In early 2018, my dream of creating an alternative-punk project started to actualize. I had just transferred to a college with a thriving DIY scene that housed bands such as Second To Safety and PARK. Their shows inspired me and I began to create my own demos in my bedroom.  Most of my lyrics were inspired by the classes I was taking from Dr. Eric Miller and Dr. Joel Ward. After a semester of philosophizing, writing and recording, I had created my own set of songs to contribute to the DIY scene at Geneva College. I decided to roll out these songs under the monicker Real Face.

The first performance was at Geneva College’s Angst Fest. When the set was finished, various concert attendees let me know that I needed to release these songs as soon as possible. I polished them over the summer and released them as Humanities 103 on October 1, 2018. In The Cabinet, Allison McCune wrote, “The songs, imbued with sincerity and self-examination, reflect a state of being that is familiar for many students”. I got to play these songs at a myriad of venues in the Pittsburgh area, including Beaver Falls Coffee & Tea, Cyclops Cafe, and Point Park. 

With the overwhelming support of friends and new fans, I started working hard to make more art. After the success of Humanities 103, I spent a whole year working on my second album, Sacred Order, which released on November 22, 2019. That same fall, I studied in Nashville and started working on my third album which will be released  in Fall 2020. In December 2019, Dave Parker and my older brother Chris came on the road for the Reconstruction Tour and played Sacred Order with me in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Illinois. Hearing loyal fans sing the lyrics and share how the songs have encouraged them has only made me want to keep on creating.

Now you know the history, which leads into the present. Because the future holds so much more for Real Face, be sure to stay tuned.

—Andrew Tyson