intervie with Space Octopus
What´s the name off bands? Space Octopus.
What made you to be baptized to just "Space Octopus"? Although some people relate the name to different things, it's a name that popped out of a dream, and I felt I had to use it.
Who started the band? Myself, Dann Hoyos, vocals And lead Guitar.
Tell us a brief introduction of who you are? I'm a Berklee College of Music grad Guitar player that after being in many different bands and countries performing and recording, I felt it was time for me to start something as my own band.
Where are you from? Bilbao, a beautiful city in the north of Spain.
How did you meet? I meet Dani, guitar player, when I was in Los Angeles. We became good friends And when I came back to Spain years latter he was also there, so I asked him to join the band, then he introduced me a bass player friend of him, Jorge and I auditioned him to discover his awesomeness. then we auditioned a lot of drummers and found Ivan and I swear he's god. After a couple of gigs I realized that the band was successfully completed and ready to go.
How old are you? 31
What was the plan when you started the band? The plan was to play as many gigs as we could to spread our music out.
Explain to those who have not heard you, how does your music? Our music is a powerful rock, with virtuoso guitar sounds, mixed with funk and other styles in order to create a fun and unique sounding music.
Who writes the songs?/Who does the music? I (Dann) am in charge of all the music and lyrics but once I have the songs finished and recorded at my home studio I bring them to our rehearsal space and we work on them with alternative arrangements or different structures.
Who has the best humor? It's awesome that we all have great sense of humor, and we are a great group of friends besides our music work, but I would say Ivan, our drummer, has the best creative humor that make us laugh every time.
Good and bad sides of the band?
Good side: We really are a band, in every meaning, on stage and behind, we are like brothers.
Bad: brothers sometimes get into fights...!
Do you own songs or covers? All our songs are 100% original.
Have you released any album or single? We actually have two albums released, the first one "No es lo q tú sientes" (it's not what you feel) from 2007, and the one we just released in 2014, "Dormir con el diablo" (To sleep with the devil).
What do you sell for merchendise gadgets? We have T-shirts, our records, pins, hats... stuff like that, we always come to a different idea every once in a while.
What does it cost? Not sure, and depending if you get it online and shipped to you (All available in our web www.spaceoctopus.es ) or if you get it in one of our shows.
Have you done any music videos? Yes we do, so far we have two with this last recording, and I think 6 or so from our previous, either studio or live.
How old were you when you started with music? I think i was 12 or so... not sure.
When did you decide to focus on the music? When I was about 18, I was already playing a lot with different bands but more like a hobby, and when I had to decide what to do after highs school I was like "hey... why not!!". Somehow I always knew about it although it was a "that time" decision.
How has your music evolved since you began playing music together? We are closer personally and musically and you can feel that on the record and on stage.
What are your dreams with the band? Keep doing what we do as much as we can. We love to play, to perform, so even though I think we can succeed, if we don't it's ok as far as we can keep the show going.
What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Trying to keep our identity and defend the personality of our sound.
What record do you work with? We self-produce our albums, but we released the second one with "Maldito Digital".
Describe your show, visual and musically We love live shows, so we try to give a big show to the audience, we try to make that kind of show that they will remember and won't leave them indifferent. Previously we had dancers on stage, live theatre with music, Space Octopus fake dollar bills thrown to the audience... Musically you can expect four great performers doing what they love the most and giving the last drop of sweat on the stage.
How is it this time of year to get out on the gig? Beautiful as any time.
How tags you for a show? Fun, excitement, intensity...
What are your two big favorite songs you done? I remember once we already finished the show, and people was asking for more and we were a lil drunk so... we came out and played "highway to hell", and actually melted some faces so that was pretty cool... the other time I would say the only time we performed one acoustic song from our first album and we took a girl singer from other band on stage to sing it with us, in the middle of the rock show that was like birds singing, it was nice and intense.
What have you participated in the past? I played in many bands in Los Angeles like "Tarsha" (ex-Adler's Appetite's singer's band), "Thirty Round Clip", "The Logan"... As well as in Las Vegas, Macau and Singapore, with James Delisco's "FunkyDeep", in Spain "Beforce"or "Nodrama", I also played in a couple of bands in Boston but I don't remember the names...
