Well Intentioned: An Interview with Resilia
I was lucky enough to be able to sit down and speak with John and Daisy of Resilia after the Kill Iconic festival date in Orlando, Florida. We spoke about upcoming music, tour stories, why your mail was late, and everything between
Interview conducted by C. Tuel
Photo taken by myself for Resilia
Dual Muse Mag: Hello! How are y’all doing? Caity here! As always, I know who you are and it’s a pleasure to be speaking with you, but for those reading at home, would you mind introducing yourself?
Daisy Chamberlin: Sure. Yeah! So I'm Daisy Chamberlin. I sing for the band Resilia.
John Benoit: and I'm John Benoit. I play guitar for Resilia!
DMM: Phenomenal! Thank you. Again, great to have you, and always great to yap with you! The last time I saw you guys was at House of Blues Orlando for the Kill Iconic Festival stop! What has life been like since then?
Daisy: Remarkably chill, like so calm. We have stuff to work on - but we're currently waiting on some guitar edits to start tracking vocals for the album. So this is really the slowest Resilia has been for a hot minute…if that makes sense.
DMM: It absolutely does! It tends to happen with collaborative efforts, especially when differing schedules and time zones get in the way, but “Life finds a way” in the Jeff Goldblum sense of things, I think.
Congratulations to the newlyweds again, and shoutout Tim, by the way! It always amazes me when someone subs in for anything music-related, especially while continuing their own work as they did. You all absolutely killed it at House of Blues - was that your first time playing at the venue? What were your thoughts on it?
Daisy: Yeah, it was! It was cool. It was less hot than other venues, which is really nice. When we're playing? It's like less sweaty, just cool love that. It was also…smaller than I remembered it being. But I think that's because my first concert was at House of Blues. So I remember being there as a little kid. So I don't know - by comparison I am now bigger. So the venue has become smaller.
DMM: I felt similarly when I went back from like 13 from my first show there to 18 when I went back again after moving to the area. But I have to naturally ask…. What was your first concert?
Daisy: It was The Smashing Pumpkins. I was a little freak for that band as a kid.
DMM: God, that’s so real. John, what was yours?
John: REO Speedwagon, and Boston!
DMM: Absolute heat in both cases. Also, congratulations on your recent signing to Kill Iconic!
Daisy: Yeah! Thank you!
DMM: What can we expect from Resilia going forward in the next year?
Daisy: We have an album - Do you want to talk? I don't want to like, run you over.
John: Sure. I mean, we got an album that we're working on. We had been working on it for a little while, but Donovan hit us up to work with them, and it ended up being a good fit, and we're really happy and lucky to be doing it.
DMM: Absolutely thrilled for y’all! Shoutout Donovan, by the way - I had been following Kill Iconic as a label for quite some time, I think it’s a phenomenal fit ‘sound-wise’, especially with Donoval/Equal Vision in hand. All in all, for those of us familiar with the band’s history and with yours, Daisy, I feel quite confident in saying that we’re - as a community - stoked for new Resilia.
John: Thank you. Yeah, we're stoked, too.
Daisy: When Donovan first approached us, Equal Vision was like not a part of the conversation. And we were down with it the way it was. We were super stoked just to work with Kill Iconic in general, and obviously, with Donovan. He has such a good track record with us, like we have enjoyed playing Kill Iconic, and just any conversation we've had with him.
John: I think it was just a really natural fit. And then all these other bands got signed at the same time as us that we didn't even know about. So it was really exciting when we found out Lobby Boxer is on there, and that's really f–king cool.
Daisy: So it was just kind of like, “Oh, wow! This got like… way cooler all of a sudden. It was already really cool. But now it's like 4 times cooler, so I don't know. We got lucky or something. Good timing.
DMM: The universe blesses good people, for sure. I'm very happy when it happens in every sense. But as a whole, a hundred percent, any conversation at any time I personally had with Donovan, shout out Donovan, wonderful, wonderful person! I am so stoked. Also shout out to Dwellings, who recently also got signed to kill iconic.
Daisy: Yeah!
John: Hell yeah! Love those guys.
DMM: Truly - there's gonna be some really powerful tour bookings coming out in the next couple of years, and I'm very excited.
