Gentlemen Amongst Wolves Interview
Gentlemen Amongst Wolves hail from Redlands, California and are a hardcore band who keeps their sound fast, heavy and aggressive. These five self-proclaimed NonBeliebers have been causing waves within the California music scene. By the Barricade talked with the band to discover a little more about the inspiration behind their music. You can find the transcripts below.
Michael Torres: Vocals
Craig Uggen: Rhythm Guitar/Vocals
Eric Hernandez: Lead Guitar/Vocals
Matt Rehome: Bass
Tom Brem: Drums
By the Barricade: Gentlemen Amongst Wolves has a member from Louisiana right?
Tom Brem: Yeah, Craig is a good ol’ Southern boy. Minus the good part.
Eric Hernandez: He’s from the dirty south, I heard he grew up on the bayou
Craig Uggen: Yes I’m from Louisiana but consider myself a Californian because I’ve lived here since I was two.
By the Barricade: How did you all get connected?
Tom Brem: We’ve all been playing in bands since high school. And we all pretty much knew each other. So eventually Mike and I started a ska band. Then we added Craig and matt and it turned into a hardcore band. But there pretty much both the same style.
Eric Hernandez: I meet Mike and Matt and Tom in high school. I was a sophomore and they were the cool seniors from the across town school and in two different bands that I was really into at the time. I guess you can say I was influenced by these guys to start playing music more and start my own band with my friends. Over the years, being in and out of projects got really tiring so I decided that I was going to write music on my own and eventually start a folk punk type of band. Then Tom hits me up and asks if I want to jam with his new heavy band and I was asked to join a few weeks later. It’s funny when I think about being a kid growing up and listening to Mike’s lyrics, Matts bass lines, and Tom’s catchy beats, hoping that one day I could be up on the stage and doing what they made look so badass. Now over five years later, I’m in a band with these dudes and it’s been a pretty kickass! Oh, and I met Craig through this band and he was introduced by Tom as well. Tom has a knack for talent I guess.
Craig Uggen: I pretty much met everyone thru Tom. We used to work together at a gas station and I just kinda mooched on all his friends
By the Barricade: How did you get your name; and what celebrity do you consider to be a Gentlemen? In your opinion, who are the wolves?
Tom Brem: We got our name from one of our songs (kind of). We went through a few super terrible names. Then ended up picking a terrible name. Then changed it to Gentlemen Amongst Wolves. Kenny Rogers is a gentlemen for sure. Wolves are k9 type animals that live in forests. Duh.
Eric Hernandez: We were originally called Enter Humanity when I was asked to join. After some discussion and thought (beer and drunken rambling) we decided that changing the name Gentlemen Amongst Wolves. We had a song called “Gentlemen Amongst Wolves” and that song is about (at least what I take away from it) how evil and horrible some men and women can be and how hard it can be to see through the bullshit and find the true and genuine people in our lives.
By the Barricade: What specific event inspired you to title your first EP NonBelieber?
Craig Uggen: There was a bbq/practice at Toms and it just kinda happened.
Eric Hernandez: Well first of all we are NonBelieber’s, so don’t forget that! We were thinking that we’re tired of the same bands and artist putting out the same generic bullshit that sells and makes them millions without having any true meaning behind it other than money and power. Good music comes from the heart and moves you. That’s what we want to do to people that come to our shows and buy our tracks.
Tom Brem: One evening Mike and I were driving to go to the dude’s house that was mixing/mastering the E.P. and for some dumb reason I thought of NonBelieber. And it stuck. For better or worse. I’d like to think better.
By the Barricade: I hear a lot of old school AFI influences in your music. What other old school bands inspired or directed your sound?
Eric Hernandez: I helped write two songs on this E.P. (“Never Alone” and “Legends”), the rest were already being played before I got here. Some of my inspiration for the new songs we’re working on are Beartooth, Terror, and A Day To Remember, amongst others. I like to listen to different bands and find some type of inspiration and try to mix it here and there. The future of Gentlemen Amongst Wolves is going to be pretty interesting so stay tuned!
Tom Brem: Craig is super into AFI. He wears AFEye liner from time to time. But that’s as far as the AFI-ness goes. For me, bands like Dillinger 4, Digger, 88 Fingers Louie, Lagwagon, NOFX. Just loud, fast and obnoxious bands because I’m loud and obnoxious a lot of the time.
Matt Rehome: Les Claypool, Tool, A Perfect Circle, Mudvayne.
Craig Uggen: AFI is SICK! Parkway Drive, Senses Fail, Stick to your Guns.
By the Barricade: What else is there do in Redlands, California besides playing in a band?
Eric Hernandez: Going the movies, downtown for $2 Tuesday, exploring the wash, ghost hunting.
Tom Brem: There’s always downtown where the bars are. But I’m not too into the bar scene. If I’m not playing in my other band we’re usually just hanging out at anyone of our houses drinking cheap beer and watching cat videos on YouTube.
Matt Rehome: I don’t really care for the bar scene and that’s pretty much all there is. I just hang out with my friends and play music.
By the Barricade: Is there anything else you would like to say to the readers of By the Barricade?
Matt Rehome: Come out to a show and support local music!!!
Tom Brem: Eat your vegies, do your chores, and be nice to your grandma.
Craig Uggen: I do this for the feeling I get when I’m playing music with my friends and were all on the same page just thrashing away. Then when people clap it’s pretty cool too. If you haven’t seen us before then come to a show and check us out for yourself.
Eric Hernandez: We love playing shows and meeting new people. As musicians in the local band scene, most of us work and do this on the weekends or nights as well as having a family to take care of or school to attend. We are not doing this for fame and recognition, we do this because it make us feel alive. We are all about trying to make some sort of impact in the lives of everyone that will give us a chance. We here at Gentlemen Amongst Wolves know the struggle all too well, but that is not going to stop us from getting on a Warped Tour stage and achieving our goals. So please, go out to a local show and experience these hard working people pour their hearts out to you. Meet new people. Support local bands in any way you can. Come out to one of our shows and hangout with us, we don’t bite. We would love to meet you and hear your story. Love you guys!
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