Peaches Interviews AJ & Richie from Fire From The Gods - October 2022

In October 2022, Peaches sat down with AJ Channer and Richie Wicander from Fire From The Gods in West Valley City, Utah at the USANA Amphitheater to chat about the band's continuous rise and a variety of other topics. 

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The Artist Interrogations podcast. Alright. There we go. Test. Test.

Can you guys test that microphone out too? Check. Check. Check. Hey, AJ.

There we go. Alright. I'm sitting down with AJ. I forgot your name. I'm so sorry.

Richie. Richie. AJ and Richie from Fire From the Gods. You guys are awesome. Been listening to you guys all the way over here from Idaho Falls.

Nice. And so and was listening to a conversation with you, right off the bat. There was a podcast I was listening to. You were talking about streaming the modern day of music and all that. Right.

And it's it's awesome because we've been playing you, and people have been like, who's that? It's Fire From the Gods and all that. So it's been it's just been a fun time to have people discover you guys more. And when I heard you guys were about part of this tour, it's even better because it's my first time ever seeing you guys live. I've seen 5 finger death punch many years ago.

I saw some Megadeth, so it's gonna be an experience to see you guys live for the first time as well. So Yeah, man. So, you know, in touching on what you said about the streaming and stuff like that and word-of-mouth really for us, we've been that type of band from the start, you know. There are bands such as, like, Bad Wolves who, you know, we shared, a bill with as well with 5 fingers some time ago, you know, who are really really like straightforward metal bands and rock bands, you know, and and they're kind of familiar to the ear of the rock listener. Whereas, we had a slightly different sound, so we we're typically always, you know, people don't really look for Fire From the Gods.

It's usually someone says, oh, hey, I heard about this band and they've got this really cool vibe, this cool message, check them out, but they're also heavy as, you know? And so, that's kinda how it is, you know? Like, you playing it and it it's we think radio stations and, you know, mediums to get our music out like yourself so that we can boost those streaming numbers, but most importantly so that people can hear what we have to say. Absolutely. I know the new album, is coming out October 28th from you guys.

It's slated for October 28th, Soul Revolution that myself and Richie worked, and the guys worked really hard on that record, man. And, Richie, you got a couple words on that, man? Yeah, man. I mean, we like, the the title says itself Soul Revolution, you know. We we went through that and together spending time making this record, you know, from this the beginning of COVID, there's some songs that, you know, right when it started, sat down and and wrote music to the end of when we're already back touring with Korn and From Ashes to New.

And so we you know, all of that in between time has influenced, obviously, everyone in music currently. And, you know, I think you can hear in the record what we were going through in that time, which is pretty cool. You know? It's it's it's nice now looking back at it, seeing that we're out here on tour with 5 Finger and Megadeth Yeah. And playing big shows, you know, and and feeling the energy, and then looking back at this record that we did without any shows, without that energy, and still finding the energy even though we weren't out there ripping gigs.

You know? Because usually, you kinda feed off of what what are the crowds enjoying? What are the people that we interact with enjoying? What are the lyrics that captivate them? And we have people come up to us every night on this tour that say, you know, man, your message really does something for me, and and I can attach myself to it.

The singles that have come out, people new people, new fans, you know what I'm saying? That word of mouth thing, they're like dude this is incredible. This music's changing my life. So it it truly is a soul revolution, you know what I'm saying? A revolution of the mind, a revolution of the heart, a revolution of the body, you know, a revolution of the people, the social aspect, You know what I'm saying?

We we wrote this because we love people and we love ourselves enough to say that we know that change is change needs to happen, but we all have to collectively change. Yeah. Yeah. It's I mean, it's great to hear that you guys are putting out there the music that you guys wanna create, and people just listen to it and like it and enjoy it. You guys are must do That's what rockin' metal's about.

Exactly. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. You shoot from the hip, kind of. Yeah.

We spent some time just experimenting too because to us, it's really important that we push our own envelopes, you know, because there's clearly a formula to music, and then there's music that has no formula. And you can it's it's fun to be able to attach to both worlds and then kind of, like, do something fresh and new with, you know, our take on that because I think rock in in every genre gets a little stale over time. And so, you know, we're we're just trying to push some of the sonic envelopes. And also, like, with with, you know, AJ's message and everything that he says, it's also pushing the envelope to me personally because I can relate to what he's saying and the people out there listening can as well. And it's not that people are political.

You know what I'm saying? And it's We don't think anyone really says it. And like said, we're not political. It's it's about social. It's about it's about the hearts, about the mind, man.

And we as a band had to find that. You know what I'm saying? So that's why this record is called Soul Revolution. That's why the whole movement is about people and unity and what we can do to help and be better. You know what I'm saying?

