EMQ’s With EXOSPHERE

EMQ’s With EXOSPHERE
Hi everyone. Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with USA Sludge band, Exosphere. Huge thanks to the Guitarist/Vocalist, Steven, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
My name is Steven! We started as a project I had with a friend, who was our original bassist, and we got a few riffs together, but needed some help to make it a real song. So we ended up asking for help from our Singer/Guitarist Jackie, and Drummer Bill. That song eventually became ‘Paralyzed’, and then an EP, an album, and a bunch of shows later, we are here.
How did you come up with your band name?
Our old bassist and I were sitting on his computer, hanging out, probably smoking some weed while trying to Google topics to find names. He eventually came upon Exosphere, which is the highest layer of atmosphere before space, and we decided that the name fit well.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
We are from The United States, specifically from Arlington Heights, Illinois. The scene out here seems to be mostly Punk, Hardcore, and some Deathcore bands. Lots of low tunings, aggressive riffs, angry energy, and malort.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Our single Beg Towards The Sky premiered on Doomed and Stoned on Friday 13th May, and was officially released on May 15th.
Who have been your greatest influences?
As a band,our biggest influences would have to be Mastodon, Devin Townsend, Yob, Elder, and Death.
What first got you into music?
Me personally, I was probably 5 or 6 years old and heard The All American Rejects song ‘Move Along’ on YouTube. I couldn’t stop listening to it, and from then on I haven’t had a moment where I am alone without music playing in the backround.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician, who would it be?
We could die happy this instant if we could collaborate with Mastodon.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Probably Wacken so we wouldn’t have to buy tickets!
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Not a gift, but a fan from Denmark sent us a picture of a bootleg he made of our first EP after it was released, and we all thought that was pretty cool.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Thank you all so much for all the support you’ve given us over these few short years that we have existed. It means more than anything to us, we are forever grateful for it, and we plan to show our thanks with some new tunes.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Chuck Schuldiner without a doubt. Such an amazing person and musician who was unfairly taken way too soon.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I love the ability to express the emotions that words fail to encapsulate, and the opportunity to get up on stage and show everyone what we are about. The only bad parts about being a musician is loading heavy gear into venues, and the amount of money we sink into the band with such little return. It can be hard, but we make it work because we love this more than anything else.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Definitely the mentality of streaming platforms, and how they pay out. The focus should be on making the best music you can and getting it out to the fans, not just how many songs you can pump out a year.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Phoxjaw’s “Royal Swan”. Not a single skippable track. It’s the perfect balance between melodic and heavy. Every chorus is beautiful and catchy, every chord and riff is perfectly placed, it’s just a perfect 10/10 album.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs, or Downloads?
Personally I say CDs because you can play them through a CD player and download them as many times as you could possibly want.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Our last show before covid at this amazing venue called Beat Kitchen. We never had so many people at a show, the sound onstage and off was killer, all the bands were super tight, we didn’t miss a single note, and we had some fun effects to play with. All around a great time.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
If I wasn’t a musician I would just be sitting in my room reading some pointless philosophy books while dreading the next day at the office.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Bill Kelliher, Eric Andre, Timothy Leary, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Hunter S Thomson.
What’s next for the band?
We are currently working on a concept album about the horrors of AI, the Bardo states, and the void. Going to be lots of big groovy, dark hellscapes, and unrelenting riffs.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
https://www.instagram.com/exobear_official
https://www.facebook.com/exosphereband
https://exosphereband.bandcamp.com/
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/exosphere/1462583406
https://open.spotify.com/album/2Ylo37gkrFQfgrHzF6odmC
Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?
They are a biscuit, and nobody can change my mind.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you for having us! Definitely stay tuned on our social media, because we have alot planned for the future! Stay safe, hydrated, and have an awesome day.
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