Committed to Indie Label Support, No Matter Which Majors Come Knocking
GENRE: Alternative Rock
HOMETOWN: Tallahassee, FL
ARTISTIC APPROACH: Having the patience to develop a cohesive sound
www.wearegoradio.com
Go Radio knows having an independent label at their backs is the surest way to reach their fans. Their band-label relationship with Fearless Records is so unassailable, in fact, that Go Radio frontman Jason Lancaster (formerly of Mayday Parade) says the band will “absolutely” stay with the California-based label for the entirety of the quartet’s existence.
“The current way that the music industry is, I don’t feel there’s a need to go above an independent label,” says Lancaster.
“I’m 100 percent positive we would not go to a major label, no matter what our plans are.”
It’s a paradigm shift from where bands used to place their goals, but one that allows them to obtain label support they might not otherwise receive from the majors. Go Radio recently celebrated their five-year anniversary with the release of their second full-length, the emotionally connective Close the Distance. Yet it’s only recently, says Lancaster, that the band has come into their sound, a development nurtured by Fearless’ support.
“We’ve finally figured out the band we want to be,” says Lancaster. “Instead of four different influences coming together and making one sound, I feel like we’re all on the same page on the sound now.”
It took patience. Lancaster says the band recorded about 35 demos for this album, only 11 of which made the final cut through a meticulous process aided by producer James Wisner (Paramore, Dashboard Confessional). Even still, the album’s release date was pushed back about a month. “We just really wanted to take the time to get everyone on point for this record,” says Lancaster about the delay. “It’s a really important one for us.”
Important, says Lancaster, because it’s a serious high point for the band, and one that might not have been reached without their indie label’s backing and care. It’s proof bands don’t need to rush into a major label contract to put out a personal masterpiece. “We’re positive it’s our best record,” says Lancaster. “Not only with this band, but in anything else we’ve done.”
photo by Brook Pifer