Astral Transmitter

I contacted Dave Han from the San Francisco band Astral, upon hearing that a new EP and an overseas tour were on the horizon…

SANDE: Tell me about the new CD…

DAVE: The new EP, titled “Transmitter”, will feature 4 songs, the title track, “In circles”, “Blisters and Sighs”, and a live version of “Forbidden Kiss”. All the songs were recorded by the original Astral band members, Shawn, Amy, and myself, who had also recorded the Orchids album. The production of the new recordings is very raw and organic as opposed to much of the angular, digitally recorded music today, but stylistically in vein with the natural progression of Astral’s definitive sound. We are particular about recording strictly with analog media to preserve the live feel of the music versus digital media where music can be cut and pasted and typically colder sounding.

SANDE: How does it differ from “Orchids”?

DAVE: The “Transmitter” EP is actually a prelude to the forthcoming full length album, titled “Sleepwalker”, which is due for release later in the year. As I mentioned in the previous question, the new recordings are first of all, noticeably different in the area of production, but stylistically, the songs generally have a darker feel and further refine the definitive Astral sound.

SANDE: Where can your fans grab their copy?

DAVE: The EP will be a very limited release because it is a prelude to the full length release and will be available at gigs, online at www.astralsf.com, and a few select retailers. It should be available around the March/ April 2007 timeframe.

SANDE: Has the line up changed much since the band began in 2000? I heard Ralph (ex Madelia) was playing with Astral for a time, so I wondered if there had been many changes recently.

DAVE: Currently we remain a 3 piece band, but yes, we have had a few line up changes in the past year, which unfortunately has also led to the delay of our forthcoming release. Ralph (ex Madelia) had played with Astral over most of 2006, but departed to focus his time on some personal health concerns. The current line up features Scott Christy on drums (formerly of Swirlhappy) and Psam on bass (formerly of the Guilty Party). We have been working on a number of new songs which will be recorded for a future release.

SANDE: I hear Astral are touring the UK in May. Which cities and venues are you playing?

DAVE: Originally we were going to play Liverpool, Manchester, London, and possibly Glasgow, but the tour is postponed indefinitely at the moment.

SANDE: Does anybody in the band suffer from travel sickness, have concerns about lost luggage, or any other fear?

DAVE: No fears to my knowledge, we’re actually looking forward to it when we can reschedule the dates for a more accommodating time.

SANDE: Will playing overseas affect the sound or style of the performance? What benefits do you feel touring England will bring to Astral?

DAVE: Ideally we would not let travel affect our sound or performance however, when playing overseas we’re to some degree at the mercy of the equipment, i.e. amps, drums, PA, etc. The benefit of touring the UK would be around exposure. Locale can make a huge impact on the success and longevity of a band. I recently heard an old interview with the Sparks, who are one of my personal favorite bands from the early 70’s glam era. They had talked about how they recorded and released their first two full length albums in their hometown of LA when they first started out and the albums went nowhere domestically. They moved to the UK shortly thereafter and their popularity and appreciation for their sound exploded exponentially, so there’s merit to bringing the music to where it’s full potential can be realized. Our album sales are very strong in Germany as well, so we may also consider that as a tour destination in the future.

SANDE: Other than your guitar, are there any essentials you insist on packing when taking a tour?

DAVE: I have a few guitar effects that I rely on that are critical to maintaining the sound and feel of the songs despite whatever amplifier will be left at my disposal for the shows, so those would definitely come with me. I would also bring extra strings and picks which I am very particular about and use religiously.

SANDE: Will there be any time out for sightseeing when you reschedule?

DAVE: Logistics would probably limit amount of sightseeing we would get done, but I love sightseeing and would try to make the most of it!

SANDE: Do you have a tour manager?

DAVE: No tour manager, but we have a strong network in Europe through a few of our contacts.

SANDE: When I interviewed you for “San Francisco Music Vibes of the 2000″s’ in 2005, you mentioned beer. Are you hoping to sample some of those dark brown English ales? What about the local food – is there a regional dish that your band hopes to sample whilst visiting?

DAVE: LOL! My favorite beer is still Newcastle (UK), so I’ll be at home with it. I’d love to try some of the other local English ales as well. As for food, we’re bound to find a good Indian curry, so I’m sure that is on our list of “must haves” while over there.

SANDE: How are things going in relation to the local music scene?

DAVE: The music scene in San Francisco is ever changing and I see a lot of new bands that are not breaking a whole lot of new ground lately. There seems to be a saturation of major label bands that are dominating the music scene. Stylistically, electronica and “death disco” are still alive, but it does feel like we are in a very transitory stage at this point in time.

SANDE: In what direction do you see Astral heading over the next 5-10 years?

DAVE: Music changes so much and things that inspire songs evolve as well, so it’s really hard to project the future of the sound in 5-10 years, but we can always speculate!

EP review:

Reminiscent of a vibrating cavernous boom of thunder and shuddering through the torso as the sonorous thud of a disco, “Transmitter” hits that spot in your heart as if the perfect glass of wine. The four tracks are relaxing, peacefully flowing into your ears as a spring stream trickles over pebbles on its path into a wider river. Likewise, trembling, rolling and real, this analog recording is the first of three releases leading up to Astral’s next full-length album. This smooth-flowing soft music with melodious bumps and a tart twang permit the listener to enter a calm and restful realm allowing for contemplation of the lyrics.