Feature Artist: Aqua Cherry!
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"We're four Long Islanders with very different backgrounds, but once we sat down to jam we instantly..."We're four Long Islanders with very different backgrounds, but once we sat down to jam we instantly knew we had something special to the New York music scene."
The LIST: How'd you get into Music?
Aqua Cherry: It really started off as mostly a hobby, although Brian owns a great guitar effects pedal company called Pigtronix. No matter what you do, when you really love music you find a way to be around other people who share that passion. We're four Long Islanders with very different backgrounds, but once we sat down to jam we instantly knew we had a chance to bring something special to the New York music scene.
The LIST: Who are some of your influences?
Aqua Cherry: We're into high energy music- Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, old school 2 tone ska, and anything James Jamerson played bass on. Lyrically we like the raw emotion of Elliott Smith, the poetry of Radiohead, and the heartfelt honesty of the Eagles or Fleetwood Mac. More than anything we're influenced by our fans and the live audience- we want them to feel what we feel, so the whole process from writing to performance is geared around how to convey our love for making music.
The LIST: What have you been up to recently?
Aqua Cherry: In the last year Aqua Cherry has played the Miami Music Fesitval, the Upper East Side Music Festival, the Connecticut Film Festival and the Utica Music and Arts Fest. We've traveled to Boston for a Haiti relief benefit, and interviewed and performed for University of Hartford radio as well as Joy Rose’s and Rew Star’s podcasts. We were featured on the Radio Crystal Blue Novus Ordo podcast, performed on Cablevision’s cable access TV show New Music Now: Unsigned, recorded the So Pretty EP and our full length debut album Drowning in the Shallow End, and filmed an amazing music video for “Puppet” with director Aaron Lehmann. We keep busy!
The LIST: What do you bring to the industry?
Aqua Cherry: Aqua Cherry stickers! Come to a live show and you'll leave covered in our smiley face stickers. We take having fun very seriously, and we really appreciate the fans who come spend a Saturday night rocking with us and putting stickers on new friends. We're out to deliver an experience you'll want to share with the people you care about.
The LIST: What's next for Aqua Cherry?
Aqua Cherry: Shoutout to Pigtronix for providing a great practice space for us, as well as priceless advice (and guitar tone!) Thank you to everyone who made donations to help us record the So Pretty EP and Drowning in the Shallow End- we already have a bunch of new music in the pipeline so we'll likely be back in the studio at the end of the year. Most importantly, thank you to our amazing fans for all your support and enthusiasm, for sharing in our success, for telling your friends about all the cool things we’re doing, and for coming out and supporting live music!
Aqua Cherry Interview @ Aj&dbs
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Aqua Cherry, from New York, NY
How did the project come into existence?
Stu and a drummer frien...Aqua Cherry, from New York, NY
How did the project come into existence?
Stu and a drummer friend were looking to branch out from the ska and punk rock they had been playing, so they answered a Craigslist ad by a singer/songwriter who wanted to start an acoustic rock project. So much for that idea! When the trio got together, Derick quickly embraced the rock and roll flavor of his new rhythm section. Realizing the band needed a dynamic guitar sound, they recruited Brian to take things to the next level. Chad, who had filled in on drums in practices and gigs from the very beginning, joined full-time and Aqua Cherry was born!
Who are the members of the band if any and please tell us about it? Singer Derick picked up an acoustic guitar in college after getting wasted on music (Napster was the equivalent of an open bar). His original recipe for the band was two parts U2, one part Dave Matthews Band, one part Aimee Mann and a splash of Matthew Good Band, shake and serve cold. Bassist Stu immediately turned that vision on its head with his love for 2 tone ska, reggae, and Motown bass grooves. As the two began writing together, the funk rock core of Aqua Cherry was born ("So Pretty," "Ex Machina"). Lead guitarist Brian infused the signature guitar sound that makes songs like "Puppet" and "Wolfman" shine. Chad's dynamic drumming and backing vocals add muscle and finesse where necessary, tying together the reggae feel of "Twilight" and "Oh" with ballads like "Seasons" as well as the heavier stuff. Because we're all so different musically, we let a variety of sonic ideas mingle and breathe.
How would you describe your sound/genre?
We call it rock'n'roll funk reggae. While focusing on one sound has its benefits, our music is a sonic diary and our lives just aren't that one dimensional. Aqua Cherry is the soundtrack of youth: our music lusts, strives, struggles and succeeds. It has tender moments, but most of the time it simply embraces the need to sing out loud- sometimes way too loud!
What formal training or previous experience do any of the members have?
Stu used to sneak into the garage and bang the drums to his favorite Led Zeppelin tunes until his mother begged for mercy! Chad spent a lot of his youth crafting hip-hop and electronic beats, and Derick's acoustic guitar sang songs inspired by Elliott Smith and Fleetwood Mac. Brian played his guitar all over China when he lived there. We embrace and draw upon all these different experiences to really get to the heart of what makes music universal and special.
Are you working w/ a producer on your upcoming album?
We worked with great producers on the So Pretty EP and our debut album, Drowning in the Shallow End. We have half a new album written, and the flavor of the material will determine just which qualities we look for in the producer we choose for the new record. We'll definitely be working with a producer again.
Who would you say has been the biggest influence on the bands sound or that you have used as inspiration for your music? = Hands down, our biggest influence and inspiration is our fans. The range of emotion that every person experiences in day to day life is what drives Aqua Cherry. We want to distill all that emotion into its most potent musical form, then share it with the special people in our lives. To do it we need to draw from our audience. Especially on stage, great music is a give and take.
What advice would you give to others starting out?
Put everything into it! If you truly love your project and want to make it last then play every day, listen to your bandmates and your fans and anyone who will give you feedback. Create a shared vision for everyone involved, including your fans. Also, playing live is the only way to get better at playing live, so get out there!
Where can people go to learn more about you and hear your music? = Google us! We're on facebook, myspace, youtube- you don't have to try very hard to find us. Definitely come see the live show, though- that's where we really shine.
If you could play anywhere in the world or with anyone you wanted where and who would it be with? = You can't get something for nothing- to play somewhere else means not playing here, and with someone else means not playing together. We want to be right here in New York, playing with this little band we love. It would be really amazing to hear other musicians play our music, infusing their hearts and ideas, so let's say the ultimate fantasy would be hearing Bruce Springsteen, St. Vincent, and Odd Future cover "Seasons" and "Oh" in a coffee shop in Venice.
What has been your greatest experience so far either individually or as a whole? = There are so many great moments to choose from, but the best has to be the recording experiences. Hearing the songs come together in the studio, watching one another struggle and ultimately shine as we discover what makes each song special- that's something we'll never forget.
Do you have any upcoming events or news you would like to tell our readers about?
We play live all the time! Find us on facebook or myspace to see when we're playing next, and come say hello. Come be a part of Aqua Cherry! If you can't, take a listen online and let us know what you like.
Where do you see yourselves or hope to be in about 5 years? = As long as we're still making music together we'll be smiling from ear to ear. Hopefully 5 years means 5 more albums, hundreds of live performances, and maybe even making Bono say "Come open for U2 in London!"
supersonic
