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The Upset Victory Takes Over World
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The Upset Victory was recently signed to Takeover Records.
The Upset Victory takes over world
...The Upset Victory was recently signed to Takeover Records.
The Upset Victory takes over world
By: Taylor Dungjen
Posted: 5/19/08
With the ink barely dry on a new contract with Takeover Records, a label based out of Long Beach, Calif., The Upset Victory, a Cincinnati-based rock band, is rapidly gaining popularity on a worldwide scale.
"We are definitely excited to work with them," said Warren Cooke, former bassist of Yellowcard and co-owner of Takeover, about The Upset Victory. "We came across their stuff on the internet and instantly got in touch with them."
Only playing together for little more than a year and a half, The Upset Victory already played the Cincinnati Warped Tour in 2007 and is hoping to play Cincinnati and Cleveland Warped Tours in the coming months, if it can win the online Battle of the Bands competition.
"Playing Warped Tour was pretty sweet," said Stephen Campbell, the band's guitarist and a third-year electronic media student at the University of Cincinnati. "It was good to kind of rub elbows with bands you wouldn't normally come in contact with. We opened for MxPx."
At first listen, The Upset Victory sounds like something you may find next to Fall Out Boy and The Academy Is on the iPod of a tight shirt, tight pants, bandanna-around-the-neck 15-year-old, but the guys are trying to set themselves apart from a tired and overplayed scene.
"We try to bring a lot of contrast to our songs and to not write the same song over and over again," said Frank Hammonds, former UC student and lead vocalist of The Upset Victory. "I think our lyrics are really in-depth. We bring a good mixture of technical music with melodic vocals; it's a good blend."
On the band's Myspace page, where it does a lot of its promoting, it has a map that tracks hits to its page. It has received a wide range of local hits from Pennsylvania to Pasadena, Calif., and then abroad from places like Australia, Austria, Japan, Slovenia and Norway. And those hits are just since May 13.
"We get all kinds of messages and e-mails from people all over, our music is definitely getting out there," said Frank Harris, drummer and a third-year communication major at UC. "Some girl sent us a picture of her holding a The Upset Victory poster that she had made and she was standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. It's pretty cool."
Also on its page is an opportunity for fans to take pictures of themselves tagging buildings, trains, overpasses or signs with "TUV" using spray paint or sharpie. While the band does not condone defacing public property, they have received several pictures from fans, according to Campbell.
Short-term, the band is working with Takeover to produce and release an EP. Long-term, the band is expanding its fan base as wide as it will go.
"We don't know if we're global yet, but we're going to try to get there," Campbell said.
Aside from Hammonds, Harris and Campbell, The Upset Victory also owes its success to band members Jeremiah Kramer who plays guitar and Spencer Vanderzee who plays bass.
The Upset Victory is set to play May 23 at The Mad Hatter in Covington, Ky.
© Copyright 2008 The News Record
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More Local Notes
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· It's Warped Tour time again in Cincinnati next Wednesday, Aug. 1, as the traveling road show of Pu...· It's Warped Tour time again in Cincinnati next Wednesday, Aug. 1, as the traveling road show of Punk, Emo and every form of "somethingCore" you can imagine, comes to Riverbend. As has usually been the case, a few local bands are making an appearance at the concert. Close to Home and Upset Victory are slated to perform on the Ernie Ball Stage (Dayton bands Simply Waiting and Ebew also made the cut). The bands were nominated by fans and then a panel of judges picked the lucky few who would get a time slot. "We're looking forward to playing in front of a completely new audience," Stephen Campbell, guitarist for The Upset Victory, is quoted as saying in a press release. "We also can't wait to rub elbows with the bands we've grown up listening to." Cool, just be sure to wash those elbows afterwards. The performing bands are also entered into a separate contest; the 180 bands chosen to play Warped around the country will be whittled down to four acts that will get to play a major showcase for labels in Hollywood. (myspace.com/cth; myspace.com/theupsetvictory)
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CiN Weekly Feature
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LOCAL WATCH
The Upset Victory practices in drummer Frank Harrison's Newport home. His parents have ...LOCAL WATCH
The Upset Victory practices in drummer Frank Harrison's Newport home. His parents have the pleasure of hearing a successful band rattle the basement with three-guitar-driven rock.
