Framing Hanley Singer Kenneth Nixon Talks New Album, Appreciating His Fans and ‘Castaway’
Kenneth Nixon says Framing Hanley owes their career to their loyal fans
Framing Hanley are on the road in support of their recently released studio album, “The Sum of Who We Are.” The collection of fiery alternative rock songs took more than two years to write and record and was a funded by the band’s dedicated fans via Kickstarter.
Framing Hanley frontman Kenneth Nixon spoke with Audio Ink Radio about new songs that comprise “The Sum of Who We Are” and why the fact the album was paid for by fans made the release “a very special thing” for the entire band.
There’s a poster inside your album cover that has the names and photos of fans who contributed to the Kickstarter campaign. When you see that, how does it feel to have that kind of support from your fans?
It was definitely an eye-opening moment. We went through a lot of heartbreak and bad times over the past few years. I mean, there were definitely highs, but there was a moment when we realized that when we left our label, we were at a crossroads of asking, “What do we do next?” To see all those names in the album poster, it makes you realize we’ve met some incredible people and somehow touched those peoples’ lives. It’s a very special thing.
Now you’re on the road in support of “The Sum of Who We Are.” Which do you prefer: recording or playing live?
I’ll say live now, because we recorded so long, but after a year of touring, I’ll probably say recording. They both have their pluses and negatives. The reward for us is after recording an album for so long to go out there again and see those people for whom you’re making the music. The reward is to see people making connections with these songs while you’re playing them live.
You released this album on Imagen Records, but did you ever think about doing it independently?
We went back and forth with the idea of releasing this independently. But ultimately, we knew going with a good label would get this out to a lot more people than if we released it on our own.
How did you hook up with Imagen Records, and how did you know they were the right fit for Framing Hanley?
Morgan Rose, drummer for Sevendust, is actually A&R at that label. He introduced me to Bob Winegard, who is the president of the label. Bob knew all about us from our beginning stages to where we are now, and to me, that was one of the most important things. He was a fan of the music we create. He had a vision for the band and what we could do as a team. That was the best option and perfect option for us. And here we are after the release date, and it’s been a great experience.
What’s your going favorite song on the new album?
I have a few! “Castaway” is my favorite, overall. That song really was about that eye-opening moment when you go from wondering if you’re ever going to release an album to when you realized there are a slew of people out there who have been waiting patiently for this album. We’ve met a lot of incredible people from different walks of life throughout the world, and for some reason, these people make connections with our songs. “Castaway” is written about the realization of that. We’re very fortunate to have an army of dedicated fans we call family that still support us to today.
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