Quick Hit Band Interview: New Dialogue

New Dialogue at Hotel Cafe (Rove LA/Baltisoul event)

Interview with the band (with Ela). Enjoy:

What's the story behind how your band started? Our band started in LA when Taylor and I met at a summer job a few years back. We started writing songs and playing in the city and eventually met the rest of our band through school and craigslist! We’re all from different walks of life, which is what makes our dynamic really fun and different, but we all share the same passions and goals to be an alternative band that makes a difference and creates a new voice for our generation.

Outside of music, what are some of the other interests of the band members? Outside of music we all like to do a variety of things:

Taylor loves to go to the beach and play volleyball, watch movies and write poetry.

Ela loves rollerblading, spending time with friends, and traveling

Michael is a multi-instrumentalist and likes to practice his skills every day. He is also a movie buff

Jason is also recording engineer so he spends a lot of time in sessions with other bands but also loves cooking at home and Rick & Morty!

Jeff is a big arts person. He enjoys drawing and loves his eclectic record collection and you can usually find him at home spinning something old school and drawing.

Own final thoughts: Something unique about us is we are very much like a family and love to hang out, watch movies, play games, make dinner and talk about taking over the world.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Absurdist Fiction

Absurdist Fiction at The Hi Hat

Interview with the band (with Tyler). Enjoy:

What's the story behind how the band started? I started writing and playing music as a way to express and acknowledge thoughts and feelings I didn’t know how to express otherwise. I’ve realized over time playing these songs that they resonate with people because there is no judgement in them, they acknowledge feelings of depression, of loneliness, despair, and etc. and that it is okay to have and struggle with them. Because of this I felt that I had an obligation to do my best to share these songs with people to give them a sonic world that they can be in without carrying all of life with them for a while.

What’s a dream venue/festival you’d love to play at and what about it intrigues you? I would absolutely love to play Desert Daze. I think it’s the best curated music festival in the USA. The thing I find most amazing about it is how they have carved out such an eclectic cultural space to share music and ideas.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Bizou

Bizou at The Hi Hat

Interview with the band (with Josiah). Enjoy:

What is currently influencing the band? Currently we’ve been influenced by early 80s goth bands such as Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, 1919, 13th Chime, and The Cure!!

How has the band grown together as a group? We started this band in February of this year so we’re just getting started. We’ve all been in other bands and were friends before that.

 Own final thoughts: Members in our band have been in The Smashing Pumpkins, Wax Idols, Veruca Salt, Tennis System, and Light FM.

April Ends/May Begins: Local Music Blast - Part 2

For me, the Los Angeles music scene during the transition week between April and May was a real blast. This is part 2 of my adventures.

Tuesday night brought Lizzy Land at Madame Siam. This is an artist I've followed for a few years when she was in the band Mating Ritual. She calls her music experimental pop. That sounds good to me. Her sound reminds me of the sounds from IO Echo and CLARA-NOVA. I was just mesmerized throughout her 30 minute set. Backing her was one of the members from Mating Ritual. It is nice to know that they're all supporting each other.

Lizzy Land

Opening up that night was Savannah Sgro and YVR. Interesting notes is that Savannah Sgro was raised in Las Vegas. Moved to Nashville and now I'm assuming lives in Los Angeles. YVR is a recently married couple -- one could see the glow on their faces when that was mentioned.

Savannah Sgro

YVR

Wednesday night I took a break, but was back at it on Thursday night when I headed off to Zebulon to catch Ever So Android, Crook and Draemings. Interesting fact: I've interviewed all three bands.

Draemings stated they were debuting new music. I don't know. It didn't sound like it. The crowd loved every moment of the set. I loved every moment of the set. If this really is their new music, I have to believe they're going to gain a number of new fans. Okay, I have some "humorous" doubt on the new music claim, because it was all so brilliant. Noticed: Kimi set things off with her leopard imagery and had the crowd renaming the band KIMI!!! KIMI!!!

Comment of the set: We're debuting all new music tonight so hopefully you're not here for the hits.

Draemings

Ever So Android went from a 2-piece duo to a 4-piece band. This only expanded their punk sounds. The one disappointment is that they asked for the lights to be lowered (and the Zebulon already has low lights) and their own stage lights weren't operating properly, which meant my camera didn't have a lot of fun.

Ever So Android

I caught Daniel Crook as a solo artist at The Hi Hat and so this was my first time catching the full band. When you first see the band your eyes have to notice the fashion statement, but when the music hits you are pulled into an emotional vortex.

