Check out this interview with Colorado Springs, Colorado-based band Eyes’ singer and guitarist, Dylan Roop. The band has some cool things coming up; keep reading to find out more! Be sure to check out my review of their self-titled EP here.
Who are the members of the band and what do each of you play?
I [Dylan Roop] play guitar and sing; Hayden Trobee on guitar and vocals as well; Sean McKnight on bass guitar; and Steven Lichtenwalter on drums.
Could you give the readers some history of the band?
Eyes was a side project of mine during my previous band. When that disbanded I took Eyes full time and we began writing and we released our debut EP shortly after.
Why did you choose the name “Eyes?” What is the meaning behind it?
The name “Eyes” derives from Luke 9 where Jesus says to go out and make disciples of all men. I had it stuck in my head that we are the eyes of the Father and we need to be evidently on guard for the truth. So I liked that and it stuck.
Some of you were previously in the band Sheridan. Are you looking to make music similar to that band or going in another direction completely?
Not really. We started as a worship band, then we were more on the indie side. Now we’re moving towards more of a rock feel. You never know. We are just writing whatever we feel at the time. Which is weird because it makes for a different kind of album.
What did you learn from being in Sheridan that you brought to Eyes?
Sheridan was great because I joined the band late into its lifetime so because of that I learned a lot about tour and writing in a corporate setting and most importantly money and financing for a band.
Your self-titled EP has been out for about three months now, what are some favorite songs and parts of that release?
We really love our EP. Hayden and I listen to it all the way through from time to time and we’re proud of the songs that came out of that. I’d say my favorite song to play is “I Made This For You” because it’s just a 5 minute long jam session. Which sometimes goes to 10 minute long sessions. It’s great. Another great one to play is “Peace Be Still” AKA “The Rock and Roll Song.”
What are some things that have inspired the songs you write?
For me, I’m really into art and it’s my other hobby. I get a lot of inspiration from different artists and their work.
How would you describe your style of music?
We’d describe our own music as progressive indie rock with a hint of ambient post rock. Basically we are a cross between speed pop and French jazz, just kidding
Who are some of your musical influences?
We all love the modern classics like Balance and Composure and Polar Bear Club but separately our tastes REALLY differ. I love stuff like David Bazan and So Long Forgotten but then we have Steven who’s really into anything with a beat. His motto is “Deathcore all day,” not really.
Do you currently have any plans for shows/tours?
We hope to tour in the next couple years but we want to take that slow. Tour is either really awesome or terrible, it’s never in the middle so we don’t want to rush it. Until then we are gearing up to stay local for a bit.
What do you have in the works musically? Perhaps a full-length or a new EP?
We are currently writing our full length album that will be out later this year. We might do another EP but there’s talks of an acoustic EP or a remix EP, we’ll see.
I know that you, Dylan, are working on a solo project. What are your plans for that?
That’s something I’m really excited about. All of my close friends remember my terrible solo music from about 5 years ago. So it’s the only music I’ve done alone since then. It’s quite a bit different and I’m excited for it to be released this summer. It’s a full length album and it’s titled A Song Quakes In My Heart. [Releasing for free on August 28, 2012.]
Are there any artists that you’ve been listening to lately that you would like to share with our readers?
Absolutely, pick up the debut album Should This Noose Unloosen from our friends Civilian. Also check out all the new releases from Come&Live! Lastly, pick up the album Conclusions from our pals in Altars.
What are some of your favorite activities when not making music?
Like I said, I enjoy art. We all love to longboard, disc golf, play video games and eat pizza at Old Chicago. $2 Tuesdays are a staple for us.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thanks to IVM for continuously having great content and awesome people following the music! Also, continue to support your local scene. Don’t let it die.
Thank you, Dylan, for taking the time to answer these questions for our readers at Indie Vision Music!