Seemless: the band who wants to hit British pubs and get the real UK pub experience!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud and honoured to introduce to you, Seemless! The heavy metal, blues, rock n roll and soul band that are beginning to emerge onto the music scene, are here! The emerging band?s members, Derek Kerswill (Drums), Pete Cortese (Guitars), Jeff Fultz (Bass) and Jesse David (Vocals), are all pretty experienced musicians with members coming from older, but successful bands; Derek was the drummer in Shadows Fall, whilst Jesse was the vocalist from Killswitch Engage. Apart from the obvious influences of Killswitch and Shadows Fall, the band is influenced by classic rock, such as; the Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, along with more ?modern? rock, like Queens of the Stone Age, Soundgarden and High On Fire. The result of Seemless is some GREAT music, dread smuggling and even more raw energy. This is the band, who, this coming year, will not only make it big, but will blow your socks off in the process!

Seemless, the hottest and best thing since freshly baked sliced bread! Their album, self-titled ?Seemless?, is available to preview on their web sites, www.myspace.com/seemless and www.seemlessband.com, and at first, after reading that Derek used to drum for metal sensation Shadows Fall, and Jesse David being the ex-front man for killer band Killswitch Engage, you would not expect this album. As a change from the screaming emotion of David?s voice and the passionate drumming of Kerswill as fans of the afore mentioned bands were used to and loved, is Seemless? new and fresh sound; a much more mellow and chilled out album. ?All Is Not Lost? is a contrast to other songs on the album, being much more of an instrumental piece, whereas tracks such as ?Something?s Got to Give? and ?Soft Spoken Sanity? are much more in relation to the sounds of the band?s major influences. In an interview with the band, these influences revealed to be bands, mainly classic rock, such as Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd, modern rock such as Queens of the Stone Age, Soundgarden, Kyuss and Corrosion of Conformity. Derek says ?we all have such a diverse interest in SO much music! It makes for a ?melting pot? of influences that come together!? As well as this, he stresses that they?re not ?Genre specific, because it keeps the world wide-open? for them. Seemless have been described as a metal band, some say rock and some say grunge, but Seemless don?t segregate their selves into one style or genre of music. Their influences are wide and some of their favourite bands, but they all listen to such a wide range of music, which Jesse claims to be all the more inspiration for him. Derek is a self acclaimed ?Music Junkie?. ?I have a collection of over 2000+ CD?s and about 400 vinyl records! I listen to anything from Faith No More and Porcupine Tree to Bjork and N*E*R*D. Just anything that?s genuine and honest?. Jesse gets his inspiration from the wide range of music that he listens to. For Seemless, the views on their fame are mixed. Pete says ?I love it, I?ll take whatever attention I can get!?, whereas Jesse thinks that ?Fame is bitter sweet. I like to have my art appreciated but sometimes people cross the line and get personal, which can get strange!? Derek, on the other hand, takes things a lot deeper, and says ?I love our fans, and, if it wasn?t for them ? we?d be nothing!! I love connecting with people, and, this just happens to be the easiest way to do it?or, the most natural, anyway!!?. As ?Shadows Fall? are supporting Fear Factory in the UK in December 2004, I asked weather Seemless are coming over here to see that, to which Pete replied ?Brian (Fair) is going to smuggle me in his dreads!?. Unfortunately, as Derek pointed out, Shadows Fall have had to cancel their part in the show due to some ?hardships in the band and stuff?. Derek goes on to tell me that he is close to Brian (Shadows Fall) and also says that they pulled out of the Damage Plan tour just 3 days before the Dimebag Darryl shooting. Derek says ?Its been some strange times over here ? trying to understand how someone could do something so senseless?it just makes absolutely no sense, and, its very disheartening as a performer to think that you?re putting your heart and soul into something that you?re so passionate about, and, you?re willingly giving it to people to enjoy and find comfort in! I don?t know ? you cant run around afraid, but its just very sad?? Before these gigs, these guys all want different things to help them relax. For Jesse, its water, peace and quiet, for Pete its ?booze and room to stretch out a bit? and for Derek, Tequila?and of course, veggie food! I asked them about the band and their future. I asked them if they were planning on playing any gigs or touring the UK in the near future. Do not worry any Seemless fans?Jesse says that they would love to come to the UK, but are in need of the proper funds to do so, but they are working on it. Derek is a bit more enthusiastic about the whole thing and replies ?Hell Yes! We?re looking forward to it! I?m DYING for some veggie bangers and crisps, ya dig?! We?re just waiting for our album to come out over there?VERY soon!? So, apart from touring and playing gigs and such, what else are the band going to be doing, I hear you ask?well, look out for Jesse in traditional pubs! ?I would love to hit some pubs and get the real UK pub experience?. I think Pete is a little confused about countries and expects to see the Eiffel Tower! Derek, as always, is a lot more enthusiastic and thinks about his music again; ?I want to buy as much HIM merchandise as HUMANLY possible so I can sell it all to naïve little kids on E-Bay here in the States!? (Tut, Tut Tut, young man!) I asked them about their touring as a new band, and asked if it is any different from touring with Killswitch and Shadows Fall. Jesse says ?we haven?t toured full time yet, I imagine it will be different. Better, I assume.? Derek says ?yeah, we?re doing things under our own terms, or, not doing them at all, so that will makes things A LOT better this time around? Now, as many of you probably can relate to, my Mum doesn?t really like the screaming and the general sound of metal music, blaring from my speakers late at night, but I wondered what the families of the screaming musicians think of their ?music?, are they less ?metal? than themselves? Jesse tells me that his family are big fans of Seemless, maybe more so than of Killswitch Engage, because as my mom says ?I can understand what you are saying, kind of!? (Ha!)? His father and brother listen to the album on a regular basis, and his wife is his biggest supporter ever. Pete agrees, ?My dad?s a rocker! He taught me how to play guitar at first. He loves the band, and my wife and kids love Seemless?. Derek adds; ?yeah man, in all seriousness, our families are where we get most of our drive and inspiration! They?re all so amazingly supportive! I feel blessed!?

Finally, I asked the band a few quick fire questions.

UK or USA?

Jesse: Uhh, both!

Derek: UK, for sure!!

Intimate Gig, or HUGE gig?

Jesse: Uhh, both!

Derek: I like both!! Its hard to get your mind around the bigger shows, because its tough to connect with SO many people, where the intimate shows, you?re right in everyone?s face, ya know? Maybe I do prefer a packed house in a smaller club?yeah! Definitely!!

Pete: These days, I prefer the huge gigs, because we don?t get may of those!

Live, or Pre-recorded?

Jesse: Live! That?s where all the raw energy is!

Pete: LIVE!

Derek: I LOVE live bands, and we pride ourselves on our live show! RIDICULOUS energy, man?



Finally, is there anything you guys want to add?

Jesse: Thank you so much for your support! Open minded people make this world a more interesting place. Stay true to yourself and don?t compromise your convictions.

Pete: Thanks for everything, it feels good to know what we do is appreciated.

Derek: Thank you SO SO much for your support and enthusiasm! Seriously, it means more than you?ll ever know! Much love and respect to you!

Thank you very much to Seemless for their extreme kindness and generosity with this interview and helping me out! Love to all the guys!


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