Gates of Eden is a rock band from Tampa, Florida and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, comprised of vocalist and guitarist Rob Morris, bassist Dylan Witkowski and drummer Matt Poynter. This band is well-known in the Tampa Bay music scene and frequently plays shows in the area. They have also done touring, mainly in the northeast area of the United States. Our Writer Stephanie Jensen had the pleasure to talk to all three guys. They filled me in on all of their touring experiences, a bit about their past life, and all they want to accomplish for Gates of Eden.

1. So when I first saw you guys a few years back you were doing covers. Why did you stray away from covers and start writing your own music?

Witkowski: We were always playing our own music. Covers are just a way to make a little more money, more the work aspect I’d say. But yeah we’ve always been writing our own music ever since we [Witkowski and Poynter] joined. Rob already had a lot of his own music written. Rob do you want to say anything?

Morris: Yeah I want to say when we first started Matt and I were in the process of recording an eight song E.P. And that’s when we picked up Dylan to complete the puzzle.

2. Describe your music?

Witkowski: [To Morris] you want to go on that one?

Morris: It’s the impossible question. But basically, we’re a broad-based rock band, but we also branch out into other genres like funk and folk. [We also play] hard rock, too. It’s kind of hard to say which is all that we can with the three instruments that we play.

Witkowski: I agree with that. Like Rob said, anywhere from like classic stuff to stuff now all influences us. And it’s all been stuff that we listen to. So we’re just trying to play everything we like.

3. I know you both (to Witkowski and Poynter) have progressive metal backgrounds. Do you have any progressive or a metal background, Rob?

Morris: No I don’t. Well back in high school and early college I was in, not really a metal band but definitely a really hard rock band. But no [I don’t have] any progressive background. Playing with these guys puts a lot of that into my playing. [It makes my playing] much tighter, more technical, [and] progressive for sure.

4. So I guess [to Witkowski and Poynter] with you two, there’s a lot of technical and progressive background along with the rock and everything that he has played in the past?

Witkowski: You’re not going to listen to us and hear anything super heavy or hardcore or crazy, but you’re definitely going to hear prog influence for sure. Especially like Dream Theater, we emulate some of their stuff I feel. But also kind of like Kansas and prog stuff back in the day, too. It’s hard to say. It’s a good mix, though.

Morris: You forgot to say Tool.

Witkowski: Oh Tool, as well. One of our main influences as far as modern day prog music goes, for sure.

5. And I was talking to Dylan online earlier and you mentioned something about recording at Studio 4. Did you want to talk about that?

Witkowski: Yes. We had the opportunity to record at Studio 4 in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. It’s owned by Phil Nicolo. And the producer who gave us that opportunity, Will Yip, is actually one of Rob’s old drummers.

6. Oh wow. That’s pretty awesome.

Witkowski: [To Morris] did you want to say anymore about Will Yip?

Morris: Yeah he’s amazing. He was the drummer back in my band back in high school. He totally just took off and went on doing production. And he became the tour manager for Lauryn Hill, and he was helping to co-produce her new album which never came out apparently. And he pretty much let us in for a day and record as much as we want. We’re really excited to get those recordings back.

7. I also read on Facebook that you’ve been doing some nationwide touring. How did that go?

Witkowski: It was fun. We didn’t get through the whole nation. We’ve done mostly the northeast area. This is our second time through. But it was a great time. New York and Philly were probably our favorite areas to play.

8. Did you want to talk more about New York and Philly?

Poynter: Cheesesteaks are boss.

Morris: [To Poynter] I didn’t even know you were there, dude. You’ve been so quiet this whole time.

[All laugh]

Poynter: I’m here!

Morris: Alright, so I guess we got a full headcount. We’re good.

9. Do you plan on doing anymore touring anytime soon?

Witkowski: Pretty much yeah. We always try to plan for it whenever we have any free time, at least from school. Now Rob and Matt both are both out of school, but I’m still in during the [fall and winter] semesters. But every summer we try to do some sort of touring, whether it is expanding the area in the state, going to other places, or doing a northeast thing like we did, it’s such a good time.

10. Are there any particular places you want to go to?

Witkowski: Just anywhere. I would love to play in Europe, the rest of the United States, and the rest of the world eventually.

Morris: You covered it all, dude.

Witkowski: That’s just me, though.

11. So these questions are for each individual member, just getting your background. Who are your individual influences?

PPoynter: My original influences were Chris Pennie from Dillinger Escape Plan, Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater, and Blake Richardson. But my current influences are Benny Greb and Andy Fisenden. Benny Greb is an independent drummer and Andy Fisenden played for Void and now he’s sort of an independent drummer playing for R&B groups and anybody he can, I guess. He’s from Australia.

