Henry Menzel, guitarist, singer, songwriter, and manager for New Jersey’s hottest Pop Punk/Ska band, Survay Says! has been working hard since 2008 to continue bringing his music to the next level. With 3 horns blasting away, melodies that keep you dancing on your feet, powerful choruses and lyrics that let you know who they are, Survay Says! is going all the way to the top. While it is clear that they have accomplished a great amount in the past (over two hundred shows including a 3 week tour with Big D and the Kids Table just last year!), Survay Says! has no plans to slow down. Their 4th full length album coming out in April on Asbestos Records along with a tour across the U.S. is what the band has been working on currently. I believe It’s safe to say they like to keep busy, and their fans happy, especially Henry himself. He is one of the founders of Survay Says! He loves the hard work he does, and he does a lot of it. Fortunately, I was able to speak with him and ask him about it:

 

JM: How would you describe the ultimate goal of Survay Says!? What motivates you to keep you working hard to achieve the goal?

 

HM: The end-all be-all goal of Survay Says! is be the business that sustains our lives. As far-fetched as that is, I'm happy to say Survay Says! sustains the majority of itself; meaning we do well enough on our own to keep it going. The happiness I continue to get out of doing this keeps me motivated to stay in it. If I'm not happy with what I'm doing with myself, I don't do it. As long as this keeps putting smiles on my bandmates faces, my fans faces, and my face, Survay Says! will continue.

 

JM: In your experience with music, what do you think seems to be the key to having a successful band or musical project?

 

HM: Other than having great music to play, the key to me is determination, the ability to challenge yourself, and setting realistic goals. We all want the big shows, big crowds and big opportunities consistently. But it just doesn't happen that way to start off with... or EVER *laughs*. It’s important to enjoy what seems like "little victories". Success is an open ended idea in music. If you wanna gig every now and then with buddies on a local stage, that can be accomplished and fulfilling. Personally I'm after a lot more. That means having to fail and learning to deal with the concept of failure.

 

JM: How did you go about developing your sound? What made you think, “This is what Survay Says! should sound like”? What about your music makes it your own?

HM: Instrumentally, I try to write a song that I would like if I didn't write it. The two kinds of music that get me the most hyped are ska music and pop punk music. So I inherently include elements of each one in my (our) tunes. Lyrically, I want to write something an audience can relate to while being true to what I feel. The newest batch of songs are the most personal I (and D.Jay) have ever written. I hope we can hit a nerve with some people. If not, I have the satisfaction of knowing what I sing about means a lot to me.

 

JM: Could you briefly tell me how you go about constructing a song? What are some of the first and last things that happen during the writing process?

 

HM: I come up with lyrics all the time. When I wanna save something I like, I usually jot it in my notebook or my phone *laughs*. Instrumentals usually come first where a full song is concerned. My process takes a while: I'll write 3 songs for every 1 song I actually like enough to keep. Then I usually take the best ideas from those 3 to make the final product. A concept for the song comes from the overall feel of the tune. I usually listen to the demo of the instrumental a shit-load and see what comes to mind.

 

JM: Correct me if I’m wrong, but I understand that you have gone through a few drummers in the past. How many line-up changes have you gone through and how have they affected the success of the band?

 

HM: Generally speaking, ska-based bands are usually have more members than your average musical group. Keeping that many people on the same page is hard. We've had a lot of changes to our band but in the end, it's all been our benefit. This "version" of the band is the tightest we've ever had on a musical level and a personal level, making me all the more eager to get out show everyone what we have brewing here in camp Survay.

 

JM: You have a new album coming out soon in April. What is going to make this different from your last 3 full lengths? What can your fans expect from it?

 

HM: What will make this full length different from our previous releases is it will arguably be our best sounding record to date. We have the privilege to be tracking at Nada Recording Studio, our first real studio experience as a band. Other releases have been "home studios". And not to take away from those recordings, we needed this album to the best it could be. With the kind of things we are trying to accomplish, we need a real solid album to back everything up. That's what "Observations Of The Human Condition" will be. Not to mention, I think it's the best collection of songs we've ever written. Fans can expect our sound at the best quality we could accomplish.

 

JM: What kind of difficulties do you run into while you’re in the studio? With 6 instruments does it take a long time to finish an album?

 

HM: The studio can be a struggle. It's fun to make music and be creative. But it also can be draining. Long hours, lots of takes, and if you lose your focus, eventually nothing you do sounds right. It can be hard to stay on point.

 

JM: Do you prefer working in the studio, or playing out live? How do they compare in terms of work and enjoyment?

 

HM: Writing songs you like feels great. I need the outlet to express my thoughts in a melodic way and hear what I imagined in my head out loud through speakers is so cool! However, I have an insatiable love for playing shows. I can't get enough. Hence the schedule we tend to have. For me it's 2 different parts of the same overall concept. One can't exist without the other so it's hard to make one better than other in my head.

 

JM: You guys have managed to play over 200 shows last year. Your fans know that you love touring (and we thank you for that), however, does it ever get tiring? What kind of hard work goes into preparing all of your shows?

 

HM: In a physical sense, of course, quite tiring. The hardest part about last year was keep the band itself together. We had a lot of drummer issues to say the least. I think that was the most mentally draining. And even when I'm feeling fried, I still feel better by the time we take the stage. Our set is still the best part of my day, so as long as that's happening, being exhausted isn't a problem.

 

JM: I have a few more questions that are easier and a little more personal to answer:Survay Says! has played with some well-known bands including Reel Big Fish, Streetlight Manifesto, Mustard Plug, and The Wonder Years. You have even been on tour with Big D and the Kids Table. What has been your favorite band to play with, and for what reason? AND if you could play with any musician/band in the world, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

 

HM: I'd have to say my favorite band to play with is Big D. To have people you look up as heroes treat you as equals and friends is a feeling I can't accurately describe. That tour changed my life and I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. I can't say who my pipe dream opening spot would be. I get stoked about any of them. That's a really corny and lame answer but its true.

 

JM: How did the name come about? Why the “a”?

 

HM: I get asked that a lot. Survay Says! originally was nothing more than a hobby; nothing serious. The name doesn't mean anything. Charlie (my best friend, ex-member, and co-founder of the band) came up with it. We spelled it with an A because no one on MySpace did. It’s as simple as that.

 

JM: Favorite Color? HM: Black. It's slimming. *laughs*JM: Favorite album of all time?

 

HM: That's too hard! *laughs* I'll go by genre, but even that's too hard. Ska: Streetlight Manifesto— Somewhere In The Between, Hip Hop: Danger Doom—The Mouse And The Mask, Pop punk: The Wonder Years—The Upsides, Indie: The Shins—Oh Inverted World, Emo: The Promise Ring—Nothing Feels Good… I have a lot of "favorite" albums. I can't leave the house with just one.

 

JM: Does anybody usually get nervous before a performance? What’s the most nervous you've ever been?

 

HM: Not so much lately. The more we play, the more comfortable we get on stage. However, the first night of the Big D/Red City tour was pretty nerve racking. We sucked that night! Luckily, Detroit fans still think we're an okay band *laughs*.

 

“Observations of the Human Condition” is available now on Bandcamp or at survaysays.net along with their new video “I Aim To Misbehave” Make sure to “like” them on Facebook to get information on tour dates and updates.