Have you had any previous bands? Yes I did, "Beforce" in Spain, and my own instrumental project "Dann Hoyos".
What do you do besides the band and the music? If you mean professionally, I teach guitar in a music school.
What would you do if the music does not fans? I would play for myself. It's like thinking and talking, if there's nobody to hear what you're saying, you're thinking.
How important are your fans? They are the most important thing. Music is like a conversation between the player and the listener, when I play and there's somebody listening, he's also talking to me. Fans are as important as the artist or more, because fans also support the artist.
What is the funniest thing a fan did for you? Standing in front of me the whole show singing every single song. That was funny and impressive.
What is the best band you live way? Every show deserves appreciation. It looks like the more production you have the better the show is, but I saw many bands doing a great show with little production.
How old were you at your first concert you saw? I was sixteen.
How old were you at your first gig? Eighteen.
What is your goal with your music? To develop myself artistically the most and to leave something that can inspire somebody in the future.
Besides your music style you play what do you like the music still enjoy listening to? I like listening to everything regardless of the style.
What things are you most afraid of? To fail to myself or to the ones I love.
What is the biggest fear when you go onstage? Anything that can make the show ends.
What drives a band that is not very well known and live on it to continue to play? Passion.
Do you always the same songs live or vary it? We always change the set although some songs are a must.
How do you up for a gig? Nervous before, calm when I step on the stage.
What is your pre-show ritual? Checking all the stuff mentally and visualize myself succeed.
What are your favorite and least favorite venues you up on the wood? Favorite pretty much all of them, least favorite the ones that think like music doesn't care and it's all about money.
Best/worst performed gig? Not about performance but about importance. The best actually in a small and genuine club called Aratxu, where we meet our actual manager, the worst... I don't remember...
Have you toured somewhat over the years 2011 to 2014? Not continuously but playing in different venues and cities as little weekend tours.
Where do you sleep when you're going on tour? Hotel, hostel, van, friend's house, non sleep...
How many people usually come to your gig? It depends... we played for about 300 people or 50, but that doesn't really matters to us.
Where do you plan to play the rest of the year? Still closing dates, but hopefully we can get to play in a lot of places.
Tell us about your upcoming shows and why we should be there? We're putting all the promo together and starting to book shows. You just missed two! You should come over because you would discover a new band and I think you wouldn't be indifferent to us and also... we are fun people to hang with.
What do you think of that they go to download music from the internet instead of buying records? It's complicated for a brief answer... Exposure it's great, but also respect. I think people like music but sometimes forgets about who creates it and everybody involved. I think the most important thing, regardless of if you download or not, is that you actually go support the bands you listen to when they go play for you.
What is your outlook on the record industry today? It's a music business as it always was. Not hard feelings about it, if you want bread you go buy it, I think it's basic.
How would you describe your sound in one sentence? Rebel, artistic, funny, introspective, virtuoso rock.
What are your favorite substandard instruments? Banjo, ukelele...
What is the first step to a new song? A spark of an idea.
Have any of you songs published? Yeah all of them that are out there.
What image do you think your music conveys? Rebel, artistic, funny, introspective, virtuoso.
When you do a song where are you going/what inspires your music? What I hear, what I desire, what I need to tell, what I think people would have to hear.
What's the best and worst of playing clubs? Everything is good, I think it's more about "how do you expect a place is gonna change your performance"
What are your web pages?
www.spaceoctopus.es
www.facebook.es/spaceoctopusband
www.twitter.com/space_octopus
www.youtube.com/spaceoctopus
www.youtube.com/spaceoctopusband
www.instagram.com/spaceoctopusband
What are your role models before? Anybody who feels like he is doing the right thing no matter what.
What inspires you? Pretty much every single thing, thought or feeling.
Is it easier to draw inspiration from older bands than the bands that are active today? Not really, every art evolves. They were the direction, but we are the ones who have to walk.
Where is most common that you play? On stage.
What are the main obstacles for the band? Fear and distrust, with themselves and with each other.
What advice would you give to other bands? Keep doing what you love and don't let anybody tell you how to do it.
Do you have anything to add?It's the longest interview I've done so far, but I really enjoyed it. Thank you!! Hope to see you in one of our shows!!
