Anchors To Anchors Interview

Photo by Tai Lombardo 

Anchors To Anchors is from Central Pennsylvania.Their members include Brandon Esquivel on lead vocals, Kevin Dorko on rhythm guitar, Chris Fuller on bass, Danny Morgan on drums, Shayne McCraken on bass, and Nick Moist on lead guitar. You can find their debut EP, Clubhouse Cancer here.

1. - How did you know you wanted to be in a band and play music?

Brandon - I started learning as many instruments as I could when I was 8. I knew it was what I wanted to do since even before then.

Nick - It’s been something that has been going on throughout my family for a long time and it’s something that I can really relate to as well.

Kevin - I realized that I wanted to play in a band after I went to my first show, to me there’s nothing cooler than creating something that gets people moving.

Danny - I knew i wanted to be a musician when i realized how many girls they pull! I also really like playing music so that helps.

Shayne - I've wanted to make music for as long as I can remember. Used to sing a lot when I was younger then picked up a guitar when I was 13.

2. - How did the idea of the band come about?

The band was created when Nick and a few of the former members got together and started playing music for fun eventually we ran into Kevin and Brandon which really pushed the idea of starting something a little more serious. And after a while we picked up Danny and Shayne along the way.

3. - How long have you been together?

This marks about a year that we've been writing music together, maybe about 9 months since we really started taking as serious as we do.

4. - Who are some of your influences?

Brandon - I have a huge range of influences. I grew up with Green Day and Incubus, eventually getting into Norma Jean, August Burns Red, Rise Against. Now my major influences are bands like Chunk! [No, Captain Chunk!], A Day To Remember, and The Wonder Years. Soupy's [Dan Campbell] writing is incredibly influential. 

Nick - I’ve been listening to bands and seeing bands for most of my life. Most of the influential bands in my life are some of the local bands that I enjoy seeing because of the impact it had on me as a kid watching them play. If I had to pick some bigger bands I would say: Fall Out Boy, Blink-182, New Found Glory, Alkaline Trio and of course, The Wonder Years.

Kevin - A Day to Remember and Four Year Strong are some of my biggest influences.

Danny - Too many to count. FOB, FYS, ADTR, Blink, Parkway Drive, As I Lay Dying, ATL, I See Stars, the list just keeps going.

Shayne - Blink 182, The Used, AFI, NFG [New Found Glory], ADTR [A Day To Remember].

5. - What does the name represent?

There’s no hidden meaning behind the name, the name is just something we came up with one day and decided to stick with it.

6. - What is your favorite song that you have written?

That's hard to place, we all have our personal favorites from the EP but we’re also really excited to release the new songs we’ve been working on.

7. - How has the response to Clubhouse Cancer been?

The response to Clubhouse Cancer has been overwhelmingly positive especially considering this is the first most people have heard of us at all, it’s really exciting to read when people mention how much they like our music.

8. - What writing process do you have?

Brandon - Generally I write a song out myself, instrumentals and lyrics, and then bring it to the guys. Nick and Kevin go over the guitars and mess with it to add their personal styles on it and Danny does the same. I normally leave Bass to Shayne because I'm not the best with bass lines. I may start the songs but its a collaborative effort in the end.

9. - Do you have any plans for a new album?

We actually do. We're hoping to get back to the studio in the next month or two. We have a few songs finished that we're really proud of and a couple more started out. We also are finishing up a cover that we're pumped to start adding to our live set.

10. - What do you enjoy outside of music?

Brandon - I'm pretty much an introvert. I like to stay in and watch TV or play video games or just work on new music. Sometimes when I'm bored I like to try writing in styles we don't play just to see what it sounds like. I'm a generally boring person.

Nick - Outside of playing music I enjoy playing video games with my friends and mostly just wasting time.

Kevin - I play a lot of golf.

Danny - Besides music, I like to be at home chillin on the couch with my puppy

and Xbox. You can also find me outside with either a snowboard or skateboard.

Shayne - Reading, movies, and occasional gaming.

11. - How do you want to progress from where you are now?

2014 will be a huge year for us. We're taking that big step from being a local band to a band that lives on the road. We expect things to be really shaken up by summer and I can't wait to see what happens.

12. - What is the best compliment you have received about your music?

Nothing makes me happier than kids who come out to our shows and singing every word so often that I recognize them. Seriously, that makes all the hard work worth it. We love nothing more than a crowd who is there to have fun with us. 

13. -  What is touring like for you?

Brandon - Touring is the best job in the world. It's not easy and it can get stressful, but going on stage in a new city with new faces everyday is really rewarding, which is why we're dedicating this year to do it full time.

Nick - Touring is one of the best things I’ve ever done. The experience of going to new places and playing music every night is the one thing that has ever made me truly happy. It’s also fun because Kevin is my personal chauffer for about a week long, what’s better than that?

Kevin - Touring has a lot of ups and downs. It’s a lot of living out of a suitcase and mastering the fine art of eating Taco Bell while driving a van full of people and equipment.

Danny - Touring is a blast. Being stuck in a van with 4 sweaty dudes isn't as bad as you think. These kids are a blast and I can't wait to do it again.

Shayne - Touring is amazing. I've done it once and it made me realize 100x more that I want to do it for a living.

14. - What do you enjoy and hate most about touring?

Brandon - Cliché answer but I enjoy meeting new people the most. You get to be introduced to some awesome kids who are there to have fun just like you are. The worst thing is its impossible not to become homesick at some point. 

Nick - Honestly the best part of touring is being able to see new bands every night, also I have a giant fear of driving so being able to go to these places without having to drive is a plus. The worst parts of touring are the extended periods without showering and also sleeping arrangements are pretty shitty.

Kevin - Playing shows and joking around with everyone is probably the most fun you’ll ever have in your entire life. Entering the fifth hour of driving at 4 am is the closest thing to hell that I’ve ever experienced.

Danny - What do i enjoy about touring? I love seeing the different people get into our music as much as we are. What do i hate about touring? Missing the people back at home. Its great being out on the road, but these dudes aren't the same to cuddle with.

Shayne - Enjoy most is going to places I've never been and meeting new people from all over. Worst is the times when there is a very long drive from one place to the next cause it can get very boring on the road after a certain point.

15. - What is next for you as a band?

We have a big year ahead of us. We've got a lot of work to do but in the end it'll pay off. Every day kids ask us to play in their city, and now we're going to make that happen.