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I'm back! Anytime that I'm bored, I pull up MySpace in my browser and do a music crawl looking for new bands that I can get into and rock out to, and the cool part about it is: once I get into them, then I get to share them with you all! It's a win-win for everyone, and this time around is no different! On my latest web-crawl I stumbled across a band called North of the City, and I was hooked immediately to their sound, so naturally I had my homeboys and homegirls in mind (thats you all, folks...) and I nabbed an interview with the band to talk about their sound and inspiration, and of course we got a little random at the end!

"But no matter what kind of music it was, we always felt that passion and joy when we would hear that music - even if it was the saddest song. We want to make other people feel the same way those bands made us feel..."
- North Of The City

For our readers who don't know who you are, could you please introduce yourself and what you do for the band?

Chris Visconti - Vocals/Guitar
Tyler Lyons - Guitar/Vocals
Nick Visconti - Bass/Vocals
Ace Hendrix - Drums/Programming/Vocals

How did North Of The City come to be, and where did the name come from?

North of the City is actually a re-named version of a long since defunct project called After Ella. The name itself was made by our bass player, Nick, and its really about the area that we are from, and the scene we've all been a part of, and the time we spent trying to rise above all the adversity, and become something great.

You have a new CD out, "Made for Arrivals", how was the recording process?

The recording process for "Made for Arrivals" was for a lack of better words, a creative journey. We teamed up with producer Richard Resigno (Hidden in Plain View, Bigwig, The Juliana Theory) to try and make a polished, and profound group of songs. It was also our first time experimenting in studio with a lot of digital effects like electronic beats, vintage instruments, and out-of-band producing techniques. It was a blast.

You're based out of Stroudsburg Pennsylvania, how is the local scene there? Did you find it particularly hard to crack into?

The local scene here is odd, to say the least. For a band like us to "crack" into a very Punk/Hardcore community, is very difficult. That's not to say that we weren't a part of those things at the same time.

What inspires your lyrics? Is there one specific lyric that means the most to you?

Our lyrics are mostly inspired by our personal experiences, and the experiences of those that we're close to. We like to write about what we know, and what do we know better than ourselves and our friends? I don't think we would be able to pin-point a lyric that means the most, because different parts of different songs mean the most to all of us.

What kind of message are you trying to get out with the band?

With every thing we do, we try to turn any kind of situation into a positive experience. The message that we're trying to get of this project is simply: "Life ain't all that bad". It's okay to love, and to smile, and want every great thing in life that everyone deserves to have.

For those readers who haven't seen you play live, can you describe your live show? What gets the best reaction from the crowd?

We like to get funny, and intimate. We love interacting and talking to our crowd, and showing the crowd that it's okay to have as much fun watching us as we are playing.

What has been the biggest moment for the band? What has been the biggest challenge?

Aside from our last studio experience, our "biggest" moment was being able to support Fall Out Boy, The Academy Is..., +44, Cobra Starship and Paul wall on the Philadelphia date of the 2007 Honda Civic Tour, as the contest winners for that city. Our biggest challenge, on the other hand has been trying to find a solid line up. We've been juggling guitar players for a while, and we're very blessed to have Tyler Lyons solidified in our line up as a part of our family.

For the kids out there with bands of their own who are trying to crack into the industry, do you have any advice or words for them?

The biggest piece of advice we can give is to work hard and have passion for your art. If you're not giving this your all, it's like anything else - it isn't worth the time.

The music industry is a rough one to be in, What fuels your passion to keep going?

A large part of our inspiration comes from our favorite artists. We all grew up on bands like Blink-182, The Ataris, and MxPx (unless your drummer, then it was Kiss, Slipknot and Dope, haha). But no matter what kind of music it was, we always felt that passion and joy when we would hear that music - even if it was the saddest song. We want to make other people feel the same way those bands made us feel.

So what can North of the City fans look forward to in the future?

In the future, our fans can expect a full length album featuring most of the songs off our EP Made for Arrivals.. as well as a LOT more merch, and supporting tours. Come out and party!

Here at the Sound Faction we are five of the most random people you will ever meet, so we like to end our interviews on a less serious note with five random questions. Are you up for that?

Of course!

If you could pass a law for the world, what would it be?

That adults over the age of 55 should have to re-take their driver's test

Which is worse, Cheeto fingers or juice mustaches?

Cheeto fingers, for sure!

What girls fashion trend confuses you most?

Apple-bottom jeans, and boots with the fur!

[Caity's Note: If only the whole world knew the extent of how hilarious that is among The Sound Faction girls... a long-running inside joke stems around that song, and I literally snorted apple cider into my sinuses when I read that reply...]

Who would you want to win a date with?

Hayley Williams from Paramore!

Who smells the worst in the band, and how often to you feel the need to spray them down with Febreze?

Hahaha, no comment!

And here's your shameless self-promo spot: anything you'd like to add about yourselves, the music, or anything else?

Pick up our new EP "Made for Arrivals" at http://northofthecity.bigcartel.com and come to our myspace to chat with us! http://myspace.com/northofthecityofficial - Catch you all later!

Thanks to North of the City for chatting with us and giving us the scoop to share with you all! (Special thanks from The Sound Faction Girls for the mega-laugh). If you all want to hear samples from North of the City, head to their MySpace and check them out!