I had the chance to interview Thomas Beiler (Vox) of “I’m From The Government And I’m Here To Help, (IFTGAIHTH) ” a metal band hailing from Buffalo. Here’s what he had to say about the band and some upcoming events.

Let’s start off simple, how and or who came up with your name?

I came up with that name a while ago when I decided to start a new project. I was searching for more freedom as a vocalist/lyricist, so I started a band page and started looking for a songwriter.

Are you really here to help?

Absolutely!

How did you guys come to form?

The first person to contact me about joining was Ronnie Lepine (formerly of His Name Was Yesterday). He approached me about doing some songs together, and it would have been impossible for me to decline. I have always had a lot of respect for him, and his songwriting ability. Two weeks after he made contact we released our first single, “Reap The Whirlwind, Sheriff Brady.”

I see you guys were fortunate to get a local legend in the group. How did you get so lucky?

Well, the nice thing about this project is that we have a few of those. Ronnie is definitely well known for what he did with his past projects, and the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area has been eager to see him get something going. Robby Warren, our second guitarist, is one of Buffalo’s most talented players. He is as metal as it gets, through and through, and it’s awesome to have two guitarists who can rip some solos. Steve Keicher, our drummer, is a complete genius behind his kit and is also a radio DJ on 103.3 The Edge out of Buffalo.

I see you guys are primarily a studio band right now. Is there something keeping you from doing live stuff right now? If so, is there a show in the future?

From the beginning we have decided that the best way to build momentum is to release some great songs and then start working toward playing live as we build a following. We currently have enough songs written to play a set, and we practice once a week. I am pretty sure we have a bassist now, but nothing I can announce at this time. Once we have our lineup completed we will start looking to book our first show. We are extremely happy with the support we have gotten already, and we want to be sure that our first live show will be everything that is expected of us and more.

I’m a big fan of political music, something that’s taboo in our society today because the media over sensationalizes the fear of the outside world. Do you guys share the same ideals in your lyrics, or are there big debates?

I think that we generally have similar ideals. I always keep in mind, when writing lyrics, that I want all the members to be able to get behind the message. We aren’t going to exclusively do political and socioeconomic songs, but there are some things we just want to get off our collective chest.

Who’s the mastermind behind your lyric videos?

Our first single had a lyric video, and it was built by a good friend who goes by the online alias “Crimson Pestilence.” He is a long-time supporter of local music and we were lucky enough to have his help on that one. We hope to work more with him in the future.

Constitution, Anarchism, or two-party dictatorships?

Constitution would be my answer, but maybe some of the guys would choose anarchy. I can’t speak for everyone, but wait until you see Steve’s beard. I can totally see him choosing anarchy.

Anything coming up in the future for you gentlemen?

Lots of things! We are going to add a few items to our merchandise line, practice as much as we can, and then release one more single before we play our first show. We are hoping to start playing live in the fall of 2013.

Last words?

Thanks to everyone who checks us out after reading this interview, and thanks to Steve for being kind enough to feature us!

Thank you!

Check the band out on Facebook since they just released another single, “CMXIM.”

metal