Seriously

Seriously, another group? Wait, hold on a sec – if you were going to lump them with the rest of the rookies that have debuted this year, take em out again because Seriously the band (yes, that’s their name) is anything but your typical set of KPOP idols. In fact, these guys stand out because they’re based in the States and write their own music. That’s right, we’re taking a quick breather from the homeland and the KPOP world to hone in on a talented Asian-American band instead!

Meet Chris, Joshua, Nathan and Philip, the faces behind this indie rock quartet. Hailing from Diamond Bar, California, the four began playing together at their local Asian church to eventually create the band as we know it today. Of course, that was only the beginning – the foursome joined Kollaboration 2006 and promptly bagged the hearts of many new fans plus the grand prize, hooking the boys up with Chaos Theory Music, an indie label that launched their first music video, “Irony.” Check the MV out, it’s kind of really adorable:

You’ve gotta love how Seriously maintains an eclectic style – they take inspiration from Asian pop music, mix it with American rock and throw in some melancholy European pop feel… so it’s kind of like taking your favorite KPOP artist’s beats, spicing it up with some rock & roll, then sugar-coating it with Coldplay-esque brit-pop for some pretty awesome ear candy.

Keep an eye out for these guys on allkpop because we’re bringing you an exclusive continuous series on the fab four! With a group so seriously awesome, they’re going nowhere but up! - allkpop

Seriously the Band created their name on the spot, signing up in 2006 for Asian American talent competition Kollaboration. One friend’s constant use – or abuse – of the word “seriously” in every sentence and every phrase permanently implanted the word in their heads and was subsequently scribbled onto the registration sheet and into perpetuity.
The band’s four members –Chris Pham, Joshua Baek, Nathan Park, and Phillip Park – hail from Diamond Bar, California, and met at their local church. Though music had always been a part of their lives, even from an early age, being full time students and holding down regular jobs made it difficult for them to pursue a career as professional musicians and artists.
But all that changed when they won Kollaboration 2006 and signed under label Chaos Theory Music. They may not make millions, but being managed gives them the freedom to focus their time and energy on doing what they love.
Seriously has come a long way from when they first started, letting themselves be pressured into a more commercial sound so as to fit into the music scene, despite their members’ varied tastes ranging from funk and jazz to heavy rock. In fact, they experienced – and still sometimes experience – frustration and arguments as they push each other to try new things.
As they’ve grew closer, however, the quartet have been able to fuse their individual interests together and aim for a more electronic rock sound, says Baek, Seriously’s electric guitarist.
The ability to meld their classically-trained musical prowess with their eclectic list of influences and an honest look at life, love, and relationships only adds to their many charms. But it didn’t happen instantly.
Pham – who plays the keyboard, guitar, and vocal chords – jokes: “I think it’s kind of like a Pokemon. You have to put time in to your Pokemon for it to evolve.”
Another key to Seriously’s success as an indie-rock band is their ability to balance their musical passion with normal life – and having space apart from the band.
After releasing their first EP, “On Your Mark Seriously,” the four-man outfit has been spending time back in the studio, releasing subsequent singles, playing local shows, collaborating with other artists on YouTube, and preparing for an upcoming album release – all the while juggling work and school.
“Other than music, we all have our own lives, like school, work, and girlfriends. I feel like other musicians probably have the same thing. We just have other priorities. Not to say this isn’t an important thing, cause this is an important, serious thing,” quips Pham.
“It’s actually good to do other arts in a sense too,” comments Philip, the band’s drummer and resident violist (that’s someone who plays the viola). “I personally feel that exercising different parts of my artistic development will help with my musicality, and I experience these life lessons, which helps us in our music.”
As long as they are true to their music, says bassist Nathan, everything else will fall into place. As the young twentysomethings, they realize that anything can happen and look forward to where they may find themselves in the near future.
“We’re keeping ourselves open to other areas of our lives,” continues Nathan. “We’re not separating everything into compartments, but kind of seeing the whole as one unit of life.”
It’s that real-to-life attitude that makes them a seriously great band. Seriously. - Droku Magazine

