IRATION INTERVIEW
Hawaii's Iration is set to join forces with the most popular Hawaiian band to take to the stage in recent years - Pepper. Guitarist/vocalist, Micah, and bassist, Adam, dropped by The Pier recently to let us know what happens when islander "playboys" decide to get together to par-tee.
The Pier: Ok let's start with the big news, which of course is you have scored an opening spot on the upcoming Pepper Spring Tour. That must be damn exciting? How did that come about?
Iration: We're all extremely excited to go on Pepper's nation-wide spring tour. It basically came about because we've known those guys for a long time and have grown to be good friends. Actually Pepper played Micah and Catlin's high school grad party which was awesome. We've played quite a few shows with them and I think they were just waiting until they felt we were ready and organized enough to go on tour. Plus Remy D and Yee pushed for it and always had our backs, they are ultimate Playboys. We've also had a lot of help booking shows from our friends at Silverback Management, and they offered the tour to us.
The Pier: So you will be playing to some new audiences on that tour. What can they expect from an Iration show?
Iration: People can expect a show that is uptempo and high energy although we will be playing reggae music. We are definitely reggae/rock but where most "reggae/rock" bands are more punk or metal than reggae, we are more reggae. However, we still like to get nuts.
The Pier: Do you have any specific places you are looking forward to visiting since this is your first national tour?
Iration: None of us have driven across the country before so we're eager to get out on the road and see everything. Stubbs in Austin is supposed to be a rad venue as well as all of the House of Blues venues we'll be playing. We're just pumped to be sharing our music with people from completely different places than we're from.
The Pier: What has been your favorite show/tour to date?
Iration: We have a few favorites. Our favorite tour was with Hawaii reggae band Natural Vibrations, who are a great group of guys to be on the road with, plus they smoke more herb than any group of men we've ever come in contact with. Every guy in Natty Vibes is super cool and full of aloha. Favorite shows include Float the Boat with Pepper, Fishbone, and The Expendables; support for Steel Pulse at the Ventura Theatre; and The Catalyst in Santa Cruz with Pepper.
The Pier: Is Pepper a big inspiration for you guys, since both bands originated from Hawaii?
Iration: They're a huge influence on us, musically and as a band in general but not as much style wise because we feel our styles are different, more just the approach and professionalism they have. Growing up we were able to watch their career grow over the years and they inspire us to put on a great live show and to love the music that we are fortunate to play. They are the first band from the Big Island and more specifically Kona that has made it to the level they have so to see them play main stage at Warped Tour and to be onstage seeing them rock thousands of people like that was just mental. They have made our road a lot clearer and have helped our career out so much that we will always have those guy's backs.
The Pier: Now you all lived in Hawaii but have now relocated to Santa Barbara. Why did you choose there?
Iration: Initially the decision to move was to attend UCSB, which we did, though it was not the only reason. As a musician there is a serious cap that you put on yourself when you live on a small island. We knew the only way to get our music to the masses was to move here the mainland and do work!!
The Pier: Were you happy with how your debut full length album, No Time to Rest, turned out and how it has been received?
Iration: We're very happy with our album. It definitely represents a younger and less experienced point in our career, but that's where we were at the time and because we self-produced the majority of it, it's very unfiltered. Just us playing songs that we like. Having reggae legend Mikey Dread do a guest appearance was an amazing experience in itself as well as having Remy Derochemont aka Dub Nasty from the Pepper posse help dub it out was sick. Remy has been another person that has helped us and supported us from the beginning so we owe him lots of playboy drinks.
The album has been very well received and everyone who hears it seems to like it so no complaints there. Thanks to JP Hesser at Castaway 7 Studios and Mike Caplan from Lion and Fox Studios for making it sound good for a surprisingly affordable price.
The Pier: I hear you have started recording your follow up to No time To Rest? What can you tell us about it this stage?
Iration: We went back to Hawaii over xmas and co-wrote the songs with grammy award winning producer Charles Brotman (lavatracks.com), so I can tell you that the new album is going to be a huge progression for Iration. We all feel like Iration has finally developed our signature sound. It's not gonna sound like the last album which isn't good or bad, it's just different. The tentative title right now is PLAYBONICS but we haven't finalized anything. The album will be dropping either just after summertime or possibly fall. Still a long way to go but it will be worth it.
The Pier: What direction is the new songs taking and has there been any specific inspirations?
Iration: The songs are definitely more accessible and more mature. More songs about personal experience and less about concepts. They're also written a whole lot better because we were working with Charles. He really improved our songwriting and our whole perspective on songwriting. The direction would probably be described as reggae drum and bass mixed with keyboard and synth and rocking guitars. We'll definitely be rocking a lot harder on this album.
The Pier: With seven members in the band is song-writing an easy process for you guys?
Iration: The process is that one of us will usually come up with a basis like chords or a hook or something and then we just bring it to the rest of the band and we just play it until things just feel right. It's pretty organic. Writing the new album was a bit different, we were in the studio sitting in a circle just freestyling ideas. Real playboy style.
The Pier: What else have you got coming up for 2008?
Iration: 2008 is going to be a big year for us. We want to cement 08 as the year that we make the jump to full time touring. We are all ready to commit to touring and paying our dues doing what is necessary to make it to the next level. Basically just learning and trying to improve. Also, to continue helping the growth of our main sponsors Mada Surf. They are a sick company and make great clothes. They just signed WCT surfer Bede Durbidge who won the Pipe Masters and Triple Crown, which for Hawaiians is a huge thing so we're pumped. Other than that, we'll just continue trying to be playboys and spreading the aloha around this beautiful nation. Thanks to you guys at The Pier for supporting this music and supporting us.
Thanks to Iration for stopping by the Pier and all the best to the lads on its first national tour. Exciting times ahead.
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