Behind the Flames: An Interview with Burning Glass
Photo: Alan Nava (@japangrief) and Daniel Stewart (@yuhthatsdaniel)
When you look at the history of rock bands and their beginnings, you almost always see one thing that shows you a glance at what can make or break their future.
You see the spark.
It’s a Tuesday night and I’m waiting for what’s about to be one of the most important interviews I’ve ever given. As I sit down, looking for my pen lying around somewhere and eyeing my list of questions again, I think back to when I first came across one of the fastest-growing bands in South Florida.
I first met the members of Burning Glass when we attended college together through mutual friends. I learned quickly that this wasn’t going to be just a passing encounter. Let me tell you now: They turned out to be some of the most talented and creatively wild people I’ve ever met.
Now, if you’ve met them or been to a Burning Glass show, then you know what I’m talking about. You’ve seen the spark. It’s something that’s so rarely seen in music nowadays, watching them take the stage or just share their experiences you can’t help but feel that they’re the real deal.
I’m snapped out of my thoughts as they start joining in one by one. Cole (lead guitarist), Evan (drums), Isaac (bass guitarist), Marlon (vocalist), and Iris (lead guitarist) all start coming together and suddenly I’m transported back to laughing over stale bagels and sugar bomb coffees at Dunkin Donuts. I guess it’s true, everything does come full circle.
We greet each other, old friends who haven’t talked in a while. There’s talk about work and classes, everyone with their overflowing schedules, and updates on what’s old and what’s new.
I reach over for my notes and pen that I finally found under my desk, already digging the vibe that these guys bring. They crack a couple more jokes before settling in and I start them off with the first question.
“How did you get your band name?”
I mean, Burning Glass? There’s got to be quite the story behind that.
Right off the bat, they all laugh. “Ask us at a show!” Cole says, stepping in. Evan and Iris join him, adding “It means a lot of things, we could tell you different things each time. But ask us at a show, maybe we’ll tell you the truth.”
I can’t help but smile at this, and I imagine fans coming up to them at their next shows, eyes wide hoping to draw the secret out of them. They still have that poetic subtlety, the mystery in the beginning that makes for fun stories to tell in the coming years.
Photo: Iris by Alan Nava (@japangrief) and Daniel Stewart (@yuhthatsdaniel)
“Where do you guys see yourself in five years?”
“Touring.” says Cole. Everyone nods, a wish they all have in their hearts and one that may very well come true. “With two albums at least.” adds Evan, and it brings up another question to mind.
“So you guys are in it for the long haul?” I ask them, scribbling down my notes as fast as I can.
“Oh, for sure.” Iris says, and they all laugh again. The connection that they all have as friends, as a band, you can sense the drive and passion for the music but for each other as musicians as well. It’s kind of exhilarating. Like witnessing the birth of an empire.
“What’s been your favorite show to play so far?”
This one takes a minute for all of them to think, so I ask everyone one by one. Cole, Evan, and Marlon choose their June 22nd show at Lake Worth’s Propaganda– which if you weren’t there, you missed one hell of a show.
Marlon takes a moment to mention the crazy atmosphere of the crowd on that summer night, mentioning, “The crowd was freaking amazing. They were moshing, they were vibing.”
“We truly saw all our friends there supporting us.” Evan smiles, as if thinking back.
Meanwhile, Iris and Isaac think that their best show is still ahead of them. Iris states, “I’m always looking forward to the next one coming up.”
They talk about booking venues, the ups and downs of shows at Undergrounds and kava bars, even recounting the time when I accompanied Cole and Evan to check out Propaganda for the first time.
I ask them about how it feels to be on stage, in front of friends and new people who dig their music. They all reply with how surreal it is. Marlon wailing on the mic, Cole and Isaac jumping as Iris dashes across the stage, and Evan pounding his heart out on the drums to create a discordant letterbomb of modern-day rock. “It makes me feel like a little girl about to pee.” jokes Cole.
“Any pre or post-show rituals?”
The band doesn’t seem to have any official ones yet, but mention that they do always grab a bite to eat and hang out with friends and fans after the shows. Then, Iris jumps in quickly to add, “I also fist bump my Dave Grohl air freshener beforehand.” After this revelation, I can’t help but think, “If I had one, best believe I would too.”
Photo: Marlon by Alan Nava (@japangrief) and Daniel Stewart (@yuhthatsdaniel)
“Any dream collabs or bands to open for?”
This one gets them all riled up, but in the best way. One of my favorite things to ask anyone is if they could collaborate with their dream artist, who would it be? Call me shallow, but you can learn all you need about someone just by their music opinions.
Cole starts off by mentioning The Garden– a Cali rock band composed of two twin brothers– and how it would be his dream come true to open for them on tour, which you can tell as he pays them homage with show looks and stage antics.
Isaac brings up King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard– an alternative Australian group— and talks about how they blend together different styles and work as inspiration for him to come up with melodies.
