The Nearly Deads

"With a lineup like this, you know fans turned out for an evening of killer female fronted metal and The Nearly Deads did not disappoint, doing an amazing job and giving the fans exactly what they came for that night.
The band, who were an absolute blast to watch, was a slightly more alt/metal version of the Foo Fighters musically and lead singer Theresa Jeane is what you might get if Courtney Love and Kelly Clarkson were the victims of a horrible radiation accident that turned them into one evil superhero front woman." - The Front Row Report

Up first was The Nearly Deads, an alternative/post-grunge act that calls Nashville, Tenn. their home. When lead singer Theresa Jeane- "T.J."- took the stage, she asked the crowd, "Who's gonna give me the first circle pit?", and though it took a few songs for the crowd to warm up, they did eventually show energy that matched the excitement coming from T.J. and her bandmates. Highlights from their set included "Brave", which T.J. dedicated to "all the survivors out there", and the dance-able "Easy Way Out." After thanking In This Moment for taking them out on the tour, she took a selfie with the crowd before The Nearly Deads closed out their set with "Never Look Back", a track with a zombie-themed music video that got everyone to pump their fists. - AXS

HHM: How did The Nearly Deads come together as a band?

TJ: We met in Florida, myself and Steve had some mutual friends, our original drummer was playing in another band, basically we were in two separate bands and we all decided to move to Nashville to get closer to a music industry town and we ended up combining forces and I took over the lead singer position for their band, we became female fronted and that’s how The Nearly Deads were born.

HHM: I read that the name of the band is pays homage to your home state of Florida, where did you come up with it?

TJ: There is a saying in Florida that it is home of the newlyweds and the nearly deads and I thought it sounded kind of cool and that it would give us that association with home, and also a little that it was “punk” enough but it is still tongue in cheek. It’s not super serious. I think people think we are a heavier band because we have “The Nearly Deads” as a name but it’s really more of a light hearted kind of thing.

Kevin: I think it is cool because it throws people off too. You don’t know what you are going to get if you don’t know who we are.

HHM: Who or what would you say has had the biggest influence on you musically?

Javier: Blink 182

TJ: Oh my, there are so many. I really love the Distillers. I love Bert McKracken from the Used, and Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance

Kevin: I’d say mine is a mixture of Brand New and Blink 182. Those two bands are the reason I play bass to this day.

Steve: I guess as a guitarist and songwriter, my biggest influences are Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Talent, and Mew from Denmark.

Josh: Definitely 90’s Pop Punk so bands like Sum 41, Blink 182, and Green Day

HHM: What is your favorite song to sing in the car when it’s just you and the steering wheel? You know that guilty pleasure song we all have.

Kevin: I actually like to rap, like Notorious B.I.G. songs when I’m by myself

TJ: In general, I feel like Katy Perry is a big thing in the van for all of us. Oh, and Brand New. When me and Kevin sit up front, we put on Brand New and we basically sing the whole album, start to finish together.

Kevin: Every time!

TJ: Every time we sing it, it is like the world stops until the album is over

Steve: When everybody is asleep, I sing along to 80’s Goth.

Josh: I’m just going to second Katy Perry

Javier: I’m going to go a different route and go with The Carpenter’s.

HHM: There’s always one who likes to throw that little changeup in there.

HHM: If you were stranded on an island and you only had three things with you, what would they be?

TJ: A toothbrush, mascara, you know, in case I’m rescued, and I guess a good book

Javier: A guitar, a huge net to catch fish, and I would take that little device from “Waterworld” where he turns his urine back into water.

HHM: The survivalist in the crowd (laughs)

Kevin: I would take a female, preferably the girl I met the other night. A net to catch fish, and a guitar as well, a bass though. (Everyone laughs) Definitely a bass.

Steve: My acoustic guitar, a Swiss army knife, and a pillow so that I can be comfortable while I sleep all day.

Josh: I’d bring drumsticks, a Nintendo DS, even though I always forget it on tour

TJ: What would you do when the battery runs out?

Steve: He’d make a solar powered device of course (laughs)

Josh: and a magazine I guess

Steve: A Playboy

Josh: Yeah, a Playboy

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HHM: My first exposure to your music was the video to “I Said”. Every video and concert video I’ve seen of you seems to be of you guys having a good time doing what you do. Is that what you hope fans take away from your music?

Kevin: As a band we just want to give people empowerment. Make them feel empowered and put positivity out there. We stand by positivity very strongly and as far as the energy we give out, we just want the crowd to feel that energy and give it right back to us. I mean, when I go to a show I want to feel like I am connecting with the band on stage, even if I’m not meeting them or anything. That’s definitely what we strive to get out there.

HHM: What has been the biggest obstacle you have overcome along the way?

TJ: Honestly, we have been very lucky there haven’t been a lot of obstacles. I think, just to mention it briefly, we have kind of been through the wringer, as far as being on and off of a label is concerned, and I think that created a newfound drive to be more independent, but we kind of took that as a positive, even though it may have been an obstacle and we felt we lost a little bit of our freedom, it made us realize how much power we had.

Steve: Basically, being independent is a good thing and we have a lot of freedom with it but that does come with a lot of obstacles in that the industry is a lot of just who you know and we are having to meet people and create relationships on our own, and discover opportunities on our own, but it all pays off in the end.

Kevin: One other obstacle we had was that we had to replace two members and that led us to Javier and Josh, but it worked out for the better. It was meant to happen and I feel like we are way tighter as a group now.

HHM: Female fronted bands are extremely popular in the world of Rock and Metal right now. In the not so distant past, it was pretty much a boy’s only club with the occasional standout female fronted band. Has the fan base changed or is it something deeper?

TJ: That’s kind of like a loaded question. To us it doesn’t feel like anything changed. It is a little bit of everything and a little bit of both at the same time, I guess. I mean, fans have always loved female fronted bands. The message of empowerment and being yourself. I don’t know, maybe that was something that was missing in Hard Rock, which may be why female fronted bands are more in the forefront now. There are a lot of good messages to it. I don’t think it really matters whether you are male or female fronted, I think the messages are getting bigger and the fans are just grabbing onto that. I don’t know if the fans are more or less accepting, but we are getting more opportunities. From a personal perspective, just to be on this tour with In this Moment is huge for us and it is getting us exposure to a whole new audience.

Steve: Even for me personally when I was younger, I’m a 90’s kid, there weren’t a ton of female rock musicians out there. When I heard female performers, it was typically in Pop and other genres and, honestly, when I was younger, I would hear female rock bands like when Paramore started getting big, and I was like “why would you want a girl to sing”. Rock is supposed to be heavy and a “man’s” thing. You kind of had that mentality in a lot of naïve listeners. I feel like as more and more women were getting into the genre, I would hear more and more and I was like “this is badass” and I started really getting into it and now I am in a female fronted band. I feel like, because there are more women doing it, more people are hearing it and realizing how awesome it is.

TJ: I feel like there have always been women doing it, now we are just able to do it more in the forefront. It does have more to do with the audience and being willing to give those bands the opportunities in an equal way.

Steve: I’m not saying that they weren’t there. I’m just saying that now there are more of them. I mean, back in the day you could count the big, female fronted bands on one hand.

TJ: Honestly, I think all we want is to be treated like any other band, right alongside any male fronted band because we are all in the same genre. Female fronted is not a genre.

Steve: It’s just a label.

TJ: To be able to be going on tour with bands like In this Moment and Halestorm like we have be fortunate enough to do is awesome, but you know Upon a Burning Body is on this tour. They have a strong frontman. I mean, with Butcher Babies they are right alongside with everybody. To be able to be seen as just a Rock band, I think that is what is getting more women out there because they are treating us as equals now. If our band is a good band that is the end of it.

HHM: That is exactly where I was going with it. What you just said is exactly what I am seeing from an outside perspective. That is it just “bands” now. I talked with Heidi and Carla from Butcher Babies a few months back and that was one of the things we discussed was that they just want to be considered a band, nothing else.

TJ: Until they start prefacing male-fronted bands as “male-fronted” band so and so, it’s not really going to be equal. One day hopefully we will get to that point. I mean, yes, we are female-fronted, but there is a lot more to our music than that. I think it’s great that Carolina Rebellion just happened the other day and you had Halestorm playing, you had In this Moment, you had Butcher Babies. I mean 10 years ago, were there really that many female-fronted bands on these huge festivals, absolutely not. I mean these bands are paving the way for bands like us and hopefully we are paving the way for the next generation.

HHM: Bigger and better things and maybe the next generation it will be exactly as you said no more “female-fronted” label, just “bands”

TJ: Hopefully, yeah

Kevin: Another thing too, these days there’s a ton more female band members and “full chick” bands. They are taking over. Pretty soon we are gonna be out of jobs.

