The Surrender

"The Surrender", A Southern California quartet challenges and defies the odds with their first extended play release "Di Amor".

In 2007, when members of Rock Kills Kid (Warner) and Hole/Courtney Love (Geffen) came together wanting to create something new. The ideas and concepts started swirling about, and after some discussion "The Surrender" was born. Now I know what you are thinking, here comes another over produced L.A. rock/heavy metal band with aspirations of ultimate world domination, private jets and a namesake energy drink. No, "The Surrender" is the complete and abject opposite of that stereotypical southern cali lovefest. Now don`t get me wrong, I kind of enjoy our loud and proud brothers from the basin. But sometimes something articulate, something honest and something that defies the labels comes along. When it does, it should be embraced and not go without notice. Today "it" is "The Surrender"."The Surrender" is made up of Colin Elliott (vocals), Neil Parek (guitar), Shawn Daily (bass) and Mike Balboa (drums).

With Mike and Neil, it has been a collaborative partnership since they were children. But it was the addition of San Diego singer-songwriter Colin Elliott and long time Los Angeles bassist Shawn Daily to the lineup, that created what they have become today, one of the the few groups of musicians whose varied influences and styles don't compromise the integrity of the music that they make. Ultimately, its that style and shape that truly separates "The Surrender" from so much of what is actually out there.

Their first extended play release is called "Di Amor". "Di Amor" consists of 6 songs that engage and embrace the listener by simply taking a "common idea or emotion and forcing you to look at it from an uncommon perspective". "Di Amor" is a compelling well produced collection of songs, a collection that represents the best of what indie-alternative rock currently has to offer. So much so, that the band already gotten itself a ranking as one of the top 5 best alternative rock songs for their namesake recording "The Surrender" from music networking giant Ourstage.com, as well as spawning both regional and national tours respectively and generating that ever necessary word of mouth following.

With musical influences that span the spectrum (The Stills, Kent and The Cure) "The Surrender" brings both its artistic and technical vision to life. Their sound is like a super hybrid of Radiohead, Coldplay and U2. Their music is very much like a fine wine with hints of this or that, but make no mistake, "The Surrender" is maybe perhaps one of the most original and authentic bands to come along in quite some time. They are almost certainly guaranteed to enjoy the reputation and success that is reserved for only the select few.

Currently, you can find "The Surrender" on the road on an eleven city national tour with European electronica act Apoptygma Berzerk. This is most definitely a show you will want to catch if you are lucky to live in or near one of the cities that this tour is coming to visit. Here is a list of the dates and times.

9.02.2009 - Washington DC @ The 9:30 club / 7:30pm
9.03.2009 - New York City @ Gramercy Theater / 7:00pm
9.04.2009 - Cambridge Mass @ Middle East Restaurant / 7:30pm
9.05.2009 - Montreal Quebec @Le Studio / 7:00pm
9.07.2009 - Cleveland Oh. @Peabodys Down Under / 6:30pm
9.08.2009 - Pontiac Mi. @ Crofoot Ballroom / 8:00pm
9.09.2009 - Chicago Ill. @ Double door / 8:00pm
9.11.2009 - Austin Tx. @ Elysium Night Club / 8:30pm
9.14.2009 - Portland Or.@ Berbatis Pan / 7:00pm
9.15.2009 - Seattle Wa.@ El Corazon / 7:00pm
9.17.2009 - Hollywood Ca.@ The Knitting Factory / 8:00pm

For more information on "The Surrender" and to hear some streaming samples of their amazing music, visit them on the web at http://www.myspace.com/thesurrender - rkcndy.com

I had a chance to catch up with the amazingly talented front man of The Surrender, Collin Elliott. They are currently playing dates with Apoptygma Berzerk, and supporting their current EP, Di Amor.

How are you doing?

I’m doing great…how about you guys?

We just landed here in Portland after driving two days straight from Cleveland. Happy to be back on the West coast.



How have the shows and the turnout been?

The shows have been great! The reception has been really good…we have done 5 or 6 dates. At first we weren’t sure as to how the crowd was going to respond to us. The headliner’s style is a little different from ours. They have been really receptive though. Apoptygma Berzerk’s fans really pack the place and are front and center by show’s start. It’s nice to come out and warm up the crowd.



