Einige Größen der florierenden Post-Punk- und Hardcore-Szene, Gitarrist Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance), Gitarrist Travis Stever (Coheed and Cambria), Sänger Anthony Green (Circa Survive), Bassist Tim Payne (Thursday) und Schlagzeuger Tucker Rule (Thursday/Yellowcard) haben sich zusammengetan und L.S. DUNES gegründet Die Band wird heute ihr Debütalbum „Past Lives„über Fantasy Records veröffentlichen. Passend dazu haben wir Gitarrist der Band Travis Stever ein paar Fragen gestellt.
Frontstage Magazine: Hello everybody, we hope you are doing well while looking forward to the release of your first album as L.S. Dunes. How do you feel?
Travis: It’s a combination of numerous emotions. Equivalent to sending a child to its first day in school. You know how much you love them and feel they are incredible for so many reasons. You just hope everyone else feels the same way. But just like with one of our kids if people don’t feel the same way we do about the album fuck em. We still know it’s awesome.
Frontstage Magazine: The band L.S Dunes itself is new but its members are not. All of you have backgrounds in well known bands like My Chemical Romance, Thrice, Thursday, Yellowcard and also Coheed And Cambria or Circa Survive. How did you find each other?
Travis: We have all known each other for many years. We have all played many shows together with the other bands we are in numerous times. Through that we already had friendship and admiration. It doesn’t always work to just start a band from that. It’s often talked about and never takes flight. We knew from the moment that each member added to the first song that this band was meant to be. We are very lucky for that.
Frontstage Magazine: Speaking about bands with such big names, what is your opinion on the When We Were Young Festival which just takes place in Las Vegas right now?
Travis: I was not there but I know aside from the one windy predicament it went great. Everyone I know that was there and played had a blast. Counting my band mates that were there with their other bands.
Frontstage Magazine: Your debut album „Past Lives“ will be released on 11th of November. How would you describe the sound of L.S Dunes in comparison to your other projects?
Travis: There are elements of the bands that we are all in. Absolutely. But it’s very much it’s own unique beast. Multi dimensional. I like to think it more in the Acid Punk category
Frontstage Magazine: Was the process of creating the album, from recording in the studio to the mastering, different than it has been previously?
Travis: This answers this question as well as a bit of the next. Will Yip who produced the record was very adamant about recording the drums in his studio and Frank was able to record his guitars there as well. Unfortunately due to covid restrictions I was not able to record my guitars there. Tim had same issue with bass. So just as it was with a majority of the writing process we did it remotely. Which still worked amazingly. We had the benefit of getting together for some preproduction at SST in Weehawken so that helped as well. The mixing and mastering was done by sending around through email as well. Will Yip did an amazing job navigating.
Frontstage Magazine: How did the pandemic affect you, the music on the record and its recording?
Travis: I basically answered that in question above. I believe for all musicians and numerous other businesses give her a lot of learning curves with having to do things remotely. I feel lucky to be amongst those who was able to adapt and create through it.
Frontstage Magazine: Is the project L.S Dunes designed for future or will it be more like a sidekick that feels good right now?
Travis: Designed for the future. This is a real band. That we will keep feeding and nurturing till it’s too old and can’t stop shitting it’s pants.
Frontstage Magazine: You are supposed to start with your US tour soon. Can we expect a European tour in the near future as well?
Travis: We want it. Tell everyone about us so we can come do it.
Frontstage Magazine: Our last question always falls a little out of line. What series or music did you discover for yourself lately and what did you enjoy about it?
Travis: Barry Adamson. He was the bass player for a punk band called Magazine. He then went on to releasing experimental albums and film scores on his own. I listened to the album “moss side story” recently and it blew my mind. I am watching the newest season of “Handmaids Tail” and as with every other season hoping that the world doesn’t turn into the one depicted in it. Sadly there are already horrifying similarities.
Fotocredit: Luke Dickey
