Salute Travis! How are you? How is it in San Diego?
Hello! It is good to be back home in San Diego!
I see that there are five musicians in Red Wizard, and the lineup remains the same for nearly six years. How did you keep it?
We have kept the line up the same for so long because of our brotherhood. Without one of us there is no Red Wizard. We have all been friends since childhood, with the exception of Travis our singer. When we met Travis was when Red Wizard was formed.
Red Wizard is simple yet remarkable name, who did give it to the band? And most important thing - why Wizard is Red?
The name came from time when our guitarist Miles was smoking some weed and didn't know what kind to call it. So he took a big toke and decided it should be called Red Wizard. We thought it was a cool band name so we went with it.
The last six years we have spent gigging regularly and writing new material to record. We have grown as musicians and brothers, in these years we have been through a lot and learned a thing or two.
The album is only 35 minutes long, but it seems that you have a lot of cool ideas and you know how to play it. So what did inflict on record's duration?
As a band we thought that for our first full length, short and sweet was best. Most of our favorite albums that we listen to regularly are only 35 minutes long. It overall leaves the listener wanting more, and to even start the album over. That's how it is for us anyway.
All songs have really clean and heavy production, what's the story behind this record session?
We love music that has dynamics. Its the ups and downs of music that makes it interesting. There is nothing like getting hit with a sonic blast out of nowhere. We felt like our album should have a lot of ideas and changes because that is the type of music we love listening to.
Red Wizard - Cosmosis
When we first gathered as Red Wizard, there was not much discussion of what to sound like, we would just mess around and see what sounded good to all of us. Everyone had different musical influences that came together to form our style.
There is the track “The Temple of Tinnitus” on the album, a perfect doom piece indeed. It is ridiculous title for the song, what is it about?
Tinnitus is a clinical term for constant ringing of the ears. So the song is about this power so strong that it brings you to your knees. A ringing so terrible, that you bow down at the Temples of Tinnitus.
You also have ten minutes long composition “Cosmosis”, a vast soundscape with psychedelic and hallucinogenic touch. Did you already think which direction to choose for the next record? Could it be something like this?
All I can say is that Red Wizard is evolving, but we will always have a certain sound. Our next album we will explore new ideas and recording techniques that we hope will get us closer to "the perfect sound". Its the endless journey for the best Tone.
Man there is “Red Wizard” trilogy in the album, what did you put into it? Why did you record it strictly in three parts? What’s occult and esoteric meaning of this?!
We recorded it in three parts because musically it make sense. Or were we unknowingly guided by some dark force? You can decide that for us.
“Cosmosis” released by both Ripple Music and STB Records, how did you get an agreement with two labels per once?
Yes we are on two labels, both Ripple and STB. Ripple is handling the digital portion of the album and STB is doing the vinyl. It is a really cool relationship that they have together that we all benefit from. Both labels have been a pleasure to work with and really care about their bands.
Words by Aleks Evdokimov and Travis Baucum
Links
Facebook | BandCamp
