Kelly: Alright so to start off and to inform the uninformed (aka the west coast) can you give me a little bit of background on your band?
James: VersaEmerge formed from members of My Fair Verona, a popular hardcore/screamo act here in South Florida. They set out to approach music in a different way, recording a 5 track debut EP with Andrew Wade of The Wade Studio here in Florida that captured a wide variety of musical genres and influences. Success came really quick to the band which forced them to part ways with their singer a few months back which led to several months of searching for a vocalist, enter our new vocalist Sierra Kusterbeck. Devin, our bass player, was added to the roster earlier this year, and myself, James, came into play on a few months ago after being asked to fill in for a lost guitarist. We now have a solid lineup and have been demoing new songs and preparing for a one month east coast/midwest tour in May.
Kelly: Awesome, so does that make you the most recent addition?
James: Yes I am the newest, and also oldest member of VersaEmerge.
Kelly: A perfect combination!

Kelly: So when searching for a new singer, did the thought of a female vocalist even cross the band's mind?
James: We had several females audition for the part. The thought of a female vocalist never crossed our minds until we came upon Sierra's audition. She blew almost all of the auditions we had out of the water and and we felt as though her strong voice would blend perfectly with our style.
Kelly: Very cool

Kelly: So I kind of mentioned this to Gage Young when I first found out about you guys and he got sort of defensive, but how do you feel about people comparing Sierra's voice to Hayley Williams?
James: It came as expected with having a female vocalist and personally I dont mind the comparisons. I think they have similar ranges but when it comes down to it I think they are just two females with very prominent voices. People always feel the need to compare one band to another, and as of right now there isn't much to compare us to and we tend to get thrown into the same genre and categories as Paramore. But hey, who doesn't like being compared to AP's band of the year?
Kelly: I know! I thought it was a compliment.. Paramore is a guilty pleasure of mine
James: We all listen to Paramore as well, but we have no intention of making similar sounding music as them. We are headed in a much different direction instrumentally.
Kelly: Yeah, instrumentally you really sound nothing alike, but like you said people always have to compare.
James: Exactly.

[Edited out some parts about previous members and such..]

Kelly: So the lineup is concrete now I take it? I guess that's always the plan but sometimes it just doesn't work out that way...
James: Yea we are set in stone this time. We have never felt stronger and we are all on the same page when it comes to goals for our music and plans to make it to the top. Nothing can stop us now.
Kelly: Maybe that's why your success is tenfold now.. because you're all totally into it instead of just kind of on the edge. Whatever you are doing, though, it is working! haha
James: Haha, just a lot of dedication, a lot of practice, a lot of work, and a lot of mexican food and mandancing.
Kelly: Oh God, now I have to ask... What is MANDANCING?
James: It is essentially a dance created by VersaEmerge that works best with obnoxious pop music and makes for extremely awkward situations. Please refer to YouTube for further explanation haha. We are all quite the dancers
Kelly: Let me just take a look...
James: its on our Virb.
Kelly: HAHAHA. That's the best thing I've seen in my entire life.

Kelly: Okay so UMMM, when are you guys having a new CD come out? Because I need it. At least give me the DL on when you are releasing demos or something!
James: We will be recording demos all the way through our tour in May and we plan on pressing and releasing an EP this summer. Possibly four or five songs that we have been working with. We are going up to Baltimore in April to record a track or two with Paul Levitt who works in hand with Brian McTernan who has worked on projects such as Circa Survive and the Bled. We will be releasing a new demo in the next week or so as well to keep fans interested in us
Kelly: Ohhh I am excited. I don't know if the interviewer is generally supposed to show bias or anything but I am so stoked. Haha, and then you will hand-deliver it to me when you tour to Seattle, RIGHT?!
James: I will personally give you one when we hit up the west coast hopefully sometime this summer!
Kelly: That's what I like to hear

Kelly: So as you may or may not have noticed, record labels are kind of going downhill fast. Being an unsigned success, what are your opinions on record labels? Would you sign if a big enough opportunity came along or do you feel that you even need one at this point?
James: I've learned so much about labels in the past year that it almost seems like signing to a label too soon can be fatal for a band that doesnt have a strong foundation and huge plans for the future. Right now, depsite the offers we have gotten since the release of the demo, we see no reason to jump on a label. As successful as we have been, there still are PLENTY of ears that we havent touched and we plan on spending most of the year getting ourselves out there before we make any major decisions. We have a strong management/legal/booking team behind us and hope to get as far as we can independently before signing a deal. When it comes time for the full length, then we will really start shopping for a label.
Kelly: That's smart.. I think a lot of bands just get excited when anybody shows interest in them and jump on the first deal that comes their way.
James: Yea once that dollar sign comes into play people will make the craziest decisions. We've been fortunate enough to find the funds to fuel our dreams on our on so for right now we are content with being an unsigned success.

