by Kenneth Morton

Justin Tyler is a young solo artist from Orange County who is currently travelling across the country publicizing his new EP Wake Up Call at all the Warped Tour stops. A self-released melodic pop effort in the true DIY sense, we caught up with Justin at the first Warped date in Pomona to find out more from this talented performer about to take on the journey of a lifetime. Read on for the beginnings...

What kind of reaction have you gotten from friends and relatives when you announced that you were going to do this?
They were really happy for me because it's a great opportunity. But they were sad because I'm going to be gone two months over the summer, but it's a once in a lifetime thing - so I gotta do it - you gotta do it once.

Are you still friends with the guys in your previous band Nextdoor?
I'm actually really good friends with them. They actually did all my artwork (on my EP) and they are my backup band when I do live shows. Jake Fight, the drummer of Nextdoor - he actually did drums for my studio recording for my CD that I have now. So it's really mutual. I got out of the band in 2008 and I've been doing my solo project since then, and it's been working out really well. I recorded my EP in March and had then pressed for my CD release show on June 13th. And I'm selling them now on Warped Tour.

How difficult was it to leave Nextdoor? The band is really beginning to make a name for themselves.
We were doing pretty good. We did the 07 Warped Tour - we did exactly what I'm doing - selling CD's in 07 - but after that, they sort of switched their music type. I didn't really like it - I love rock/pop and they were going to go a little more their own style - but still catchy. They're still really good guys and really good musicians, but I thought I'd break away and do my own thing. And I'm doing it, and doing pretty well. They've got a new member and everything. I'm totally not mad at them or anything - we're still cool.

How nervous were you at your Chain Reaction debut? Describe that experience.
Actually, I was really, really, really terrified. Because it was actually my first show in over a year and a half. I played at Chain Reaction with Nextdoor in January of 08. That was when I got out of the band. I was really scared. A lot of people said I looked fine up there, but in reality I was really scared - like I was shaking and stuff. But it went really well - I was really happy with myself - I had a good turnout. I'm planning to book some shows when I get back from Warped Tour - like Chain and in Southern Cal. Hopefully get a band and start doing this all across the country.

What is the Wake Up Call you are referring to on the CD title?
Wake Up Call has a couple of meanings. It-s a wakeup call for me breaking away with Nextdoor - like a wakeup call to myself - I could do this on my own. I could write music on my own. And it's also a wakeup call - I had an ex-girlfriend for about three years - I broke up with her and it was just a wakeup call because I realized life without her is a lot easier - it's just tough to have a relationship when you're a musician because of fans - it get flirty and she was just a jealous person. My mom actually told me that - "It's a wakeup call for you. You're starting fresh. You're writing your own music. You're in college now. You're doing all kinds of stuff on your own. So why don't you call your CD a Wake up Call? Your songs are all about experiences; why not just call it that?" And I was like its true! It's a wakeup call to my life - my first CD on my own.

Do you expect that while you're on this tour, that you might be get out a guitar and play?
If I'm asked to play an acoustic set, definitely I will. I actually have an acoustic in my van. I'm going to try to write a few melodies while I'm gone on tour, but my main goal is to sell my CD's. But if I'm asked, I'll definitely play in front of even four people - I don't even care. As long as people like the music...

How many CD's have you sold so far? It's like 5:00 on the first day of Warped Tour in Pomona...
I've sold 50 already. The first day was sorta hard - just getting the hang of things on my own. I used to do it with a band and I just do it my own now. So I'm just getting the hang of it myself and trying to be as friendly as possible. I'm going to set a quota for the rest of the summer - hopefully I'll meet it. I just want to do at least 100 CD's a day - I'm happy with 50 but I'll just work to keep on getting more and more.

Are you more of a shy or outgoing person?
In Nextdoor, I was really shy because I was just the backup vocalist and guitarist. But now I'm like the center of attention, so I have to be confident and outgoing and be loud. That's again like with the Wake Up Call, to change my personality to be more outgoing and talk to people and be confident about my music. I do this on my own and I want to show people that I'm happy with it.

When we stand here and talk at the end of the tour, what do you think you'll be like?
I'll definitely be wiped out, I'll tell you that. It's only the first day and I'm totally wiped out! But I'm going to get the hang of it. I just gotta get back into the Warped Tour mode. The first couple of days will be really tough, but towards the last date, I'll be definitely a happy man because I'll be selling a lot of CD's. I actually ordered 2000 CD's to start off with - hopefully I'll be ordering more within a couple of weeks to get more shipments to sell more.

Do you have any messages for people who are reading this now?
Check out my MySpace at justintylerrock. I'm on ITunes - so whoever can't buy my CD this summer should just pick it up on ITunes. And I'm definitely going to be booking a lot of shows when I get back in the Fall, so just stay updated on my MySpace.

(Read Part 2 of the story directly below to see how he did...)

by Kenneth Morton

We caught up with Justin Tyler on the final date of Warped Tour in Carson, CA to see how he survived the summer on the road. Here is part two of our All Across The Nation story with a young artist who decided to promote his music while following the tour all summer long. Read on...

