SCENEzine– Hey Buddy, firstly it’s a huge honour to speak to you we’ve been Senses Fail fans for many years.

Buddy Nielsen– Thanks you very much man.

SCENEzine– You are currently on Warped tour in USA. Can you tell us how that has been going so far? Are you playing new songs live yet?

Buddy Nielsen– It’s been really awesome so far i fee like there is new excitement around the band and i kind of feel like we got a bit of a buzz its really cool. We have been searching out a new song everyday so everyday we play something of the new record, its a really good time to experiment to see what people like and gain some experience in playing the songs.

SCENEzine– Senses Fail have been playing Warped for over 10 years. Many other acts have played Warped like Katy Perry, Fall Out Boy, Eminem & Blink 182. Do you think warped tour has changed much over the years?

Buddy Nielsen– No I think the people coming to the Warped Tour might have changed like in the way they look or the bands they like but functionally nothing has changed a lot of the structure and stuff is still the same really.

SCENEzine– We have been absolutely been loving the new album. It feels like possibly the most honest Senses Fail record. Is that a fair assumption?

Buddy Nielsen– I would absolutely agree

SCENEzine– Our personal favourite track from the album is “carry the weight” was that a song you’ve wanting to write for a long time?

Buddy Nielsen– Yea it was one of the last songs we wrote for the record and it kind of just came together. I sat down right before we left for our 10 year anniversary tour and it sort of just came it. We ended up flushing it out and we wrote it in this town in Idaho, its a really cool song and it feels like its got energy but also this has this real pretty feel to it, its one of my favourite songs as well.



SCENEzine– “My fear of an unlived life” seemed like the perfect way to end the record with it’s Jimmy Eat World vibe alongside the heavy outro. What do you want people to learn from you by listening to that track?

Buddy Nielsen– That track really has something to do with Karma and this sort of end of life, its really for any one that has some one die, which is really all of us, sort of reflecting on the idea that even when someone dies there is a piece of what they have done that is left with us and its the only thing that any one really leaves you can’t leave behind anything else but your actions. So when somebody dies what they leave is either the love the gave or didn’t give and I think its something that in a time when you are grieving it can be really helpful to reflect on and be like wow, and I don’t mean in a Christian sort of way with I know there in heaven now but literally more like I am the way I am because of this person in my life and being able to reflect on that and see that no matter where you are in your life you will always have that part of a person with you in a very real way and not in a mystical way or I do believe in God or I don’t believe in God way but in a very visceral way and I really wanted people to be able to reflect on that and i really wanted the record to end with the way it left you, bold yet carthardic experience.



SCENEzine– Is it humbling to know that your music and your own personal journey inspires many people worldwide and helps people out of dark times?

Buddy Nielsen– Yeah it helps me out of dark times so its sort of like a win win, I really wanted to do this for myself and I really don’t know if i am trying to affect other people but i think because I am trying to do it really honestly it does affect other people and thats a reward from it.

SCENEzine– Going way back in time we first fell in love with you guys in 2003 on From The Depths Of Dreams Ep. Does that Ep still hold a special place for you? How did you feel about the emo band tag?

Buddy Nielsen– That’s the record that got it all started so of course I still respect it, I wrote that record when i was like 18 so ya know it reminds me of being a kid. I really don’t mind being called an emo band because we are an emotional band, people can call us an emo band a hardcore band a post hardcore band. All i know is we are a very DIY band very hands on never been on a major label I love hardcore music I respect hardcore music I wanna cultivate music with in the music scene and you call us what ever you want because of that. But our music is emotional it’s meant to be emotional it’s not about some fictitious girlfriend it’s meant to be really digested and experienced

SCENEzine– We were lucky enough to see you play Let it enfold you in full at Riot Fest Chicago last year. How was that experience for you? Is it still fun playing “buried a lie” and “lady in a blue dress” live?

Buddy Nielsen– I really wana play songs people wana hear I don’t wana play shit people don’t like because thats not fun to get up on stage and have people go yeah we don’t wana hear that. We try to get the balance of what can we do to make people happy but what can we also do to make sure we are happy as well.



SCENEzine– The big question for us is will you be coming back to Australia? Also do you have any fond memories from previous tours down here?

Buddy Nielsen– We love touring Australia it’s always spectacular we always have a great time the shows are always awesome and I just sent an email confirming an Australian Tour which will probably be next March. So March 2016 is probably when we are coming down under i know its a little far off but you really got to plan when going to Australia it’s tough so you got to really plan ahead.

SCENEzine– Any stand out memories of touring Australia?

Buddy Nielsen– One of the funniest fan interactions I ever had was in Australia we were going to do a signing at Taste Of Chaos and some kid kicked our guitar player right in the nuts and our guitar player freaked out and punched him right in the face and screamed “ What the fuck are you doing ? what the fuck was that ?” and the kid was like “ Oh man i was trying to get your attention” and the guitarist is like what the fuck ? is that how you get some ones attention in Australia “ so yeah that moment always sticks in my head.
That and i really like going to Perth I find it so beautiful and isolated.

SCENEzine– On the new album and throughout your musical career you are well know for being able to transition from beautiful vocal melodies to aggressive screaming. How have you kept your voice in shape over the years?

Buddy Nielsen– I have taken an extensive amount of vocal lessons when i first started i really struggled I also did 6-7 years with some of the best teachers in the world the kind of people that teach Bono from U2 and the Rolling Stones so I have picked up a lot but the problem was no one taught me how to scream so I really had to develop my own sort of way with it, it took me a long time ya know I would say it took me up until the last record to really work out how to scream and do it in a way so it doesn’t fuck up my voice so I can still sing the clean part. It has been a really long process we have been a band for 13 years and I would say it took me 11 years to do it right.

SCENEzine– We are headed to New York/ New Jersey later in the year. What is the punk/hardcore scene like over there? Can you recommend and bars or punk style clubs we should check out?

Buddy Nielsen– Yea you should go to a bar in Hoboken called the Beez Knees it’s like a punk rock bar its owned by the Guy in Underdog its got a real punk, hardcore kind of vibe. Hoboken is just a really good place to check out it’s where American Baseball started it’s where Frank Sinatra is from if you wana get a real feel for New Jersey it’s a good place to go because its right next to New York City and you can get good pizza good Italian Food it was once the loading docks for New York City and has really deep German and Irish heritage.

SCENEzine- Man we here at SCENEzine love eating Pizza is there a joint we should check out?

Buddy Nielsen- Yeah go to a place called Benny Tudino’s it’s the biggest slice of pizza you will ever eat its probably as long as your fore arm.

SCENEzine– Lastly thank you for your time. Any last message for Australian Senses Fail fans?

Buddy Nielsen– I appreciate you, thank you guys so much and we will see you early next year! So looking forward to it.

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