The Total Sound Of The Undergound

Lelahel Metal

Join us for an insightful interview with Adam and Chris of Kinsley, as they discuss their musical journey, influences, and the creative process behind their unique sound.

1. How did each of you first get into music, and what inspired you to pursue it as a career?
Adam -  I really started paying attention to music around the third grade when my older brother was bringing home Nirvana, Sound Garden, Smashing Pumpkins, and even Cannibal Corpse tapes.  From there it was just a natural movement for me to go to west coast punk while in my skater years (mainly Fat Wreck Chords stuff) and then to American (Fear Factory, Pantera, etc.) and European metal (Opeth, In Flames, Dimmu Borgir, etc.).  When I started playing drums in the 9th grade we were ripping off Blankface (who went to my high school prior to us), No Use For a Name, Hot Water Music, Planes Mistaken for Stars, etc. and eventually that shifted to more experimental melodic metal/hardcore like Hopesfall, Codeseven, Thrice, Deftones, etc.  These are some of my true inspirations to create music among many others.  I also listen to a lot of stuff not in these genres that sometimes influence our material!  
I never thought I could make music a career, but I was able to play a lot of shows and tour and that was what I set out to accomplish early on.  If the opportunity arose years ago to continue to tour I likely would have pursued that, but it did not work out that way, and that's ok!  My main driving force is the urge to create and collaborate with my close friends in the creation of music and enjoy the process together.
2. Could you share the story behind the formation of Kinsley? How did you decide on the band's name?
Adam -  Chris Adkins and I started playing music together in late elementary school and we worked on stuff off and on until he went away to college.  He also listened to grunge and introduced me to stuff like Nine Inch Nails, Anime, The Crow, etc.  All that stuff was right up my alley and we've been friends ever since!  In 2015, he graduated college and moved back to the area and Kinsley was formed shortly after as a Duo recording project.  I also went to elementary school through high school with Chris Jones and while we didn't play music directly, we were friends and both involved with projects that shared the local stages together.  I would eventually play with him in the band Eno Mountain Boys, which then led to him joining Kinsley in 2021.
The band's name is very simple.  Chris adKINS and Adam staLEY.  We smashed our last names together.  We wanted something that wouldn't necessarily pigeonhole us to a certain sound and it's kind of hard to find something that isn't taken, but this wasn't at the time.  That was it!
Chris - In Old English Kinsley translates to something like "King's clearing" so there's something regal in the name as well haha!
3. Your influences range from Nirvana to Opeth. How do these diverse influences shape your sound and songwriting process?
Adam -  I feel that that various bands have influenced me differently over the years, but whenever we are writing I am very conscious of when those influences leak in (no matter how long ago I may have listened to them) and if they work for what's going on then great!  I never really say "hey let's write an Opeth-style song," but if we are jamming something and all of a sudden I hear a drum progression come to me or they hit a certain chord on guitar and then I recognize "hey, that part sounds kind of like Opeth," then I love that!  My main goal is to keep our music dark/heavy/uplifting in some form or another as that's what speaks to me the most and regularly calls for my style of drumming.
Chris - When you immerse yourself in the output of a band or songwriter that really speaks to you, you inevitably absorb the essence of what is special or compelling about their work, and I think this tends to(often subconsciously) inform how you approach your own craft. Personally, I just as often seem to find musical influence in non-musical sources as well, such as nature, aromatics, color, paintings, and literary works for example. Music(and all of its influence), for me, is inextricably linked to memories...even if they aren't always necessarily own.
4. You mentioned that Kinsley is a recording artist only. What drives your decision to focus solely on recording rather than performing live?
Adam -  We all have full-time jobs and multiple kids, and while we might be able to swing a local show here and there, it's not really a priority at this time.  I would love to play out again one day, but for now I feel very fortunate to get to jam and record!  

