Vigorous and diversified sounds intersect with captivating lyrics to create authentic music that is notably hard to come by. With the self-production of their debut album, Feeling Electric, that was released June 2015, alt-electro band, Parade of Lights, have made a sudden rise in the music industry. Composed of Ryan Daly, Anthony Improgo, Randy Schulte, and Michelle Ashley, the L.A. based band wasted no time, packing their bags shortly after the album release to go on tour with AWOLNATION. Their genre-bending chords are layered effortlessly to create an alluring sound that brings simplified melodies to life. Referring to themselves as “360 Artists,” Parade of Lights are known for writing and producing their own music, designing their own album artwork and web graphics, along with creating their own lyric videos. Their self-sufficiency not only gives them an edge, but also the power to sufficiently channel creativity and express it on their own terms.
Cliché: How did the four of you come together?
Ryan Daly: Anthony, Randy, and I have known each other since 2006; we formed a band called Polus. We played locally (L.A.) for a year or so, until I dislocated my knee during a sold-out show at The Troubadour opening for Built to Spill. This led to us taking some time off and taking on touring gigs with established acts. Anthony and I kept crossing paths on tour until 2010, when we met in Australia and decided to pick up where we left off. We re-formed as Parade of Lights and reconnected with Randy. After a couple lineup changes, we met Michelle in 2013 and felt she was the perfect fit, which completed the lineup.
Growing up, was music always something you guys knew you wanted to pursue in the future?
For the most part. Many things piqued my interest growing up, but music was the one constant. I think I speak for everyone in the band when I say it was always something we wanted to do.
Do you assign yourselves different roles to get everything done or have a certain routine you follow?
Yes, we all have our strong-suits, and we delegate as things can get pretty hectic at times. Anthony handles the web design/layout and video editing/compositing, I handle the production and photography/shooting video, Randy and Michelle handle our social media, and we all collaborate on writing and arranging. We all dip into each others’ areas to keep it cohesive. For this last record, we worked with Charles Bergquist on the images for the album art. He’s one of the few people we’ve worked with outside of the band, as we’ve been fans of his for a long time.
What was the inspiration behind the name of your first studio album, Feeling Electric?
The name comes from the title track; it’s a song about the feeling you get when you first meet someone you know is going to be significant to you. All of our songs tend to slant optimistic, and we noticed a positive arc across the album. We felt “Feeling Electric” summed it up well.
Did you find there to be any great challenges or obstacles that had to be faced while producing the album?
There always are. Most are related to time constraints. Self-producing an album is quite a hefty task, but it’s worth it in the end. I had an inner ear issue for a couple weeks right when we started recording, which wasn’t fun. It was a big relief once it subsided.
Now that you’ve wrapped up your tour with AWOLNATION, what was one of your most memorable moments and what was your strangest?
This tour was the biggest we’ve done yet. It felt great to get in front of crowds that were truly responsive to a band that the majority of them had never heard. That was the highlight for us. As for strangest moments, one night we had an audience watch us load out. There were about 100 people in a smoking section outside the venue, right next to our van and trailer; they had all just watched our set. We loaded out directly onto the street and into the trailer after the show and they watched us and cheered. It was great, just something we’d never experienced before. Everyone was very supportive and we are grateful.
What’s next for you guys?
Over the past couple of years, we’ve been lucky enough to see our music resonate with people around the world. In 2016, we’re looking forward to touring and playing for as many of those people as possible.
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Parade of Lights Interview: Photographer: Charles Bergquist
