Akron, Ohio’s Red Sun Rising, consisting of Mike Protich [vocals/guitar], Ryan Williams [guitar], Dave McGarry [guitar], Ricky Miller [bass/vocals], and Pat Gerasia [drums], continue to celebrate their #1 Billboard Mainstream Rock song “The Otherside” off their Polyester Zeal album. Side Stage Magazine took advantage of our chance to sit down with vocalist Mike Protich before their sold out show at The Machine Shop in Flint, Michigan.
Side Stage Magazine: How does it feel to headline at The Machine Shop?
Mike Protich: It’s surreal. We were just here a little over a year ago with Pop Evil. I remember thinking it would be so awesome to headline this place. So here we are and it’s a great way to end our first headlining run!
Let’s chat about the World’s Loudest Month Festivals, I see that you are on all of them!
Yes, all of them.
Which show are you most excited about?
I’m probably most excited about Rock On The Range, mostly because it’s our home state. Last year was our first year playing it. We were basically the first band playing on the Jägermeister stage. Now we are actually on one of the main stages. Its going to be a lot different experience later in the day. We have been touring our record for a whole year so people will know our songs, it will be a lot more fun.
How does it feel playing Rock On The Range in your own backyard?
It’s cool because it’s kind of a homecoming show. A lot of people from Akron and Cleveland come down for that and they are equally excited as we are to see us on that stage. So it’s cool.
Which other festivals are you most looking forward to this year?
I had a blast at Aftershock. I’m looking forward to doing that one again. Louder Than Life was fun. I am looking forward to the second chance at Louder Than Life, because we got almost rained out. It was so rainy that there was barely anyone there and they had to push the gates back. It was basically whoever could get to our stage quick enough. I’m ready for the second chance for that one.
Are there any tour plans coming up that you can talk about today?
Yeah, we are basically going to keep touring. We do have a tour in the works that is going to be in between all the festivals. It hasn’t been announced yet, but there will be a tour that will link all those dates together. We will be with a really cool band that hasn’t been playing in a while. It will be cool to see their comeback. So we are looking forward to that, and we will just keep touring for the rest of the year.
How was the Sirius Octane Unleaded experience?
That was cool because we write that way. We always write on acoustic guitars first and build, you know color it from there. It’s very natural for us to strip down to acoustics and you know it’s fun there is just a different energy and vibe to acoustics. We have gotten fantastic feedback from it.
What is your biggest accomplishment to date?
It’s a good question. It seems like at every level there is a new thing, First, it was I would love a record with a major producer. We did that. I would like to get on the radio. We did that. We wanted to play festivals. We did that. At each level of success you want the next thing. I think that is what keeps this band working so hard. We never relish in any success. We keep looking for what’s next.
If you could add one person to your band for the day, living or dead who would it be?
I would probably say Maynard. Maynard Keenan from Tool and A Perfect Circle. Him or maybe Chris Cornell. But I don’t know what I would do if he was in the band.
He would sing with you?
It would be a duet.
Is there a question that you’ve never been asked and always wanted to answer.
That is a great question too. I do a lot of my writing, my melodies in the shower. No one has really ever asked me where I like to get away and write. Some times I will literally, sounds weird, but I will sit in the shower for like a long time, for like an hour. Hum to myself. I think of so many melodies in the shower. I don’t know why, but its my escape I just sit in the shower.
Is there anything you want to pass on to your fans?
Just keep coming out and keep showing the support because it’s been phenomenal. We are looking forward to meeting more and more of our fans. Especially on this tour, we got to meet a lot of fans that we didn’t even know we had. So that’s been really cool. And come see us on the road this year! Always request our songs on any of the radio stations.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
Apr 23 WJRR Earthday Birthday Orlando, FL
Apr 29 98ROCKFEST Tampa, FL
Apr 30 Monster Energy Welcome To Rockville Jacksonville, FL
May 01 Fort Rock Fort Myers, FL
May 06 Carolina Rebellion Concord, NC
May 21 MMRBQ Camden, NJ
May 22 Rock On The Range Columbus, OH
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