Daisy: Yeah, I'm just - like praying - for a Kill Iconic records tour, or something like that cause, I mean, Okay, I don't know if you all remember this. But there was this Blue Swan Records Tour in like 2014 that my band at the time - my very first band - opened for, and that was opening for Hail The Sun, Icarus the Owl, and, Stolas. And it was at Bombshells in Orlando which was like the shittiest venue. And you can put that on record. That place sucked ass, but it was still such a great show. Such a cool, f–king tour. We just we should like, you know. I don't know, Donovan. If you're listening, let's do it.
DMM: Donovan….Mr. Melero…If you’re listening… I also absolutely think you should do it. I would adore it, and I’m speaking for the scene here - we miss record label power hour tours and collaborative efforts.
John: Were there others?
Daisy: Wait, were there?
DMM: I have a vague recollection of there being a 2015, or 13 the year before or after, but I can't recall, and it might just be my brain. (Editors Note: I was, in fact, thinking of the subsequent one offs named “Night of the Blue Swan”, but the 2015 show specifically as apparently I am still angry I missed it, even subconsciously.) The brain shortwires on occasion. Overall, I know that I would love that entire tour package again, in different formats. You know, same spirit, different font.
Daisy and John: Exactly that.
DMM: Your band-related-art as a whole is so detailed and incredible at its core, and I adore it. It has a phenomenal level of detail that makes it so fun to explore (and makes me crave physical versions to look at). Who has been responsible for the artwork for EP/Album/Single releases?
John: That's my buddy from college. His name is John Rego. He went to Mass Art in Boston while I was in school there as well, not in Mass Art myself, but in the area. And we got to be buddies, and I always planned on having him do stuff for it, and just let him do whatever he wanted. And then the Gator ended up being a running theme that we stuck with.
DMM: It is so Floridian at its core which is so interesting considering the band yourselves are not entirely from Florida! But I absolutely love it. Please continue with him! It has this phenomenal level of detail that's really comparable to Matthias Adolfsen's work in my opinion. I love that fine level of detail from an artist with distinct linework especially, where I can just keep zooming in on an image, and there's always something new to be found. It's really fun to explore, and makes me crave physical versions to gawk at.
John: Totally, I’ve wondered if he was influenced by him.
DMM: Where can we find them and support their work further?
John: I believe his instagram is @johnrego1234
DMM: Very sick. Thank you. Also, in regards to the mention of new work! How has studio time been? I know it's potentially a hassle, as you guys mentioned largely being based in different states and locations as a general. How do you manage that high level of collaboration?
John: Really, there's just a lot of planning that goes into it. Usually farther in advance, like we… Kinda obviously, we can't really do a lot at the drop of a hat, unless it's just me or Daisy. But, what had ended up happening was we - me and our drummer, Grant… We ended up figuring out a time to go to New York, to Voodoo Studios to track drums there. The rest of the guitar people in the band are all trying to get to Nashville at various times! We actually squeezed some in on this last run, thankfully. Shoutouts to Matt Bolton.
DMM: That is incredibly impressive. As a general, I truly - I think anybody who does this as a whole - a musical career, y'all are absolutely blessed to be in the same proximity as each other, but those of you who run it like you do, and have to have the extra care and attention between time zones and states…I respect y’all the same I would/should our military folks, quite frankly.
Daisy and John: Thank you!
DMM: Absolutely! Especially when one takes into account the amount of work and attention these groups, especially yourselves put into your art? The level of care, patience, and effort always shows.
DMM: On a different note, what have you been listening to a group playlist, personal playlist - anything that you’ve really enjoyed lately and has inspired you.
John: I think I'm having a super like, late nineties, early two thousands moment, because, all I've been wanting to listen to is Korn, System Of A Down, and 311. The only thing that really connects those bands is like I guess, kind of nu-metal, but more so like the nineties or two thousands type of vibe.
Daisy: Vocal performance wise, I have a secret inspiration for this album, and y'all can make of it what you will. I'm not gonna share that… But I have been listening to Love Rarely and Castele. Also Like Roses a bit recently as well!
DMM: Man, shout out Love Rarely and Like Roses! I’ve heard so many good words from friends, and they sound great. Also, 311 is always to be respected - I’m pretty sure they just finished a headliner with Badflower - always fun to see 311.
