It is time to get up and Rise Of The Flatline with As Yourself. Hailing from the Middle Tennessee area, the tidal waves of self reflection come to a new adventure for Alternative Rock band, As Yourself as they talk about love, the life they want and their new self titled album. Several alterations of the eclectic sound came together initially in 2007 founded by lead guitarist and original vocalist, Tony Grissom. The direction of this band naturally shifted to what the band was meant to be after Tony found himself in the studio with a new LP as the lead vocalist until his vocals crashed and needed a new gear to take things up a notch. In 2013, Guitarist Craig Hollis, Bassist Cody Smith, and Drummer Taylor Hankal joined Jacob Roper, edgy new vocalist of the band, As Yourself in 2014. In 2015, Hankal and Smith resigned from the group for personal reasons. The tide turned with bringing in Ty Downing (sponsored by Risen Drums) as the new drummer, Hollis accepted the role of bassist and Roper as Rhythm Guitarist.

Steady Fall took a much needed hiatus due to Roper’s battle with broken love and alcohol addiction. With time, although wounds are deep, scars heal within a revolved self reflection and see a better version of As Yourself, an edgier sound that allowed Roper to reclaim focus and find Rise Of The Flatline. Jacob Roper sat down with me at Verona Valley Studios with his As Yourself bandmates, Tony Grissom (lead guitarist) and Craig Hollis (bass player) to talk about how through it all, they regained composure to be the band they always wanted to be.

“It’s not that we wanted to join forces again. It felt like we never stopped.” – Tony Grissom

To purchase the new album, CD BABY and iTunes
“It just felt like we were on a long hiatus,” Tony Grissom adds, “Now, that we are where we are, it feels like we just picked up where we left off, and we’re a better version of ourselves. We’re more mature. We make better decisions. We make better music because of the mistakes that we made through the years.” As Yourself spent 3 months in the studio starting in Murfreesboro and pitching ideas for the new album so they all collectively had a hand in its creative new sound and finished up the new album in McMinnville at Verona Valley Studios owned and operated by Sound Engineer Tony Grissom.

Tony Grissom and Craig Hollis collaborated on writing the riffs and lead melodic parts of the music while Jacob Roper wrote most of the lyrical content. “There was some improv in the studio as it was being written,” says Roper. Storms And Rain is an original track of Steady Fall so Roper was also involved in the lyrics and melody on that particular song.

Jacob Roper : Vocals
Tony Grissom: Guitar
Craig Hollis : Bass
Ty Downing : Drums

My favorite track on the self titled album is Rise Of The Flatline. As Yourself recently debuted the new music video for this song that was filmed at the VFW in McMinnville, TN. After months of sitting on the couch cushions and going nowhere, Jacob Roper decided to take control of his dreams and take the reigns and channel rise of the flatline. I feel Jacob’s vulnerability in this song as he sheds light on its meaning. Jacob has experienced the downfall of broken love that initially drove him to the edge with alcohol addiction and depression. He needed the taste of pure inspiration and collaboration with vibes only he could fill with As Yourself. I was invited to be part of this music video in the audience as I have followed their sound for many years. The video was filmed mostly by lead guitarist Tony Grissom while Craig Hollis’ girlfriend, Samantha Beene scanned through the crowd with some unique shots.

Tony Grissom said to his wife, Kayla, “Hey, hold this guitar!”

That is when she strapped on the guitar as a joke, but Drummer Ty Downing was down with the idea of adding it into the music video of the video shifting from the original members with the instruments to their wives as the band. It proved to be a smooth production as fans gathered at the VFW in McMinnville for the music video shoot.

Jacob says, Rise of the Flatline is “Rising above the struggles in your life and not letting them succumb the greatness that every person can have.”

Check out the new music video for Rise of the Flatline.

As Yourself riddles the flames of overturning broken love into getting the life they want and not holding back. As I sat in Verona Valley Studios, I interviewed As Yourself. We talked about their new self titled album. We connected on a deep, meaningful level. I have a deeper respect for this band as we spent some time by the pools of self reflection and the story that made them revived with a new outlook and spirit to thrive.

Tony Grissom says his favorite track on the new album is Get A Life. Although he knows what Jacob meant when he wrote the lyrics, to Tony, “It’s about getting the life that you want. Each of us every day we go to work with jobs that we are happy with. We like going to these jobs, but it’s not THE JOB for us. This is THE JOB for me.” Tony Grissom says regarding his musical career with As Yourself.

Craig Hollis says his favorite track on the new album is Storms and Rain since he has a really nice melodic bass part. “That song has so much emotion and just paints such a beautiful picture. Jacob did such a fantastic job with the lyrics.”

Jacob Roper says his favorite track on the album is The Pain. “At the end of the day, I love getting on stage wanting to destroy my guitar cause you’re just letting out so much energy and it feels…It’s endorphins being released constantly for 30 minutes to an hour or four hours or however long you’re on stage. The Pain, to me is the hardest on the record, and yet what I wrote it about will always hit home and I love rockin’ out!” The Pain is a song regarding the broken love that drove Jacob to the edge with substance abuse.

Later, Jacob reflects on how he overcame and reconnected with love and life with As Yourself song, Whatever This Is. Jacob says, “It’s about “the one”, the one we fall in love with, and you want to be with the rest of your life. It doesn’t matter what they do to you, or how bad they hurt you, it’s worth it!” Then, Tony adds, “The arguments you have, disagreements…One particular line in the song inspired the name of the song… You make it worth whatever this is”

Take a journey with me and get to know As Yourself as they reflect in this interview on The Music Mirror.

Check out the video interview on The Music Mirror

The Music Mirror Video 1 of 3

Music Mirror Video 2 of 3

The Music Mirror Video 3 of 3

You can find As Yourself on Facebook and Reverb Nation

As Yourself has many upcoming shows, but one stands out above them all. As Yourself is opening up for Saving Abel at Main Street, 527 West Main Street in Murfreesboro, TN on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at 9 PM. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

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