Introduce yourself… (Where are you from, what band do you play in etc..)

Jake: My name is Jake but I’ve recently been thinking about going by Weylyn.. What do ya think? I think of myself as less of a band leader and more as the creative director of our group, Spaceface that Eric and I formed with Matt Strong in 2011. Sometimes that means singing, sometimes that means booking shows, or  building a light wall and creating the subsequent visuals, sometimes that means leading a crowd of people through gym class parachute exercises. Often times, it really means keeping things moving and trying not to misinform anyone about what we’re doing next.

Big Red Daniel Quinlan: My name is Daniel Quinlan. I am from Memphis, TN.  Joined Spaceface around 2013 or 2014. 

Eric Martin: Eric Martin, from Memphis , formed Spaceface with Jake Ingalls and Matt Strong somewhere in between 2011-2012 while we were living together. 

Katie: Katie, born and raised in northeast Ohio, but currently residing in Los Angeles, CA. I’m the newest member of Spaceface, officially joined in 2019 prior to the winter tour with White Denim. But before that, I contributed string arrangements for the song “Timeshare” on the “Sun Kids” album, and performed with them at Desert Daze in 2017, and a few other shows on the West Coast between 2017-2018.

Why do you play music?

Jake: I’ve always been around music since as far as I can remember. Any time my dad was home from work, he and his friends would always have guitars out and would regularly trade singing songs throughout the night. My parents were also sure to let us pursue whatever creative endeavors we wanted be it piano, saxophone, upright bass etc - Music has always served as a comfort, an escape and a beautiful reminder of how quickly and easily you can bring a group of folks together through something as silly as wiggly air. It simultaneously teleports me to another world while connecting me with others in a way that’s wonderfully inexplicable and difficult to put into words. I like attempting to share that feeling in any way possible.

Big Red Daniel Quinlan: As far as playing music, it’s always just made sense to me. It’s fun and enjoyable in almost an addicting way. I love the little high you can get when you’re in the zone or the groove and it’s always fun to be surrounded by your friends while making some fun sounds. Same goes for recording and writing music too. I love getting to write a song that creates a scene, or mood, or a feeling. It feels like you are scoring the music to go along with that mood or scene. Then you just get to puzzle in all the parts with different instruments and sounds.   

Eric Martin: I play music because Jack Black made School of Rock. I was a lousy percussionist in 6th grade band, but right when school of rock came out I picked up the guitar haha . I continue to play music because it is my favorite way to express myself artistically.  I love performing because sometimes there are brief  moments when you are so connected to the band and the audience that you feel like you’re having an outer body experience; like you’re channeling some energy that carries you through the moment effortlessly. That is the real magic.  

Katie: When I was about 5 years old my parents asked me between piano and violin, which instrument I would like to learn? My two older brothers were already taking piano lessons and I wanted to try something different. I chose violin and stuck with it through high school, and even took a couple years of piano lessons.

Growing up, I was not allowed to listen to popular music, watch television outside of PBS, or go to concerts until I was in High School. My musical discovery journey didn’t peak until college when I had a high speed internet connection, a myspace account, and freedom to attend any concert that I wanted.

After college, I started my own music blog and interviewed indie bands touring through Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh that I thought deserved more attention than they were getting from the local press/radio stations.

Around 2012, my best friend Erika (Jake’s partner) asked me to join a band her friend was starting called June 66, and that’s how I got back into performing.

What was a major influence on you as an Artist/Band?

Jake: I’m forever influenced by anyone that’s doing something I’ve never heard or seen. I really get excited about a show or a song when it makes me go “holy cow! That’s wild”. I always knew I wanted to form a band but when I saw people like Of Montreal, The Octopus Project, Dan Deacon, David Bowie or even AC/DC, I knew what kind of band I wanted to form. Music that provides a different world for the listener/audience member to inhabit.  My biggest influences have this way of self mythologizing via the entire medium, not just the music (although that part is very important). I love the act of transforming a drab venue into a fantastical landscape and filling it with sounds you wouldn’t expect to hear in a club/bar/theater. 

Again, I’d say my Dad was a huge influence on this as well, he has a way of learning someone’s song and totally making it his own that fascinates me. I’m always trying to take that sorta spirit in with me.