"His dad's a firemen, so he always has his drunk buddies over there jamming to us, begging us to play Lynyrd Skynyrd covers," says bassist Spencer Vanderzee. "We have yet to fold on that."
And they probably won't anytime soon. The Upset Victory releases an EP, Between the Walls and the Worlds that Sleep, under Take Over Records on Saturday. The record label, founded by members of the Grammy Award-winning emo-punk band Yellowcard, has exclusive online distribution rights, but the band can release physical copies through other means. It signed a two-year, digital-only agreement with the label in March.
"If you look at eight-tracks and records in the past there's a niche market for everything," Vanderzee says. "It seems like CDs are going the way of the buffalo and are going to be non-existent eventually."
"I think CDs are still important," adds guitarist Steve Campbell. "It would be cool if they were just as important as downloads."
Between the Walls is a quick offering. Fifteen minutes long, it calls on the rock gods that blessed the likes of Iron Maiden and Hawthorne Heights.
The band is working on a follow-up album - 11 songs - in hopes of releasing it by 2009. Four months to perfect an album?
"We feed off of pressure," Vanderzee argues.
"It always comes down to the wire," Campbell says, "but we get it done."
DON'T MISS: The Upset Victory with Holcomb and Morning Star. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, at The Mad Frog, 1 E. McMillan St., Mt. Auburn. $8-$10. 513-784-9119, www.themadfrog.net or www.myspace.com/theupsetvictory.
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Sound Collective Zine Interview
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- Sound Collective - http://www.soundcollectivezine.com -
The Upset Victory
Posted By Steve On Wed...- Sound Collective - http://www.soundcollectivezine.com -
The Upset Victory
Posted By Steve On Wednesday, September 17, 2008 @ 3:41 pm In Interviews | -1 Comments
Interview with Spencer van der Zee
Give me an update on the happenings of The Upset Victory?
Spencer - Just finished putting out our brand new E.P., Between the Walls and the Worlds that Sleep, on Take Over Digital. Now we’re designing a lot of merchandise and planning a few mini-tours.
What are some of your upcoming tour plans looking like?
Spencer - We’ll be hitting Pennsylvania Septemeber 26th - 28th. You can get more info for that on our myspace but we also have a lot of other things up other sleeves this fall including tour, recording, and rehearsal videos.
How did you guys become the band you are today?
Spencer - Frank Hammonds, Frank Harrison, and Jeremy Kramer were in the band Better Luck Next Year together. Stephen Campbell and I were in bands together prior to TUV as well. All five of us knew each-other through the local Cincinnati music scene and came together out of the ashes of our previous bands.
How was the recording experience for this new E.P. you have out?
Spencer - Recording is always a great experience, but it can be a little frustrating. Frustrating in a good way. We have so many ideas that by the time we get one down, we have 50 alternative ideas floating around. We always push ourselves. We never want to compromise.
Is there one thing that just sticks in your mind from recording that you will never forget?
Spencer - Hanging out in the bell tower of the two hundred year old church we recorded at.
How did you guys come up with the name Upset Victory?
Spencer - We like to think of ourselves as an upset victory.
What were some of the runner up names?
Spencer - Frankie and His Fantastic Fig Newtons.
What inspires you guys to play the music you play?
Spencer - Other bands that we look up to, life experiences, friends, legends, etc.
What’s the weirdest thing that has happened at one of your shows?
Spencer - Some drunk lady was convinced that we had a horse in our trailer. We told her “Yeah , we have a horse in there lady” and just kept messing with her. When she saw that it was just amps and guitars she looked at us and said “What’s yall’s name….cause I don’t give a fuck!” and stumbled into the middle of the street.
Give five reasons our readers should go out and see you guys live?
Spencer - Intensity, care in respect to the record (we play all of the songs exactly as they are on the CD), soaring leads, chanting, jumping, crowd surfing…on and on.
How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard of you?
Spencer - We have 3 lead guitar players.
Is the band a full time job for you guys or do you have to work jobs on the side to make ends meet?
Spencer - Unfortunately, we work. Got’s to pay the bills.
What’s the story on how you guys got hooked up with Takeover Digital?
Spencer - Frank, the drummer, contacted Warren from Takeover. They really liked us and we love the label.
Five reasons to convince our readers that they need to check out The Upset Victory?