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HHM: Invisible Tonight has been out for nearly a year now, do you have any plans for new music in the works?

TJ: We are definitely working on new stuff and I am really anxious to get new music out to people. We have been touring, so we are really focusing on that right now. In the past myself and Steve kind of took the forefront on the songwriting, but on this record we’ve got a lot of ideas from Javier and from Kevin and we’ve got Josh in the band now and he has a whole new set of influences to bring to the mix. It’s going to be a group effort and it’s going to be awesome. It’s going to be heavy and we have been very inspired by what we have been doing.

HHM: You have a couple of more weeks left on this tour, are you doing anything differently now than you were when you started this tour?

Kevin: We kind of knew coming in to this tour that we had to be on top of our game at all times because this is a great opportunity for us. We are the opening band on one of the biggest tours of this year. We have been trying to be early every day and stay out of other people’s way who trying to work. You know, I’ve heard stories from some of the guys who talk about the opening band being in the way and complaining. Don’t complain. If you don’t get a sound check, that’s fine. We are musicians. We can just get up there a do it. We have been trying to keep it pretty consistent being on top of our game. We don’t really party at all. We’ve been keeping it straight, working hard and making the most of this opportunity.

HHM: What is your favorite song to perform live?

Josh: On this tour specifically, I think Invisible Tonight. It’s the title track of the album and I think it’s just a cool song, it’s fun and energetic.

Steve: I like to play Easy Way Out. I think it has a little different vibe than the other songs on the set. The others are more straight forward and heavy and it has more of a swing to it.

Kevin: On this tour it would probably be Brave. I like playing Brave a lot.

TJ: Normally I pick a different song, but this tour we are not playing it on our set, so I’ll give it to Fact and Friction because, honestly for me, it’s close to my heart. It’s a song we wrote when we first started and I connect with it. We’ve been performing it the longest and so I feel the most comfortable and connected with the message personally and I love singing it. It’s just easy to let go because it’s one of our oldest songs and people who are seeing us for the first time on this tour have no idea how long we have been performing it. To them it’s the first time, so it just makes it feel like the first time, every time for me and I love it.

Javier: I am going to have to go with Invisible Tonight. It has a lot of energy and I like to jump around and stuff.

HHM: What has been your greatest moment on stage thus far?

Javier: My favorite is sitting side stage and watching Josh try to climb up those steps to start the tracks before the show. You never know what’s going to happen.

Steve: I think our recent show in Chattanooga. We had an amazing crowd response. Everybody there was super energetic and we always feed off of the crowd. It wasn’t necessarily the biggest show, but everybody was just so into it. It was a great show.

Kevin: I love every show on this tour, but I think the one for me that got my stomach tingling was when we played Journey’s Backyard Barbeque. We opened for All American Rejects and there was easily 3500 to 4000 people there. It was unreal. Oh, and we killed it that night too. (laughs) That’s why I was happy. We did good.

TJ: My best moments on stage are when I look out in the crowd and see somebody singing along. That is a really humbling, fulfilling kind of moment. That people actually care and learned all the words and they are up front singing along. I mean, we are still up and coming, so we don’t get that a lot and it is really, really meaningful to see that. It gives me the power to keep doing this and keep moving forward.

HHM: What is something you haven’t done that you would really love to experience?

Kevin: Visit Australia

TJ: The next goal that I have is to do the entire Vans Warped Tour. We have played a few dates here and there but I would love to experience the entire tour. I think it would be great for us. I want to go on tour with Halestorm. That’s my future goals.

Javier: As a personal one, maybe we could throw in some back up dancers

TJ: Yeah, we are going to throw in some back up dancers for the guys (laughs)

Steve: We have always said we would love to be on one of the late night talk shows. I’d love to be on Conan. That’s always a goal of mine. I watch it almost every night.

Josh: I’d have to second Warped Tour. That’s always been a big thing for me.

HHM: Is there anything you’d like to add?

TJ: Just thank you to everyone for listening to us and supporting us. We owe everything to our fans.

Kevin: Thanks to the people who have stuck with us through the past few years, through our ups and downs. They are still coming out to the shows. Even at these big ones, we are seeing faces that we saw years ago. Thank you to everyone that supports what we do and is there with us.

Steve: If you like us, keep telling your friends about us, that’s going to keep us around. Burn the CD, I don’t care. Just tell your friends.

Kevin: Yes, tell your friends and come to a show.



Interview By: Gary Flinn - Hellhound Music

Today's Take Aim guest is Theresa Jeane of this Nashville-based rock band.

The Nearly Deads frontwoman TJ took aim with us today. We have a special love for girls in bands and T to the J is no different. She slays. Get to know her, yeah?

Twitter-size your bio -- your choice of 140 words or characters, if you want to get technical-- and tell us everything we need to know! GO!

Theresa Jeane: Platinum-blonde singer with a serious case of wanderlust. Piano player for life and a classically-trained vocalist. Always thought I'd end up on Broadway until I was introduced to punk rock! I grew up in Kansas and I love makeup, cats, and shopping.

If you were not doing music, you would be…

A special effects makeup artist!

Any non-music hobbies, talents or skills?

I love drawing and typography. I sell lyric art at BigCartel and I have also always loved painting and anything crafty!

Pick ONE song one your record and share a writing or recording story. Something intimate, that you haven't told anyone else (or at least a bunch of writers or journalists) and that which puts us in the moment with you. Let's get intimate, shall we?

'Changeover' is really about our first experiences in the music industry. It just wasn't what I (we) ever imagined it would be like. People will try to change your look, your sound, your act, everything about you. So many bands just listen to them, blindly going through the motions and believing that their big break is just around the corner. They forget about originality and being genuine. But somehow, in the beginning, it seemed like those bands were actually getting ahead while we were sticking to our guns and getting nowhere. So I wrote the song about how that felt. My eyes were opened to everything going on behind the scenes. It reminded me of a scene from my favorite movie, Fight Club, where the narrator (spoiler) realizes that he has been Tyler Durden all along. 'We've just lost cabin pressure.' The narration continues: 'It's called a changeover. The movie goes on and nobody in the audience has any idea.' I had that exact same feeling one night. It wasn't disappointment- it was a realization that everything I thought I knew about my life from that point on was going to change. That's what the song is about, the changeover in our perception of reality. What does it REALLY take for us to 'make it?' What is 'making it?' Do I even still want to do this? Writing Changeover gave me the courage to stay true to myself despite everything going on around me at the time. The line 'the audience has no idea' doesn't just refer to the internal struggles we go through sometimes, it also means they have no idea how much they mean to us! Without them, we're nothing. We will always be thankful to each and every person who supports us and cares about our music.

Finish this sentence: The Nearly Deads is the artist that…

... you listen to when you want to feel empowered!

Hear "Changeover," and check out some videos from The Nearly Deads! - Artist Direct

The Nearly Deads have some big news for their loyal herd of zombies. The band will be announcing a big surprise on March 4th for their fans via the Substream Instagram Takeover, giving out clues all day about their latest plans. We got to talk with lead singer TJ before their upcoming takeover, about their upcoming touring plans and their unique ways they approach making music.



Substream Magazine: So why do you call your fan base The Zombies?

TJ: Basically, because of our “Never Look Back” video. “Never Look Back” is a zombie music video that went viral that we released almost two years ago, so a lot of our fans just started calling themselves that because we got so many people to watch the video just because they liked video or were looking up zombie videos. That’s how a lot of people discovered us, so it just kind of happened. Now we’re starting a street team when we go on the road that’s called Zombie Nation.



SM: You’re about to go on tour with It Lives, It Breathes in March. Are you guys ready?

TJ: We’re excited about it, we think they’re awesome. They’re a great band it’s going to be fun.



SM: Are these new cities for you?

TJ: There are a lot of new cities on this tour. A lot of them are smaller cities, like we’re not playing Baltimore, we’re playing White Marsh. We’re hitting a lot of these areas that not a lot of people go to that often. We’re getting a lot of buzz about some of the shows already because people are really excited because bands don’t really come to these towns. We’re going outside major markets and hitting up places we’ve never gone to before.



SM: Where are some places you want to tour that you haven’t yet?

TJ: I’m really excited for the whole tour, honestly. But the Milwaukee show is going to be at a skate park and I have a lot of family there. Allentown too, because I have a friend there who is going to bring the party.



SM: What’s your favorite part about being on the road?

TJ: My favorite thing is getting to play music every night and getting to meet people every night, too. It makes me kind of feel like I’m doing something with my life, like I’m making an impact. I’m living the dream.



SM: You’re also one of the few girls who will be on this tour. Do you enjoy being the only girl out there?

