Interview With 'Burdens Within'

Firstly, introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about the band and how you came to be?

Danny: I'm Danny Rivers, the vocalist of Burdens Within. I had just got out of a band. (We lost our Drummer) Oddly enough the drummer from that band introduced me to Ryan Battering who had just started playing lead guitar with Burdens Within. We all jammed and it's worked ever since.

Ryan K: I am Ryan Kline, Bassist of Burdens Within. This band started with the end of Mike and I's previous bands. We started getting together and writing some songs. We added Craig on drums, then Ryan B on lead, and completed the line up by adding Danny on vocals.

Mike R: I'm Mike Riley and I play rhythm guitar. Ryan Kline and I worked together, and our old bands had played some shows together. His band split up first, then mine. We were talking one day and he suggested that we get together and jam. It took a few times of jamming with one another before we figured each others styles out but once we did everything seemed to move pretty well. After several years of trying to find the all the members to create the band, We found Craig, Danny and Ryan B.

What were you all up too prior to the band, was this always the chosen path or did you have other dreams and aspirations?

Danny: Before this band was a few other bands. Since I was 16, I've been in a band. At 19 I taught myself guitar and started writing. So since around 22 I've at least been doing acoustic shows, but often both with a full band. I really haven't thought much about it. It's just what I love to do. Write songs and connect them with people. Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe I should have tried acting. Thats where the money is at!

Ryan K: I have always been into music and have always dreamed of having a successful band and touring the world.

Mike R: I was a late bloomer with the music thing. Several of my friends in school were already playing and in bands. I got me a guitar started teaching myself to play. After a while I had an opportunity to get a drum set, so I bought it and started playing around with drums. Was in a band that never made it out of the garage, when I was playing drums. Then joined another band, started out playing drums, then switched to lead guitar. We split up and then that was when Ryan K and I started jamming.

Tell us about your latest Album and why our readers should check it out.

Danny: Our latest Album is also our first! Self Titled and it sounds like we're people that just love making music. Just some good Rock 'N' Roll.

Ryan K: This album is a solid Rock album using influences from Classic Rock, 90's Grunge, and Metal. The lyrics deal with every day life and the burdens within peoples hearts and souls. Life isn't always beautiful but if you look hard, there is always positive to a negative. We try to write about these issues and hope that people will relate.

Mike R: I'm pretty proud of it! It took a lot of work, a lot of time, and blood sweat and tears to finally get it done. And I also think its cool how we have so many influences compiled into it. Cant wait to release the next one.

Have you ever come face to face with someone within the music scene who has left you awestruck and why?

Danny: I got to meet Midnight from “Here Comes The Mummies”. So all he said was Rah, Rah, Rah.. I don't speak mummy though dammit so I'll always wonder what he said! I have 2 friends that are just phenomenal musicians and they've always inspired me.

Ryan K: Honestly no. I have met a lot of people in the music world, some really cool and some not so much. I always respect them for their craft and what they have contributed to the music world. At the end of the day they are just people like you and I though. So I treat them normal like I would want to be treated.

Mike R: Not really, I think its cool to meet people who have seen and done all kinds of cool things, not to mention created awesome music. But to me, they are just like me. Just another music lover doing what they do, just on a different level.

If we were to head out to one of your live shows what can ourselves and others expect?

Danny: You can definitely expect our lead guitarist Ryno (Ryan Battering) to run a few circles around you! It is a high energy show. We get so excited sometimes we'll naturally play a song a few beats per minute faster. We just want to Rock.

Ryan K: A good time and good music. We like to play our songs as good as they are recorded, we try to energetic and have fun. The more fun and energy a crowd shows just fuels our fire.

Mike R: You would enjoy some good music, Have a good time and hopefully we would get to meet with you.

If you had one artist/band that you could go on tour with tomorrow who would it be and why?

Danny: Oh, Damn!, The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Even without John F. But preferable with both guitarist! No Dave N. though! I'm just playing Dave...(ha, like he cares) But that's an impossible question! They are just amazing and have been their entire career. I would love to watch them write a song together. That bass is like a rhythm guitar just driving it. They are just always inspiring. I feel like I could write a book on this question and include several other bands! Jeff Buckley, Danzig, Blind Melon, Sublime etc....

Ryan K: Thats tough. I listen to and respect so many but if I had to choose one, it would be Tool. They are very creative and I enjoy their sound.

Mike R: Just off the top of my head, I would say Metallica. They have such a good following and all of the fans are die hard. It would be amazing to play to a crowd just like that.

You can spend an hour with a musical icon living or dead, who would you pick, why and what would you speak about?

Danny: Oh Man, again with a crazy hard question! Just one..? I really feel like you'd get a different answer from me tomorrow. Probably a different answer every hour! So no point in thinking this over for 12 hours … I'd say Blind Melons Shannon Hoon. He grew up close to where I did, Just 30 minutes away and I love how he writes. His lyrics are so down home and poetic. Like he wasn't even trying to be a genius. He was just putting himself out there just because thats music, thats song writing. No genre aimed for, no expectation from what your writing. No plan because thats how others write. Just what happens happens, what feels right is always right with music. It's never what is expected. Should never be.

Ryan K: I would like to meet Kurt Cobain and discuss what he was thinking and feeling towards the end of his life. I would like to hear him give some insight as to why he felt there was no way out and why he did what he did.

Mike R: I would like to sit down with Randy Rhoads. I would like to see what he thinks of some of our music and possibly play some with him.

And finally and most importantly is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?

Danny: Of course Die Hard is a Christmas Movie!

Ryan K: I would say yes. The most brutal and awesome Christmas movie there ever was lol.

Mike R: Most Definitely!

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BurdensWithin/