Oscar Houchins

If the Hi-Tones, formerly the Reaction, sound familiar despite having existed for only few months, it’s because they have already established themselves locally as Dans La Lune. The name change came earlier this year, first to the Minx Reaction, and now stripped down to its present incarnation The Hi-Tones. The music, however, remains impeccably intact, the now-quartet unloading swingin’ garage grooves and racing, psych-tinged Sixties pop. The band will be recording their debut album this summer, which you can get an excellent taste for with the two demos available for download below. The Reaction is definitely best experienced live, however, as frontman Johnny Flores swaggers with irrepressible retro flair and the group’s harmonies flow behind the swirl of guitar. This Thursday night, May 14, the Reaction puts on another themed party with frequent cohorts, Lucy the Poodle productions, at the Beauty Bar, delivering up a classic soul review with T-Bird and the Breaks r&b shakedown and the Scorpion Child’s Seventies rock god fire.

- Austin Sound

Now, as promised, our interview with Dans la Lune:


Image from Dans la Lune’s MySpace, by Naomi CherieDans la Lune was one of our favorite new bands in 2008 -- when did you guys get together?

Dans La Lune: Three out of the five members hail from Corpus Christi, TX. Bassist Gary Delgado and vocalist Johnny Flores were childhood friends and had played music together for several years. We were acquainted with drummer Daniel Hinojosa through Little League Baseball but didn't become close friends with him until we all ended up in Austin around 2003. We began playing with guitarists Chazz Bessette (from Tacoma, WA) and Aaron Mason (from Atlanta, GA) in early 2008 and have been doing shows as Dans la Lune ever since.

We hear a lot of 60's influences in your music -- what were some of your favorite bands growing up, and what are your listening to these days?

There's no doubt that the band is heavily influenced by music of the 1960's such as The Turtles, The Who, The Beatles, The Sonics, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Kinks, Pink Floyd, and too many others to mention. We aren't really moved by much on the radio these days but we like The Black Keys, Dungen, The Raconteurs, Of Montreal, The Strokes, The Shins, The Hives, and The Black Angels to name a few.

Dans la Lune seems to be a part of a retro-pop movement in Austin -- would you define it as such? What are your thoughts on the various "retro" and "garage" pop bands in town -- any favorites? Do you guys aim to portray a certain fashion ethic?

We don't want to be defined by the movement, we formed the band because we love to play, write, and perform. We just want people to come, dance and have fun. However, we do agree that there's definitely something going on around here. You can feel the energy, excitement, and camaraderie between the local show-goers and all of the new acts that have recently popped up. We like a retro sound with a modern twist and have enjoyed sharing the stage with other local rockers who feel the same such as The Ugly Beats, The Jungle Rockers, The Strange Boys, Wine and Revolution, and Hacienda, just to name a few. As far as fashion goes, is thrift store chic a category?


Image from Dans la Lune’s MySpaceWhat is Lucy the Poodle Productions and how did you get involved with that?

Lucy the Poodle Productions was formed earlier this year by members of Southern Drama, DawnStarArt, Dans la Lune, and Death is not a joyride. Their creative vision was to provide a platform and support system for artists of all types to showcase their work. One of LTP's goals is to support the handful of bands that they feel passionately about and help out with things like promotion, art, photography, booking, etc. They are rapidly becoming known for their infamous themed parties which incorporate music, art, dance, theatre, costuming, and audience interaction. These events are an all out, over the top experience to say the least, and Dans la Lune has gotten to participate in some really fun shows.

Lastly, what plans for a full-length?

Right now we are searching for the right studio and making preparations for our first release. We've been lucky enough to have the opportunity to work on pre-production with musician and producer Oscar Houchins who performed in the 1960's with groups like Tommy James, The Shondells, and The Clique, and has worked with musicians such as Loretta Lynn and Wilco. We hope to have something special to offer soon.

Thank you for speaking with Austinist!

- The Austinist

"At just over a year old, The Hi-Tones are already proving to be one of Texas' most promising up and coming acts. Spreading their irresistible brand of "retro-pop-dance-rock" they are rapidly becoming known for their notorious themed and audience-interactive dance parties that pack in crowds of two and three hundred a night.

Trippy organs, groovy beats, and thick greasy chords characterize the emanating sounds which are reminiscent of 1960's Brit-Rock groups like The Kinks or Syd Barrett's early version of The Pink Floyd and are on par with modern acts such as The Black Keys, The Ugly Beats, The Urges, and The Black Angels.

Walk into their live show and its clear by the end of the first song that The Hi-Tones have what many other bands lack: An outstanding front-man who commands the attention of the audience. Debonair and soul-shattering lead vocalist Johnny Flores, slender with jet black curls, does not only have a impressive set of pipes, it seems he has borrowed some fancy footwork from Mr. James Brown himself. Sensual and sweat drenched he spins, jumps, slides and shakes with relentless passionate energy. Bassist Gary Delgado, tall and dreamy floats on his own introspective plane of existence thumping out punchy rhythms that pop like the exploding flash-bulbs of the 1930's. On cue, style savvy guitarist Chazz Bessette steps out armed with a with a classic fireglow red Rickenbacker selected meticulously from an arsenal of vintage and fine guitars. The crowd begins to pack the floor and becomes wild with out-of-control dancing and excitement. The sexual energy given off by the music is apparent by the amount of flailing females that line the front row of the audience. By the end of the set, a dull evening has turned into what feels like a jiving bohemian dance party. Recently, two new young lads have been added to the lineup. Indie classical composer Nathan Felix is now holding down rythym guitar while precision master Kurt Lammers is now on precussion.

It's modern day Pop-Pop art; The Hi-Tones play music for the sake of playing music and they having fun doing it. It's rock n' roll being played the way it was meant to be played. It's shockingly good. Upcoming shows include dates at premiere Austin clubs like Emo's, The Beauty Bar and Stubb's. Do yourself a favor and check them out." -LTP Productions
- Lucy The Poodle Productions

The three bands on this bill represent the freshman class of Austin’s retro revival, each boasting a sweetly simple jangle derived from their parents’ Byrds records and a love for old-fashioned harmonizing that pretends punk never happened. Dans La Lune’s British Invasion bop is the most ersatz of the night, built on crystalline Rickenbacker riffs and singer Johnny Flores’ nimble tenor—and when his suit-clad guitarists lean into harmonize on the same mic, it’s as American Bandstand as it gets. Wine And Revolution plays Small Faces to Dans La Lune’s The Turtles, offering a slightly more roughed-up garage sound that’s good for when the chaperones have gone home. Slinky sister act Petals hints at the sexual revolution that’s just around the corner from this age of innocence, with singers Britani and Stephani Kagan purring in perfect “please please me” seduction.
- Decider Austin

1960s-styled pop-rockers Dans La Lune tear it up at Beauty Bar Austin for a special Mod-themed dance party. You can thank Lucy The Poodle Productions and Blue Velvet for the go-go dancers and the band's spiffy retro attire. I apologize for the muddy audio quality. I was having mic issues all night. Luckily, the band's fantastic performance outweighs any sound quality issues. Frontman Johnny Flores is all energy. This is fun music to dance to.
- Ajay Miranda with Nites.com