Hi my name is Buddy Nielsen the singer for Senses Fail.
 
Your new record “The Fire” is now released. Do you want to tell us a little bit about the album?

Well, I am very happy with the results. We worked very hard on the record and people seem to like it.
 
How was the feedback from the press and your fans?

I think the feed back as been really really good.
 
Did anything change in your sound since the last record?

I don't think to many things have changed with our sound, we might have gotten a little bit heavier. I just think that this record has an overall energy about it that the last one didn't.
 
Are you happy with the final product?

Yes 100%
 
What are the main topics of your songs? Does the album have any concept?

I don't know if the record has a solid concept but I do feel it deals with a common thread throughout it, one of self-realization through struggle and finding balance in yourself. The main topic for me was to cut through a lot of the issues I have struggled with for years and shed myself of them.
 
What is the inspiration for your lyrics? Do you digest any personal feelings or experiences in it?

Writing lyrics for me is always deeply personal it is like a therapy session when i write. I look at the myself from an objective point of view and try to disect the issues that are in front of me or that I have buried inside.
 
In the meantime Senses Fail is very popular and you played a lot big tours, like Warped Tour or Taste Of Chaos. Do you like this tours or do you prefer small clubshows?

I much prefer club shows because they are more intimate.
 
Meanwhile you also played with a lot of bands. Are there still bands you want to share the stage with?

Yes I would love to do a full tour with Thursday because we have only done warped with them.
 
Do you have any idols or musical influences from other bands?

Bad Religion, Blake Schwarzenbach
 
What do you think about:
 
vegetarianism/veganism: Healthy
 
straight edge: I am for whatever makes someone happy as long as they understand that not everyone shares their point of view.
 
animal rights: 100% for all animal rights. 
 
Now the popular Gretchen-question: Do you believe in god and what do you think about christian bands?

I believe in karma and the idea that there is a universal consciousness. I do not subscribe to the idea of a judeo-christian one god concept or that god is a just, unjust or spiteful being. I think there is something much more to life than just life itself and that is our experiences and our interactions with others. I do not dislike christian bands but I dislike spreading any message that doesn't not preach equality for all. I sometimes would love to be able to believe that God has a plan for me and I understand the comfort people can find through prayer and the belief that God is in-control but I just cannot get past the archaic nature of any of the three western religions. They are all so very similar and stem from the same mythology yet cannot seem to even begin to understand each other. I am no expert on any of this and these are just my opinions.
 
What is your opinion about the fashiontrends that found their way into the hardcorescene?

I am not a huge fan of any fashion trend but there is no point in getting upset about them because they by definition are just trends and will pass.
 
What do you expect from the future of Senses Fail and what can we expect?

Tour, tour, tour