

We create music with the intend of making people feel good - after all rock ‘n’ roll is what keeps us all going.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

Every song is an attempt to articulate our genuine “inner voice” and tell an original story about our personal life experiences, ideas, beliefs and our observations on social and political issues even though we don’t aim in any way to express any political views through our music.

Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?

We sometimes fight like a married couple but we get over it as soon as we start jamming.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

We are a tight group, and we wish to remain as such. We simply want to continue creating and to be able to uplift people with our music. Currently we are working on the release of our first album “Ahead” and we are preparing for some gigs around Greece.

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Dead Sidewalkers "Drive Ahead" (Lyric Video)