Rumours Follow

Colorado’s capital city boasts a wide dynamic of talented musicians from many different stylistic backgrounds. Whether you’re in for an introspectively vivacious night at the Larimer Lounge, a fiery, ear-slaughtering show at Seventh Circle, or an immersion at the rugged spirit of the Marquis Theater, the wide array of artists you can watch perform never falls short when you’re planning a night out on the town.
Rumours Follow, one of Denver’s finest alt-rock bands with a sweet tooth for synthesizers and charming piano kicks, have been broadening in popularity rapidly since winning the local stage on Channel 93.3’s Big Gig 2014. Built from vocalist and guitarist Nick Sanders, keyboardists Adam Swanson and Dennis Hernandez, and drummer Will Hubert, Rumours Follow rose from the ashes of the bands Regret Night and The Broadway, merging members from both groups to create a charismatic fusion of alternative pop and traditional, windows-down rock ‘n roll. The Howler had the chance to talk one on one with the band and get a unique perspective on their recent success, roots, influences, and musical future; be sure to see what the band has to say below.
H: Hey! Thanks for the opportunity for me to talk to you guys. To start things off, could you introduce the band and give a notable fact about the group to anyone who may not know the band?
RF: Rumours Follow is a 4 piece Rock Quartet based out of Denver, Colorado. Nick Sanders- The singer of the band, also plays the guitar, Adam Swanson plays keyboards and sings back-up vocals, Adam uses one of his keyboards as a bass, Dennis Hernandez plays keyboards, and Will Hubert plays the drums.
Fact: We entered and won Channel 93.3’s Big Gig 2014 using the first song us 4 recorded together.
H: What’s the story behind Rumours Follow – How’d the band form and come together?
RF: Nick and Dennis have been playing in bands together since High School. They were in a band called Regret Night for nearly 7 years before they started Rumours Follow in early 2013. Rumours Follow started as just Nick and Dennis then, shortly after, the band grew to 6 members. Will Hubert, now drummer, played the guitar in the early stages of Rumours Follow.
In 8 short months, Rumours Follow wrote an EP, played shows around Colorado and lost 3 of its 6 members for various reasons. Will then made the transition to his first instrument, the drums, and the search for a permanent bass player began.
Enter Adam Swanson. Adam moved to Denver in 2013 and was looking to join a band. It wasn’t long after Adam moved to Denver before he was trying out as a bass player for Rumours Follow. He instantly made an impression on the band and has been a member of Rumours Follow ever since. Shortly after joining Rumours Follow, Adam ditched the bass altogether and plays bass with one hand and piano with the other. Creating, what now is Rumours Follow.
H: How long have you each been playing music?
RF: Nick has been writing songs on the guitar for nearly 13 years, Adam has played the piano since he was very young; he can also play the bass, Dennis has been playing for nearly 10 years, and Will has been playing music his whole life; He can play; the drums, piano, and guitar.
H: Where did the name Rumours Follow stem from?
RF: Rumours Follow comes from a song called “Found Out About You” by the Gin Blossoms. The lyric says, “Rumors Follow everywhere you go…” We liked that lyric because it hits home with us. We like to leave an impression on people wherever we go… so we just let the Rumours Follow.
H: A couple of your members used to play with Regret Night and The Broadway, two former contributors to the Denver music scene. Has Rumours Follow seen more success than these groups, or is it too early to say?
RF: Yes and no. Rumours Follow has seen success much faster than Regret NIght and the Broadway; it took Regret Night nearly 7 years to win Big Gig 2014.. But Regret Night had a much larger more loyal fan base. Granted, it takes a long time to establish a loyal fan base. So it may be too early to tell but we are very happy with the direction that we are headed.
H: You guys are a relatively new band, but you already have a self titled, full length LP out and two solid singles. Has it been easy to get your music out there, seeing as how prosperous the music scene in Denver is?
RF: Surprisingly, yes it’s relatively easy to get music out there. With all of these social media sites, it’s easy to promote our new material to the people. However, we notice that today’s music is singles based. Not many people buy entire albums anymore, people tend to buy only the individual songs they like. Our plan moving forward is to shoot to record and release one new song a month starting this October. We think that our fans will appreciate this because they will be able to hear new material every month.

