Starting something new usually follows with exhilaration, anticipation and confidence, but most of all it starts with passion. Breaking out of Montreal, Quebec, metalcore newcomers SKIP THE FOREPLAY have shown each trait but steadily focused on the latter, turning up the volume on shows and in different cities in order to connect with anyone who will listen to make an impact that’s not simply heard by kids standing in the front row. Off of their first stint on the road, we got in touch with guitarist Charles Pilon to analyze the band’s growth, their signing to Epitaph Records and how their primary goal is to overcome the process of establishing an original sound.
You’ve recently returned from your first tour in the U.S., how was it?
It was just a bit after our first tour ever. It was pretty cool for us. It was a totally different thing for us because kids in the States are totally crazy and they’re really different from Canada. We all enjoyed it as it was also our first tour where we had shows every night.
The band was formed in 2010 and you signed to Epitaph Records just before 2012; what has the past year or two been like for you as far as experiences go?
Well… I think none of us really realize what’s happening right now as everything went so fast. Like two weeks after starting the band we decided to record a CD and we did a video and then we started looking for labels, got signed and then went on tour. Everything just happened really, really fast but it is because we worked really hard on this. I don’t know… I think it’s a cool thing for us and I think we’re lucky for everything that’s happening right now.
And you’ve played with some really big names already, like Hollywood Undead, Lamb Of God and NOFX.
The Hollywood Undead show was like our first show ever and it was in front of a crowd of like 2,000 people. We got asked to play the show like not even four days before and we weren’t ready at all for it. When it was finally time to do it, we got really, really, really nervous, but it helped us as we had to start playing shows. Opening for such a big band is pretty cool.
Both electronic and hardcore are body moving so it makes sense that people have deemed your shows “crazy”; what are the stage dynamics like for an electro-hardcore band like STFP?
When it comes to playing on stage, we’re having fun on stage. People see that and they love that and with our shows, the focal point isn’t just music, it’s also the stage presence and set-up as we have a light show with lasers and stuff like that (laughs). Even though we’re not really big yet, we work really hard on putting on a great show. To us, it’s a cool party.
Throughout the recording process of your material, did you give any thought as to how it would be received?
We recorded almost all of the songs in the studio way before we started playing shows and going on tour and we really didn’t know what was going to happen. We just wanted to write cool music and do what we love to do and then after, we started working on performing. I don’t know… we really didn’t get bugged out by anything.
Even with your videos you can see that the band is really bold and it also gives insight to your personalities as well. Was that the reason Epitaph came in contact with you?
They had listened to our music but it started when they sent one of their representatives to one of our shows and when they saw us live, they got excited about what we were doing.
What would you say your ultimate goal as a band is?
Our main goal is to actually build from what we do. We don’t really want to make tons of money, but just want to live by what we’re doing and make more music. You may not make a lot of money by doing that, but it lets you create for a couple of years and gives you the chance to survive at least. We just love what we’re doing; we love being on tour and we just love everything that’s going on right now.
When it comes to mixing electronic and hardcore music – it’s not new or different – but a lot of people are turned off by it or are intimidated. Do you think sounding a certain way helps with progression or does a new style or sound create more potential?
There are a lot of people who hate the idea of electronic and hardcore being a style as just a couple of bands have done it in the past – like Attack Attack!, Abandon All Ships and few others. When we thought about doing something similar, we decided to do it differently and not sound like anyone else. We just want to have our sound and I think it’s pretty hard to have your own sound. It is a hard process to sound different from all of the other bands out there, but I don’t know… I think we did it.
[Skip The Foreplay’s debut Nightlife is available via Epitaph Records on May 1st]