RIS: Attack Attack! is dead, Beartooth is born, why the change?
CS: I just needed some change in my life. I needed to quit AA!, I really didn’t plan on taking Beartooth seriously until we got signed. Honestly, I just needed to get my priorities in order.
RIS: You’re an extremely talented artist. A musician, songwriter, producer - and you started at the age of 14. What and who influenced you to get into this business?
CS: I don’t know. I joined AA! When I was 14, and then we ended up getting signed, then did the album with Joey Sturgis. I originally never planned to get into producing. I just wanted some cheap software that I could use to create some demos and do some writing. So I asked Joey, since he was to only producer I knew, if there was some super simple program I could use. Then from there I guess the rest is pretty much history.
RIS: So are you pretty much self-taught?
CS: I’ve pretty much taught myself everything I know about mixing and producing.
RIS: You just turned 21 in December, but you seem to have the experience of someone much older. What have you learned in the last 6 years?
CS: I’ve learned that leaving home at 15, and not having a parental figure, I’ve had to figure out how to handle myself on the road. Taking life a day at a time, and realizing that anything could happen at any time. I think it has taught me how to relax when a problem comes up, and how to keep a cool head. I learned to take some time so I can sort the problem out the best way possible.
RIS: Speaking of your parents, how were they about all of this?
CS: They were super supportive. I’m sure they were very nervous about letting me go, but they let me pursue my dream of recording and going on tour. They have been nothing but supportive. My parents are seriously some of the coolest people on the planet.
RIS: Any advise for someone wanting to get into the business?
CS: Yeah, play a lot of shows if you want to be in a band and tour. Play music that you love. Don’t play a style of music because you want a certain group of people to like you, and you want them to think your cool. Because if it takes off, you’re going to be stuck playing that music for the next 5 to 10 years, and playing something you hate just for the money, you are going to be miserable. Do it because you love it.
RIS: Tell us how you got hooked up with Red Bull Records?
CS: That in all honestly stemmed from John Feldman. I worked with him in Attack Attack! back in the day. We got involved together writing songs. Originally, I was going to sign with them as a songwriter and just do a publishing deal, but they heard my musical projects, and they dug it. I don’t know, they offered me a deal I couldn’t turn down. Now, here I am.
RIS: Your scheduled for the entire Vans Warped Tour this year, are you excited about that?
CS: Incredibly excited. This is going to be my 4th Warped Tour. Beartooth played one show last year, but I’m excited to do this full thing, it will be really fun.
RIS: Describe to us your style of music, and what influenced you to go this route?
CS: I guess the style of music came a little later in life for me. I started to discover hardcore & punk music probably 3-4 years ago. I just thought it was really cool. One of my first forces was with a band called ‘Stick To Your Guns.’ They were really awesome and good people, and I just loved their music and how high energy it was. From then, I just dove into it a little more, and looked into the history of it. It just kind of spoke to me in a way that a lot of the music currently doesn’t. At least in the sense of a live show. It’s not about there being a barricade, and this giant persona of like “we’re the sweet band you should worship, and you are just the measly fans,” I hate that! A hardcore, punk, or any crazy ass show like that has a small or lowered stage with no barricade. People are constantly stage diving or grabbing the microphone and singing, I love that… It’s way more personal to me. I guess with Beartooth’s music, I just want to play it in that kind of environment so that everyone can be more involved, and have as good of a time as I’m having.
RIS: Finally, if you could tour with anyone, where and with whom would it be with?
CS: Any tour, everywhere with Rage Against the Machine…
