About this interview
In a 2009 interview with Ryan Minic of Ryan's Rock Show, members of Torche—Steve Brooks, Rick Smith, and Jonathan Nuñez—discussed their experiences as a band, their creative process, and the realities of touring.
The band shared their thoughts on receiving critical acclaim, with Brooks noting how positive reviews helped validate their efforts, even influencing family perspectives on their careers. While they appreciated the recognition, they admitted they didn’t dwell too much on reviews, preferring to focus on making music they personally enjoyed.
Reflecting on their rigorous tour schedule, the members recounted their recent stint with Harvey Milk, describing it as an incredible experience that wrapped up a long year on the road. They emphasized the importance of taking breaks to recharge and write new material, revealing plans to step away for a month before starting the creative process for their next album. A key goal for their upcoming record was to ensure that every track was playable live—a departure from their past approach, where some songs were crafted solely in the studio and never performed on stage.
Discussing their evolution as a three-piece, the band mentioned that they had already written two new songs, one of which would be featured on an upcoming split release with Boris. This marked their first-ever split, and they were particularly excited about the unique artwork being created for each format of the release, including CD, vinyl, and cassette editions.
The conversation shifted to their experiences on the road, highlighting the ups and downs of touring. They recounted a particularly challenging tour where they were paired with a band that didn’t align with their usual audience, resulting in difficult shows and a noticeable lack of energy from crowds. In contrast, they cherished playing alongside bands they genuinely admired, such as Harvey Milk, Boris, and Capsule, where they could enjoy the performances as fans themselves.
They also shared bizarre tour stories, including a surreal incident where a woman urinated on the dance floor during a show in Miami, as well as numerous unexpected fights outside venues, including a brawl involving a pitchfork in Washington, D.C. Touring, they explained, often meant encountering unpredictable situations—sometimes hilarious, sometimes exhausting.
The members detailed the financial challenges of being in a band, explaining that they frequently stayed with friends or slept in the van to cut costs. Unlike past tours where they relied on hotels, their most recent run was a budget-conscious effort, reinforcing the sacrifices required to sustain a touring lifestyle. Despite the hardships, they expressed gratitude for being able to make a living playing music, even if it wasn’t always financially secure.
On the topic of record labels, the band discussed their stance on major labels, expressing skepticism about the necessity of signing to one. They viewed major labels as glorified banks, noting that unless a band needed substantial financial backing for large-scale productions, signing to a major label wasn’t essential. Instead, they preferred working with labels like Hydra Head, where they had a personal connection with the team and greater control over their music.
The discussion also touched on the ever-changing music industry, with the band noting the oversaturation of bands in the digital era. They contrasted the challenges of breaking into the scene in the past—when touring was more difficult and recording required saving up for studio time—with today’s landscape, where anyone can record and release music instantly online. While they acknowledged the accessibility of modern technology, they believed that the organic rise of bands like Nirvana was a rare phenomenon unlikely to be replicated in the same way.