Oh, yeah. Exactly. I know when you guys were That's why, bro. I was listening to a prior conversation with you with another person. I forgot exactly what the show was, but you were talking about the unity theme plus, Austin, Texas.

Like, you know, people moving there from all across. You know, I've I moved from Idaho from Southern California, and people are like, don't Californianize my state. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

That sort of thing. I'm like, I just I just got hired to do radio. What are you talking about? Yeah. I'm just here to do a job, bro.

Exactly. Yeah. But that's that's a very good point, man. Like, we we're an ever changing society. You know what I'm saying?

And we have to be able to adapt because that's that's part of our nature as a culture here in this country. You know what I'm saying? And and and the world and in general, you know, humans move around and with the digital age, we're sharing so many ideas and people are learning new things about everyone every day. So we just want we just wanna reiterate that message of keep an open mind. Just have an open mind.

You don't have to love everybody. No one's asking for you to love everyone. I'm just saying keep an open mind and respect everyone's right to exist. Exactly. That's perfect.

Yeah. And then we we were jamming out to World So Cold in the truck and Yeah, man. I mean, to develop these songs, how's the writing process? Do you just kind of, like, write down these lyrics and come up with a riff, come up with a beat and everything? Or how does the writing process go for these brand new tracks?

I feel like it usually starts with music Yeah. And then AJ has a book of lyrics, you know. So it's kind of like, you know, we'll start the emotion through the music and then kind of starts finding the lyrics start finding Pockets. The pockets of the music and and then, you know, like, me being the musician, I'll be like, hey, man, Like, you know, he'll be working out melodies, cadences, and rhythms and stuff, and it's we just start fitting in the lyrics so that they make sense to what, you know, we want the message to be and then to also cater to the music so it all glues together and just lives in a in a sweet spot, you know. Yeah.

Yeah. I know there's there's a big dilemma we were talking about on the air about streaming as a whole. Because, you know, artists don't get paid just solely on streaming. And I've been talking to these people all the time and say, like, I don't listen to radio, I only to stream. Like, you guys are hurting the artists.

And I mean, is streaming beneficial as well besides the album sales, besides everything else, and merch sales too? From an economic standpoint, it's everything you said. I mean, you know, we have a job to do and we have lives. So we're looking to create a sustainable life from what we do. But from an economic standpoint which I'll let Richie touch on but, from a just art art wise, I think it's one of the best ways people have been able to share their art whether you're a rapper, whether you're a jazz musician, whether you're a new up and coming rock band you know there it's hard to cut through the noise because there's so much information that people are given these days but at the same time if you can cut through the noise which I believe to a degree we have then it's extremely beneficial.

But from an economic standpoint I let Richie touch on that because you know Richie has a bit more insight where that stands right now these days. I think it's a catch 22, you know. You can use it to your benefit, but the the streaming is also, you know, it it I think over the course of time and Napster and everything that's happened, it's just it's starting to, like, you know, it went from this illegal thing to finding whatever you can grab to putting a value on that. And I think what what we've lost is, you know, being able to go to a record store or tune in on the radio and kinda find your vibe through that. You know, now with the Internet and streaming, that's how you like he said, you have to cut through all of that, and that's it's actually really hard.

It's not that easy. So I think it's like what Dave Grohl always says too and and all the legends. You just have to be out there. You have to be in front of people. You have to play until it catches on and and people wanna come see you.

And then, like, it's that word-of-mouth, really. And I think radio is is is still awesome because, you know, when you're driving and you don't have Internet and and all that, it's like, that's your resort, you know. That's your Yeah. That's the medium, you know. You know where you can go home to, you know.

It's Right. There's a radio playing some good tunes and, you know, I'm thankful for it. We're stuck on the road sometimes, 20 hour drives. Yeah. There's nothing to do.

Jam some tunes on the radio. Yeah. Exactly. I know for our station, we try our best to keep, like, the rock radio thing alive just because other rock radio stations kinda focus on alternative. And we kind of like, tonight, yeah.

Tonight, we're playing the new Lorna Shore album start to finish on the air. Let's go. That's what I'm talking about, brother. Hell, yeah. Yeah.

Yes. And so Yeah. Yeah. And we're just trying our best to get everybody's, you know, music out there, like, new and active rock. That warms my heart to hear that, dude.

That radio station still do, like, that midnight metal thing. Yeah. Because that's what I grew up on, you know, grew up grew up on, hearing, like, the heaviest stuff that I that, like, we could find, you know, because that medium of MTV and stuff like that, that really doesn't exist, right? So Yeah. The only other medium is, you know, terrestrial radio like yourselves or the satellite radio but that still falls within the realm of turning on the radio and listening to music and finding your new band.

