New York-based three piece Red Oblivion may have gotten their start at Berklee, but the last thing they wanted to do was mirror the sound of their music school classmates. On their upcoming EP My Dear Friend (out September 9th), the band eschews the often technical and precise “Berklee sound” for hard-hitting, straight forward rock that wouldn’t be out of place beside a recent single from Queens of the Stone Age.
We sat down with vocalist/bassist Zach Adams to discuss the band’s sound, food, the World Cup, and a few other topics not related to the band’s new EP, a track from which you can stream below.
Allston Pudding: You guys are a Berklee band, and we come across a lot of Berklee bands. What makes you different than the rest of them?
Zack Adams: I think about this one a lot mostly because I have a distaste for a majority of Berklee bands. Some of my favorite artists never had the opportunity to go to music school, but they were still able to create impressionable music. I think that finding the balance between our education/useless music knowledge, and natural tendencies is what makes us different. Most bands/musicians at Berklee think into it too much, and look at it like it’s a formula, not an expression.
AP: You’ve played some pretty big festivals in some pretty exotic places, like Lollapolooza Chile and Vive Latino, and I’m sure you’ve been asked about your favorite part of those festivals – but what’s your least favorite part?
ZA: The food. My bandmates love exotic Latin foods (Emma grew up in Mexico), but I most certainly do not. I love my freedom food.
AP: Does your experience playing shows like that changed the way you approach playing smaller venues?
ZA: Not really, because they are two different beasts. You have to play them differently. I will say, it is strange to come back, and play a room like The Studio at Webster Hall, because it is a different dynamic. Things that you can do on a stage on front of say 1500, you cannot do in front of 150. You will just look like an asshole.
AP: You’re stranded on a deserted island – but the island is only a mile from the shore – which one of you gets nominated to try and make the swim?
ZA: We don’t go into anything alone…..Kidding, we would just send our drummer Carson, he’s the band muscle….Which isn’t saying much.
AP: Do they make it to safety?
ZA: Definitely, he always comes through.
AP: There’s some type of black cat on the cover of your new EP My Friend Fear. What is the cat’s hometown and does he/she still live there?
ZA: It is from the world. It will always live there and linger in our lives.
AP: You can have one superhero work the door at your next headlining gig – which superhero is it, and why would take time out of their busy schedule to hand out wristbands and hand stamps?
ZA: Flash because out of all the super heroes, he has always been the least employed. He would also get the job done super quick…
AP: You moved to New York shortly after leaving Berklee. Other than riding the T, what do you miss the most about Boston?
ZA: Oh man, I can go on for days. If that was sarcastic I actually miss the T. After riding the subway, it is one of those “you don’t know what you have until its gone” situations. I also miss Silhouette. Nothing will ever come close to that legendary establishment. I also miss my friends, Cappys, Habaneros, Elks Lodge, The Paradise, and the list goes on.
AP: You list acts like The Pixies, and Against Me! as influences, but what is the biggest influence on your band when it comes to food?
ZA: We all love Sonic, and have driven great distances to retrieve a tasty slushy paired with 10 orders of shit. Carson and I have spent 45 dollars there before. Humans too, I think Frank Black would taste juicy.
AP: According to your twitter account, you guys were pretty into the World Cup. What are your chances of participating in the tournament in 2018, and which position will you play?
ZA: The other two (Emma, and Carson) are into it. I wasn’t really paying attention, but if I had to pick a position it would be first base.
AP: Anything you want to tell our readers about why they should check out your new EP when it’s out in September?
ZA: If you like fat sounds, you will enjoy this offering.