The Pleading SPEAKS

1.What is the name of your band and how did you come up with it? ​ ​The Pleading:
​ as the lyricist, I had noticed that much of my writing, being extremely personal and introspective, was written as a search for acceptance, not from anyone else, but, from myself.  Written as a plead for mercy from the judgement that I had cast upon myself all these years.  Hence, our music is The Pleading for self acceptance and forgiveness. 

What is your name and what do you do for the band?  ​Jon Cease Owens (Cease) - Vocalist/Lyricist.  I also handle our web/social media profiles.

2.Tell us where you are based and describe the scene. How do you think where you are located influences your sound.


  ​The Pleading is based out of Middle Tennessee - Clarksville (4 of 5 members) and East Nashville (myself).  The scenes of the 2 different locations varies widely.  With Nashville, the scene is mainly Country/Western & Singer/Songwriter.  Clarksville, though country is widespread, the music scene relies heavily on heavier metal and hardcore. Having said that, The Pleading does not fit into either scene entirely.  We have heavier music, but, we also have acoustic based songs.  We are not a scream-core band, and have a vocalist who can actually sing.  Our lyrics are very important, and are performed in a way that they remain easily recognizable and written in a way that people from varying backgrounds can relate, even if not experiencing what actually inspired their composition.  We do not aim to write any specific genre or style, and do not limit ourselves.  If something arises in our writing, we want to be honest to ourselves and run with it, regardless of style. 

 3.Who influences your sound that would surprise people?​  This would highly depend on which member you are referring to. 

 Some members are more into heavier metal and hardcore, some are into classic rock and others into more mainstream and popular music.  A list of bands that are the main influences to different members range from Gojira to Queen, Floyd to Zeppelin, Mastodon to Soen.

4.Are you endorsed by musical companies , if so who , and if not who would you like to be endorsed by?​ 

 We do not currently have any endorsements.
 5.When you started what was your ultimate goal? And how close to the goal are you now?

​  Our goal has been to write and record music that remains true to whom we are.  If we make money, great, if not, that was never the goal.  However, we would like to reach out to as large an audience as possible, whomever they are, whatever they are struggling with, and encourage them letting them know that they are not alone, that they are worthwhile and that
they are worthy to be loved.  With every gig, every listen, every download, we are closer to that goal.

6.In today's digital environment it takes creative strategy to keep things moving. What creative ideas do you have to keep your band relevant over time?​  

Our creative process is not constrained by genre limitations.  We allow ourselves to experiment as we will, to continue to mature and grow musically as we do personally.  We have been experimenting on moving from physical music/cds to digital only presentations and downloads in our marketing, and for the time being have decided to encompass a mix of both.

7.We've all seen a terrible live band that is awesome on CD. Is that cool with you or do you lose respect for bands that cannot pull it off live? 

​ On a personal level, not speaking for anyone else in the band, I lose respect for bands that are horrible live.  I don’t mind using creative means in the studio, as long as you can continue the feel, emotion and essence of the music live.  Having said that, I do not like bands who use pre-recorded tracks, or programming in order to pull off their music live.  I want to see a band play. I want to experience their abilities. I can listen to a recording of their music at home.

8.Tell us your “core” are you Metal , Rock , Punk , Pop etc because people just have to categorize these days you know?​ 

 I would classify us as hard rock, aggressive rock to be more specific.  We tend to be heavier than many in the standard Rock genre, however, I do not consider us hardcore/metal at all, even though many have placed us under that classification.
 

9.This is a tough question but a very real reality, Is your band actually talented or just popular? Many bands make it with a cliche or publicity stunts etc. Would you accept fame even if it was just because of being the “ in” thing or is it actually important to you that you gain favor with talent?​ 

 Again, on a personal level, if fame were gained, I would want it to be based on the content of our music/lyrics and not based on a gimic or because the style we play is the “in” thing.  I love having an audience that can become “one” with the music, who can take what we are playing/singing to heart, and who will experience it on an emotional level.

10.Tell us what to expect from you live. Nothing is more boring than watching bands stare at the floor and bob their heads to music nobody but the band knows. What can your band offer in a live setting that people will remember? 

​ I would like to think that our live show is an intense/emotional experience.  We are definitely not a “hype” band. We do not jump and down telling everyone else to jump up and down.  We want the audience to experience the music on their own terms, but, in our performance, we are very intimate with our music.  It is not uncommon for me to get emotional when talking about a song, or describing what inspired it. Audiences have seen me stand tall, and collapse in tears.  Nothing is out of bounds.
 11. What releases have you put out , When will we see something new? 

​ In December of 2016 we released our debut album, “Decay”, which was a self produced 11 song album.  In the Summer of 2018, we released the single “Sabbath”.  Fall 2018 saw the release of the single and
our first music video for “Lunar”.  January 2019 saw our release of single “Run Away”.  All 3 of these singles are part of a larger EP release which is being finalized in mix now, and we hope to have available by Start of March 2019. 

 12. If you have videos where can we see them? 

​ You can see them on our ReverbNation or YouTube pages, or via our website.  All Social Media pages are identified as /thepleading and our website can be found at: http://ThePleadingMusic.com

13.Everybody has Bandcamp , ReverbNation , Soundcloud , etc Why do you think this is so important? Doesn't it seem like everyone is giving everything out for free?​ 

 In the modern era of music, the sales of the music itself (downloads, physical cds, etc) account for very little of the musicians income.  The vast majority of income is derived from live appearances, gigs and merch sales.  Resources like BandCamp, ReverbNation, SoundCloud are wonderful to use to reach listeners that may not otherwise be exposed to your music, and you can set these to allow streaming only, with purchase options if the listener wills. Other income will be derived from streaming via other Digital Retailers like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, etc.  

14.Best moment of your career so far?​  

 Having a young fan, who was going through a very difficult time in their life, call me personally to talk.  It meant an incredible amount to me to know that in their time of need they chose me to talk to.  To know that they related so much to our songs/lyrics that they understood that in me was someone who understood, and was willing to listen.

 15.Your message to the fans? 

​ My hope is that each of you listen, relate and accept the music as your own. That you share our music with those whom you feel would benefit from hearing it, and that each of you help in telling those who are outcast, left out, bullied or alone that they are loved, that they are accepted and that you will always be there for them.
 Bonus Question: who do you bring back?​ Freddie Mercury, Gene Eugene, Johnny Cash and my dear friend Michael Smolen (RIP my brother).

ThePleadingMusic.com
YouTube.com/thepleading
Facebook.com/thepleading
Reverbnation.com/thepleading