Today, atmospheric rock band TREASVRE and reggae powerhouse Roots of Creation (#1 on the Billboard Reggae charts) come together for a fun edition of Bands Interviewing Bands.
More info on these guys below but for now, let’s dive straight into this interview!
Roots of Creation: Where did you come up with the description on your IG page “Atmospheric Rock from San Francisco?” It immediately hooks me in and makes me want to listen.
TREASVRE: It took us such a long time to land on this description! We honestly can’t remember when it finally clicked. We like to use the term “atmospheric” to embody the cinematic feel we create with all the synth tones we use, without people thinking we are a shoegaze or post rock band. While we borrow elements from many different genres, we never felt like we fit nicely in any of them as a category. One day we just thought to ourselves, “we’re just like a rock band, but with more atmosphere!” and the genre Atmospheric Rock stuck.
TREASVRE: How long did it take to come up with the arrangements for the Grateful Dub covers? Did a lot of the arrangements come quick after jamming them out, or was it a long labor of love trying to balance the styles of reggae with The Dead?
Roots of Creation: For our Grateful dub album, most of the songs had been worked out live, but once we got into the studio we spent a lot of time figuring out what we could add to those arrangements to make them more lush and full. we’ve started playing around with arrangements for Volume 2 – Tal (Keyboards)
Roots of Creation: What kind of influence does the city of SF have on your music and lifestyle? There is so much (counter)cultural and musical history to delve into.
TREASVRE: We all grew up in the bay area, so it has so many inspirations for each of us individually. Walking down Haight Street or passing by Hippie Hill, it’s hard not to think about Jefferson Airplane, Sly, Janice Joplin, Santana and all the amazing rock artists that used to call San Francisco home. But honestly, a huge influence on us has always been the DIY Hardcore and Metal scene throughout Redwood City and Berkeley. These were the first local shows that were all ages when we were growing up, and so we’ve always held these musical influences and DIY sensibilities close to our heart.
TREASVRE: If RoC could collaborate with any artist, who would you like to do a collaboration with?
Roots of Creation: So many! Buju! Damian Marley! Stick Figure! Rebelution! – Tal (Keyboards)
Roots of Creation: Tell us more about Evan. He seems like your secret weapon with the ability to engineer, drum and synthesize! Do you do a lot of self producing, bring people into the fold or a hybrid? We have done a little of each and are super excited to be exploring self-production with various members of the band currently
TREASVRE: As time goes on, Evan’s talents are becoming less and less of a secret! He truly is a man of many talents, and really helps us craft the overall sound. Having someone in the group with such versatility really allows us the freedom to think outside the box with how we write and record. We used to do more self-producing, but it requires a lot of Evan’s time. With all our upcoming releases, we decided to go into a studio to have them produced. There is something nice about having everything set up for you, while all the band has to do is focus on playing. A lesser known secret is Evan’s graphic design abilities. He did the artwork for our latest release Devils / Echoes, and is currently working on art for future releases!
TREASVRE: RoC seems to put on an awesome, high energy, live show! Have you been doing a lot of live streams since the pandemic? If so, how have you been trying to translate the energy of your shows, into an online format?
Roots of Creation: I was doing a “Friday Night LIVE” live stream every week for four months. It kept me sane and kept the band alive haha. It’s a completely different beast. I feel like it’s part game show, part comedy, part marketing, part performance, part therapy. – Brett (Guitar/Vocals)
Roots of Creation: With heavy (and important) themes of “Struggle” “Self-Doubt” and “Loneliness” Does music help you overcome these feelings? Is songwriting and performing therapeutic for you?
TREASVRE: Yes, it’s definitely part of how we process our emotions and make sense of the world. Sam & Sabrina are our primary lyricists, and they often pull from their personal experiences when crafting the words to a song. While they’re thinking about lyrics, we also work as a band to hone in on the feelings and story we want to convey with the music. It really does force us to reflect, analyze, and come to terms with so many challenging aspects of being human. Performing is where it comes full circle. When the audience feels the music and we’re on stage feeling it resonates with them, it’s a cathartic experience. The energy in the room during a live show is something we sorely miss, and we can’t wait to get back to performing whenever that’s a possibility.
TREASVRE is a band of five San Francisco Bay Area natives that blends elements of post-rock and shoegaze with rich synth textures, heavy guitar riffs, and electronic rhythms. Vocalists Samantha Peña and Sabrina Simonton create wistful harmonies that underscore the themes of nostalgia, melancholy, and hopefulness found in their lyrics. The drama and depth conveyed by the music creates a distinctly cinematic quality — one that captures the complex range of human emotion in beautiful and inspiring ways and begs to be experienced live.
The first of four new releases coming this year, Devils / Echoes EP wrestles with heavy themes that are especially pertinent during these times of social isolation. Through poignant and haunting imagery, these two songs examine how loneliness and self-doubt can take control, as well as the struggle to break free without losing oneself.
TREASVRE’s thoughtful take on these complex emotions are backed up by driving guitars, saturated synths, and groovy rhythms, creating a mood and energy that is hard to overlook.
For fans of:
M83, Mew, Autolux
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From the #1 charting Billboard Reggae album, Grateful Dub: A Reggae-Infused Tribute To The Grateful Dead, singer/guitarist/producer Brett Wilson, and his band Roots of Creation, celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original Grateful Dead release of “Casey Jones” by premiering an official music video of the song that was originally penned by Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia, and released by the Grateful Dead 50 years ago this month in June 1970 from the album Workingman’s Dead.
For their version of the song, Roots of Creation is joined by guest vocalist Dan Kelly of the Southern California Reggae band Fortunate Youth, while the track is complemented by the tight production of original Bob Marley engineering legend Errol “Tuff Sound” Brown. The recording has a spirited upbeat funky vibe, with explosive guitars and a unique Reggae tinge that would probably make both Bob and Jerry “smile smile smile….”
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Bands Interviewing Bands: TREASVRE (top) photo credit: Jeff Straw. Roots of Creation (bottom) photo credit
