Interview with Pete Devine of Pete’s Rock News and Views (http://petesrocknewsandviews.com)
PD: How would you describe yourself or your band as an artist?
DB&TAK: We’re a rock band and that I think that’s as far as we can confidently confirm. We’ve taken influences from so many corners of the rock music universe that it starts becoming tricky to decide which specific sub-genre we most fit into. I think that’s the best and healthiest way to think of yourself if you’re in a band. Otherwise, the risk becomes falling too far into tropes and clichés in fear of not fitting in with your musical peers.
It also gets much easier to freshen things up if you feel yourself getting stale. You don’t feel trapped by genre constraints, and you can try anything that grabs at you.
PD: Can you tell us briefly about your background – i.e. where you’re from, how you came to make music, etc.
DB&TAK: I think it’s safe to say that we all come from a background of being music lovers before anything else. It was that reverence for our favourite bands that drew us to want to pick up an instrument and do the same thing as them. Writing songs seemed like some kind of God-like power that we wanted to harness, so we did.
We all found each other in various stages of our lives and musical journeys. The level of band experience between the four of us varied quite a lot on a member-by-member basis. I think that was vital. Looking on situations with fresh eyes is just as important as having an experienced soul to help guide the way. We’ve come together to create something that, I think, is truly unique as far as band dynamics go.
PD: Who and what inspires you to make music, both in terms of musical and other influences? What do you like to write about in your songs?
DB&TAK: The drive for me comes mostly from the desire to hear the end product. I love the process of it all too, but getting to the finish line and listening to something like, “wow, did we do that?” is a feeling that I’ve never been able to replicate anywhere else. It’s the pride of all the hours of work coming to a head. I love to listen to our songs in the same playlists as huge and established bands, to see how we stand up against it all. I’m pleased to say that so far, I think we’re holding our own in terms if quality.
In terms of the subject matter of our songs, I think this is the first band where I really found my voice. By which I mean, I’m actually able to articulate what I feel and what’s really bouncing around inside of my head. Before I united with these guys, my lyric-writing tended to be stringing together a bunch of cool-sounding words. Now, I can finally say I feel like I have an outlet for all my anxiety and frustration, and I’m super grateful to the guys for them pulling that out of me – whether they meant to or not.
Hagrid’s (guitar) lyric writing is also equally raw, and I think he too has found an arena in this band for airing his emotions on the songs he takes the lead on, and it’s great to see.
PD: What are your aspirations as an artist?
DB&TAK: We want to take this thing as far as it can go, and further. I can only speak for myself, but if this band were my night-and-day, 24/7 project then I don’t think I’d ever have the right complain about my job ever again. I’m at my happiest and most content when we’re making music together, and the more I can get of that, the better.
It’s not about the money, but the reality of the situation is that we need this to be our main source of income in order to be able to give it all of our attention. And I think that’s a common situation that a lot of bands find themselves in. Until then, I’ll carry on filling every free second I have with moving the band forward.
PD: What is the proudest moment in your music career so far?
DB&TAK: It’s hard to beat release day of anything. Whether it’s a single, an EP, a music video, whatever. It’s the day you get to show everyone how hard you’ve been working to create something you’re proud of.
There are a few shows that stand out amongst others too. We opened for a local band called Ogun in the summer of 2022 and everything about that gig made us feel like we were heading in the right direction. The venue, the line-up, the quality of the sound system, it was all awesome. It was also one of the first shows where there were people in the crowd we didn’t even know who were throwing themselves around to our music. That was a good feeling.
PD: Promoting one’s music is such a challenge these days, especially with so many new artists emerging from bedrooms
in the day of the home studio. How is that going?
DB&TAK: It is difficult, for sure. I remember growing up, the best form of promotion for all the local bands just seemed to be kicking ass on stage and hoping word spread. I don’t know how effective that was for them, but it felt straightforward at the time.
Now, there seem so many different avenues to explore that you almost become paralysed by the choice on offer. We’ve started taking risks and putting bolder strategies in place to get ourselves heard, but I think the priority is still making the best music we can. If you’ve got nothing to promote, the rest of the process falls to pieces.
PD: And how do you book and promote your live shows and tours? Any performances coming up?
DB&TAK: We do all of that ourselves. The shows we play tend to be a mix of local promoters and just venues we book to put on our own nights. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but playing live is one of the best things about being in a band. I don’t think we’ve never turned down a gig that we can logistically do.
We booked our own tour in October of last year, and that was amazing. We’ve taken the lessons we’ve learned and are currently in the process of getting ready to hit the road again this summer. We’re just confirming venues and some other things, but follow us on socials to keep up to date!
PD: What do you think about downloading music online? What about streaming sites like Spotify?
DB&TAK: It’s pretty much essential to be online these days. I know a few people who refuse to upload to certain streaming platforms for various reasons, but that seems like an unwinnable battle. Yeah, the payment system is completely fucked up for certain platforms, but the convenience of your music being in the same place as everyone else’s is hard to deny.
Our metadata shows we have listeners all around the world, and that wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t make our music so widely available. There are ups and downs, but we’re making the most of the ups for now.
PD: What song do you wish you’d written and why?
DB&TAK: Jesus of Suburbia by Green Day. I think it’s a masterclass of progressive song writing within the genre. They do a phenomenal job of making 30 second movements all feel like they’re flowing naturally into one another. Where is hell is the chorus in that song? Does it even need one? There are little teases of one at various points, but to release that song as a single was such as baller move.
PD: Is there anything you don’t like about the music industry, which you would change if you could?
DB&TAK: I think the omnipresence of pop is so unwarranted. There are some great pop artists, and pop songs, and it’d be idiotic to say it’s all awful, because a lot of it very good. But having the same 5 songs hanging around for months or years at a time without giving much else a look-in just seems like insanity to me.
Rock music has as much to offer as pop, if not more. Every time I listen to, play, talk about, rock music, I always wonder why anyone would want anything to do with any other genre. It’s just so fucking good. Obviously, I’m biased, but the lack of current rock bands without a platform borders on criminal.
PD: So, what are you working on at the moment?
DB&TAK: We’re doing a lot at the moment. It’s probably the busiest period in the life of the band. As well as releasing monthly video diaries from our October 2022 tour, we’re also working on recording our first full-length release. Alongside that, our 5th anniversary is coming up, so we’re planning a special show for that at Outpost in Liverpool as part of our summer tour.
PD: Where can we learn more about you and buy your music/merch online?
DB&TAK: You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. We’re currently working on a new line of merch and looking into setting up an online store, so keep your eyes peeled!
Dan Bibby & the Aesthetic Knobs links:
Band/Artist location – Ormskirk, UK
Facebook – You Tube – Soundcloud – Bandcamp –
Instagram – Apple – Spotify – Amazon – Deezer –
Check our page for Dan Bibby & the Aesthetic Knobs