TJ: It’s not as bad as it seems. I do miss having a girl around just to help me pick up my outfits, hang out and put makeup on. It’s kind of weird with the guys, but they’re all my best friends. I don’t hate being the only girl, but it’s always nice to have like one other girl like a merch girl or a girl friend. It gets kind of rough being the only girl.



SM: Any advice for girls who are going out on the road and want to do what you do?

TJ: I really want girls to stay true to themselves and stay who they are, because I’ve experienced a lot of people coming at me and saying things like if you do this or that, you’ll be really successful. I just want people to keep their integrity and their dignity, because it is tough. People treat me sometimes like I’m just a groupie or a girlfriend, and I have to explain, no I’m the lead singer, I’m supposed to be here back stage, I’m supposed to be loading in. As long as girls are determined to be themselves and get out and not let anyone try to change them, pretty soon, it won’t be an issue.

When people call us a female-fronted band, it makes me laugh. No one ever says male-fronted band. They never say that. One day, I hope we’re just referred to as a band. There are some amazingly-talented women out there and I feel like we get narrowed down. It feel like a belittling, so I hope we can change that.



SM: What are some of the pros and cons of working with so many guys?

TJ: I love my guys. It’s all pros, we’re all best friends, they’re goofy, they love to hang out, they’re amazing musicians, and we have the best time when we’re playing. I think the only cons are they can smell, they can snore, they can sweat in the van and make it smelly, stuff like that. But my guys are very respectful of me, so they make sure I have my own little space. We just built bunks in our van, and I have my own. Everyone else has to sleep on one big one together, and they made one separate for me so I can be away from all of them. They let me have my time, they let me take a shower first, they let me get ready and do my makeup and don’t give me crap for it.



SM: What are your other summer touring plans that we can expect from TND?

TJ: We are working on some stuff for summer, but we’re kind of in the beginning stages of that. We’ve played Warped Tour in the past and would love the chance to play it again. We’ll see if that works out this year, and if not, we’ve already been talking to other bands that we might try to go down to Florida with and visit more of the South East again and we just got confirmed to play a festival in Milwaukee called Pride Fest and it’s on June 7th and we’re playing one of the main stages, which we’re super excited for.



SM: Have you been working on new music?

TJ: We have, actually. We’ve been working on this new full-length album and it’s been really exciting. We are getting ready to release some new stuff very soon.



SM: What’s the best thing for you about creating new music?

TJ: There’s so much I love about it, everything, I guess. I write music all the time. I sit down at a piano at least once a day and come up with new ideas. My favorite part is when I get with our guitarist, Steve, and we write songs together. I think it’s when the two of us sit down together and really hash things out and finish the structure, finalize the lyrics and have a completed song. We kind of do that before we even bring it to the band. We kind of have an idea in mind and you can feel something just coming together.



SM: When should your Zombies start to expect new music from you?

TJ: It’ll be pretty soon (laughs.)



SM: In the mean time, your YouTube channel is full of cool stuff you post about yourselves, covers and your music videos. What’s your favorite cover you’ve done?

TJ: We do a lot of covers, just for the fun of it and not all of them are posted. A lot of people really like that My Chemical Romance cover we did. There’s a terrible video on the internet that I don’t think we posted. I like doing that “I’m Not Okay” by My Chemical Romance live and people really like that. We also did “Sweetness” by Jimmy Eat World, and there’s a video of that floating around somewhere on video that I really like. There are a couple more that we’ll be putting out, but we wanted to space them out.



SM: You all posted funny videos of yourselves answering fans questions. What’s one question no one’s asked you yet that you hope you get asked?

TJ: I’m a classically trained vocalist, which is something I talk about, but not really often. We all went to music school and we’re all educated musicians formerly. I took four years of theory and have a major in music composition, but what we do in our rock music, the whole classical realm is entirely different. When I get with someone who knows about classical music, it’s kind of hard to turn off that conversation, or music theory. I get so excited because in pop music, you don’t have those in-depth analysis of music because people just enjoy it and it’s entertaining. That’s why I don’t talk about it a lot because I feel it makes me sound a bit snobby.

But I love those conversations I have with other people who also went to school. Unless you’ve done it, it’s kind of hard to understand. One day, I would still like to pursue that. I want to write for film. The first thing I ever wanted to do was write music for movies. Steve is really into that as well, so who knows, maybe we’ll do a movie one day.



SM: Favorite classical composer?

TJ: I really like Debussy. I like singing his music.



SM: Can you give all of your zombies a hint about your Substream Instagram Takeover?

TJ: Are you ready to meet Bertha up close and personal? (laughs.)



SM: What’s your biggest accomplishment with TND?

TJ: We have done so much and come so far from where we were I feel like our biggest accomplishment is the “Never Look Back” video getting six million views. That’s insanity. I don’t think any of us thought when we were filming it that it would get that huge, and because of that, we’ve got so many more opportunities, bands are finding us and fans are finding us. It’s done more for us than anything else and we’re very proud of it. It was a very natural, organic process creating that video. It came to us and we had a blast doing and it felt like this was exactly how it was supposed to be. When you’re not trying too hard and you’re having fun with your friends, all dressed up in zombie makeup filming in your basement, look what you can do with that. We’re extremely proud of that and that we were able to achieve that success with honest, minimal effort.



SM: What is your ultimate goal with this band?

TJ: I just want recognition, and I feel like that biggest way to get recognized is to win a Grammy. I’ve thought about it since I was a child, because to me, that’s what someone give you when they say we respect you as an artist. You know, paying the bills with it, that would be another form of success to me because then I can say, this is how I make my living. Being able to do music full-time.



SM: Are you excited for the Instagram Takeover?

TJ: I just wanted to thank you guys to interview us and do the Instagram takeover. I remember we met you guys at Warped Tour. You guys were one of the first magazine we were in, my Mom has three copies of it. We just wanted to thank you because you’ve been there for us and we’re excited for Tuesday.



SM: Thanks for talking with us TJ! I’m excited for Tuesday!

TJ: Thank you guys!



Check out The Nearly Deads Substream Instagram Takeover on March 4th!



TOUR DATES

Mar 07 – Chicago, IL @ Fearless Radio (Live Acoustic, 4pm CST)

Mar 08 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cream City Skatepark**

Mar 09 – Steger, IL @ Another Hole In The Wall*

Mar 11 – Muskegon, MI @ Port City Tavern*

Mar 13 – Dillsburg, PA @ The KRUX*

Mar 14 – Allentown, PA @ Planet Trog*

Mar 15 – Sicklerville, NJ @ JumpZone*

Mar 16 – Baltimore, MD @ House of Rock*

Mar 17 – Springfield, VA @ Empire*

Mar 18 – Newark, DE @ Mojo Main*

Mar 19 – Harrisonburg, VA @ The Blue Nile*

Mar 20 – Elizabethton, TN @ Bonnie Kate Theatre*

Mar 21 – Aiken, SC @ HIC Skatepark & Warehouse*

Mar 28 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom***



*w/ It Lives, It Breathes

**w/ Lost In A Name

***w/ Halestorm



http://www.thenearlydeads.com/

Facebook: /thenearlydeads

Twitter: @TheNearlyDeads

Instagram: /thenearlydeadsofficial - Substream

hotographers Karen Mooreside and Bob Brunner were on hand to catch the action during The BraveHeart Tour, featuring Stitched Up Heart and The Nearly Deads. Check out the photos below.

The Nearly Deads vocalist Theresa Jeane said, “I absolutely love Seattle. We got to do a photo shoot at Pike Place Market with Bob Brunner and it was so much fun! Me and Mixi got to take some pictures together. She’s such a talented singer, a great performer and just an overall nice person to be around. We totes have girl crushes on each other!”

Stitched Up Heart Vocalist Mixi said, “Sorry boys and girls, TJ is mine. We have already planned our wedding and when we are going to adopt our children together!”

Stitched Up Heart will release their new EP, Skeleton Key, on May 20. The Nearly Deads will release their debut album, Invisible Tonight, on June 24. - Revolver

The Nearly Deads are gearing up to release their highly anticipated debut album, and we're proud to premiere its first single, "I Said." Listen to the PureVolume exclusive stream of the defiant piano-driven anthem above.

"'I Said' is a song I wrote when I was still sleeping in my van every night," vocalist Theresa Jeane aka TJ confesses. "This song goes way back for me. I wrote it at a time where I was fed up with being held back by guys I was dating, and I realized that I was strong enough to go it alone. I used to play this song in my old Tampa, FL band, Blondes Not Bombs. I was listening to a lot of Something Corporate at the time. When I combined forces with The Nearly Deads, this was one of the songs we had to make our own."

