The Music and Money column is back again -- this time with Portland, Oregon heavy metallers Splintered Throne! The band released The Greater Good of Man in August
2022 to rave reviews in underground circles. Guitarist Jason "JMo" Moser (top right) took a few minutes to give us some insight behind the scenes...
Tell our readers all about your band! Where are you from and when did you get started? What is your music like?
We are Splintered Throne, an American traditional heavy metal band inspired by the greats of the NWOBHM, Bay Area Thrash, and just good ol’ metal! We have been around since around 2007 in the Pacific NW of the USA. Our music has been described by critics as: “perfectly arranged metal songs that truly shine with variation," "tasty riffs, blistering solos...It is honestly one of the better metal albums churned out by the US this year, and definitely worth checking out for every heavy metal fan out there," and “memorable melodies, heavy riffage, and high-energy performances, this album reflects myriad influences ranging from Power Metal, Melodic Hard Rock , and Bay Area Thrash .”
What are your goals for your band?
Have fun, make friends, and play some amazing shows with other great bands.
What do you do for a living?
This band runs the gamut from a professional blues singer to an IT tech at the VA to a Safety Engineer at a factory to a Signal Programmer for the county to a person working with people in Recovery. And then we all meet on the weekends to play metal.
How do you balance your work and personal life with the band?
Speaking just for myself (JMo), music in general is my therapy and escape from the day-to-day grind. I work to live, not live to work.
What do you consider to be the best investment you've made, music-wise? A PR company for the last release! C Squared Music. That and my Hughes and Kettner head.
What's the worst or least helpful thing you've ever spent money on as a musician/band?
T-shirts from a guy in the Seattle area who super flaked on his commitment for shirts, and then lied to me about the order, shipping, and just everything in general whole time I kept (and at the time of this interview request) and are still asking “WHERE ARE OUR SHIRTS???”
What kind of merch sells the best for your band? And what do you purchase most often as a music listener?
Our Lady Throne shirts sell out every time we do a run. Usually within a show or two. As a music listener, it’s a tossup between shirts and CDs.
Can you share some tour budgeting tips?
Share gear with your touring bands, a one-axle trailer if crossing toll roads, and getting a free meal at the club for each member in the rider for each show.
Which online music or social media platforms are most helpful to your band?
Bandcamp. Especially Bandcamp Fridays.
What does "making it" mean to you, and what do you think a band needs to make it in 2022?
Making it means we can all quit our day jobs and make enough coin to support mortgages, families and retirement. Sadly, I don’t think many bands will ever “make it” to that level -- unless you live on the road, have no family at home, and like baloney and hand sandwiches. So for us, “making it” in 2022 (and 2023 and beyond), means being able to make music, put it out for those to enjoy, and play out regionally and maybe beyond without costing an arm and a leg. I would say by that definition, we are super close!
That's a worthy aspiration and I'm sure one that's within Splintered Throne's grasp. Connect with the band at the links below:
PS: Check out our interview with Splintered Throne frontwoman Lisa Mann here.
Interview and band photo courtesy of C Squared Music.
To learn more about budgeting, band finances, and more, order Money Hacks for Metalheads and Old Millennials in paperback and ebook formats: https://amzn.to/3lCsFdq
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