“Wanting to live a dream that has so many ways of becoming a nightmare scares the shit out of me, but it is also the main thing that drives me.”
The Satellite Nation take their musical journey seriously. So much so, that mid-2007 these five Central Coast boys picked up sticks and set up camp in Vancouver, Canada. In a testimony to their talent, overseas has welcomed The Satellite Nation enthusiastically, with sold-out shows across Canada, a North American tour planned for 2008, and gigs at venues such as the famous Roxy Theatre, on Sunset Boulevarde, in Hollywood.
With the support of a well-earned and solid fan base, Adam Byrnes (vox), Glenn Fraser (guitar), Daniel Aird (guitar), Grant Matzen (bass) and Brendon Williams (drums) chased the rock’n’roll dream across country to their new home in Vancouver. Signed to international manager Koo Abuali of FireWire Music Company, they’ve been busy recording, writing, and touring, to the appreciation of their new home. The Satellite Nation are getting ready to release their new self-titled EP at the very cool Media Club, in Vancouver, on January 26th – a little Australia Day cheer on strange shores.
Mink caught up with bass player Grant to see how their excellent musical adventure was treating them.
What do you love most about performing with The Satellite Nation?
“The fact that we are so much like family. Like we all live in the same house!
So when we play a rocking show it just gets everyone super stoked! That is the coolest thing. Being so close with everyone in the band makes our shows that much better again. When we are rocking on stage I get to look around and see my four best friends having the best time ever. Sometimes I am on stage with a stupid grin purely because of that reason alone. Walking off stage at the Roxy after playing an awesome show on the same stage legends have played on - Rage Against The Machine, Guns n Roses, Motley Crue, Incubus…best feeling ever.”
Living together, writing, rehearsing, recording and performing together – rather than a recipe for disaster, these laid-back Aussies seem to be taking it all in their stride.
Who is always the first to 'lose it' in the band?
"Well we are all pretty relaxed. I guess if anyone was going to lose it might be Glenn. Or me. Actually we all lose it for different things. But it is very rare. We don’t have that uptight personality thing going on at all."
Formerly known as In The Grey, the boys released two EPs, Hopelicity (2002), and Wake the Silent Day (2003), through Below Par Records, a label known for spotting bands that embrace the pop-punk, while still offering the kids the indie-rock integrity that create blazing live shows. Their 2006 album Innocence is Running Out was backed by solid national touring, which honed their live performances, resulting in a show that’s tight, and frenzied with controlled energy. After all, there’s nothing better than a rock show that delivers by kids that know how to handle their instruments.
Creatively, the move to Vancouver represented the band’s desire to push boundaries, both within their song writing, and their live performances.
"One dream of mine has always been to wake up one day with no memory of any of my music and listen to it for the very first time. Just to hear what we have spent the past few years of our life doing, with fresh ears and an open perspective would be a real gift. I would wanna wake up the next day and remember how to play them though. Haha!"
Their commitment to their own generation comes across in their song writing – about love, life, loss, and success. Encompassed within their desire to see the bigger picture, these rather broad emotions become grounded in the melodic rock pop of the music. The Satellite Nation are creating a sound distinctly their own, a sound that is growing without the limitations of genre.
"We are always looking to do new things as musicians. I think the only way a band can stand out from the pack is to take an original idea of a song and try and twist it and turn it into a unique piece of music – whether it be through structure, sound, instrumentation, or whatever. This is what any band worth its heart and soul in music should look to excel."
What's the craziest thing a fan has asked you to do?
"At the moment me and Adam have been asked to help design a tattoo for a fan using a certain lyric from one of our songs. That is for life! So that is pretty awesome."
Pretty awesome indeed.
The new film clip for their single ‘Last Time’, filmed at Joshua Tree and starring the hot Electra Avellan from Grindhouse fame, can be checked out on their website www.thesatellitenation.com.
Written by Larissa Moore