Marlon talks about Alice in Chains– a Seattle band that found popularity throughout the 90s grunge movement– and talks about the band’s distinctive vocal style, and how he channels it through his own voice when performing.
Iris cites Queens of the Stone Age– another Seattle rock band that gained momentum in the late 90s and early 2000s– and picks out guitarist Josh Homme, with his unconventional guitar scales and new takes on riffs.
Evan actually surprises me by picking Fall Out Boy— a Chicagoan pop-punk band that ruled the late 2000s– and speaks on their arbitrary pop culture-inspired lyrics and sound that he’s looked up to for a while now.
Photo: Evan by Alan Nava (@japangrief) and Daniel Stewart (@yuhthatsdaniel)
“What inspired your aesthetic/looks for the band?”
It’s kind of hard to miss the fact that this band has some wild style. Even Cole’s signature tiger headband– aka Timothy the Tiger, given to him by his friend Hazel– raises questions (as well as adoration) at shows. Plus, just by scrolling through their Instagram–especially after that Undergrounds show– it catches you off guard to be like, “Wait, what’s that on their faces?”
So of course I had to ask.
Bit by bit, the guys took me through a little bit of what they were thinking before that show and how they wanted to present themselves. Cole brought up The Garden again as his inspiration, and while Isaac ended up looking more like The Joker than he thought, it turns out that it didn’t start off that way. Thanks to the help of Alianny Skinner (@alianny.s) she helped bring a look together for the band that would now be known as Burning Glass’ CLOWNTOWN!
“But we are NOT Insane Clown Posse.” Cole quickly corrects. “We’re not juggalos.”
Photo: Cole by Alan Nava (@japangrief) and Daniel Stewart (@yuhthatsdaniel)
“What’s your creative process like? Any favorite songwriters?”
Now to me, being a songwriter is one of the greatest things you can be. Being able to put down your thoughts and feelings into song has to be one of the most beautiful things ever– and also one of the hardest.
Funnily enough, the group’s main songwriter also happens to be the drummer. “You usually don’t see the drummer as the lyricist but here I am.” jokes Evan.
And apart from Dave Grohl– our patron saint to grunge rockers everywhere– can you really name a drummer who also works well as a lyricist? I mean, even Ringo struggled with Octopus’ Garden.
Evan mentions how he started writing a lot when he was younger– mostly poems– but discovering music only helped him get on the path of songwriting and follow it to where he is now.
I ask him what he thinks is the best song he’s written, and he replies with “Charred Silver” –which fun fact: was a former running candidate for the band’s name.
We talk songwriters then, and of course, the greats come up. Cobain, Grohl, Reznor. But then Evan brings us back again to Fall Out Boy– this time to Pete Wentz.
He cites Wentz’s provocative metaphors and methodically-planned film references in his songwriting as inspiration for his own work; something the audience can relate to but also leaves them wanting more.
Isaac also comes into play here, with his genius– and I do mean genius– arrangements and baselines that prove to be the solid foundation of the band’s music. He mentions coming up with many of his ideas on the fly, from simple riffing to creating a full-on arrangement in a matter of minutes (an example? Check out Vagabond.) And trust, if he’s got something to say about a chord or two, he’s definitely going to speak on it.
Photo: Isaac by Alan Nava (@japangrief) and Daniel Stewart (@yuhthatsdaniel)
“If you could convey a message to the world through your music, what would it be?”
Coming up towards the end, I give the members of Burning Glass a minute to mull over the question.
It goes quiet for a bit, and I swear I can almost hear the gears shifting in their brains. These guys love their fans, and this is a chance to speak out to them.
“Music is the best way to connect with someone.” Cole starts off.
Iris picks up on it and continues, “We want our shows to be a place where we can be free, have fun, let ourselves go, and encourage our fans to let themselves go too.”
Evan nods, adding to it, “It gets frustrating in the world sometimes. Originality is slowly dying every day and we want to be a band that stands for being natural and being real in the face of that. We make music we believe in. We don’t dig holes we don’t need to fit ourselves into.”
“When you see us, we want you to feel free. Inspired. You can use us as inspo, put your mind to what you want to accomplish.” Marlon joins in.
Isaac takes another second before concluding with us. “Get yourself out there. Don’t be afraid. Write the songs. Book the shows. Find your people. We found ours.”
And I see it again.
The same thing I saw back then. The same thing these audiences have seen this summer. The same thing the fans of the future will look back on and remember.
I see the spark.
Burning Glass, you are going to light this world on fire.
Burning Glass is a South Florida-based rock band composed of Cole, Evan, Isaac, Marlon, and
Iris.
This September they have upcoming shows at:
September 29th- Harold’s Coffee Lounge w/ Disputer, The People Who, and Eronoi
September 30th- The Roasted Record w/ Numb Fuzz and The People Who
Stay tuned for more dates on their Instagram: @burningglassofficial