“Heavy metal and hard rock fans are a fickle and discerning bunch. Bands that attempt to make a career for themselves by trend jumping with half-hearted devotion do not last. Straight Line Stitch has been steadily ascending the ranks of metal and hard rock through authentic and impassioned performances, an organic evolution of their writing and recording, and a tried and true road warrior mentality towards touring. The band defined who they were early on in their career and held steadfast to their beliefs while making the natural progressions and growth of a committed touring band. While being genuine at the core of a band’s being is an absolute necessity for credibility and longevity, it gets you nowhere fast if the songs do not matter. The SLS sound is commanding and universal, engaging casual fans of hard rock and satiating the most stringent fans of metal. The tenacious musicianship is on full display upon first listen, quickly establishing the virtue of the players. The balance between aggressive punch and highly charged hook goes a long way to explaining the wide and diverse range of devoted SLS loyalists. Whether sharing the stage with the titans of metal like Slayer, or playing a coveted slot at the Punk driven Warped Tour, Straight Line Stitch captivates and levels all in attendance. Vocalist Alexis Brown is a blazing persona that demands the attention of a room. Throughout their songs, Alexis navigates a seamless shift from harrowing screams to heartfelt melody that adds depth and sincerity to their music. Her clean vocal parts never take a back seat to the punishing screams, as they are sung with an assertive power and spirit that soar mightily.” – Straight Line Stitch, Bio
If you describe your music using just three words what would they be?
Alexis: “Three words: intense, emotional, and creative.”
Talk about the new EP Transparency. What was that process like? Who did you work and record with? How did you choose the title?
Alexis: “Okay, well first of all it’s been probably about a good four years since we put out music. So, we kind of all decided that for years was long enough and we wanted to test the waters to see where are fans heads would be at. We wanted to see if they would even be interested before putting out a full length because it’s expensive. So, we decided to go ahead and start writing a couple songs and do an EP. That was pretty intense because we did a lot of that stuff when we were on tour. We were writing from the road in the van. Of course we had computers and stuff as well so when we got off the road we were sending songs back and forth to one another. We alternately recorded the first couple tracks, while on tour, with Ben Schigel in Ohio at Spider Studios. Ben did our album The Fight Of Our Lives which is our latest album. We ultimately did about two or three tracks with him and then later we recorded the rest of the tracks with a gentleman named Matt Amelung from St. Louis Missouri. We worked with Matt at Encapsulated Studios. He ultimately mixed and mastered the EP.”
“The name Transparency sort of came to us based on experience. We have been dealing with so much crap from the past and the present, there was just so much stuff. Trying to do a bunch of stuff on our own it was just a living hell pretty much. The music was pretty much the only thing that kept us going. We were so close to throwing in the towel but when we recorded the EP it was almost like we had an epiphany. We saw things clear for the first time in years. That’s where the name transparency came from.”
“It’s like you have to fall down a couple of times to just learn. Learn from your mistakes, you know? It’s experience. I believe as a band we’ve done that. We’re doing that.”
What was the epiphany for the band? What kind of lessons, or new information, did you see more clearly?
Alexis: “When we started out, before we were on the label and had management and all that stuff, we were working our butts off. We toured like crazy. Crazy hard touring, close to 200 shows a year. That’s how we ultimately got noticed. People were saying, “This band’s touring.” In that time we got management and after the management team record deal. In a way we got kind of spoiled things got cozy. As a result I think we kind of lost a little bit of our focus. People doing stuff for us, if there something that we needed or whatever. Of course there was drama, but there’s always drama somewhere. With all that stuff we just kind of lost focus. Everybody was telling us how to do things, “This is how you write this song. This is what you wanted to sound like.” You know, blah blah blah.”
“When we lost management and we lost to label the lesson that we learned after our fall from grace was how to go back remember when we started doing this in the first place. We rediscovered the love of actually making music and making what sounds good to us and not trying to satisfy everybody and make everybody happy. We decided to get back to ourselves, the bare basics of making music.”
How did you choose to work with Se7eN at S7 studios for the album art?
Alexis: “Actually, our guitar player Jason was the one that got the information from our A&R at our label, Tim King, he’s also the basis for soil. He kind of hooked us up with Se7eN. We told him our idea of what we were wanting. We wanted kind of a double exposure type thing and he kind of ran with it. They got it right off the bat. I think you did an awesome job.”
“I feel the artwork goes well with the title and the idea of transparency. You can see it but you kind of can’t see it. It’s really cool.”
You are very natural on stage and powerful and delivering your message. How hard was it to conform to the way other people wanted you to do things?
Alexis: “It was super hard. Just to note I learned some things too. It’s not to say all the things they suggested or bad. They told me how to be a better performer, “Face the crowd, interact more, “those things were positive. However, and I guess it’s their job, but they told me I need to be more appealing looks wise. I was the type of person that I didn’t really care what I look like I just wanted to make music. I’ve become a bit more girly over the years, more so than before, but the label was so much about image and trying to sell. “Sex sells,” blah blah blah. That was never us. That’s never been us. That’s never been me. That’s not something I stood behind. I get questioned on how it feels to be a female in the metal industry. I’ve never felt like I had any type of negative response as far as me being a female in metal. I’ve never had any negative feedback. I’ve never identified myself as, “Oh, I’m a black, female, metal singer.” I’m putting emphasis on those individual words, I’ve never used them as a crutch. I always just wanted to definitely be true and authentic to myself. I tell myself to just get up there and be who I am. It’s just about music. Touching people with your music is not so much about a gimmick. We learned that the hard way. Rather, I learned that the hard way.”
