Q&A: Come Wind
By Sam Tornow, Contributor
Hailing from Canton, Ohio, alternative indie rockers Come Wind are gearing up for the release of their new album Move In Place and all the excitement that is sure to come with it. The band’s first full-length was supported by fans who have donated over $17,000 to the group, and the album is set to release on November 20. ACRN chatted with guitarist, keys and auxiliary percussion player, Tal Miller, about the new album and all things Come Wind.
Why did you decide on Come Wind for the band name?
Tal Miller: When we started this band, we really had no idea what we wanted to call it. We started playing music together first, and eventually knew we wanted to take it more seriously as a project. But then we realized that we needed a name. We had a bit of a hard time coming up with what we wanted. We didn't want it to sound super bandy, and at the end of the day we couldn't call it Throat Punch (a strong second), so we called it Come Wind.
Recently, you gave the release date for your first full length, Move in Place. How will it differ from the styles of Grow My Roots and Wanderer O' Wanderer?
I'd say we've come a long way from Wanderer, both as people and musicians. Grow My Roots was the next natural step in songwriting for us, and with Move in Place we really feel like we've hit our stride with writing very listenable songs but still retaining our musical integrity. We've added a lot more instruments, another member, and in general, we are much more open to new ideas than we used to be, and I think MIP is the culmination of all that.
This being your first full-length, was the writing process much different than before?
The writing process for this album was quite a bit different than before. With starting the process with only three members, new members coming in at different times, with new marriages and babies being born, it was much different than last time. Aaron wrote all the songs on this record, and the band came together to make them live, where, for the last two records, the songs were written during practice times much more than out of practice times. It was different, but in the end, I personally love how they all turned out. We all are.
Who are some artists that inspire you that your listeners would not guess, based on your sound?
Hmm, this one is hard for me. I don't listen to a lot of music personally, but I think artists like Noah Gundersen or Bon Iver or the 1975 just write amazing songs, and hearing great songs inspires creativity regardless of genre.
Do you ever worry that having Christian themes in your music will sway some listeners away from the band?
No, because these songs just are who we are. We can't help if it does, so we can't worry about it too much.
Your fans helped raised over $17,000 through your Kickstarter in support of a new album. Did you have any idea that the response would be so huge?
I am still absolutely blown away by the response to our Kickstarter. We had no idea really how it would go. I personally thought it was a bit of a long shot; I think we all did. But it was all or nothing, and we are grateful to all those who helped make it happen. Thank you if you are one of those people reading this. Thank you.
During your live shows, you often get the whole band involved in percussion breaks; what gave you the idea to start this?
You know, at the end of the day, it's just very fun to hit drums really, really hard. I think we were at practice just hitting some drums when we decided it would be a sweet part of the show. And to this day, it is still very fun.
Are there any plans for a future tour yet?
As far as touring goes, we have nothing too extensive planned as of yet. We are hoping to soon, but until then we are planning a couple small runs of dates in the next couple months. We love playing shows, so we want to do it as much as possible.
Since you are from Ohio, what are some of your favorite Ohio venues?
I actually really like playing Skully's in Columbus. I think it has great sound, and I like the size of the room and the stage. Ohio has a lot of great venues, though, so it's hard to say.
What are your favorite songs that you have written, including those off of Move in Place?
A couple of my favourite songs are "Cease To Be," "Bouquet" (off the new record) and "Come and Go."
