Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

The Local Listen: RMRS

Playing together since August 2011 in venues and festivals across Texas, RMRS has attracted a loyal following with their energetic live performances. Friday, February 28th they will celebrate the release of their debut album “Don’t Say What It Means to You” at the Korova with Lonely Horse and The Black Market Club, to name a few, as well as many other local acts to keep you dancing all night. Doors open at 7 pm. $8 Minors, $6 21+.

Q: What brought the five of you all together to form RMRS?

A: We each left different bands with a similar feeling of new found creative freedom. In a sense (because of that) it took more convincing, both of ourselves and of each other, to commit to a group, but it also brought us together with a common vision of limitlessness that stemmed from being independently successful musicians and yearning to create our own experiment. Each member brings something invaluable to RMRS and the result is harmony.

Q: Who are your greatest influences?

A: We come from diverse musical tastes. From Local Natives to Circa Survive to — lets be honest — the Backstreet Boys.

Q: What else inspires your music?

A: Every year Michael takes trips to the beach and comes back with new material, its something about the wide open spaces that let you relax. Our audience and fans inspire us too, when we are out there promoting ourselves and selling our own merch, people notice we’re personal and they appreciate us by supporting us. When we played at Never Say Never Festival in the Valley, the local kids were on spring break and we were giving away stickers and they wanted us to sign their CD’s, it felt good and everyone was really psyched, especially when we sang the Spongebob theme song during our sound check and the crowd busted out in unison: “Ohhh, who lives in a pineapple under the sea…” Experiences like that are inspiring.

Q: Which song should a potential fan listen to first off of the new album?

A: “Pillow.” It’s unanimously our favorite. We took a step back and worked to articulate something refined and well-written rather than experimental. And it kind of sounds like a song from the 90’s movie Flipper…you’ll just have to listen to it and be the judge.

Q: How has RMRS changed since your first show together? What change is in the future?

A: Like a relationship, when you form a band together everyone involved is heading in the same direction…ideally. When RMRS first formed it was more like an open relationship, with those 2 am texts that you wake up in the morning to (u up?). But now with our album releasing, we are committed. We are playing SXSW, planning a tour, and heading back to the studio to work on new material.

Q: What is your pre-show ritual?

A: We don’t have one because setting up for a show is probably the most stressful thing in the world until we’re done playing. We’re five grown men showing up to one place at a set time, so you would assume things go smoothly, but we each bring our own equipment separately and set it up ourselves…sometimes at the last possible moment…and so when we are up on stage before we perform we are focused primarily on our equipment and sound.

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