Infinite
Flux is the fresh psychedelic stoner doom outfit from Tacoma,
Washington. They started with the full-length self-titled album which
was released online on 2nd
January 2016.
Infinite
Flux is a bloody strong debut record, and if you dig into qualitative
psychedelic stuff then I bet that you already know it. Meanwhile,
it’s always good to take a look behind the curtain and learn more
about the band which grants such great phonic pleasure. And it’s
always better when each band’s member has something to say. So let
me introduce the whole Infinite Flux crew: John Kennedy (guitars,
vocals), Ryder Hoffman (drums), Dan Fierro (guitars) and Darren Chase
(bass, vocals). Gentlemen are already here in our virtual studio.
Hello
gents! I beg a pardon for that standard question, but I believe that
this one could be asked till the band has one album in stock. So here
we go - how was Infinite Flux formed?
John:
Zack Deckard and I got together in 2012 while we were both getting
out of the army. He was a killer drummer. A mutual friend got us
together and we clicked right away and started writing. Tony
Copeland joined us on bass and that was the beginning of being a
band. Zack had to leave the state soon after we had enough material
to play out, and Ryder Hoffman joined us on drums for about a month
before we played our first show.
John
what did the military service give you besides free meals and a lot of
time withthe fresh air? Didn’t it affect your musical taste?
John:
My time in Iraq definitely impacted the content as well as the scales
I dip into. Everything effects everything and that experience is a
part of me now.
Just one look at
album artwork and songs titles give a strong impression as it is
something semi mythical, semi fantastic. How did you work over this
concept? What's your message?
John:
Life is semi mystical and fantastic, as well as horrific and
terrible. I was dealing with a lot of issues while recovering from
the knee injury that got me out of the army, and a lot of the songs
on this reflect where my head was at during that time.
Ryder:
A lot of it has more than one meaning or is presented in an abstract
manner so that the listener can find their own meanings in it.
The album was released on 2nd of January and only in digital format, how could that be? Don't
major labels call you day and night asking to release it on gorgeous
vinyl?
Dan:
Actually, Devils Child Records is currently in the final stage of
bringing this to vinyl! It should be available at
http://www.devilschildrecords.bigcartel.com/ June 18th.
We plan to get CD’s and shirts up in their store as well. Major
label? Maybe not yet, but they are awesome to work with and are
putting out some killer music from us, Mos Generator, Year Of The
Cobra, Mammoth Salmon and a ton of other killer PNW bands.
The
album is solid yet diverse and dynamic, Infinite Flux shows its
individuality alongside some direct influences. What did tell you to
stop composing one day and just record these songs? How did you
understand that it is ready to be summoning in the mortal world?
John:
It was a function of the necessary planetary alignment.
Ryder:
You have to have calm to appreciate chaos, or maybe the other way
around. There is no point in yelling ALL the time. Our songs
continue to evolve and at no point do we really consider them done,
when we recorded with Tony Reed at Heavy Head, we wanted a snapshot
of what the band sounded like live at that moment.
Dan:
Once the groove of the songs flowed so that I personally didn't have
to think about it, just play in the moment, I knew it was ready to
record.
It
sounds like Infinite Flux is a sacred practice for you indeed, what
kind of feelings do you transfer through it? Is it an anger management
course or something more spiritual?
John:
This is difficult to answer as I don’t tend to quantify things in
that manner. On stage is definitely one of the few places where I
can exist completely in the moment. Everyone is on their own
spiritual journey and it can’t be learned, it has to be understood,
if you get my meaning. I try to steer away from telling people how
to approach their own experience. If they pick up what I am putting
down with my actions then they have understood, and there is no
further need to discuss it. As far as the anger management part.
Societal norms prohibit me screaming “I’ll bury you in graves of
ashes!” in normal public setting. That sort of behavior is frowned
upon. On stage I can do it and mean it and people cheer. So that is a
huge relief valve for sure.
Infinite Flux –
Solar Sacrifice
One of most striking
song of the album is “Solar Sacrifice”, it is most epic and
longest track on the album. What is the story of its creation? And
what is the song about?
John:
“Solar” was the first Flux song. Zak Deckard and I used to just
jam on those riffs when it was just the two of us. In it's initial
form, we'd jam it for hours. When Tony Copeland joined us on bass, it
got trimmed down and some of the parts were cut to make it into
something we could play live and not have it be our only song. When
we added Dan Fiero we were able to get some of the things I had
previously looped rewritten into new guitar parts. Sean Booth
replaced Tony on Bass and brought a very different sound to the bass
lines. That's really when the version on the album was born. Even
now, that song continues to evolve.
Ryder:
When I look out and see people in the audience, I can see people with
their eyes closed and they are deep into the groove where their body
is anchored in the room, subject to the sonic arc of guitars and
percussion but their mind is taking them somewhere else. “Solar”
interesting in that is has movements, it goes places.
Metal or rock bands
prefer darker stuff, for example I believe that some stuff about the
Moon could be more popular than this ritualistic story about the Sun.
What is the message of Infinite Flux?
John:
It’s all in the name.
What is the
connection between songs “Hangman” and “Guillotine”?
John:
Both are songs about executioners, one is a love song.
Just like that? Are
there any real stories behind both tracks?