Spencer - 3 guitars over innovative rhthyms. We are intense, subtle, and dynamic. Vocals range from extremely melodic to extremely intense. Music is our lives and we give ourselves completely to the songs we write.
Links: [1] Myspace | [2] Label
Article printed from Sound Collective: http://www.soundcollectivezine.com
URL to article: http://www.soundcollectivezine.com/interviews/the-upset-victory/
URLs in this post:
[1] Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theupsetvictory
[2] Label: http://www.takeoverrock.com
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Straight Up Random Interview
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E-mail Interview with The Upset Victory
Interview with Spencer VanderZee (bass) and Stephen Campbel...E-mail Interview with The Upset Victory
Interview with Spencer VanderZee (bass) and Stephen Campbell (guitar)
>
>
> So you recently signed to Take Over Records, how was that?!
> Signing with TakeOver was extremely exciting and were looking forward to being a part of the TakeOver family. It's just another avenue for getting our music out there!
>
>
> In your blog, you said your second EP will be pressed & finished in about a week or two. What can the fans be looking forward to on this EP?
> The new EP is very different than our old material. You can definitely tell it's an Upset Victory record, but we raised the bar quite a bit both lyrically and musically.
>
>
> This summer, you're actually heading in the studio to start recording a full length record. How will the album be different or similar to the EP?
> With a full length we're pushing ourselves to write the absolute best material possible. On an EP, fans get four or five songs. With a full length, we are making an "album," in the truest sense of the word. We want it to be one, cohesive masterwork as opposed to a bunch of songs slapped together.
>
>
> Alright, here comes the dreaded batch of cliché questions…
>
>
>
> What made you want to be in a band? Was there one instant in particular that any of you remember that made you want to play the instrument you do now and/or sing?
>
> Steve and I can't speak for everyone else in the band, but basically, we grew up listening to punk and heavy metal. One day we said "hey dude, lets start a band." Not very romantic, but that's how it went.
>
> How did you guys meet to form the band? Did you know each other previously?
> We all knew each other through previous bands, playing around Cincinnati. When our old band broke up in 2006, Steve called Frank Hammonds and Frank Harrison to set up our first band practice. Jeremy Kramer joined the group in March of 2007.
>
>
> How long have you been a band together?
>
> About two years.
>
> How did you come up with your name?
> Our singer, Frank, came up with the name. We all love it.
>
>
> When it comes to writing, where do you gather inspiration from? Is writing a group process or does one of you in particular write the lyrics?
> As far as lyrics go, we draw inspiration from personal experience, literature, philosophy and everything in between. Steve, our singer, and myself Frank Hammonds write the lyrics and present them to the rest of the band.
>
>
> Do you ever get writer's block? If so, what do you do to overcome it?
> We rarely get writers block. If we get stuck, we keep pushing.
>
>
> Who are your influences, and how have they influenced your sound?
> Everyone in the band has really diverse tastes; from strung out to Brian Wilson to iron maiden to the rx bandits and everything in between.
>
>
> How has the scene in Ohio had an influence on your musical style?
> There's a lot of country and bluegrass around here. We don't really listen to that too much.
>
>
> How would you describe your sound?
> As far as our new cd, Warren Cooke (co-owner of Takeover records) said we sound like " a bastard child of motley crue and iron maiden" or something like that. That’s a bit of a stretch, but we'll take it. We are extremely proud of the first EP, but it was recorded two years ago without Jeremy. The new one is a more accurate and current representation of our sound.
>
>
> What does your live show consist of? You have great vocals and awesome guitar riffs; I can imagine it would be real energetic!
> Our live show is generally pretty explosive. We pour all we have into the show.
>
>
> There are a lot of bands out there, and with the help of MySpace and other networking sites; their music has become more accessible to fans. Do you think sites like these hurt or help bands due to the large inventory of music it creates for the listener?
> By and large, myspace helps bands. But It does take away some of the mystery. Back in the day, bands like black Sabbath and iron maiden were like gods. You couldn't just go to a website and find out what Bruce Dickinson’s favorite color was.
>
>
> What do you feel sets you apart from other bands?
> We utilize three guitars, which most bands don't do. Our lyrics are incredibly thoughtful.
>
>
> What do you think is the hardest part about being in a band that most people don't realize?
