Dracut Singer Rising Up Through the Ranks
The Lowell Sun
Article Launched: 09/13/2007 11:31:50 AM EDT
WHO: Michael Bernier and The Uprising
AKA: Michael Bernier, lead vocals, acoustic guitar, djembe; Ryan "RyBomb" Bernier, bass, backing vocals; and Mark "F" Fiorentini, drums and timbales.
VISIT: www.myspace.com/michaelbernier.com
DOWNLOAD: Live version of "In The City"
BACKSTORY: Michael Bernier hails from a small town in Massachusetts with cows and a dairy farm, but through his music brings us the sound of the sandy sunny shores of southern California. Maybe it's because the Dracut native spends two winter months in San Diego strumming his acoustic guitar in beachside bars. The troubadour started playing after one of his older brothers brought a guitar home. He joins his other brother, Ryan, in The Uprising.
By Rachel R. Briere rbriere@lowellsun.com
RB: You spend time between San Diego and here. How does the music scene differ from the East to the West coast?
MB: In San Diego, there is a lot more support. There people will come out any night of week -- there is more young people. Here, I can draw a good crowd on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night, it's a lot harder to on other nights. I would have to say here you really have to sell people on the music.
RB: So do you prefer California to Massachusetts?
MB: No ... I am very happy here.
RB: Why did you dub yourselves The Uprising?
MB: A lot of the music that I write is positive progressive music bent on making a change in the way this country is going ... the uprising or a take over with a positive, peaceful approach is what we are all after.
RB: You write all of your own original music. How long does it usually take to write a song?
MB: Anywhere from 10 minutes to two years -- it really depends. The songs that are hits are natural and written over a couple of hours. I can tell when it will be a great song if when I am writing, the music is coming to my head so fast that I am trying to get it all out. When this happens I will stop working in order to get all the words down before I forget.
RB: Your influences go from grunge icons, Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley, to a surfer vibe like Jack Johnson, and then you also site Zach de la Rocha. Is it possible for you to combine all these genres into one sound?
MB: I could say that. Yes. Jack Johnson is positive and easy to listen to and Zach is so righteous and has so much meaning in his songs. When he was in the mainstream making statements about what is really going in this country, Zach was putting it all under a spotlight then what is downplayed by the media. He was anti-media, but eventually became the machine he was raging against, that was why they originally broke up. There's also Michael Glabicki (Rusted Root) -- he has an unbelievable energy behind him. I combine them all. I listen to their message, and by that I can tell if they are actually being themselves or not.
RB: What are some of your gripes about the music industry today in general?
MB: I understand the way the music industry is the way it is. Why the songs that are on the radio are on. No gripes. My agent is always saying 'Hey, let's write something mainstream, let's get poppy.' I am not opposed to writing a pop song, but I am trying to write what reality is.
RB: What is next for you and The Uprising?
MB: I'm sitting with publicists next week to see which publishing house to go with. I am also locking in shows at the Paradise in Boston and started getting radio air play in southern Florida and southern California. As far as the band, we're putting together a demo and have a number of independent labels interested. We're also involved with Evolvement Music, a very small independent label that started with us. They do all of our promotional material, mailings and flyers. My agent wants us to hold out for a bigger label. It's pretty cool to choose a label and a publicist, but doing it all without selling our souls.
RB: Speaking of souls, if you could resurrect one deceased musician to play with, who would it be?
MB: Bob Marley.