You guys have been playing for a couple years now?

Yeah, about a year and a half, two years.



I am always intrigued, because it seems like the last couple of years, bands have gone their separate ways to create new bands. Can you tell us a little bit about how you came together, and give us a little background info?

The band started with Mike and Neil…they go back to the 3rd grade. They were off and on with various bands. Then going back to just a couple years ago, they put an ad out, and they were looking for a singer. I checked it out, and I was blown away. It was different from what I was doing at the time, but I knew it was the direction I wanted to go in. I knew these guys were talented. So I showed up, and they asked me to come back, and kept asking me to come back.



You have more of an acoustic background…

Yeah, I had done the singer/songwriter thing in San Diego for awhile, and I kind of got burnt out on it. I wanted to be a part of a band. I wanted a bigger sound, a rock sound. Then I was able to come across their add.



What’s the title of your EP that you just put out?

Its call “Di Amor,” and that’s Latin for “Of Love,” which our drummer came up with. It’s just a reference for the songs and some of the subject material that we were writing about. A lot about relationships and that type of thing. Di Amor was actually the first name of our band before we changed it to The Surrender. It just seemed appropriate to name the EP that.



You have a song called “The Surrender”…is that where you got the band name from, or was it the other way around?

I think that was probably the first song that we wrote, and we kind of looked at each other and thought we had something kind of different and special. It wasn’t until later that the idea came up though. It seemed appropriate because Mike and Shawn were in another band and touring when we started this project. Then Shaun had to take off, and there was a bit of a hiatus. Then everyone came back, we tried to get going, then we weren’t sure how everyone was going to fit in. The song, “The Surrender,” was the first time that everything seemed to click. The idea of surrendering was an important theme not only in our music, but our relationship’s personally. We eliminated all the egos form the whole operation, and found a purpose serving the music as opposed to serving the individual.



Are all the tracks on the EP on your MySpace?

Yes, all the tracks are up…you can find the EP on iTunes.



After learning about your background…who is from which band, for those fans that aren’t familiar with The Surrender?

Mike (drummer) and Shawn (bassist) are both from Rock Kills Kid…Shawn is however Courtney Love’s bass player. So he is actually not on tour with us, due to obligations to that record.



Is there anything that you would like to say to your fans?

One thing that we found that was very cool, were the responses of the fans, and people that are coming up to us…they may not necessarily be into our type of music, but they want to come up to us and talk about it. That is really exciting. We hope that continues, and they tell their friends, and then those friends tell their friends…and we hope that they come back to our shows. We try to make ourselves available to that, because there is a good energy while we are traveling around and meeting all these people.



Is there anything unusual or just cool that people who know you may not know about you?

Not really…we are just normal guys trying to spread the gospel of our music, which we believe very strongly in. A lot of people that come up after us tell us that we are very down to earth and approachable. We take that as a complement and we want people to feel that they are welcome to do that and hang out with us. We want to make it feel like a party.

The Surrender are:

Collin Elliott - Vocals/Guitar
Neil Parek - Guitar/Keys
Shawn Dailey - Bass
Mike Balboa - Drums



Make sure you check out The Surrender’s Di Amor on their MySpace page, and also pick up the EP on iTunes.
The MusicInterviewsNow key track: Devil Inside Me


-Randy Hall

MusicInterviewsNow.com

- musicinterviewsnow.com

Driven by a deep passion for music, The Surrender has created a masterpiece with their debut EP - Di Amor. What makes this EP especially entertaining is the diversity of the music. When listening to each of the tracks from this EP, fans will instantly be drawn to the powerful vocal of Collin, the big guitars by Neil and Collin, the enormous bass of Shawn and the sweet rhythmic style of drums by Mike. In a recent interview, members Collin, Mike, and Neil took some time from their busy schedule to answers some of our questions. Check out what developed. Enjoy!

Band Members

Collin Elliott - Vocals/Guitar
Neil Parek - Guitar/Keys
Shawn Dailey - Bass
Mike Balboa - Drums

Isaac: How do you sum up 2008 for The Surrender?