Kelly: Alright so is Hide & Seek hookin you guys up now? I just noticed yesterday when I was looking at their page that you are one of the three bands they sponsor and you are nowhere near the northwest where they are based. How did you land that deal? I dig their swag.
James: It was kind of funny because we always talked about wanting a clothing sponsor/endorsment, and then one day we got like 5 offers within an hour. Hide and Seek was one of the first and we fell in love with their designs. Any company who prints exclusively on our favorite American Apparel is legit in our book haha. Byron hooks us up very nicely and we are proud to be part of their roster!
Kelly: Awesome! Our really good friends in From Aphony are sponsored by them too.. It took me a while to figure out they're a clothing company and not a band.. Doh. And I'm about to order a shirt with a freakin elephant on it ...which I'm sure you got for free....
James: Haha so are we! I'm a huge fan of their hoodies, I may end up with all three... haha and we quite possibly got it for free...
Kelly: Just don't tell me. You can't tell me that this is not awesome!
James: Haha im about to order our stuff and I think were getting like three of those Kelly: WHAT. THE HECK.
James: haha whaaat
Kelly: Hook it up! hahaha
James: Haha i love their stuff so much. My favorite of our endorsements.

Kelly: So you are a designer too... you have pimped out plenty-a-myspace and designed some pretty awesome shirts as well.. How did you get into designing in the first place?
James: Lets see, I have an AS degree in Internet Services and I've always had such an interest in Web Design that when I launched jameslano.com, I came to myspace to help promote my digital services. It wasn't until bands started asking me to do layouts for their profile that I really got into design. From there I went into shirts and it's been a huge success ever since. I get to meet and work with a lot of people in the scene and industry and it pays the bills for me! But no all dollar signs aside I've always had a knack for creativity and this has finally been the golden opportunity aside from the band to express myself.
Kelly: Ahh that is awesome. I'm just looking at your Myspace.. you've done a lot of cool stuff! The only band I've heard of is There For Tomorrow and of course, the featured band, Versa Emerge.. haha. SHAMELESS PLUG RIGHT THERE.
James: I've always loved Versa. They were in that spot way before i joined the band, the only reason im in the band is because of design. *pause*Well, the reason WHY i was asked to be
Kelly: HAHA I'm glad you corrected that
James: Yea my brain stopped. Quick response, what plays most often on your ipod or in your car?
Kelly: The Receiving End of Sirens......... Maybe Paramore??!
James: =O The receiving end of sirens is the most perfect answer you could have said
Kelly: THEYRE SO GOOD
James: They are my favorite band ever. Ive seen them like 8 times, absolutely amazing.
Kelly: Jeeezzzz I've never seen them everrrr
James: You havent lived

Kelly: What is your favorite band that.. nobody knows about?
James: Do you mean fav band that I listen to that not a lot of people know of, or my fav band that nobody knwos I like?
Kelly: Both
James: Favorite Band that I listen to that not a lot of people know of: Vanna. Fav Band that not a lot of people know I listen to: probably Bjork or Radiohead.
Kelly: Ohh that's not embarrassing. I was hoping you'd say Mest or something haha
James: Guilty pleasures you mean? WHATS WRONG WITH MEST?!? ahaha
Kelly: UMMMM NOTHING. Guilty pleasures go!
James: All American Rejects, Paramore
Kelly: I think Paramore is always a guilty pleasure. Moreso for dudes I guess
James: I like them I don't know. We joke with Sierra that shes never allowed to listen to them haha.
Kelly: Hahaha. I take it she likes them then?
James: Yea we all do. Sierra has the most beautiful music taste ever.
Kelly: How so?
James: She listens to and appreciates music from so many genres, and has a background in musical theatre so shes such a powerful weapon vocally.
Kelly: Ohhh that makes so much sense.

Kelly: I guess this question is somewhat relevant since it's only the beginning of March, but what was your favorite album of 2007, and what was the biggest letdown?
James: Favorite Album of 2007 is a toss up between On Letting Go by Circa Survive and The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi by The Receiving End of Sirens
Kelly: I knew it! haha. Well half of that at least.
James: biggest let down would be either the new Atreyu album or the new Funeral for a friend, i didnt spend much time listenign to a lot of music in 2007 but i expected these two to be better
Kelly: I think Atreyu in general is a letdown but that's just my opinion
James: Seriously.
Kelly: Welll... That was the last thing I had written down. Any last words?! Any tour dates being posted soon?! SONG ON SATURDAY PERHAPS?
James: New demo will be up very soon, were recording it ourselves. East Coast/Midwest tour with There for Tomorrow and Schoolboy Humor coming in May (Dates Very Soon), New merch will be coming available, EP this summer! Words to live by: We must become the change we want to see.