Crook

Friday closed out the music run. I got invited to an outdoor event called Shaken Vanity Block Party. On the first Monday of each month, businesses around the 500 block of Hoover Street apparently are given free range to do what they like. So one business has an outdoor music festival. I went down to catch Dirty Cakes and Speed of Light. Both bands rocked out their punk sounds. Dirty Cakes brought the punk sounds of experience. Speed of Light brought the punk sounds of youthful exuberance. Both bands are fixtures at the monthly/bi-monthly shows that are hosted by The Satellite at the American Barbershop in Echo Park.

Dirty Cakes

Speed of Light

April Ends/May Begins: Local Music Blast - Part 1

For me, the Los Angeles music scene during the transition week between April and May was a real blast. This is part 1 of my adventures.

It started off on Saturday at The Smell. All three bands hit the jazz genre.

It's Butter started off the night. Their drummer couldn't make the night as he got injured while getting ready for the night. If I heard correctly, he tripped down the stairs of his home while taking out his drum kit. He had to go to the emergency room (from what I heard he's doing fine) so the band went on as a two piece. The two remaining members weren't sure how things would turn out, but I say their set turned out fine with some electric guitar driven jazz jams.

It's Butter

The Swells brought their 5 piece jazz sound to stage. Their sound had that cool jazz sound. And then there was the saxophone musician who added the style. Though their sound was on the cool side, they still got the crowd to form a mosh pit.

The Swells

Cotton Ships set was mosh pit jazz. This band has some solid vocals led by BreeAnn and Kenny. You can tell that BreeAnn has a charismatic quality. When not on vocals, she would float around the stage with a cool demeanor. And if that wasn't enough, early on into their set, she jumped into the crowd to make sure that a mosh pit formed during the set. I wonder how many times jazz musicians have started mosh pits?

Cotton Ships

Monday night was a night that I had circled on my calendar a long while back. After a long while away from the stage, Lauren Rocket returned. I've followed Lauren Rocket for years. I first came across her band Rocket. Rocket ended shortly thereafter, but I continued to follow her in The Child, which was a band with Holly Marilyn. There was also the short lived project Lavinia Slaughter. Then there was radio silence for a number of years until finally there was announcements that new music was on the way. Her return brought sophisticated dance tunes to The Mint's stage. Backing her in this new endeavor was Shayne Eastin. Another musician that I followed for years when she played in a band called Spider Problem.

Interesting note: it's probably been 5+ years since the last time I was at The Mint.

Lauren Rocket

Quick Hit Band Interview: Cheer Up Club

Cheer Up Club at El Cit

Interview with the band (with Ethan). Enjoy:

What's the story behind how your band started? Mmm... A bit of sadness, boredom, education, persistence. Good friends and a mutual love of lots of music and playing loud.

How do you go about combining lyrics and sound? A. Generally, we meet up to rehearse and end up fucking around for the first hour or so. I usually have a notebook on me that gets filled up by snippets of conversation, random thoughts, fun stories, words from books, the news, etc. We jam and I moan out some melody, flip through a notebook and find a line that fits the music, mood, and melody. We go on from there. It's pretty organic.

Own final thoughts: We're all producers and all from pretty different places, backgrounds, cultures. 

Currently, finishing up mixes on the first album Get Physical. We have a few singles out on Spotify etc.

Commune at Stories Books & Cafe: Jordan Hawkins and GMNII

Hanging out at Commune is always a fun, relaxing evening. There's time to spend talking with various local music musicians and fans. And then there are the artists who tell stories behind the music or band. On this particular night, Jordan Hawkins and GMNII took to the stage.

Jordan Hawkins' most interesting story behind one of his songs was how he had a chance to study in Copenhagen. Unfortunately, this meant leaving behind the individual he was dating at the time. Though not stated specifically, one would assume the relationship did not last due to the opportunity that presented itself to him.

Jordan Hawkins

GMNII's stories revolved around how they (Gigi and Emma) formed GMNII. They mentioned that the band name came about because the two of them started to write songs during the period of Gemini. Also, they talked about how they met. They met during a Play Like a Girl event at The Echo (Play Like a Girl helps put on Commune). Gigi mentioned how a friend of hers took her to The Echo. Emma was up on stage singing with a group. Gigi just knew that she had to be part of a band that included Emma. And so it happened. Randomness.

GMNII