Meet Tony Francis of Sweet Eve

Initially formed in 2008, Sweet Eve are Hollywood hard rockers with national touring experience under their studded belts. The band has a guitar heavy slightly experimental alt-rock sound that's just on the pop side of being all-out metal. Flying V-wielding front man Tony Francis has a straight-across-the-plate rock voice and belts out the songs while Andre Silva intertwines hooky lead sequences over the bombastic rhythms of drummer Alex Fox and bass player Leo Roriz. Sweet Eve has recently finished recording their debut album and it will be available soon. In the meantime check out the live footage of the band performing "Kings and Queens" at the legendary Whiskey A Go-Go in Hollywood.

Check out Sweet Eve on ReverbNation. Our interview below is with Tony Francis.

1. What inspired the formation of your band in 2008?

My last band broke up when we moved to California and I wasn't finished making music.

2. How has your sound evolved during the process of working together for several years now?

The longer you are working and writing, the more techniques and styles you learn which aids the writing process.

3. Do you mostly do shows in the greater Los Angeles area, or do you tour elsewhere as well?

We're on tour now. Texas this weekend and the rest of America in the next few.

4. What's your songwriting process like?

It's not locked down to anything. Songs just pop into my head. It could be a riff or a lyric.

5. If you could tell our readers anything about Sweet Eve, what would you want them to know?

We're really grateful for our fans. You guys keep us going even when it feels like the world is trying to stop us.

Thanks, Tony!

Meet Rylei Franks, Singer, Songwriter, and Musician

Rylei Franks is a singer and songwriter living in Soap Lake, Washington who was previously in a band called Solution Zero. He split from the band to write his own songs in a different genre. Rylei is 24 and can play the piano, saxophone, and guitar. Keep up with Rylei's latest on Facebook and ReverbNation.

1. What's it like living in Soap Lake, and how does your environment influence your songwriting?

Soap Lake is a small town but with an amazing view. With lots of little places to escape to, I feel Soap Lake is one of the best towns if you want to write. People spend a lot to have the kind of retreat I get every day.

2. When did you first start learning to play an instrument, and do you have a favorite instrument to play, or do you enjoy all three equally?

I started playing piano at 10 years old; it wasn't my favorite instrument to learn in the world, but it taught me how to read music and understand how songs can be created so differently. I'm best at playing the saxophone, but my favorite instrument to write songs on is the guitar.

3. Do you feel a big difference between being part of a band and working on your solo projects?

There are some good things and bad things about being in a band as a part of going solo. I miss the camaraderie, and when writing a song, having someone who is skilled with that instrument makes it easier to create complex songs. Being solo I find it harder to write musically challenging songs because I have to be able to perform them on stage, so playing and singing which can be difficult. The one good thing is only having to worry about yourself. I took on the manager roll in the band which took a lot of fun out of it.

4. How would you describe your music to people who haven't heard it yet? Does it fall into a particular genre and/or have connections to other artists that people might recognize?

I describe my music as Indie acoustic rock. I try to write songs that tell life stories; they're not always chart toppers, but they're real about real life as well. If I had to describe myself by comparison with another artist I would say Thriving Ivory for the lyrics and voice, with Ingrid Michelson's melodies and instrumentals. Every once in a while I dabble into other genres like the feel of Never Shout Never as well.

5. What are your goals for your music over the next couple of years?

I truly want to be a songwriter. Right though my goal is to travel and try to make a name for myself. I want to share my music with anyone who will give a listening ear to my songs. Anything that leads to a musical career would be great.

Thanks, Rylei!

Meet Billy Ulrich, Musician, of Post Trauma

Post Trauma is a Jagermeister Sponsored band from Fullerton, California that plays a blend of Country and Rock music, known to its fans as "California Country." Check out their music on ReverbNation and YouTube, and keep track of their upcoming gigs and album releases on Facebook and Twitter.

Billy Ulrich is a musician and songwriter who, in 2011, used the money he'd been saving in his vacation fund to build a music studio in his house. He's a health care practicioner by day, a rocker by night, and a full-time dreamer.

1. For listeners who haven't heard your music yet, how would you describe it?

Our fans have been calling it "California Country." I think that's because the songs are very focused around storytelling, but there's also a lot more Rock edge than you'd find from mainstream Country coming out of Nashville. It's very much music for regular people who go to work, people who like to have a good time, and people with a sense of humor. "Country Music for Democrats" is another term that's been flying around. I'm not sure why, since there is no political content in our record.

2. Do you have plans to tour soon in California and elsewhere?

We'll be getting up and down the West Coast this summer, and with a little luck, a national tour could be on the horizon soon.

3. How did you become a Jagermeister sponsored band, and what are the perks of this connection?

We've always had a taste for Jager Bombs and had several songs with Jager shout outs before any of this came about. "Nightshift" on our recent release is one of them. Some of the perks of being a Jager Band are that they send us co-branded merch, like guitar picks and shot glasses, that have both Post Trauma and Jagermeister logos on them. We've had the Jager Girls out to a lot of our concerts, too, which makes for a good time. We got to hang out backstage at the last Jagermeister tour, and man, what an experience. Being part of the Jager family has definitely become part of our identity.

4. What made you decide to produce Sleepless as half of a double album, and when will the second half be released?

I had about 25 songs that I felt were really good and needed to be recorded, but they had a wide range of styles. Some of them had a lot of twang and a sense of humor, while others were dark, introspective Hard Rock. So rather than speculate which ones would come out best, I thought it better to just record them all, and then after they were all done, I'd be able to pair up the songs that flowed best together without worrying about genre. It was a risky undertaking that tied us up for a year, so I feel very fortunate that my band mates were up for the challenge and trusted that my vision would someday come to life. Something like this could break up most bands out there.

Dreamless (part two of the double-album) is actually completely done and just sitting in my computer until May. It's a little darker and more on the Rock side. "Sleepless" has more sense of humor, and more Country. It has been getting great reviews, and I'm sure that when Dreamless comes out, our fans will understand the full picture.

5. How have sites like YouTube and ReverbNation helped you get the word out about your music?

YouTube has been especially helpful with getting our music video "Get Up in the AM" seen. It has around 10,000 views right now--and counting. We've had quite a few fans tell us at our concerts that they discovered us through the music video. We have another one on the way in just a few weeks, so I hope it will get the same overwhelmingly positive response. ReverbNation is great for connecting with other bands, especially as a Country Rock band in California. There aren't too many of us out here, so we have to stick together.

Thanks, Billy!