Sisters Alexia and Anissa Rodriguez started Eyes Set to Kill in 2004, and numerous line-up changes later the band is finally settling down and finding their sound.
Present day line-up consists of, lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Alexia Rodriguez, bass guitarist/backing vocalist Anissa Rodriguez, screaming vocalist Cisko Miranda, drummer Caleb Clifton, and lead guitarist Greg Kerwin. The metalcore bands 2010 album Broken Frames impacted three separate Billboard charts: #8 in Top Heatseekers, #35 in Independent Albums, and #21 in Top Hard Rock Albums.
Touring in support of Broken Frames, Eyes Set to Kill spent their summer on the Vans Warped Tour, and are currently crossing the country on The Ghostbustour. I had an exclusive interview with Alexia Rodriguez when the tour hit Chicago's Bottom Lounge, and we talked about her new solo album, if she would tour in support of it, Warped Tour, how newest member Cisko became part of Eyes Set to Kill, why they release their albums only one year apart, and much more. If you have been wondering why Alexia is wanting to play the accordion, you will just have to read this exclusive interview to find out!
Eyes Set to Kill 2010 album Broken Frames had the highest ranking on Billboard for the band, is that type of thing important to you?
Alexia: I feel like there are a lot of bands that really pay attention to that stuff, and I have never been concerned about that type of thing. I care more about touring and seeing how we are doing by the amount of kids at shows, and being interactive at the shows. I am not the type of person to get hyped up on information, I am more of an artist and just want to play fun shows instead of worry about what number we are on Billboard.
How did Cisko get brought into the band as the new screaming vocalist?
We recorded with a studio screamer, and he was actually going to be in our band, but we did not know how it would work. When you add a new member you don't know anything about them until you tour with them for a long time. He turned out to not be the ideal person to tour with, and he lost his voice before the first tour. The first tour we did after we recorded Broken Dreams was with From First to Last, and since our screamer at the time lost his voice I had to sing the first couple of shows acoustic by myself. It was just me acoustic, and I had to write all the screaming parts as singing, so I was under a lot of pressure.
We met Cisko when he was on tour doing merch for Sleeping With Sirens, and when we were doing our headliner we realized Cisko played in a band that was on tour with them. During the First to Last tour he was doing merch for another band but we recognized him because his band played for us in Florida. We were like, 'Hey you were on that tour screaming and singing weren't you?' and he said yeah, so we asked if he could fill in for a little bit until we figured out what we were doing. He did a couple of shows for us, and rode with us too. You can tell if you play shows and ride with someone in a van a lot and there are no problems, then they will be compatible. He has been official for this whole year.
You have three albums out, and each one is pretty much a year apart, why were they put out so back to back?
I think we really want to nail down our sound, and it is hard to do with so many member changes. I think the album we just wrote is the best we have done so far, so I don't think we are going to do the whole record every year thing anymore. We did not try to do it on purpose, but I think the reason we wrote every year was because we wanted to play the songs we love on tour, and we never achieved that completely, except for this album we did right now (Broken Frames).
On Broken Frames is it all new material, or are some songs left over from not being used on previous albums?
I think they were mostly brand new. I was thinking for this next album, it's not official, but I would like to take some of our EP's and demo's we never used just to start something different. I don't know for sure.
Is Eyes Set to Kill already planning to start working on your next album?
Well I already started writing, but that is completely different from going into the studio with everyone. Usually I start writing by myself and bring it to the table, but I think we are going to spend a lot more time than the last album.
A lot of your songs are personal, and based on real experiences, is there anything that is off limits for you to write about?
The only thing I restricted myself on is when I dated the guitarist in our band, and I never wanted to say anything about him. I did on this last album, but I regret it because he is not in our band anymore and I am dating someone else. I think when we all start writing for this next album there is going to be a lot of stuff I have never written about because I was afraid to write about the negative aspects of the relationship I was just in. I am kind of excited about that because now I don't have to hold back. Usually I was holding back on all the negative stuff, but now I'm not.
Are you going to tell him which songs are about him?
No, I don't even talk to him anymore, he'll know.
Currently you are on The Ghostbuster Tour, and Sky Eats Airplane was supposed to be main support, so how did Eyes Set to Kill end up on it?
I think they just couldn't do it. We had been friends with Iwrestledabearonce, but we really clicked on Warped Tour. Warped Tour is one of those things where you become friends with bands, and joke about touring together and then you see if it happens or not. That was one thing that actually happened, they called us up after Warped Tour to see if we wanted to go on tour with them.
