Thank you for doing the interview.
SRR: How did you come up with your band name, that must be an interesting story?
ACP: Starting out, we tried different Spanish/English combinations of the same phrase “aire como plomo”, which translates from a heavy Colombian jargon to “air like gunfire” or “breathing violence”. It’s a very deep reflection of facing something we can’t steer away from, that bad cliché of Colombia in the world’s view, a sort of “dangerous paradise”. Sadly, it’s very true, and it’s daily and it doesn’t go away. The name sparks a strong reaction, and we’ve found out it becomes something highly personal to any person thinking about the choice of words, so it’s also a unique story in the eye of the beholder.
SRR: For those who don’t know much about you, how would you describe your music and sound?
ACP: AIRE Como Plomo is the soundtrack to a horror movie about being Colombian.
SRR: When you say a horror soundtrack about being Colombian, do you mean that in a political way or something else. Please elaborate.
ACP: In the broad sense, it’s about an uncontrollable influence of the place we come from in the band’s sensory personality. Since we’re an extreme music band, the horror kicks in because of the country’s historical track record, and that indeed comes with an intense social/political influence. The things seen and heard in our daily news can really get to you and that builds a whole lot of rage, so channeling that is our go to therapy. This isn’t fair, but it’s true: violence is a synonym for Colombia, and in our art it has become a way to deal with a bleakness and negativity that is always present, in spite of our highly rich, vibrant and oddly joyful cultural expressions.
SRR: How do you promote your shows or do you rely on the venue?
ACP: When we started touring we became very understanding of the hustle promoters go through, so we like to keep as tight a gig as possible. That means working constantly to put out meaningful shows, connecting with the audience and building trust with the venues. It makes a difference when everyone puts in the work, especially here where extreme music has always been on the sidelines.
SRR: Do you think the record labels are doing all they can to assist inpromoting you? It seems bands do more of the leg work now.
ACP: It kind of became inevitable, because even as individuals the custom is how to handle your own exposure. With social media, putting yourself out there has become a thing of such careful craft, that we have tons of artists/bands that are looking for support from a label, an agency and what not, but with a DIY mindset, independently produced material and a self-built network that has insane dedication, impact and quality. So, finding the right promotion and allies is about complementing huge efforts that come by default from the artist’s side.
SRR: What is your live show like?
ACP: The band delivers a high-octane, reckless and chaotic presence that tries to make space for as interesting a show as possible, because we’re artists at heart and respect everything involved putting a stage together. We’ll pack 13 songs into 20 minutes and get off the stage soaking and bruised.
SRR: How do you feel about the state of the music business today?
ACP: It’s a complicated landscape. Won’t testify to it being all bad, but what has become the norm is very different from what we experienced growing up. You have to work like you’re this huge network of specialized professionals in every department and you’re giving it your all for the handful of people that are aware of the band, in spite of these huge platforms that feel out of touch with your reality, just because they belong to the break-neck pace of the world and have their own commercial interests. Pun intended, who wouldn’t be glad that the CEO’s are doing just fine? That aside, a cool part of the network aspect is actually being able to connect with a really specific but at the same time diverse crowd, and underground music has always done it that way, only now your possible audience, record label and promoter is virtually a click away and at the other side of the globe. Still, as a metal band, our real day to day belongs on the road, putting out physical records, selling merch and playing in front of as many crowds as possible, and that kind of stays true to how it’s always been.
SRR: Do you think there is a way to fix it, ideas to make it better?
ACP: Our upbringing was full DIY and we got used to doing our own artwork, directing our music videos and, need it be, the booking and promotion, so we think that being in control of your creation has to be paramount. Right now, we’re working closely with Wild Noise, our local managers and it’s been awesome to have the time to focus on the creative part of everything while keeping the promotion, exposure and booking in check. It’s a truckload to keep track of, so having a tight and reliable team is really important to cover ground and cope with those massive changes the world goes through, because we don’t know if the people that can fix it want to, you know? If it ain’t broke…
SRR: What do you think of internet radio and podcasts? Is that the new way to get your name out there?
