It seems the band had success from the first release, then got caught up more in the turmoil of the music industry. How did the band keep pushing forward through all that shake-up?
We were only able to make it through all that because we've always been about the music. We wouldn't know what else to do with ourselves and all we've ever done is play music. We also have alot of respect for each other and get along very well.

Why does it always seem drummers are the band members replaced the most (haha)?
That's a good question. I'm not sure why but it's so true. It might
be because a good drummer that perfectly represents the bands sound, while holding everyone else together musically and as people is really hard to find. We went through a couple before finding Jake, who is the perfect fit for us as a person and a player.

After the success of the debut, self-titled album how difficult was it to try to capture that momentum while still trying to grow as a band when writing and recording the second album, Anxiety?
We didn't try to recreate anything about the 1st record except for
maybe capture some momentum. We went onto the same studio with the same producer, but we tried to develope our sound and grow. All the momentum we had built up was squashed when our label at the time started pushing back Anxiety's release.

Four records and four labels would be difficult for any band, so what has kept this band together through all the mess that is the music industry?
I think what's kept us together is what I already touched on in the
first question. We play music because we love music, we'd be playing if no one was listening. It's also very much about respect on the road and being able to co-exist, which we do very well.

Even through all that, Smile Empty Soul continues to tour and play wherever someone will book the band. Does anything beat playing your music in front of a live audience?
Not really, when you grow up doing something the way we did playing in bands, it becomes a huge and important part of your life. When we get off tour and take a break from rehearsing feel like a huge part of me is missing.

Bands from Guns & Roses to Motley Crue have the Sunset Strip story, which is where yours began in the late 1990s and early 2000s. What was that time like both personally and professionally?
It was hard but fun. You don't really get alot of great gigs being a
teenager booking your own band in L.A., but it's a place that has a ton of clubs and it's such an important learning experience for a young band to just get out there and play.

You made no bones about your support of Barack Obama for president and am sure you still follow what is going on socially in this country and around the world. We are almost a year in what do you think of the President?
You know, it doesn't seem like he's done much at all. I was for him
because of his "change" platform, cause I thought we were going in the wrong direction as a country. But the more I see the way things go in this country politically, the more I think the President is just a figurehead and we're only even given a vote to make us feel like we have some control when we don't.

Consciousness was pushed back a few times before its release. Did the history of this band help with that situation or is there always frustration and second-guessing when your record gets put on hold?
In this case we weren't worried about anything because we knew what the problem was. It was just taking a minute getting the mix right. We we're very involved in the mix prossess and it took some time but turned out just right.

Even the single Don’t Ever Leave was released on internet radio. Can a band sustain itself in this day and age without support from a large label and rely on viral marketing and on-line outlets versus magazine ads and mainstream radio push?
We have been surviving on almost no suppost from anyone for years, so yes, buts not fun. We are actually being pushed at mainstream radio now with "Don't Ever Leave", and "Alone With Nothing", so hopefully we can get somesome real going on at some point.

How was the Tour of Consciousness?
Great! That tour has been finished up for a month now but it was
awesome. The other bands were cool and the crowds were great too. We are actually starting a two-month Spring headlining tour that starts March 25th and goes to the end of May. Soil and Black Sunshine are coming with us ands it's going to be a fun tour.

The Al Rosa Villa is a great venue in Columbus, but even still people associate it with the tragedy of Dimebag Darrell. What is it like playing this venue?
We've played Al Rosa so many times before that happened that I don't really think of it like that. It always reminds me of our first tour, since that's one of the first venues we played with Seether and Trapt back in 2003. It's horrible what happened to Dimebag, but I try to remember it for the good things.

Lastly, what should those coming out to the show expect from Smile Empty Soul?
I real heartfelt rock show.