In late 2009, Hopecore.com burst upon the music scene, with an innate ability to delve into and capture the inner workings of some of today’s most premiere artists who have donned the positive/Christian-rock mantle. From their inaugural issue cover which boasted an interview with Stephen Christian of the ever popular indie band Anberlin, to the second issue followed with a cover by hardcore August Burns Red and then the master of all things musical Aaron Gillespie for issue #3, hopecore has established themselves as a legitimate entity. Hopecore.com shows it has muscle to flex through their hard work, roots in the industry and the quality of their product. With the word of mouth growing around their e-zine through fans, musicians, promoters and happy advertisers, hopecore.com is fast building an entertainment medium that is both niche and diverse. Our thanks to Jameson and Jeremy for taking the time to share.

Jameson has done some work with To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), how long did you work with this organization and what did you do there?
Jameson Ketchum I did a fall internship there in 2008. I mainly did merch orders/organization/shipping as well as working a festival or two and answering MySpace questions. I also worked Heavy and Light 2009 doing merch for Jon Foreman, Dustin Kensrue and Renee Yohe.

What were some of the most valuable lessons that you learned while with TWLOHA and how has this experience helped prepare you for your venture with Hopecore?
JK I learned how key organization and planning are when it comes to running a business or non profit. I learned that good communication and honesty can put you head and shoulders above the rest. I enjoyed my time at TWLOHA and made some lifelong friends, some of which I still talk to daily.

For those who may not be familiar with TWLOHA, what is it and what do they do?
JK To Write Love On Her Arms is a non profit organization that helps fund and find treatment for those struggling with depression, addiction, self injury and suicide. They exist to provide care and comfort to those facing these issues. They have some amazing and exciting things coming in the future so keep up to date with them at www.twloha.com.

When did you initially conceive of Hopecore and what was the process that you went through to get everything up and running?
Jeremy Seick Growing up this is something I always wanted to do. I really felt a calling on my life. Hopecore.com started as a project while I was still attending Western Oregon University to get some hands on experience. Doors started flying open though, with connections and a designer and people caught on and liked it. So After college I decided to see where it took me and let it grow into what it is today. And it is still growing.

Initially I worked remodel and construction for a summer and then went out and bought all the equipment I thought I would need. We continue to add things all the time as we continue to grow. It is really crazy to think about how things came together in the early stages, it is seriously only by divine appointment.

Who have been the key players and supporters who helped get Hopecore rolling?
JK So many people have been immensely supportive of this endeavor. Friends and family have stepped forward to provide for us financially and through endless prayer. Almost all of the bands that we have played on the radio station and covered in the magazine show great support for what we do. A few that stand out are Veil Arms Clothing and Come & Live! Also, bands and people like Fallstar, Aaron Gillespie, Demi Lovato and I Am Alpha and Omega have showed continued support over the past year. We are so thankful for these relationships.

JS Definitely without the support of my family this thing would be nowhere. They have allowed me to dream and helped me in whatever way they can whether financially or spiritually or whatever. It takes a lot of trust to in this vision for them to support me like they do and I will never be able to thank them enough for that. We also have a list of supporters that send checks every month and keep this thing going. They do it because they believe in the message, it is truly amazing. We are so blessed to have such great friends and family.

How/where are you distributing the magazine? Where can readers get a copy of the latest issue?
JK The magazine is available completely free online only. We have discussed moving to print eventually but we are just keeping a careful eye on the trends in publications to make the best informed decision. For now, we are happy to present our content for free on our website in the hopes that people can learn and draw from the information given.

What about Hopecore sets it apart from other comparable publications?
JK To be honest, there aren’t a lot of publications covering what we cover. We have a very distinct vision for what we want to present to people and being fans ourselves, we believe we ask the questions that the average fan wants to ask. There are a few other similar websites and magazines but we hope that we are able to stand out from the pack in one way or another.

JS We pride ourselves on understanding our peers and what is relevant at the time. It takes a lot of time and effort to stay up on everything but at the end of the day it is really the best job you could ask for.

You primarily feature Christian artists, are you an exclusively Christian publication?
JS There is an underlying theme that runs through all the bands and organizations that we cover and in that is found something more than music, it is a reason for music. That is what we are about. Bands come and go and style and genres change, but the reason for those things stay the same. For me, if it were only about the music it would be a waste of my time.

How else are you involved with the music/entertainment scene both locally and nationally?
JK We both have our hands in other projects such as tour managing/planning/booking as well as publicity. Jeremy is currently working with a great Boise artist called Your Friend, Peter Giles who everyone should keep an eye out for this summer. I contribute to several other music magazines as well as do publicity for Pig Cloth Clothing, Fallstar and Pistolita. I also work on getting bands involved with a non-profit called Faceless International which aims to educate people on the plight of human trafficking victims all around the world.