Rumours Follow
H: Who are some of your favorite local bands to play with?
Some of our favorite local bands are: The Epilogues, My Body Sings Electric, Vices I Admire, In the Whale, Racheal and the Kings, Kimi Most, Ian Mahan and Amzy.. We have such a diverse and talented music scene, and we are happy to be a part of it.
H: What was it like playing the locals only stage at channel 93.3’s Big Gig, seeing as it’s such a prestigious show out here?
RF: Playing on the main stage at Big Gig was an absolute dream come true. We can’t thank the people who voted for us and Channel 93.3 enough for making that happen! It was by far the most people any of us have played in front of.
H: What band or artists have had the biggest influence on your sound?
RF: All of us listen to different music.. our influences range anywhere from Third Eye Blind to The 1975. We like to think our sound combines the best elements of the 80’s and 90’s and today’s music.
H: How would you describe the band’s sound to someone who doesn’t know of Rumours Follow?
RF: Rumours Follow is a groovy, pop-alternative, synth rock band.

Rumours Follow
H: How do you all spend your time when you’re not playing shows?
RF: We spend most of our time writing new material and rehearsing. Our goal is to get together at least 3 times a week; If we have a show coming up we will practice on making our live show better. If we have no shows in the immediate future, we are writing new songs. We also like going to local shows to support our friends in the scene.
H: Thanks for the time! Anything else you’d like to say?
RF: We are releasing our new song, “Flavor” sometime in the next couple of weeks… Stay tuned!
Be sure to check out Rumours Follow on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with new music and show announcements!
- See more at: http://mhshowler.com/showcase/2014/10/26/spirited-rock-n-roll-from-the-mile-high-city/#sthash.QYNQHytq.dpuf - Brody Coronelli

Artist: Rumours Follow

Release: Flavor – Single

Release Date: 28 October 2014

Rumours Follow is an alternative rock band from Denver, Colorado. The group released their new single, “Flavor”, on Tuesday. A little more flamboyant than their previous releases, Flavor, relies on high pitched vocals and 80’s-esque guitar licks as it glides alongside its pounding dance drum beat.

In their short existence, the four piece band has covered a lot of ground sonically. Some songs on their eponymous debut EP sound reminiscent of Matchbox Twenty or other 90s/00s rock groups. The next release was their single “Tonight”, which can be easily drawn in comparison to Panic! At The Disco while Flavor sounds like Wild Cub and Better Than Ezra joined forces and attempted to write a Passion Pit influenced track.

The comparisons that can be drawn to this band are endless, but making themselves sound similar to so many bands of several different styles is what truly makes them stand out as their own.

All of the band’s work can be found for free on NoiseTrade:

http://noisetrade.com/rumoursfollow -

Sometimes you just need a dose of heavy nostalgia. Luckily for you, Denver’s Rumours Follow are lush with 80’s and 90’s synthpop capable of taking you back into the days of Saved By The Bell and Easy Bake Ovens. They just released their new EP, Cities of Love, featuring an array of pop, funk, jazz and alt-rock with some savvy satirical lyrics, demonstrating their throwback influences. One thing is for sure: More sax please! - The Daily Listening

If ever there were a local award for the “most boy-y-est band in Colorado,” Rumours Follow would grab that trophy and run fast & far — looking back only to wink, smile and melt hearts. Reminiscent of years we were definitely not alive in, the quartet delivers wild sax and synth-driven meat under a Bee Gees, Gibb-esque vocal tone. “Cities Of Love” is a time-traveling delicacy and a complete deviation from tired local sounds. Think 80s video montage scenes with so many consensual sex scenes. - Rooster Magazine

It’s no surprise to any musician that the music industry is an ever-evolving beast that can swallow you whole if you fail to innovate with the times. Denver alt-rock band, Rumours Follow, recognized the recent shifts in the industry and decided to rethink how they were releasing music for fans. “The music industry now is such a singles-driven machine,” comments Rumours Follow’s keyboardist, Dennis Hernandez. “Knowing that, we thought it would be smart to adapt to the music listeners out there and give them new and fresh content monthly.” Starting in October, Rumours Follow starting releasing a new single each month, starting with “Flavor” and “Love Again” (both available on the band’s Bandcamp page). Hernandez sat down with AXS to discuss Rumours Follow in this exclusive interview.