John:
Not that I want to share, sorry.
Your music is
labeled as psychedelic doom stoner; is it necessary to have an
experience of any mind changing substances to dig it or is it
substantive phenomena?
Ryder:
No, music is a journey and you can get there in a lot of different
vehicles. It's like the Floyd song fearless. "I'll climb that
hill in my own way".
Darren:
Absolutely not but a little THC never hurt anybody!
John:
I don't think psychedelics are needed to put you mind into the
correct state, I haven't taken any psychedelics in decades, but I am
glad that I did. I was fortunate to have good experiences with it
and I think it helped me get to a place where I could be honest with
myself. You don't need psychedelics to establish self awareness and
understanding, but often those who are seeking to do so are drawn to
them. Where it comes through in the music is a function of how
committed we are to the riff. LSD or psilocybin often induce a state
where you feel like you are fully experiencing a thing, be it music
or a film or the tree in your back yard. Focus and concentration
narrow until the mind focus's on one thing to the exclusion of the
rest of existence. I try to get into that mindset when playing. Full
awareness with single minded focus. It doesn't always happen but I
think it comes across to the audience when it does.
What’s about
side-effects of psychedelic? Does it – subjectively - have some
like alcohol has? You know that’s funny thing that alcohol looks
like more destructive thing, but it’s legal stuff, as the drugs are
not.
John:
The big danger would be when people who have preexisting mental
conditions that may magnified by the hallucinogenic. Even then the
possibility exists that they could be used therapeutically, but I
would not want to see people like that taking it without the
supervision of people who really know what they are doing.
Your bandmate Darren
also plays in Ancient Warlocks, do you play anywhere else besides
Infinite Flux?
John:
Terrasone. I love being involved in that because while I do a lot of
the logistical side of things in Flux, there I just play guitar.
It's nice to not be the guy fronting it.
Darren:
I have another band just starting now. We'll be recording at Big
Sound Productions (Ancient Warlocks HQ) for the next three days.
There's no name yet but it is myself on guitar, a lady vocalist and
then the guitarist, bassist and drummer from Princess
www.facebook.com/princessismetal
I have also had the pleasure of sitting in with local improvisational
noise rockers Power Skeleton and I'm looking forward to any
opportunity to do it again! www.facebook.com/powerskeleton
One more thing about
Ancient Warlocks – how do you differ subjectively the efforts and
energy you put into it and Infinite Flux? What’s the difference for
you?
Darren:
I prefer to step back in Flux and be less in the spotlight. A of
people know me from Warlocks, but I don’t want that to be why they
listen to Flux. Both bands should stand on their own merits, and I
think they do.
Did you ever tour
together? And how do you usually organize your gigs?
John:
Not yet. We have one show this summer Darren will be pulling double
duty. We’ll see how that goes and figure it out from there.
As
both bands perform similar musical style, so isn't it Darren who
write most of the stuff? How do you share duties in Infinite Flux?
Darren:
I do lots of writing for AW and the new band but I've only
contributed a little to Infinite Flux. I've been in the band only
nine months at this point and this is also my first time playing bass
in a band. So I spend a lot of time practicing the album, the several
new songs and just trying to get the overall bass feel to be correct.
I'm quite proud to be involved with Flux and I definitely look
forward to contributing more as I get more comfortable in the band
and more comfortable with the instrument.
Ryder:
How do we write music? It may start with a riff or idea or rhythm and
then it turns into a process of feeling out where we want to take it
and what makes the song stronger, but we're never opposed to taking
things in new directions. We don't like to get too comfortable with
one way of looking at a song. Hence the name, INFINITE FLUX.
John:
We're stoked to have Darren's influence in what we are doing now, I'm
a huge fan of Ancient Warlocks and the pedal that Darren builds, the
Ape Blaster Fuzz, is dan's whole sound on the album, one of the new
songs "Black Dust" is all riffs that Darren brought in. The
album is a lot from me, but with touches of everyone who has been a
part of this since it began. I like to write as a group, but tend to
be the conductor so to speak.
Ryder:
We're flexible enough to where new material from whoever often
mutates within the context of the group into a new thing that is
different than the original idea.
John:
Yes, and we try to realize every idea, even if everyone isn't stoked
on it, until it's the way the person who came up with it wants it.
Only then do we decide if it's something to keep or not. I think
this is important because it brings out some stuff that might not
have gotten a fair shake on the first go round. Of course, some
times everyone plays it perfect and then it's obvious that it was a
bad idea. But it's important to try all the ideas!
How are you serious
about Infinite Flux? What are your ambitions?
John:
Being serious about your art and ambition are separate concepts. I
want to make music I love. If others dig it, that’s bonus. When
promoters try to appeal to our greed or desire to “make it” I
typically block them and move on to people who are into the art of
it.
Do you already have
a vision how next album will sound?
John:
We've got a few written for it and a lot more that has yet to reveal
itself.
Thank
you for the interview guys, I think that the best interviews happen
when all band’s members answer. So I think that we done a pretty
good job!
Just
a thank you to you as well. We’d do this if no one ever heard us at
all, but it certainly is gratifying to see the album spread across
the globe. We hope to get across the puddle at some point because
we’d love to meet everyone over there!
Words by Aleks Evdokimov and Infinite Flux
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