Forever Losing Sleep
By Will Gallagher
Most students at Rider have many extracurricular activities and jobs that keep them busy long after classes end for the day. For Aaron Facher, sophomore popular music culture major, there’s only one that takes up most of his time.
Facher, 21, is the bassist for New Jersey emo/post-rock outfit Forever Losing Sleep, whose debut full-length record, I Lost Myself Again, was released on Oct. 14. The band had previously released a single from the record, “Havre De Grace” – a five-minute and 46- second explosion of passion and emotion. According to Facher, it accurately encompasses the band’s sound, which he compares to groups like Brand New, Pianos Become The Teeth, and Balance and Composure. The band formerly had a punkier sound, but has since shifted to the more emotional tone they now play.
“We wanted to stray away from the punk scene,” Facher says. “There’s not much variety, and we want to stand out a bit.”
An important part of being in a band is touring, which Facher is no stranger to. Despite being the most recent addition to the band, he has already been on tour with it this summer, along with northern New Jersey band Archie Alone. Don’t expect any crazy, Led Zeppelin-style tour stories, though.
“We’re very touristy,” Facher says. “We go see all the sights, then we play a show, and then we’ll sleep.”
Their tours, like every other aspect of the band, are completely Do-It-Yourself (DIY), a value which is constantly espoused in the underground music scene.
“We don’t have any management, we paid for our own recording and mastering, we’re paying for all of our pressings,” Facher explained. “We book all our own shows and tours. DIY is more satisfying, knowing that you did this by yourself. It’s stressful, but it pays off in the end.”
DIY gives the artists great creative control, and allows them to escape the restrictions of playing at traditional venues. DIY venues, such as The Meatlocker in Montclair, allow bands like Forever Losing Sleep to showcase and experiment with their work without the pressure of ticket sales. The DIY community also thrives in basements across the country, especially in New Jersey, where the New Brunswick basement scene has been a breeding ground for bands for years. Although the idea of seeing a band in someone’s basement may seem odd, the DIY community has its benefits.
“Basement shows are way more intimate,” said Facher. “Often, there’s no stage, so you’re standing right in front of the band, and a lot of the time, basement shows are free or cheaper.”
Forever Losing Sleep, can be seen at the Whippany VFW on Oct. 24, or Asbury Lanes with Empire! Empire! I Was A Lonely Estate on Oct. 28.
- Bandcamp
- Twitter: @FLS_NJ
- Tumblr
- YouTube:
- [youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJds48yqJiA[/youtube]
