The alternative rock band Lullwater will be joining Sevendust, Tremonti, Cane Hill, and Kirra on their 2019 Tour. The tour kicks off February 1, 2019 in Houston, TX, and wraps up March 3 in San Antonio, TX.
The band formed in 2007 in Athens, GA, and released its debut, self-titled album in 2012 to solid reviews and were immediately invited to join some of the biggest tours that same year. Lullwater has spent the majority of their career on the road sharing the stage with such A-list acts as Candlebox, Theory of a Deadman, Flyleaf, Passafire, Amaranthe, Butcher Babies, and more. The band released their critically acclaimed sophomore album, Revival, in 2015, followed by a live EP, The Seattle Sessions, in 2017.
Music Madness caught up with the band’s rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist John Strickland for an update on Lullwater’s upcoming tour and new music.
Music Madness: Big upcoming tour in a few weeks, is the band excited?
John: Yes. We’re super pumped, man. We are leaving out on the 23rd. We have a show in Atlanta; we’re doing some headlining shows leading up to the big Sevendust/Tremonti run.
Music Madness: Very cool. Is it easier to prep for a tour when the band is not headlining? Is it difficult trying to get into a grove when playing shorter sets?
John: The Sevendust run we will have a 30 minute set so we’re kind of in a NASCAR vibe. We always call it NASCAR because you have a short set, and you just have to crank it out as much as you can, and then tighten up the set, and make it kind of like the NASCAR pit crews. It’s in and out, before you know it your shows over with, and you have to keep moving on.
I don’t think either one is more difficult than the other. The headlining shows, obviously, we get to kind of relax a little bit and take our time and we’ll play for an hour and a half. So there’s a lot less stress on us headlining a show, but again, it’s just a different environment. Especially if we’re doing a headline show, there’s 200 people versus something like Sevendust or Tremonti where it’s going to be a couple thousand. So that adds a little bit of a different environment, for sure.
Music Madness: I’m sure. No added pressure but Sevendust has been known to bring some of the opening acts on stage to perform with them. So have you been prepping, making sure you have brushed up on your Sevendust songs?
John: I’ve loved Sevendust for long time, man. I remember being a high school kid, when Animosity came out, that record was just amazing. It blew my head off. I think everybody in the band has been really listening to Sevendust and kind of getting back on the Sevendust train, and getting familiar with their songs, and yes, it’s exciting for sure.
Music Madness: Right. Do you have any kind of expectations or goals that the band wants to get out of this tour?
John: I think, for us, it’s more organic. I mean, usually with us, we go on tour with a bigger band; we’re just trying to be ourselves. I think things work out a lot better if it’s more genuine and a lot more organic for us. So we always have that outlook going into it to where, “Hey, let’s just do us, and be us,” and you know, we’re all trying to be friendly people, and good people, and get out and say, “Hey, look, this is who we are.” And we just try to kind of blend with the other guys.
All the tours that we’ve done, for the most part, we’ve always come back with a solid friendship between all the bands, and it’s always seemed to work out pretty well on that end. So, yes, when you’re a touring band with a bunch of other bands, it does turn into this circus family you know. I think this is probably going to be the biggest tour we’ve ever done as far as production, and crew, and just as far as bodies actually going on the tour. I think there’s going to be like 20 plus people there between the artists, and the crew, and the managers, and the merch guys, and everybody like that. So it’s going to be a big circus family.
Music Madness: Listening to some Lullwater music, I hear this 90s grunge, alternative vibe with a southern flair kind of thing going on. How do you describe your sound?
John: We’re definitely 90s kids that are influenced by grunge so to me that is always a good compliment because those are my favorite kind of bands. I’m a big fan of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Nirvana, that era of music that came out of Seattle in the late 80s, early 90s. That’s definitely a huge compliment for us. Because those are, kind of the idols that we grew up to and have influenced our band. I think having a grunge influence and that sound is definitely a part of us. I think because we’re from Georgia, I think that’s where the southern kind of thing comes from, but for the most part, we definitely have that grunge infused kind of vibe.