AXS: Are you Denver natives? If not, where is everyone originally from?
Dennis Hernandez: The singer Nick Sanders and I were born and raised here in Colorado; we have been friends since high school. Will Hubert, our drummer, is from Sioux City, Iowa. Adam Swanson, the other keyboardist, is from Las Vegas, Nevada

AXS: What brought Rumours Follow together?
Dennis: Nick and I were in a band called Regret Night before Rumours Follow. The band did pretty well and our biggest achievement was winning Channel 93.3's Big Gig 2012 contest where we opened at Red Rocks! Soon after that show however Nick and I started writing our own music and wanted to start up a project that was in a different genre.
After recording a couple of songs together we looked to fill our new project Rumours Follow with musicians. Will, liked our music and played guitar in Rumours Follow. After almost a year Rumours Follow lost 3 of the 6 members and moved Will from guitar to the drums. After the recent turnover, the new focus was to find a bass player.
Enter Adam. Adam recently moved from Las Vegas to Denver, was looking to join a band, and just so happened to work with Will. After Adam auditioned we knew he was a good fit because he fit in with our personality had the same goals as us. Since then, Rumours Follow has been busy writing new songs and playing shows.

AXS: How long has Rumours Follow been together? What have you learned during that time?
Dennis: Rumours Follow formed in late 2012, but we'd really like to think the band really started after Adam joined in the fall of 2013.
In that time we learned quickly that nothing comes easy. It doesn't matter who you were, nobody cares. People care about who you are now. Nick and I thought we would be able easily transfer all of the following from our previous band into this one. Didn't happen that way!
We also learned that playing in a band with your close friends is the only way to go. We are developing such great chemistry as friends that it makes the entire band process, even the lame stuff, so fun.

AXS: Where was your first show in Denver, and what was the experience like? Who else did you play with at the show?
Dennis: Our first show major show was at Fiddler's Green. We won Channel 93.3's Big Gig 2014 and the experience was incredible. Not only did we get to watch great acts like The Bad Suns, Walk the Moon, Twenty One Pilots from back stage. We met most of the bands, and picked their brains about how they became who they are today. It was an unbelievable day and we are very grateful for being picked to play that show.

AXS: Have any Denver musicians inspired Rumours Follow?
Dennis: The Denver bands that have inspired us are: The Fray, Single File, One Republic, 3OH!3.

AXS: What projects are Rumours Follow currently working on?
Dennis: We started a new campaign in October where we decided to write and release one single a month. “Flavor” was our October release, and “Love Again” was our November release. The music industry now is such a singles-driven machine. Knowing that, we thought it would be smart to adapt to the music listeners out there and give them new and fresh content monthly. This gives each our songs a chance to be heard individually, rather than lost in an EP of 6 songs. It's more of a process, but we have seen steadier traffic and interactions on our sites rather than just a spike here and there.

AXS: What else is Rumours Follow involved in locally, either as individuals or as a group?
Dennis: We all work to live. Sometimes it is difficult because some of us work at a childcare facility and work during the day, others work as bartenders and work nights and weekends, others are finishing school.

AXS: Does Rumours Follow have a goal in mind for the sound the band produces? Are there certain influences or themes the band tries to inject into its own music?
Dennis: We don't really have a sound in mind currently; we are keeping as open of a mind as possible. Our band is heavily influenced by 90's alternative rock, 80's music, jazz, and modern elements. We want people to groove to our jams

AXS: For someone who has never seen or heard Rumours Follow, what would you tell them to entice them to watch your set?
Dennis: We aim to entertain our fan base. Music can be played on your car stereo. People go to watch your shows, not listen to them.

AXS: What would your ideal live show look like? Where would it take place? Any particular time of year? Would a specific band/musician share the bill with or open for Rumours Follow?
Dennis: Our ideal show would probably be: us headlining the first show on the Moon. The show would definitely be sold out at the Moon Theater. I guess it would be cool to play on Halloween, I mean that's when the best parties are happening.. right? The only bad thing is everyone would have the same astronaut costume on.
Opening acts? Probably nobody, we would prefer to air the Notebook beforehand. Everyone will probably forget that we are playing because that movie is so damn good! Then BAM! We start playing.
Anything other than that will be underwhelming.

AXS: What shows are you looking forward to over the next few months?
Dennis: We are looking forward to our headlining show at the Moon Room on Friday, December 19th, 2014. #shamelessplug.
A few of us are going to Bonnaroo. Our singer is really stoked to go see Bush in the coming weeks... I tried talking him out of it, but he wasn't having it.
We are also working on booking our first out of state show... Any suggestions?

AXS: What do you enjoy most about Denver’s music scene, and why?
Dennis: The Denver local music scene is HOT right now. We are just happy to be a part of this awesome group! - AXS