Today is a very exciting interview for me because I am actually a fan of this up and coming band myself. They are just a bunch of great guys and the music they’re putting out is very exciting compared to what you typically hear on the radio. So without further ado, here is our interview with The Dear And Departed!

EpicBull: A big hello to The Dear And Departed! I know you guys currently reside in Orange County, CA but please tell our readers more about your story and where you actually originate from.

The Dear And Departed: Good evening. Well actually since i moved to LA about a year ago, its really only Darren that flys the OC flag now. Jimmy and Cortney are both from Philadelphia, but will be back and forth soon. More back than forth actually. We are a party mix of place names.

EB: I know you’ve played the Vans Warped Tour and have toured with many bands from Avenged Sevenfold to AFI, do you envision The Dear And Departed heading out on your own headlining tour sometime soon or have you done it already?

TD&D: Yes we did do that a couple of years ago. It was a great thing to be a part of and we met some cool people. It’s a very unique tour, and as cool as it was, I think we suit clubs a lot better. I’m excited to start touring again, but with filming LA Ink until Sept/Oct, I’m not sure when we will be able to. We have been very lucky to tour with some great bands and it would be great to do it again. Especially with AFI, they’re good friends and we had the best time ever touring with them.

EB: Any specific memorable tour moments that come to mind?

TD&D: Most definitely the whole AFI tour. Every show, we were embraced by their awesome fans and it was just the coolest thing. It was also in the winter and was snowing through a lot it. I love the snow so much. Driving is always amazing slash petrifying at the same time. Fireworks wars and 8 people in a hotel room to top it off.

EB: Your debut album “Something Quite Peculiar” came out in 2007, are you currently working on your sophomore CD and does it have a name yet?

TD&D: We JUST finished recording our new EP “Chapters” with Paul Miner and Chad Gilbert from New Found Glory. It was easily the most fun and exciting time I’ve had recording and we all couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. We are doing an EP/ 7inch/digital download and its going to be released as soon as possible actually. We also just signed to Equal Vision Records so its a very exciting time for us right now.

EB: How exactly would you describe the sound of The Dear And Departed?

TD&D: Hmm, always such a hard question to answer. I’d say we have a fairly English sound. Poppy new-wave, indie, darker at times. One song off the new EP I imagine playing when someone fleeing a scene on a old motorcycle and riding through an explosion. Another is someone with a runny nose in a basement with the lights off. So diverse!

EB: If you could go on tour with any band past or present, who would it be?

TD&D: Man….Just one? Picking a band from the present would for sure be harder. I think I’d pick my friends bands…or Placebo or Coldplay or something. There’s too many to choose just one, but both those bands I think we would fit with, and obviously the shows would be massive! Touring through Europe and the UK with bands like that would be great.

EB: You’ve had quite a lineup change in the last few years, how have your fans been accepting of that?

TD&D: Well, we were pretty solid for a while, but life is funny at the best of times. People change, things change. It’s ok, it happens. The band has always been my passion, so I knew i had to figure out a way for everyone to be happy. The main lineup change happened a fair while ago now and we have been writing with Jimmy and Cortney for over a year, so we’re just excited about whats been going on since that. When everything feels good, it really makes a big difference. The fans have been amazing, certainly. I mean, if a singer of a band leaves, or main songwriters, then I can understand fans being let down. In our case those didn’t leave.

EB: Well thank you for talking with EpicBull, we appreciate it! Do you have any final words for our readers?

TD&D: First and foremost thank you for your time. I guess this is where you shamelessly plug all the avenues of communication….here goes.

Links to find out more about The Dear And Departed:
http://www.myspace.com/thedearanddeparted
http://www.twitter.com/dearanddeparted
http://www.dansmithtattoos.com
http://www.twitter.com/dansmithunknown

Or you can watch their video for “Tonight’s The Night” right here: