Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
A Story Told, comprised of vocalist Alex Chaney, guitarists Josh Allen and Jason Lieser, bassist Zach Holley, and drummer Casey Hardman, are an emotionally forward and irresistibly catchy five-piece outfit that are pioneering their way through the West Virginia scene. Trailblazing their way through the Appalachians, A Story Told, kicked off their career with their full-length debut album, “Keep Watch” in 2016. The 10-track effort struts along the intersection of pop and rock with songs like “All of You” and “Cold Blooded” showcasing their enthralling rock melodies, while “Weather” spotlighted their pop disposition. The album has gained over 1.5 MILLION streams on Spotify to day.
Their second full-lenghth, “Good Looks” was released in 2017. The 10-track album was produced/mixed by Jason Lieser with additional production by Kyle Grass and mastered by Brad Blackwood.
We spoke via email with Jason Lieser from the band, and asked him to tell us a little more about them, here’s what he had to say:
Hi, I’m Jason, and I play guitar in A Story Told.
Music Existence: How would you describe your sound if talking to someone who has never heard your music?
Jason Lieser: This is always such a tough question for us lol I can’t remember who it was, but someone recently described it to me at a show as “dark pop” music, which I thought was pretty accurate.
ME: How did A Story Told first come together? Is the band still all original members?
JL: The story of the band coming together is pretty standard, just guys knowing each other from being in bands in the same music scene. There have been a couple lineup changes here and there, but we feel really good about the lineup we have now, especially after touring for the first time and not wanting to kill each other lol
ME: What show would you consider to be your “breakout gig” to this point?
JL: I guess the “breakout gig” for the band as a whole would for sure be getting to play main stage at the Pittsburgh date of Warped Tour a couple years ago. I wasn’t in the band yet, but I was with the guys that day, and just looking at the lineup of bands that they opened for, was just so surreal. Definitely one of those moments you dream about when you start a band, but don’t think will ever happen.
ME: What does it take for band to stand out in such a small music environment like WV?
JL: We’ve really tried to embrace the whole online/social media aspect of things, which I think has helped us a lot. With platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, it’s so easy to reach people everywhere these days. Wherever you’re from, if you consistently put out music that people connect with and enjoy, they’ll find it.
ME: What should people expect from your live performance when coming to see A Story Told?
JL: I think for all of us, live shows are what we love most about being in a band, and we hope people can feel that. We try to bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm on stage, and just enjoy ourselves!
ME: Who is the primary songwriter in the band?
JL: Josh and Alex are the songwriters of the group. Usually songs will start with an instrumental idea or a cool guitar riff from Josh, and then Alex will start to add melodies and lyrics over top of that.
ME: What should people expect from the band in 2018?
JL: We just released our album “Good Looks” in October, so we’re hoping to hit the road pretty hard in 2018 in support of that!
ME: What was the first album you purchased?
JL: The first album I ever bought with my own money was Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory. My first albums in general were basically all boy bands and Lil’ Bow Wow lol
ME: First concert you attended?
JL: The first show I remember going to was Fall Out Boy when I was in high school. Panic at the Disco had just gotten signed and was opening for them, which is pretty crazy to think about. That’s a show I would still love to see now!
ME: Most influential band to you personally?
JL: Hardest question ever! I love so much music, it’s hard to just pick one band. I definitely will always have a soft spot for Mayday Parade. They were kind of the band that introduced me to the Warped tour scene, and how I found out there are more bands than what’s on the radio. A Lesson in Romantics was the album that made me want to be in band, so it will always be a special one for me.
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