How long have you been together, how did the band form?:
2 yrs. Blaise and donato hooked up and began jamming, then pulled in craig and freddy after many months of searching.
Where is the name derived from?
A concept from a Carl Sagan book (start reading them all!)
Band Website and MySpace Profile :
http://www.ioniamusic.com and http://www.myspace.com/ionia
Band Bio:
It began in a small town in Alaska with Blaise Beyhan. Born into an alternative community, Blaise grew up in a non-conventional setting with 7 siblings and a Mother and Stepfather who home schooled him. There was no traditional educational structure, recalls Blaise, but he did realize that he had a love for music. Blaise was eager to meet some musicians that were serious about what they did.
Enter Donato. The two met through a mutual friend that Donato frequently gigged with and began to hang out and jam together. Blaise and Donato decided to put an add out in the paper and after meeting with about 50 guitarists they finally met their match.
Enter Craig. Born in Brooklyn with a passion for the guitar, Craig was just what they were looking for. We created a triangle that now needed a 4th element, and we knew that was going to be difficult, says Blaise. After months of trying to find someone, Blaise put a posting on the internet. Immediately after I posted the ad, my phone rang, remembers Blaise.
Enter Freddie. The circle complete, music began.
Sound best described as:
Emotionally driven rock.
Influences:
Art and artists.
What’s the songwriting approach for the band?:
Blaise usually comes up with an idea/melody/core and brings it in to the band who then fleshes it out, constructs and deconstructs parts to reach a point where we feel good about the piece.
You have a five song EP available, can you walk us through the tracks?
White heat- we’ve all had the feeling of being interrogated before
Gas rainbow – Lying to yourself is the greatest evil you can commit
Indifference – Every action in a given day makes a difference
Perfect view - there’s clarity when you discover inner strength
Mother Meagan – an ode to a wonderful matron
Ultimate goal as a band:
To inspire others to create instead of destroy.
Best Gig:
I think we play the ultimate gig in our minds before we go to bed every night…it usually includes the bygone practice of pyro and cage dancers along with a fully fledged audience dosed out on LSD.
Worst Gig:
That has to be the one where we we’re so upset, we finished and walked into a dungeons and dragons store for consolation…imagine that…no lie.
In a world of bands trying to make their mark, what sets you apart rest?:
Chemistry….”better living through it.”
If you could tell people who have never heard your music before one thing about the band, what would it be?:
The music may seem dark at times, but the underlying messages are positive ones.
Thoughts on the current state of the music industry?
At the cafeteria it used to be ham & cheese or PB&J…your eclectic buddy would hip you sometimes to turkey. But nowadays there’s falafel, pizza, soup, tofu, and damn near a zillion things on the menu…Some say too much choice causes their appetite to subside…others say they eat more now because there’s more to eat and the food isn’t as filling…all we know is that hunger still exists despite.
Final Words to the people out there:
Love will always win…unless you’re stuck in traffic on the LIE…then you should use your horn like a good New Yorker.
New Englanders, be sure to check out Ionia at Locobazooka this weekend at The Tweeter Center!