And what a good choice it was. The Nearly Deads just kicked off their "Braveheart" Tour with Stitched Up Heart. Check out tour dates below. - PureVolume

Check out this Wayne's World inspired video from The Nearly Deads for their sweet-sounding new track "I Said". This is the first single off their album 'Invisible Tonight', available everywhere- June 24th, 2014! Party on Garth! - Roxwel

When The Nearly Deads' lead singer Theresa Jeane (aka TJ) is done with a relationship, she really means it. The singer's punk-pop foursome recently dropped their debut record, Invisible Tonight, and the lead single "I Said" has TJ insisting she's never, ever getting back together with the guy in question. We can see ourselves borrowing the line "I see the way you're lookin' starin' at me / Like I'm some kind of girl who follows boys around the world" for our next Instagram lyric post.

In the pic above, you can see Theresa writing out the lyrics to "I Said", where she's added her personal touch with some eye-popping pencil work. Seriously — she's got killer doodle skills. To see the handwritten lyrics to The Nearly Deads' "I Said" in full, look no further:


Read more: Check Out These Doodle-Tastic Handwritten Lyrics From The Nearly Deads | MetroLyrics - Metro Lyrics

We are proud to announce the winners of the fuse/Sonicbids 'Unsigned on Demand' series. Their music videos will air this month on Fuse on Demand in the Rock, Urban and Exclusives categories. - Fuse on Demand

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With its mash-up of grunge and punk noises, and a distinctive homemade aesthetic, The Nearly Deads have created a space for themselves within North America’s music territory. The Nashville band is made up of Theresa Jeane (vocals/keyboards), Steven Tobi (lead guitar), Kevin Koelsch (bass), Javier Garza Jr. (rhythm guitar), and Josh Perrone (drums). The band made its move from Florida to Tennessee not long after forming. The Nearly Deads have been touring non-stop since then, gathering a hefty fan-following affectionately referred to as a “Zombie Nation.” The band has also received its share of accolades along the way, including victories in a Converse Battle of the Bands competition, and the John Lennon Songwriting contest. In addition to that, they have managed to become increasingly involved within North America’s festival circuit. Vans Warped Tour and Summerfest are among the coveted gigs. The Nearly Deads continue to achieve success with various write-ups on music-based online publications such as Revolver, PureVolume, AltPress, Absolute Punk, and even a #14 spot on Billboard’s Next Big Sound Chart. They have also had their share of airplay on a growing list of broadcasts that includes MTV Hits, BlankTV, and Fuse. The music video for their song, “Never Look Back” quickly collected millions of views, serving as just a sampling of what their debut album, Invisible Tonight, had in store. - JBTV

The Unsigned Top Ten. The Nearly Deads, Fact and Friction - Alternative Addiction

In this episode of Bus Invaders, the alternative rock band, The Nearly Deads, take you on a tour of their van during “The Survival Tour.” You can watch the video, after the break. - Digital Tour Bus

THE NEARLY DEADS: INVISIBLE TONIGHT
Arise, zombie nation—the new Nearly Deads record is about to break loose, and it’s coming for you!

Actually, the latest music from front woman Theresa “TJ” Jeane and company has little to do with the undead. To the contrary, Invisible Tonight is filled with full-of-life high-energy rock ‘n’ roll. For example, break-up song and first single “I Said” is a tune more likely to warm your heart than eat it.

That doesn’t mean the band hasn’t spent time feeling like they’re stumbling around looking for life, though.

“We’ve been through a lot of changes as a band over the past year, and at some points I found myself wanting to give up,” said Jeane. “I felt like people wanted me to be invisible and that my voice wasn’t being heard. Instead of letting it break me down, I turned the experience into something positive with the lyrics for Invisible Tonight.”

Expect more positivity when the band hits the road behind the new album later this summer. Invisible Tonight drops on June 24.

- See more at: http://www.campuscircle.com/review.cfm?r=19758#sthash.hrbWF446.dpuf - Campus Circle

Originally formed in Tampa, Florida, before relocating to the music mecca of Nashville three years ago, The Nearly Deads emit polished grit. Led by the gripping vocal embrace of Ms. Theresa Jeane, her classical training is evident in the power and range of her voice, while her pop and punk influences shine through in her lyrics and captivating melodies. Matching her emotional countenance with a potent combination of agility and sensibility, guitarists Steven Tobi and Javier Garza Jr, along with bassist Kevin Koelsch, layer her fertility with a sturdy cloak of conductivity. Imagine Kelly Clarkson flicking the wick of My Chemical Romance. Imagine Shirley Manson holding Foo Fighters ransom. Imagine dragons, smashing pumpkins. Let your imagination soak in the burgeoning realization of new found glory.
On ‘Survival Guide,’ the band’s most-recent six-song Ep, producer Jon King (Augustana, 3 Pill Morning, Darling Parade) helped guide the band to fully unleash their immersive cohesion. Ingesting the elegant dynamics of “Fact and Friction, ” the fragile invincibility of “Changeover,” the raw rancor of “Reasons,” and the intoxicating empowerment of “Brave,” one quickly realizes that The Nearly Deads are modern masters of the ascension of tension, coloring their palette with elastic splashes. With a deft adeptness of effervescence, their songs elicit bristle with an infectious sizzle. Evidence of this lightning-in-a-bottle phenomena coalesce in the band’s watershed anthem, “Never Look Back”. Armed with a Zombie-infused music video, that skyrocketed past 6 million views, NLB finds TND scratching the surface of a sound, and a movement, that is dotting the eyes on the horizon.
From record to stage to the written page, The Nearly Deads continue to amass wide-spread critical acclaim throughout the industry. Crowned victors in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and a Converse Battle of the Bands competition, the band has received significant airplay on MTVu, FUSE, BlankTV, Vevo and YouTube, achieved glowing features in Alt Press, ARTISTdirect, Outburn and Substream Magazine and rose to #14 on the Billboard Next Big Sound Chart.
The Nearly Deads are hitting their stride. Get ready for the thrill ride of your life! Jason Price of Icon Vs. Icon recently sat down with The Nearly Deads vivacious frontwoman, Theresa Jeane, to discuss her musical roots, the history and meteoric rise of the band, her evolution as an artist, new music and much more!
Theresa Jeane
Theresa Jeane
We always like to start at the beginning. How did music first come into your life?
That is a great question. When I was a kid, there was always music in the house. My Dad is a bass player and always had bands playing in the basement. We grew up listening to the Beatles and a lot of Crosby, Stills and Nash. Actually, my sister and I used to learn the harmonies and sing and harmonize with each other when we were kids. That is where it all started!
If you were to narrow down the list, who would you cite as your biggest musical influence?
Since we are talking early, early influences, I have to go with Billy Joel. I am a piano player, so hearing that kind of music really inspired me to write my own music. I have been writing with piano since I was very, very young; maybe four or five years old. As soon as I could reach the keys, that is when I started playing and I always wrote my own music!
They say music isn’t for the faint of heart. What made you take the plunge and led you to pursuing your passion as a career musician?
That is so true! I tell people all of the time that it is a very odd choice to make. When you actually get into it, you think “Why would people actually want to do this? There is so much disappointment, rejection and competition. It is just something you learn very quickly if you want to do it or not. Moving from Tampa to Nashville was a big “thrown to the wolves” situation for me. In Nashville, everyone is so talented and competitive. You have to commit 100%. If you can get past that initial shock, it becomes easy. For me, I had regular jobs my whole life where I worked retail, worked in fast food, waited tables, worked in an office and I hated every moment of everything else I have ever done! [laughs] Nothing makes me happier than singing and playing music! I think everyone deserves to follow their passion and to live their dream of enjoying what they are doing because the most important thing in life is to be happy. I just couldn’t do the traditional route because it never made me as happy. Even though there is a lot of hard work and disappointment involved, it will be worth it in the end.

