Forest Fire Interview for Know Your NYC Bands

BeatCrave brings you Brooklyn band, Forest Fire, as part of our Know Your NYC Bands series. By this, we say “you’re welcome” as we bring you another great gem from Catbird Records. Just like they did with Air Waves, Catbird Records saw the potential in Forest Fire and graciously offered to put out their latest album, Survival. Although an unknown in the beginning, Forest Fire proved that listeners everywhere are always loyal to great music as they got massive attention from other countries for the album. With their quirky and beautiful indie folk music, the band is now signed with a European label to distribute the supply in demand.

For a band who was bi-coastal for some time, songs such “I Make Motion” and “Slow Motion,” which sound smooth as honey in the comfort of a warm summer day, is evidence that this album involved some beautifully thought out dedication. Songs such as “Fortune Teller” also sound off their originality as a rock band with the lyrics, “Tonight, I’m gonna melt some faces.”

Get to know Mark from Forest Fire in our exclusive interview below!

Are you guys still a band made up of members who live on different coasts?

We are a New York band. Nathan (multi-instrumentalist) did live in Portland Oregon during the recording of Survival, but he is now moving to the Big Apple!

Did the stretch from the east coast to the west coast make it difficult to record an album?

There was a lot of starting and stopping, but it gave us plenty of time to reflect and make sure that we remained true to our original vision.

Where did the name Forest Fire come from?

It came to me in a day dream. I grew up in the mountains of northern California and my parents used to have these giant brush fires that would just hypnotize me.

Were there any contenders for the band name. If so, what were some of the options?

There were no other contenders.

I read that Survival took a span of eight months to complete because you weren’t “in a hurry.” Would you take this long again for the next record?

I honestly don’t think I would ever do things like that again. It was a painfully long and twisted way to record and I think the best stuff probably comes from momentum.

Survival was also released through Catbird Records who doesn’t do a lot of promotion. However, you’ve garnered tons of praise for it. That’s quite an accomplishment. How do you feel about this?

I am shocked by the response Survival has gotten. All the praise thus far seems to be coming from Europe which is fine by me. I’ve never been there and I’m ready to go!

Like the east side of LA, Brooklyn is the epicenter of NYC bands. Has it been easy or hard to grow as a band in Brooklyn?

It’s been really easy. So far we’ve just made music we believe in and everything else has worked itself out.

Congrats on signing to Talitres! What’s the process like when you are choosing a label to release your music overseas like that?

Thanks! Talitres found us actually. It was really weird for me to sign a record contract, talk to lawyer, etc. and all the stuff that I never related to making a record.

What is it about this label that you accepted when there are a ton of other indie labels out there right now?

Ryan, founder of Catbird Records, gave us his blessing right away. He respects Talitres as a record label, and after checking out the roster, the label appealed to me more and more. Talitres can’t be pigeon-holed, it’s pretty eclectic, and Forest Fire feels right at home on a label that can’t be pinned down to an overall sound or aesthetic.

What’s coming up next for Forest Fire?

In August, Survival will be released officially in the U.S on a brand new label. There will be a record release show followed by a few European dates.

Quick-Fire Round:
What is your current favorite Forest Fire song to play?

A song called “To Be Honest” off the next Forest Fire record.

Who are some of your favorite local bands?

Goodbye The Band, Sharon Van Etten, Hologram, Shilpa Ray

If you had your own record label, what would it be called?

INFINITE BEST

Tell us one thing we probably don’t already know about you.

www.myspace.com/scareplanex (all aboard!)