9+1 Q&A with Californiosos

What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.

(MICHAEL)

Well I feel that Dave might’ve popped out of the womb playing a jig or something. He breathes music and has been in more bands than I can possibly name. I, on the other hand, am an incredibly “late bloomer” who only got into serious guitar playing and songwriting in my forties. But I did always obsess over music (Bach, Led Zeppelin, Doors, Miles Davis). I am in a band called the “Space Babies” with my wife Rebecca, and Dave joined and from there … we just kinda fell into the “Californiosos”. It is incredible how much musical, spiritual, and poetic knowledge and appreciation we share. We both are deeply entrenched in the California Mysticism of good vibes and healthy hearts! Hopefully we are carrying the torch of West Coast beat-folk-rock-psychedelia. There is a beautiful movement developing (Pacific Range, Mapache, Mattson 2, Circles around the Sun, Jonathan Wilson, and we are honored to dive in with our brothers and sisters and keep the music awake.

Provide us with some info about your latest release…

(FARMER DAVE)

Californiosos is our first album release, and we’re mega psyched. We wrote most of the tunes together outside under a brugmansia tree, usually coming up with ideas pretty quickly and recording demo videos into a phone. We like to think of the tunes as being soundscapes, poetry set to music. It’s been fun to have the songs out in the world now, and to go and play shows. Good times!

Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?

-(check 1st question)-

In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?

(FARMER DAVE)

I think we escape any one genre… if we go with psychedelic folk, I’d say our sound differs in the many variances of instrumentation and mood across all the tracks, making us a unique and nutritious listening experience. There may be elements of this or that genre as you listen through the album start to finish, but those styles are just musical clothes we wear, changing as we see fit to suit each song. The album’s a bit like California landmark Disneyland, with different worlds all living under the same umbrella to generate a well-rounded theme park like experience… on double vinyl, too!

Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…

(MICHAEL)

Uggh! Favorites! My 9 year old asks me to name favorites all day. But for now:

Albums: Led Zeppelin Physical graffiti, Miles Davis in a silent way, Bach Brandenburg concertos.

Movies: Never cry wolf, Lord of the Rings, Apocalypse Now

Books: Jack Kerouac Dharma Bums, Neale Donald Walsh Conversations with God, Ernest Hemingway Moveable feast

Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?

(FARMER DAVE)

I’m going to say LIVE because a million things hit you at once while you’re playing, all your senses come alive in that primitive hunter gatherer human sort of way.. and you’re receiving real time feedback by the people and environment.
Studios are great, and I practically live in mine, but if I had to pick one, keep it LIVE, baby!

Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?

(MICHAEL)

Michael: Well, recently, Dave and I were riding our bikes on the Venice boardwalk with crazy poet Eric Johnson and we ended up in a legendary beach bar (Big Dean’s) and then in a park by the Santa Monica pier and Eric starts filming us because he thinks the columns of the pergola look cool. Then Dave puts on our song “Lines in the Sand” and we just start sloppily lip-syncing and then we start running around and rolling on the grass and suddenly Bang! We had a great music video! Spontaneous, free, joyful and beautiful. That’s how you do it. No need to spend painful years laboring over expensive projects these daze. We have 4k cameras in our pockets!!! It should be fun.

Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?

(FARMER DAVE)

“Dig it Up!” has a lot of different terrain, definitely getting inspiration from Latin music, African music, 60s soul and psychedelia, fusion, and really offers a lot of our Californiosos cosmology, on the ideas of how we can awaken to our true magic and divinity as a species. With it’s Egyptology and Pangea / Sun Ra leanings, it’s a cosmic call to arms… the only way out…. is IN ! (hahahaha)

Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?

(MICHAEL)

Our future plans? Well the whole world is in Quarantine because of a deadly virus right now. So it feels like a Sci-fi dystopian movie but…..human beings are gonna frolic in pure joy when this is over. Hopefully we will have new and evolved paradigms of deep appreciation and cooperation and Californiosos will be there! We will be Offering poetic grooves and joyful jams. Hang tight beautiful people. The future is gonna be fantastic and Earth mother is gonna heal, forgive, and dance with us.

Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…

(DAVE AND MICHAEL)

FARMER DAVE: Hey Michael, what can you always do a little more of ?

BOTH: OPEN YOUR HEART

Michael: What is the importance of music?

Well, if we didn’t have art, music, movies, poetry or spirituality we would have no way of expressing our wonder at the beauty of this gift of life. Music starts revolutions, kick starts evolution and gives us the soundtrack of our lives. We work out, make love, relax and dance to vibrations pushed through the air. The future of humanity is linked with vibrational healing and resonance. Music will be very important in this evolutionary leap. Stay tuned.

Photo credits: Olivia Diehl

Curated by: Christos Doukakis

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