How did you first connect with the other people in the band and what lead to the creation of The Nearly Deads?
For The Nearly Deads, we kind of met in Tampa. I was doing my own thing. I was a music major at USF. Steve Tobi and Cory Walen, our original drummer, were in another local band. We had mutual friends and I had a band at the time too. We all played around town and kind of knew people who knew each other. I went to see them play one night and they said “This is our last show! We are moving to Nashville. We want to do this and make it happen!” I was just a fan and said “That sounds pretty cool.” I was just kind of getting over Tampa and I wanted a change. I liked the idea of Nashville, so since we were all friends, I just kind of moved in with them. Their original singer was the whole mastermind behind moving to Nashville.
TJ of The Nearly Deads
TJ of The Nearly Deads
As the months kept going by, this guy still hadn’t moved up. Everyone else had changed their whole life to do this Nashville thing but the singer bailed on them, basically. They were trying out new people and holding auditions where people wouldn’t show up. I said “Look guys, I know you aren’t female fronted but let me try out for the band. I really love your music and we could make something really cool out of this.” The rest is history! I was a little timid at first because I realized I was stepping into the band thing but as soon as I started taking the reins, bought in some of my influences and changed the music around a little bit to fit them for my voice a little better; everything changed very, very quickly after that. We met up with Jon King in Nashville and he helped us record our first EP. Everything went pretty quickly from there. A lot of people don’t know that we are kind of a pieced together band. They had a name when I joined but a lot of people don’t know that there was originally a male front person, way, way back. On the first EP, we even have one of their old songs, “Special.” It was completely their old song but I changed all the lyrics and melody to it.
Tell us a little about the other people in The Nearly Deads and what they bring to the table for a project like this?
Steve and myself do all of the songwriting together. Sometimes he will write the full song and I will write lyrics. Other times, I will write the full song and lyrics and he will learn the guitar part. It is a give and take. For me, I can tell which songs I have written and the songs he has written because they have different influences. I think that makes us a more diverse band because we go back and forth with the songwriting. We found our bass player, Kevin Koelsch, on Craigslist. He showed up to audition and we were like “Who is this guy?” [laughs] He has never messed up or played a wrong note in his life. That is why he got the gig! If I don’t notice you messing up at all because you aren’t messing up, you’ve got the gig. [laughs] He is just so talented! He has a lot of the punk influences that I do. I like a lot of punk music and Steve is a little more progressive in his writing. I am always trying to simplify. I have Kevin on my side in that aspect because he loves the old punk stuff and he also loves metal. We also have a new rhythm guitar player, Javier Garza. He was a mutual friend who came to the table. He has a great stage presence and is also a super talented guy who doesn’t cause problems! [laughs] It’s no secret that we have gone through some members. Every band does that in their beginning stages where they go through a couple of people before they find the ones. People change, grow, get married and move on and we have had those things happen. I feel like now, this is our core and we will be the band until the end of time.
The-Nearly-Deads-2014-5
When you made the jump from Tampa to Nashville, how did it impact you as an artist and a band?
It has influenced us all in the most positive way imaginable. It is the best choice we ever made. Obviously, had we not moved, I wouldn’t have been in the band to begin with. When we started going to shows, we were blown away and thought “Holy crap! We need to practice and get better!” Everybody here is so mega-talented and spot-on. It’s not just the songwriting; it is the performance aspects of the show, the flow of the show, how tight you are as people and as a band. Everyone was so good that, in a way, it really made us buck up. Being in a smaller town, like Tampa, you don’t really get that competitiveness. If you are a bigger band in the area that brings a lot of kids out, you could feel like the best band in the world but as soon as you go to Nashville or Los Angeles, you realize you are a small fish in a big pond.
TJ and furry friend.
TJ and furry friend.
Becoming unique was more important to us than anything else because there are so many other musicians in the game. We also made so many connections, industry-wise, in Nashville in such a short amount of time. It would have taken us so much longer had we stayed in Florida. In Tampa, there isn’t a record label on every corner; there aren’t managers, producers and people all over the city with their eyes open. We met Jon King by playing with our friends in Darling Parade. They were some of the first people to give us a show in Nashville. They introduced us to their producer and he has impacted us in so many great ways. Meeting him means everything to us because he was the guy behind the “Never Look Back” video; he helped us co-write some of our songs and helped introduce us around town. The video was so successful and our songs sound great because of him. Meeting him was definitely one of the best things that ever happened to us.
Getting back to songwriting for a moment, do you have a typical process you use to bring a song to life?
I think my process varies for every song. I generally don’t start with lyrics; I just start with the music, whether it is a chord progression or a chord structure. Then I get a melody and fit words to that melody. A lot of people write lyrics first and then the music to fit it but I don’t work that way. If Steven [Tobi] is writing one of the songs, I will take it and lay it out on the piano and then start chopping it up and moving things around. I might move something around like the arrangement and try to put our own spin on things.
Where are you in the process of creating new music, What is the band looking at both short and long term?
We recently have been in the studio. We are planning to release a full length album. We have been working on it for a really long time. It has probably been about a year. The songs have been written and we have been playing a lot of them live, so people are itching for this album. Because of a bunch of things we have been through, we weren’t able to put it out. It is definitely going to be coming out in the next couple of months. It is already recorded. With that said, I write music every day. It is ongoing and it never stops with me. As far as recording, we are getting ready to release our first full length album and we are super excited about it! We love the songs and we love the music! Be on the lookout for that very soon.
TJ Rockin' The Stage!
TJ Rockin’ The Stage!
What do you consider the biggest challenges you faced in bringing this highly anticipated album to life?
Coming from an independent, DIY background, you are used to being able to call the shots. That created a lot of challenges for us. The label released “Survival Guide,” which we are very proud of and love “Brave,” “Changeover,” “Never Look Back: Reanimated,” and a lot of people love it, but after telling people for so long that we have a full-length coming, we didn’t release a full-length. Long story short, we weren’t really growing in that relationship, so we decided we wanted to start to move on. It was a long process, but we are happy to have gone our separate ways, and will always thank them for the opportunities they have given us.
This is really the first time we are even really talking about this situation. This is the first interview I have done where we have discussed this. [laughs] We definitely grew and learned a lot from it. We got two new, really great songs out of it. The whole growing experience impacted the songwriting quite a bit because now we have a lot to talk about. We lost two members, we parted ways with our label and we weren’t happy, so we made so many changes last year. We are so ready to be out on our own again and are so thankful all the fans have stuck with us this long! We just can’t wait to get this music out there to them, start touring and doing what we want to do again because now we are able to.
We learned a lot about the way the industry works, what we want and what we don’t want. That is the only way to look at it. We were talking about the industry earlier and what makes someone want to do this; stuff like we just mentioned can really discourage people. There were definitely times when I was like “I give up! I can’t do this anymore! It’s so stressful!” but we powered through. We couldn’t let it make us lose our momentum!
The-Nearly-Deads-2014-10
What can you tell us about this full-length album?
There is a song on the record called “Invisible Tonight.” It is about, to me personally, it is about me coming into my own as a front person of a band. I had never done that before. I had been in band where I had a piano and a drummer. It was very Dresden Dolls like and I sat down the whole time. Coming up from behind the piano, coming into my own and taking charge was a challenge for me. For me, owning it and saying “I am the front person of this band!” is a lot of responsibility. “Invisible Tonight” was the feeling I get when I feel like people would rather have me be invisible as a female. That is how it felt sometimes with all of the competition making me think about giving up. Sometimes when I was up there performing, I felt I would rather be invisible and thought “You know what? Let other girls make it and not me because it is so hard.” It is kind of a back and forth kind of song.
As you mentioned, you will soon be embarking on a tour. What are you most looking forward to there?
Theresa Jeane
Theresa Jeane
It has been almost a year since we have toured, so more than anything, I am looking forward to playing music every night, night after night. That is what we live for and love to do! Being around my band mates twenty-four hours a day is something you think you wouldn’t look forward to but I actually do! I love my band! [laughs] We love to travel and be on the road playing music every night! It actually feels like we are accomplishing something. There can be a lot of around in between touring where you think, “Oh, What am I doing with my life?” When you are actually on the road and meeting kids every night, talking to people and playing music that is impacting people, it makes you feel like you are actually doing something with your life!
In addition, the first day of the tour is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We will be playing Cream City Skatepark. There is a charity in Milwaukee called The Hunger Task Force. They set a place where you can donate food and it is a cool way to get people to give back with very little effort. That will be happening and we are excited to be a part of it!
How has following your dream to be a musician impacted you and how have you evolved along the way?
That is a good question. Having the career is something that I just recently started to do because before, like right after college, I was working a day job. It wasn’t something that was necessarily a hobby but I could see I wasn’t able to give it as much time as it needed. It was so stressful going to work all day, being exhausted at night, having no energy to write music or having any inspiration to write music. I was stuck in the whole paycheck to paycheck cycle and had bills to pay. It was doing a disservice to the music that way.
When The Nearly Deads started taking off and we had our video go viral and started playing more tours, I knew I needed to move to part-time so I could focus more on the music. Even after doing part-time work for such a long time, I knew even that wasn’t working and knew I had to dedicate 100% of my time to it or I would never be successful. I just took a leap of faith. It is something you have to make yourself do. It was so hard to let go of the regular paycheck of the regular job. I have had such support from my family and band mates, who believe in me, our talents as a band and what we have going on, it has been an easy change. I have been able to dedicate so much more time to it and I feel we have achieved a lot more in a lot less time because of it.
You can definitely serve as a terrific inspiration to aspiring musicians looking to blaze their own trail in the music industry. What is the best piece of advice you can pass along to them?
The Nearly Deads
The Nearly Deads
I love that question. Usually, I hear from people who say “I want to start my own band.” There are two different answers. For people who want a career in music, the first piece of advice is always to practice really hard and be really good. That is always first and foremost. Be really good at what you do, own it and love what you do. You have to be talented, that is a given. Never give up! Perseverance is a huge deal in this industry. So many people give up that you want to be the one who doesn’t! You can’t or you will never make it. For people who want to start or join a band, another thing to remember is that it is so important to find people you like being around, who vibe with you personality-wise fit and like your style of music because otherwise it can lead to so many problems down the road. Problems can arise from being in close quarters, from songwriting or people wanting to go in different directions. It is important to find people you like being around. People can practice, improve and get tighter but what you can’t change personalities!
You mentioned the dedication of your fans. Is there anything you want to say to them directly as they anxiously wait?
I just want to say thank you for always listening, always supporting us, having our backs and caring about what we do. Truly, we would be nothing without them! We know we owe everything to them, especially since it has taken us so long to get new music out! It just blows my mind how people are still interested in us!
It is definitely exciting to talk to you at this point and hear about all the things you have going on! We are looking forward to spreading the word! Thanks so much for you time!
That sounds awesome! Thank you so much, Jason!
Be sure to connect social with The Nearly Deads on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. Interact with Theresa Jeane on Twitter at twitter.com/MissJeane44.


