Undying

So, who is in Undying, how long you been together?
Undying is: Jonathan Raine – bass, Timothy Roy – vocals, Robert Roose – drums, Christopher Walker – guitar, and James Chang – guitar. We’ve been together for about three years now.

For people that haven’t seen you or heard your music, describe one of your live shows?
I’d like to think that we are a pretty good live band. We try to balance the “going off” and still playing with precision. We are all very passionate about what we do and I hope that that translates through to our shows. We try not to play too long, even when I’m seeing a band a like I tend to get tired of them after five or six songs so…We make an effort to be very professional: quick load-ons and load-offs, best sound we can get in a given room. Recently, we played a few shows with Brother’s Keeper and Poison the Well which were great fun as were all friends, but we managed to get hurt a bit. A kid got on stage and knocked a mic stand over and the point of the boom nailed me right in the spine. Tim (who is excellent live I’m told) tripped, knocking over another mic stand, and as he was regaining his balance Jonathan whacked him on the head with his bass. The mic also shot out into the crowd and when Tim got it back he thought it looked a little strange, so he goes to plug it back in and gets massively shocked! We’ve got quite a history of injuring ourselves and each other on stage.

What made you want to start a band?
Ever since I was a kid I loved music. My dad played the guitar. As soon as I got into punk and hardcore I knew thats what I wanted to do. Those records and bands changed me so much and affected me so deeply (in what I hope were positive ways) that I always thought that, given the opportunity, why waste it? Why not offer something to the world. Many times in life it only takes a nudge in the right direction, or a little help to open your eyes to a new worldview, a new way of thinking that may help your actions benifet the world around you. And that’s what we try to accomplish with Undying.

What’s one thing you hope to express with Undying?
Our goal as a band is to awaken people to the idea that humans, that humanity as a whole is not evil. That our culture, the “civilization” which we define ourselves by is to blame. That there was time in human history that humans lived in a state of peace with the Earth, as members of a biological community of life. Tribal peoples had no concept of power, sin , domination. These concepts were introduced to the world as a consequence of the birth of our style of living, of our method of subsistence. (You can read more about these ideas by reading the work of Daniel Quinn, The Story of B is good start). We simply want to open peoples’ eyes to the fact that many of the things which we consider to be inherent evils of the human condition are in fact only a product of our culture. Where we go from there is anyone’s guess.

What do you hope people get out of your band?
Hope. Hope that there is a chance for humanity and the Earth.

What’s most important in your life right now?
Music and books.

What’s the best/worst thing about being in a band?
The best thing about being in a band…? There are alot of great things. Seeing the songs come together, first at practice and then hearing them on a record. Playing shows and getting to see the world the most fun way possible (by being in a band). The worst…I’m definitely a loner and its difficult for me to work with other people, and to have to interact with alot of people. I want the music to be perfect, if I or someone else fucks up it really gets me down.

What are the plans for the band in the near future?
We just got a booking agent for our summer tour so we’ll see what happens versus our usual tours. We’re working on some new material. Hopefully a European tour after the U.S., but we’ll have to see.

Who are your biggest influences and who are you listening to now?
Oh I hate this question! I grew up listening to punk and hardcore, I loved all the Revelation and New Age bands, and all the NYHC. I didn’t get into metal really until I heard bands like At the Gates, Cradle of Filth, In Flames, My Dying Bride. That’s when I thought, “yes! that’s what i want to do!”, but with a hardcore message and foundation. But I always listened to other stuff too. My favorites musicians are probably The Cure and Dar Williams. I like all kinds of stuff, from folk like Dar Williams, The Indigo Girls, The Nields; to Sarah Maclachlan, Garbage, K’s Choice: to gothy stuff like The Cure, Dead Can Dance, Siouxie, Switchblade Symphony, Concrete Blonde; to all out metal. Its a mess in the van on tour.

Your 3 favourite albums ?
That’s a tough one…Disintegration by The Cure is probably in there. Its one of the greatest albums ever – thick, passionate, haunting, catchy, depressing. Its one of those albums I’ll never tire of.
At least one of Dar Williams records, Mortal City or End of the Summer maybe? That would be a tough call. I love all her stuff. She has the most beautiful voice, her songs are incredible – moving, funny, serious, depressing, socially concious, introspective – she’s got it all. And probably Cradle’s Cruelty and the Beast because its the ultimate heavy record.

What’s the best show you’ve been at and the best show you have played?
It would too hard to narrow it down. Dar Williams shows are unbelievable. Its unthinkable to me that people can get up there and create such beauty with just an acoustic guitar. And she’s alot of fun live. But at the opposite end Catharsis shows are always great because they’re pouring so much passion into every into every bit of ugliness and pain. We’ve played so many great shows for so many different reasons I couldn’t even begin to narrow it down.

What do you do away from the band?
We all work various shit jobs (except Jonathan who has a Master’s Degree from Duke and works for the North Carolina state museum). Besides work, the band has their seperate lives, except me. All I do is read and play guitar.

Where can you see yourselves in ten years time?
In ten years I’ll be unspeakably old and hopefully dead.

Are any of the band sXe – what do you think of sXe?
Three members of the band are vegan straight edge, all of us are vegan. I think straight edge can be a very positive thing in your life, provided that it doesn’t rule you and become your defining trait.

What’s your vision of the future of the world?
I really don’t know. I wish that I did, possibly that would help me know what to say to people who say we only bitch about the world and don’t give any answers or solutions.

Final words are yours….
Thanx alot for the interview, hopefully we’ll get to Europe soon.