"...Five catchy pop rock tunes from four guys who seem too young to be making such kickass music. Guaranteed to get the teenage girls screaming at the next show. I've listened to a few of the tracks, and I liked what I heard. (Seriously, how old are these guys?)..." - www.angryasianman.com

Orange county natives Chris Pham (vocals, acoustic guitar), Joshua Baek (bass), Nathan Park (electric guitar), and Philip Park (drums and viola) of the all-Asian American band Seriously are young, idealistic and seriously excited about their new self-titled EP, despite the recent departure of their original electric guitarist. With songs that cover the familiar ground of lost loves and longing, the group is out to prove that an all-Asian American pop rock band can be taken, well, seriously.

What's your music style?
Chris: We're still kind of figuring out our stand. I guess from our first EP, we're [leaning more] toward a Maroon 5 kind of sound. Kind of a K-pop, Brit-pop, American rock mixture.

Nathan, how is it being the new guy in the band?
I play bass, my favorite instrument, but I'm learning and adapting to electric. It's a really different role, and all these guys are really talented.

What's the story behind your song 'Dare I Say'?
Josh: It's about a girl I was in love with, but things didn't work out. She's going away for school in New York so that prompted me to express myself in sad song form.

Does she know the song is about her?
I don't think she's heard it. Thank God.

So why form an all-Asian band?
Josh: Why not? Hopefully we're going to break a lot of stereotypes and open avenues for Asians. We have plenty of lawyers and doctors and whatnots. We're trying to encourage people to expand their options.

What do your parents think?
Philip: Since I go to college in San Diego, it's hard to manage. I'm pre-med and at the same time I have a girlfriend and I'm doing this band thing. I have to drive all the way to Santa Monica. It's just really difficult and of course my parents say, "Are you focusing on school, or is music distracting you?"

Is mainstream America ready for an Asian American band?
Josh: Ready or not, we're gonna do it.

-Nina Ahn - KOREAM JOURNAL

by Jamie Quiroz

Musical Renaissance man, Woody Pak, recently took it upon himself to exercise Asian American influence in one of the most powerful American institutions today: reality television. True, William Hung and Sanjaya Malakar of American Idol will live in infamy, so long as faux-hawks inspire headlines and heated debate. Pak, however, was determined to showcase young Asian American musicians whose talents were less dubious. In April of 2007, he launched the premiere of his internet-based reality show, The Making of Seriously.

seriously_pic.jpg The program follows the trials and antics of a rambunctious young pop-rock band, hailing from Diamond Bar, California. Seriously, the doe-eyed and carefully-groomed band consists of lead singer and guitar player, Chris Pham, bassist, Josh Baek, and drummer, Philip Park. Explaining their significance in popular culture, Pak noted, “When I was younger, I certainly didn’t see any kind of role models, like Seriously. I certainly didn’t see all Asian bands out there getting that kind of exposure or didn’t see any all Asian band period.”

The story of Seriously began when Woody Pak, a composer and performer, co-founded the Chaos Theory independent record label in 2006. It was established upon the philosophy that music has to the potential to inspire wide social progress. Shortly thereafter, Chaos Theory sponsored the seventh annual Kollaboration Asian American talent show in Los Angeles. Pak offered an enviable prize to the winning musical act: the opportunity to record a single with his record label. Seriously’s energetic performance was a crowd favorite and it ultimately won them the coveted recording contract.

“At first, I was a little skeptical,” confessed Pak. “But then as we started working with them I recognized, these guys are really, really talented. As we got to know them and as we were working with them, we decided we didn’t just want to do a single, we wanted to do a five song EP.” Not long afterwards, Seriously was signed to the Total Chaos record label. Having initially formed just before the Kollaboration competition, the band, ranging in age from 18 to 21, now faced the equally daunting and thrilling prospect of a professional music career.

Chris Pham noted, “My life changed dramatically … I had just graduated from high school and the whole music thing seemed so far off and something I thought I would never take seriously, no pun intended.”