What made you to be baptized to just "Space Octopus"? Although some people relate the name to different things, it's a name that popped out of a dream, and I felt I had to use it.
Who started the band? Myself, Dann Hoyos, vocals And lead Guitar.
Tell us a brief introduction of who you are? I'm a Berklee College of Music grad Guitar player that after being in many different bands and countries performing and recording, I felt it was time for me to start something as my own band.
Where are you from? Bilbao, a beautiful city in the north of Spain.
How did you meet? I meet Dani, guitar player, when I was in Los Angeles. We became good friends And when I came back to Spain years latter he was also there, so I asked him to join the band, then he introduced me a bass player friend of him, Jorge and I auditioned him to discover his awesomeness. then we auditioned a lot of drummers and found Ivan and I swear he's god. After a couple of gigs I realized that the band was successfully completed and ready to go.
How old are you? 31
What was the plan when you started the band? The plan was to play as many gigs as we could to spread our music out.
Explain to those who have not heard you, how does your music? Our music is a powerful rock, with virtuoso guitar sounds, mixed with funk and other styles in order to create a fun and unique sounding music.
Who writes the songs?/Who does the music? I (Dann) am in charge of all the music and lyrics but once I have the songs finished and recorded at my home studio I bring them to our rehearsal space and we work on them with alternative arrangements or different structures.
Who has the best humor? It's awesome that we all have great sense of humor, and we are a great group of friends besides our music work, but I would say Ivan, our drummer, has the best creative humor that make us laugh every time.
Good and bad sides of the band?
Good side: We really are a band, in every meaning, on stage and behind, we are like brothers.
Bad: brothers sometimes get into fights...!
Do you own songs or covers? All our songs are 100% original.
Have you released any album or single? We actually have two albums released, the first one "No es lo q tú sientes" (it's not what you feel) from 2007, and the one we just released in 2014, "Dormir con el diablo" (To sleep with the devil).
What do you sell for merchendise gadgets? We have T-shirts, our records, pins, hats... stuff like that, we always come to a different idea every once in a while.
What does it cost? Not sure, and depending if you get it online and shipped to you (All available in our web www.spaceoctopus.es ) or if you get it in one of our shows.
Have you done any music videos? Yes we do, so far we have two with this last recording, and I think 6 or so from our previous, either studio or live.
How old were you when you started with music? I think i was 12 or so... not sure.
When did you decide to focus on the music? When I was about 18, I was already playing a lot with different bands but more like a hobby, and when I had to decide what to do after highs school I was like "hey... why not!!". Somehow I always knew about it although it was a "that time" decision.
How has your music evolved since you began playing music together? We are closer personally and musically and you can feel that on the record and on stage.
What are your dreams with the band? Keep doing what we do as much as we can. We love to play, to perform, so even though I think we can succeed, if we don't it's ok as far as we can keep the show going.
What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Trying to keep our identity and defend the personality of our sound.
What record do you work with? We self-produce our albums, but we released the second one with "Maldito Digital".
Describe your show, visual and musically We love live shows, so we try to give a big show to the audience, we try to make that kind of show that they will remember and won't leave them indifferent. Previously we had dancers on stage, live theatre with music, Space Octopus fake dollar bills thrown to the audience... Musically you can expect four great performers doing what they love the most and giving the last drop of sweat on the stage.
How is it this time of year to get out on the gig? Beautiful as any time.
How tags you for a show? Fun, excitement, intensity...
What are your two big favorite songs you done? I remember once we already finished the show, and people was asking for more and we were a lil drunk so... we came out and played "highway to hell", and actually melted some faces so that was pretty cool... the other time I would say the only time we performed one acoustic song from our first album and we took a girl singer from other band on stage to sing it with us, in the middle of the rock show that was like birds singing, it was nice and intense.
What have you participated in the past? I played in many bands in Los Angeles like "Tarsha" (ex-Adler's Appetite's singer's band), "Thirty Round Clip", "The Logan"... As well as in Las Vegas, Macau and Singapore, with James Delisco's "FunkyDeep", in Spain "Beforce"or "Nodrama", I also played in a couple of bands in Boston but I don't remember the names...
