Census is a modern progressive rock band that originated in Jessieville, Arkansas.
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
“Ben Carey (Vocals), Bo Sawyer (Guitar), Jathan Neider (Bass), Josh Coleman (Drums)”
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Census? How long has the band been around?
“Ben, Bo, and Josh were all members of a super crappy metal band called Comeback of the Year from 2012 to 2014. During that time, Jathan actually played guitar for probably the biggest local band in Arkansas, Through the Looking Glass. We started Census in 2014 because we basically just wanted to rebrand and put our efforts toward creating better quality content.”
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
“Census has been the band name ever since we started this project. Our original drummer, Michael Pilz, came up with the name. We like it because we try to be a band that is inclusive and relatable. When you think of a census, you think of people. A population. Everyone.”
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
“Ben writes all the lyrics. Our goal as a band is just to create music that is relatable. Most of what we write is based on personal experience. Whether it’s something we personally have been through, or something that has just been on our minds lately, our lyrics always contain a part of ourselves. And because of that, as we continue to grow as people, the lyrics grow and change with us.”
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
“We’re usually pretty influenced by bands like Dayseeker, Sleeptoken, and Issues. Recently we have all been jamming bands like Stand Atlantic and Emarosa, and we are feeling super inspired by the pop/80s synth and vocals. You can definitely expect to hear some of that influence on our future releases.”
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
“Metalcore bands like Polaris and Northlane have always been an influence for us, but everyone has had different influences over the years. Ben has always been into the pop and pop punk stuff. Bo likes the 80’s hair bands and synth wave stuff. Jathan got super into hip hop, so he’s got the tasty bass lines. Josh likes heavy music or really sad country songs. It all has meshed into the sound that we are developing now.”
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
“We really don’t prepare a whole lot other than hyping ourselves up before the show starts. Bo does some chromatic scales, and Ben will sing some mid-range songs to loosen up, but it’s really more about us getting excited. When we are stoked to play, we have a good show.”
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
“In 2017, we were chosen to play So What?! Music Fest through a contest held by festival founder, Mike Ziemer. We made a trip to Dallas, Texas to open a three day festival for bands like The Story So Far, Dance Gavin Dance, and Every Time I Die. It was sick.”
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
“We would love to open for a huge rock band like Bring Me the Horizon. They have been a huge inspiration to our music and creativity. But lately, all of us have been super into this band called Stand Atlantic. They mix punk with like these really unique pop influences, and we’d lose our minds if we got to tour with them.”
Is there anything else you would like to add?
“Our new song and video “Sunbeam” is available now on all streaming platforms: http://song.link/sunbeam We love y’all, and stay safe out there!”