Big Red Daniel Quinlan: I feel like most of my musical influences come from 60’s and 70’s rock. In high school we were always listening to bands like Queen, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin and trying to relive the plot of the movie Dazed and Confused. Although, I also remember the first time I heard Chicago by Sufjan Stevens and I really got into that music. I loved the way they would write songs, as if a small orchestra was going to perform them. I loved the cinematic aspect of that. 

Eric Martin: I used to play in a metal band in high school so I listened to a LOT of early 2000’s screamo and heavy bands. Nothing too technical, just a lot of power behind it. At the same time I was introduced to Iron and Wine and Bonnie Prince Billy which is basically the opposite end of that spectrum. In college Jake introduced me to The Flaming Lips which had a huge effect on me. We were all following Tame Impala’s album releases and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Another line of favorites is Deerhunter, Stereolab and Broadcast.

I also loooove The Beach Boys and David Bowie. I think I’ve described Spaceface to people as if The Beach Boys and David Bowie had a baby.

Katie: As I mentioned earlier, I grew up in a very strict household, so my introduction to music was limited to The Beatles, Carly Simon, Carole King, and classical music. But now, I’m on a mission to constantly discover and consume new music. Artists I’ve been recently inspired by include Nicolas Godin, LA Priest, Luke Temple (Here We Go Magic/Art Feyman), L’imperatrice, Kent Odessa, and Darkside.

What’s a favourite book or film?

Jake: I love Tom Robbins a good deal - he has a really hedonistic way of describing regular things that turns any minute moment into a vivid landscape. Into a fantastical myth. Murakami is also a great fiction sorta writer in my opinion.  Right now I’m reading Detransition Baby by Torrey Peters and she’s just excellent at getting inside the inner workings of people’s minds. 

Big Red Daniel Quinlan: I have a lot of admiration for the director Taika Waititi. I love the movies and shows he has been involved with. I think I could say that Jo Jo Rabbit and Hunt for the Wilderpeople are two of my most favorite movies I’ve ever seen. The plot, the writing, the cast and the music in both those two movies are incredible. I also really like all the Hayao Miyazaki animated movies. The animation alone is amazing, and I love the broad spectrum of characters and the back stories he creates for each one. Although my favorite aspect of those films is the creative and engineering genius in the fictional worlds he creates. I love the toxic jungle and the flying machines in the valley of the wind, and the magic door in Howl's Moving Castlel, but I think Spirited Away was my favorite. It’s hard for me to think of a more creative piece of work than that movie. 

Eric Martin: Ever heard of Lord of the Rings? (Drops mic)

Katie: I really love the surrealism of Haruki Murakami’s novels. Talking cats, alternate universes, ghosts…

What would be a dream collaboration?

Jake: I feel like I talk about this all the time but now that I’m asked, I don’t know!! We’re pretty lucky in that we get to collab with a ton of different people but a quick fantasy list would include: Superorganism, Teebs, Tyler The Creator, Charlie XCX, The Avalanches, Melody’s Echo Chamber, Stereolab, STRFKR or Kainalu. 

Big Red Daniel Quinlan: Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, Gorillaz, or Childish Gambino. 

Not Kanye West 

Eric Martin: Making a vibed out record with Stereolab.

Katie: Jake and I are on the same page in terms of dream collabs, but I’d love to tack on a few more: Chrome Sparks, Nicolas Godin, and Jeremy Greenspan.

Describe a favourite album.

Jake: A favorite album is anything that can transport you immediately back to the first time you heard it or make you feel the way you feel when you turned to it for comfort or release. I consider myself lucky to have a lot of favorite albums. It makes perusing my vinyl all the more exciting. Current favorite is “Snowflakes Are Dancing” by Isao Tomita.

Big Red Daniel Quinlan: The Golden Record that Carl Sagan helped put together, and attached to the The Voyager spacecraft that was launched in 1977. The spacecraft got sent out into deep space with no intention of ever returning to earth. Fixed to the side of the spacecraft they put 2 phonograph gold plated records containing sounds and images portraying the diversity of life and culture on Earth. Things like the sound of a baby crying, tribal drums, animal sounds and a heartbeat. On the gold plated covering are instructions on how to play the record and a star map of how to get to earth. I know it's not music exactly, but I think it's so cool. 

