LUCID FLY
Questions asked by Jon Wilde, added to Rock Realms 3rd August 2009.
Lucid Fly are a female fronted band from L.A. playing proggy symphonic music with a retro twist. They recently released The Escape Stage, their 2nd EP, an album we at Rock Realms rank rather highly.
Lead singer, Nikki Layne, answers questions on behalf of the band.
Hi, and thanks for taking a moment to answer these questions. Hope you are well?
Nikki: Yes, doing great thank you!!
The band has an unusual band name. Do you constantly get asked where it came from? Don’t worry, we read all about it on your MySpace page! :)
Nikki: Yeah, we always get people asking about where our name came from…and when they find out about the story behind it and that it wasn’t just pulled randomly from a dictionary, I think it heightens the interest in the band and the music…we are all pretty deep ;)
How would you describe your musical style to the uninitiated? We would suggest something along the lines of a 70’s version of Within Temptation...
Nikki: I think our music is best described as being dark and melodic, epic and raw. The vocals have a certain powerful femininity and the music is intelligently composed - the more you listen to it, the more it grows on you. We have been compared to bands like “Linkin Park with a female singer”, “a dirtier Evanescence”, and “Lacuna Coil mixed with bits of A Perfect Circle and Alice in Chains.”
Who have been your inspirations over the years?
Nikki: Growing up, my musical inspirations ranged from Stevie Nicks, Pat Benatar, Ann Wilson, Robert Plant and Steve Perry…more recently I have been inspired by Imogen Heap, Maynard James Keenan, and Brandon Boyd - I really draw from all styles, but those have definitely been key for me.
Did you grow up in a musical family?
Nikki: Yes, my roots were firmly planted in music and art on both sides of the family. My father was in southern rock bands my entire life, where he sang, played guitar and the harmonica. My grandparents on my mother’s side were in a country band for years, as well as most of my aunts and uncles – their instruments ranged from banjos, keyboards, steel guitar, you name it! I was very fortunate to have such a creative driving force behind me growing up!
How did all of you meet and end up in a band together?
Nikki: I met my guitarist (Doug) in 1997 through a musicians classified ad I had submitted in a Florida music magazine. He was the first person I auditioned with and we have been playing together ever since. We met Go & Aaron a few months after we moved to Los Angeles. Go (bass) and Aaron (drums) had been played in a previous band together, and had been looking for an established band. They answered an internet posting we had put up and for some reason it went into our email “spam” folder. Luckily, I happened to check that folder that day cuz’ we got together, totally meshed and have been playing together since April of 2007!
What made you move across America to L.A.?
Nikki: After 8 years of playing all over the southeast and Midwest, we decided we wanted to take our music to the next level. There is so much opportunity in Los Angeles, being the “hub” of the entertainment industry…it just seemed like the next logical step for us. It was definitely the best decision we could have ever made
What’s the scene like there for your sort of music?
Nikki: The LA music scene is tight knit, and saturated with talent. Luckily, for our style of music we can play with diverse styles…bands that are more alternative or straight rock as well as bands that have a heavier edge. We have had a great response so far at our live performances, and we are steadily creating a “buzz.”
The Escape Stage is the first EP to receive full marks on the Rock Realms website. How comes you aren’t more famous already!? :)
Nikki: We are honoured to receive the first full marks on Rock Realms. So glad you enjoyed the music and we really appreciate your support! Hmmmmm, how come we aren’t more famous already!? Well, we’ve been saving it for THIS interview, and we expect to be famous when it gets published!! Ahem… ;)
How quickly did the EP come together?
Nikki: The EP came together rather quickly, although the actual recording process did not! We had done some pre-production first because we originally just wanted to record 5 songs and pick the best of three for a professional demo, but as we started recording & mixing we were pleased with how they all turned out - it is the first recording that we felt represented us 100%…so we decided that we would put out an EP instead which has worked out nicely.
How does it compare to your first release?
Nikki: “The Escape Stage” definitely shows the dynamic growth and a bit of progressiveness that we were aiming for. The first release titled “Adapting to Gravity” was a huge learning experience for us. It was a period of us coming into our own and finding our way within our style. We had been through a few member changes, so that EP is kind of a mash up of players and producers that we melded into a polished product. Overall, it has gotten amazing feedback, and helped us spring forward to where we are now.
