Spring Break
Army of Me Talks Tour
Jenny Barrows
Issue date: 4/21/06 Section: Focus
Slated to open for O.A.R. and Guster at Saturday's annual Spring Weekend Concert. Army of Me's lead guitarist Brad Tursi took some time out for a phone interview from the road. Currently teamed up with Sony PlayStation and Major League Baseball, Army of Me is the opening act for O.A.R.'s Spring 2006 Tour.
"Vince and John started the band five or six years ago," Tursi said, referring to lead singer Vince Scheuerman and former bass player John Hutchins.
As childhood friends, Tursi explained, Hutchins and Scheuerman played together and formed the band when they met drummer Dennis Manuel. Tursi, a Connecticut native, was the last to join, roughly two years ago.
Hutchins chose to leave the band in March, but still remains close with the other members.
Based in Washington, D.C., Army of Me has established a considerable following.
"We've done a lot of tours on our own, done a lot of festivals," Tursi said, with big names such as Coldplay, Brand New and Hot Hot Heat in addition to smaller bands. For Tursi, it is not the line-up that matters though.
"The more the people there are actually watching you, the better," Tursi said.
For this reason, he neither prefers festivals or traditional concert scenes. As for the upcoming show at Gampel Pavilion, Tursi hopes for "a lot of energy."
Although Army of Me cites various influences, from U2 to Radiohead to Jeff Buckley, the band likes to hope they can't be classified to any specific genre.
"I think we have a pretty original sound," Tursi said.
But when asked if he had to compare Army of Me's sound to any other, he finally relented.
"If I had to make a comparison at all ... U2 I guess, in the sense that we try to have 'deep' lyrics," Tursi joked, quickly explaining that he hoped fans felt their lyrics were not entirely superficial.
With songs about topics ranging from war to religion, love to betrayal, depth is found within. Growing up in a religious cult based in Maryland, Scheuerman and (former bandmember) Hutchins found an outlet from this repressive upbringing in music.
Army of Me is recently in the process of completing a full-length album.
"We're all finished tracking," Tursi said.
Mixing will start soon and the album is slated to be released Aug. 22. With a couple of EPs out, Tursi predicts that one or two songs from those will end up on the new album.
"We don't really have any piano right now in our sound," Tursi said. "We'll have some more on the new CD."
As for how Army of Me initially hooked up with O.A.R., Tursi casually explained the situation.
"Oh, you know. We became friends with the guitarist," Tursi said. "They're always playing in D.C. and stuff."
Tursi half-jokingly said later that management probably had something to do with it as well.
Tursi predicts this Saturday's concert will be successful.
"If it's anything like the other ones we've played so far, it'll be fun."
"Vince and John started the band five or six years ago," Tursi said, referring to lead singer Vince Scheuerman and former bass player John Hutchins.
As childhood friends, Tursi explained, Hutchins and Scheuerman played together and formed the band when they met drummer Dennis Manuel. Tursi, a Connecticut native, was the last to join, roughly two years ago.
Hutchins chose to leave the band in March, but still remains close with the other members.
Based in Washington, D.C., Army of Me has established a considerable following.
"We've done a lot of tours on our own, done a lot of festivals," Tursi said, with big names such as Coldplay, Brand New and Hot Hot Heat in addition to smaller bands. For Tursi, it is not the line-up that matters though.
"The more the people there are actually watching you, the better," Tursi said.
For this reason, he neither prefers festivals or traditional concert scenes. As for the upcoming show at Gampel Pavilion, Tursi hopes for "a lot of energy."
Although Army of Me cites various influences, from U2 to Radiohead to Jeff Buckley, the band likes to hope they can't be classified to any specific genre.
"I think we have a pretty original sound," Tursi said.
But when asked if he had to compare Army of Me's sound to any other, he finally relented.
"If I had to make a comparison at all ... U2 I guess, in the sense that we try to have 'deep' lyrics," Tursi joked, quickly explaining that he hoped fans felt their lyrics were not entirely superficial.
With songs about topics ranging from war to religion, love to betrayal, depth is found within. Growing up in a religious cult based in Maryland, Scheuerman and (former bandmember) Hutchins found an outlet from this repressive upbringing in music.
Army of Me is recently in the process of completing a full-length album.
"We're all finished tracking," Tursi said.
Mixing will start soon and the album is slated to be released Aug. 22. With a couple of EPs out, Tursi predicts that one or two songs from those will end up on the new album.
"We don't really have any piano right now in our sound," Tursi said. "We'll have some more on the new CD."
As for how Army of Me initially hooked up with O.A.R., Tursi casually explained the situation.
"Oh, you know. We became friends with the guitarist," Tursi said. "They're always playing in D.C. and stuff."
Tursi half-jokingly said later that management probably had something to do with it as well.
Tursi predicts this Saturday's concert will be successful.
"If it's anything like the other ones we've played so far, it'll be fun."
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