5. Can you talk about the dynamics within the band, especially after Chris Jones joined in 2021? How has his addition influenced your music?
Adam -  The dynamics of the band for the first 5 years were basically the same- Chris Adkins and I would get together as much as we could, write songs, and eventually record them.  At first we didn't know if we wanted to be an instrumental band or have vocals sometimes, but after a couple of releases we decided to do vocals on all songs.  We asked Chris Jones to join our band in 2021 mainly because we wanted another friend (and amazing guitarist haha!) to bounce ideas off of.  Little did we know that Chris Jones was going to add as much as he has!  He immediately became integral in our writing process and has taken over a vast majority of the vocal duties as well.  Since we all came from the same background his addition helped to reinforce the sound that we already had and made it much better!
6. Your upcoming release is part of a 4-part series themed around Angels, Demons, Ghosts, and Humans. What inspired these themes, and how do they connect to your personal experiences or beliefs?
Adam -  I wanted to do something a little different and thought it would be cool to try what Thrice did with their themed "Alchemy Index" EPs.  Having the four themes we chose gives us some guidelines to work within and also have some artistic and experimental fun!  The human condition spans beyond this plane in some way or another and these songs will touch on that in various ways.  With Angels, we have had personal experiences make their way into the material, so the theme guides the songs and personal lyrical content.  Not only has this been something fun for us to think about and expand on, but it's also been a great vehicle for self-expression so far.  
7. The track 'Beacon' is described as finding light in the darkness. Can you delve deeper into the message of this song and how it resonates with your audience?
Adam -  Chris Jones wrote the lyrics for all of Angels, and did an amazing job!  I consider myself a part of the audience, and for me, his lyrics in this particular track touch on the absolute inability to control some of the very difficult things surrounding us that we may find overwhelming, but also not impossible to persevere through.  The lyrics express hope over despair, triumph over defeat, and knowing that you have more.
Chris - I'd agree that 'Beacon' is a song of hope...but with a caveat. Prolonged confinement in a detestable environment, with very little prospect of improvement, makes ANY other possibility appealing. One would be inclined to pursue that glimmer without regard for the outcome because, whether it results in their salvation or destruction, it's preferable to continuing to exist in the same way.
8. Given that Adam Staley handled the recording, mixing, and mastering of your latest release, what are the advantages and challenges of managing all aspects of production in-house?
Adam -  It is very rewarding to be able to build on our sound with the tools that are available to me.  My recording abilities are growing with the music and I love that it's all a part of the same goal.  Being able to do everything myself is great because I can change things as much as I want without bothering anyone haha!  It's a little stressful too, if you have no one to bounce the songs off of.  Luckily, I have some great friends to help!


9. Your music has received positive reviews from various platforms. How do these reviews impact your creative process and motivation?
Adam - That is very humbling!  I don't think that anything will necessarily change what we will do, but any kind words from anyone is wonderful!  I will say that it is very encouraging that some of these songs have already resonated with others.  We are encouraged to bring more interesting music forward soon!
Chris - More than anything, we're driven to create songs we're proud of and share them in the hope it'll bring joy to others. That joy is reciprocated whenever we receive positive feedback and I'd say it likely gives us the confidence to further trust our instincts and take more chances.
10. With the shift in your lineup during the production of the EP, what challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
Adam -     All of us jammed the tracks that would eventually become "Angels" before Chris Adkins moved in early 2024.  Chris Jones and I recorded Angels together and worked hard to create something meaningful, with Chris Adkins' input along the way.
11. How do you balance the different roles each member plays in the band, from performing to technical aspects like engineering and programming?
Adam -      We all work together with different ideas to write the songs.  I record them at our practice space and my "home studio."  As I mix things, I share and get input from everyone, and adjust as needed.  The final product is an approval stamp of the three of us!
12. Finally, what do you hope listeners take away from 'ANGELS,' and how do you see Kinsley's music evolving in the future releases of this thematic series?
Adam -     I hope that anyone that listens to this recording recognizes the humanity that falls within "Angels" as it is really more about the human experience as related to Angels.  There is a light that lies within all of us and even in our darkest days it is within reach.



KINSLEY (kinsleybandnc.com)

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