Did you guys have any touring plans already before them asking?
We were thinking about going to Europe, but I think we are going to do that next year instead.
Would you do Warped Tour again?
Yeah, I want to again. It was really fun minus the sweating and smelling bad all the time. It was really fun, and a party every night. All the bands would hang outside of their buses and everyone would have barbeque's and party every night, unless there was a long drive. It was a really good way to collaborate with other artists.
Who did you mesh with the most?
The Word Alive, Iwrestledabearonce, Suicide Silence, Breath Carolina. We hung out with the party bands a lot, not really the veteran bands.
When I was at Warped I noticed the veteran buses were all together.
Yeah, they are kind of older too so they do their own thing. Andrew WK's wife did a bunch of yoga sessions, so that was a good way to meet other people.
You are releasing your solo album Lexia: Underground Sounds how did you tell your band you wanted to do it?
I showed my manager a couple of songs when I was in California, and he was like, 'Those are really good,' but we could never use them for Eyes Set to Kill because they wouldn't fit on our album. Eyes Set to Kill is a bit heavier than the stuff I write. He suggested, 'Why don't we do an acoustic Eyes Set to Kill/you thing.' That's what it was going to start out as, me playing acoustic Eyes Set to Kill songs, and some of my songs. Which it is now, but it is under my name because the songs I used are songs I wrote on my own.
How did you decide on doing “Come Home” and “Reach” acoustic?
Those are the ones with the most singing, and the ones I started out by myself on acoustic. My band has always been really supportive of anything that I do, because they know I am not selfish. They know I am not going to be, 'Okay guys, I am going off to start my solo career, bye!' I am not like that.
Are you going to tour for the solo album?
(quickly answers) No, I don't think so. I want to release it to our fans, and if I gain other fans from it, than that's cool. It is not meant to be this pop singer or anything.
Not like Gwen Stefani breaking away from No Doubt to do a solo career.
Yeah, no, no, no, no, no.
On the solo album you covered Radiohead's "Climbing Up The Walls", what made you decide to choose that song?
When we were in Brazil I was listening to Radiohead a lot because I had my friend give me all the Radiohead stuff he had. I never really got to listen to them, only their singles. OK Computer was my favorite album out of all of them, and I couldn't stop listening to that one song.
If you are ever listening to your iPod while driving there is always that song that plays and fits your mood and surroundings. I remember there was a cool time I was listening to Regina Spektor and it was raining, and thought, 'Oh this is perfect now!' While we were in Brazil and driving through a jungle exterior and I felt connected through my surroundings and what I was listening too. That's why I picked that song, just over a strange obsession I guess.
Are there any other songs you would want to cover?
I don't know because I wanted to make sure I made it my own version of the song, and not sound exactly like it. It's scary because you don't know if the artist you are covering is going to hear it and think, 'What did they do to my song!' I have thought in the past of doing a Muse song, or Thrice song, but this one was just the one for some reason.
What is something you have always wanted to do, but have not done yet?
There are a lot of things I don't want to do. I don't want to go skydiving because a lot of my friends have done that and it looks scary. I guess go to Japan. It is always one of those places that I see in movies and always get really excited about it because I know I'll go there one day, but it hasn't happened yet. When we went to Europe I had the same feelings of, I always see it in movies and it looks so fun. Then I went, and it was exactly as I thought it would be.
What is a song you never get sick of hearing?
I watch this movie with my boyfriend called Amelie. He has the soundtrack and he put it on my iPod. It is really weird, the music is all accordion, xylophone, and nothing you would think a metal head would listen too. I don't know why I cannot stop listening to it. I don't know if it's because it reminds me of him, or I just really like it.
That is one soundtrack that I have listened too, that makes me want to learn another instrument which is the accordion. I really want an accordion, I think it would be cool. They have this song where he is shredding, and I don't even know how you would be able to shred on an accordion, or how you would look if you are playing it, but I think it would be so fun.
Would you ever consider having an accordion in one of your songs?
Oh, I don't know. I would definitely write a song for an accordion.
If you could see any band or artist perform any song live, what would it be and why?
I still have not seen Deftones, and I really want to see them play. I have been waking up every morning to “Sextape” in my head. It is one of those songs that I don't know what it would be like why, so I guess that is why I would want to hear it.
Anything else you want to add?
I am really grateful to all my fans, and thank them for loving me because I love them.
You can check out Alexia's solo work on her MySpace, and the album Lexia: Underground Sounds is released October 12, 2010. The album is currently streaming on MySpace, and thus far the songs have gotten over 60,000 combined plays.
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