Artist Spotlight is a segment that we started to introduce our listeners to some deserving up and coming artists/coming bands. They have made an impact on us for all of the right reasons. We think they kick ass and we hope you do too!
Formed in 2009 in North Haledon, New Jersey by childhood friends Brian King (drums,) Antonio Valenti (bass,) and Joe Padula (guitars) – their ambitions have been to produce heavy, melodic rock. After several male and female vocalists, Kimmii Heart had joined in 2013 establishing the definitive line-up known today worldwide as Reality Suite.
In September of 2015, the self-produced debut full length Skinn was released. A unique sound to global rock fans, it was secretly a greatest hits album capitalizing on Reality Suite’s most popular songs from previous EPs. “Skinn boasts a number of standout tracks, including hook-laden first single, Die Dreaming with the equally infectious Save My Life and Playing with Fire,” printed the Record/Herald News reporter, Brian Aberback. The song Save My Life was featured as the Song of the Week in Steppin’ Out, a NJ music publication while MPire Magazine declared, “Skinn is a damned near perfect piece of rock, one that incorporates the old and new in the right balance.”
After an aggressive band managed social media campaign, Reality Suite has developed over 24,000 followers worldwide. There are pleas from male and female fans of all ages requesting the New Jersey based band to perform in their cities and countries. Several continents are represented by fans posting photos with their “Skinn” CD, wearing Reality Suite t-shirts, posting screenshots while streaming tracks and videos of themselves singing their songs. “When recording Skinn, we didn’t know if anyone was going to care about it,” Brian told WDHA 105.5FM DJ, Lidsay Klein in an interview. “We knew about 12 friends that would be interested, that was it. Months after its release, we are constantly receiving praise from fans around the world. It is so fulfilling. It is truly driving us to take our new album to the next level,”
In May of 2018, Reality Suite released the Awaken EP. Brian King revealed in an interview with PopBreak.com: “The songs “Grave” and “Cut, Burn, Bruise” may be closest to defining what “Awaken” is all about. During the writing for what became “Awaken,” Kimmii and I realized most of what we were writing lyrics about were losing loved ones. Each of us in the band had lost someone in the last two years. I lost my mother in 2016 to lung cancer – which spawned the song “Cut, Burn Bruise.” Kimmii lost a close family friend which inspired “Grave.” Antonio lost his mother and Joe had lost an Aunt in 2017 – so, as much as “Grave” and “Cut” are about missing a loved one, in the context with the other songs – “Awaken” becomes an album about recovery and rebirth……leaving the pain behind and moving on. The songs “Live Now Forever,” “Dead to Me,” and “Lust” drive that point home.”
https://youtube.com/watch?v=RP_4gB_mXIU%3FRP_4gB_mXIU%3D%26v%3DRP_4gB_mXIUhttps%3A
We recently sat down with Reality Suite drummer Brian King to learn a little bit more about the band.
I’m a music nerd and love to know what’s in a band name. Sometimes it’s something cool with a story behind it and sometimes it’s just something random. What about Reality Suite?
Brian King/Reality Suite: When writing our first batch of songs, we were first called The Industry Standard. That was a title that Antonio Valenti (bass) had around for a while. As the songs were shaping up, we became more and more excited – and I personally felt that the songs were bigger than the title. Having the word “standard” in our name I felt under-sold us. lol I was driving around listening to the Howard Stern Show and he was ranting about REALITY shows. The word “reality” sounded relatable to me….Everyone can relate to reality, right? Well, most can. hahaha But the songs we were writing were very personal – and “real.” So, I felt “reality” was a genuine description. I wrote the “reality” word on a napkin and drove around with it for weeks. Ultimately, Joe Padula (guitar) and I were chatting on the phone – he was at work, I was in the car. We agreed that “Reality” was a starting point and were just placing words before and after it, until……Joe looked out of his door and read one word listed on the nameplate on the door across the hall, “suite 305.” Reality Suite sounded best……
Every superhero or villain has an origin and so does a band minus the radioactive spiders and government experiments……..well, sometimes. What’s the origin of Reality Suite?
Antonio and I met through his younger cousin in the 4th grade. I played drums and he played guitar, so we were introduced. We recorded dozens of songs – lots of baddddd songs hahahaha but at age 9 and 11, we were certainly trying our best. We even submitted a demo to Megaforce Records. Hell,. Metallica was on Megaforce, we had a shot, right? I wish I held onto that rejection letter! After a few years, we entered high school and Antonio stepped away from music. I decided to search for a more established band so that I could actually play clubs and bars……I was 16 and performing at clubs at night – then wake-up early the next morning to go to class. It was then that I was introduced to Joe…..we played in various bands together until I just needed to try other styles of music. For a few years, all three of us performed separately in other bands – there was no animosity. It was just that we were all functioning in different circles. Before the music industry really collapsed, each of us built up bands that earned notoriety. Meetings with Jason Flom, Kim Fowley, Bill Aucoin….we each had our own roller coaster ride that led to disappointments. We each decided to walk away from music for a few years. Then……we realized we could never stop….Joe and I decided to jam – and the most logical choice was inviting Antonio to join. After a quick simmer, the fire was full ablaze again….. Kimmii Heart joined us and we have accomplished more now then with any of our previous bands.
What do you struggle with while chasing your dream? (Support? Money? Time? etc.)
The struggle…..since we are independently managed – money is definitely a struggle. Every little bit that we earn is absorbed by our costs. And we are always trying to provide new content for social media and youtube….so live videos, bigger budget official videos, photoshoots, recording costs, it’s all on us right now. We appreciate every bit of fan support that we receive. It truly keeps us motivated and driven to write, record and release new material. But It would be terrific to have some label support and financial backing. That is on the list of goals for 2020 – a US label that can bring us to our fans that have wanted to see us perform live for years – plus expose us to a much wider audience.
One place in the entire world that’s on your bucket list to play live?
Rio de Janeiro, Brasil – Rock in Rio festival!
What’s your favorite cartoon growing up or current?
Charlie Brown.
By I’m Music Magazine Owner/Editor Johnny Price
Connect with Reality Suite online:
Website: https://www.realitysuite.com/news
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realitysuite/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realitysuite/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/realitysuite
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/realitysuite