> Funding. Paying for stuff out of pocket is really our only obstacle.
>
>
> What's been on your playlist lately?
> Spencer - Skeletonwitch, total fury, sigur ros, arsis, a Wilhelm scream
Steve - protest the hero (fortress), children of bodom (blooddrunk), story of the year (the black swan).
>
>
> What's your guilty pleasure song?
> Your love - the outfield
>
>
> So, can you give SUR readers a peek into the not-so-distant future of The Upset Victory?
> By fall, The Upset Victory will have three releases under our belt. We plan on touring in January! August 22nd is our cd release show so if you're in the area, please come check it out
>
>
> Where can our readers buy your music?
> takeoverdigital.com, itunes and amazon.com will be active very soon or always at shows
>
> Thank you for your time, we're looking forward to your response!
>
> --
> Maria Garcia
> Straight Up Random
> www.straightuprandom.com
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The Upset Victory EP Shows Growth
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Taylor Dungjen | The News Record
Published: Sunday, October 12, 2008
Updated: Sunday, October 12...Taylor Dungjen | The News Record
Published: Sunday, October 12, 2008
Updated: Sunday, October 12, 2008
Tight pants. Tight shirts. Tight hair. All three parts generally fulfill the recipe for success for many local pretty boy rock bands. All three parts combined, however, don’t equate to a tight sound; the ingredients come from vanity rather than talent.
The Upset Victory, however, is doing things a little differently.
The Cincinnati-based rock band recently released their newest EP, Between the Walls and the Worlds that Sleep. The sound is a mix of Anberlin and Between Home and Serenity – smooth, bold and loud.
The five-song EP is nostalgic of the scene that was big five years ago. What separates The Upset Victory from the kids in circle pits with bandannas and raccoon-tail hair is a more mature sound and lyrics that aren’t about slitting wrists and blacking eyes.
Most songs contain more poetic and mature lyrics.
“If I studied the chemistry of the sea/ With steadfast resolve/ Has “god” been solved?” writes The Upset Victory in “The Genius of Water.”
Still interspersed within the songs are lyrics such as, “My lungs are bursting/ With things we should have said,” that detract from and keep the song “Signals” in limbo between adolescence and puberty.
Even the more predictable lyrics aren’t as offensive as other Hawthorne Heights or A Static Lullaby lyrics. It’s not all blatantly about heartaches, heartbreaks and the girl next door. It’s about time local talent figures that out.
Unfortunately, most everything sounds the same.
Seamless transitions between songs and a lack of dead air are usually great when listening to an album the whole way through. With that said, songs should still differentiate themselves from one another. When the CD ends, you shouldn’t have to ask, “Wait, is that the end? That was like one really long song.”
It’s unusual that the last song on an album be the favorite. Generally, when that’s the case, it means the rest of the album was terrible and the end of the album can’t come soon enough.
Again, it’s not that simple.
It isn’t until the fifth and final song, “The Will,” that the EP really takes off. The song starts with a techno-bop-like sound that integrates an echo before becoming a full-out rock song. It’s diverse, catchy; it’s not what you would expect at first listen. The somberness of the intro is replaced by heavy guitar and passion-filled vocals.
Finally, a song to look forward to.
There is real progression within the album. Things start out slow and similar. The intro is nothing terribly new, and the first few songs, while good, still don’t stand out from the other songs on the album.
The same-sound songs progress into something better, something bigger, than what The Upset Victory was able to accomplish before. The last song makes purchasing the entire album worth it.
The greatest thing about the CD is the potential. The Upset Victory’s sound has grown substantially since their first meeting; the band is young and has only been playing together for about two years.
What happens next for The Upset Victory is unknown. As the EP stands now, there is room for an upgrade or downgrade. Listeners will have to stay tuned.
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City Beat: The Upset Victory Artist Profile
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Wednesday, January 7,2009
The Upset Victory
Forging a Punk/Metal sound from three guitars, contem...Wednesday, January 7,2009
The Upset Victory
Forging a Punk/Metal sound from three guitars, contemplative lyrics and broad influences
By Brian Baker
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When the subject of a band’s influences is broached, virtually anything is open to discussion. Influence can be gleaned from an endless supply of sources, from the obvious (other bands’ music) to the pervasive (love, hate, substance binges) to the subtle (good book, good meal, good dream).