ACP: Definitely. You always get cool stuff out of the independent, self-managed and DIY scenes. There are a ton of new outlets that have their own distinct voice and personality and are very willing to create content based around the up and coming artists. It’s an awesome combination.
SRR: Do you think streaming service is the way to go for your music?
ACP: We have our catalog uploaded, but keep as grounded expectations as possible. I mean, the pressure behind the numbers can really get inside your head, and you just know it’s an industrial battleground for all sorts of artists, popular or underground. So we use it mainly as a way of reaching out and getting noticed by the people that can support the band beyond the casual listen.
SRR: It seems bands have to be creative on how to get their music out there. From what I'm seeing bands are trying to get a song on a sports channel to promote something or in video games. Do you see that as the new way to get promoted and thoughts on how hard to get that type of work.
ACP: Definitely. There’s just so much going on, that you can’t stick to something too narrow. It’s very important to determine the scope of what you want to do, because of all the possibilities. We’re geeks at heart, so we dig music as much as film, video games and comic books. And there’s always this special place we’re the bucket list has something along the lines of collaborating with an artist you admire from a different background or being in the soundtrack of a killer entertainment franchise instead of having a track butchered for a jingle about some product that you don’t connect with. But, then again, the reality check is you have to put food on the table. Music is a tough business and it’s nearly impossible to control the outcome, so if you hunt for the best type of collateral, you’ll at least enjoy the ride. Make the chase better than the catch.
SRR: What’s your take on the recent commentary that rock is dead?
ACP: It’s not that it's dead, it’s dying. When people remember rock it’s all about the larger than life history and the legends that are going out one by one. If people don’t open to the possibility of having new blood take over, nothing will ever be good enough, and then it will effectively have died. In the trending world, rock stopped feeling fearless, cutting edge and relevant. Something that won’t change if it becomes the eternal rant of us old farts instead of the soundtrack of reckless youths with the drive to take on the world.
SRR: On the rock is dead question. You make a valid point that people need to be open to new music and the legends are passing on. Do you think radio still has a huge part to play on this or do you think just the internet and social media is the way to grow because radio no longer serves a purpose?
ACP: It’s strange, because that feeling of purpose that radio used to produce is now a combination of all platforms and media outlets. I remember looking forward to premieres, interviews, reviews and everything else on radio, because it felt like the verified source. But now, we have to make a presence in so many channels, that it becomes more about the artist as multimedia entertainment than that exclusive listening experience to capture the audience. So it’s definitely changed and radio has become a tag in the search bar. Still, we get a huge high looking for that old school airwave space for the band’s exposure and plan on keeping it a part of our musical journey.
SRR: It seems bands seem to do better in other countries. As an example, many bands who play clubs in the states actually play big venues overseas. Why do you think that is?
ACP: Novelty plays a big part. Some of the best moments behind having a band is just leaving your comfort zone and being blown away by the unknown. We did something the other way around, because we had played our fair share of large venues in Colombia and then went for a very humbling experience while touring the US. The biggest rush was the adrenaline that was shared with the people who felt we were crazy for going all the way up there to play in a dive bar for a handful of folks, but it felt like closure with having chosen the music and the lifestyle. We let it all out on every stage we played, because the other bands were fucking killing it, and you need to be game. We could only think about how many of the bands we shared the bill with would completely destroy an open air festival here in Colombia.
SRR: What advice would you give to a band who is starting out today?
ACP: To treat the band as something with an agenda indifferent to ego. A professional approach to exposure and logistics can guarantee that you stay passionate, focused on the creative and having fun without picking a fight with the world, because the first thing that’s going to happen is not being able to control the outcome.
SRR: What is on your band bucket list?
ACP: Finishing or Mexican tour, which got cut short due to the first wave of Covid. And, since it's a bucket list, the world’s a stage.
SRR: Anything you want the fans to know about the band, as we close out the interview?
ACP: Check out A.C.P’s new music video “Erase The One” and keep in touch through the socials. Don’t forget to support the local scene, people. Big shout out to Seth’s Rock Report. Thank you!
Thanks for doing the interview. Check out Erase The One below.
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