Currently you are based in Boise, Idaho, how did you arrive there?
JS I have always liked Boise. Mom at The Venue is incredible and she pours her heart into this scene and the kids here and bringing relevant acts through so that was a big draw. Also our design guy works full time in political advising here so being closer to him and being able to meet up at the office and work was a big pull. All in all though just like everything else we do here, sometimes you just hear the Lord say do this or that and you just do it. He is always faithful.

JK I arrived here about six months after Jeremy did. After a few life changing experiences, I decided that school was no longer for me and I decided to make the move to Boise.

Is music alive and well in Boise? What seems to be popular right now in Boise? Any local acts that we should keep our eyes out for?
JK Yes! It is alive and kicking! Boise is indie through and through and we couldn’t love the scene more. Please have a listen to Your Friend, Peter Giles (www.myspace.com/youfriendpetergiles) as well as We Won the Science Fair (www.myspace.com/wewonthesciencefair). These are two great acts who you’ll be hearing more and more about soon!

JS Definitely check out those bands! It is crazy to see how many solid bands have come up from Boise in the last year we have been here.

Jameson, you used to reside in Canby, Oregon, correct?
JK I grew up near Portland, yes.

What do you miss most about Oregon?
JK Boise is a beautiful city but there is no place like home. I miss the forest and trees and overall atmosphere. Portland gets a lot more shows than Boise does so that is always a downside.

How involved were you with local music when you were in Oregon?
JK In Oregon I worked (and still do) with Fallstar mainly. My mom works at a local high school there so she is always passing new and local bands on to me when I can’t keep up. The next time I visit I’m stoked to check out this new band called My Mantle.

Are all of your writers, artists and photographers on staff at Hopecore?
JK: Hopecore.com is run by three people, myself being one of them. We have a few occasional contributing writers and we are always stoked to have Levi the Poet write for us (www.myspace.com/levithepoet). We have a few very talented friends like Tim Riley (http://www.flickr.com/photos/trileyphoto) who graciously take photos for us when they are available. Seriously, Riley is one of the most talented photographers I’ve ever known.

Where do you receive the bulk of your content for HC from?
JK Our content is gathered through our contacts with either the band members themselves or through some very helpful and talented publicists which, without them, our job would be much harder.

What are some of the greatest challenges to creating a viable entertainment publication?
JK I would say just promotion. Its hard getting your name out there but God has continued to provide for us month after month through either financial help, word of mouth or, in a very freak situation, the endorsement of a Disney star. Its certainly a tough job keeping up to date with all the current events but again, great publicists make it happen for us.

What keeps you excited and moving forward with Hopecore?
JK The excitement of never knowing whats coming next keeps me going. Every day is so different here. Just when you think its going to be another boring day, awesome things happen! We actually just got off the phone with a friend about some very exciting news coming our way next month! You just never know. Also, the knowledge that kids are reading our magazine and they are gaining insight from these articles and reviews is huge. The hope that they can walk away with something positive and uplifting that they can apply to their own lives is such a big motivator. Also, we love our jobs! We are fans just like everyone else so we are stoked to talk to some of our heroes and artists we respect each day as well.

How receptive have bands/artists been to your zine?
JK All acts have been very pleased with the end results. That isn’t to say we haven’t ever made a typo, (laughs) but everyone we have checked in with has been very happy with their pieces.

JS Some of the support that we have received from larger acts like August Burns Red, The Almost, The Rocket Summer and For Today (to name only a few!) blow me away. This thing has come a long ways in the last year, and it is support like these that will carry us through another great year.

Are there any acts you have been efforting and haven’t been able to nail down yet?
JK There have been a few that we have never caught up with, mostly due to scheduling issues. But we will get them eventually! We would have loved to get the inside story on breakups such as Copeland and As Cities Burn but it just wasn’t in the cards.

What feedback are you getting from readers and sponsors?
JK We get great feedback from readers, sponsors and advertisers. Most advertisers have seen big increases in their sales or numbers after running an ad with us. We are so fortunate to have such good relationships with the people who choose to support us. We couldn’t be more thankful for these people and these relationships.

JS We would not be able to do this without the support of the readers! So thank you! We want this to be about you guys, so connect with us via email or twitter or whatever and let us know your thoughts on what we are doing and what you would like to see in the future. We really do care about what you have to say, so please get a hold of us!

Can we expect to see HC at national music events such as Tomfest (Stevens, Washington), Cornerstone (Illinois) or Creation (George, Washington)?
JK We loved doing Tomfest and we were vendors at that event for the past two years. Tomfest is family as well as one of the highlights of our year and we wish its future plans all the best. As far as the others go, we’ll just have to wait and see if those are places that God will lead us. We are certainly looking forward to RevGen in September!

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