August 4th, 2014 
Brian Leak 
“[This album], it’s real…it breathes, it has heart and soul and it’s most definitely not perfect.”
It’s a rarity to discover a newly-formed band in this day and age whose sound harkens back to the golden era of hard rock and metal in the ’70s and ’80s when Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Van Halen and bands of their ilk ruled the scene. New Jersey’s AUG is one such band, though, who have been inspired by all those acts and more. The idea to start AUG was even initially sparked during a Scorpions concert in 2009.
We recently had the chance to speak with vocalist / guitarist Anthony “AUG” Agostine about the band’s formation, their newest album, and their upcoming plans to tour abroad, so read through the break to get the scoop directly from the band themselves and stream the opening track from their new album, Be Careful What You Wish For…
Tell me about the name AUG first off. It’s a nickname for one of you, right? Why was that chosen for this band?
[Laughs] AUG! That’s been my (Anthony) nickname since birth…or at least as long as I can remember. And believe it or not I had zero input on suggesting it. I asked the guys to think of names and Google them to make sure there are not 500 other bands with the same name. They figured since I was the lead singer, I wrote most of the stuff… “let’s call it AUG; short, simple, easy to remember and sounds cool.” I agreed.
How long has AUG been together and how did you guys originally form the band?
AUG was an idea that started in 2009 at a Scorpions concert. I was with my friend Darren Verpuet (original OURS drummer). He suggested we record some of the old tunes I had written. So we started basically a “basement project” and recorded 9 songs. We had Tommy “Strange” Doherty come in and do leads. At that point we knew we had something special. I had known Richie Tanis from the local scene and knew he would be a perfect fit. I played him the CD, he loved it and was ready to go. Russ answered an add I had put up on BandMix. His first remarks were he absolutely loved the tunes and wanted to play this kind of stuff. Loving and believing in the tunes being most important, he was in. It was just a bonus — he’s a monster player. At this point AUG was officially formed in 2011. Most recently Tommy Strange (due to touring conflicts) was replaced after recording the new album with T2 (aka Tommy Shauger) as AUG’s newest member. But T1 still remained involved at AUG’s legal council.
Judging by your sound, I’d imagine you’ve been influenced by only the best in metal and hard rock. Who are some acts that have always been near and dear to you that you feel have helped shape your sound and style since the beginning?
AUG has lots of influences. GnR, KISS, Sabbath, Deep Purple, ManOwar, Ozzy, and Scorpions to name a few. There’s one thing in common with these bands that was a huge influence and that’s the fact that they ALL have amazing albums. Not 1-2 good songs with 8-9 filler tunes. Filler is NOT an option on an AUG record. Every song must have staying power or it’s not going on the album. Another is they all play what’s best for the song. They are all also true musicians and players. No auto tune, programmed drums or any of that new crap that absolutely drains the heart and soul out of a lot of music today.
Do you feel that it’s at all more difficult in this modern age to gain traction and attention from listeners playing this style of music?
In the US most definitely. Hard rock has started to make a strong comeback, but I don’t believe it will ever be popular with kids like back in the ’70s through ’90s, at least in the US. Now the UK, South America, Japan etc., they love it. That’s why we’re touring the UK in September and are trying to hit Japan and South America as well. I mean, our fan base is about 28-50 and that’s cool. Those are the people who have jobs, money and can buy merch and go to shows. AUG is most definitely NOT a “teenager” band, but if they want to be fans we’d love to have them. AUG never discriminates who like them.
How would you describe Be Careful What You Wish For… in terms of style and genre?
BCWYWF is melodic, heavy, hard rock. It’s music you can bang your head to while strippers shake their ass to it. You can get a speeding ticket while blasting in your car. It’s addictive, not too complicated or simple. Lyrically it makes you think but not confuse you. Basically it’s fun.
And what kind of themes would you say are prevalent in your lyrics throughout the new album?
I could write pages for this question. But to keep it simple, all the songs in one way or another are connected or associated with the title track. I tend to wear my lyrics on my sleeve as these songs are my life experiences and what I see in the world. When I write, I like to use lyrics that let the listener take them and use them in their minds as they see fit. It’s a lot of fun when I hear people tell me what they think the song is about. I’m waiting for a “Story Tellers” on VH1 to explain the true meanings and the backgrounds [laughs].
When you began writing the record, what was your main focus on how you wanted it to turn out? Was there anything specific from your past works that you wanted to change or improve upon?
Better production and sound. The first album as I said before was basically a basement project. This album was done in full production studios (House of Loud and Clearcut). And this album was recorded with 4 guys playing live in one room. And that made a huge difference. It’s real…it breathes, it has heart and soul and it’s most definitely not perfect. As for “improving” we always try to write better songs every time we write. Now vocally, I really wanted to take it to the next level with harmonies and range. I know I sound a lot like Ozzy but I assure you it is my 100% natural tone and voice. Nothing I can do about that and I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all. If I’m not mistaken that guy sold 100 million albums. Better Ozzy then Tiny Tim, eh?
Your music really makes me wanna party. Is there a party vibe at your live shows or would you say that it’s a more serious tone overall?
Most definitely! AUG is party music, no doubt. It’s absolutely about having a good time. When people pay to hear music and see a live band, they want to havefun. People want to bang their heads and the ladies want to dance. To really “get” AUG you must see it live. I promise you we will not disappoint!
Why did you choose to cover Toto’s “Africa” on the album? You nailed it by the way, but I’m curious what it is about that song that made you want to include it.
We wanted a cover for the album. After many, many suggestions from everyone, Richie suggested “Africa.” We all stopped and said, “hmmmmm.” I told Richie, “Okay, but you sing the lead and I’ll do Bobby Kimball’s parts and we’ll do the harmonies together.” We wanted to really rock it with keeping the vocals and harmonies true to the original. Note that no auto tune was used. That was a lot of hard work in the studio. Cheating sucks!
It looks like you’ll be heading overseas for a tour in September. Have you guys played Europe before? What are you looking forward to the most on this outing?
We are extremely excited to be touring the UK. This will be AUG’s first and hopefully not last trip over the pond. The UK hard rock scene and original music in general is much, much more respected and appreciated overseas. The venues have followings because they care about who plays their club. The promoter has to actually submit your music to the venue to be approved unlike the US where if you can draw 30 friends, aunts, uncles and cousins you can fart in a kazoo and get a gig.
So do you have any plans for when you get back from that tour?
We’re hoping to gain more traction overseas and use it for touring the US. But the goal is to get back overseas or to Japan or S. America as soon as we can. Basically tour as much as possible.
- UTG PREMIERE: Hymn – ‘Mouth’ EP - June 10, 2016
- SakkieFTW snaps you out of it with new EP, ‘Experiment 1.3.2’ - June 6, 2016
- The Lost Poets’ ‘Insubordia pt II’ is dark and gritty - June 3, 2016
Posted in 
Tags: 