TOUR DATES
Mar 07 – Chicago, IL @ Fearless Radio (Live Acoustic, 4pm CST)
Mar 08 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cream City Skatepark**
Mar 09 – Steger, IL @ Another Hole In The Wall*
Mar 11 – Muskegon, MI @ Port City Tavern*
Mar 13 – Dillsburg, PA @ The KRUX*
Mar 14 – Allentown, PA @ Planet Trog*
Mar 15 – Sicklerville, NJ @ JumpZone*
Mar 16 – Baltimore, MD @ House of Rock*
Mar 17 – Springfield, VA @ Empire*
Mar 18 – Newark, DE @ Mojo Main*
Mar 19 – Harrisonburg, VA @ The Blue Nile*
Mar 20 – Elizabethton, TN @ Bonnie Kate Theatre*
Mar 21 – Aiken, SC @ HIC Skatepark & Warehouse*
THE NEARLY DEADS ARE:
Theresa Jeane – Vocals/Keys
Steven Tobi – Guitar
Javier Garza Jr – Guitar
Kevin Koelsch – Bass - Icon VS Icon

Today Nearly Deads singer Theresa Jeane (TJ) tells us about the song "I Said" the lead song from their brand new album "Invisible Tonight," which was just released late last month. Here is the story:
Years ago, I used to be in a band called Blondes Not Bombs back in Tampa, FL. I was heavily influenced by The Dresden Dolls, Something Corporate, and Fall Out Boy... The band was just me on piano and my friend Tommy on drums. We used to call it "the most fun two people can have sitting down"! Around that time I had also ended a bad relationship. I was enjoying single life, kind of dating around and feeling like myself again. It can be a very empowering time for a woman to leave someone who has been holding her back. "I Said" is not just about the break up, it's also about the dating scene and how people can play games and break hearts almost for the fun of it.

I was in college, and a regular couch-surfer at the time... sleeping where I could, crashing in my minivan "Bertha" some nights, and waiting 'til payday so I could get gas money to drive home. I used to spend a lot of time at my friend Ethan's house. He and I used to play gigs at a local coffee shop called Sacred Grounds all the time. It's safe to say I played or hung out there at least once a week. One day while jamming out, I remember showing him "I Said", with that constant, driving piano melody, a nod to my Something Corporate influence. I had a few lyrics for the chorus, but I was still working it out. After the first octave-jumping line "And I Said", I had the melody, but no more lyrics. I was showing it to Ethan just on "la la la" or something. And he said "it sounds like you should say 'we're over we're over' and I stuck with it!

It became my break up anthem, and an account of my times dating guys who played the field. I thought I had them all figured out! Aren't we all just a bunch of crazy kids out there breaking hearts? But, the funny thing is, and the moral of the song... is that the lifestyle still leaves you all alone. "It gets YOU nowhere" (verse one) "it gets ME nowhere" (verse 2).

So, "I Said" became the song Blondes Not Bombs was known for. Tommy eventually got married and started a family, and soon I was itching to get out of South Florida. I had met Steve Tobi and our original drummer Cory Walen through their band, Dangerflight. They were planning on moving to Nashville from Tampa to get more exposure in the music business. They knew me from mutual friends and also from playing gigs around town - so they knew the song "I Said". Long story short, I tagged along to Nashville and the bands eventually joined forces. I became the front-woman, and years later when we started working on "Invisible Tonight", "I Said" was still stuck in everyone's heads. We turned it into a full band song, and breathed a life into it that I never could have imagined all those years ago in the coffee shop in Tampa.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself as you watch the video here and learn more about the album and band right here! - AntiMusic

THE NEARLY DEADS are a Rock/Post-Grunge band from Tampa, FL (now located in Nashville, TN). They’re on the cusp of a breakout and Ampkicker is here covering this awesome group with a featured interview with singer Theresa “TJ” Jeane. Keep your ears open for these hard-hitting, un-dead-loving, straight-up-rock-and-roller’s new single “I SAID” – to be released April 8th! This will be the first single from their new FULL LENGTH album due out Summer 2014.

Comprised of:
Theresa Jeane – Vocals/Keys
Steven Tobi – Guitar
Javier Garza Jr – Guitar
Kevin Koelsch – Bass

For Fans Of: My Chemical Romance, Evanescence, Taking Back Sunday

BIO:
Nashville-based alternative rock outfit The Nearly Deads are primed and ready to explode. The band has created a buzz of their very own, mixing the polished pop vocals of singer Theresa Jeane with the aggressive grunge-inspired instrumentals of Steve Tobi, Cory Walen and Kevin Koelsch. The Nearly Deads have managed to create a truly unique genre that not only gives a nod to gritty grunge, but brings it back in a way never heard before. Imagine Kelly Clarkson as front-woman of the Foo Fighters.

After years of extensive DIY touring and appearances at notable festivals including Summerfest, Journey’s Backyard BBQ, and The Vans Warped Tour, The Nearly Deads are excited for everything to follow. Their second EP, “Survival Guide”, is available now, and the band is currently working on their first full length to follow. What makes The Nearly Deads so likable is not just their undeniably catchy songwriting, but the fact that they are down to earth and passionate about what they do. “Survival Guide” is available at iTunes, Amazon and other fine digital retailers.

Have a listen while you read out interview!

"I SAID" - NEW SINGLE OUT APRIL 8TH

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Thanks TJ for taking the time to do an interview with us! Lets get started –

1. It was mentioned that you’re “classically trained” as a vocalist. When did that start and was it your own ambition The Nearly Deads - TJthat led you to that, or your parents?

My parents have always been supportive of my choices when it comes to music. When I first went to college, I had already been songwriting and singing, and I just wanted to keep getting better. I always wanted to write music for film, and my parents encouraged me to take composition and orchestration. I had to pick a principle instrument in order to get my Composition degree, so I chose voice. I think my older sister was more of an influence on me, because we were always involved in musical theatre together when we were young. I didn’t start taking serious vocal training until college.

2. Word is that you’ve already completed recording a new album. What can you tell us about the place you were in and the mood of the new songs compared to your current EPs. When can we expect the new album?

The new album is going to be amazing. We have a little more punk and grunge influence this time around, and I think we’re finally settling into our sound as a band. The songs and the lyrics are always somehow about the journey we’re on as a band, and specifically me as a front-woman. We’ve been through a lot as a band in the past year, and there are many events that have made me question myself. I think it’s important to show people that everyone goes through moments of insecurity, and that it’s OK, and a normal part of life. We’re all in this together!

3. From inside of the band, how do you gauge your success as you release music? (After -currently- over 6 million youtube views of ‘Never Look Back’) Have you witnessed an increase in attendance at the live shows compared to before the video was released?

Honestly, being happy with what we’re doing and being able to continue to do it is how we gauge our success. We’re in this because we enjoy it and we love to play music. We had no idea that Never Look Back would hit 6 million views, we just had a blast making that video. As long as people come see us at our shows, we consider that success. We have seen a huge increase in our fan base and most of the kids who come to see us have only heard about us because they stumbled upon our videos online. It’s been the best thing that’s ever happened for us – we can’t wait for the next video to come out!


