I wanted to catch up with the band to find out how Eternal Dialtone came together and how the recording of the new EP played out. Here's a great interview to check out.Hi guys. Thanks for doing the interview. How are things with you today?
Hey this is Rich with Eternal Dialtone. Things are going great here - our record comes out this Friday - March 27th!
For folks not in the know, can you give a brief history of how the band came together and where it is today?
Steve (bass) and I (Rich - Guitar) met around the end of 2010. We became friends, and started jamming on an early version of what would become Giza, our previous band
(giza.bandcamp.com).
We met Burke by playing shows with two of his old bands (Caligula and Bitches Crystal - I’m not sure if any links exist for them, but if you were there, you know they rule!). I was also playing in another band (X Suns - xsuns.bandcamp.com/), which Burke later joined after I quit, and Steve also now plays in. So in a sense, we’re all family.
After Giza, I started a group called Witchrat (witchrat.bandcamp.com). It was a 3 piece
part stoner rock part shoe gaze but all mess. After we established a rehearsal space and got our set together, Covid hit. When as we finished our first record, Witchrat’s bass player had to move out of state for family issues. Steve stepped in (while playing in Dust Moth and X Suns) and we wrote a new record. Then, and tragically, Witchrat’s drummer got injured while we were recording. He hasn’t been able to play drums since.
It felt like the band was cursed. So, Steve and I decided to start from scratch. He mentioned our situation to Burke, also asking him if he knew any drummers that would be interested. To both of our surprise, Burke revealed he also plays drums and said he’d be happy to come out and jam with us. We’ve known him for 15 years and didn’t know he was also a drummer. We’ve been rocking ever since!
How would you describe your own sound?
Eternal Dialtone is part loud amps and vintage tones, part hypnotic repetition, and a dash of weirdness and grit. That weirdness and grit allows us to stretch out and fill the sonic space in a way that’s really unique from all our other projects.
Your about to release your superb self-titled debut EP. What can people expect
from the EP.
3 tracks over 13 minutes of swirling riffs, hypnotic rhythms, evolving sonic landscapes that feel as much like a ritual as they do a rock song.
This band is quite different to all of your other bands ( Dust Moth, Giza, X Suns, Witchrat, Bering Sea, and Maxx Shredroom) but still has similar sounds and themes at the same time. Was this the plan for Eternal Dialtone when you decided to form this new project.
We didn’t want to rehash what anyone else’s groups are doing, which opened up a new
lane for us. We’re all stepping outside our comfort zone and letting it fly with Eternal Dialtone.
Why did you call the band Eternal Dialtone. Any particular meaning for this name.
I really don’t know where it came from, or what it means. We riffed on band names for a
month and this was the only suggestion that got a thumbs up from all 3 of us. We wanted something that was easy to spell, pronounce, search for, and didn’t immediately typecast us as a certain type of band.
Are you happy with the responses the EP has received from the Stoner Rock/ Metal community.
So far so good and we’re excited to hear what more people think when it comes out on all platforms this Friday March 27th! It’s always interesting to hear what other people see in your music.
What bands and artists influenced you when recording the new EP.
Instrumental riff crushers like Earthless, or the psychedelic and stoner metal side of King
Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (Mind Fuzz or MOTU era), the steady grooves of Fu Manchu,
and the raw edge of Fugazi.
Which bands, artists or albums inspired you all to pick up a musical instrument
and to become a musician.
Black Sabbath and Nirvana. I started listening to Black Sabbath when I was 8 years old, and later got into Nirvana as a pre-teen. Electric Funeral was my favorite song in 3rd grade. I thought it was so cool and spooky and it influenced my musical as well as political outlook. Nirvana was undeniably the most important musical thing tha thappened in my life. I can’t imagine finding anything else if it wasn’t for those bands.
Sabbath opened the door to metal and classic rock, Nirvana to punk and hardcore.
What are your high points and low points you've experienced within your musical
career so far?
Honestly, I think the performance and production on Eternal Dialtone’s record is the best
I’ve personally ever sounded!
For low points - right after we started Witchrat, the pandemic hit. There was several months where we made almost no music at all. Every band I’m in makes music in person by jamming - so not being able to be together and make music, or go out with friends and see music at all was definitely the low!
The EP has been mixed by Matt Bayles and I know you have a long long standing history with Matt. Was there anybody else in the frame to mix the EP and what does Matt bring to Eternal Dialtone's overall sound.
Our relationship with Matt started with Steve’s old band Bronze Fawn. He did their second record which sounded amazing. So when Giza was starting out we already had it in our heads to work with Matt. He recorded so many of my favorite records it’s really an honor.
Also credit must also goto Ed Brooks who mastered the album. How did you hook up with Ed for the EP.
That same chain of custody starting with Bronze Fawn -> Matt Bayles led us to Ed Brooks. There’s no one better, and we’re blessed to have them both nearby.
The artwork is stunning. Great work by Steven Yoyada once more. How did you get Steven involved and did you give him any ideas or rules to abide by when hewas designing the EP.
I love his art and follow him on Instagram (@steven_yoyada). I reached out to him once
we got the record tracked. He just wanted to hear a song to get a sense of who we were, and we pitched a few ideas over chat. He sent us a rough sketch a few days later which we all loved, and a few days after that sent us the final.
What is the creative process or setup within the band? Do you write the music
together or do certain people within the band do that?
We spend a lot of time jamming and then refine the parts that feel the best. Occasionally someone brings an idea to the session and we workshop that- but the best stuff happens organically. Then as we get close to tracking we try to cut out anything unnecessary to the essence of the song, and focus on nailing the transitions.
What is the current state of the Washington State’s Rock/Metal scene? Do you perform gigs on a regular basis and do you have a local scene that you are actively involved with?
We haven’t played out yet but are hoping to soon! Both Steve and Burke’s other bands
play out regularly in the Seattle area. There’s some great clubs but some have recently
gone out of business due to costs/challenges with real estate in Seattle. I live farther north and Bellingham has a really cool scene that’s always being refreshed by new people coming to the university in town. I feel really lucky to live in a place with a thriving arts community even beyond the rock/metal universe, but it’s also one of the best places in the country for rock / metal / doom / stoner.
Will you be performing any gigs to promote the upcoming record locally or further afield.
We don’t have any gigs scheduled right now, but you can book us by reaching out to
eternaldialtone@gmail.com
Before you go, do you have any words of wisdom for your new and potential fans out there.
Our new record is on bandcamp now, and will be out March 27th on all the digital platforms. Thank you for checking us out! It’s tough out there- be kind to each other!
Words by Steve Howe and Eternal Dialthrone
Links
BandCamp | Instagram
