It’s not often that a true country band travels the highways from a television program into mainstream country music success but that’s exactly the path Restless Road is on as they curate their sound. Originally formed when appearing on the final season of Fox TV’s The X Factor, Restless Road has survived that experience (unlike so many other country acts to have appeared on the program) to become a buzzed-about trio, even when losing one member earlier in 2014.
Formed by Simon Cowell after Andrew Scholz and Zach Beeken and Colton Pack had auditioned but failed to advance the Boot Camp stage of The X Factor, Restless Road survived Pack’s departure by adding Jared Keim to the group and the trio with the ages of 19 and 20, respectively. While they’ve worked on their original material for much of 2014, the trio has released a handful of cover videos to keep fans up to date with their musical evolution.
In this exclusive Q&A style interview, you’ll get to know Restless Road a little better as they get ready to hit radio and stores and the touring circuit in 2015.
RoughStock: Talk about the experience of being on The X-Factor...
Zach Beeken - The experience was craziness. That’s the best word. We had just graduated from high school and thrown into this whole fast-paced world in LA. It was more of a TV show than about music but we got to learn more about being in the studio and working on songs.
Andrew Scholz: It definitely was a great first experience, it wasn’t really the intro into the music industry experience like (Zach) said…
Zach: It’s entertainment…
Andrew: Exactly, it was that. But we did learn how to perform and for all of these people.
RoughStock: Sort of like a music industry boot camp then?
Zach: That’s a great way to put it.
Andrew: Yeah, instead of just being thrown into it, you kinda had someone always there teaching you how to do it…
RoughStock: And the exposure it gave you…
Zach: Yeah, and that was priceless. Because that’s what a lot of new artists struggle with, to get that fan base. So to get that from the show and have the fans we do, its’ a blessing to have that, especially at this stage of our careers.
RoughStock: Were you reluctant to do a group thing, after you auditioned for The X Factor as solo artists?
Andrew: I mean, when I started singing I was trying to put a band together with friends around my hometown and I like solo shows but I always wanted to share the stage with a solo artist, so when I heard the group idea, It was a good idea. There are few trios other than Rascal Flatts…
RoughStock: Well, there are no other trios with all guys…
Zach: Once I got eliminated I was bummed cause I was going home empty handed but then when I learned what they wanted to do, I thought it could be really cool and was all for it.
RoughStock: That’s Simon Cowell doing what Simon Cowell does. What was it like working with him as your mentor on the program?
Zach: Simon was a blast. He definitely is funny, quirky and we referred to him as a diva at times. But we were really glad to be on his team and he understands the format of the show and not that we are One Direction but he could use that experience of putting a band together to help us.
RoughStock: What was it like for you, Jared, to join the band?
Jared Keim: Well, back home there’s not really a music scene…
RoughStock: Where’s home?
Jared Keim: Hannibal. MO. So I grew up there and there’s really not a music scene. I decided to do country music earlier this year and told my mom that’s what I waned to do and move to Nashville and it just sort of came out of nowhere and fell into place and now I am here.
RoughStock: How has it been for you guys to release the cover videos to YouTube?
Zach: We really enjoy doing those because it gives the fans something to watch and listen to while we're working on our original music behind the scenes.
Jared: It also gives the fans a look into how we’re evolving as a group. Because they really had before the X Factor stuff which was good but what the band’s becoming now, we wanted to give them an idea.
RoughStock: I’m sure having Jared in the band has changed things a bit...
Andrew: It did, especially the way we blend things. We only changed one member but it certainly the sound evolved a bit. That’s why, I think with the videos, when we released the first video, we were only together for three weeks and when we released the second one a few months later we had progressed so much and then since being in the studio, we’ve progressed even further. SO it’s good for the fans to see that.
RoughStock: What’s it like for you to work with Johnny Wright?
Jared: It’s been insane to work with him. He notices everything. We’re always looking at the right now but he’s always looking at the bigger picture.
Zach: It’s like a learning experience when you get to talk to him. You’re always learning something new. We’re only at a starting level now so to be able to learn from him has been very valuable for us.
Andrew: Another thing about Johnny is that he connects older stories about working with Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Justin Timberlake and he teaches us through those stories.
[caption id="attachment_31189" align="aligncenter" width="610"]
Restless Road working on songs in the studio.[/caption]
RoughStock: How is your songwriting process going?
Zach: Personally I love working on the songs. We’ll all be in the studio writing and for me it’s personally something I love being able to do. It’s an incredible feeling.
Andrew: Yeah, you just wanna take it to everyone and share it.
RoughStock: Are you working with any producers on the new material?
Andrew: We have our producer from Dynamite Music Group named Brandon Washburn. We’ve recorded at his studio in Branson, MO and at the House Of Blues Studio and Blackbird Studio here in Nashville.
Jared: He’s produced records before but in all different genres and it’s helped us because he knows how to pull all of the elements of the songs and bring it into something that works for us and is country.
RoughStock: Is there a goal time for the new material to be out?
Zach: We’re definitely looking at getting stuff out there in early 2015.
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