Collin: In one word: studio. We spent most of the year working on our EP, Di Amor, which came out great. Most of the time was spent just trying to narrow down what kind of sound we wanted and, basically, what kind of band we wanted to be.

Mike: lots of work not enough play. ...And a leap year too. The work is usually pretty fun though, but we were just getting things off the ground with this band. It's a good feeling to have the ball finally rolling.

Neil: Ironically, enough the theme of 2008 for me was Surrender. This is very much where the roots of the band name came from. Certain things in my life just weren't flowin. I finally just had to stop for a moment to consciously acknowledge and accept it. I eventually chose the path of least resistance, which really allowed me to see things clearly. Then the creativity started really flowin and it seemed like everything just fell into place. It was exciting and fearsome all at the same time.

Isaac: Describe the music scene in Los Angeles, California.

Collin: There are good bands to be found all over LA. The problem is finding the audience. The market is so saturated that, on any given night, there could be at least two or three major acts somewhere in town. So why would people want to go check out some band they've never heard of? It's a tall order to get people out to shows there.

Mike: It's pretty good until we get off the stage (joking); actually there are some amazing people amongst many hipsters and douchebags.

Neil: LA is vast. There's so many walks of life here each with there own numerous trends. I hear a lot of negative things about LA, from people all over the country... And well they're right...And they're wrong. I've definitely seen the scenes in which people are negatively referring to, but I've seen the amazing parts too. In my opinion, it is what you create it to be. For a new band, it is nothing less than challenging. Since it is such a vast city, you really have to give people a better reason to come out other than "You're really good."

Isaac: What do you feel was your biggest accomplishment for 2008?

Collin: Finishing the Di Amor EP. It was the culmination of a lot of hard work, collaboration and compromise for us. We learned a lot.

Mike: Ate burritos for a week. Finished our EP. Found a way to make this band work.

Neil: I would say the EP.... but I feel finding a direction and a common vision is far greater, because now we really have the strength and foresight to manifest the next level in this bands evolution.

Isaac: Elaborate a little about whom were your biggest influences in the music industry and why?

Collin: I've learned a lot about how to work within this band from groups like The Killers, Radiohead, The Stills, The Cure and definitely U2. Recently, I think there's some fresh and exciting stuff coming from bands like Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Kings of Leon that's starting to change the landscape a little bit.

Mike: Dave Grohl for laying down some of the fattest Rockin' drum tracks I've ever heard. Steve Clark (guitar for Def Leppard in the '80s). He was a cool motherfucker that came up with some of the most amazing guitar parts ever.

Neil: Musically speaking, there have been 2 bands that have really pushed me to keep writing and growing as an artist: Kent (from Sweden) and U2. Kent has a beautiful simplicity to their songwriting. Sometimes I marvel at the soundscapes they create, they've really gotten me to explore the vastness of tone within the guitar and keyboards. The Edge has taught me a lot about tastefulness and space and U2 as a whole has taught me so much of the vitalness of family and community. If you can keep a band together for 30 years and still remain relevant? You're doing a lot of things right.

From a business standpoint, an entrepreneur by the name of Ray invested in one of my first bands. He taught me at a young age that anyone, from any background can be anyone they want to be. He came from nothing and made and lost his fortune multiple times. Meeting him was probably the major turning point in my life.

Isaac: Let's talk about what you feel you will bring to the music industry?

Collin: Our goal is to create something that people feel like they have to be a part of. Not only do we want the music to sound urgent but also the themes and stories in the songs. We want to give out this energy where you go to see us live and you will feel all these different and beautiful things all at once. And after all that, if we can get you to dance a little, our job is done.

Mike: I don't care about the music industry. Making the best possible music for people to love is the most important thing. To me, it's not an industry anyway. It's art. I wonder what Van Gogh would have said if someone asked him what he would bring to the art industry.

Neil: I've met many musicians recently who are very jaded by what's been happening. Cynicism seems to be the tone lately and rightfully so. But the thing that I can't get past is the very reason of why we all do this to begin with and that is: We have an innate need inside of us to share our music with others. In turn, there are people who want to hear what musicians have to say. It's because they can relate, or because it makes them think of a loved one, or because it makes them think of the best or the worst experiences in their lives. Whatever the reasons people have for wanting to hear music are certainly not going to be altered by a transforming music industry. People wanna hear the music and we're gonna give it to them. So, what will I offer the industry? FLEXIBILITY... It's gonna need it.