Eric Martin: Here’s a couple:  a few brothers and their friends are hanging out with some goats. A electric space alien stands under a street light and talks about spiders.

Katie: I always struggle with this question and can never decide on a single album. But my favorites are the ones you want to listen to in track order, no skips and are mixed/mastered in a way that tickles your brain.

What's your favourite local haunt?

Jake: I found this weird redwood tree forest at the top of this park near my house I cut through to go rollerblading sometimes and it almost never has anyone in it. My friends and I have dubbed it the karate forest bc at sunset, it looks like the site of an epic secret showdown. I like to imagine it full of fireflies.

Big Red Daniel Quinlan: I like that Scooby Doo episode when he meets the Harlem Globetrotters. 

Eric Martin: A couple bars in Memphis, Earnestine and Hazels and Molly Fontaine’s are both haunted. ( I might have misunderstood this assignment) 

Katie: My local haunt is... my apartment. 2020 has made me borderline agoraphobic and erased my brain to such a degree that I’ve forgotten where all the cool people hang out. 

What's your strangest experience while performing live?

Jake: I’m so bad with these. I feel like when you’re chilling with your friends, stories like this come up so easily but when you’re asked on the spot, you just blank. I’m having that moment right now. Come up and see me at a show, I bet a good one will come to mind instantly.

Big Red Daniel Quinlan: Not an isolated incident, but those moments when suddenly all your gear and instruments stop working in the middle of a set. You’re obviously frantic but you have to casually figure out what's going on and fix it with a room full of people staring at you. 

Eric Martin: Piggy-backing off Big Red’s answer, one time we were finishing up our last song at a local venue and blew the circuit for the stage. Our drummer at the time (Victor “Caveman” Hill) didn’t miss a beat and went into a drum solo as we looked down at our pedal boards in the dark. Perhaps 15-20 seconds went by and the power came back on, all of our gear lit up and we came back in on the beat like we had done it on purpose. Rejoice. 

Katie: Post-performance (does that count?) I was manning the merch booth at Lee’s Palace in Toronto. A guy started chatting me up and said he makes cheese curds in his basement. Then offered to deliver a bag to us the following morning before we had to drive back to the US for our next show. That morning was a disaster, van + trailer were towed. I thought I lost my passport… but that guy still texted me wanting to give us some curds, but we were already on our way back to the border.

What are some of your favourite aspects of being a musician in Memphis/L.A.?

Jake: Growin up playing in Memphis made us work hard to set ourselves apart. If you wanted to get people to come pay 5 or 10 dollars for your show, you had to make it worth their while and we always have put 110% into every show. Because of this and the cheaper rent, we had the space to grow and experiment that I’m not certain we woulda been able to harness in a bigger town.

Moving to LA about 5 years ago strangely made me realize how much more we could do on a budget. Everyone I know here scraps to get by and still toils away to make otherworldly music and create magical events. It’s truly inspiring being a musician in L.A. but it might be more of a party being a musician in Memphis.

Big Red Daniel Quinlan: Memphis has such deep music history roots. It’s like all the old famous musicians that people should know but never learn about are from Memphis or the Mississippi Delta. People like Sister Rossetta Tharpe, Memphis Minnie, and Robert Johnson are all credited with inventing “Rock’n’Roll” and they are all from the Memphis/Delta area. 

There is even this famous late night dive bar on South Main St. in Memphis called Earnestine & Hazel's where all the old blues and rock n’ roll musicians used to stay. You can get a beer at the bar then go up to the old rooms upstairs where B. B, King, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Sam Cook all used to stay.   

Eric Martin: A fun thing about being from Memphis may be the accidental influence of the local music scene. When I listen to our old music I realize how much of a punk band we actually were but didn’t mean to be. We just wanted to rock out and be loud. 

Katie: Before The Great Quar, no matter the day, there was always a show to go to in Los Angeles. This city is teeming with talent. But, we’ve seen a lot of really great small/mid-size venues permanently close, so I’m afraid the indie music scene will suffer for a while. 

Has the current COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine influenced your creative process?

