Check out the Q&A Below and don’t forget to subscribe to SerTop for the latest updates on new music.

Q: Tell us a little bit about the making of your new album. How   has the music evolved or changed since your previous music?

A: All of our previous projects were self-produced and self-  engineered, so right out of the box we new that working with   producer Stephen Leiweke was going to push us to a new level.  His   creativity and musical intuition really breathed new life   into these songs, taking them to a new sonic dimension. Beyond that, we really pushed ourselves with the   songwriting process.  We were far more delibarate with the parts,  lyrics, and concepts.  We really wanted to do more than just make   good music on this record, we wanted to say something.  So in that   way, our approach was entirely different.  This is also our first   record as a five piece band, the addition of keys as the most   obvious difference, and it has opened some new avenues for us   stylistically.  FE has been through a lot over the past two years   individually and collectively, so this album really was an   accomplishment and a statement for us on many levels.

Q: What is the song “Cryin Shame” about?

A: Cryin’ Shame is about living in the tension.  We daily find   ourselves struggling between the way things could/should be, and   the reality of the messed up world we see around us.  The song   states, “It’s the cycle we’re living in; keep on trying, keep on   giving in…”.  On one hand, we know that things could be better,   so we’re inspired to pray and love and work towards that end.  On   the other hand, we know that this planet is full of broken people   who make mistakes every day, and we know that it will never be   perfect until the end of the world as we know it. That is the   cycle.  That is the tension.  So I’m left with the choice to either   “shake my head and keep on saying it’s a cryin’ shame,” or to take   action, even if I get nowhere.  The song presents us with the   contrast of these two opposing ideas and then begs the question,   “what are we gonna do about it?”

Q: What do you all do when your not jammin? (hobbies, activities)

A: On the road, our free time is usually filled with intense   PlayStation rivalr
ies, watching seasons of Flight of the Conchords   and The Office, or playing wiffle ball.  We really enjoy food,   which is a huge part of life on the road… finding great food!   Most of us are pretty big baseball fans, too.  Four of us are   married with kids (the other has a lady, too!), so we definitely   appreciate down time from the road to be with our families. We all   enjoy time with friends, sports, movies, etc., and are quite active   in our churches and communities.

Q: Bad question, but I just added you to my playlist on   facebook, so I have to ask…Facebook or MySpace?

A: We’re prob. split down the middle on this one.  Personally I   (Russ) prefer Facebook.

Q: Which person/band/artist inspires you the most as a band?

A: Probably depends on who or when you ask.  We all have very   diverse musical influences.  I’d say across the board, some of the   ones we are inspired by as a band over the years have been Stevie   Wonder, Robin Thicke, John Mayer, Michael Jackson, Justin   Timberlake and the Black Eyed Peas.

Want To Know More About Fe?

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Below is a clip we shot of them playing “Time Tells All” live at Clutch Cargo

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=42ayIEYnB8M]

We recently had a chance to ask them a few questions about life, liberty, and the pursuit of KICKING SOME ASS!

How’d you guys come together?

Well, it was about a year ago, i (becky) went to the Clutch Cargo’s Exposure music live concert, to see my friends band play, and coincidentally Sam was the drummer, its a really long story, but me and sam had met the summer before that at a friends house, and he recognized me, so we started talking and we exchanged numbers, and surprsingly we were into the same music and we ended up starting RedStar. Then about six months later Ricky came to my school and we needed a bassit and he was like “I’ll do it!” so i was like cool. And now he’s on lead guitar, and alyssa, whose been my friend since middle school, is on bass.

Do you write all your own songs? If so what’s your inspiration?

Yes. We write all of our songs. I (becky again =]) write the lyrics. Inspiration for me with the lyrics just comes from what i know, and what i’m going through and feeling at the moment, just life i guess. It’s definitely a way to get stuff off my chest, because i’m not so good a verbalizing. =D
When it comes to writing the music, its just a lot of different things, like different styles of music we like, what sounds cool, and definitely just how much we love what we do, music is EVERYTHING! haha.

What’s the meaning behind “Time Tells All”?

“Time Tells All” is about standing up for what you belive in and being strong, and not listening to what other people tell you. It’s also about kind of, finding yourself in a sense, and people thinking they know who you are from judging the outside, but they don’t know whats inside, and even though you think you feel one way right now you could feel a different way later, but only time tells all.
I like to think that people could interpret it however they want tho, so they can relate to it and make it like their own. =] (cheesy right?)

Becky, you have a sexy british accent. Do people ever think your from london?

haha =]
well, i do have this thing where i kind of just randomly talk in a british accent, well a lot, kinda weird right?, but im kind of shy so i only do it around my friends and stuff.
they say its a good one but idk!!?

Fans gotta know, what your craziest band moment?

Craziest moment would definitely have to the this years exposure music live, because there was just a ton of kids enjoying the music , the energy was insane, its definitely one of the biggest shows we’ve ever played. It was insane we were freakin out before we went onstage we were getting all of our stuff together and we couldn’t find one of the parts to our wireless systems and we were freaking out it was intense but we just used a chord instead. lol

If your band was a TV show what would it be? And Why?

we’d be a movie prolly, something like anchorman or napolean dynamite because were just like chill we like to have a good time and were always goofing off n stuff its funny. Sometimes i dont even know how we get stuff accomplished but hey we do so its all good.

Will Alyssa be appearing at more shows?

Yes definitely, she’s our new bass player. =]

Ricky’s been gone for a while, where’s he been?