Daisy: Yeah! I feel like I feel a little inspired by them (Love Rarely). I definitely have some thoughts that came from how she writes melodies and stuff like that. So… I love her screaming so much. Overall, Yeah, everything's really good. And I have some similar feelings. Lyrically. I have like a big notepad of ideas for future songs, and I definitely have some inspiration from them to draw upon.
DMM: Absolutely, yeah!
DMM: Otherwise - what’s a song you wish you wrote, or firmly believe you could have written? (Similar to the spirit of “Resilia could write Strawberry Fields, but John Lennon could never write Anjou” - I have to be a bit of a anti-beatles human - sorry)
John: It can be anything?
DMM: Absolutely anything!
Daisy: Ooh, okay!
DMM: It doesn't need to be possible in a “time sense” - to clarify - you can say you could’ve written a Wagner score or two… or like, Beethoven’s Fur Elise.
John: Here. Oh - Daisy! Stall, let me look at.. Let me look at my playlist.
Daisy: I feel like John could have written something like “Taste” by Sabrina Carpenter.
DMM: That's really interesting. I can see it - I think you could’ve. I know there’s some sickly sweet pop tunes in those noggins.
Daisy: Yeah, I think we could have written something like that! And I feel like we have it in us to write something like that…We might even have a song kind of like that on the album. I don't know.
DMM: The world will have to wait and see! Baited breath, personally - I’m excited. Y’know, on that note? I really do want another Punk Goes Pop, or like a metal goes pop. Volume 8? Volume 9? I miss collaborative covers / covers in our scene dearly, really.
Daisy: We - we played a cover. We used to play Sex by The 1975!
DMM: Please let us encourage you to do it again. Quite frankly, that’s an insane statement I was just told.
Daisy: Without spoiling much, We'll see. I mean, I've already made my demands. John: I wish I wrote Dancing Queen. That's the one I really wish I wrote.
DMM: Daisy, as someone who was in a multitude of Mamma Mia productions as a child… I can see it happening. I think those are - I think those are wonderful, and probably some of the greatest answers. I feel confident that both you and John could have been writing for ABBA, and that you both could be in the writing room with Sabrina. Jesus was a Carpenter.
Daisy: Oh, this is so true! If we were like in the room writing for pop artists, we would write some crazy shit! If I don't have to sing it? if I can say “No, you have - like you own this.” I don't have to own it - we can get unhinged.
DMM: I really cannot wait for that opportunity for y’all. Manifesting. Very similar in case to Josh Ramsay writing “Call Me Maybe” for Carly Rae Jepson!
John: Love Carly Rae!
DMM: Genuinely unappreciated. (Editor’s note: Your heart is a muscle!) About y’alls underappreciated talents, How has your chemistry evolved since you guys have started vs your current state?
Daisy: I think we were on some like f–k it we ball shit like when we started writing like we just had like a bunch of guitar pros. And then I was just like, I like these ones. Here's some stuff.
John: Yeah!
Daisy: And then I flew to California, and me and John just really… wrote for a week or so. Just like a bunch of vocal writing - and then I feel like we had it. But yeah, we were on some - just like silly stuff. We were just writing. And I feel like it was good. But we were not necessarily scrutinizing it as much as we do now. And now everything is really intentional. And we've spent way more time on the songs at this point then we had previously, which is always good.
DMM: Absolutely, while silly stuff and just vibes is to be credited in its own way of art/processes, I think also being a hundred percent delved in and successful in its own ways as well. While I love to have a semblance of a process in anything that goes down in life, it’s not always viable and planning and strategy has to come into play. Overall I'm very excited. I know you both had said that John has a couple ideas and a thematic, I suppose, might be the way to put it - perspective for the sound and upcoming works? How would you describe it?
John: I think the thing that I was really focused on, especially instrumentally for this record, because our process is usually like making sort of an outline of a song before we hand it off to Daisy. It was really kind of refining the language that we use instrumentally and trying to be really specific with it, instead of just trying like, well intentioned - for better or worse, was trying to use every cool, shiny riff that we had.
That we thought would work really nice, or I thought would work really nice at the time. And this record is more about “what is the song doing?” Not - you know, it's not like well intentioned completely failed as a record on that notion, there's some great stuff there. It's just kind of despite that rather than because of trying to make that happen.