For the material on their new five-song EP, Between the Walls and the Worlds That Sleep, local band The Upset Victory drew on the broad spectrum of their lives and musical experiences.
“I’m influenced by literally anything, from acoustic acts to full on Rock bands, in whatever genre of music it is,” says guitarist Stephen Campbell, one of three string stranglers in the group. “I grew up listening to Iron Maiden and to a degree you can hear some of that, at least with the guitars. Older Punk bands like The Clash and older Metal bands like Black Sabbath and Maiden and Randy Rhodes, that’s what got me into music. Lyrically, my influence stems from novels and television and culture in general.”
“Steve and I grew up listening to Punk and Metal, and everybody loves Slayer and the Dead Kennedys, but our one uniting factor is Skate Punk,” says bassist Spencer Vanderzee. “Lyrically, I like getting out there a little more. Pink Floyd and David Gilmour are big influences. As much as I love NOFX, we don’t really write songs about dick and fart jokes. We want to get a little deeper.”
The Upset Victory grew, like many bands, out of a jam opportunity. Campbell and Vanderzee, veterans of several local Punk bands, contacted vocalist/guitarist Frank Hammonds after the demise of his previous band, Better Luck Next Year, with the intention of doing some impromptu jamming. Hammonds invited his former drummer Frank Harrison, and the Prog/Punk/Metal outfit played their debut gig on New Year’s Day 2007.
The quartet didn’t stay that way for long. Within months, The Upset Victory welcomed former Better Luck Next Year guitarist Jeremy Kramer to the fold, enabling the band to actualize the approach they had originally envisioned.
“That’s when we came into our own and our sound really came together,” Campbell says. “We weren’t a complete band until then.”
While the group built on the foundation of their Punk and Metal experiences, Kramer’s addition broadened and deepened their guitar sound substantially.
“We had a distinct sound already, but he added a whole different element,” Vanderzee says. “It didn’t change our sound too drastically, but it definitely took us in a different direction.”
The band’s three-guitar lineup is both an advantage and a challenge. Each guitarist’s role changes from song to song, which presents an interesting conundrum for the rhythm section, namely providing a pulse that complements the band’s shifting dynamic while keeping it anchored.
“A lot of times, bands can’t play every studio guitar part live because there’s so many overdubs, but this way we have the freedom to do whatever we want,” Campbell says. “With our full-length, we’re definitely going to experiment with strings and keys, and with that fifth member, when someone’s not playing guitar or bass, they can do those kinds of interesting things.”
After coalescing in 2006, the original quartet had written the material that formed the basis of their self-released eponymous EP, which came out just after Kramer joined in 2007. The EP resulted in two major benchmarks for The Upset Victory: their slot on the 2007 Warped Tour in Cincinnati and getting signed to Takeover Digital, a wide-ranging indie label out of Philadelphia.
Although The Upset Victory didn’t alter their sound to any great degree between the first EP and Between the Walls — both feature a relentless guitar attack, a fluid rhythm section and Hammonds’ emotive vocal style — they do cite a couple of fundamental shifts between the two releases.
“There’s a little more technicality guitar-wise on the new one,” Vanderzee says. “Both EPs have a strong emphasis on lyrics, but on the first one, the lyrics were more grounded. On the new EP, we got a little more abstract and started talking about philosophy and writing stories. We were listening to a lot of concept bands, and we tried to get back to our roots. Although we couldn’t sound less like bands like Pink Floyd and some of those older bands, I like the idea of a concept album where the lyrics were out there but you could still relate to it personally.”
The Upset Victory’s vigorous work ethic will serve them well in the new year, as they continue writing new material for their full-length album debut and plan local shows and spring and summer tours. Considering all they’ve accomplished in the past two years, they’re definitely looking forward to their next phase.
Article URL:
http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-16913-the-upset-victory-(profile).html
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The Upset Victory: Land New Deal
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The Upset Victory
Taylor Dungjen
The News Record
Published: Wednesday, February 25, 2009
...The Upset Victory
Taylor Dungjen
The News Record
Published: Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Keeping busy hasn’t really been much of an issue for The Upset Victory, a Cincinnati-based rock band.
Several of its members are full-time students at the University of Cincinnati and are working to pursue most boys’ ultimate dream: the life of a rock star.
