Gunslingers Anonymous

Gunslingers Anonymous mailed me their EP "Flash, Hearts, Twos, & Threes" and I was very excited to give them another chance.

"Close To You" is still a bit Metro Station-esque, but it's about ten times better than anything MS has done. It's a great dance song and has a driving, addictive beat. I fell in love not even a minute in.

"Together Forever" for some reason is a lot better than the first time I heard it or maybe my musical taste has slightly varied by a hair since last time, but it's one of the best songs I've ever heard. I've always been into that kind of music and even though it still reminds me of Metro Station, it's much more fun and upbeat.

"Find A Way" is absolutely phenominal and sincere. It's a bit slower, but I love it. It really shows off the vocals which are flawless. By far my favourite song on the whole EP.

"Cielo Luminoso" a very fun and infectious song. At this point, I've come to realize that I absolutely love Gunslingers Anonymous. This song is insanely good and these boys have a great amount of talent.

"Tonight Will Be Ours" is an outstanding song. Lyrically and musically it's pure and it's perfect.

I wouldn't change a thing about this EP. It's available on iTunes September 1st, so mark your calendars.

Gunslingers Anonymous is definitely a group to keep your eye on. - Mary Magpie - NYC ROCK

Gunslingers Anonymous is a two-man electronica band based out of Pennsylvania. With an EP under their belt and one set for release this summer, as well as a show repertoire that includes playing with bands like Rookie of The Year and Cash Cash, it's obvious that Michael Christoph and Shane Timothy are on the road to success. We got to chat with Gunslingers Anonymous about how the band began, where they see it going, and their love of all things Gaga.

Substream Music Press: Tell me a bit about how you guys got started.

Gunslingers Anonymous: Michael had been producing music for local bands and Shane came to him and suggested the overall idea of the band. There is no exciting story to how we got started, but for added glamor, I think we were sitting at Friday's Restaurant when the magic agreement began.
SMP: Who are some of your influences?

GA: Both of us are really into Lady Gaga right now, her music and image is just amazing. Also bands like Panic at the Disco and Metro Station who helped make electro-pop where it is today. Also Blink 182 was one of the main reasons I even picked up an instument and learned.

SMP: What is your writing process like?

GA: We do not sit down and say "ok, let's write a new song." Whenever an idea comes to mind we go from there.

SMP: You've gotten the chance to play shows with some awesome bands. What has been your favorite band to play with? Who would you love to tour with in the future?

GA: We actually just started to play live. We have always been more of a studio band, but with a large fan base that expressed an interest to see Gunslingers Anonymous live, we became very eager and excited to start setting up shows. We were stoked to play our first show with Cash Cash and have scheduled shows with Rookie Of The Year. This is definitely cool for a band who went from never playing a single live show to sharing the stage with these awesome bands. We would love to tour with Lady Gaga if we were ever given the chance, but we have a bias toward Lady Gaga.

SMP: Tell me about your upcoming EP. Do you have a release date for it? How was the recording process compared to that of your previous EP?

GA: Our new EP is entitled Flash, Hearts, Two's & Three's and there currently is no exact release date. It is expected to be released this summer. This EP features a very strong connectiveness of club beats with rock beats and has radio friendly/dance-inspiring melodies. The title of the EP encompasses the basic messages in the music. There is flash -- discussing the flashiness of the music lifestyle; hearts -- being in and out of love (the EP contains our slowest ballad to date, entitled "Find A Way,"; and lastly, two's & three's -- a gambling term, because clubs, bars, and the casino atmospheres has influenced our lifestyle. The recording process differed from our previous EP in that it was much more relaxed. We had more time to think about the creative process and make changes where necessary. It is overall a more well put together sound than anything we have ever done before.

SMP: I can see from your MySpace that you are very socially aware, plugging nonprofits like Toms and Invisible Children. Explain a little about what got you into this. Do you think it is even more important nowadays for musicians, artists, actors, people in the spotlight promote organizations like these?

GA: Absolutely. I have always believed that when a person finds themselves in a position where they can influence a large amount of people, they have the distinct responsibility to promote these types of organizations and strive to be only a positive influence.

SMP: What are your plans for the rest of the year?

GA: We are going to keep playing more shows around the east coast. We will also keep writing and get our new EP out for everyone to enjoy. Our main goal, however, is to get signed and get our music to the rest of the world.

SMP: Anything else you'd like to add?

GA: We are entirely a do-it-yourself band. Not once have we turned toward professional guidance. This means we record at our home-made studio, produce and master alone -- even something as little as a photo or a Myspace layout, as seemingly unimportant as they are, everything that we have put out is solely our responsibility. This is mostly because we are perfectionists and this is the easiest way we can see to it that anything we produce is as exact as we want it. Eventually it is likely we would turn toward professionals, which would be positive because obviously it would free up time, expenses, and stress and we could utilize those benefits to put elsewhere, such as moving along with a tour.

Check out music, tour dates, photos, and learn more about the organizations the band sponsors at myspace.com/gunslingersanonymous. Keep an eye out for their new EP this summer!
- Substream Music Press/Kelly McDonald