DMM: I think this sound and what you've described it being is going to be. I don't want to say Peak yet, because y'all can't peak. It's just a roller coaster that doesn't go down - strong and long uphill experience.
John: Yes! It should be the best yet.
Daisy: I think so, and I think what we write next will be better, too. But I definitely feel confident with us figuring out our process with this one. I think we have a process now, but I think we will probably continue to refine that if we - being so transparent, I think the record is the best thing that I've done so far. It's sort of one of those things where there is a little bit of a roll of the dice. When we go to the studio, which we're already in the process of. But like, when we hear those final mixes, it's gonna be kind of a feeling of, “Oh, yeah, we just finished this, and we won't really know exactly how we feel about it, until, like all is said and done, and there's an audience response to it and whatnot.” So in my experience, I think the feeling that we have now about the record is going to change once it's out. I know I like it at this stage, but that's just not a full picture of it. But really, you never know, we could fry our brains between now and then, and just get like on some true weird Frank Zappa shit or something
John: You never know, we might make it suck on purpose!
DMM: I understand and appreciate the transparency, especially because when you create something, there's always the thought of, “is it still mine once it's out?” “How will I feel about it once public perception is involved?” “Do I still carry these attachments I did previously?” “Do I like it as much, or am I overthinking the entire thing?” I get it - the feeling of it all personally holds me back from a lot of my own work, so I understand that to a T. I hope you do continue to enjoy it, even if you make it “suck on purpose” and become Zapsilia, it’d still be enjoyable in an aspect or two.
DMM: Little fun round of BS, what are you reaching for on your tour rider? What do you request most of or - what would you do when applicable.
John: This one's gonna have to be a little theoretical.
Daisy: Oh my god, What did we say?
DMM: Please, theorize it.
Daisy: Oh, smoothies, we need - like we need smoothies. We need a blender in the green room. We need 6 bananas, a box of strawberries, blueberries, frozen Acai -
John: Whoa!
DMM: I support it, own it!
Daisy: Oh! Yeah, maybe maybe like some oat milk. I don't know.
DMM: I'll put - we can put the nutri-blender on a write off for y'all, I got you.
Daisy: Yeah, no, for sure. I mean, I need a new bullet every single green room, you know.
DMM: We will make it work, but that's so fun, though.
DMM: Oh! What is the best excuse you've given for missing something -- rehearsal wise with each other. You don't have to out yourself in full to anything else.
Daisy: Ohhh, I’ve got it- I’ve got it. I got it. My dad died recently and I cancelled on everyone. That was my best excuse.
DMM: Oh my god - yeah, girl, I'm not even gonna lie. Me too a few years ago - I am still using it - sorry to anybody that knows me, I am genuinely still grieving and copin’ with humor - but - oh my God, yeah. I'm so sorry for your loss on an unfortunately real note. [...] John? I saw John move out of the frame, and I - I saw the “I'm gonna take a step back” vibe.
Daisy: John, I think you don't want to answer, because my answer was too f—king fire.
John: Hey! I was trying to think of a time I've missed anything for Resilia ever, and I don't think it's happened. But!
DMM: Do you have a repeat source of entertainment? For when you are on the road, or in between shows?
John: Oooh, I play Runescape a whole lot.
DMM: Oh my - OG Runescape?
John: Yes. Yeah, I have a crippling old school runescape addiction.
DMM: Understood it! Daisy?
Daisy: Yeah, this tour I played my - I have like a Miyoo Mini like - shout out Miyoo, please sponsor us! It's like a little handheld with emulators on it, and I've been playing Pisces, which is like a fan-made game. I was on that thing a lot this tour.
Editors Note: I have no desire to gatekeep the details on what Daisy was playing, but we truly have less desire as an outlet, and surely Resilia as a band, to meet the hammer of an unnamed international video game conglomerate who enjoys their copyrighted imagery and works more than any other I have seen across the last five to ten years. If you enjoy catching a lot of things, I’m sure you can assume what the media Pisces is a fan game for and dig in further - I encourage you to! And while I’m on the video game soapbox, please continue to support small developers - check out upcoming Game Jams - and indie studios and the incredible projects they create. Finally, shoutout to the Subnautica team as a whole - crush it.
