INTERVIEW BY SHELBY BAKER
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ASIDE OCEANS
Self-identified as “rhythm and blues rock,” the Pulaski, Va. four-piece ASIDE OCEANS perfectly exemplify this distinctive sound. Each member has different influences and musical tastes, which contribute to their overall sound. As a result, each song they create is a collection of contributions and influences from all members. In addition, they don’t just want you to rock out to their music, but dance along or do whatever you please. We had a chance to talk to guitarist Billy Steele, drummer Steve Brooks, and bassist Tyler Davis about their music and what’s in store for their future releases.
What inspired the band name?
Billy: We’ve always been into different kinds of music. We’ve never been a stickler on genre or anything like that. So, we just wanted to come up with something that represented that. We kind of came up with a sentence that said, “Set aside oceans of differences, ” and that applies to people, or just music in general. And, you know, music has so much power in people’s lives, and it can bring masses of different type of people together. That’s basically what the band name means.
On your Facebook, you guys call your genre “rhythm and blues rock.” What does that mean exactly?
Billy: I’d say that with our form of rock and roll, you can hear lots of different elements from other different types of music. There’s a lot of rock music nowadays that’s just [pure] rock. We’re trying to have a little groove to our music. Like, our stuff you can either rock out to or dance to.
What inspired you guys to make music in that genre?
Tyler: Growing up, we all came from [performing in] metal bands. After we started aging a little bit, we progressed from there, and we branched out more to blues. Then the blues turned into almost progressive-like music. We were trying to write any kind of song that we could come up with, and that’s how ended up where we are now.
You guys have opened for SAVING ABEL. How did that opportunity present itself?
Steve: What had happened was, there was a band that played there as well, and they’re called MADRONE. They’re out of Roanoke, Va., and we’ve had a working relationship with those guys for a while. Their singer works with another guy named Kelly Scott who’s worked with 96.3 [FM]. He’s always come out and … has really helped us out in the past. Then, basically, we just got lucky enough to be asked to open the show.
Could you describe the music-making process?
Billy: It usually starts with the guitar parts. I’ll come up with a riff or something like that, and I’ll present it to the band. From there, it will progress, and everybody will put their own touches on it. We don’t want the songs to sound like one person wrote it. We want the feel that everyone in the band had a part in it, because of everyone’s different musical tastes. Sometimes the other guys bring songs that are really awesome, too. It really just starts with one person’s idea, then we all capitalize on that.
Are you guys working on new material?
Steve: Yes, we are. We actually just did a new EP, and we plan to master two songs off of that. Then, we’re going to go back into the studio in the next month and a half to do five more songs. Then, a full length will be in the future for sure.