And then there's going to shows Yeah. You know? Which we were really thankful that people start going to started going to shows again. They weren't like, oh, man. This whole thing changed the way, you know, we we're gonna live our lives.

Like, yeah. For a bit, it did. But these shows have been packed, man. And and people are really starting to connect with a new band like ours, and it's definitely, it's definitely proof that there's still legs in this rock and metal thing. Oh, yeah.

I think rock and metal is actually coming back just because, you know, Stranger Things with Metallica, Master of Puppets. For sure. I know there's like I was interviewing the YouTuber Nick Nocturnal. He was knowing some parents that were showing their kids suicidal silent or suicide silence. Yeah.

And all these different metal bands. And we don't we don't always, play the metal bands in the middle of the night. We play them at 6 AM sometimes because we have the metal morning wake up call. So we so we wake people up with, like yeah. That's that's what's up, man.

Yeah. I love it. And we played, because I told Chris Motion List during a interview. I was like, hey, I played your score in the end of the world album, from in full for during the 10 AM hours. So slaughterhouse is being played.

So yeah. Slaughterhouse is always being played in our station. That's what's up, dude. Yeah. Yeah.

So Hell yeah. So I go I go by Peaches because my last name's Peaches. So I did I did Peaches Pit, and I play, like, cannibal corpse and all these crazy Oh, that's awesome. Yeah. Yeah.

So East Idaho is Like the modern Matt Penfield, man. Yeah. Yeah. Even though Matt Penfield's still around, though, big up. He's still around, but yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. We try our best to get be like, of course, you know Yeah. Trying to get new music feature as well in there. Just, you know, just I think pretty much Octane and us are the only 2 that play more modern rock.

Because every single time I tune into, like because I'm from LA, of course. I hear, K Rock playing Sublime, Chili Peppers. I say it all the time. I put it like this. It's like, how many more times can we hear Sweat A Soul?

Yeah. Exactly. You know what I'm saying? I love Weezer. Don't get it twisted.

We love Weezer, but how many more times? You know, give the new bands a shot to to reach the masses because kids like, you see kids with, Megadeth shirts on that come to these shows and you're like, oh, this kid might, like, really like thrash. And I still think like that, you know what I'm saying? You know, as an artist, but then you see these kids, like, head banging heavy to, like, songs like Right Now or Excuse Me. And you're, like, woah, that's the next generation of rock listener.

And, you know, he's finding out about a new band that his dad doesn't listen to, but he's, like, yo, this is dope. Yeah. You know? But it's, it's awesome, man. We we thoroughly enjoy Yeah.

I mean, it's funny too, because I know, like, with these department stores putting out these, like, band t shirts, like, Metallica, of course. And, like, you think it's, like, oh, they can't name 3 songs, but it's kinda like a billboard. It's kinda like what people the other people will see that and be like, who's that band? Or the person wearing it might wanna actually listen to it. Yeah.

And then go to it as well. True. So yeah. Buy a Fire From the God shirt at Walmart. Kidding me?

Oh, yeah. That'd be great. Yeah. We gotta put those in there. Yeah.

You gotta have all of America wearing Fire From the God shirts. I know. I gotta get myself one for sure too tonight. Yeah, brother. Yeah.

So, what's it called? I think the first time I heard from you guys was Right Now, of course. That that was, like, the the very popular one I heard because I was running one day. And it was on my my, streaming going. And I heard Right Now.

Maybe let's go. This is amping me up and the whole thing. It's nice. But Nice. Yeah.

And then the new album, of course, that is the last day of the tour today as well for you guys. What do you guys have planned afterwards? Just a chill A break? Yeah. Do some writing probably, you know.

Take some time off. We've had a very busy year. I know everyone thinks, like, oh my god, you still got so much time left in the year. But we started in January, bro. You know, like, when people, again, when people were still sleeping and scared to go out their houses, we were we were working, you know, and, then we we got on the road immediately after on a long tour with with some with from ashes to near, then we did Europe, you know, then we, did the festivals, and then we did this very, very long tour, which is awesome.

But, I think we're gonna take a little time off. Yeah. Doing fantastic. Yeah. I know the hoops.

Hit the stage, man. Right? What's that? That? Tony, I think Tony's signal.

Yeah. We gotta You guys are gonna get going? Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank you very much.

Yeah. Yeah. Is there any way you guys do one quick thing to say who you are and you're listening to KBEAR 101? Yeah. For sure.

Okay. Cool. Yo, what's up? This is AJ and Richie from Fire From the Gods. What's up?

And you guys are listening to K Bear 101. Peace. The artist's interrogations podcast is a production of Riverbend Media Group. For more information or to contact the show, visit riverbendmediagroup.com.