Music Madness: Does that grunge influence play into why you chose to cover Pearl Jam’s “Release“?
John: Yes. “Release” is one of my favorite Pearl Jam songs. The crazy thing about “Release” is that we had been covering that song, and we recorded it at London Bridge Studios, where Pearl Jam Ten was originally recorded in Seattle.
We were playing that on the road at that time with Candlebox and Dave Krusen was their drummer. Dave Krusen’s was the original drummer in Pearl Jam that recorded “Release” on Pearl Jam Ten and he actually hopped up on stage with us, like nine shows, and he played drums with Joe, behind us on stage during that song. So for me, it was one of those incredible moments.
Music Madness: Let’s talk about some new music.
John: We have a brand new record coming out; it’s going to be released the 23rd of February. We’re excited, man. We are going to be playing a couple songs off the new record. The new record, Voodoo, should be pressed and ready to go for this tour.
Music Madness: Right on.
John: We recorded it in New Orleans at the end of ’17. Finished the record up, then mixed and matched and all that stuff, but it was on ice while we were getting our team together and all the things that go into prepping a record, making sure the record gets the push that it needs. So, yes, we’re so excited to get this record finally out. The timing is right and this tour is definitely going to help that.
Music Madness: Hey, let’s face it. At the end of the day, as much as you’d love it to always be about just playing and recording music, timing is huge. Right place, right time.
John: Absolutely, man. Yes. A lot of the business plans that you have to do with releasing a record. Yes, timing is everything. That is very true.
Music Madness: So how was it recording in New Orleans?
John: It was crazy. It was something else. It was one of the best and craziest experiences, I think, of my life, and everybody in the band. We came into New Orleans, and we lived in the French Quarter for a month.
The French Quarter doesn’t close. It’s literally chaos all the time. About week two, week three, it started feeling a little bit like the Chinese water torture, where the water just drips on your head, and it’s just like it could drive you crazy because it never sleeps and it’s never quiet. It was an environment that I think was super impactful on the record. It kind of harnesses that controlled chaos.
It was crazy, but it definitely shows in the record. Again, being in New Orleans for that record, we harnessed it, we got new musicians to come in and play strings, and keys, and horns, and all these things, and it was super fun to add that element into the record.
Music Madness: That sounds amazing. I’m looking forward to seeing you guys live in a few weeks. Hearing music on the radio or streaming is okay but the live experience is what resonates with me.
John: I agree, man. For us, that’s watching a band live, and if they just kill it live, it makes the record a lot sweeter. I mean, you could be like, “Look, this is a cool song, but see them live.” I agree, man. I love live shows, I love giving live shows, and bands that can bring it live… two thumbs up.
Music Madness: Exactly. So do remember the first concert you ever went to?
John: The first concert I ever went to was Hootie and the Blowfish. With my sister, in Atlanta. I think I was 16.
Music Madness: What should Lullwater fans be on the lookout for?
John: We’re going to be touring from January to March 5th, so definitely try to come out to the shows. We have our third LP that coming out, which is Voodoo and that, should be released mid-late February. Then we have a radio single coming out in the next couple of weeks. Everything’s on our Facebook, Instagram, and website to keep you updated.
Music Madness: All right. If they come out and see you on tour, do you guys get out and mingle a little bit?
John: Absolutely, man. We try to make a point to be at the merch table every night. It kind of gets us involved with the fans, and the people that come out to the shows, and really, that’s the only way for us to really meet people, and kind of gauge how much fun people had. So yes, every night we’re going to be at the merch table. If you see a merch table with all the Lullwater stuff, we’ll be there.
Music Madness: Sweet. Good luck John.
Lullwater is John Strickland (Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vocals), Daniel Binnie (Lead Guitar), Roy ‘Ray’ Beatty (Bass/Vocals), and Joseph Wilson (Drums & Vocals)
https://www.facebook.com/lullwatermusic/