Members: Cory Bostion, Chris Vastardis, Brian Erbe, David Bray, Shawn Kern
Who we talked to: Kern, 33
So you're en route to a concert now. Have you been to any cool concerts recently? I was at a Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction concert (at the beginning of June). That blew me away. It was awesome. It gave me a lot of inspiration.
Who are your influences? I'd say there (are) too many to list, but you can definitely hear it in our music. If you listen to the album or a live show, you can pick them out. (They include) Nine In Nails, Pearl Jam and stuff like that. Grunge, the alternative (and the) rock genre definitely influenced us.
How did you meet? Dave and I met in high school (in 1992 or '93). A classmate had passed away and, you know, we were allowed to walk around the halls and kind of mourn a little bit. He heard me playing guitar in the band room. I was playing a Lynyrd Skynyrd song. I believe it was "Simple Man" or "Free Bird" We didn't know each other at the time . . . and we've been friends ever since. We formed a band, and we're just in the process right now of (putting together) a new lineup.
So there's been some changes over the years? We kind of, you know, left the scene a couple years ago. (About a year ago) Cory and Chris - the rhythm guitarist and the bass player - kind of concocted a plan to get me and Dave to play again. And it worked. They kind of resurrected us from the dead. They just kind of laid a trap for us to kind of force me to practice I guess. Dave and I have tried to work on other projects, and it's just not the same. We kind of need each other.
Have you guys gotten to play out yet? (We've been) getting things in order, practicing (and) trying to get as tight as possible. We have a few gigs lined up. We're going to shoot for them and see how they go. Our first gig (was at) the York Revolution's stadium. (Then, we're playing) a benefit show in Littlestown. Then, we're playing at the Tourist Inn .
So, you're kicking everything off with a battle of the bands. You only get to play one song, right? It's a huge first gig. We get 90 seconds, so we don't even get to play a full song, but, you know, we're doing the best we can with the amount of time we have. (We're going to play) a new song. It's called "Reign." It'll give old fans a new song to hear and new fans . . . hopefully will dig it, too.
How did you come up with the band name? We spell (Sovereign) different . . . and it sounds kind of crazy, but the name kind of chose us. I wanted something to reflect (our sound), and Sovereign popped into my head. I looked it up and I still know the definition to this day: One's own state; unable to be controlled by a higher authority; freedom. We're kind of obsessed with the number seven, so (the spelling) makes it seven letters.
It kind of works because you're playing at Sovereign Bank Stadium. We're playing at the seventh inning. It's the Revolution. That's one of our first songs. There (are) a whole lot of weird coincidences.
How will you use the prize money? It would definitely help towards a new album.
Is there a CD currently in the works? Dave and I are the main songwriters. We try to channel our emotions through the instrument. I tend to let things come to me rather than try to force them out. That seems to be, like, some of our best work, I feel. It'll just hit you whenever. Then, you'll just have to stop what you're doing and pick up a guitar or pick up a notebook and just dump it out. I call it the universal consciousness.
Has the local music scene changed at all? I think the biggest thing right now is that Halestorm (is) the next band to kind of make it so to speak from around here. That gives us a lot of hope . . . to reach our goals and to also get signed. (MySpace) wasn't as prevalent when we first started out and now we're really trying to utilize it. We generated hits and got our music out there. We tried to do the rock 'n' roll dream years back and moved to . . . Los Angeles. Nowadays, you can really get your music out no matter where you're at. I picked up a guitar (as a kid) and I never put it down and I never plan on it.
- ERIN McCRACKEN, FLIPSIDE STAFF
If you go
See Soveren at 9 p.m. Friday at Tourist Inn in Hellam Township. Admission is $5. For details and to watch a video of the band's Battle of the Bands debut, visit www.myspace.com/soveren777. To listen to the entire interview, visit www.flipsidepa.com.
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