Jake: It made me realize how much I truly depended on face to face interaction with other people to make things happen. Something about the quarantine jump started a self motivator // tinkerer within me that I hope I don’t lose. It also made my collaborative process much more tender. Before, I was rushing rushing to get stuff done and I’d be cordial and kind but chomping at the bit to finish something. I feel now I’ve learned the value of letting things breathe and grow more naturally. It’s almost like I wasn’t fully listening before, you know when someone is just waiting for their turn to talk? No one likes that and sometimes I lay awake now wondering “did I let them have their say? I hope so”.  I don’t know why but music makes me more emotional now? I’m much more likely to cry when I hear something these days whereas before I’d just go “wow that’s a cool sad song,” and move on. I’m grateful for that. Also I wrote a lot more songs about my dog because I reckon I spent the most time with her. Maybe those will see the light of day.

Big Red Daniel Quinlan: For a while it fueled it. It gave me time to set up a small home studio and actually use it. Since the band is split right now between Los Angeles and Memphis we have all gotten a bit better at file sharing ideas back and forth. Which has become the main way we create new songs now. It also gave me a little time to focus on other projects besides Spaceface. For a while Jake and I got to help put together a fundraising album for this non-profit in Oklahoma City called SixTwelve. Kids in their program got to come up with song ideas and local musicians fleshed out those songs and we put them all together on an album called Building Together.

I even got to use my home studio to score some educational videos, commercials, and yoga class videos. Then eventually, I wrote and partly recorded an EP with my partner that we are still actively working on. 

Eric Martin: Yeah I realized that having tons of free time isn’t always inspiring. Being social and active is the driving force behind my song writing. 

Katie: The stagnation of constantly being at home and working remotely really stunted my creativity. 

If you weren’t playing music in (your city here) where would you be?

Jake: I’ve always been able to see myself being a super mellow surf instructor or kayak guide somewhere near the water. I’d probably join Eric’s boat crew if he had one.

Big Red Daniel Quinlan: Probably somewhere out in the western states. Whether it be somewhere in California, Arizona, or Utah. It’s just so beautiful out there. Maybe I would set up a lil farm way out from the cities.   

Eric Martin: In an alternate reality I may be sailing a tiny boat on the east coast or spending time in the New Mexico desert.

Katie: Building a treehouse commune complete with a recording studio and internet access.

Any sage advice for young musicians?

Jake: Don’t let ideas stay stagnant for too long because they are living things that will find someone else to bring them into this world. Trust that if you have the idea, you should write it down, record it or whatever, then organize your files in a way that’s easily accessible.This way you can always come back to it or bring it up in a different setting. 9 out 10 things I’ve seen in creative situations are born from someone bringing an idea to the table they’ve recorded in some way or another long ago. Don’t be afraid to be DIY - most things that seem like they’re expensive or impossible become vastly more inspiring, unique and cool when you creatively work around your limitations and make it happen in a way that works for you. 

Big Red Daniel Quinlan: It is ok to be bad. I mean, obviously try to better yourself, but I used to have music professors tell me that if I couldn’t play something absolutely perfect I would never make the cut. Since then, I have learned that most of the time you get the gig by being available, willing, and then just being a fun person to hang out with. 

Eric Martin: Play often, don’t be afraid to tour and try not to change your name. Even if it’s a silly name like Spaceface. 

Katie: Take lessons and practice. It can be boring when you’re first starting to learn, but you’ll appreciate that period when you’re older. Also, listen to a wide variety of music, you never know where you’ll find inspiration

MAKE YOURSELF A "PIÑA COLLIDER"!
Spaceface's take on the classic Piña Colada

Ingredients:
• 1.5 oz Clear Rum
• .75 oz Lime Juice
• .75 oz Simple Syrup
• 1 oz Coco Lopez (Coconut Cream)
• .75 oz Pineapple Juice

How to make it:
◦ Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin with some ice and shake;
◦ Double strain over ice into collins glass, larger glass or coconut;
◦ Garnish with pineapple stems or wedges and a lime wheel;
◦ Add a dash of cinnamon.

And voilà! you are now fully-briefed to enjoy Spaceface's latest hit single!

Check out Spaceface’s latest single below!

You can check out Spaceface at Mothland Records here.