And they’re getting close… Really close, actually. Signing to TakeOver Records, a label based out of Long Beach, Calif., in mid-2008, the quartet recently booked a summer tour throughout the East and Midwest, an important string of gigs for the
young band.
If planning a long-ranging tour might not be stressful enough, the guys recently landed a distribution deal with Hot Topic, which will put their CDs in regional stores.
Last November, Amp Magazine named The Upset Victory as one of eight bands “you should be blasting.”
“Things are taking off more and more with the new year,” said Stephen Campbell, a fourth-year electronic media student and guitarist.
“We’ve accomplished a lot in the last two months and we have a lot of things that are tentative and in the works, but I don’t want to jinx them. We’re just hoping they work out.”
Currently, the band is working on writing its first full-length CD. Its first EP, Between the Walls and the Worlds that Sleep, was released October 2008.
The Upset Victory will be featured on Bearcast Radio, 2 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27. The interview and acoustic performance can be streamed live and for free at www.bearcastradio.com.
Following the radio show, the band is set to play at the Mad Frog, starting at 9 p.m.
Additional acts include A Decade to Die For, Arapyma and Audio Logic. The cost to attend is $5.
http://www.newsrecord.org/sections/entertainment/the_upset_victory-1.1574006
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Uber Pro Audio Feature
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http://www.uberproaudio.com/content/view/602/27/
In just a few short years, Cincinnati’s own The...http://www.uberproaudio.com/content/view/602/27/
In just a few short years, Cincinnati’s own The Upset Victory, has done a lot. They’ve played the Vans Warped Tour, released two EP’s, and signed with Take Over Digital – a label that has had the likes of Yellowcard in its stable. We sat down with Stephen Campbell, one of the bands three guitar players to discuss his gear, the Cincinnati music scene, and what The Upset Victory has been up to.
UberProAudio: Thanks for the interview Stephen. What has The Upset Victory been up to lately?
Stephen Campbell: Not a problem at all, happy to do it. I've referred to UberProAudio.com on several occasions in regards to gear, rigs, and other guitarist's setups. As of late, I've been doing a lot of writing and playing of course - pre-production etc.
UberProAudio: You played in some punk bands before starting The Upset Victory. How would you describe the differences between the punk genre, and what you are doing with your band now? Did any of the styles/techniques from punk carry over into your new music?
Stephen Campbell: Punk music has always been an integral part of my playing. Having been the singer/guitarist of a few back in the day punk has always spoken to me regardless of the time frame or era. Growing up and listening to bands like NOFX, The Descendents, and Lagwagon really helped lay the ground work in my mind on songwriting, dynamics, guitar riffs, and lyrics. I think there's a definite correlation between The Upset Victory and some of the early punk stuff I was doing. There's fast beats and complex drums, up tempo guitar riffs, and killer bass lines. And, the lyrics are centered around existential themes and what the purpose of all this is. The Upset Victory also has that DIY mentality that was so great about punk. Getting out there, playing the shows, hounding people afterwards to get some merch., basically be your own promoter and work your ass off. A lot of my technique I think comes from punk but also metal and rock as well. That hybrid and eclectic mix of artists from the late '70's to the mid '90's really helped me hone in on a "sound".
UberProAudio: The Upset Victory has three guitar players. How do you guys sort out who is going to play what parts?
Stephen Campbell: As far as dividing up guitar parts among the three of us, it's typically whoever writes the riff will play it. If a riff is better suited for one guitarist's style or technique then we'll dish them out accordingly. We do a lot of harmonies and duel riffs which are somewhat difficult to execute while singing so J and I will pick those up and Frank will hold down the rhythm. However, on songs like "The Genius of Water" Frank and J will handle the solos.
UberProAudio: Do the guitar players in the band try to have similar guitar tones to each other or different tones?
Stephen Campbell: What's interesting about the three tones is that they're all a slight deviation from one another. Our singer, Frank Hammonds, plays through Marshall heads and cabs and it has that great diving rhythm crunch and feel that Marshall heads pack. Along with his classic Strat and Gibson V's it fits really well sonically with Spence's bass rig (Ampeg SVT-4 Pro w/ Ampeg 8 x10 cabinet) to round out the rhythm section. J and I play Mesa Rectifier heads and are positioned on the outside of the stage set up, so our dueling leads really blend nicely. All our heads are tube heads with JJ tubes in them and we all play with EMG actives in our stage guitars so there's a common thread. We try and emulate the record as best as we possibly can.
