Most people would hate the idea of working side by side with their brother, but, for Rosie, frontwoman of Winds & Walls, teaming up with her sibling Joey has had plenty of benefits.
The pair shared a deep love of music from an early age and have gone on to combine their many musical influences to create a sound and style that is uniquely their own, assisted by bandmates Quentin, Andrew and Larry.
The quintet have already been featured on the homepage of ReverbNation, and, today, it is PopWrapped’s pleasure to premiere their new acoustic video for the track “My Eyes.”
Ahead of the premiere (which you can check out below), the band kindly agreed to this interview to chat inspirations, Madison Square Garden, social media and new music.
PW: How would you describe Winds & Walls?
Quentin: As people, Winds & Walls is a band that knows what passions are and doesn’t let the everyday routines cloud doing what we love to do. As for the music, the band is a blend of all our different influences. Joey is heavily influence by EDM and post-hardcore; Rosie is heavily influenced by pop, indie, folk and rock; Larry brings in the power pop-punk to the band; and Andrew brings in touches of Broadway musical harmonies. We stand out in our genre for being able to be true to ourselves and blend it all together harmoniously.
PW: What makes you different from all the other bands out there today?
Q: We tend to break a lot of stereotypes when it comes to the credentials of being in a “rock band”. We bring diversity, and we live our double lives.
PW: When did you first realise that you wanted to be a music artist? Was there a particular record you listened to or concert you saw that made you think ‘yeah, I want to do that’?
Rosie: I went to one of Anthony Green’s acoustic meet & greet performances for his solo album. He told me, “Never stop singing. Music is everything.”
Joey: As soon as I picked up the guitar.
Larry: As soon as I got my hands on a drum set.
PW: Growing up, which bands and artists influenced you the most and have those influences changed much over the years?
R: I’m influenced by so much. Past influences were Incubus, Kings of Leon, Young the Giant, Pierce the Veil, Sleeping with Sirens, Tides of Man and Circa Survive. Currently, I’m in love with Lights, the XX, Halsey, and Sia.
J: I grew up listening to Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Disturbed, Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, Incubus, and Pierce the Veil. My first concert was watching Four Year Strong. Currently, I’ve been into the EDM scene and actually get guitar riffs influenced by the synths.
L: Offspring, NOFX, Pennywise, Blink-182. My first choice concert was Matchbox 20 — way before they blew up.
PW: Is there any band or artist you think you sound most similar to or do you make a determined effort just to be yourselves?
Q: We definitely get a lot of comparisons to other female-fronted bands, which is only natural, but we definitely try to just be ourselves.
PW: Who or what most influences your song-writing?
L: Rosie & Joey do the core of the writing. Rosie is strictly the lyricist and writes solely based on her feelings, experiences, heartbreaks, and triumphs. Joey is influenced by whatever he’s listening to in the moment.
PW: How easy or hard do you find the song-writing process? Does it depend on the subject matter?
R: Writing lyrics is second nature to me. I’m constantly writing about anything and everything I’m going through. I have so many Moleskine books filled with the mental poetic diarrhea that my being creates. So, as far as lyrics are concerned, I’m an unlimited supply. But it gets difficult when my brother comes up with a riff, and I have to flip through so many pages of poems to find the right fit/vibe that my brother is aiming for musically.
PW: In your opinion, which is the greatest song ever written and why?
R: I absolutely have no idea what the greatest song ever written is, but what I do know is my all-time favorite song is “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra. I have a love for the crooners and the simplicity of the songs. Lyrics always speak to me first, and, with the simple music and melodies of that era, lyrics were able to shine.
PW: Tell me about your new single “My Eyes”. Is there a story behind it?
R: There is absolutely a story behind “My Eyes”. It was a song I wrote after reluctantly meeting up with an ex. We both have completely separate lives now, and, when I saw his eyes during that meeting, they just screamed various levels of regret, sorrow, apologies and longing. It was such a powerful moment/vibe that I had to write a song about it. “Your sad eyes are burned into my brain, like an echo of my heart”… the thing about his eyes at the moment was that they reflected what I felt in my heart as well, like an echo.
PW: Do you enjoy the process of music videos, and how was the creation of the one for this track?
J: Music videos are a lot of fun, though they require a lot of hard work, and, sometimes, with certain aspects, you just have to wing it. Luckily, we’ve worked on three music videos with our now good friend Chris Newhard. It’s always tons of fun working with friends.
PW: Rosie, you’re a full time pharmacist, so how do you find juggling both that job and your musical ambitions?
Rosie: It’s a struggle. Truly is. It’s like having two full-time jobs. I feel fortunate enough to be able to get to do both. Because God knows that being a pharmacist is definitely one of the least appreciated jobs in the professional healthcare fields. I’m truly just working my butt off to hopefully get the band signed one day have music be the full-time gig.
PW: What are your thoughts on social media, and to what extent has it helped grow your fanbase and introduce you to a wider audience?
L: It’s 2016, and social media is EVERYTHING in terms up getting your music out there. We feel as though our fanbase is strictly on social media, and we hope to, one day, have that fully translate to show attendance.
PW: What are your touring/performance plans for the year ahead? Would you like to head across the pond to the UK and Europe in the near future?
R: We are looking to do shows in the spring and summer. We would absolutely love to be able to do a full-fledged tour in Europe/UK if someone would let us!
PW: Which three bands or artists who can be living or dead would you most like to share a stage with and why?
J: We feel like the band could create a kick-ass show with Young the Giant, Kings of Leon, and Lights.
PW: You get to play one venue for the rest of your career — which do you choose and why?
L: Madison Square Garden. NYC hometown roots. Playing that would be the ultimate dream. I literally could die the next day, and I’d be happy.
PW: Where would you like to see the band three years from now, and at what point would you be willing to call it a day? Can you see yourselves still making music when you’re forty, for instance?
R: In three years, we would love to see ourselves creating our third full-length album with a major label and going on a world tour. We just love creating and the creative process; as long as music exists will be as long as we make music. Making it “big” was never an actual goal — it’s definitely the dream, but we’re in it to make music. Plain and simple.
Check out the acoustic video for “My Eyes” below, and, for more information on Winds & Walls, visit their website, give their page a like on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.
