So far turning 20 was having its perks. Not only was I going to see the band The Faim, I was going to be sitting down with two of its new members. I arrived at the Hawthorne Theater not sure who I was meeting or what to expect from the boys. It’s always a little nerve racking meeting a band for the first time because you never know how they are going to respond to my questions in full sentences, or get my strange English banter. But all the worry melted away when I finally shook hands with Samuel Tye (guitar) and Linden Marissen (drums). After much difficulty trying to find a place for us to sit down and talk we finally found ourselves sitting down in a small cantina restaurant. This made for a great interview with some nice background music in my recording.
Lily: Well it’s so nice to finally meet you guys after weeks of emails!
Sam and Linden: Great to meet you too.
Lily: So when did you guys officially join The Faim?
Linden: I officially January of this year (2019), just before the world tour started. Same for Sam,
he was filling in for longer, I for a shorter time, but we officially joined in January together.
Lily: Nice, so you guys are officially sworn in. Any crazy initiations?
Sam: Ha, that’s top secret we can’t tell you that one.
Lily: Ha ha ha, so where are you guys heading after Portland?
Sam: Vegas!
Linden: Yeah Vegas baby.
Lily: Well good luck there.
Linden: Thanks we’ll need it.
Sam: Well I used to live in Vegas when I was a kid. My family lived there for a couple years. So
I’m excited to go back. Going when I’m 21 will be more interesting.
Lily: Yeah you can actually stand in places without being asked to move.
Sam: Exactly.
Lily: Where is your guys’ favorite show that you have played so far? Whether it’s with this band
or another band you’ve toured with? What has been your favorite concert, or venue where the vibe has been awesome?
Sam: You have done your research. ( Motioning to Linden ) you go first.
Linden: Umm, you go first I need to think about this for a moment.
Sam: The first show that I played with The Faim was Reading & Leeds Festival. So that was
kinda crazy because I went from nothing to a massive show at a festival and that was really fun.
I also really like a show we played last year in Texas, called Gas Monkey. It was outdoors and it had the festival feeling but it was just a normal show and we had blast that night even though it was freezing cold.
Linden: One of mine, especially for vibe wise was probably the first show we played on the last tour in Cologne (Germany). We have a pretty big following in Germany and they [the audience] did not stop screaming the whole night and it was just awesome and unlike anything I have ever experienced.
Lily: What about your favorite show you have ever attended? Who is your favorite band to see live?
Sam: Oooh… that’s a good question. I don’t think I’ve seen my favorite band live yet, but if I’ve had to choose one it would be The 1975. I’ve seen them a few times.
Lily: That’s awesome, they’re a great band. What about you Linden?
Linden: I’ll never see my favorite band and that burns me up inside.
Lily: And what band is that?
Linden: Nirvana. I wasn’t even born so it isn’t fair. I’ve seen the Foo Fighters three times. We get to play with them in the same festival (Reading & Leeds) so I’ll make sure to catch their set
again.
Lily: What is your favorite song to perform?
Sam: My favorite song to perform is “Amelie.” It the newest single we have released and it’s a fun song, it’s rockin. Because it’s the newest addition to the set it’s just fresh and more interesting to play since it’s so new.
Linden: Mine is “Amelie” as well but I also like to play “My Heart Needs to Breathe” because the live version it just so different from what is recorded. It’s a lot more rocking and intense, I get a little drum solo at the end. I just enjoy playing it, but “Amelie” is fun too because that was the first one that I tracked drums on.
Lily: Cool. So what would you say is everyone’s role in the band? Outside the instruments you
play, just personality wise you when it comes to writing the music and such? I know a lot of
bands just have the lead singer writing the lyrics and other bands collaborate more.
Linden: Writing process for our band is very collaborative. Obviously Josh will come up with
most of the lyrics and he will share them with us before any music had been made. He is very
open about it and nothing is set in stone.
Sam: As rolls vary in the band I’m not really sure.
Lily: Is anybody like the parent? The Mom?
Linden: We have a band manager who’s kinda like the parent for all of us. He makes sure we
don’t miss interviews and such.
Sam: I think Stephen is the organized one. He is the one that wants things done at a certain time and in the right order sorta thing. I think Linden, this is me personally, Linden is like the cool parent where they are just super chill. Like if we are stressing about things he will just tell you to chill out and not to worry, he will just chill everyone else out. He is the therapy to everyone, not by sitting down and talking but by just telling us to be calm and have beer or eat some food and relax. Josh is like…
Linden: Josh is like a little kid.
Sam: He is just full of energy and a jokester. He is a little kid, forgetful. The amount of times I
have to go into a venue at the end of the night to make sure he hasn’t forgotten anything is
unbelievable.
Linden: Sam plays a lot of different rolls, he plays a little bit of the comedian, and also the
calming presence when everything is getting a little stressed out. Haha, so many dad jokes.
Lily: Yeah are those the go to?
Sam: Actually Stephen has the worst dad jokes.
Lily: Speaking of other band members, does anyone in the band have weird thing that they do?
Or a strange talent, thing that they do?
Sam: This isn’t a talent but Josh spreads his things out everywhere. Suitcases just spreading
across the room everywhere.
Linden: You’ll go into a hotel and he will just spread his stuff out everywhere. His suitcase will
be on the bed, his jacket on the bathroom floor, his other jacket on the other bed and so on haha. So that’s a habit.
Sam: Stephen can sleep anywhere. He is a very good sleeper.
Linden: Yeah he will just be out for more of the drives so good for him.
Sam: Skills? We have grown so used to each other that we don’t pick up on the things that
people do.
Lily: So no weird quirks that people have? I personally always carry around a small bottle of hot
sauce. ( I then proceed getting out a small bottle of sauce in my bottom of my bag that is there
for emergencies. )
Sam/Linden: Hahah wow.
Sam: You weren’t kidding. That’s incredible!
Linden: That’s amazing! Haha.
I continued to talk to boys a a while longer. Sam went on to tell a horror story of the time he burnt off all the skin on his right hand. This was followed by a great pictures of the incident and him explaining how he had to perform hand exercises to stretch the new skin that’s growing. I can wholeheartedly say everything looks fine which is amazing from what the pictures showed. The boys also talking about things and food they miss back and home. One thing in particular was Vego, a plant based chocolate. We compared Vegemite from Marmite and came to the conclusion Vegemite was better. Overall Sitting down with Sam and Linden was great fun and was followed by an amazing show. Though I didn’t get to sit down with all the boys it is clear from the audience point of view that there is a strong bond between all of them. The way Josh interacts with the other members while performing and Stephen and Sam crossing the stage to be near each other to spread a bit was great to see. Not only the way they are with each other but the way they interact with the e audience is great too. You can definitely see that these men love what they are doing and love seeing other people enjoying the music they have worked so hard to create. The Faim is definitely a band I hope makes it way around Portland again and get the chance to talk to once more. For now good luck to them and who knows where they’ll be a year from now!