He’s just been having some personal issue’s but everything is going well now. =D

What would be the first thing you’d do if you won the lottery?

we would buy a record company. =]
and we’d be first band on the label. ha.

Sam how do you like your SerTop wristbands?

They’re freaking amazing, almost god like!
i don’t even know its awesome!!!
everyone should get some! =]

Visit RedStar Redemption :: Click HERE

The Black Kites are four piece band that hails from the west. They are currently shooting a music video for the song “Paper Heart,” which is off the Paper Heart EP. Recently I had a chance to ask them a few questions about music and the development of their upcoming album, which is scheduled to be released this fall.

How did you find your love for music?

Marcel: Well, I guess I didn’t actually start taking music seriously enough to play until I was 15 and decided with a couple of high school friends to start a band. We were inspired by the Velvet Underground, Flipper, My Dog Popper, and Jimi Hendrix. We were The Zelnick Experience. I got stuck with the drums because I was the only one who couldn’t play anything – and I never looked back. Sometimes I think I’m still the one who can’t play anything, but I can do that a whole lot better than I could in high school.

Alan: I started playing guitar with my brother, Chris, when we were both in elementary school.  By the time we got to high school we had our own Allman Brothers clone band.

Nicki: I started playing guitar at 13, playing along to the Lemonheads and practicing my moves in my bedroom. 

Your music is very soothing and easy to listen to, it’s what I would call driving music with a kick, has it always been this way? What are the twist and turns your sound has taken along the way?

Alan: The sound has definitely taken some turns. In the beginning, it was just Nicki and I on bass and guitar respectively, backed by a couple 70s drum machines we’d drag around. When Evelyn came in, adding not just her voice and vocal approach, but keys as well, the sound developed immensely and really started to get more dynamic. Adding Marcel’s driving hits became the last piece of the puzzle. It’s very much a group sound, and not just one person.

Marcel: For me, I feel the dynamics have slightly changed since I joined the band – which was just over a year ago. I think I tend to add a bit more of that kick – especially in a live situation. But yeah – we often get lumped in with this whole “shoegaze” genre, but I like the idea that we don’t really gaze at our shoes, we kinda just hit that gas pedal with them.

Evelyn and Alan, your voices sound absolutely amazing together, truly a vocal combo made in heaven. Who writes the lyrics, one or both of you?

Alan: It’s a combination of us both. I’ll often write the lyrics and then bring them in to the rehearsal space and let Evelyn sing what I’ve got. Then we start tinkering with them to shape them to how she sings it, or feels it. Often times she has some lines or images that get incorporated early on. Either way, the music is usually finished first, and then the lyrics are written.

About a week ago I heard that you’re going to be shooting a music video, which song will it be for? What will be the video’s main focal point?

Alan: The video is for Paper Heart.  The main focal point would be Evelyn meets “Wings Of Desire.”

Marcel: Yeah. It’s like our first un-official “single”. We’re definitely excited to do this, and it’s definitely interesting trying to match up a visual world with the sonic world we have in our heads. I think the main focal point is open for interpretation – everyone will manage to take different things from the video, the song – but I feel as well as touching on loss, heartbreak, and finally saying goodbye – there is an underlying feeling of movement, change, and growth. Becoming who you truly are and rising above who others see you as – but again – that’s just me.

Nicki: And, on top of all of that, we are going to try something new and dress all in black.

Marcel: Our first pre-planned attempt at band-fashion cohesiveness.

What’s your set up?

Alan: Drums, bass, couple keyboards, and a guitar.

Nicki: And, of course, red wine.

Have you been writing any new songs lately? How is that going?

Alan: Definitely been writing new songs. It’s going very well, as far as I’m concerned. We’re working on them with an ear towards recording an album later this year.

Marcel: We’re kind of in the middle of two new songs – and it goes. It’s a very different method of songwriting for me, because my last band was extremely prolific in comparison – fast riffs, fast decisions, and it was like one or two new songs every couple of weeks. Here it’s more drawn out and thoughtful. I’m not saying it’s better or worse, mind you –just different. I think I just get impatient.

Nicki: Yes, sometimes it seems to go a bit slow.

What can people expect to be different or the same about your full length album coming out this summer?

Marcel: I have a feeling, that compared to the last two EPs it will be closer to that “Driving with a Kick” sound and less of the “Soothing and Easy to Listen To” thing. I’m not saying it’ll be all noise and chaos, there will still be great attention paid to the melodies and lyrics and lush movements – but I think there will be more of a spin towards some upbeat rhythms and solid pop hooks –without losing any of the vocal beauty or ethereal moments.

Alan: The album will be along the lines of the Paper Heart EP, but even more amazing and spiritually nourishing.

Marcel: Yeah – that’s what I meant.

Is there any meaning behind the name “The Black Kites?”

Marcel: The band was already named when I stepped behind the drum kit, and I’m still not sure if I picture flying paper kites or those birds of prey kind of kites. It could be a combination of the two, like kids flying dangerous birds.

Alan: I was born in Australian, where black kites (the birds) are commonplace. I also loved the image of a sky filled with black kites (the kind with the string). And kites have an electric connotation (via Ben Franklin) that I thought was cool.

A big thank you to The Black Kites for taking time out of their busy schedule to chat with SerTop. If you want to buy one of their EPs, you can download it off itunes or contact Nicki by email for ordering information.

Upcoming Shows:

March 5th Live in Los Angeles at the Silverlake Lounge

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=rbDIrL-NjUM]