Exclusive Interview with 4 Door Theatre
Recently, I had a chance to talk to 4 Door Theatre, a pop/rock trio hailing from Nashville, TN. The band consists of Travis Salvati, Bipul Lama, and Garrett Joseph Cyr. We discussed their influences, their debut EP, touring, and more! You can follow 4 Door Theatre on twitter @4DoorTheatre!
Tell me a bit about yourselves.
We have been friends since early high school and have been performing together since 2008.
Tell me about your Debut EP “Only Imagine.” Where did the idea come from?
The idea for “Only Imagine” came from the numerous bands we had formed together and after moving the entire band down to Nashville we got the chance to record the EP with a long time idol of ours, Austin Bello, formerly the bassist of Forever The Sickest Kids. We couldn’t believe the opportunity and were so thankful for it and excited we could “only imagine” what would be coming next for us.
You guys recently did a successful Go Fund Me for the EP right? Tell everyone about the Go Fund Me and the perks that went with it.
Yes! We did a Go Fund Me for our brand new EP hopefully being released late spring/early summer. The goal was to raise money for advertising, marketing, and licensing for that EP so that we could release it on as many platforms as possible and get it marketed to as many people as possible. The perks for anyone that donated to our fund were great incentives. First, a chance to win a “date” with all of us to say a special thank you to a lucky fan, second to have their name featured in the Thank You section of our album artwork, and lastly to help their favorite band release new music and continue to chase our dream. Without those donations this album wouldn’t be possible so we are so grateful to everyone that helped us reach our goal! We may think about doing another one in the future since it was such a success! We have amazing fans and we would be nothing without them.
What’s your song writing process like?
We would describe our writing process as collaboration. We all have our strengths when it comes to writing. We usually sit down and everyone brings ideas to the table and we pick out the pieces of what we like and try to develop them. We feed off of each other and have a great chemistry which allows us to make our process very fluid.
Where do you guys find your inspiration?
Our inspirations come from a lot of different places. Whether it is music we grew up listening to, our friends and families who support our love for music day in day out, or even each other. We have been like brothers for years and we push each other very hard to keep achieving our goals. The list of artists new and old that have influenced us throughout our career is quite long but they have all played a part in why we continue to do what we do. We love music, we love what it does for us, and what it can do for others.
How long did the production of “Only Imagine” take from start to finish?
The production of “ Only Imagine” took almost 8 months. We had to take two separate week-long trips to Virginia where our producer’s studio was located. Due to certain circumstances and our day jobs at the time we had to space out when we could do those trips. After the recording stage we had to wait another few months for the mixing and mastering stage. We had to be very patient and focused on our goals to finish the EP and we are so proud of what came out of it.
I have to specifically ask you about” Porcelain Face” and “Starting Fires” can you guys tell me how those songs came about?
Yes! Two of the fan favorites! First off, Starting Fires, was actually the first song we wrote as a band. It is a very dynamic rock song and really pumps you up with its concepts of doing things on your own and reaching success no matter the sacrifice. We wanted to stick to our teenage roots and really make a song you can jam out to!
Porcelain Face was our version of a quirky love song with a new folk pop-acoustic feel. It talks about a boy and a girl both who have their own insecurities or issues of being different and how they cope with it and the problems the encounter. In the end they find comfort in each other because of the similar struggles they have been through. The original idea was that being different doesn’t make you an outcast, it makes you special and that there’s some one out there who will love you for exactly who you are.
I love how the songs all have a 90’s vibe to them. Who are your influences?
Our influences range from bands like All Time Low, Fall Out Boy, The Maine, Parachute, and 30 Seconds to Mars just to name a few!
Will you be going out on tour?
And yes we will be going on tour this year! However, nothing is booked completely booked at this time. Touring is our favorite part of what we do, so be on the lookout for news on that in the coming months!
Where are some of your favorite places to perform?
Some of our favorite places to perform are Chicago, Minneapolis, Nashville, and Cleveland!
Any advice you would give to aspiring performers?
Our advice for anyone who wants to be a performer would be to go after it! Practice and perfect what you do as best you can and make what you have to offer different and unique! It takes a lot of work, perseverance, and determination to get to where you want to be but is so beyond worth it if performing is what you truly love to do!