DMM: I had to pull it up. This is insanely dope. I know the tactile feel of it goes crazy cool for the nostalgia factor.
Daisy: Yeah! It's definitely nice to have a dedicated device. I like trying to keep myself off my phone as much as possible lately, and video games help. So… lots of that.
DMM: Understood! I have also been playing a lot of Stardew Valley in a similar breath, and Fate got remastered and put on the Switch, which - gosh, that was my first RPG. It’s incredible to get to play it again.
DMM: But I am hopefully not going to take up too much of your time further, but I will ask you what is the weirdest gig you think you've ever played?
John: It would have to be uh - Missouri right?
Daisy: Oh.
John: That was just a crazy day.
Daisy: I don’t think we can -
John: I think the main highlights are… a guy got Sparta kicked with a skateboard through a door.
DMM: He - I’m sorry?
Daisy: He threw his skateboard at the venue.
John: And there was a really dank waffle house - Ugh. Like a true crazy Waffle House experience.
Daisy: One time I played a show with a different band. We played on the streets of New York City, and somebody called me Mia Khalifa, and that was interesting.
DMM: Heard and understood, and I will also agree that these… These are weird. I don’t know exactly what I had expected but. That is weird and off putting in all accounts, And I apologize for the waffle house experience and verbal accosting. That was not a Waffle Home.
Daisy: Oh, that's okay. They were nice about it? They explained it after. And I was like, “Okay, that's fine? But like just upfront, I feel like that’s a strange intro, you know.”
DMM: Strange intro. Sir - Do you want to elaborate on what you mean by that? Immediately maybe and without malice in any way or just… don’t say it? But other than that, I appreciate y'all, I appreciate your time. Is there anything you would like to leave people with as a general statement or few?
John: Look out for our new music coming at you pretty soon!
Daisy: Yeah! And also we're playing in San Antonio on October 5th.
John: True that!
Daisy: If you're in San Antonio or the broader Texas area, you should come! See us play with Hail the sun! Between the Buried And Me and some other bands.
[Editor’s note: This is a stacked lineup and collaborative effort. Head Automatica is also involved, as well as Omerta, Delta Sleep, Makari, and Murals with more TBA. This show will also have various forms of art, and vendors. Tickets can be purchased through the link here, which will take you to IconTicketing. It is also important to me that I note that the tour is dedicated to the memories of Dave Shapiro, Emma Huke, and Kendall Fortner. This hyperlink will take one to an overview of the Sound Talent Group, as it is important to honor the legacy and dedication from those in our industry/scene/lives that were lost recently. Additionally, GoFundMe or donation links that were publicly available are as follows: Kendall’s Memorial Fund to Aid Aspiring Women in Music can be found here, Emma’s Bee Kind Project can be found here, and one can Continue Dave’s Charitable Legacy here and I encourage all to give the dedicated spaces a read, and donate if you feel compelled and have the means.]
John: Yeah! Come on out.
DMM: Where can people find you, and where can people go to support you?
John: We’re @resiliaband on most social media, or @resilia_band! To Support us, stream us on Spotify or anywhere you do stream. We just closed our band camp shop for a little bit.
[Daisy can be seen shaking her head] Daisy: Yeah, do not buy merch. Don't buy our merch-
John: There should be none -
Daisy: You cannot do it.
John. You can buy tabs, but
Both: not merch.
DMM: Heard and understood! In the future, will there be ways to support you via cool merch?
Daisy: Yeah! We will be working on it.
John: Expect some very direct things in the near future in all forms through Kill Iconic.
Daisy: Yeah, Oh, Please follow Kill Iconic on social media -
John: Mhm!
Daisy: Because you'll see stuff that pertains to us and other amazing bands and eventually there will be an album… on Kill Iconic Records that you can buy. Hopefully, probably by the end of this year or early next year. Maybe that's the plan.
John: It's the plan.
DMM: Thank y’all! I appreciate you, I appreciate your time! Always a pleasure.
Both: Thank you!
Resilia can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, and their BandCamp. You can find them as a band on Instagram here, and can find tickets for the upcoming Kill Iconic Fest in San Antonio, TX here. If you’d like to dig further into Kill Iconic Records, do so here on their webpage, or on their Instagram. If you’d like a thinkpiece on the recent Kill Iconic merger with Equal Vision, you can find my words here.