NEVER ENOUGH
12/17/2007
CosmosGaming.com Interview
by Chris Dahlberg, CosmosGaming.com
Music: Never Enough Interview
Our Take
Never Enough was formed earlier this year as a partnership between the singer of the band Lylah and two members of Eighteen Visions. After Eighteen Visions broke up in April the three made this new project their main focus and signed with Corporate Punishment Records. With the group's debut 1.0 now upon us, I took the time to ask vocalist Norman Matthews some questions.
How long has the band been together? Had you been working together before Eighteen Visions officially broke up?
NORMAN MATTHEW - N3 has been working together since Feb. 2007. Keith and Trevor were writing music for this project on the tour bus when 18V was touring, stuff that they felt wouldn't work with 18V, but would work with a new project. I had no idea the band was breaking until April, it was a shock to me. After that NEVER ENOUGH became our main project and band. It's a total honor to work with Keith and Trevor and I wouldn't change that for the world.
How has the experience of being in long running and popular bands helped you in the creation and writing process of Never Enough?
NORMAN MATTHEW - It is such a joy. We've all been through so much, good and bad that when we started NEVER 3NOUGH we did it for the simple pleasure of creating music. I checked my ego in at the door and jumped feet first into the music and for us it has been a joy to create with one another. We think alike, we have a lot of the same views, none of us have any retarded issues or egos to plow through, we just get down to business and create and enjoy one another's company during the whole process.
Your debut album has a very big industrial influence. What industrial and electronic bands have had influence on you?
NORMAN MATTHEW - NINE INCH NAILS, VNV NATION,DEPECHE MODE,ORGY,ZEROMANCER
How did Never Enough get connected with Corporate Punishment Records?
NORMAN MATTHEW - I had been friends with Thom Hazaert and Eric Nielsen @ Corporate since 2000. Thom was actually instrumental in getting LYLAH connected with Producer Steve Kravac (MxPx,Blink 182) and Capitol Records. I had always kept in touch with Thom and was always updating him with my career and new music. I sent him the stuff I was doing with NEVER 3NOUGH and he sent me an email saying he was "serious as a heart attack" about putting out our record...He was really into what we were doing and I was always trusting of Thom. In this biz you can't trust too many people at all, but Thom, for years, had always had my back. So I connected him with Keith and the next thing you know we became a part of the Corporate Punishment Family.
Your website only mentions one in store performance/signing. Are you planning a full tour for 2008, and if so can you announce anyone you will be touring with?
NORMAN MATTHEW - We actually did two in stores...Virgin Records in Orange County and FYE in El Paso, TX. Went with our hometown fans first, gotta pay your respects ya know? We have begun rehearsals and if all goes well we will be performing as much as our hearts desire in 2008. We don't want to play just to sell some records, we really want to bring something special to the table to open peoples eyes to what we can do as a band and what we are all about. There are no pre-conceived notions or limitations on NEVER 3NOUGH, no one knows what to expect so we intend to use that to our advantage and really create a special show as best we can.
What, in your opinion, does it take for a band to have mainstream radio/MTV appeal these days? Eighteen Visions certainly had reached that point, and I see potential for this project to get up there as well.
NORMAN MATTHEW - Thanx man I appreciate that. I wasn't in 18V, Keith and Trevor were, but in LYLAH I worked my ass off! These days it's so hard to really have any sort of formula. Some bands don't tour at all and become huge, some tour and tour and just never kick over. Internet has made music and exposure accessible to everyone, thing is the marketplace is saturated, so it's hard to weed out a lot of stuff. I'm definitely the business guy, I watch over everything, I enjoy the machine, its love hate, but I like to take control and do my part so I'm constantly trying to figure out new ways to market and get the word out creatively. The biz is tough, but as long as the music stays from the heart, I'll be happy ;)
Radio/MTV will forever remain a mystery to me. Haha. I've seen things get overexposed and tank, so who knows, its all in the peoples hands ultimately. The audience runs the show at the end of the day.
Tell us a bit about what it was like to work on the video for "The Devil I Am".
NORMAN MATTHEW - Totally amazing for me. I love shooting videos, I love being creative, it was acting, no performance what so ever. It's kind of obvious we are in a band and play instruments, we really wanted to do something different. The video without a doubt strikes a never with people. Whenever you mix religion, politics, paint and makeup you're bound to have some heads roll, but I LOVE it...Because then I at least know I'm alive. Keith and Trevor are such great guys to work with. Amazingly creative, serious about what we do, yet so laid back and chill, its refreshing to be in that state of mind with them. Even the camera guy wore face paint which was rad, made us feel comfortable. He himself is also in a band called CLOSED HEART SURGERY. Sam @ DOSE PRODUCTIONS who did VICTORY PILL's video for Corporate Punishment did an amazing job on the editing. Overall it was a lot of fun.
Your debut album has a cover of Tears for Fears' "Shout". Why did you guys decide to cover this particular song?
NORMAN MATTHEW - Trevor was actually the one who suggested we do it. One day while tracking he just popped his head up from his laptop and was like "Cover...SHOUT, that's it!" or something along those lines and we just jumped all over it. It came out amazing, musically Keith and Trevor laid such an amazing foundation that when it came time to do vocals, it was super easy and a lot of fun. One of the best times I've had tracking vocals.
Our site is called Cosmos Gaming and we cover music and video games. Are any of you guys into games, and if so what do you play?
NORMAN MATTHEW - I live and breathe GUITAR HERO 1-3, I'm a fiend for Simpsons video games, WWE Wrestling games and anything Tony Hawk. I like the straight up stuff ;)
If you could put one of your songs into a movie or game, what song would you use and what would you put it into?
NORMAN MATTHEW - I think any of our songs could go very well in a video game and/or movie. They are very dramatic and thematic. I've always wanted to work with TIM BURTON, dude changed my life! We are currently working with composer SHAWN CLEMENT (Batman Vengeance, Buffy The Vampire Slayer) on re-doing the first track off 1.0 "THE CRAVING" for a movie pitch, so I'm really excited about what he is going to add to it and comes up with. Everything that's been happening has just been so exciting and such an honor. I met him through CARL @ CAKEWALK software while speaking/demoing at the ASCAP "I CREATE MUSIC EXPO" in April in Hollywood. We've been in touch since and in 2008 will most likely kick the movie version of "THE CRAVING" out.
Is there anything else you'd like to say?
NORMAN MATTHEW - Thank you for your coverage...Old fans, new fans, thanx for your love, faith and support this early on in the game ;)xo
For more information on Never Enough, visit their official website at http://www.never3nough.com/.
Chris Dahlberg
December 17, 2007
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