March 19, 2008 - Recently we chatted with Nixon the lead singer of Framing Hanley and below is what he had to say to us.

Framing Hanley

FES : Can you briefly give our readers who may not be familiar with Framing Hanley the band 411?

Nixon: Our bassist Luke and drummer Chris had been in previous bands together. I (Nixon) answered an ad at our community college looking for a lead singer. We later got Brandon on guitar and after getting signed in December of 2006, we went thru a lineup change in January 2007 and got Tim as our other guitarist.

FES: "The Moment" is Framing Hanley's latest CD, what can you tell us about your album that you haven't told anyone else yet?

Nixon: I can sit and listen to this record and remember everything that I was thinking and that we were going thru on each individual song. There isn't one song that doesn't have an important/special meaning to either me or all of us together.

FES : How long did it take to record "The Moment" and how many songs did the band have going into the studio and how did Framing Hanley decide which songs would make it and which ones would not?

Nixon: We got signed only having 2 songs as a band..."Hear Me Now" and "Wave Goodbye." After Tim joined the band in January of 2007 we started writing non-stop and wrote 9 songs in the span of a month.

FES : How did the Framing Hanley decide on the title "The Moment"?

Nixon: There was one moment that changed us forever as a band. Our drummer's fiancée Ashley Hanley passed away in October of 2006, and we obviously went thru a lot of hard times during this period. But it seemed that everything started happening quickly for our band at that moment. I'd be lying to say she's had nothing to do with where we're at today.

FES : Can we get your take on what the songs "Hear Me Now" and "Built For Sin" are about?

Nixon: "Hear Me Now" is a song about having questions. You grow up your whole life believing things that you are told from others, and sometimes its good to just sit back and try to find these things out on your own. To question instead of just believing. "Built For Sin" is about a relationship where that person that you're with, that you really want to make things work with, is bringing you down. When you know that person has vices that need to change, yet they won't do anything to change those things...they're content. And its about having the courage to walk away from that situation no matter how "good it tastes."

FES: Does Framing Hanley try to incorporate a message in your songs and if so what message would that be?

Nixon: We just write music that means something special to us that we hope people can relate to.

FES : What was it like to work with producer Brett Hestla [of Dark New Day]?

Nixon: For me as a vocalist, working with a producer who was a vocalist in a band as successful as Dark New Day was intimidating. He helped us mature in so many ways though. We owe a lot to Hestla. He's like our dad... Just not that old.

FES : Did you record the album in his studio in Orlando?

Nixon: Yes.

FES : As a fan of music do you prefer to buy CD's or digital audio tracks purchased online?

Nixon: I'm old school. I still buy CD's.

FES : With so many people buying music digitally do you think this is the beginning of the end for the CD?

Nixon: That’s something that can be argued. It’s so easy now to just click "buy" on iTunes. I think there will always be people that will buy a hardcopy if it’s available though.

FES : Where do you see Framing Hanley five (5) years from now?

Nixon: Touring and hanging out in a different city every night with our fans. Still writing music that we feel is relevant.

FES : Describe Framing Hanley to us using five (5) words or less?

Nixon: We bring the ruckus.

FES : When will we see Framing Hanley doing shows in Florida?

Nixon: Hopefully we'll be down there again soon. Orlando is like our second home.

FES : How important do you feel online publications such as Florida Entertainment Scene are in helping to get the word out about bands such as Framing Hanley?

Nixon: A lot of our "buzz" so to speak started from online publications. They really help a lot.

FES : What do you have to say to your fans who read this interview?

Nixon: Thank you for everything you've done for us. We promise that we'll keep writing music that we enjoy playing and hope you all continue listening. We love every single one of you, and it’s because of you guys that we're where we are right now.

Framing Hanley is:
Chris Vest - Drums
Brandon Wootten - Guitar
Nixon - Vocals
Tim Huskinson - Guitar
Luke McDuffee - Bass/Backing Vocals

For more artist information log onto the Framing Hanley page at Myspace.

Check out the Framily Hanley page at Pure Volume.

Musician Interview by Michael Montes – Copyright © 2008 Florida Entertainment Scene – All Rights Reserved. Any usuage of this interview MUST include a link to Florida Entertainment Scene.