Deviating from the norm of reality programming, the band itself did precede the series. However, the show’s marketing value was not overlooked as it was developed by the Total Chaos record label. Ever pragmatic, Pak divulged, “We realized it’s not enough to be a record label and sell music. We can’t expect to really make a living that way anymore, as everyone knows. We look at Chaos Theory as being a complete multimedia content provider. For Seriously to take hold of the public’s fancy, a great way to do that is to get them out on the web and get people to know them and to get emotionally invested in them. We felt that this reality series would be a really great way to do that.”

Beyond this, one of the show’s paramount ambitions is to capture the experiences and drama involved in establishing a musical career. The Making of Seriously covers a spectrum of experiences that are alternatively glamorous and grueling: from photo shoots to all-night rehearsals. When asked what aspect of the music industry he was most eager to share with viewers, Josh Baek replied, “The music industry is really rough and the only way to get through it is with good people. Whether it’s your band or your managers, you have to work with people you trust and love. I think if any of us went at this alone or with people we couldn’t work with, we would have been eaten alive.”

The Making of Seriously also aims to provide a positive depiction of Asian Americans in the media. Citing the band’s strong work ethic and grounded personalities, Woody Pak expressed his hope for the band to inspire other young Asian Americans to realize their own potential within American culture. He affirmed, “We really believe that they can be the next Asian American, maybe the first Asian American rock band that really can hit the mainstream.”

Reality television, from The Real World to Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, is often notorious for harsh sensationalism in the hands of producers. To offset this tendency, a close acquaintance of the band, 18-year-old Alex Park, oversees the entire filming process. Although the band members are content with the show’s intimate portrayal of their musical life, Philip Park cautioned, “I don’t think our true characters are portrayed to the fullest extent in the show, because it only illustrates our character when we’re in the music mode.”

- - - -
New episodes of “The Making of Seriously” are released weekly and can be viewed at: www.chaostheorymusic.net
- iaLink.tv

"...this certainly isn’t O-Town, but “The Making of Seriously” is a cute little glimpse into the journey of 4 Asian American guys who are on a journey into the entertainment industry. They’re low-key guys, like some guys you knew in college who had a jam band on the side. I think this is the appeal - they’re not superstars from another planet - they’re just 4 guys trying to make some music. The episodes are short enough to watch while your boss isn’t looking, and it has a homegrown feel that makes you want to root for these guys. Seriously." - Boston Progress Radio, link http://www.bprlive.org/index.php?s=the+making+of+seriously&sbutt=Go

Kollaboration winners' debut album features aurally pleasing sound
Joe Nguyen, editor
July 6, 2007
Seriously EP

Seriously
(Chaos Theory Music, 2007)

Whoever wins the annual Kollaboration talent show sure has a lot to live up to.

Seriously?

Yep, them too.

With all apologies to Abbott and Costello, Seriously has a good deal of expectations placed upon them. The four-man band from Diamond Bar, Calif. won the annual Korean-American/Korean-Canadian talent show last November, following in the footsteps of acts such as cello-rocker Ken Oak and the rap-trio Far*East Movement. The five tracks on their self-titled debut EP are an aural showcase to why the pop-rock flock deserved their prize.

The album opens with “Godspeed Cats And Dogs.” It begins with a bright electric riff that's accompanied by Joshua Baek's sleek, melodic bass that bounces back and forth from sustained notes to quick hits. Lead singer Christopher Pham's silky-smooth vocals illuminate light-hearted lyrics about forgetting one's worries and having fun in the sun.

Even though “Fireflies” is the simplest track on the album, it stands out as the best. Airy harmonic plucks open the song as Pham's lucid voice enters. Gradually, soft acoustic plucks replace the harmonics and maintained harmonizing strings enter to join his voice, while another vocal track is added to give the song a richer sound.

In contrast, “Humility” is the weakest track on the album. It starts strong with fast-paced drums and short, quick electric strums add to the speed. The vocals, which is the strength for the other tracks, are lacking in the song. Pham's voice becomes muddled and the lyrics end up being incomprehensible during the chorus.