UberProAudio: What pieces of gear do you use in your guitar arsenal that are most responsible for the “Stephen Campbell guitar sound”? What pieces are your favorites?
Stephen Campbell: I'd definitely have to say Paul Reed Smith guitars have helped me harness my sound. My whale blue CE 22 has been my main guitar since the early days. Since then I've modified it tremendously - it now has EMG 81/85 active pick up configuration which is wired for 18 volts w/ two 9 volts in the back, Graphtech saddles, ebony tuner locks, custom pine wood blocks embedded in the back for better acoustics, and a 3-way toggle. It's a little "Frankenstein-ish" but I love it. The second piece of gear I really love is the MXR 10-Band EQ which really just tightens up my rigs overall sound. That pedal combined with my Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier head and the Mesa 4 x 12 cab and its vintage 30 speakers really completes my rig.
UberProAudio: You have two PRS CE22 guitars. The one with EMG’s (81/85) is your main guitar. How would you compare the EMG’s to the Dragon II pickups?
Stephen Campbell: The PRS EMG active versus the PRS stoptail with Dragon II's...where to begin… For starters both are amazing pieces of equipment. As I've mentioned before both are CE 22s and both fit perfectly in my aresnal. As far as the difference goes I'd say that's all perspective. The EMGs get killer tone and gain which I love but the Dragon IIs get that nice warm cut that goes right thru the mix. Having two guitars that are very similar but also very different allows for diversity. For instance I tracked most of the clean parts of the "Between the Walls and the Worlds that Sleep" album with the stop tail, Dragon II equipped PRS and even for some soloing that guitar has that warmth you can't get with the other guitar. But having played both frequently I wouldn't go back to Dragon IIs on my stage guitar but I'm not going to alter the stop tail with EMGs either (some things are better left alone).
UberProAudio: What was it like playing on the Warped Tour?
Stephen Campbell: Playing the Vans Warped Tour was surreal. It was truly a dream realized. Opening up for MxPx and being involved with bands you grew up listening was great. It put a lot of things into perspective and allowed me to appreciate music and the potential it has on multiple levels.
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UberProAudio: How would you describe the Cincinnati music scene? How does The Upset Victory fit into the overall scene there?
Stephen Campbell: The Cincinnati music scene is good. Like any Midwestern town it takes some effort to get a crowd, but when you do and they realize what they've been missing it's gratifying. A lot of bands, promoters, booking agents, and club owners work a lot to make this scene happen and we'll always call Cincy home.
UberProAudio: What has it been like being on the Take Over Digital record label, which has had great bands such as Yellowcard in its stable?
Stephen Campbell: Working with Take Over Digital has been really great as well. Ben Harper takes care of his artists and ensures everything is running smoothly. We released both EP's on Take Over and the experience has definitely been rewarding. Growing up and listening to those early Yellowcard albums were some of the reasons I picked up a guitar in the first place, so working with him in any fashion is always amazing. Plus we've met some really great label-mates that we've toured with.
UberProAudio: What’s on the horizon for Stephen Campbell and The Upset Victory?
Stephen Campbell: Basically keep an eye out for The Upset Victory in the approaching months. Lots of exciting news that we unfortunately can’t divulge at this point. I will also be working on some projects due out in fall so shoot us or myself an e-mail and keep an eye and ear out!
The Upset Victory will be playing a FREE Show at The University of Cincinnati with Story of The year (epitaph records) 9/25/09 at 7pm.
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Music Liberation [England] Review
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http://musicliberation.blogspot.com/2009/05/featured-artist-upset-victory.html
Compared to other ...http://musicliberation.blogspot.com/2009/05/featured-artist-upset-victory.html
Compared to other music genres, I've always felt that the heavier end of the rock spectrum endures a pretty raw deal when it comes to the blogging community. A visit to the Hype Machine generally shows top lists dominated by electronic and indie tunes, with little attention given to the alternative posse. But why is this? Is this due to the quality not being there and so therefore PR companies and labels are not willing to promote the artists? Are people done with Rock bands dominating the internet ala Myspace? Is it merely due to the other genres being more popular and hence there being more blogs covering those? Well to be honest i think it's a mixture of all of those things and more, and certainly worth a debate at some point. However once in a while a band will break through and stand out to me from the mass crowd. Today that band is The Upset Victory.