4. Do you ever feel ‘Nearly Dead’ from touring and being on the road? How do you find an escape from being in close quarters with the same people all the time and does it ever cause turmoil between the members?

We love touring! You have to love the life and know what you’re getting into. It’s not for everyone. Sometimes you sleep in your clothes on the floor. Sometimes you’re sleeping in the van in the freezing cold! The bottom line is that we all get along. We’re like best friends. We have changed members a few times because some people just flat-out don’t enjoy being on the road. It’s all about finding the right crew that’s down for anything at any moment. We have had some of the best experiences and met some of the best people on the road. We’ve also had our sketchy moments where we’re not sure what the hell we’re doing! We have family and friends in a lot of places who will offer up their homes for us to stay the night, which is the best. We always get welcomed with open arms. As a girl, I always take time to make sure I get a little me time. My bandmates are really supportive of that, they’ll let me take the bed or the couch or shower before everyone else. I actually take time to put perfume on and paint my nails so I don’t get lost in the shuffle and forget to be a girl! You’ll often find me drinking hot tea after shows when everyone else is partying, too.

5. What would be in your “Survival Guide” for new bands looking to get out there? What are some key lessons you’ve learned (personally or professionally) since the inception of The Nearly Deads?

Play music that you love, with people that you love! You have to have the right crew. Only work with people who are positive and bring you up and enjoy what they’re doing. There’s no reason to waste anyone’s time trying to force someone into a life they don’t really want. It always eventually leads to problems, and those people will eventually move on to something that makes them happy. You also want to make sure you take care of yourself, especially as a vocalist. It’s really hard – I want to party and have fun with my dudes, but it can really wreck your voice to do that every night. So you need to remember to get plenty of sleep, eat as healthy as possible when you’re on the road, and drink lots of water.

6. With so many DIY bands making their own music – since you’ve been there and left – what do you think would be the motivating factor/benefit for bands to sign to a label?

There can be many benefits to signing to a label, you just have to make sure it’s the right time for your band, that you’re ready for it, and that you understand that you’ll still be doing a lot of work yourself. It has to make sense from a business and an artistic standpoint. From our experience, we weren’t growing in our relationship, and coming from a DIY background, it was hard for us to hand over our control. If we were to sign again, it would have to be the right timing and the right circumstances. We are happy to be 100% independent again!

7. What does the tattoo on your inner wrist say and what was the inspiration for it?

It says “take it easy”. It’s something I say all the time, and it serves as a reminder for me when I need to chill out. I think everyone should just take it easy and enjoy life!

TND TJ8. If you never joined up with the band and still lived in Tampa, what (besides music) would have been your #2 dream job?

I’ve always been pretty artistic and creative, so I think maybe I would have ended up becoming a makeup artist. I love makeup, I’m super girly about it actually, and I love how it makes people feel about themselves. I’m also super intrigued by fantasy and special effects makeup for theatre and film, so I think I would have loved to pursue that as a career.

9. The zombie apocalypse comes and the undead are breaking down your door. You can only grab 5 albums to listen to before you make your escape. Which 5 albums would you pick?

Cursive – The Ugly Organ
The Used – The Used
Brand New – Deja Entendu
The Distillers – Coral Fang
Etta James – At Last

10. Currently what’s the most played song in you iTunes library?

Probably ‘National Anthem’, “Radio” or “Summertime Sadness” by Lana Del Rey. I’m currently obsessed with her.

11. I heard you were a huge Palahnuik fan, especially Fight Club. What’s your favorite quote from Fight Club and why?

“You met me at a very strange time in my life” – This sums up everyone’s life. In one simple statement. It’s always a strange moment in my life. I just think it’s the most beautiful line and the most beautiful scene in the film.
I am obsessed with Fight Club. I can quote the movie front to back and I pride myself on my trivial knowledge of the film. Palahniuk changed my life, showed me it was OK to be a little on the dark side. I have so many favorite quotes, it’s hard to narrow it down to just one. - AmpKicker

The Legal Green Room webshow kicks off in just TWO WEEKS! And what better way to premiere than to get loud – with 4 of the leading ladies in the emerging rock artists scene: Mixi of Stitched Up Heart, TJ of The Nearly Deads, Chastity Ashley, and Lucy Levinsohn of Evolove. We’ll sit with the ladies in-studio in Los Angeles for a round table on the legal aspects of do-it-yourself bands and what its like being female for these next generation of singers in the music business.
Until then, be sure to connect with the ladies and their bands below, and send us questions that you’ve got to have answered!
https://www.facebook.com/MIXIOFFICIAL
https://www.facebook.com/theresa.jeane
https://www.facebook.com/chastityashley
https://www.facebook.com/lucylevinsohn
Band pages:
https://www.facebook.com/StitchedUpHeartRock
https://www.facebook.com/thenearlydeads
https://www.facebook.com/officialbeautyinthebreakdown
https://www.facebook.com/evolovetheband
- See more at: http://www.legalgreenroom.com/upcoming-guests-ladies-roundtable-with-mixi-tj-chastity-and-lucy/#sthash.qEWNHBgz.dpuf - Legal Greenroom

Nashville band the Nearly Deads are all tangled up in zombies. Hundreds of thousands of them, actually, and they’re loving every minute of it. It all started when the band decided to make a zombie-themed video for their song “Never Look Back,” a song that originally appeared on the EP “Survival Guide” and that has been reimagined for “Invisible Tonight,” the band’s new full-length that’s scheduled to drop on June 24. The video got millions of views, adoring fans proclaimed themselves Zombie Nation, and knowing that they were hungry, the Nearly Deads released the single “I Said” to tide Zombie Nation over until the album comes out. That of course led to … more zombies! The indie rockers are led by Theresa “TJ” Jeane, a powerful vocalist who’s drawing comparisons to everyone from Pat Benatar to Shirley Manson. TJ took a few minutes out from leading the zombie uprising to answer a few questions about the making of “Invisible Tonight.”

The Nearly Deads "Invisible Tonight" album cover
Courtesy of the Nearly Deads
Zombies aren’t generally known for carrying cash but Zombie Nation ponied up so that you could make “Invisible Tonight.” Tell me about your decision to use crowdfunding and how you felt when your goal was reached.

We are so grateful to our fans for their undying (pun intended!) support! We are the luckiest band in the world to have so many amazing people who believe in us and who want to help us succeed. We made the decision to use Kickstarter after we mutually separated from our record label. We weren't growing in the relationship from an artistic or business point of view and we are extremely happy to be 100% DIY once again. Crowdfunding is this amazing way to let people become a part of what we do. They know the money is coming directly to us, they believe in what they're supporting, and they get really cool exclusive stuff in return. Being independent is expensive. You have to pay for everything from artwork to recording to manufacturing and packaging; basically a whole bunch of stuff no one ever realizes or thinks about. Without a label to front you that money, it all has to come from us. We are overwhelmed by the response we've had from our fans, both with our Kickstarter and our previous Indiegogo campaign last year. We love them, and we truly couldn't do this without them!

How did the whole zombie tie-in come about?

Our video for "Never Look Back" started it all. It was the brainchild of our producer, Jon King. Literally, he said "we have to do a zombie music video!" and came up with the whole concept on the spot. We filmed it in my basement, covered our friends with fake blood, and had a blast making it. Once it started to go viral we started getting loads of new fans because of it. The "zombie" label basically organically grew out of the love the fans have for the video. And, obviously, it kind of goes with the whole 'nearly dead' thing we have going on!

The Nearly Deads went through some rough times prior to the making of “Invisible Tonight.” Can you tell me about a couple of the obstacles and how you overcame them?

We definitely had an interesting year. We were on a label, and then off one. Our hands were tied as far as decision making went. We sat around, didn't tour, didn't make any moves…we felt like we were fading. We had two members decide to leave the band. I personally felt lost and had my moments of just wanting to give in. However, after months of hard work on behalf of our entire team, and a new manager, we made it through. We got back on our feet thanks to the support of our fans! Their hunger for this album and new music from us, and the fact that our numbers keep growing and growing showed us that this band meant something to somebody. There were people out there who needed us and still wanted us to succeed. We found two new members who are absolutely amazing, and fit right in as if they were meant to be with us all along. A lot of the material on "Invisible Tonight" is about that struggle, about feeling anonymous, about losing your voice and losing your way, especially as a girl. This record is my way of saying "Hey, this is hard work! I'm insecure sometimes too, but watch me admit it, own it, and then turn it into something positive.” I hope people listen to the lyrics and realize that everyone has times like these.

Nashville is becoming more and more known for its rock acts but do people who haven’t heard your music assume that you’re a country band? What drew you to the city?