In the press release for the EP, Seriously's music is described as “a sonic mix of K-pop’s over-the-top drama, the catchy hooks of ‘90s Britpop bands, and the edginess of American rock.” While there are hints of the three genres in this album, the description hardly give the band its just dues. Their ability to creatively blend rich instrumentals with catchy lyrics is something many musicians are unable to grasp. Seriously, however, has it down. Seriously.

For more information on Seriously, go to http://www.chaostheorymusic.net/?page_id=21 or visit their MySpace.

- asiaxpress.com

Seriously is a Korean-American quartet based out of California which follow a pattern here. Another throwback. These throwbacks have been enjoyable. Instead of angst-ridden emo crusters, what we have here is sophisticated pop, with a slight lounge twist.

One of the things I like best of Seriously is the simple arrangements that allow the listener enjoy the smooth vocals of Chris Pham. On songs like �Irony� there are squealing guitar riffs that remind you you�re listening to a rock album.

�Firefly�, the third track is a pretty number. If you�re looking for a ballad full of sincerity, this is the one for the listener. There is a clarity n the simple clean sound and moments of silence between parts that can send a shiver down ones back.

�Humility�, the final track is the �dirtiest� one of the five on the EP. It sounds a little out of place. It�s not a bad little rocker, but a little out of place compared to the four other songs on the CD.

Seriously is a serious listen and well worth the effort of a listen. I look forward to hearing more from these guys.

-William Alexander - www.enigmaonline.com

Seriously’s R&Bemo sound is boy-band R&B that blazes into serious emo, especially on their radio favorite, ‘Humility’. Their energy and melodic soul stands out in the ‘too cool to care’ LA landscape. This Santa Monica based underage band is forced to get gigs at over 21 clubs since the under 21 music scene in LA is sparse at best, based upon the drinking age.




We asked Seriously about how the ‘underage teen scene’ in LA is treating them.


“Recently, we had a couple gigs at 21+ clubs. It's funny because me, Nathan, and Chris are frail, underaged boys and we are definitely treated differently! For instance, at our recent gig, the security guard took our drivers license when we entered the club. Honestly, I was so confused when he took our license. At one point I thought that this was completely normal, being new to this club thing! But, obviously, I was very wrong!” - Philip (Drummer, Seriously)


”Going to 21+ night clubs and playing there as a 19 year old is pretty cool and something to brag about to your friends that are under 21. The teen music scene also seems a much more open crowd compared to college, as it seems the older you get, the more you become fastened to certain types of music.” -Chris (Lead Vocals/Guitar, Seriously)


“It's been quite a crazy ride. We have been performing in 21+ clubs as of late, and although there exists some degree of excitement in our performing in a place where we're underage, our primary fanbase, along with our friends, are prohibited from attending our shows! We definitely would not have gotten this far without our fans; knowing that they support us from the outside is encouraging, but this 21+ business gives me the feeling that our shows are incomplete without our fans and friends. Oh well, I guess this will put our true fans to the test--wait a couple years!” (note from June: or get a fake ID) -Nathan (Electric Guitar, Seriously)


-June Caldwell


- www.undergroundmine.com

So, a little while back, I had the pleasure of chatting with Josh, Chris, Nathan and Phil, better known as the 4 guys from Seriously. Seriously? Seriously.

I thought it was going to be a little weird, me sitting at home at 11pm chatting with these 4 cool super famous guys, but it wasn’t at like that at all. Like they said, they’re just four ordinary guys who love music. And yeah, they’re pretty funny too.

Seriously
Delia: hi! so seriously guys…. can we do some quick introductions so we all know who you are?

Phil: Philip Park - Drummer

Josh: joshua baek. bass.

Chris: christopher pham lead singer acoustic guitar

Nathan: Nathan Park- Electric Guitarist

Chris: only vietnamese in the band too. amongst 3 Koreans.

Delia: can you tell me a little bit about how you all came to be a band?

Josh: basically we formed on a whim for a talent show that we didn’t know about till a few weeks prior.