Which songs are you most proud of?
Nikki: Being able to bring our creative thoughts and ideas to fruition and to share them with people is very satisfying - “Alohum” and “Means To An End” for me, came out effortlessly and are very close to my heart, but some of the songs on the “Adapting to Gravity” EP like “Center Of Your Space”, “Collide” and “Blind” have proved to be a bit timeless… they have shown that our music has longevity, which makes me very proud!
Any plans to record a full length album?
Nikki: Absolutely! We are currently working on writing enough new material that we can have a selection to choose from for our first full length. We are always evolving and growing and are really excited about how the new stuff is turning out.
Is there anyone out there you particularly fancy working with?
Nikki: In the rock world, a few producers that come to mind are: Brendan O’Brien, Terry Date, and Dave Fortman. Ultimately, we would love to work with someone who can communicate with us on a musical level, let our creative voices shine through, someone who pushes us and makes us confident in our own instruments/abilities and inspires us in the process! Not too much to ask, right??
Do you play many live gigs? If so, any plans to come over to the UK at some point?
Nikki: Since the release of “The Escape Stage” in March of 2009, we started playing shows around the Los Angeles area, mainly the Sunset Strip in Hollywood. We have steadily been building a loyal following...our first LA show at Key Club brought out over 200 people! We definitely want to come and play in the UK Circuit and beyond…
What’s the best band you’ve ever seen live?
Nikki: Hands down it was A Perfect Circle at the International Ballroom in Atlanta, GA! They were touring in support of their Mer De Noms album release…It’s the only concert I have ever been moved to tears ;) They are all such talented musicians, and Maynard particularly is amazingly innovative – I wish they were still together!
If you were stuck on a remote Pacific atoll with a solar powered CD player, what 5 albums would you like there with you?
Nikki: Hmmm, that’s a tough one...my taste changes daily! But today I would have to say:
A Perfect Circle – Mer De Noms
Hooverphonic – A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular
Deftones – White Pony
Incubus – Morning View
Dredg – El Cielo
If you were stranded with one other person, who would it be?
Nikki: Doug, he’s a great cook, he can MacGyver anything out of a coconut, and is the probably the only one that can put up with me when I am “stranded” :O
What’s the best/worst thing you’ve ever done when drunk?
Nikki: Not sure that anything good has ever came out of me getting drunk, but I can certainly say that getting dared to get naked in a fast food parking lot and being left there (for what seemed like hours) was definitely not one of my shining moments…hahhaa..
Does the music industry reinforce or destroy your faith in humanity?
Nikki: We find music that inspires us and is the soundtrack of our lives, because it has been produced and put out there big enough for us to find. At the same time, it takes so much more energy and work beyond just making good music to ever get discovered, so a ton of amazing artists quit before anyone gets to hear that. I think that with the internet and the ability for bands to not need a major label, it reinforces my faith, because a bands success nowadays is ultimately up to them!
What are your plans for the future, or do you take each day as it comes...?
Nikki: I try and live everyday in the moment, but I think it’s always great to have a set of goals in mind so you aren’t just spinning your wheels. For the band, we will continue to play live shows in and around the Los Angeles area promoting our EP, as well as, write new material in preparation for a full length, and pre-production on a music video.
Anything else you'd like to mention?
Nikki: Our music is available now on iTunes! Check it out! Follow us on Twitter for the latest updates and giveaways: http://www.twitter.com/lucidfly. We are currently recruiting street team members to help spread the word about our music…click here for details: http://www.lucidfly.com/swat.php For all other news, show info, pics etc: http://www.myspace.com/lucidfly.
And, finally, what are you up to once you’ve finished answering these questions?
Nikki: I better get back to nappin’ - I mean work!!
A huge thanks for your time, Jon at Rock Realms.
The new Lucid Fly EP is out now. Check out the review on Rock Realms here for further details... If you live in the L.A. area, you may even be able to catch them live :)
http://www.myspace.com/lucidfly