To be honest, most people who haven't heard us assume we're like a hardcore metal band. It's a case of mistaken identity with the name The Nearly Deads. It's supposed to sound punk. However, we do get a lot of people who ask if we do country being from Nashville, and it doesn't bother me at all! It's a conversation starter; people are so curious about the Nashville rock scene. We originally decided on Nashville because of all the music industry hubs; it was the closest and most affordable option. It has done so much for us; we've met so many bands and made so many connections that we wouldn't have made as quickly if we had stayed in Tampa where we started.

Fans of a certain age or those who have a familiarity with classic rock radio are going to draw comparisons to Pat Benatar. Can you yourself hear that, and would the similarity be a coincidence or an actual nod to an influence?

I'll take it! I love Pat Benatar. I’m a classically trained vocalist and I would definitely say she is an influence. She has one of the strongest, most recognizable, still relevant and iconic voices in the world and I am beyond flattered if someone were to draw a similarity there. I have worked hard, I take care of my voice, and I have a lot of pride in that.

The band made a cute lyric video with cats for initial single “I Said.” If you’re planning to shoot a regular video for the song, how are you gonna top the feline version?

We have filmed a full music video for "I Said" and it's going to be pure Nearly Deads. Goofy, over the top, and hilarious! We had a tough act to follow with "Never Look Back" getting almost 7 million views, so we had our work cut out for us. We seriously can't wait for everyone to see it!

The ‘reanimated’ version of “Never Look Back” on “Invisible Tonight” has a very different arrangement from the version heard on the album’s precursor, the “Survival Guide” EP. What made you re-cut the tune for the album?

We really wanted an acoustic song, and we wanted to showcase my piano skills. So many bands do acoustic guitar arrangements for their big singles, we thought this would be more unique. With all the success of the music video, we thought "Never Look Back" was the best choice for a song. We also love how this version paints an almost sad, lost, desolate picture, and makes the lyrics that much more meaningful. "Never Look Back" is what you jam when you're killing zombies in the apocalypse; "Never Look Back Reanimated" is what's playing when you realize you're the only one left alive and everything you know about the world has changed. I've only performed it live once at our “Survival Guide” release party. I'm sure it will come back at future shows.

Okay, the apocalypse has come and you are really a zombie. What’s on your agenda?

I'm gonna say if I became a zombie I'd be like the guy from the movie "Warm Bodies.” I would immediately start looting and collecting things and making my own little zombie home.

Visit the official Nearly Deads website - Examiner

Originally from Tampa, Florida, before relocating to the music mecca of Nashville three years ago, The Nearly Deads emit polished grit. Kid-tested and mother-approved, the band are masters at crafting modern anthems, universally relatable, yet with reverberations that run deep. Emo flows with punk rock bravado. Songs are grungy, yet full of melody. It’s fact and friction. It’s a canon that demands your attention. Stir in “take it easy” positivity, kitty cat playfulness, kindness, love for one another and a passionate desire to be the best and it’s a solemn recipe for majesty.

From record to stage to the written page, The Nearly Deads have amassed wide-spread critical acclaim. Crowned victors in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and a Converse Battle of the Bands competition, the band has received airplay on MTVu, FUSE, JBTV, Vevo and BlankTV, been featured in Absolute Punk, Alt Press, Outburn, PureVolume, Revolver, Rock Confidential and Substream and rose to #14 on the Billboard Next Big Sound Chart. They’re alums of Vans Warped Tour, Summerfest and PrideFest and have shared bills with Halestorm, All-American Rejects and Tonight Alive. - DyingScene

t is April 13th 2014 which means it is time to announce the next 'Song of the Week'.

"Nashville, Tennessee based alternative rock outfit, The Nearly Deads, are primed and ready to explode. The band has created a buzz of their very own, mixing the polished pop vocals of singer Theresa Jeane, with the aggressive grunge inspired instrumentals of Javier Garza Jr (guitar), Steven Tobi (guitar) and Kevin Koelsch (bass). The Nearly Deads have managed to create a truly unique genre that not only gives a nod to gritty grunge, but brings it back in a way never heard before."

Originally from Tampa, Florida, The Nearly Deads exploded into the music scene in early 2010 with their post grunge/punk sound. And, since then, they have gone on to release two phenomenal EPs.

Their first release, a self-titled EP, was put forth to iTunes on March 21st 2011. Then, twenty nine months later, on August 20th 2013, the band released their second [incredible] EP, titled Survival Guide. And, the first track found on Survival Guide, titled Brave, is the song earning this week's 'Song of the Week' spot right here on Basement Entertainment's official website.

Beyond this band's addicting and unique sound, one thing is pretty clear, the band is comprised of four insanely hard working individuals. And, with the success The Nearly Deads have had thus far, it is obvious they know what they are doing.

The band's first official music video, for their song Never Look Back, has already received [well over] six million views on their official Youtube Channel since being released in October of 2011. Infact, all of their videos are constantly expanding in views, daily.

"After years of extensive DIY touring and appearances at notable festivals, including Summerfest, Journey's Backyard BBQ and Warped Tour, The Nearly Deads are excited for everything to follow. Their second EP, Survival Guide, is available now and the band is currently working on their first full length album to follow."

With strong influences of the Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, Taking Back Sunday, No Doubt, Billy Talent, and countless others, The Nearly Deads have certainly discovered their perfect sound. So, of course, with their unbelievable talent, rapidly expanding fan base and overall success, it is evident that this band will be continuing to take over the music scene all around the world. And, their song, Brave, has absolutely earned this week's Song of the Week' spot.

You will want to make sure you continue to follow The Nearly Deads as their first full length album is due out sometime this summer. However, while we all wait for that time to come, why not check out a lyric video made for this week's 'Song of the Week', Brave, found on their Youtube Channel, here:

See you next Sunday when we announce the next 'Song of the Week'. But, before then, catch up on The Nearly Deads and be sure to pick up a copy of their latest EP, Survival Guide. - Basement Entertainment

This is issue #19 of BURST Magazine featuring James on the cover. - Burst Magazine

TJ, she's a keeper. Her rhinoceros thesaurus must be filled to the brim with a piping hot cornucopia of onomatopoeia. - 1888 Media

We are proud to announce the winners of the fuse/Sonicbids 'Unsigned on Demand' series. Their music videos will air this month on Fuse on Demand in the Rock, Urban and Exclusives categories. - Fuse on Demand

"They sound as if they’ve been playing for many years, due to the talent each member has. The Nearly Deads has power behind their music, which I can see them having much success. If you haven’t heard any of their songs, then I suggest you do so.” - Outside the Dial (Underground Rock Radio)

You may think “kid punk band” but we say anyone who can give a message of leaving fear at the door with the Zombies is worth a watch. The video shows that these kids have talent and skills. Don’t believe us? Peep it for yourself, yo: - Zombie Zone News

Interview by: Wellington Gibson

Q: What do you want your fans to take from your music?

A: (Steven) “I want our music to be that CD you pop in when you need a pick-me-up. I hope people can have fun and sense the passion we have for making music. Don’t take us too seriously.”

(TJ) “I love it when someone really gets the meaning of my lyrics. I want people to be able to relate to what I have to say. I really want to be there for people like music has always been there for me. I also want our fans to rock out and just have fun when they’re listening to us!” - The Wellz Street Journal

http://singeruniverse.com/competition-winner-82-123.htm#morebestvocalists - singeruniverse

"Theresa Jeanne is the daring vocalist/pianist of the group and I must say I loooovvvveeeee her voice! The moment I pressed play my ears opened up and I was very alarmed, but in a good way." - The Cryptic Beauty

"Theresa Jeanne is the daring vocalist/pianist of the group and I must say I loooovvvveeeee her voice! The moment I pressed play my ears opened up and I was very alarmed, but in a good way." - The Cryptic Beauty

Their self-titled EP in March 2011, and it's a solid alt-rock album, thoughtful lyrics, great musicianship and Theresa Jeanne's vocals are captivating. She's got an extremely strong vocal presence and has just enough of a bite to her voice to keep things interesting - Break off the Chains - Indie Music Rules!

Overall, I LOVE the album. TJ’s vocals remind me so much of Kelly Clarkson, and the band is destined for great success. Like similar bands Paramore and Flyleaf, it’s destined for critical acclaim in the near future. It also has the likability of bands like Lady Antebellum, Skillet and The Band Perry, bands that have written their own music and later appeared on the Hot 100 chart on Billboard.

I HIGHLY recommend this album to all of you - http://writerjonbeam.tumblr.com/rss

Welcome to the first show of May. I hope you enjoyed our favorite songs of April. It was a damn fine month of new music. Shall we see how May is stacking up? - All Things Next