Delia: that was the first time you all played together?

Josh: i’m pretty sure it was either the talent show, or video games at home. we practiced for the show a few times. there was already a set song, so we just had to learn it real fast.

Nathan: we had some previous experience playing with each other though. from church praise team and random jams.

Delia: cool.

Josh: if there’s chemistry it’s easy.

Delia: did any of you have dreams of getting on american idol or anything?

Nathan: fasho fasho

Josh: chris wanted to be the next vietnamese top model, but he ended up just playing there.

Nathan: i’ve considered auditioning for america’s got talent seeing at last and how far they got. but i never really got around to telling the other guys.

Delia: so Nathan, you’re not like the justin timberlake of the group?

Josh: HAHAH

Nathan: that’d be chris

Delia: hmmm. i hope this doesn’t contribute to any band drama.

Josh: i WISH we were like H.O.T. but they keep making me play this damn instrument.

Nathan: seriously! (no pun intended) har…har…har

Josh: hahah

Delia: so do you guys consider yourselves an asian american band?

Nathan: most definitely

Phil: yahh

Nathan: gotta represent!

Phil: but we are no K pop stars.

Nathan: but we can be if we want.

Josh: well, we are all asian americans. i dunno what kind of connotation that has. but yea, thats what it is.

Delia: what do you mean? connotation?

Josh: like, i don’t know what the first thing people think. asian band = choreographed dance moves and baggy clothes? like i said, i don’t know. but that doesn’t really matter.

Nathan: yeah, it is what it is.

Phil: we just want to play music.

Nathan: word.

Josh: i hope people just like the music for what it is, not who’s singing it. because that’s just weird.

Phil: nicely said.

Delia: so do you think people out there don’t expect that a group of asian guys will have any rhythm or style or whatever?

Phil: i wouldn’t be surprised if people did.

Nathan: word again.

Josh: hahaha.

Nathan: i’m sure there are people out there like that.

Chris: i think people expect us to be amazing at mathematics.

Josh: well, philip has enough rhythm for all of us.

Phil: ohhh… thanks josh.

Chris: it may be true, but asians can be amazing at other things.

Nathan: but ignorance is bliss right?

Phil: rhythm section.

Josh: holla. i mean, i hope people see us and they see a couple of guys that like music, not a preconceived notion that’s gonna be propagated forever.

Phil: dang…josh picks the right words.

Delia: where do you guys hope you’ll be in 3-5 years?

Nathan: traveling and touring the world

Phil: like nathan said. touring.

Nathan: at sold out shows.

Josh: oooh, nice.

Nathan: it never hurts to dream big.

Josh: man, those are fun dreams

Chris: in 3-5 years, i hope we all have private jets. that are transformers.

Josh: i hope we are all better, and there are more up and coming artists.

Delia: was this what you expected would happen when you entered the contest?

Phil: HA NOOOOO

Nathan: ha.

Delia: so these are new dreams….

Josh: man, i thought i was gonna go home and play minesweeper.

Phil: dude i still don’t know how to play that . when we entered the contest, it was for fun.

Nathan: we’re just 4 ordinary guys who love music.

Delia: so have you had any crazy “celebrity” moments?

Josh: fo sho. at the hollywood bowl performance, we got swarmed by these little junior high/high school girls.

Delia: seriously?

Josh: and asked for autographs. i was like. uhh, i think you are misinformed as to the extent of our fame. naw, i didn’t say that.

Phil: it was suprising.

Josh: i was like dude. we aren’t even famous. oh, one girl made me sign her instant noodles. this isn’t a euphemism.

Delia: sign her instant noodles?

Josh: an actual package of noodles. not anything else.

Delia: seriously?

Josh: yea, she didnt have paper or something and they were giving them out.

