Meet A Lion Named Roar. This five-piece creates their own kind of arena-style rock. A big moment happened in the band's life late last year when they won a contest for a publishing deal with Secret Road Music. From there, the group made quicker progress on their next EP and from the likes of their Facebook page, it will be released soon and be called Mano a Mano. Until it's release, let's have guitarist Tyler Anderson tell you more about the band.
Louisville.com: Describe your music to someone who has never heard of you.
Tyler Anderson: Western Pop. If you like The Eagles or The Killers... there's probably something about us you will appreciate. We enjoy writing scenic and vivid lyrics inside of singable pop-minded melodies.
LC: What’s your musical background?
TA: There's five of us in A Lion Named Roar. We've been beating on drums and strumming six strings for nearly a decade. In high school, we were either choir boys or band geeks. Out of high school we pursued an ambitious dream and have been playing music since. Some of our parents were playing music to put food on the table growing up. Everything from The Four Tops to Pink Floyd resonated in the background back then. We're all music fanatics, so I guess that stuff sticks with you. The natural thing to do is give in and start a band.
LC: Where does the name A Lion Named Roar come from?
TA: Chris (lead singer) was on a mission trip in India near the Gir Forest in the fall of 2009. As he was leaving a construction build-out for a family in need, his hostel in Gujarat heard a small noise coming from a gulch behind it. When he approached, it was a lion cub that was injured and left for dead. He scooped it up and was able to nurse it back to health with the help of locals. In the spring of 2010, the Wildlife Conservation Society worked with us to release the cub back to his natural habitat. Roar is doing well these days, and we have him to thank for a band name.
LC: What are some of your musical (or non-musical) influences?
TA: The Eagles, Jeff Buckley, Garth Brooks, The National, Arctic Monkeys & Little Debbie Snack Cakes.
LC: It was announced last December that A Lion Named Roar won a publishing deal with LA-based Secret Road Music, which works with artists like Brett Dennen, Civil Twilight and Leagues. What has it been like working with Secret Road?
TA: It's been great! They have amazing songwriters and artists on their roster, so it's humbling to be associated with that kind of talent.
LC: Has the influence of this company changed your recording process?
TA: A little, yes. We're contracted to deliver x amount of songs a year - so there's a little bit of accountability in finishing songs. We like to over think our melodies and arrangements, so a lot of it is being happy with what you originally land on. We have an amazing producer and we know our strengths and weaknesses as a band. Half the battle is eliminating the things you can't pull off in pre-production and just nailing home the stuff we excel in.
LC: Do you have any shows on the calendar?
TA: Fest-A-Ville on the Waterfront for the Derby will be our next show. But we have some amazing things planned for the spring and the summer!
LC: What's one thing that could improve Louisville's music scene?
TA: Collaboration. Every artist here is in their own world pursuing their own goals. We can attest to that mentality because we fall victim to it as well. I think Jeff at Do502 did an outstanding job trying to bring the community together recently with Free Week. It just goes to show you what Louisville will get behind when you have a music alliance in spades. Our city loves seeing two talented artists team up and do something one of a kind. We wish it happened more often!
LC: What can we expect from A Lion Named Roar in 2015?
TA: A lot of music and EP's. We're working hard to release as many EP's as possible so we can keep our fans engaged. We're also releasing limited edition box sets with each one that will be available at www.alionnamedroar.com. The first set includes some killer items in tandem with the music, so we encourage everyone to check that out in a week or two when it launches!
LC: If we were to find A Lion Named Roar at one of the local establishments, where would that be?
TA: Either eating biscuits with duck gravy at Gralehaus or sipping coffee at Quills. Those are strong contenders alike.
Photos courtesy of A Lion Named Roar's Facebook page.
