This month we sat down with These Days, a five-piece Alternative/Indie Rock band that has been calling Gemini home for two years. Read about how they got started, what they are working on, and the practice tips that have helped them get tighter as a band.
Name of your band?
These Days
What does the name mean?
We spent a long time coming up with names but nothing stuck. Then one day we were shooting the shit and kept saying “kids these days…” and thought that would be fitting for us with our music. We write a lot about current day situations as well as relationships in the modern age so These Days felt right.
Who’s in the group?
- Eddie Merk — Lead Guitar and Vocals
- Jaime Templeton — Drums and Vocals
- Reece Maxon — Keys and Vocals
- Jordan Templeton — Bass and Vocals
- Jacob Gisler — Rhythm Guitar
How did you guys meet?
Jordan and Jaime are brothers and grew up together with Jake while Reece and I have been playing music together since high school.
How long have you been together?
We have been together almost two years now and just started releasing music at the beginning of this year.
What genre of music would you consider yourself and who are your influences?
Alternative/Indie Rock would probably fit us best. We love 60s and 70s rock like the Allman Brothers, Queen, Beatles, and Beach Boys — we are big harmony guys. For more recent artists, some of our main influences are Oasis, Turnover, Twin Peaks, Peach Pit, and Young the Giant.
What is the best advice you have been given about playing music?
If you are writing songs because you think it will make you money, you are writing for the wrong reasons. Write music because that is how you feel and you need to scream and yell to get those feelings out of you.
What are you working on right now?
We have an EP that came out November 13th. Other than that, we are working on more songs for hopefully an album in the near future.
What practice tips help your band rehearsals?
One thing that has really worked for us is having some sort of agenda with our days at Gemini. We like to mess around for about an hour and jam, but for the second half of practice we try to run through all of our songs at least two or three times each. It has really helped us get tighter and more comfortable, and made recording a lot easier.
Pretending you are playing a show is helpful too. It seems a little strange going all out at practice, but it really helps when it is actually time to perform.
How long have you been at Gemini?
Eddie has been at Gemini for about four years and our band has been here for two years. Definitely one of the best investments we have made — otherwise we would still be annoying our neighbors in a garage.
Where can you listen to These Days?
- Spotify
- Apple Music
- All other streaming services
Follow These Days on Instagram