Cincinnati punk-rockers TheUpsetVictory (FrankHammonds (vocals/guitar),Jeremiah Kramer (guitar/vocals), StephenCampbell (guitar/vocals), SpencerVanDerzee(bass/vocals), have been together since 2006. They have recently put out their second E.P "Between The Walls And The Worlds That Sleep", and have also began work on the first full length offering. Their sound oozes energy and is tight, with frentic drums littering most tracks, melodic yet not over the top vocals, and a nice balance of guitars blending from crushing riffs to small but perfectly formed solos. Stateside comparisons can be made with Thursday, Thrice and early Aiden, whereas us Brits are reminded of a young Funeral For A Friend.
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THE UPSET VICTORY
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I admit, I am no expert when it comes to the Cincinnati music scene. Bands like Over the Rhine, The ...I admit, I am no expert when it comes to the Cincinnati music scene. Bands like Over the Rhine, The National, and Walk the Moon pretty much cover the depth of my knowledge. Most recently, however, I met with the five piece rock band known as the The Upset Victory. Think 30 Seconds to Mars mixed with Taking Back Sunday and throw in a dash of the Motley Crew to get an idea, but, of course, these guys, comprised of Stephen Campbell – guitar, Jason Dill – vocals, Frank Hammonds – guitar/vocals, Aaron Roy – drums, and Eric Vice – bass, have developed their own unique sound.
In early 2006 Campbell and Hammonds, who had both recently broken up with their bands, discussed the possibility of joining forces. “It was an interweaving of other bands, basically a melting pot of Cincinnati’s local music groups,” said Campbell. Born out of the ashes came a new creation. Since that time they’ve added Dill, Roy, and Vice to the crew. Vice is the most recent member, just a month into the group and he has already mastered about 13 songs and been in the recording studio. Training wheels needed? I don’t think so.
When I asked the band how they got their name Hammonds was the first to speak up. “I’d been watching a lot of Bravehart at the time and I’ve always been thought of as an underdog so it just kind of stuck,” he said. And from the little I’ve known about them, I’d say the name is no coincidence. Being in a band is not as glamorous or “rock star” status as everyone assumes. It takes hustle.
The most common misconception about being in a rock band is the constant self-promotion. “Even something like picking out the format to save a picture file, just all those things you don’t think about, but they take time” added Roy. Especially for a band that hasn’t been signed by a major music label. Nevertheless, it hasn’t stopped The Upset Victory from churning out new songs, music videos, and booking tours.
“Our trip to Boston (about a year and a half ago) was really eye opening in helping us focus on what is it that we are trying to do,” said Dill. “Initially everyone was kind of trying to do their own thing, and now, on a whole, we have a much more put together sound.” This is obvious from listening to their latest track “Actions.”
And they show no signs of slowing down. They just released a Christmas song, “Slay Bells,” that can be found digitally on iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, and the list goes on. Plus, they are currently in the studio working on a five song EP titled “Before the World Ends,” set for an early 2012 release, along with an upcoming music video, and then they’ll head to Orlando for another five song release.
During the interview I pleaded ignorance and just had to ask, what does EP stand for and how does that compare to just calling something an album? This launched into a ten minute discussion on the difference between a single, EP (extended play), which is comprised of 3-6 songs, and LP (long play), which is comprised of 8-12 songs. “We don’t have the luxury of fans anticipating our next album,” said Dill. “But I think even if we did, we prefer to keep pushing things out there, like the underground rap circuit.” The hope, with the continual production of fresh music, is that it will one day catch on, and with the amount of dedication and passion they pour into their work I’m confident it will. “An international tour on an actual tour bus, that would be making it,” they all unequivocally agreed, in response to my question about what is at the top of their professional bucket list.
They’ve played at Riverbend, the MidPoint Music Festival, and the Vans Warped Tour, along with a long list of other top venues, so catching their next local show should be top among your (yes you dear reader) YOUR musical bucket list. The hard work is in their court, but celebrating the talented local music scene is up to us. Do your part and show them some love.
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