Witkowski: My original influences back in the day I would definitely have to say were Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He’s the one who got me to pick up the bass. Similar bands as far as that [inspirations] goes are definitely Dream Theater, they’re a heavy influence of mine, and Between the Buried and Me. I would say now my main influences would be Victor Wooten, Jeff Berlin, Dane Alderson, who’s in a group called Void that Matt also listens to, and I think that’s about it.

Morris: Well if I had to make a list for all-time I would say definitely Metallica will go on there. They’re the reason I started playing guitar. Dave Matthews, for sure. I don’t know, Incubus, Bob Dylan, Jeff Buckley for sure, Tool, the list just goes on and on. [There are] too many to think of.

Witkowski: It really does go on.

12. How long have each of you been playing?

Poynter: I’m on year six. [To Witkowski] and you’re on…?

Witkowski: I think I’m on year eight and a half. Eight and a half years into playing.

Morris: Yeah for me it’s too long to be as shitty of a player that I am now.

[Everyone laughs]

Morris: So it’s time for me to step it up.

Witkowski: Over ten years. He’s been playing over ten years.

13. Well then you must not be a very shitty musician then.

Witkowski: Exactly.

Morris: So much speculation here.

[Everyone laughs]

14. What are your former musical projects?

Poynter: For me it’s the tech metal band Silas.

Witkowski: For me it was hard rock group Consinity and also prog metal group The Hundred Handed. Those were my only former projects.

Morris: My band back in the day was called Morrisroe. Just my last name with an –roe thrown in at the end. And I did a solo thing for awhile. That’s basically it.

15. And then these questions are for Rob. What brought you to Florida? You said you were in Philadelphia before.

Morris: What brought me to Florida was total panic, despair, a dark, dark winter that never had any sunshine, and a free plane ticket that was bought by my sister, basically.

16. What was your past experience with music like? It said on the website you were trying to get a job and after that decided to get back into music. Was there anything you experienced that made you want to take a break?

Morris: Take a break from music or from work?

17. From music??

Morris: No I never really fully hung my hat up, so to speak. But there was a point where I thought I had to get a job, so I got a job at Verizon Wireless. It was corporate and full of sales and I hated it. And I quit after four months, and that was around the time I met Matt and we started playing together. And that was history, pretty much.

18. It also mentioned on the Facebook page that you saw this really inspiring show in New York. What was that like?

Morris: It was winter 2008. I was working at Verizon Wireless, making all kinds of good money two months in, and I took a trip up to New York to visit my cousin. And we went to a bar in Brooklyn; it’s called The Bitter End on Bleeker Street. And we saw this band called The Greg Mayo Band. I don’t know what it was about it exactly, but it totally changed my perception on things, and made me realize I wanted to be in a band and make music and play music for the rest of my life. So I got back from New York to Florida, and quit my job and started taking things more seriously with the band. Me and Matt started to create something.

19. These questions are for all of you now. What makes Gates of Eden special to each of you?

Morris: We each have ridiculously good looks.

Witkowski: Ridiculously good looks are definitely number one.

Morris: Yes. Most importantly.

Poynter: I like the versatility. And I’ve never been in a band where I worry about the other people, I can just kind of improve and do my own thing, and know that they’re going to hit the hit when it comes. You know what I mean?

Witkowski: I definitely feel that way, too. I feel like we have a really good blend going because we’re all similar but we all have different areas that we lean towards. Like I lean naturally towards more funk and groovy type of things. But like Matt said, really just depending on the other players it’s a blessing working with other musicians you know are going to be on time and you know are going to be solid. We’re pretty versatile, I would say. It’s fun playing anything from “My Girl,” to Tool or A Perfect Circle, with the same band.

20. What do you hope to accomplish with Gates of Eden? What do you see for the future?

Witkowski: Hm, shining lights.

Morris: We’re still pushing that out. We definitely would love to see something happen with this band and, “make it,” whatever that means. That’s up for interpretation for whoever’s trying to “make it.” But yeah just to make a comfortable living and get some recognition, would be awesome.

Witkowski: Yes, I would agree with that. We all, like Rob said, want to make it in our own way, but like he said we’re also in the process of redefining and getting that down to a specific, what the goal is for all of us instead of just a broad kind of goal. But we definitely expect great things.

21. Is there anything else you want to say? Anything you want to say to the fans? Maybe something coming up that’s exciting or anything?

Poynter: To any fans, we just want to say thank you so far for your support. And we play pretty regularly around the area, as of now, in Pinellas and Tampa. Probably what, twice a month?

Witkowski: And check our Facebook for any upcoming shows. We’ll love to have new fans come and take a look.

Poynter: Like us on Facebook.

Witkowski: Hit that button! What do you say Rob?

Morris: I would say you did a really good job doing all the talking Dylan.

Poynter: I would say if anyone goes out to Philly they have to go to Steve’s and have a Philly Cheesesteak there.

22. Thank you guys for talking.

Witkowski: Thank you very much.


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Official Website Here

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Interviewed By,

Stephanie Jensen