Have you had any previous bands? Yes I did, "Beforce" in Spain, and my own instrumental project "Dann Hoyos".
What do you do besides the band and the music? If you mean professionally, I teach guitar in a music school.
What would you do if the music does not fans? I would play for myself. It's like thinking and talking, if there's nobody to hear what you're saying, you're thinking.
How important are your fans? They are the most important thing. Music is like a conversation between the player and the listener, when I play and there's somebody listening, he's also talking to me. Fans are as important as the artist or more, because fans also support the artist.
What is the funniest thing a fan did for you? Standing in front of me the whole show singing every single song. That was funny and impressive.
What is the best band you live way? Every show deserves appreciation. It looks like the more production you have the better the show is, but I saw many bands doing a great show with little production.
How old were you at your first concert you saw? I was sixteen.
How old were you at your first gig? Eighteen.
What is your goal with your music? To develop myself artistically the most and to leave something that can inspire somebody in the future.
Besides your music style you play what do you like the music still enjoy listening to? I like listening to everything regardless of the style.
What things are you most afraid of? To fail to myself or to the ones I love.
What is the biggest fear when you go onstage? Anything that can make the show ends.
What drives a band that is not very well known and live on it to continue to play? Passion.
Do you always the same songs live or vary it? We always change the set although some songs are a must.
How do you up for a gig? Nervous before, calm when I step on the stage.
What is your pre-show ritual? Checking all the stuff mentally and visualize myself succeed.
What are your favorite and least favorite venues you up on the wood? Favorite pretty much all of them, least favorite the ones that think like music doesn't care and it's all about money.
Best/worst performed gig? Not about performance but about importance. The best actually in a small and genuine club called Aratxu, where we meet our actual manager, the worst... I don't remember...
Have you toured somewhat over the years 2011 to 2014? Not continuously but playing in different venues and cities as little weekend tours.
Where do you sleep when you're going on tour? Hotel, hostel, van, friend's house, non sleep...
How many people usually come to your gig? It depends... we played for about 300 people or 50, but that doesn't really matters to us.
Where do you plan to play the rest of the year? Still closing dates, but hopefully we can get to play in a lot of places.
Tell us about your upcoming shows and why we should be there? We're putting all the promo together and starting to book shows. You just missed two! You should come over because you would discover a new band and I think you wouldn't be indifferent to us and also... we are fun people to hang with.
What do you think of that they go to download music from the internet instead of buying records? It's complicated for a brief answer... Exposure it's great, but also respect. I think people like music but sometimes forgets about who creates it and everybody involved. I think the most important thing, regardless of if you download or not, is that you actually go support the bands you listen to when they go play for you.
What is your outlook on the record industry today? It's a music business as it always was. Not hard feelings about it, if you want bread you go buy it, I think it's basic.
How would you describe your sound in one sentence? Rebel, artistic, funny, introspective, virtuoso rock.
What are your favorite substandard instruments? Banjo, ukelele...
What is the first step to a new song? A spark of an idea.
Have any of you songs published? Yeah all of them that are out there.
What image do you think your music conveys? Rebel, artistic, funny, introspective, virtuoso.
When you do a song where are you going/what inspires your music? What I hear, what I desire, what I need to tell, what I think people would have to hear.
What's the best and worst of playing clubs? Everything is good, I think it's more about "how do you expect a place is gonna change your performance"
What are your web pages?
www.spaceoctopus.es
www.facebook.es/spaceoctopusband
www.twitter.com/space_octopus
www.youtube.com/spaceoctopus
www.youtube.com/spaceoctopusband
www.instagram.com/spaceoctopusband
What are your role models before? Anybody who feels like he is doing the right thing no matter what.
What inspires you? Pretty much every single thing, thought or feeling.
Is it easier to draw inspiration from older bands than the bands that are active today? Not really, every art evolves. They were the direction, but we are the ones who have to walk.
Where is most common that you play? On stage.
What are the main obstacles for the band? Fear and distrust, with themselves and with each other.
What advice would you give to other bands? Keep doing what you love and don't let anybody tell you how to do it.
Do you have anything to add?It's the longest interview I've done so far, but I really enjoyed it. Thank you!! Hope to see you in one of our shows!!