Uplifting poppy metalcore act, Amongst The Forgotten, have released a few things here and there, played showcases, with this course repeating itself every so often, the band continues to do what they do best, involving music. Guitarist John Hughes discusses the band's history, how they got their namesake, current releases, and plans for future shows and material.
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
John: Amongst the Forgotten was formed in Jacksonville, Florida in early 2011 with members Nick Sobek, Mike Jewel, Micah Green, Sam Hughes and myself (John Hughes). Over the years there has been many line-up changes including Malik Green on bass, Eston Hedrick on guitar and Christian Mcleod on vocals. After two and a half years of a constantly changing line-up and two demo's with very different sounds, we finally landed on the line-up/sound I'd been working towards from the beginning. With Justin Turner on drums, Griffin Sallmen on bass/cleans, Cameron Johnson on lead vocals and me as the sole guitar player, we wrote our most recent EP, "Home Is Where You Make It". Shortly after recording Cameron left the band and was promptly replaced by Alexander Costachescu. With this line-up we recorded a music video for our single "Making Memories" and released our EP via Famined Records.
2. Why did you pick the name that you did for your band?
John: Our name was originally thought of by our first vocalist Nick Sobek, and had very little meaning behind it but over the years the name has become a perfect representation of who we are. We were all the kids in school who never really fit in and always felt lost or forgotten. We use the band as a tool to show other kids going through similar problems that they are not alone and with the right mindset, can make something truly amazing out of themselves.
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
John: We are based out of Jacksonville Florida and we couldn't be happier about it. The scene may not be the biggest around but its overflowing with talent, passion, and promise. Some of our favorite locals include our good friends in, I Am the Witness, Just Like Gentlemen, Parkridge, Fire at Pluto and Whiskey Throttle.
4. How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?
John: We would describe ourselves as a mixture of hardcore, metalcore and pop-punk (Poppy-metalcore as we like to call it.) Our biggest influences include We Came As Romans, The Color Morale, Four Year Strong and Set Your Goals.
5. What have you released so far and how were your releases received by the public/media?
John: We have released two EP's so far, entitled "All We Stand For" and "Home is Where You Make It". Our first EP did not do terribly well as far as publicity goes but "Home is Where You Make It" had a much bigger impact on our fans, our local scene and the media, as we have yet to see a negative review of it.
6. Do you play live as well? What do you have planned in terms of shows and touring, if any?
John: We have played too many shows to count in our years together, ranging from all parts of Florida to out of state shows in Georgia and Virginia. We have had to cut back on playing shows in recent months while I have been attending university but we plan to play "New Year Throwdown" in Jacksonville early next year.
7. What should labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?
John: We are a group of very passionate musicians working tirelessly to better ourselves, our music scene, and make positive impacts on peoples lives through the power of music. Our hope is that all labels/magazines/promoters see us as a group of passionate kids trying to better the world around them one song at a time.
8. What plans do you have for the near future as a band?
John: We have been very quiet about what our next steps will be but will begin to give out more information early next year.
9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
10. What is it you'd like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
John: We hope more than anything that our message of hope and positiveness sticks with our listeners and that our songs can bring happiness to those in need.
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