Isaac: If you had an opportunity to work with one artist or group, who would it be and why?

Collin: U2 is at the top for me. Not just for their music but as an example of what is possible with music as a message. They've created an entire world where it's not enough for their fans to simply buy a record. They have to see them live, they follow their business moves. They're just about the most savvy rock band in the world right now. It's very inspiring that a band like that exists. I want to see first hand how they pull it off.

Mike: Robert John "Mutt" Lange; an amazing producer and songwriter.

Neil: I'd love to work with Daniel Lanois. Apart from being an amazing producer, he is an amazing musician and songwriter. He plays so many instruments so beautifully it makes my head spin. Working with a producer that's also a great songwriter could really benefit us. I think he would be a great fit for The Surrender

Isaac: How would you describe your music to others?

Collin: It's what you listen to when you need to relate to something deeper than just a good-sounding song. There's darkness and heavy themes but still an overriding sense of redemption and triumph over tragedy. All that set atop a wash of swirling synths and big guitars.

Mike: We sound something like, if you put Peter Gabriel, Huey Lewis and Bruce Springsteen through the transporter thing from "the fly" and backed by Early Kent, the Cure, U2 and a little bit of the theme from Miami Vice sprinkled on top.

Neil: Haha, I like Mike's answer...

Isaac: What is your definition for Alternative Music?

Collin: Not what is started out as! I don't even think you can really describe anything with that tag anymore. We need new descriptive tags.

Mike: Well... I know everyone says this, but alternative to what? Alternative does exist as a sub genre of Rock, but I have no idea what the hell it means anymore. It sounds so much like rock and pop that it seems unnecessary. I'll just say rock music.

Neil: I think it's the duty of every band to create a name that describes their own genre. I understand why the genre of alternative rock was created, but it was almost 20 years ago. Now what people are calling alt rock has really become mainstream rock. So what do you call the music that is alternative to the current alternative rock? Hmm... gimme a moment on that one... There's a great group of electronic producers out here called The Glitch Mob, who describe their genre as Melodramatic Laser Metal. After you hear their music, Whoah--damn right it's f***ng Melodramatic Laser Metal!

Isaac: What has been the inspiration behind your debut EP - Di Amor?

Collin: We wanted to tell stories about difficulty of maintaining relationships. Not just romantic but between friends, between the individual and the rest of the world. The relationship between love and hate. Ultimately, they are all stories that are based on love in some form, hence the title Di Amor, which is Latin for "Of Love."

Mike: Women!

Neil: Overcoming challenging times. The EP itself was a challenge to complete, as everyone in the band were in different places in their lives when we first set out to do it. I look back sometimes and smile...I'm really proud of these guys.

Isaac: Where can fans locate you at online?

Collin: Our website is www.thesurrender.net and www.myspace.com/thesurrender

Isaac: What can fans expect from The Surrender in 2009?

Collin: We'll pretty much be touring up and down the west coast throughout the year. Reaching people through the live show is the main focus at this point. We're also working on some new material that sounds pretty exciting. Maybe it's for a record, maybe it's for another EP. We don't know yet.

Mike: more music, lots of fun shows, we're really growing as a band right now. It's a great time for us.

Neil: 2009 is the time to get out and be heard. We're gonna be getting out playing and connecting with as many people as we can...and we are looking to build our family...If anyone out there is or knows a good manager, we want to hear from you.

Isaac: Time for some shout outs to your family, friends, and fans…

Collin: We've had so much support from friends and family it would take a whole other magazine to fit them all. I'd just like to thank all of my close friends and family who have been at the shows since the beginning and supported us by being a part of what we're trying to do. Our fans seem to connect to our music on a very personal level and that's special.

Mike: Thanks to everyone that helped us get this thing going and to everyone that helped spread the word about us.

Neil: My Father, Nicole and Lisa. You all kick ass...

Isaac: Final words from The Surrender…

Collin: If you enjoy what we do, please spread the word, tell your friends and bring them out to a show.