How far did you wind up going before you had to jump off the Warped Tour?
We were in North Carolina. We got the notice - Kevin Lyman got all the bands together that were following. There were internal problems in the Warped Tour and he just wanted to not have to worry about the bands outside so he could worry about the internal problems. So he let all the bands go. And with us, he just said you could come back next year - just go home now and not make problems. We don't want to have problems with Kevin Lyman, the owner of Warped Tour - so we'll go home. We were in the parking lot of Warped Tour in North Carolina and we were like, "We really don't want to go home, because we have a lot of CD's to sell still." We went on our laptops and thought of new tours to go on and to follow - so we went on the Jeffree Star/Artist vs Poet tour. I'm good friends with Tarcy from Artist vs Poet, so I thought it'd be a good idea just to go on it. We had to wait around for a few days, and then it was going to be in Atlanta - which is really close to North Carolina. So we went to the Atlanta one, and it was cool. I saw Tarcy and he was like, "Yeah, man, it's cool. Be on the rest of the tour." And a few days in, Daniel Hilton and Jeffree Star were like, "Oh, that's not cool. I don't want you here outside following my tour." And we were like, "Oh, why not? I'm good friends with Tarcy." And then he's like, "I don't know. I don't want you taking money from me." So we headed home. We drove from Florida all the way back to California. It was like 40 hours straight - we did it in like a day and half and it was insane.

Overall, how many CD's did you wind up selling?
I sold almost 3,000.

Are you pretty aggressive now and can go up to anyone and sell a CD?
I can go up the hottest girl - I could go up to anyone I want actually. I don't sell to guys really, cuz I know they'll say no right away because my music is like lovey-dovey. But I could go up to any girl or any person that I want really - because I'm just so confident now. I've done it to over a thousand people over the summer and it's really easy.

What advice would you give someone attempting to do next year what you did this year?
I would say use sun block of course. And be confident with your music. If you're going to go out here and sell CD's, you have to be confident with your music. If you can't go up to people, then why play music? You have to love your music. I love my music, so I could go up to anyone. And if someone says no, then that's just one person - then I'll go up to the next person and they'll buy it. Everyone loves music, so it's easy to go up to meet people. If you're going to write music, be confident with it.

Did you get to play acoustic at all?
I didn't get to play acoustic, but I did sell a lot of CD's.

Now that you're home, are there any local shows coming up?
While I was on the road, I was with the band Uh Oh Explosion - I was touring with them in the van. A couple of weeks after I did the first interview with you, the bassist left - he went home for personal reasons and I don't know why. I woke up one morning in Boston and he was gone. And I became really good friends with them from being on tour with them for the past two months. They asked me if I could play bass for them - and I'm going to play bass for them for now on. I'm going to be in that band and do my solo project. I (played) a live show at DiPiazza's in Long Beach on September 1st - and then we're currently setting up a show at Chain Reaction for the end of September/beginning of October. It'll be a pretty bitchen show...

On the road, have you written any new songs?
When I came back when I left the Jeffree Star tour, we were home for like two weeks. But then immediately when we got home, we did the No Doubt / Paramore tour where we sold CD's - and it was pretty fun. I love Paramore a lot - that music is my music - and No Doubt of course is No Doubt. So we sold there four days in a row at the Verizon Amphitheatre in Irvine. And then after that, we did the Jonas Brothers for three dates in a row - and that was unbelievable! It was better than Warped Tour. In that amount of time, I sold what I could do at Warped Tour in just a few hours at the Jonas Brothers. It was insane! I literally had girls lined up to get autographs and CD's from me - they don't even know who I am - but I look like a Jonas Brother. So it was cool. So that week, we did those shows, and then we hopped back on Warped Tour. For the amount of time I was gone, I started writing songs at home. I plan on recording a new EP at the beginning of 2010 and have it ready for Warped Tour next year.

So you're gonna do it again...
I will. I'm going to be on it. Uh Oh Explosion is going to be playing Warped Tour next year - so I'll be playing my live set with Uh Oh Explosion. Then I'm going to ask Kevin Lyman if I could play an acoustic set of Justin Tyler - and then sell CD's in the morning, during the day, and at night. I'm really, really, really pumped for next year.

What's worse - stifling heat or rain?
Rain! Because your shoes get wet - and they're wet for days. The smell of your shoes is insane - and you're in a van and everyone's shoes are wet - and it just smells like a wet dog in our van. Also in rain, your IPOD is right here. I hate rain actually. I'd rather be in 103 degrees rather than rain. Plus your hair gets wet. No rain!

If people don't meet you at Warped Tour today, how could they go about getting a copy of your CD?
I'm on Itunes - and I'll be on a couple more tour in the Fall. I'll be on the Fall Ball Tour for about a week. I'll be doing all of Blink 182 up and down California selling CD's and promoting. You can find me at the OP tour with Boys Like Girls, Cobra Starship, The Maine, Rocket To The Moon - exactly my music, so it's going to be awesome. I have those tours lined up that I'll be selling CD's at. If you find me there, say hi and buy my CD. I'll be on Smart Punk pretty soon - I'll be getting tee shirts soon, so you could buy my package deal there.

Did you want to say anything for a conclusion to the interview?
Next year. Warped Tour. I'm pretty stoked. And they'll be a new CD in 2010, so be ready for that.

JUSTIN TYLER links

JUSTIN TYLER on Myspace: The Official Myspace Page for Justin Tyler!
The Highwire Daze Home Page: Return to the Main Page!

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