Versus The Wake is a duo acoustic band from Long Island New York. They were born a year ago with the mission statement to help and inspire all to achieve personal bests in confidence, determination, grit, passion, and overall well-being amidst the tensions of our current world. With both band members overcoming hardships in different areas of life, respectively, they feel compelled to help others in areas of need beyond the scope of our professions’ reach, through music. "Music allows us to meet all different kinds of people and connect to their stories at a deeper level," Andrew said.
Andrew is a 28-year-old teacher and has been playing guitar for as far back as he can remember. He can also play the ukulele, bass guitar, piano, and a little bit of drums.
Kevin plays guitar and is a 27-year-old police officer. He has been playing for quite a while, as well.
Versus The Wake is an acoustic based and their sound can range from softer soothing melodies, to a more edgy rock inspired feel. They feel feel they captured that on their debut EP “Time Will Tell”. "We are excited to show an expansion of our musical dynamics on our next album 'What If Became What Is' coming this April," VTW said.
What is the meaning behind the VTW name? "We are about not letting the metaphorical waves of life drown you but to fight through them and come out of a discouraging hardship triumphantly with your head held high. I think a lot of people can agree with the old cliché that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and we think there’s some element of truth to that as well," Andrew said.
VTW's favorite song in ideology is "A Lesson In Self-Loathing", whereas their favorite song to play live is "What If Became What Is", which they will be releasing a new video for at the start of 2017 on their YouTube channel. It is also the title track to their new album they are releasing on all digital platforms in April.
Their songwriting process is very interesting. According to Andrew, he is definitely a thematic writer, and considers central ideas and overarching messages prior to writing specific lyrical lines. "Big motivators for me are emotions such as anxiety and fear. At my core I am a philosopher, so I’m always thinking deeply; it’s a button I can’t flick off. Once I have an emotion in mind, I try and consider the sound that would portray that emotion. From there, I begin writing down phrases and ideas that feed into the overall theme and mood I’m going for, and if it starts to work out great, if it doesn’t, onto the next. For me it is easier to compose music first and fit a story to the music rather than the other way around. I know for Kevin, he is very analytical and takes his time writing pieces before showing them to me. What he doesn’t know is that my dog hears all of my songs before he does!" Andrew said.
The show with their largest audience was a talent showcase in Chelsea, Manhattan that took place over this past summer. There were a few hundred people there and it was a fun show to play. Both Andrew and Kevin had a quintessential moment in which they felt their message had been well received. "When an entire crowd of a few hundred people are singing along to your song, it can be a humbling experience. We actually posted up some footage from that show on our Instagram page but the clarity of sound is muffled because the crowd was singing along so loudly, which is a good thing!" VTW said.
When off stage, you can find both Kevin and Andrew at work. "What’s spare time? We don’t know what that means!! There’s work and there’s VTW. There’s a level of satisfaction in knowing that your sacrifices can lead to someone else’s happiness. I think we both are workaholics and perfectionists because we not only enjoy what we do and realize its importance for others, but we want to do the best job possible every time out of the gates. This is the idea that spawned our first single 'Pursuit of Perfection'." Andrew said.
2017 will be an interesting year for VTW. They are building their Youtube page by posting many music videos this spring, which will lead into their new album release in April titled “What If Became What Is”. They are both excited and embracing the uncertainty of it all.
"The purpose of VTW in its entirety is to create a positive and lasting impact that can proliferate uplifting change, motivation, and inspiration for any of our listeners. The task becomes a daunting one when balancing a career, however, it makes it worthwhile when we get messages or stopped on the street about how our music has helped someone deal with a rough time. It certainly has helped me face demons and move on from things. Just the other day I was recognized walking through the city by a complete stranger. Not only is it humbling to hear others’ stories and connect as people but I just find it fascinating that people find me interesting enough to approach! In five years if I am recognized for something connected to VTW, I would welcome that conversation just the same," Andrew said.
VTW is easy to reach via social media. It's their predominant form of communication and outreach, but they always find themselves meeting new lifelong friends at shows frequently. VTW's Instagram page has been the most useful tool for outreach; however, they also have Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube page, where they post all of their music videos.
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