Mike: It's ok the safety is on.

Neil: We're startin out as a DYI project. We're looking to network with everyone we can. Through networks and family, let's create something awesome!

- Juniorscave.com

It seems strange that “modern rock” does not just refer to rock music from our modern times. Instead, it is a very specific sub-genre, by some standards a certain style of alternative, and it seems that for most people it is either your favorite or least favorite form of the diverse range of music we call rock and roll. Personally, I fall into the second half, unable to see why Nickelback and the like should be selling any records. And yet there’s something about this new band, The Surrender, that takes this “modern rock” thing and makes it enjoyable, helping me to understand why people get excited about this type of music.
For starters, their sound has really nothing to do with Nickelback. That’s a huge help. Instead of stuffing vegetables in their pants and playing wussy riffs that try to sound edgy, The Surrender has the confident willingness to be incredibly melodic without losing the basic power that modern rock is supposed to have. Instead of forcing a cheesy growl or over-the-top loudness, Collin Elliott’s vocals are a straight up clean singing that is strong in its own right, reminding me of the well-developed, more melodic side of Linkin Park. And again, instead of playing lame music that tries to rock harder than it actually does, The Surrender adds slightly dancey drum beats and a synthesizer that is used throughout the album as a real instrument rather than cheap novelty gimmick for intros and bridges. The six-song EP closes with “Sides,” a softer rock song with a piano-lead on the first verse, adding one more reason this band has nothing to do with Nickelback, since not every song sounds the same here.
Criticism of more popular modern rock acts aside, The Surrender offers a fresh breathe of air with a more melodic and creative take on the genre. With former members of both Rock Kills Kid and Courtney Love/Hole, this band combines its experience to create something that rises beyond the usual melodrama into a realm of genuine feeling and rockin’ songwriting. My only real complaint with Di Amor is that I wish the vocals had more range to them, and this is hopefully something that will change with time as The Surrender continues to pull modern rock out of its current lifeless mediocrity.

http://www.taking-over.com/reviews/the-surrender-di-amor-ep/ - Indie Vision

01/01/2009 pm Jillette
WOW!!!
hey! congrats on winning the artist of the month! that's awesome! :)

12/31/2008 02:46 pm nocturn records
Hey I like your Music... Keep up the great work...

12/30/2008 10:50 pm Jeff Owenshey
thumbs up 2 ya great as usual

12/30/2008 08:19 pm PhantodsYou guys sound great!
Nice work. :)

12/30/2008 11:00 am Shayfer JamesGreetings,
Good, good sound here. Hope to see you on the east coast. Cheers -SJ

12/29/2008 12:54 pm Jillettecongrats!
hey congrats on being a finalist . . . i am listening to 'the surrender' you guys are awesome! good luck, and happy new year! :)

12/25/2008 12:24 pm Oakley Smith Jr.Hello ,,,
Nice tunes ,,,,Merry ## ## ,,,,,thumbs up ,,all the away up ,,all your songs

12/25/2008 12:25 am 187 ProductionsWOW
you guys really rock man i'm makin room for you on my label soon great stuff man

12/24/2008 01:12 am Fatkid Dodgeballjust incredible
awesome work guys - proud to be your labelmates - Happy holidays - FKDB

12/22/2008 03:59 am Best Of The BestCome on labels
Sign these guys, they have more talent than 99% of the musical universe!

12/20/2008 02:01 am E-ISMEMy Prediction
You will be signed by a major label, this is my guarantee.. locked in stone.. in this comment with the date and time. I'm never wrong.

12/19/2008 03:08 pm Giftedsick.
I never listen to this genre but your music is Sick, sounds a lot like Paul Van Dyk. keep going.

12/18/2008 11:21 pm Jeff Owensmusic
hey sounding awesome

12/16/2008 10:23 pm 61 TreesCool!
Cool stuff guys keep it up!!

12/10/2008 04:21 pm veenafp
Ya!!You f****ing rock! Unbelievably good tunes. I'm so impressed. When can I buy the album??

11/25/2008 07:50 pmBarry MorganTerrific music
Outstanding sound, best of luck. Barry - Stereofame.com