Last of our Kind

When I first saw Last Of Our Kind over a year ago, I was impressed with the band's efforts to bring to the San Antonio music scene a new and exciting style of music that combined rock, jazz, Latin, R&B, and even world music. As far what they sounded like, Last Of Our Kind reminded me of artists such as Mana, Dave Matthews Band, Santanna, and John Mayer (among others). But the band was able to do more than parrot these influences and they brought to the surface a sound that was personal, emotional, and even romantic.

Since then, the band has built up their name and reputation as a high-energy and dynamic live act. For proof of this last claim, look no further than the San Antonio Current's Best of 2007 reader's poll where guitarist and songwriter Amadeus was voted best instrumentalist—even though the band has yet to release their first CD. The band has also gone through some member changes as well, but, as evidenced by their set at Reggae Fest earlier this month, this was for the best as the camaraderie they now share and the fun they have on stage is undeniable.

The following is an interview I did with guitarist/songwriter Amadeus by email where we dicussed the history of the band, the songwriting process, and their plans for recording what will be their debut release. On the topic of songwriting, new singer/guitarist Bryan also adds in a few words on where he gets his ideas lyrics-wise...

First of all, how would you describe Last Of Our Kind and its sound to someone who is not familiar with the band? What can a person expect if they go a Last Of Our Kind show?

Last Of Our Kind is a music-lover band. We are classified under the rock genre but our influence is not limited to rock; you can hear the Latin, jazz, and jam band influence in our music. Each song is unique in a style and delivery that everyone in the crowd will enjoy…and not get burned out by hearing the same beats and style of songwriting for each song.

I guess that's what makes cover bands so popular because people want diversity. Just borrow anyone's IPOD or look at their CD collection; it's rare for one person to just listen to one genre of music.

So people can expect to see a band that will play a diverse range of music and will jam their hearts out for the crowd no matter how big or small. Expect us to give everything we got to make sure you had a memorable night!


What were the circumstances that led to the formation of the band? Where did your unique sound come from?

What led me to start a band was listening to a live CD of Dave Matthews on the way back from Austin after seeing a band called Vallejo. I loved hearing and seeing how people can get so into a band's songs and I immediately started to call people up to start my own band.

The sound came from a myriad of influences that all the members brought to this band. And it goes back to where we don't limit ourselves to one genre; if the song is good, we will play it!

I like the name Last Of Our Kind and think that it's very simple but memorable. How did you guys come up with the name?

Originally I wanted the name to be Dying Breed and call it DyBRE (die-breh) for short. But, amazingly, when I searched the name, there was a band already named that with the same DyBRE for short...

So I came up with the closest thing that I wanted to represent the music...there are not many people out there writing true original material...and the name Last Of Our Kind came to mind. I also wanted a name that had an acronym, so you will hear us referred to a lot as LOOK.

And so now you've played a few shows with the current lineup. How much time did it take to get everyone comfortable with each other performance-wise? How has the crowd response been towards the new lineup and songs?

Well, it only took two weeks to get everyone up and running to hit the stage...the response then was a very welcoming one. It took about 3 shows before we started to lock in on stage and feed off each other's energy and especially the crowd's. Our crowd has been growing...and really enjoys the new music a lot!

New singer/guitarist Bryan makes a wonderful addition to the band...What made you feel he was the right man for Last Of Our Kind?

It was simple. He had heart and love for music and you could hear that. When we auditioned him, he sang Last Of Our Kind songs as if he'd been with us forever and we liked that a lot and, as you've noticed, he is a wonderful addition to this band.


You also told me that since the last lineup change, you wrote a whole new set of songs. Did you already have these song ideas lying around or did you literally have to "start from scratch?" What's the Last Of Our Kind method as far as working on a new song is concerned? How do you guys know if a song's ready for the stage?

A couple of songs were completed but never had the right people to sing or play them. Now these songs are starting to surface, but half the songs were written from scratch.

Our method: I'll bring a song to the band, and we will jam with it a couple of times to get used to the style. Then Bryan and I will sit down and play the song acoustically to get the melodies sounding right and the structure tightened before bringing it back and working as the whole band to complete the song.

The day we can play the song without any stops or mistakes several times in a row and get into it like we would on stage is when we know the song is ready to go live.

Lyrics-wise, what was your inspiration for these new songs? I particularly liked "Walls."

Walls's lyrics were written by Bryan

Bryan: "Walls" is one of the newest songs we have written in our short stint. It was actually never going to be a song just some practice fun. But the bass line stood out and the chorus never changed: "And the walls are screaming, screaming, shout, shout..." I had originally started a verse with Mr. Picaso's name and from there I wrote the song describing the expressive nature of any painting. Hence, the walls are screaming. Inspirations for songs I write can stem from my own broken heart to an abstract juncture like "Walls." A bit of whiskey never hurts that imagination either.

Amadeus: As far as lyrics written by me, it would be my surroundings and current or past events that play a huge role...but I love to write the songs in a certain way to where it can have multiple meanings; so if you read the lyrics, each person can connect to them in their own way. You would be surprised how different your interpretation would be from the original idea of the song, but that is why they are written the way they are. Like the song Mirror Highway: "Mirror highway where you going to take me? To a land so beautiful where only gods will bleed" Or the song Eclipse: "The newborn sun has set again. This evening's empire cups my hands" How do you interpret those lyrics? You'd be shocked when I tell you what those songs are about!

At Reggae Fest you had told me that you were going to be recording soon. Where will you be recording? Do any of you guys have prior studio experience or is this going to be a learn-as-you-go kind of deal?

We are looking into several places right now. As soon as we decide, everyone will know via our website or MySpace where we will be recording. And, yes, most of us have prior studio experience, but this will be Last Of Our Kind's first real recording.


As far as recording, what kind of project will you guys be working on? Will this just be a demo or an EP? Maybe a full-length album with packaging and the works?

We will be working on our CD, but the first 3-5 songs we record we will immediately post those on our site so our fans can hear what we have been working on. And if they can't wait for the full CD, we will have an EP for them to buy. But it is our intention to have a full album out; we have enough material for 2 albums and were already working on material for a 3rd, so Last Of Our Kind is here to stay for a good while!

I want to thank for taking the time to fill this out. Any last comments you would like to make to our readers?

SUPPORT LOCAL & TEXAS MUSIC!!!!!! Go see Blowing Trees, Morris Orchids, Nico Adams Band, Sexto Sol, Brookfield, Vallejo, just to name a few, and especially LAST OF OUR KIND!!!!

And also we want to thank all the support from our friends, fans, and the media, especially SA Rocks...Thank you. Without you all, we wouldn't be here...

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The band is hard at work on their first CD, but there has been some recent activity in the LOOK camp as of late. This Wednesday, the band will be playing at Hooligans for a chance to win a spot on the AT&T summer concert series at 8:30PM sharp. Also, be sure to check out their MySpace page for further updates, live clips, and a work-in-progress version of the song "Firefly."

- SAROCKS.Com

SA Current Best of 2007
Best Instrumentalist

1. Amadeus
Fernandez
2. Joe Reyes
3. Charlie Wood

With a name like Amadeus, it stands to reason that Amadeus Fernandez isn't a three-barre-chords-and-a-cloud-of-dust player. The leader of local jam band Last Of Our Kind, Fernandez unleashes fluid guitar licks over his band's Latin-inflected groovesmanship. The result is what would happen if the Dave Matthews Band collided with Los Lonely Boys.

- San Antonio Current