Thriving Ivory released their self-titled debut album in 2008, which included the hit single “Angels On The Moon.” The album reached #1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart and the single went on to sell over 500,000 digital downloads and reached the Top 30 on both Pop and Hot AC radio. VH1 named the band a “You Oughta Know” artist and put the video for “Angels On The Moon” into heavy rotation.

Now the band has released their sophomore album, “Through Yourself & Back Again” featuring the first single “Where We Belong.” Watch the video below for the heartfelt track as the guys perform in an abandoned warehouse.

Check out the band’s MySpace and Facebook for more information as the guys will be on tour in the U.S. through the fall of 2010. Pick up a copy of Through Youself & Back Again on Amazon or on iTunes now!

Thriving Ivory Tour Dates w/ Ed Kowalczyk
9/16 Philadelphia, PA – Theater of Living Art
9/17 Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club
9/19 Pittsburgh, PA – Altar Bar
9/21 Cleveland, OH – Beachland Tavern
9/22 Cincinnati, OH – 20th Century Theater
9/23 Chicago, IL – Park West
9/24 Flint, MI – Park West
9/25 St. Louis, MO – The Old Rock House
9/28 Charlotte, NC – Amos’ Southend
9/30 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
10/1 Bridgeport, CT – Klein Memorial Auditorium
10/2 Boston, MA – Royale Nightclub

I had the chance to speak with Clayton Stroope, lead singer of Thriving Ivory, about things such as some of their goals, what they like the most about being on tour, and what drives them to do what they love. You can read about that below.

When did you first realize you had an interest in music and what sparked that interest?

I think for me, my father sparked that interest. I was raised in a house where music was always played and my dad was an old school rocker listening to the classics like Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, and the Beatles. I picked up the guitar when I was about 8 years old and just had a love for music. I was involved with musical theater as a kid but never thought I’d be in a successful band in college.

How did you break into the music industry?

We were an independent unsigned band for many years playing in California and the west coast, doing showcases for a bunch of different labels. And we sent our demo to Wind Up Records and the only song we had on there was ‘Angels on the Moon’ and they loved it. The VP and his wife came down and saw us play in San Francisco and signed us a few days later.

How would you describe the sound of your music and what makes you feel your new album is different from other artists in your genre?

I’d say as a whole, it’s a mix of sounds we share from U2, The Beatles, Coldplay, Muse, Keane … What makes us different is the sound of my voice, from what I’ve been told, just sets us apart from others. But we’re not trying to break new ground or anything. We’re just making good rock songs that hopefully people enjoy as much as we enjoy.

What are some of your short term and long term goals that you have lined out for yourself?

Short term would be to work as hard as we can on the first single and to have good fall tours. Long term would be for this record to do well. I think there are a quite a few songs on the record that has single potential. We’re just excited to see it through.

What is your favorite song off your new album and why?

My favorite song off the new album would have to be ‘Moonlight.’ It’s just really different from others on the record and different from others that we’ve done before. We don’t really listen much to our record because we’re always playing it live, and it’s just one of the more fun songs to play live.

What do you miss the most besides family and friends when you are out traveling and touring?

I miss my bed. I miss getting sleep. We get sleep when we’re out on the road, just in 2 – 3 hour intervals. I miss having a routine. It’s hard to keep a routine when things are different day to day. You get used to it, but you miss the routine of daily life. I’m from a small town, so I also miss the quiet life at times.

What do you like the most about being on tour?

We’ve been to almost ever major city in the country, but we love visiting new towns and venues, trying the different types of food the cities have to offer.

What drives you the most to do what you love? What inspires you?

What drives and inspires me is the process of growing as a band. Never feeling that we’ve made it or that we’ve arrived. It keeps me going. Playing new crowds and seeing them really get into the music also drives me.

What is one accomplishment you hope to make above all others in your life and career?

As a band, being a band that has longevity, consistently touring and making good music that everybody enjoys. We love what we’re doing and to have that longevity would be a blessing.

What sort of feelings do you hope your fans will have from listening to your new album?

I hope they have the same feelings and connections as they had with the first record, the same excitement. This record is much better than our first one, I know every band says that about their new albums, but this time we paid a lot of attention to what we were doing.

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Images Via: TotalAssault