With the release of their Pressure The Hinges in March 2007, Hard rocking Solid State recording band Haste The Day has skyrocketed on the charts and equally into the touring limelight. The band has been hard at work touring in support of the new album. Perhaps you have already caught the band co-headlining with autumn to Ashes, hitting the stage at the weekend long Bamboozle Festival or tearing across the country as part of the 2007 Vans Warped tour line-up. I am personally a big fan of the solid tracks Pressure The Hinges offers… strong melodies admittedly influenced by bands like AC/DC, Def Leppard. “We wanted to write songs that were based on straight ahead rock and roll but still heavy” explains guitarist Jason Barnes. The band hails from Indianapolis Indiana and the five-some includes Stephan Keech on the mic, Michael Murphy on Bass and backing vocals, Devin Chaulk on drums, Brennan Chaulk on Rhythm Guitar and backing vocals and our new best friend and focus of this edition of Ax Facts & Stats, Lead Guitarist Jason Barnes.
My name is:
Jason Barnes
Describe yourself in 5 words:
Intense, Rock and roll axe shredder.
My current job is:
Lead guitarist for Haste the Day.
My hometown:
Indianapolis Colts, Indiana.
My current album or project is:
We just released “Pressure the Hinges” on Solid State Records a few months ago, and we are very excited about it.
Former bands:
I was in local bands prior to Haste the Day, but nothing notable.
My guitar influences growing up were:
Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Kurdt Cobain, Billy Corgan, Slash, Angus Young, Richie Sambora, Buddy Guy.
The guitars I use are:
I play Gibson guitars; I have two SG's currently.
The strings and tunings I use are:
We use SIT strings and most of our songs are in drop C tuning, there are a few songs on the new record in drop D, and one in drop B.
My current rig setup consists of:
A Krank Revolution, four Marshall cabs, Boss tuner and noise suppressor, an Ibanez tube screamer, and Monster instrument and speaker cables. They are cased in Calzone road cases. And I use a sennheiser G2 wireless system.
The greatest invention for guitars is:
Wireless systems.
My normal songwriting process consists of:
Spending a lot of time trying to come up with a memorable riff or chord progression and then basing the rest of the song around that. I usually get sidetracked and wind up just playing a bunch of blues licks though, ha!
My favorite all time guitar solo is:
Well as predictable as this is, I have to say Jimmy Page on Stairway to Heaven, it couldn't be more perfect. Slash's November Rain solos are definitely up there.
My favorite all time song is:
Hells Bells (AC/DC), Armageddon it (Def Leppard), Nightrain (Guns n' Roses) or Tonight Tonight (Smashing Pumpkins), I really cant decide, ha.
My favorite Haste The Day song is:
My favorite song of ours is The Oracle.
Favorite song to perform in front of a live audience:
When Everything Falls.
My most embarrassing moment on stage:
When we were playing in front of Brandon Ebel for the first time at Cornerstone I was running across the stage and completely slipped during the first song.
Other than my guitar, the one piece of my gear that I cannot live without is:
My wireless.
The first song I ever mastered on guitar:
The first riff was Smoke on the Water, ha.
My first guitar was:
The brand was “Casino”, I dont think I have seen one since, haha.
If I am only sure of one thing in life, It's:
That God put me here to play music.
The one ritual I always perform prior to going on stage is:
We all stretch and then say a prayer.
The one thing most fans don't know about me is:
I turn into a werewolf at night.
The exact moment I knew I would pursue a career in music was:
I wanted to since I was 8, but the moment I knew it would happen was when we were offered a contract from Solid State.
The best advice I could give beginning guitarists:
Listen to the guitarists who revolutionized their genre, and draw your influence from many different guitarists.
CD(s) I'm listening to right now:
Hysteria (Def Leppard), Inhuman Rampage (DragonForce), 5 Score and Seven Years Ago (Relient K), Liberated (Velvet Revolver)
My 3 all-time favorite albums:
1. AC/DC- Back in Black
2. Def Leppard- Hysteria.
3. GnR- Appetite for Destruction
Best gig:
Cornerstone.
Favorite junk food:
Don't eat it.
My biggest pet peeve:
Listening to drummers just fool around or tune their drums.
The word or catch phrase I say too much is:
Oh Snap
The hardest part of my job:
Knowing that I am paying rent for an apartment that I am not at, ha.
The first thing I do when I come home from touring is:
Go to the gym and hang out by myself.
Previous or first day job:
Bookstore, I hated it. It was a weird atmosphere.
Right after this interview I'm going to:
Pay more attention to “Apocalyptic” the movie we are watching on the bus.
I couldn't imagine being on the road without:
Working out.
If I wasn't doing the musician thing, I could really see myself working as:
A personal trainer.
Favorite movie:
Halloween.
My mission in life:
Serve God, rock faces.
My guilty pleasure:
Michele Branch.
My next goal is:
To bench 400 pounds.!
The greatest contribution guitars have brought into my life is:
Giving me the ability to live out my dream and become my profession.
The one musician I would love to work with that I have not yet had the chance would be:
Slash
If I could have three wishes, they would be:
1. To go back in time and meet Stevie Ray Vaughan.
2. See Led Zeppelin.
3. To stay in my 20's forever.
When it's all said and done, I want the world to remember me for:
Staying true to my faith and loving rock music.
Copyright 2008 Dave B. Roberts and www.extremeguitars.com is the web home of articles and interviews written by Dave Roberts. All Dave Roberts interviews and articles are available for use or FREE reprint ONLY by Permission and proper credits. Permission can be obtained by contacting [email protected]. All materials are Copyright 2004-08 Dave Roberts and OnTourOnline Ent., All Rights Reserved.