Interview with Adam Drew from The Religion

The Religion is an American electronic / industrial rock project headed by multi-instrumentalist Adam Drew. The Religion’s debut release Fragments is available on all major online streaming and digital platforms. We got an opportunity to interview Adam for our magazine.

Twist Online : Please introduce yourself to our readers.
Adam : Hi, I’m Adam and I make music for The Religion.

Twist Online : Who or what inspired you to get into music industry?
Adam : I come from a musical family. Music in my house growing up was sort of like how football is for other people. It was how my family came together, so I was always into it. But it was really hearing bands like Nine Inch Nails when I was a kid and learning about electronic music that made me think “I want to do this.”

Twist Online : Tell us about your recent release ‘Fragments’?
Adam : Fragments is a weird album. It was difficult to produce, took a long time, and really challenged me. I’m proud of it; in a way its the most important thing I’ve ever done musically. But it was difficult process.

I sort of set myself up to have trouble on Fragments. I took away every comfortable thing in the process. I switched my primary instrument from guitar to keyboard, I changed my production workflow and platform, and spent months going back to basics studying composition and music history. The result is an album that I literally could not have written 2 years ago, but that required me to constantly wade through unfamiliar territory.

The other thing I did on Fragments that was really new to me was reach out and collaborate more. There are some awesome performances from talented musicians. Roddy Terrell and Pearl Scott gave me some amazing vocal performances. And Kenny James from A Beautiful Curse recorded some really great drums on a bunch of the tracks.

Twist Online : What kind of response it has received so far?
Adam : Shockingly positive. After I finished Fragments and was preparing for release I was sort of thinking to myself “Good job Adam; you’ve managed to put together another collection of unrelatable strange music that no one will want to hear.” After release I started working on promotions and things and to my suprise people really liked it. I started selling copies right away, and started seeing far more interest than I’d ever seen before. The streaming numbers have been great and I’ve been able to pump some money from sales back into promotions, which has been really good. Whenever my phone goes off and its another notification that people like the Facebook page or have listened to or bought the album its really satisfying.

Twist Online : Any particular track(s) in the Album that’s your favorite?
Adam : That’s pretty tough. I’ve always really loved the tones, energy, and fun meter in 1978; that track also has a really cool performance by Kenny James at the end. I don’t know if I could really pick a favorite though, there are things I really love about all of these tracks. They were my sparring partners for over a year. They are all friends of mine.

Twist Online : Are you influenced by any particular music genre?
Adam : I don’t think about genre. Its not really something I think makes any sense. I can’t even come up with a cogent genre label for my own music. I’d be happy if everyone woke up one day and just dropped the entire concept, at very least to save me the trouble having to write something nonsensical and nondescriptive in “genre” form inputs on music websites.

I could name some artists that are influential for me though. Depeche Mode is huge to me; I really look up to Martin Gore as a composer and sound designer. Nine Inch Nails is of course a massive influence as well. Portishead is a group I think about a lot, as well as Dillinger Escape Plan. Justice and Placebo have also been huge inspirations.

Twist Online : Have you set some goals to achieve as a music artist?
Adam : My only goals with music are to produce music that I love and to get it in the ears of people who may also love it. Music means so much to me. The artists and music I love have comforted and challenged me, they’ve helped shape how I think and helped me work through how I feel. I just want to give that back.

Twist Online : Are you working on any new projects?
Adam : Yes. I’m very early in the writing phase for the next release. Its too early to say anything definitive, because I change my mind so much, but right now I’m leaning towards something more focused and shorter than Fragments. I’d also like to do something that has vocals on all or almost all of the songs. I’m also busting ass trying to get Fragments to people, doing interviews, podcasts, and getting the record out there every way I can. I stay busy.

Twist Online : Are you active on social media? What’s the best way to follow you online?
Adam : The Religion has a Facebook page; liking or following that’s the best way to keep up on whats going on and to contact me. The URL is https://www.facebook.com/thereligionmusic/