ISTRA
December 20th, 2002 - I recently had an interview via email with guitarist Dan Larson of the band ISTRA from the High Desert of Southern California. Along with Dan, ISTRA consists of vocalist Mike Sandoval, bassist and vocalist Tim Morris, guitarist Pat Walker and drummer Casey Fischer. ISTRA has a unique melodic hardcore sound that can be compared to bands like Project 86, Blindside, Chevelle, and Trustcompany. I've included a complete manuscript of the interview below, and if you are interested in finding out anymore about ISTRA, including tour information, pictures, news and sound bites, visit their web site at www.istramusic.com.
- Jackie: When did ISTRA start and how?
- Dan: Istra started out about a year and a
half ago. Tim, Casey, and I had been in a band for a few
years when our singer quit. We decided that we wanted to
continue making music with each other, so we started writing new
songs and looking for a singer. Casey had been in a band
with a guy that had started doing demo recordings out of his
house. We figured that we would get a demo done and give it
to any potential singers to try out with. During the
recording process, we struck up a friendship with Mike (the guy
recording us) and eventually asked him to join the band. We
started doing a few shows, but nothing real big. In January
of 2002, we asked Pat Walker to join the band as a second
guitarist. We had all been friends with Pat for a long time
and always did music together on the side, so when the
opportunity arose, we brought him on board.
- Jackie: What message does the band want to
communicate to its listeners?
- Dan: We're all Christians in the band, so
first and foremost, we want to communicate Christ in everything
we do, especially our music. We strive to write songs that
basically are about life. Jesus Christ is in the forefront
of our lives, so that comes across in our lyrics. But that
doesn't necessarily mean we're a "positive band."
Life sucks sometimes. I mean, life is hard, and if we were
just going around singing "everything is super great and
always will be" we'd just be lying to ourselves. I
think that, overall, we just want to be honest.
- Jackie: What does ISTRA hope an audience
will get out of its live performance?
- Dan: The best 50
minutes of their life.
- Jackie: How do you go about song-writing?
- Dan: We will usually just start playing a
couple of riffs and then someone will interject an idea like
"we should do a time change there" and we try to throw
it in. Songwriting, for us, is a creative, artistic
thing. You can't put a schedule or agenda on it because if
you did, you would stifle the creativity. Then its no longer art,
its just noise. You just have to relax and play. Let
whatever comes out speak for itself.
- Jackie: As a band, and as an individual,
who are your musical and lyrical influences?
- Dan: We like all different kinds of
music. I think that’s what allows us to have the kind
of chemistry we do when we write. Each person has something
to bring to the table that no one else can. Casey likes
anything with drums. Anything that has a good beat you can
tap your foot to, Casey likes. Pat's more into the indie
rock thing. Tim's always liked that simple rock
sound. Anything from Led Zeppelin to The Red Hot Chili
Peppers. Mikes a punk rocker. And me, I'm a metal
head. As a band, the music that influences us is the music that
is truly original and inspired. Bands like Tool, The
Deftones, Sevendust, System of a Down, Blindside, Project
86...The list goes on. I think that, for me anyway, the
reason I would call these bands "influences" is not so
much the style they play but because they are pushing the limits
of originality. They're doing things that don't sound like any
other band before them, and for that, I respect them.
- Jackie: What is your favorite ISTRA song
and why?
- Dan: Wow. Good question. I
really like the new stuff we're writing right now. We're
coming together musically in way that we've never been able to do
before and I can't believe how lucky I am to be a part of
it. It's great. I am truly blessed to be in a band
that can just start playing whatever we feel and make a song out
of it. Mike's really coming into his own with the lyrics,
too. The stuff he's been writing is great; real poetic;
real honest.
- Jackie: What are your current plans as far
as recording, touring, and other music business goes?
- Dan: Right now we're writing songs for our
next album. We plan to be in the studio by the end of March
or early April and we're hoping for a late spring/early summer
release. I'm really excited about the new stuff that’s
coming out. Our hard stuff is getting harder and our soft
stuff is getting more melodic. We're starting to reach a
refined sound that is individual to us alone. As far as a tour
goes, we're just playing Southern California right now, but we'll
see where we are when the cd comes out. As it is right now,
we have about a show per week in random places through out So.
Cal.
- Jackie: Is there anything you'd like to
add?
- Dan: Yes. Alot of people involved in
music today have the wrong idea. Music isn't about
competition. It’s not about what band is better than
the other. It’s about creating art. That’s
why music is going down hill. Bands and labels are too busy
trying to compete with one another instead of trying to create
good, original music. At the end of the day when all is
said and done, I would hate for my only consolation to be,
"Well, at least I'm better than that guy!" I
would much rather be able to take relief in knowing that, at the
very least, I was the best I could possibly be.
- Click here to find out where the name ISTRA comes from.
The photo image above appears courtesy of www.istramusic.com.
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