Band Name: Go! Tsunami
Genre:Surf/Rock
Geographical Area:Midwest
Interview with Riptide
By email on 8/30/09
1. What is the current line-up of
your band?
Riptide - guitar, Stan Overboard
- organ, Stingray Jr. - bass, and
Fury - drums
2. How and when did you get started
with your band?
September 2007. I had been into tiki, exotica, and surf for quite a while. I had taken a break from playing in rock bands for a few years and when the fever hit me to start back up it only seemed natural that I played the music that I loved to listen to. The Fury was the first to enlist in my mad scheme. We went through a couple of member changes to get where we are today.
3. What bands or music have influenced you most?
This is going to sound odd but my first answer would be KISS. They are the reason I started playing guitar. Some of my surf favorites that have inspired me are The Meltones, The Space Cossacks, The Supertones, and of course Link Wray, Dick Dale, and The Ventures. I listen to as many surf bands as I can. I really love the genre.
4. What is the break down of cover vs. original material in your live shows and/or recordings?
The majority of any set we play is original material. We like to throw in a cover here and there. My favorite is Pipeline. Best surf song ever.
5. What recording have you done?
We have just released a CD entitled "New Wave Order." 15 songs that we're very proud of.
6. What kind of gear do you use?
Nothing but Gibson and Peavey. Yes, I'm kidding. I switch back and forth from a Strat and a Jaguar through a Fender Deluxe. I also have a couple of Crate Vintage Club amps that sound pretty good. Stan plays a Hammond XK-1 through a Motion Sound Amp. Jr. plays a Jazz bass through a Fender Bassman amp, and the Fury has several kits but I prefer the shiny gold Gretsch set.
7. What is your band’s favorite food/beverage?
Pizza and beer!
8. How do you get gigs?
Locally we're lucky because we have several friends who own or run bars that feature live music, so all we have to do is call them and ask for a date. We're also lucky because we have a lot of friends in the Fraternal Order of Moai (of which I'm a member). We've gotten some great shows with the help of my tiki brothers. Jet Sterling of the Surfabilly Freakout radio show has been a great and appreciated supporter of the band as well.
9. What are the difficulties you find playing your kind of music in your area?
To my knowledge there has never been a surf band in the area, so at first a lot of people were a little confused when they saw us. Being different than any other band around I think has helped set us apart, and we've enjoyed a really positive response to our shows.
10. What positive attributes does your band have that sets you apart from other bands (of any genre)?
We wear masks! Lol, I know that's
not different than a lot of other
bands, but I think we have a good
energy in our music that doesn't let
you just sit there and listen. You
have to tap your foot or sway your
body.
11. What have you found to be the
single most effective promotional
tool you’ve used to further your
band’s musical path?
Obviously it's the internet.
Myspace and
Facebook are huge in
connecting with people that you
never would have met otherwise. It's
how I found NESMA.
12. What’s the most interesting
performance experience you’ve had?
We've had quite a few. I'm going
to go with the Halloween party we
played last year at a small castle
in the middle of nowhere. We were on
a large deck outside. The house
looked like a castle. It was 4
floors with huge wooden doors, an
observation deck, and hidden rooms.
It was a little surreal but very
fitting for a
Halloween show.
13. What do you hope to get out of
being a NESMA member?
I want to help promote this
incredible genre of music and
support any band traveling through
our area. We've had the pleasure of
playing with a few other NESMA
bands,
Daikaiju,
The
Heavies, and
The Cocktail Preachers.
14. Anything else?
Thank you for selecting us for
the spotlight in September. You can
find us here: http://www.myspace.com/gotsunami
or here http://www.facebook.com/pages/GoTsunami/108106116283
and the new CD is available here
under the sound of paradise http://www.fraternalorderofmoai.org/coconuteconomy/
