Interview – Drayter | Kryptonite Music Magazine

The following fill in the blanks come from Dallas-based pop/rock band, Drayter. The duo was formed in 2009 and is comprised of Liv Miner (vocals, guitar) and Cole Schwartz (guitar). Drayter’s debut full-length, Nine, was released this past December. The album, recorded in LA, consists of eight tracks. Cole and Liv draw influence from a wide range of artists including Metallica, Maroon 5, Cee-Lo Green, and Foo Fighters. Learn more about Drayter from their responses and be sure to check out Nine.

Three words we’d use to describe us are….Hungry, committed, appreciative.

The story/meaning behind the name Drayter is….We started the band when we were kids and it was originally called Broken Spine. Soon after that we came up with our current name, but with a different spelling. As we got a little older, we decided to change the spelling but keep the name. It sounded cool and it was unique.

We met each other….The band formed in Dallas in 2009 when we were 13. The three original band members attended school together. We started out covering classic rock and metal music. As a novelty kid cover band, (we) were (frequently) booked at local bars around the Dallas area. During that time, our current singer, Liv, was the front lady and guitarist of a local Dallas band called Liv and the Drummer. Our paths crossed on February 15th 2010 when we played a show with two other bands. The headliner that night was Liv and the Drummer. That was the first time we met.

Over the course of the next five years, we crossed paths several more times around the Dallas circuit. In early 2015 Liv found out that we were looking for a new lead singer and she came in to audition. The musical attraction was instantaneous and she became the lead singer in February 2015. It’s been the perfect match.

The pickiest eater is…We are both equal opportunity food eaters. We don’t discriminate and although we like to eat just about anything, we have been eating healthier food the past year.

The most OCD member is….Cole, for sure. Aside from quadruple checking his gear before each show, he is very particular about every guitar tone when we go into the studio. And when the guitars are laid down and basically finished, he comes up with something else to add. When he tracks we call it “Cole’s Guitarorchestra.” Cole also has rituals about turning lights on and off several times when he’s walking into a room, and he touches walls and furniture. But since we are both kinda wacky in that way, it makes it easy to understand and appreciate each other’s OCD quirks.

For fun we like to….Eat! We are both major foodies and love to eat. Liv loves to drink coffee! Also, we like to workout, listen to music, watch Portlandia or It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Cole likes to work on various film projects like documentaries and short films.

We’re currently listening to….We both listen to a wide range of music. Playlists change weekly, but we’re currently jamming Tool, System of a Down, a lot of downtempo, Yelawolf, Power Trip, Kendrick Lamar, Deathheaven, Mac DeMarco, A Tribe Called Quest, Alina Baraz, Jhené Aiko, and Steve Aoki, just to name a few.

Our favorite 90s jams include….

Cole: “Killing in the Name,” Rage Against the Machine; “Creep,” Radiohead; “Everlong,” Foo Fighters; “Basket Case,” Green Day; “Sad But True,” Metallica; and “Interstate Love Song,” Stone Temple Pilots.

Liv: I like later 90’s like Tool, Limp Bizkit, Deftones, Buckcherry, Rage Against the Machine, and Eminem

Our favorite tracks to play live include….We both love playing emotionally driven, super high-energy songs, so right now “Best I Had” is our favorite song to play live. However, we design our set to be one long continuous ride, so there are great moments throughout. Opening the set with “Still Here” is a lot of fun, and we like slowing things down with “Mother Says.” It is really neat to emotionally connect with the audience and really show another side.

The first song we wrote together was….“Run”

Nine was recorded in….Los Angeles, California (NRG Studios) and in Mandeville, Louisiana (Balance Productions)

One thing we want you to remember while listening to our music is….Music is art, and so it’s really up to the listener to hear it and interpret it as they want. We hope that a song like “Mother Says” gives someone the clarity and understanding they were searching for. We hope that a song like “Not Alone” saves someone from the grips of despair and gives them inner strength to stand tall. We hope that “Run” entices someone to get out of their chair in the middle of the office and begin dancing because it’s Friday! All together, we hope that the person who comes across this interview or stumbles across the album puts it on and turns it up, because we think there’s something for everyone on it.

Something odd we want our fans to know about us is….Not very odd, but we are both obsessive with working out.

We’re absolutely terrified of….

Liv – Snakes

Cole – Spiders. Especially big hairy ones.

Our last meals would be….

Liv – I would keep it a well-rounded All-American meal – Cheeseburger, fries, chocolate milkshake

Cole – Steak and fries from Al Biernats in Dallas.

In the next six months you should expect….us to have had a positive impact in the music industry, and see us having a great time doing it.