If you love something set it free. If it was meant to be… they might sit in a set later down the road and jam!

Derrick Fisher and Patrick Brennan not only helped to found The 2nd System, they sat down to answer some questions before helping to set up Dirt Fest 2015, they’ve been there for so long. The guys from Saginaw, MI were pretty honest about how they saw things. Let’s take a look and find out egos aren’t all you’ll find in a band.

NRR: You guys are from the Saginaw, MI area and are already signed to a label, Third Island Records. What’s been going on with the band in the last year?
Derrick and Patrick: The 2nd System has slowed down from playing the amount of shows the we used to. However, we’ve kept busy playing select shows at The Red Room, Machine Shop, and Carnival of Chaos plus a couple in our hometown at Hamilton St. Pub.
NRR: Hopefully you guys have a great time on stage this year. Are you looking forward to anything in particular at Dirt Fest 2015?
Derrick and Patrick: Just being a part of Dirt Fest for over 10 years. We just love playing this show and being a part of the Dirt Fest family. The Dalton brothers have been real good to us.
NRR: Will we hear any new material at Dirt Fest this year, say from a new album?
Derrick and Patrick: Yes!
NRR: Do you guys think that each “festival” has its own feel or is the format pretty uniform to all the shows like Dirt Fest?
Derrick and Patrick: Each festival definitely has it’s own feel. Although Dirt Fest has evolved into something that is more comparable to Ozzfest or Mayhem but still retains the local music scene.
NRR: You’ve played places like the Machine Shop before, an indoor venue. Is there a lot to adjust for an outdoor venue like the one you’ll be playing at in Birch Run?
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Derrick and Patrick: Not a whole lot as far as the gear we bring but we do take into account the environmental differences. It’s kind of like camping… proper attire, sunblock, and last but not least BABY POWDER!
NRR: What can we expect from The 2nd System in the coming days after Dirt Fest is, again, eagerly awaited for in 2016?
Derrick and Patrick: On Aug 29, 2015 we are playing S.O.S. at Vet’s Park in Bay City with tons of great local acts and headliner, Filter. We also have a DVD in the works from our show at The Red Room earlier this year and some bonus material from Dirt Fest 2005.
NRR: Is there a band or bands on this year’s Dirt Fest line-up that you are looking forward to seeing as fans?
Derrick and Patrick: Almost all of the national acts on this year’s bill. Especially Fear Factory, Coal Chamber, Down, Mushroomhead, King 810 and Psychostick.
NRR: How important is selling merch for a band like The 2nd System at a festival like this, and if there are any, shall we say strange items, who has to model them from the band, (laughing)?
Derrick and Patrick: It’s always important for any band to get their merch into the hands of their fans. This happens to be one of those shows that people buy merch because it will always remind them of where and when they got it. We don’t have anything that’s really out of the ordinary but if we did, I’m sure Troll would be the one modeling it, (evil winking).
NRR: For anyone that might not have heard your music before, what can they expect to get from your sound on stage?
Derrick and Patrick: Perspective plays a big role in what we witness at a live show. So, hopefully the people who come to see us play take away what they need from our performance. We try to exercise melody and dynamics as well as a really entertaining show to watch. No matter if we are playing for five or 5000, we always put our all into our shows and that guarantees that anyone who watches us will walk away satisfied.
NRR: Is the search for a possible replacement, for say a drummer, ever really stop for a band or do people still exist that want to stay around for the whole ride of a band they are in?
Derrick and Patrick: The 2nd System has changed its lineup many, many times since it’s inception in 2001. However, I have noticed that the message that we originally set out to convey has always stayed the same. We have played shows that welcomed past members back to perform and that I think is proof that we just continue to expand the definition of who is really a part of this band.

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