In your role as female front woman for the band how do you feel you represent this roll? What do you feel it is in your power to do? What do you feel is your duty in delivering your message?
Alexis: “My ultimate job is to grasp people, to captivate people, to get our message out.it’s pretty much like were one of those bands that if we can do it anybody can do it. People have said so many things about us from, “They’re the walking dead,” to “This band’s washed up.” Ultimately we were. However we’ve pushed against the grain. It’s my job to let people know to never lose hope, to never lose hope in themselves no matter what situation they may have to face or may be facing. You just have to find whatever little lite that is in your life and hold onto it for dear life and it will pull you out.”
How had the Civil Unrest Tour been so far, as I know you are fresh into it upon doing this email? Do you like touring with I’ll Nino?
Alexis: “This is our first time playing with them but we are definitely stoked and looking forward to making friends with them.”
What would you say are your favorite accomplishments so far that’s a band has experienced? I know we talked about some of the struggles so let’s talk about some of the positive favorite things that you’ve done.
Alexis: “I love the fact, and I don’t want to take credit for it, but I love the fact that we’ve touched people. It’s been people that have gone through certain issues, whether they were cutting themselves, going through a bad divorce, or even a bad break up. we get messages all the time with people saying how our music help them or got them through a tough period. For me that’s definitely an accomplishment because that’s saying that our music is doing something constructive. It’s definitely been an accomplishment.”
“We got the opportunity to play overseas which has always been a dream of mine. We played the UK, we went to the Netherlands, Amsterdam and stuff like that. That was amazing and I want to go back.”
“The ultimate, ultimate accomplishment, I would have to say, is that were still here. We are still doing it. Even after all these years and even after all the BS this band is still here and we’re still moving and still pushing.”
When touring overseas did you notice a different response to your music?
Alexis: “I definitely did. I felt like you had to work harder to get their approval. However, once you do, once you have their approval and they respect you, they keep it forever. There’s so many bands that have careers that are lagging, they head back overseas and rebuild their careers. They come back over here power houses. It’s amazing what the European fans do for the music. It’s awesome.”
What’s the most special response you received in reaction to your music? Do you remember a specific person that said something to you that really validated why you are on the stage? Is there a more honed in experience versus a group response?
Alexis: “There so many. I think there’s one that comes to mind, I can’t remember where we were, but it was a girl pulled me aside. I think I was either going to the bathroom or coming out of the bathroom, and she pulled me aside and she was just bawling her her head off. I mean you can tell when somebody’s like fake crying, or is not being real or genuine, but she was bawling her head off saying, “You just don’t know, I can’t even tell you or put into words what your music has done.” It was insane, I it touched me so much. She just felt it so much. It’s so crazy to me that something we created to touch somebody so much, in such an emotional place. It was definitely something that touch me very much.”
Why is music important?
Alexis: “Music is important because it’s a universal language. It goes beyond sex, color, creed, all that stuff. It’s a language that everybody can understand and relate to on so many different levels. It’s important because when you’re at your worst moment you can put on a song and it will change your whole outlook. When you’re in a good mood, you’re happy, you can put on music that will make you feel even happier. It translates so well into everything. It’s a beautiful thing. It’s very important.”
What has your music taught you about yourself?
Alexis: “Oh gosh, my musics tell me a lot of things about myself. If anything my music has also taught me how to be strong in the face of adversity. If anything, my music has also taught me how to be strong in the face of adversity. My music has taught me to pick myself up when I feel like I can’t go on. Maybe I’ll listen to a song I wrote, sometimes I’ll do that. Sometimes I go back to listen to my songs to see where my head was at that time. Sometimes I surprise myself with my lyrics, “That’s a pretty good lyric there Lex.” I can definitely say that I’ve looked at my lyrics and they showed me how strong I can be. So from my music I pretty much learn my strength.”
How was the band name straight line stitch created? What was the imagery behind it?
Alexis: “Well honestly I wish that there was more thought behind it but the band name was already created before I even joined the band. I joined in like 2004. See, before me, they had to male singers. They were amazing. They were just amazing. However, I’ve always been told that the name came from misinterpreted lyrics. I don’t know who or what artist one of the earlier members were listening to, but they thought the singer said straight line stitch. They thought it was cool so they kind of went with it. So, it’s not a great story.”
Where would you like to see things go from here with straight line stitch? Where do you want your music to take you?
Alexis: “I would like to see this band get pushed so far that we become a household name. I would like to not be so underground. So, that’s definitely a goal, to to break ground in and be the band that breaks ground in our genre.”
Interview by: Laura DeSantis-Olsson
Cover photo credit: Benjamin & Beverly Ross