unsignedunleashed:

Barely Blind are one of our featured unsigned bands of 2011 and a band on the cusp of greater things. We recently had the chance to ask Reid Guidry (bass) a couple questions on the band’s relationship with TDR Records, their recent move to California, and their new album, Wilder Child Of A Thousand Suns which can be downloaded for free here. Check out what he had to say below!

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For the record, will you state your name & role in the band? 

Reid Guidry - Formerly guitarist, but recently switched to bass. 

You guys choose to release “Wilder Child Of A Thousand Suns” on your own and for free. How did that work out for you and would you recommend that to other bands?

In the state that the music industry is in today we felt like paying for our own album and releasing it on our website for free was a much better option for us. Rather than seek a label to put out the material and sale to our fan base, we decided to give the music to the people who enjoy what we do and let them spread it around and encourage people to get into it. 

The album (which is amazing) definitely takes on a more carefully constructed tone compared to “My Life As A Giant” which was packed with energy from start to finish. What’s the main difference between how you went into creating the album compared to earlier releases?

When we wrote “Wilder Child of a Thousand Suns” we definitely were trying to put ourselves outside the box. We wanted to capture a unique sound and I think we did that. It’s a wild ride if you listen to the new album from front to back. We definitely put a good solid year writing parts and ideas for our new album. Some songs like “The Great White Buffalo” we spent years working on. I remember playing that song on tour over a year before we recorded it. Another difference is we spent a total of 9 days straight recording WCOATS, only stopping to sleep and eat, which consists of 10 songs, whereas with “My Life With a Giant” we spent over 2 weeks recording 7 songs. 

Which song off the new album means the most to your personally? 

My personal favorite is track 5 “Wilder Child”

How would you describe your relationship with TDR Records?

Our relationship with TDR Records and owner Mike Hollins is and will always be very amicable. Mike loves music just as much as we do and he was one of the first people to not only believe in us, but invest in us. We’ve spent many days in the van with him, sleeping on floors, and eating his mom’s famous mostacholi. He will always be respected and viewed as a true friend.  

You guys made a pretty big decision as a band and moved from Texas to Los Angeles, CA. What prompted you to take that leap and how has it been working out for you so far?

After touring for about 3 years and putting out a few EP’s we knew we were approaching the next chapter of Barely Blind. We wanted to record a new album, but we also wanted to try something completely new and fresh. In December of 2010 we were in Los Angeles, performing at NACA West, and while we were in the city we all decided that we wanted to live here. As we trekked back to Texas after the convention, we began planning how we would make this dream come true. 9 months later we released our album for free and moved out here.

What are your goals and aspirations for the rest of this year and 2012?

As for the rest of the year we plan to announce a project that will lead us in to 2012. It too is also something we’ve never done before, so i’m excited to see how it will pan out. We can’t wait to use some of the resources that we are now surrounded in. Living in a city like this with all the ideas we have floating around makes the band feel so new and fresh. It’s a great feeling.

What has been your favorite album of 2011 so far? 

Honestly i’d be lying if I told you I had a favorite, but i’d say the ones that got my attention where: Foo Fighters - Wasting Light, Yuck - self titled, Jay-Z and Kanye West - Watch The Throne, Lil Wayne - Carter IV 

Thanks for your time! Any exciting news for fans to watch out for?

Like I said earlier, we’re going to be announcing our next project very soon. Big thanks to everyone who has supported us over the years!

-Interviewed By Briana