Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to interview alternative rock band, Radnor. The Tennessee natives started releasing music in 2013 and are now currently touring multiple cities in the U.S. Here is my interview with the band.
Introduce yourselves (Names, where you are from, what instrument(s) do you play).
Warner: Hello! My name’s Warner Carpenter. I grew up in a small town in Tennessee called Dickson, but I live in Nashville now. I sing, play guitar, and do a little bit of keys in Radnor.
Connor: My name’s Connor Hoffman. I grew up in Nashville. I play drums in Radnor.
Tell me about the band (what genre are you guys, how you guys got started)
C: We play alternative rock music. Warner and I met at a music school in Franklin, Tennessee. A couple months after we met, we started the band.
How did you guys come up with the band’s name?
W: We named our band after Radnor Lake in Nashville. During the band’s earlier days, Radnor Lake was our main hang-out spot. It’s a very beautiful and serene area, and we thought name Radnor sounded cool!
You guys have released two EP’s, and last year you released your debut album titled Serenity Astray, what can you tell me about that?
W: The first thing we released was a self-titled EP that came out in early 2013. That was back when we were a five-piece, and our sound was a lot different then. The EP wasn’t great, but it was a learning experience for sure. The next thing we released was a cover EP called The Bedroom Sessions. It was very diverse. It included songs ranging from My Chemical Romance to Miley Cyrus. Our first full album, Serenity Astray, was released in April of 2015. That album took almost 3 years to write, and we are very proud of it. Our sound has already changed quite a bit since the release of that album, but there are a lot of songs on it that we hope to be performing live for the rest of our career!
What influences the songs that you write?
C: A song will always start with an idea. That idea is usually influenced by whatever it is we’re listening to at the time. That idea is either a beat, melody or guitar hook. From there, the song will hopefully write itself.
Who are your musical influences?
W: I think one of the more interesting things about us is that we’re influenced by so many different kinds of music. We both have backgrounds in playing and writing heavy rock music, but we mostly listen to pop music. Creatively, I think we end up somewhere in the middle.
Who would you guys love to collaborate with?
C: I’ve never been a big fan of collaborations. If I had to choose someone to make music with, I’d think Tom DeLonge makes great music.
You guys have done some covers on YouTube, which has been your favorite?
W: My favorite is probably our cover of “Sorry” by Justin Bieber. I think that song is great, and I really like what we were able to do with it. The video is pretty cool too!
When did you guys start touring?
W: We are actually on our first ever tour right now! We’ve played a few one-off shows outside of Nashville, but this is the first time we’ve been on the road for more than a couple days. So far, it’s been so much fun, and we will definitely be trying to get back on the road ASAP.
What has been your favorite place to visit?
C: I don’t think there is a specific city that is my favorite, as much as every city has something about it that I love. The people in Cedar Rapids are so kind. The architecture in Chicago is so cool. Atlanta has so much character.
What is your favorite song to perform live?
W: My favorite is a song called “Chemicals”. It’s one of the more energetic songs in our set, and it’s just a blast to rock out to.
Is there any show that you have played that was memorable? If so, what made it memorable?
C: We take a lot of pride in our live show. We have all these stage props, a lighting show that goes along with the music, a fog and bubble machine. So, the first time we got to perform our full show in Cedar Rapids was really cool.
Who would you love to tour with?
C: This is a bit of a long shot, but I’d love to tour with Muse someday.
What is your dream venue to play at?
C: I think most people would probably say some huge venue that holds tens of thousands of people, but we grew up playing at a venue in Nashville called Rocketown. We’ve always played in the smaller rooms there. So, I’d love to play a headlining show on their main stage someday.
What is the best advice you guys have received as a band?
C: I don’t remember who told us this, but it’s always stuck with me. “You’re gonna have days where you wonder why you’re doing this, but don’t give up”. That becomes more and more relevant as the days go by.
Where do you see the band in 5-10 years?
C: In 5 years I hope we’ve found our own place in the alternative scene, creating things like no one else. I also hope we’d be touring for longer periods of time.
Elizabeth Granato
Senior Features Editor