Quick Hit Band Interview: Jody

Jody at The Hi Hat

Interview with the band. Enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? We would describe our sounds as a mix of multiple different genres. It’s pretty hard to just nail it down as one sound but we feel we fall under a few styles such as pop, punk/post punk, and garage-y style rock. Usually each song that we work on and write ranges from different energies and emotions so it’s hard to just say “we are pop” or “we are post punk.” Feels like that’d be wrong.

Based on your social media, it looks like you took a hiatus (at least from playing shows). What got you all to come back playing shows? We just decided to take a hiatus but now we are back and excited to be playing again!

Harvard & Stone: Jesika von Rabbit with Sirens in the Night

Way back in 2011, I happened to catch Jesika von Rabbit's band called Gram Rabbit. Then I failed to catch the band again. Based on my Internet search, that band hasn't broken up, but she mainly performs under Jesika von Rabbit now. (I also happened to catch Annie Hardy of Giant Drag fame this year. I also hadn't seen her since 2011. It is strange how those things work out.)

This particular set has to rank as one of the best sets I've seen this year. Her set was a combination of thrilling stage show and pulsating beats. As for that stage show, she had two dancers join her for parts of the set. There were two different costume changes during the hour long set. I'd say they started out as bikini dancers then changed into showgirls then ended as rabbits. Of course, they ended the show dressed as rabbits. And that sound has a driving electronic beat connected with staccato vocals. Shall we call it desert rock derived from a drug induced weekend in Las Vegas?

Jesika von Rabbit

Sirens in the Night opened the night. This is a side project for some of the musicians in Jail Weddings. Jail Weddings is a band that dropped off my radar for a few years. It was a thrill to catch this side project and their just a touch quirky music.

Sirens in the Night

I guess one can say that this night was dedicated to bands that I've ignored for far too long.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Desert of Talking Shadows

Desert of Talking Shadows at the Whisky a Go Go

Interview with the band. Enjoy:

What's the story behind how the band started? Mikey Qubti has been playing guitar locally around the scene for a good number of years now. After a while, Mikey had no projects going on and decided to try singing and being a frontman in a band because a lot of people had suggested it to him. So he tried that and decided he liked singing but wanted to play guitar at the same time since that is his first love. So he then got asked by a good friend of his, Jared James Nichols, to open up for him at an upcoming show at the Viper Room in April of 2018. At this time Mikey had no band, so he quickly assembled a new project for this one special show with Jared. He had been in various bands with a bassist named Jack Thomas for about 4 years so he was the first to join. Along the way they had met Kyle Vellanoweth at some jam sessions in Orange County (where the band originates from) and Mikey called Kyle up to play guitar with him to fill out the strings section and fullness of the band’s sound. And then finally they had then recruited another drummer but unfortunately he wasn’t able to commit to this new project so he recommended another drummer by the name of Detrick Forster. Mikey and Jack had met Detrick once at a recording session but never knew he played drums as well as he did. Mikey called Detrick to jam and they did 4 new songs within 2-3 hours and immediately was in. Once all 4 of them got in a room and rehearsed the sound and chemistry was there. Ever since then, they have been playing nonstop on the world famous Sunset Strip in LA and quickly becoming noticed in the City of Angels as one of the best new young rock bands out there.

What motivates you to write your music? What motivates us to write music is Life. Life and death and everything in between. We only write songs about truth, and true things that happen around us or to us directly. So when you hear a specific pissed off lyric or guitar solo it’s usually directed at a specific person or situation that we’ve gone through or are still going through.

Own Q&A: There’s lots of different questions we think would be funny to answer but keeping it music related I’ll just say some unique or interesting things about the band. Mikey and Detrick are both only 20 years old. Mikey didn’t start singing till March of this year. Jack and Mikey have been playing together for years before this band. Everyone in the band has similar taste such as how all 4 members enjoy Tool, Primus, Fleetwood Mac, and Led Zeppelin.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Mo Dotti

Mo Dotti at The Hi Hat

Interview with the band (with Gina). Enjoy:

How would you describe your sound? Intricate and raw. Noisy, delicate and dreamy.

What is your favorite lyric (your own) and what about it makes it so special? “It’s a bean and it’s sweet. In the autumn of life. Where’s my mouth? On my face. “

It’s the chorus of my favorite song to play (at the moment). I think it’s about a fleeting pleasure, despite feeling mostly negative and doomed. It is also about not knowing where you stand, or how to feel. It’s not obvious to anyone but it’s how I feel when I sing it.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Sugar Candy Mountain

Sugar Candy Mountain at The Echo

Interview with the band (via Ash). Enjoy:

What's the story behind how your band started? The current Sugar Candy Mountain line up came about because Will played drums with everyone. He was in Sean’s project fpodbpod off and on for years. He met me playing in my solo project almost ten years ago, and he played in Papercuts alongside Jeff. We all really love each other’s playing. I feel very fortunate to be part of this group of musicians.

What’s a dream festival you’d love to play at and what about it intrigues you? Well there’s a few. I’d love to play Gizz Fest in Australia because it seems like the best way to play around that country. I would also love to play Pickathon in Portland, because I’ve been following their line ups for years. Finally, I throw a fest every June called Hickey Fest up in the Mendocino Redwoods- it’s a great weekend that brings our music community together every year, but for me personally, it’s a lot of work. I would love to play a small fest like Hickey Fest without having to run the show too.

Own final thoughts: A Few of Our Favorite Things

1. Maple Syrup

2. Houses that smell good

3. Marfa, TX

4. Running

5. Flossing

Quick Hit Band Interview: Bogan Via

Bogan Via at El Cid

Interview with the band (with Maddie). Enjoy:

What's the story behind how your band started? Well, seven years ago I was looking to start my own all female folk group, when I got a message from a stranger on Facebook. It was Bret! He had seen some of my videos on Youtube (my own channel where I'd sing covers/originals with a guitar) and he asked me if I had any desire to meet up and collaborate! His taste was a different genre than what I was used to, but we totally hit it off and the rest is history!

What inspires you to write/compose your songs? It is probably different for both of us. I usually feel the most inspired when I am in a lot of pain, haha. I am always so ready to put pen to paper when I'm fighting my emotions and can't seem to expunge them any other way. But I also get inspired by other artists and Bret! He always has amazing ideas that jump start great collaborations. He'll show me a beat or instrumental he's composed and melodies/harmonies will just pour out of me! Bret, is always writing. He gets inspired by EVERYTHING. I call him a sponge because he just absorbs everything and creates art from it. It's fascinating.

Final thoughts: I guess we just wanna plug how much we hope to advocate for animals in our lifetimes. We are both vegans and choose every day to live as compassionately as we can and I think people wanna punch us in the face every time we talk about this, haha, but we love animals and our planet and always try to speak to that. We hate to see the cruelty that humans bring to the world (harming animals and humans alike) and we try to bring aid to that cause every day.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Oak Palace

Oak Palace at El Cid

Interview with the band. Enjoy:

How would you describe your music? Oak Palace is ADHD music ranging from alternative rock to indie folk to electronic dance with some stuff in Spanish.

What’s your favorite gig/set/tour story? Our first tour was last May to Mexico City where we climbed to the top of the closed Angel de la Independencia statue while the guards weren't looking.

Final thoughts: we're a bilingual band with more music in English and Spanish coming soon.