Voice of London

When they offered me to interview Homesafe at Slam Dunk, of course I accepted. Straight from Chicago, the land of Real Friends and Knuckle Puck, these guys know how to hold the crowd and make everybody go wild. We’re lucky enough to have experienced it at this year’s Slam Dunk.

The band will release the album “One” on June 29th via Pure Noise Records and here’s what they told us about it.

Why have you decided to release “Run”?

Emanuel: We had a follow up to “Vanilla Scented Laser Beams” with some sort of like same energy, just to keep it going and flowing. We feel like “Run” was the perfect song.

Joe: It’s a quicker song for Homesafe because for whatever reason is, we write really long songs. We can’t write a song that is a minute and a half long. We never do. “Run” was a good choice for a second single. It’s easy to listen to.

Is there usually a member behind the lyrics?

Emanuel: Honestly, this time in the studio. It was Ryan and Tyler, just passione out lyrics as the songs were being made.

Joe: There’s a few songs that are Ryan’s songs or just Tyler’s songs like “Vanilla Scented Laser Beams”.

Emanuel: Yeah, he wrote the whole thing.

Joe: But yeah, if someone else has an idea, we’ll just put it out.

Are your songs personal?

Joe: “Run” is definitely personal but there’s a lot of songs that are bigger than that in the sense that are lyrically charged with for example, what’s going on in the world.

Emanuel: It’s crazy because before we were writing about friends, ex-girlfriends, whatever. With this album we totally matured throughout the whole process.

“One” is out soon, what’s the album about?

Emanuel:  A lot of varieties. It’s an album that anyone can really enjoy. If you listen to track 1 to 13 it’s an experience.

Joe: We chose the name “One” because we were saying that the songs were all different and it’s dynamic. There’s a big variety of topics. It was hard to put all these topics and lyrics under one title, one name so we decided “One”. In regards to the sound, it still has that Homesafe tone into it but some of the songs are different.

If you had to sell the album with one word, which one would that be?

Joe: I could be a d**k and say “one”.

Emanuel: I think it’s “sensational”.

Joe: Thoughtful. So many different things in there.

When creating music, what inspires you the most?

Emanuel: When we write music we usually sit in a basement, one guitar riff and it starts building. Life I would say, living.

Joe: We don’t try to go for a certain sound. We like to play music so we like whatever we come up with. It’s easy and build up with each other.

Last day of Slam Dunk, how has it been?

Emanuel: We played a kick ass set today, let me just say that, this is our first time in the UK and it’s been nothing but a blast. Can I add that you British people are crazy. But I love that.

In what sense?

Emanuel: You guys are very outgoing, you have a better sense of fashion for sure.

Joe: True, you guys are so fashion. It’s been wonderful. Everyone here has been very welcoming.

Favorite thing about the UK?

Emanuel: I can say I hate that I am driving on the opposite side of the road, I want to puke. I am freaking out, I am like “what is going on?”

Joe: My least is … there’s a sever lack of garbage bins. I haven’t seen any!

Emanuel: I like the people. Everyone is pretty much cheerful.

Joe: The architecture here is so different.

Emanuel: Yeah, we’ve never seen anything that looks like a castle or anything like that.

Best band at Slam Dunk?

Emanuel: I saw Jimmy Eat World, I loved Taking Back Sunday and Good Charlotte. I mean we grew up with them.

Joe: State Champs, Knuckle Puck. All our friends. Good Charlotte were sick.

Emanuel: I wish Boston Manor were here, they’re awesome.

“One” is out June 29th via Pure Noise Records

Words: Sal Fasone | Photos: Federica Burelli