- Boston Progress Radio

Four young Asian American men of Korean and Vietnamese descent who grew up in Orange County California, the members of this adverbially-named band, Seriously are Chris Pham (Vocals/ Acoustic Guitar), Joshua Baek (Bass), Alex Yi (Electric Guitar) and Philip Park (Drums).
Seriously’s debut EP is a refreshing introduction to an emerging Asian American music scene that takes a nod from the growing interest in Asian popular culture around the globe akin to international stars Rain and Boa. The subject matter of Seriously’s songs seem typical enough—about lost love and relationships, yet their CD is peppered with moments of wisdom and raw honesty which reveal their youthful sense of idealism and hope. Seriously’s signature melancholy-hued optimism is effortlessly blended in a sonic mix of K-pop’s over-the-top drama, the catchy hooks of ‘90s Britpop bands, and the edginess of American rock.

Seriously is blazing a path for other Asian American rock star hopefuls as they win over new fans at every show. Hordes of teenage girls ask for photos and autographs from the band members, charmed and captivated by these musicians who, in many ways, look like American counterparts to their favorite K-pop stars from Asia. (reference: www.cdbaby.com)


INTERVIEW::

JIZO: Wassap SERIOUSLY! Thanks for doing this interview with us. So what is y'all's background? (Who are you and your band members? Please tell your story.)

CHRIS PHAM: We are an asian bunch from the OC. Chris Pham is the lead vocals/acoustic, Nathan Park is the electric guitarist, Josh Baek is the bassist, Philip Park is the drummer/violist. All started by the original electric guitarist, Alex Yi, who decided to enter this competition, Kollaboration, last year to compete against another band called The Pocket. Alex chose some people to enter Kollaboration with him and it happened to be Chris Pham, Philip Park, and Josh Baek that was lucky to be chosen for this. We entered Kollaboration, took first place, and now we are where we are now.

JOSH BAEK: my name is josh. i am the only child of two korean immigrants. i was born in Texas and raised in California.

NATHAN PARK: My name is Nathan Park and I am Seriously's electric guitarist. After Alex stepped down from the band, the members asked me to join since we all knew each other through church and school. Because I am originally a bassist, playing electric in this band has placed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to stretch my limits. Needless to say, it is a very humbling and gratifying experience--I love the the guys like brothers and I love playing with the band.

PHILIP PARK: My name is Philip Park and I'm the drummer from "Seriously".

JIZO: Why do you guys call yourself "Seriously"?

PHILIP: We call ourselves "Seriously" because we signed up for an event called Kollaboration at the very last minute. With little to no time, we were desperate to come up with a name FAST. So, we just happened to call ourselves "Seriously"

CHRIS PHAM: We call ourselves Seriously because we needed an immediate band name for Kollaboration, since we were never a band at all before the competition. We decided upon it because this guy at our church said so excessively that it was catchy.

JOSH BAEK: ASK CHRIS

NATHAN PARK: A friend at church always seemed to say "Seriously!" in any given situation. Still clueless to what our name should be, we decided to call ourselves Seriously. Little did we know we'd make it this far; now we are forever stuck with the name. Seriously.

JIZO: How long has each member been making music?

PHILIP PARK: Hm...I'm not sure how long each member have been making music. All I know is that each and every one of us played and enjoyed music our whole lives. Being in a band has pretty much always been...ALL OF OUR DREAMS.

CHRIS PHAM: I, myself, have been playing since freshman year in high school and didn't start writing my own stuff until senior year. I was compelled to do so, so that I may woo the ladies.

JOSH: ON AND OFF FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS

NATHAN PARK: I fell in love with music when I first touched the piano in first grade. The rest is history.

JIZO: For those who have not heard you, what type of music do you play?

PHILIP PARK: I believe we play music that incorporates many different styles and types of music. But to narrow things down, our music has a pop, rock, and blues feel to it...a very nice combination I must say.

CHRIS PHAM: We are rock pop alternative.

JOSH BAEK: ROCK AND/OR ROLL WITH SOME POP.

NATHAN PARK: Indie-Blues-Rock

JIZO: Who do you believe you were mainly influenced by?

PHILIP PARK: Riley Breckenridge, Matt Flynn, Carter Beauford, and John Blackwell.

CHRIS PHAM: John Mayer, definitely.

JOSH - JIZO-Entertainment.com