Safety Word Orange

Usually when you hear an obscure band name it could be perceived the band members just made it up on the spot. The meaning behind Safety Word Orange has a sentimental story. Guitarist Robbie Rusbuldt explained that lead singer James Mason “had hit a low point living in L.A. and his friends had joked if things ever got really bad, the safety word would be orange. Years later, when he was no longer in a rut, his friend sent him a package with Safety Word Orange on the front. I guess it stuck with hm because it is now our name. We think of it as something there to remind us of where we have been and where we are headed.”

That humble attitude had brought the boys from Virginia very far. Recording their self-titled in 2007 the band has seen much success, even being featured in AP. Rusbuldt was more than ecstatic: "AMAZED! Haha it was crazy to think that a nationally recognized magazine that we have all grown up reading wanted anything to do with us. It was a dream come true."

When you listen SWO it sounds like something that isn’t on the scene right now. Yes, they are pop-punk, but have a hard rock sound. The way that Mason’s words have a certain syncopation, reminisces sounds reggae-less 311. This year they released two EP’S. An acoustic record and their amplified mix “On Your Mark, Get Set.” Rusbuldt explained there was a vast difference: There was a pretty big difference. When working on, On Your Mark, Get Set... our music was stripped to the bone. Every chord, riff, lyric was put under a microscope. haha It was a huge learning experience. On the other hand, when we were working on our acoustic EP we weren't as concerned with putting things under too much of a microscope. We just wanted to put out some good songs that people would like. It was interesting to see how Andrew and Bryan work. Both have different ways of going about the production/recording process.”

Expect to see SWO out on tour and a release of another EP. And exemplifying that humble attitude, SWO couldn’t be more excited to tour: “our favorite part about being on the road comes from playing to a different group of kids every night. It's cool to meet so many people and bands. Not to mention we get to see parts of the US that we would normally not get to see. One of the coolest parts of going out on the road is when we all begin to think of the van as home. We all have lives outside the band, but when we go out it really brings us together and reinforces why we are playing music at all.”

Safety Word Orange will be performing on February 11th at the Marlboro Rec Center in Marlboro, NJ.